the gray bird

we've moved!

2010-06-30T02:04:00.003-04:00

MOVIN' ON!

Well... after a hassle with trying to update my email address and a few things got a bit messy... and just for the sake of branding, if you will... I've had to move to a new blog address!

http://mygraybird.blogspot.com

Everything is exactly the same... I've even imported the old blog posts & comments from here.. but, you'll have to re-add me over there. So, I would love it if you'd follow me over there, because that's where the adventure shall continue! And once we get established, the adventure shall contain goodies and giveaways and interviews and eeeee! it'll be great!

see you there!

xoxo,

graybird

monday style

2010-06-07T19:44:00.003-04:00

apparently I was only into taking photos of myself from neck to feet today? Despite that, and the fact that these were taken on my super-low quality camera so they're not the best, I wanted to post these because I dig this dress. I thrifted it a while ago, and wore it to work today. It's cotton and it's SO COMFORTABLE... it's like wearing pajamas to work haha I was glad I wore this today, because it was sort of a ho-hum monday type day, and wearing a ridiculous dress made things a bit better :)

a day at fenway

2010-06-04T11:11:00.002-04:00

As much as I dream of working full time as a vintage seller... there are a few perks for working for a company - such as winning free tickets to a Red Sox game, including transportation to & from Boston. So... yesterday was a day full of sunshine, baseball and overpriced alcohol! All in all, despite a lengthy day AND a strange sunburn, it was fantastic! And, hilariously, I am going to Boston AGAIN today, to see the great Conan O'Brien perform - expect to see a post about that later.

have a marvelous day, loves!

i dream of dreaming

2010-05-30T16:20:00.004-04:00

I love sleep. As much as I wish I was one of those people who only required a short amount of sleep here and there... I'm just not. I'm also not one of those people who "just CAN'T nap!". I can nap with the best of 'em! I truly love lazing about in bed on a sunny day, surrounded by fluffy blankets with a warm breeze blowing in.

I love that SO MUCH, that I spent time this afternoon looking at pictures of places I would love to nap in. Don't these look like they'd fit the occasion just perfectly?

what's the sound? oh.. bed? stop calling my name, i'm on my way! :D

miss mismatched

2010-05-29T16:58:00.005-04:00

dress - target
cardigan - vintage
necklace - vintage
hair - too long and i don't know what to do with it so i twist it and put it in a bun?

I promise you that I do, in fact, have feet. They were wearing some braided sandals from target, nothin' special. This is what I'm wearing for the day to laze about, go grocery shopping, and then probably drag the dude to go see Sex and the City 2 with me. I know, I know - it's probably going to be AWFUL. I think it's rated as a 16 on Rotten Tomatoes right now... eep. But it's so glamorous and silly, and I've loved the show for ages. It's like comfort food - you know it's rotten, but sometimes... sometimes it's just so good. comfort tv/movies :)

have a good day lovelies! xoxo

ghosts of outfits past

2010-05-25T22:14:00.002-04:00

one of the many downsides of having a full time job (yes, there are plenty of upsides too, don't worry!) is that I rarely remember to take pictures of my outfits. And, to be perfectly honest, sometimes my outfits aren't even that impressive, really. I love fashion, and I love taking outfit photos, because it's a neat way to journal and to keep track of things. You can see how you were feeling, remember what you were thinking, and see what you really look like to everyone else, which is kind of neat too.

Another neato thing about documenting your outfits is that it gives you an opportunity to look back.... which I love doing, especially because very often, old photos me include clothing that I've since gotten rid of. Or sold. So it's kind of like visiting an old bud :)

Here are some of my favorites...

(scandalous! this is actually a skirt i wore as a dress. sasssssssssssssyyyy!)

Notice the common theme: I like dresses and skirts! hahaha also, this makes me miss having short hair! I think it's time for a big ole snip snip!

show me your outfits y'all! I'd love to see some blogs about past outfits from every one of you! :)

9 by Design

2010-05-25T13:00:00.000-04:00

It should be no secret that I love television. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of say... reading, or.. going outside... but... MAN, I am definitely a nerd for television. I have a real affinity for shows that are... well, pretty. I love watching design shows! My newest love is 9 By Design on Bravo. It's about the big, crazy Novagratz family and all their shenanigans. They have SEVEN KIDS. SEVENNNNNNN, YOU GUYS! But somehow, they're an allover charming, well-rounded family. Their life is pretty much all semi-controlled chaos, but it's still adorable. Bob & Cortney are still clearly, TOTALLY in love, and the kids love each other enough to buy one another presents and cook each other meals. It's pretty much the sweetest, and maybe/possibly makes me want to have a truckload of children...

But more importantly, look at some of their design work!

a BUILT IN TRAMPOLINE! whaaat!

I've been hanging photos on my walls for years and they never look as chic as that, I swear..

and can we talk about the Walken portrait? HELLO! and the beautiful rounded crib? everything is so dreamy!

It's pretty obvious that my tv is going to be on Bravo tonight, eh? :)

LOST! the man in black

2010-05-23T12:30:00.002-04:00

is it wrong that i totally have a crush on the Man in Black from Lost? I know he's the root of all evil and everything, but geez, HE IS A FOX! I'm sorry, but those are just the facts, folks.

