Every year for my favorite (and only) niece’s birthday, I try to make all of her gifts. This year I wanted to make her a big girl dollhouse with furniture every five year old would want (star confetti table, hot pink fence, heart mirrors, etc) and that I didn’t mind if she ended up breaking it (she turned 5 this week). Most of the supplies + pieces I used were found objects in thrift stores and also a few things I picked up from The Upcycle Exchange. I have to say I was happy to see her so excited about her gift, but a little sad to see it leave our house. Maybe I should start another…for me!

Oh how my geeky addictions intertwine with my never-ending vintage addiction! Recently, I’ve been Instagramming my little heart out. I love those silly little square images, the multiple filter options and frames. I’m a visual person, so sending an instant image of “what I’m doing” is just perfect. Pouring through everyone else’s posts is my favorite. The creativity is inspiring! If you’re hooked on Instagram too, you can follow me + My Vintage Addiction via courtneychesley.

[photo courtesy of Kaiser Tia]

We take inspiration from the world around us. I usually fall first for the color palette of my favorite vintage finds. Using the color palette generator from Big Huge Labs (c/o Colourlovers, one of my favorite sites), I’ve pulled a gorgeous palette from this piece of vintage fabric- which now can be translated into inspiration for a room or even an outfit.

Do your vintage finds inspire colorful dreams? What color are you most drawn to while vintage hunting?

Now that I’ve fully installed “Lady in Red” as your earworm of the day, take a break and re-charge with some fire engine-red vintage finds! Red is such a powerful color. When I stumble across a find in a thrift shop or estate sale in that burning color, I can’t resist! Enjoy our finds and send your red vintage goodies our way via Twitter @VintageAddicts.

1. forbidden apple, 2. High Seas Dress, 3. TV Hide-Away, 4. poppy red floral print blouse with kerchief collar, 5. Red Thermos, 6. Untitled, 7. vintage 1980s Red Avant Secretary Blouse – Plus Size, 8. Red vintage bingo cards

Last week, we asked for your best + brightest yellow vintage finds. Your replies led us to everything from Small Earth Vintage’s pretty shirtdress and this honey-colored sugar + creamer set from TheVintageApartment, creating Yellow Fever here at MVA. Check out a few of our yellow finds from your fellow Vintage Addicts via the My Vintage Addiction Flickr pool and stay tuned for this week’s color inspiration quest via Twitter!

1. .2588, 2. liberty print, 3. Vintage Book Journal ‘Yellow Book of Birds of America’, 4. yellow vintage display, 5. Vintage Yellow Finel Bucket, 6. Vintage Mallard Duck Playing Cards, 7. Vintage Gold Lustro Ware Canister Set, 8. Fleurs

Crafters and Vintage Addicts alike are afflicted with a crazy case of terrarium fever. A terrarium is a container (most often glass) which is designed to hold small plants and animals in controlled conditions. DIYers all over are crafting their own from found objects, often glass globes or apothecary jars.

The amazing vintage terrarium footstool (above) is just one example of the many vintage terrarium supplies I found while browsing for apothecary jars on Etsy. Keep on reading for more vintage terrarium finds.

While I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day (although I’ve been with Husband Pants for almost 7 years now) I do love the vintage Valentines I spot once in a while on Etsy, Flickr, or in a local thrift shop. I’ve gathered 28 of my Flickr favorites to share with you to show our love for our fellow Vintage Addicts! Enjoy and feel free to share your own vintage Valentines with your fellow Addicts by uploading them to our Facebook fan page.

Mint & Orange Vintage by myvintageaddiction featuring E2 Vintage dresses

One of my addictions is Polyvore, a sweet spot on the web where you can post collections of images from thousands of sites. Here’s my first of a new series of Polyvore posts featuring only vintage and retro finds. Enjoy!

About Polyvore ::

Polyvore is a free, easy-to-use web-based application for mixing and matching images from anywhere on the web. It is also a vibrant community of creative and stylish people.

A great big thank you to Miss J.Spaghetti for submitting this find! Have a bazillion vintage buttons? Why not make them into a one-of-a-kind necklace? This project involves a bit of crocheting, so if you don’t have the skills, find a pal who does.

A friend at work wears this necklace from time to time. Leigh Anne had a large collection of buttons from her mother and wasn’t sure what to do with them, so her sister, Lisa, crocheted them into a necklace.

Button Necklace

Heavy cotton threadS = Small Button
Tatting needleM = Medium Button
34 small buttonsL = Large Button
18 medium buttons
1 large button

Chain 200 and return to single crochet (SC) in first 35 stitches. (This chain will now be referred to as the necklace.)

Row 1 – 1 button
In 21st stitch, 2 SC, loop in button, 2SC, return to necklace and SC in next four stitches.

Row 2 – 2 buttons
In next stitch, 2 SC, loop in button, 2 SC, loop in button, 2 SC and return to necklace and SC in next four stitches.

Successive rows guidelines:
SC in four stitches of necklace
2SC between graduating series of buttons
2SC to return to necklace
SC in four stitches of necklace

Row 3 – SSS
Row 4 – SMS
Row 5 – SMS
Row 6 – SMSS
Row 7 – SMSS
Row 8 – SSMSS
Row 9 – SSMSS
Row 10 – SSMSS
Row 11 – SMLMS
Row 12 – SMLMS
Row 13 – SMLMS
Row 14 – MMLMM (This is the middle)
Row 15 – SMLMS
Row 16 – SMLMS
Row 17 -SMLMS
Row 18 – SSMSS
Row 19 -SSMSS
Row 20 – SSMSS
Row 21 – SSMS
Row 22 – SSMS
Row 23 -SMS
Row 24 – SSS
Row 25 -SS
Row 26 – S

Finish necklace with SC to the end and the tie off with button and connect with opposite side’s loop and knot off.

Chair Found by :: gorgeoux

I see dining room chairs everywhere when I’m on the hunt. I’m currently collecting a mishmash of chairs for my own table. I plan on painting them each a different color of the rainbow and reupholstering the seats with a simple black and white patterned fabric. It’s a simple project, and you can find a how-to right here.

I love what gorgeoux did with her find (pictured above). A fresh paint job and a new seat gave her a brand new chair!

Courtney Chesley believes the thrill of the hunt is almost as fun as the find. read her mind over at CourtneyChesley.com or follow what spews out of it while under the influence of high doses of caffeine and re-runs of This Old House on Twitter.