~VICTORIA MAGAZINE TWENTY YEARS LATER~

~VICTORIA 20 YEARS AGO~

Like many of you who love romantic and cottage decor I can trace my love of all things white back to Victoria Magazine.  Nothing compares to those fabulous early issues and I still find time to peruse my way through many of them several times a year.  Something about them just makes my heart sing!  Even after two decades the articles and photographs still take my breath away.

~GORGEOUS WHITES ARE EVERYWHERE~

Today I'm giving you a sneak-peak back in time.  The issue above is what Victoria looked like in March 1992 and I thought it would be fun to see what's changed and what's stayed the same.  Or better yet~what exactly would you still welcome into your home or wear upon your body after all these years?

~FABULOUS STAIRCASE POST~

I don't know about you...but this staircase post was gorgeous then and gorgeous now.

I'd so have this in my home today!

~WHITE FURNITURE?~

I actually love this pretty white ensemble and most definitely love the chest!  But the lamp...not so much!  It would have to go!  With a few updated pillows the furniture would be welcomed to stay!

~VINTAGE WHITE LINENS~

Do I need to scream it out?

YES!  YES!  YES!

~CAMBRIDGE DRESS~

Think this dress is still worth $398.00?  How about the hat for $175.00?  Wonder what they'd bring today?  If someone wanted to GIVE me this dress I would sooo wear it! 

(That is...if I could squeeze my body into it!)

~EYELET LACE HANGERS~

Still love these sweet clothing/dress hangers.

I definitely would have these in my home!

~BUTTON COOKIES~

For all you kitchen officianos out there....would you take the time to bake these charming little button cookies?

Yes...I would!

(I'd be willing to eat them, too!)

~BILLOWY WHITE BEDDING~

Would you have this Martha Stewart bedding in your home?  Love the white...but that thick quilt and lace?  Hmmm...not for me!  I favor vintage laces, cotton throws and linen these days.

(Pretty tho...)

~EISENHART BEDDING~

Absolutely NOT!

 ~GARDEN SMOCK~

Do you like this?

  ~HOW ABOUT THE PRICE?~

Twenty years ago the asking price for this pretty Gardening Smock was $99.95 which included the $5.00 to ship it!  Would you wear it today or go for something a bit softer?  How about the price?

Would you drop a single Benjamin for this?

~LANZ DRESS~

I wear solid colors almost exclusively so I wouldn't have worn this dress made in this fabric.  I did make myself a similar dress back in 1993 out of a black rayon/cotton!  I wore it with a detachable Battenburg collar and I loved it!

One of my favorite dresses ever...even now!

~CAN YOU GUESS?~

What's missing in these ads????  Color pictures?  Yes!  What else?

Hmmmm....how about website addresses!

Not a single www.com!

WOW!

As much as things change so much stays the same!

 ~C'EST LA VIE~

Such is life!

I'm back working in my studio today painting and painting and painting some more!

I seriously need to clean house tho...

But~ I think I'll do it tomorrow!

(Yes...tomorrow!!!!!)

Love to you... 

~OLD IS NEW ONCE AGAIN~

 ~VINTAGE VICTORIA CHRISTMAS BOOKS~

1998-1999-2000-2001-2002

I had a little bit of down time over the weekend and decided to hunt down my vintage Victoria Christmas (Magazine) Books and retrieve them from their hiding place!  Even though I continue to hear the familiar sound of hammering (bang! bang! BANG!) from our on-going master bath remodel (YES!  It's STILL underway!) I was able to steal away a few moments and gather some inspiration while thumbing through all five of my now aging books...

~ORIGINALLY PURCHASED AT TJ MAXX for $3.99~

One of the things I loved most about the ORIGINAL Victoria Magazine was their timeless approach to decorating.  Long before Rachel and the Shabby Chic (TM) craze, the editors and decorators at Victoria successfully merged the old with the new...  I've been a huge fan of it ever since!

How about you?

 

 ~BEAUTIFUL WHITES CAN BE FOUND IN EVERY ISSUE~

~FABULOUS STOCKINGS~

 ~HUNG BY THE CHIMNEY WITH CARE~

 ~CREATING WITH ANTIQUE BUTTONS~

 ~WRAPPING WITH OLD BOOKS AND AGING BUTTONS~

You didn't think this idea was something new, did you?

 ~EMBELLISHED WITH VINTAGE KEYS~

How about this one?  Done before...and still breathtaking!

Timeless, classy and forever lovely!

 ~BEAUTIFUL HAT BOX DRESSED TO THE NINES~

 

 ~BERIBBONED DOOR WREATH~

 

 ~FILLED WITH WHITE PRETTIES~

This old china cabinet reminds me of the one I have minus the scrolly accents!

 ~CHAIRS WITH WHITE LINEN FLOUNCES~

Earlier this year I bragged about making new chair skirts for my dining room chairs.  I knew this idea had been around for a long time...just wondering what TOOK ME SO LONG to get with the program...

Bah!  I'm always running late for the party...

 

 ~OLD CREAMWARE and VINTAGE MITTENS~

~THE DELIGHTS OF SOFT WHITE~

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas!

So...do share!

 What will you be using for inspiration this year for your Christmas and Holiday decorating?

As you can tell I'm not looking too far from home...

Blessings for a lovely Monday!

Love to you...