I'm so excited and so nervous about the series final of Lost tonight. I've been watching from the first episode, and I'm totally a Lost nerd. I visit Lostpedia, FUCK YEAH LOST! is one of my favorite tumblrs ever, and I discuss theories with anyone who will listen. It's the end of a TV era, ya'll :(

victory city!

2010-05-22T16:26:00.004-04:00

A definition of Victory Garden, brought to you by WikiPedia: Victory gardens, also called war gardens or food gardens for defense, were vegetable, fruit, and herb gardens planted at private residences and public parks in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Germany during World War I and World War II to reduce the pressure on the public food supply brought on by the war effort. In addition to indirectly aiding the war effort these gardens were also considered a civil "morale booster" — in that gardeners could feel empowered by their contribution of labor and rewarded by the produce grown. This made victory gardens become a part of daily life on the home front.

Can someone tell me how this DOESN'T still apply to our lives?
Where have all the victory gardens gone?

After a trip to the farmer's market this morning, I decided to get my butt in gear! I'm going to put together a plan on how to grow some edible plants right here in my teeny city apartment. After seeing all the beautiful things that these people worked so hard to grow, it made me want to become a part of that. And really, honestly, with the state of the world nowadays, wouldn't it be great to feel a tiny bit more self sufficient? To know that YOU are responsible for what you're eating, and to know exactly WHAT it is that you're eating? Even though the mindset of everyone (myself included) is far different than in the era of the war garden, it still makes perfect sense to me. And ya know... even if it's just little bits and pieces of lettuce here and there, it still feels like a huge step in my mind.

I've spent ages looking at methods of growing things in the city - be it container planting, vertical gardens, or my newest discovery, window farms. So I've decided to do some serious research and mush together all the collective knowledge of the internet to get some real growing goin on in my house! And in case any of you are city-dwellers, or maybe country dwellers with a lack of space, here are some of my absolute favorite inspirations, with some great ideas to get us all going!

1.) Vertical Gardens
A completely and totally amazing way of taking advantage of what little square footage you have. It's essentially a framework placed on a wall, or done outside, and can be filled with anything from herbs to succulents to whatever you can think of. They were dreamed up by Patrick Blanc, originally as more of a "living art installation", but they're getting a lot of love as a more functional piece. I LOVE the idea of having one full of herbs by the kitchen. There's tons of info to be found online just by googling, and there's a great info on how to build one in multiple places (try here, here, or here)

(image via apartment therapy)

1b.) Another Way to Vertical Garden...

Yes, I'm allowed to have a 1b. IT'S MY BLOG, I DO WHAT I WANT! haha! another sect of vertical gardens falls into gardening in nifty little pouches, and I'm particularly found of these guys:

They're called WoolyPockets - http://www.woollypocket.com/ - and they're just a super thick pocket/bag system that allows you to plant in all sorts of neat configurations. Their website has some AMAZING ideas and photos on it. And it's not limited to just vertical gardening - they have other types of pockets for other types of gardening... but they're all environmentally-friendly, easy to move and easy to take care of: all high-ranking factors in my book!

2.) Window Farms
http://www.windowfarms.org/
Window Farms are my newest discovery, and dude... HOW COOL IS THIS? it's a simple, inexpensive, hydroponic system for growing plants in your window. They're based in New York City, and they're trying to start a window farming craze - I love it!

Window Farms are my newest discovery, and dude... HOW COOL IS THIS? it's a simple, inexpensive, hydroponic system for growing plants in your window. They're based in New York City, and they're trying to start a window farming craze - I love it!

3.) Container Gardening
The classic approach to not having any dirt - bring in your own! My favorite thing about container gardening is that pretty much anything can house a plant if you're creative enough. And you can go small-scale or you can go BIG, whatever works best for you.

I don't know about ya'll... but I kind of want a salad now.. hahaha
Do you have any ideas for my city gardening adventure? let me know!

xoxo,
jess

sneak peek

2010-05-10T09:00:00.000-04:00

hi lovelies! hope you're having a happy Monday - if there is such a thing! I'm still trying to get the hang of this whole "working 40 hours a week plus keeping my Etsy alive" gig... and as a measure of good faith to show you that I do, in fact, have plenty of life to breathe into Graybird Vintage... I wanted to give you all a sneak peek of what I'm going to posting in the shop this week! Enjoy!

around the globe

2010-05-09T19:58:00.005-04:00

LADIES AND GENTLEMAN!

BOYS AND GIRLS!
CHILDREN OF ALL AGES!

I present to you... my new favorite thrift find!

TA-DA! A Globe Table! Nifty, huh? BUT... this is not just any globe table... because that wouldn't be spectacular enough... oh no...

OH IT JUST LIGHTS UP, NO BIG DEAL!
(and by no big deal i mean it's totally a big deal)

I had to go get a new bulb for it today, that's why the announcement had to wait haha seriously though, this is probably my new favorite piece. I love maps and globes! I used to have a light up globe when I was young but it broke years & years ago... and if you ask me, this is about a thousand times cooler than the one I had growing up!

It's not super old, so I don't even know if i would call it vintage... but it's so neat looking I just don't even care. It's in great shape too! The table is actually sturdy (unlike the last table I brought back from the thrift store - my husband is still giving me crap about that one), and the globe just needed a dusting and a bulb and we're good to go!

I'm so excited to turn off all the lights except for that and watch movies and silly tv... it's pretty much like a hugely overgrown nightlight... which is fine for me!

mornings in portland

2010-05-08T21:53:00.003-04:00

from time to time, my dude will steal my camera and take pictures. it's always kind of a surprise when he shows me what caught his attention enough to grab a camera and click away. i'm kind of in love with this picture he took the other morning:

that was the view from our window down Commercial Street in the wee hours of the morning. purty, huh? i like that i have a boy who is nice enough to notice sunrises :)

tonight i'm trying to take some photos for the Etsy shop, which is slow-going since all i'm really doing is messing with lighting trying to get a good shot. I don't always have the time to take photos during the day, which of course provides the best lighting... so... we'll see. I've been struggling with this since I opened the shop, but I haven't shelled out the money for a good light kit yet, so I shouldn't complain :)

also, i wanted to share a new thrift find with you guys... but it needs to wait another day or two! i'm so excited to take pictures and post about it though... ahhhh! Salvation Army was calling to me today, so I made a visit and the thrift gods obliged. hopefully i'll show you by tomorrow.

hope you're all having a great weekend, lovelies!

just a pretty picture

2010-05-04T11:00:00.000-04:00

i stole some blossoms off a tree growing by our apartment building. they're currently hanging out in my favorite green bottle and smelling amazing. ahhhh, spriiiiing!

workin' 9 to 5! (actually, 9-6...)

2010-05-03T09:00:00.000-04:00

As you read this post, I'm probably settling in to the place I've newly begun spending 40 hours a week at... my cubicle. Yes, yes, it's true! Jessica Gray has GOTTEN A JOB! It would be amazing and fancy and wonderful if Graybird Vintage could fund my bank account fully, but it's still not quite ready for that. So I've fallen back on my other talent - TYPING! I'm now a full time data entry queen in an amazing office working for a great company. It's only a short walk down the street so I get lots of fresh air and people-watching in every day. And everyone I work with is fantastic! As an example, on Friday, the CEO of the company (who is still in the building, mind you), declared BEER THIRTY, which means at 4:30 everyone goes and gets beers to drink at their desk while still (sort of) working. It's really refreshing to work somewhere that's actually a professional, successful company, but still doesn't take themselves too seriously. As someone who doesn't take myself too seriously, it's kind of the best of both worlds, really!

But, I mean, let's face it - I am still sitting in a cubicle. Even though in a few weeks we're moving to a much more gorgeous building, I'm still faced with the task of cheering things up and making it feel a bit more homey, because I like to nest wherever I am. So far, the most settling I've done is changing my background on both my computer monitors to this adorable bird, Sammy the Seagull:
It's from the shop of Wayne Pate at http://goodshapedesign.com/, which I got turned on to while reading design is mine on my lunch break. Something about having this cute little dude hanging out on my desktop just makes me smile a bit more. Next, some pictures, maybe some flowers for my desk? What do you use to make your workspace more comfy? Any suggestions?

springtime & sunshine

2010-05-02T09:00:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was a GORGEOUS day! The boy and I strolled around the city and I snapped a few little photos. We were searching out a farmer's market, but it ended up being in a different spot than I thought it was... d'oh! But we did go to my favorite book store, got some yummy lunch, and just had a generally fantastic spring day. it was so lovely :)

and it was all yellow

2010-05-01T19:29:00.005-04:00

Do you ever get a song stuck in your head? Of course you do! Who doesn't?! Sometimes, beyond getting songs stuck in my head, I get words or phrases or colors stuck in my head. It's like all I can think about for days at a time is a certain word, and all of a sudden I seem to have ONE definite favorite color. The past week or so, I've actually had one very specific thing stuck in my head... THIS DRESS by Small Earth Vintage:

Vintage 1960s Citroen Flower MuuMuu Dress at SmallEarthVintage

I love it oh-so-very much! I've been thinking about it since Karen blogged about it quite a while ago! And when pondering about it tonight, it got me on quite the yellow kick. So I thought I'd share with you guys a few of the yellows from my favorites list, and pieces I've found all around Etsy! And really, what better time than a beautiful Spring night for a yellow theme?

Vintage Yellow Wool Hat at KMD Creations

Plus Size High Waist Flair Skirt by JIBRI

I See You By Cozy Little Cave

Yellow Piggy Bank by Hindsvik

Vintage Juice Pitcher at The Gingham Owl

these are a few of my faaaavorite thrifts...

2010-04-11T13:46:00.005-04:00

Part of the reason that Graybird Vintage even exists is because of my love for thrift stores. No, seriously, i LOVE them. I've been thrifting my whole life... it's like treasure hunting for me! I used to thrift exclusively for me, but once I started really peering into the world of vintage... that's when Graybird was born. However, since then, it seems like I've sort of lost the ability to shop for myself! Everything I find seems to end up in the shop! I have to really make the effort to buy something for me... but when I make the effort, I usually really luck out.

So in honor of that, i wanted to show you some of my finds that I've really been loving lately!

this little casserole dish is not only cute as a button, but it only cost me 99 cents! in this picture it's resting on one of my grandmother's old aprons... and right AFTER this picture, i used it to make a delicious mac & cheese :D

this picture is chock-full of thrift finds! and also, please ignore the odd size of the photo, the cables and the heaters, and imagine i have hardwood floors because i do all the time, ktx. the newest find is the table, which i got last week for a RIDICULOUS $4 (!!!!). it needs a little love, but it has silver casters and record holders and and i love it. the black globe is another thrifty bit, although i can't remember how much i paid. the map of maine is my favorite... and that was found in the depths of my grandparents' house (which is a thrift store unto itself).

this spot is actually where i'm sitting right now! the mushroom pillow was found in a church lady run st. vincent de paul shop where everything was ridiculously underpriced! i think it cost me a dollar? the floral pillow was sewn by me (my sewing skills go no further than straight lines) and made from thrifted sheets. the blanket was sort of thrifted... it's actually just a giant piece of cloth that i got at a fabric warehouse in an old mill

shop update!

2010-03-29T23:11:00.003-04:00

Here are a few items I've added to the shop in the past few days!

Hopefully, tomorrow will be an even bigger update! I've been waiting for the sun to come out for more than a second at a time, so I can take some quality pictures. So... if any of these pictures look a bit dim, don't blame me, blame mother nature ;)

back in st. olaf....

2010-03-28T21:44:00.002-04:00

It seems like lately I've been watching pretty much nothing but the Golden Girls. I can't help it if it's in syndicated reruns on at least 3 channels! It's become what I call my "comfort show", a title bestowed only to a select few tv shows, the ones that I like to have on all the time -- at bedtime, or when I can't sleep, or just for background noise. My "comfort shows" are shows that I can pretty much never get sick of. Welcome to the ranks, ladies!

And because of my crazy Golden Girls obsession (insert a nicer word than obsession here, if you choose), I decided to dedicate my FIRST EVER Etsy Treasury to Golden Girls themed items, and items that remind me of the show. Yes, I am a dork. Embrace it. Love it.

Check out the treasury here!
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=122606

snazzy sunglasses

2010-03-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

One thing that's important to know about me is that I love sunglasses. I've been wearing over sized, silly sunglasses since I was a child, actually. I always sort of threw caution to the wind when it came to wearing sunglasses that were "appropriate" for my face. I just wanted them to be fun! Who cares if they squished against my cheeks? Or if my mom called me Bug Eyes and Bono every time I put on my newest pair? I certainly didn't! And I still don't!

me on my honeymoon, September '09

Of course, since I've had warm weather on the mind... I've been thinking about sunglasses a lot too. Even though I have at least 3 pairs, I always want new ones every spring! Check out these amazing vintage sunglasses I found while browsing on good ole Etsy!

Rhinestone Cat Eye Sunglasses by italianpostcards

Women's Vintage Hollywood Pearl Gold Rose Cat Eye Sunglasses by Vintage50sEyewear

Mirror Japanese Aviators by BackThennishVintage

Vintage 1950s Deco Sunglasses by MrsVicki

Horned Rim Cateye sunglasses by atrickey

xoxo,
birdy

march madness! spring weather strikes temporarily

2010-03-25T23:06:00.004-04:00

I've spent all week glaring at the rain outside, and audibly grumbling about the one random day of snow we had. All of this weather induced grouchiness is mostly due to the fact that last weekend was INSANELY GORGEOUS! Last Saturday, it was at least 70 degrees, blue skies, and juuuust enough breeze. It couldn't have been a more perfect day! So I took it as an opportunity to make my first visit of 2010 to the great Atlantic Ocean!

And it really, really was great! My friend and I packed a picnic of bread, deli meat, and nutella, and just sat around and watched everyone else - because it seemed that EVERYONE else was smart enough to head to the beach as well! It was great to soak up the sun... I felt like I was recharging my internal batteries! Winter can be such a depleting season...

and now I'm just waiting for another day like that. Another SEASON of days like that!
i can't wait!

where the sidewalk ends

2010-03-19T15:23:00.002-04:00

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.

I'm sure I'm not alone in remembering Shel Silverstein's writing as a huge part of my childhood. I remember how excited I was when I unwrapped the glossy, bright green cover of The Giving Tree one Christmas morning. And how many times I checked out A Light in the Attic, the book with the cover of the man's big ole head... which, as a kid, made me giggle like... well, a kid. His words always really struck a chord with me, because while they were sing-songy and playful; easy for kids to understand and to remember, they had a much heavier undercurrent. They made me think about friendship, about reciprocity, about bigger things in the world - because even as a baby I was cursed with the brain of an adult, I swear. But his words made my heart feel lighter, and they've stayed with me til this day. Every now and then I'll still find lines from Rock and Roll Band bouncing around in my head. And I can't help but think about him when I listen to A Boy Named Sue by Johnny Cash, or Cover of the Rolling Stone by Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show (yes, I really do listen to those, I told you i had an old soul!), because Mr. Shel Silverstein is responsible for the lyrics for those as well! I was shocked to learn that, just recently actually, but once I heard it, and gave the lyrics a listen, it made perfect sense!

Interestingly enough, while writing this blog, I saw a post from the New York Times announcing that Harper Collins is going to be putting out a book of unreleased poems from Silverstein's earlier years! Guess I'm not the only one who still thinks of Shel, huh?

seeing red

2010-02-17T22:02:00.003-05:00

three of the items I uploaded to the shop today - didn't realize until after that I was on a serious red kick! i usually try to mix it up a little, but i guess my brain was on a theme :)

be enveloped

2010-02-15T10:00:00.000-05:00

I stumbled across a fantastic new website recently... and lo and behold... it was due to me stumbling upon a great new blog! I was reading Cozy Little Cave's blog (and peeking at her etsy shop, which btw is phenomenal), and she had linked to a website she had done some work on called Envelope. oh my. IT IS SO GREAT! It's a designer based website, with basic cotton textiles offered in a variety of ways - aprons, table runners, tote bags, etc - all printed with great designer's prints. I dare you to go visit Envelope without falling in love with roughly 10,000 things. I DARE YOU! Check it out! http://www.envelop.eu/

I personally fell completely in love with the pillow covers.
Here are some of my faves:

have fun shopping!
xoxo,
birdy

for the birds

2010-02-13T22:46:00.002-05:00

i love birds. seems like an obvious statement, yes? but i have birds on the brain today, mostly due to the fact that i was nearly swept up in a HUGE flock of swallows fluttering above my head! it was AWESOME - there must have been a hundred of them, and all i could hear was the WOOOSH of their tiny little wings beating away! it was pretty darn magical.

so to celebrate that happy host of sparrows, i decided to compile some of my favorite vintage bird inspired listings from Etsy!

Atomic Caged Bird Print Swimsuit by Archivia

Red Sunshine Skirt by TheRubyKitten

Striped Flying Bird Top by Blackheartvintage

Fly Fly Away Shawl by HummingbirdVintage

Pink Colorblock Swallowtail Dress by blubirdboutique

shop update!

2010-02-11T19:41:00.002-05:00

i've spent allllll day toiling away at photographing, measuring and organizing all of the vintage goodies I got yesterday. I've still hardly made a dent in what I have! phew! I've managed to squeeze in a teeny shop update, and I'm going to try to do a bit later as well! busybusy!

tip toes

2010-02-11T07:49:00.003-05:00

to be honest, i'm not entirely sure what's happening in this photo... and it's really not the best quality... but for some reason it amuuuuses me! even though all i want to do is tuck my hair behind my ear... hahaha this is what i wore yesterday to sort through years and years worth of vintage! and this gives you a tiny glimpse of my vintage area... and the paintings/art that i still have on the floor because i can't decide where to hang them. i swear, someday i'm going to finish moving into this damn apartment!! but... before that... i have LOADS of vintage to sort! be on the lookout for a big ole giant shop update later! have a good day lovelies!

xoxo,
birdy

getting to know you...

2010-02-09T19:20:00.002-05:00

a fun fact: i used to fancy myself quite the photographer! I had actually considered going to college for it at one point, but... real life and all that, you know. I still absolutely love clicking away with my camera, and I am almost ALWAYS the one who's taking photos and gatherings with friends and family.... but it just seems like I don't have the time to wander around on "photo adventures" like I used to! Tonight I was feeling a bit nostalgic, and so I wanted to show you all some of my favorites out of photos I've taken... as a way to sort of get to know me a bit better :) enjoy!

shop update!

2010-02-08T18:00:00.000-05:00

great big shop update that I did on Saturday night!
It's obvious that I have Spring on the brain, huh?

First Light Photography

2010-02-08T14:20:00.003-05:00

Follow your passion, and success will follow you.
-- Arthur Buddhold

First Light Photography

This past weekend, I was spending a leisurely evening in one of the Etsy chat rooms, when I struck up a conversation with firstlightphoto, aka Sue Templin. I absolutely fell in love with her shop! It's full of photos with great texture and color, and you can tell that she really loves what she does. After talking for a while, I found out that Sue, like lots of us out there, had been laid off from her job at a school district outside of Chicago. She decided to take that time to cultivate her passion for photography, which was what she had gone to college for. So just recently, she started up a shop on Etsy! I just found it so inspiring to talk to such a talented person who was making the best of what could be a bad situation. I think that's one of the best things about Etsy, overall - finding artists and creative souls who are trying to pursue a true passion. If that's not inspiring, then I don't know what is!

Be sure to check out the other great pieces in Sue's shop, First Light Photography!

Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.
-- Author Unknown

hello....

2010-02-06T10:00:00.000-05:00

via deviantART

...is it meeeeeeeee you're looking foooooooooooor??
i'm sorry, I can't say "hello" without bursting into a little Lionel Richie. :)

I've been really into long exposure photos lately... check out all these neat ones I found on deviantART! click on the photos if you want to visit the photographer's page

red hair!

2010-02-05T23:51:00.003-05:00

granted, not the world's best photo of me... as I was apparently NOT photogenic today, but I wanted to show you guys what my hair looks like! I dyed it red last week... and... I'm not 100% happy with it, because it's a bit, um, pinkish? so.. i may have my hairdresser fix it at some point. but it's kind of neat to walk around looking like a cartoon character :)

decoration daydreams

2010-02-04T18:00:00.000-05:00

lately, i've been thinking a lot about home decor. and by lately, I mean all the time haha I spend lots of time marveling at decorating blogs and websites, and whenever I can get my hands on a design magazine i'm so excited! and obviously, looking at all those blogs and such, i've amassed quite a collection of saved photos on my hard drive. since moving into the new apartment, I've been reviewing my folder of photos and thought i'd share some of my favorites here! and, as you can tell... my personal design aesthetic is ALL over the place. some days i want to live in a treehouse, other days all i want is a tiny loft in the city. which is maybe why i still haven't finished decorating the new place? hmmmm... haha

sadly, most of these are photos, uncredited, as I've had them saved for way too long...
and even more sadly, none of them are actually my house! enjoy :)

xoxo,
birdy

outwear sale!

2010-02-03T17:09:00.002-05:00

Everyone has Spring on their minds, I know... I'm in the same boat!
But, it is still suuuuuper chilly out! So it's kind of a win-win situation... since I have spring on the brain, I've DRASTICALLY marked down some of my outerwear to clear some room for some spring things. So i get more room to daydream with, and you get a rad coat! All of these coats are in the outwear section at Graybird Vintage. Check 'em out!

shop update!

2010-02-03T15:00:00.000-05:00

just a few of the new items up for sale at Graybird Vintage
also, I'd like to note that i'm super psyched, because I finally have 100 items for sale in the shop! I've been working and working to get up to that number, so yay :) Enjoy!

all dressed up

2010-02-03T10:42:00.004-05:00

(yes, i take iPhone pictures too... hehe)

this coat. ohhhh, this coat! This coat was acquired with the intention of putting it in the shop, but... I made a mistake - I tried it on. Then I proceeded to walked around the house wearing it for at least five minutes saying aloud "WHY DID YOU HAVE TO FIT? WHYYYY?". It was love. It's the comfiest boucle type cloth, with what I would wager is the world's warmest fur collar. I wore this out last Friday to take the mister to the Portland Museum of Art (for his first art museum visit ever!). I was happy to have the collar because it was darn blustery out that night!

scarf ace

2010-02-02T15:56:00.002-05:00

today's shop update includes three of my favorite scarves of all time! i've always loved how putting on a scarf can instantly perk up any outfit.

mr. gray strikes again!

2010-01-28T08:30:00.003-05:00

on Tuesday night, I was having an AWFUL time. one of those, "what am i doing?", "what should i be doing?", "everything is a wreck!", existential crisis sort of things. so needless to say, Wednesday was spent trying to be in a far more happy mood... and I did alright. But, Mr. Gray put my mood over the top and over the moon when he came home with flowers for me! They're very simple flowers, (which i love, honestly, i'm not a foofy bouquet kind of gal), and they lifted my spirits immediately! Just knowing that he thought of me and wanted to put a smile on my face made me so happy. and just looking at them today makes me smile all over again :)

Portland Proper

2010-01-27T14:48:00.002-05:00

Scarf - TJ Maxx
Coat - Thrifted ages ago
Tights - Kohl's
Boots - Thrifted
Tired Face - Lack of Sleep

here's an outfit that I wore to wander around Portland today! I walked up to the post office and decided to meander around and look at all the adorable shops in the Old Port. I ended up striking up huge conversations with people in the shops I went to... one was a sassy broad who used to be a sponsored skateboarder, and the other one was just a regular sweetheart. and they both love vintage! It's awesome how talking about vintage strikes up a conversation with nearly anyone... at least, that's how it seems to go around here. i love it!

asos amour

2010-01-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

I remember hearing about Asos.com from the wonderful Gabi over at Young, Fat, & Fabulous... though I haven't the slightest idea how long ago it was. All I know is... I fell in love with EVERYTHING right off the bat, and I've been swooning over the website since then! I've yet to spring to make a purchase, because frankly, I haven't been able to afford the dollars to pounds conversion lately, but I dream of the day! And i'm SUPER excited about their new Curve line, which features UK Sizes 20-26. As a lady with hips & thighs, I am always excited when stores smarten up and extend their size lines. Girls who love cupcakes love clothing too! And this particular girl, admittedly, can not stop loving playsuits/rompers, so... asos.com never lets me down!

today's shop update

2010-01-26T20:00:00.000-05:00

Just a few items for today. Seems that I've got a red white and blue theme going!

FINAL CLEARANCE SALE at Graybird Vintage! Runs today thru February 5th!

2010-01-26T15:31:00.003-05:00

IT'S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!
SPACE: THE FINAL FRONTIER!
(space: i need it in my apartment!)

I'm cleaning out the vintage closet at Graybird Vintage! I have a few items that are marked super low and priced to go... so go they must! I have a special Clearance Section up in the shop right now. That section will ONLY be open until Friday, February 5th. After that, all the items in the final clearance section go bye bye! Everything in the Final Clearance section is either $5 or $10, so there are some great deals in there that DEFINITELY won't break the bank!

Check it out! And don't miss out... remember, this section will be gone after 2/5/10!

The FINAL CLEARANCE at Graybird Vintage

a tribute to Taylor - a Graybird Girl!

2010-01-26T14:30:00.003-05:00

This girl is awesome. Her name is Taylor, and she's become one of my favorite people on the whole wide internet! When I first started Graybird Vintage, she was a huge supporter. She always had great things to say, supported the shop (even when she shouldn't have been spending money hahaha), and made me feel good about what I was doing... because one thing you don't think about when starting something is how hard it is to put yourself out there, just HOPING that someone will like what you're doing.

Taylor has rocked many-a-Graybird piece, and I couldn't think of a better model. Not only is she adorable, but she's a great person despite being dealt a lot of difficult cards in life. She has a great sense of humor and fabulous taste in everything, it seems! I means, she's sent me homemade cookies, cards, and postcards... how does it get any sweeter than that?!

So, here's to Taylor, my first, and #1 Graybird Girl! thanks for being awesome lady :D

Gunne Sax

2010-01-23T15:36:00.007-05:00

Do you ever find yourself loving something that's really "not your style"? There are things that the fantasy portion of my brain seems to adore that would never actually make it onto my body as a part of my real life wardrobe. Maybe it's a secret desire to spruce things up with my clothing? Or maybe it's just looking at clothing as fashion, as sort of an art form?

The fact that I wouldn't wear something so immensely girly has NOT stopped me from loving Gunne Sax dresses! I can't quite imagine myself all dolled up in all the lace & pearls & bits, but I quite envy those girls who CAN pull it off! And my lack of Jessica McClintock in my own wardrobe doesn't stop me from having a few pieces in my shop from time to time... or from scrounging Etsy for other pieces to look at! Here's some ruffly eye candy for you all :)

new addition that I just photographed this morn... not added to the shop yet!
it will be there by tomorrow though!Vintage WHITE Jessica McClintock Gunne Sax Dress in my shop!

Soft Pink Gunne Sax Corset Dress at Hollybeans

Beautiful Pink Gunne Sax dress at Dressedtosell

Jessica McClintock Gunne Sax Lace Dress at Coldfish

xoxo, birdy

100th SALE!

2010-01-23T15:29:00.003-05:00

This pretty little number was my 100th sale at Graybird Vintage! I'm so excited! I had been hanging at 99 sales for days and days (days that seemed like AGES, let me tell you), so I was beyond thrilled when I saw this order come in. Hooray for one hundred!!

shopping for myself

2010-01-22T19:30:00.003-05:00

one of the side effects that I NEVER anticipated from opening my own Etsy shop is an inability to buy things! Not for the shop of course, but for myself! I can spend hours and hours languishing in store after store, pulling dozens of items off the racks for Graybird Vintage. But, when it comes to buying clothing for Jessica Gray (moi), I seem to flounder! It's easy to spot a beautiful item and know that it will fit perfectly in my shop, but it's not so easy to pick up a piece of clothing, know it will look beautiful on me, and... fit! Then there's the hassle of actually trying on the clothing... thinking about how it fits in with my wardrobe... whether or not i can actually afford to buy something for myself.... whereas with the shop, there's not NEARLY that much to ponder! However, I lucked out the other day and found a few fun pieces for myself, including that intensely gaudy, fantastic orange ring... and the ring emblazoned with my very own initial! So, needless to say, I feel terribly accomplished, and quite happy with the thrift deities this week!

cut it out!

2010-01-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

I have a long standing love affair with cut outs... anything with cutouts! one of my favorite dresses of all time was a silky off white number with golden embroidered flowers and floral cutouts all over the back... it was AMAZING! It would have been a great casual wedding dress. Sadly, in a moment of terrible judgement, I sold it :( Silly, silly girl. But, I've worked out some of my issues by buying as many things for the shop as I can find that have cutouts, in hope that someone else out there loves them oh-so-very-much just as I do.

white, cream, alabaster, milky, ivory...

2010-01-21T21:00:00.000-05:00

Growing up, i always thought i was "too pale" to wear white. Little did I know that later on in life it would become one of my favorite wardrobe staples, skin color be damned! I run the gamut when it comes to white and off white colors... i love them all! And I definitely buck the rules when it comes to no white after Labor Day. Tell me, what is prettier than a puffy white dress with tights and a sweater on a snowy day? Nothing, I tell you! So it's no surprise that when I turn a close eye to the shop, I notice that it is full of white! ... just like my closet :)

hair of 2010!

2010-01-21T18:50:00.004-05:00

i am feeling the urge to change my hair! i hadn't dyed it in literally YEARS before the wedding, and once my stylist put a little color in, i got the bug again... it's time to change it up! lately i've been beckoned by the red haired beauties... florence, kate, adele, ms. hendricks... they're all telling me that red is the way to go! i think they may be right!

bonjour new year!

2010-01-01T19:44:00.003-05:00

happy new year everyone! I wanted to ring in 2010 by sharing with you possibly the only photo in existence where I look good in a beret! hahaha! I found an SD card while we were unpacking one of the oh-s0-many boxes today, and it had some random photos of me in hats. I'm generally not a hat gal, but I managed to pull some of them off :)

I'm celebrating my first day of the new year in a house that is much cleaner than it was last year (aka yesterday) thanks to Mr. Gray and I working our butts off cleaning today! And now, since we didn't even go out last night, we're meeting a friend for drinks this evening.

I hope everyone had a safe and happy New Year's Eve, and I hope your year is going well so far ;)

an OUTBURST of OUTERWEAR!

2009-12-28T10:40:00.000-05:00

it seems that all of a sudden, though a bit late in the year, graybird vintage has come across a HEAP of fantastic outerwear! capes and coats and wraps and oh oh my! but i figure, there have to be some other ladies out there who are like me - the ones who keep putting off buying a new coat until january or february... until it's so cold (or they're SO tired of their old coat... ahem, guilty) and they complain SO much their significant others tell them to "BUY A DANG COAT ALREADY!".

...no? just me?

WELL, what about all of you who are wearing fantastic dresses for new years eve parties? what's going to cover your shoulders! AHA! now i've got you! ;)

check out what we have in store!

Colby Cain, Etsy model extraordinaire!

2009-12-28T10:39:00.000-05:00

Some of you may have noticed that in some of my photos my mannequin, who I affectionately refer to as Dr. Quinn Mannequin Woman, has been replaced by a more mobile, perhaps more human specimen. That specimen, my dears, is my sister Colby! She shares a love of vintage with me, and since she is adorable and all that, she makes a phenomenal model! Also, she works for cheap! Pretty much all she needs is the joy of just PUTTING ON the clothing... that's enough of an experience for her. and she does get some goodies here and there, of course :)

Me and Colby picking apples this fall

she is my half sister, thus there is a bit of lack of resemblance - she is tall and thin, i am short and squishy... but we both have cheekbones for miles baby! Although, this photo is OBVIOUSLY trick photography, since i look way taller... and my face is super round and happy, but i swear i have cheek bones under there somewhere haha but, all that aside... we have a brain connection, which is really more important than looks, if you ask me! she's been living in Kansas, but has taken a semester off school to come visit for a bit and I've had so much fun with her! It's going to be a bummer when she's that far away again! But, at least Dr. Quinn Mannequin Woman will have some job security, the poor thing!

dog days are over

2009-12-24T13:43:00.000-05:00

today is full of tidying the house, readying for an unexpected inlaws visit (!), and listening to florence and the machine. So far, nothing in the apartment seems to be quite organized or quite perfect, but this corner is pretty, and I think it's coming along, so i wanted to give you a glimpse! Something about the big fluffy chair with the silly pillows... the bright windows... the little bit of brick... and, my pride and joy - the metal "um" (found in a bin of letters at an odd secondhand store)... it just all makes me want to flop down there and read a story.

but alas, no time for stories - it's time for dishes!

baby, it's cold outside

2009-12-15T19:02:00.000-05:00

actually, today it's a bit warm out! but that doesn't stop me from fiending for sweaters, since it is, of course - winter in Maine! my sister and I spent a huge amount of time at the thrift store today pawing through gorgeous, thick, handmade sweaters... and it makes me want to cozy up next to a fireplace with some hot cocoa and a super warm sweater. things like these come to mind:

Creamsicle Cardigan at 1stLove

Vintage Iceland Blue Ski Sweater at MissModish

and as of late I've also been totally into the idea of Sweater Clips (or sweater guards, as I've seen them called quite often in my searches). Seeing as how I am built in quite a short waisted manner, a lot of what I normally wear includes cute little cropped cardigans.... so it seems a logical idea for me to invest in some clips, no? honestly, the thought of my sweater having its own adorable little jewelery never really crossed my mind until I stumbled upon some on Etsy, and I thought "aha! brilliant!"

Vintage Sweater Clip at HeyViv

Vintage 1950s Sweater Clip at harlowemonroevintage (psst, free shipping!)

Man in the Moon Lullaby Sweater Clip at ThingsOldeandNew

Vintage 7 Inch Sweater Guard at jeanmc

so, if anyone wants to buy me any of those clips for christmas, i couldn't possibly say no ;)

xoxo,
birdy

graybird for the home!

2009-12-09T15:20:00.001-05:00

all of this settling into my new home has got my brain stuck on decorating. wallpaper, artwork, housewares... i'm dreaming of design! it made me realize some of the pretty things i have in the shop:

beginnings

2009-12-09T15:10:00.000-05:00

hello loves!
today is a terribly cold, blustery day in Maine! although, I am nearly oblivious to the cold, and in fact, I'm almost happy about it... because I'm sheltered from the cold by the walls of my beautiful new apartment :)

sadly, the apartment does NOT look like this! these are photos from the previous tenant, who was an architect and made all of his own fabulous furniture. right now it is heaps of random clothing & boxes & such, and we're trying to make sense of it all. it always takes a while, you know... but i'm looking forward to decorating, and I will for sure post photos when it's done!

alright, i'm off to go drink hot cocoa with my sister and listen to the wind whistle by

xoxo,
birdy