Neutra Numbers Are On Sale! | Mid-Century Monday

It's that time again...

The Design Within Reach semi-annual sale catalog arrived a couple weeks ago and I wanted to scoop in before the sale was over to alert the masses of a quick way to add a bit of mid-century design to your curb appeal...on sale.  Design Within Reach's Neutra numbers are regularly $24 and are currently $20.40 (for black or aluminum) and $16.80 (for red--which would look awesome and I kind of regret not going that route). If you're dying for red and your address has a "0" or a "2" in it, however, you're going to need to move. Those numbers are currently sold out.

This probably doesn't sound like a huge savings, but if your address is five numbers long that's almost $20 off (or $36 off if you go with red). And, if you're like me and your address is only one number long, that means you can give your home a little facelift for around 20 bucks.

Sale lasts through this Thursday, the 24th.

Virden Lighting Chandelier | Mid-Century Monday

When we moved into our home last December, most of it had been recently remodeled. This was great for a lot of reasons. But it also meant that a lot of the original charm that was probably once present in our 1950s split level had been replaced with new fixtures designed to appeal to the everyday buyer.

This was the chandelier that came in our new home:

Don't get me wrong, it was nice and all. But it just wasn't old enough.

This, on the other hand, is perfect:

I spotted this magnificent piece of history a while back on Craigslist. It was $500. I didn't have an extra $500 sitting around but I fully support wishful thinking so I dove head first into a serious round of I'll-just-research-this-til-I-convince-myself-it's-worth-the-$500-I-don't-have.

The Craiglist ad showed a picture of the lamp's manufacturer sticker so I used that to Google-vestigate.

I pulled the following directly from the Abandoned Blog:

By 1968, Virden was the third largest among the nation’s 1,400 fixture manufacturers, with production tripling from eight years prior. The company sold more than 1,000 varieties from its biennial catalog, and produced 10,000 to 15,000 fixtures per day, consuming more than a million components per week. Virden constructed 600 to 800 units of one design per run, which were moved to distributors in lots of 10 to 2,000 per week, some designs totaling 150,000 units per year. Its designers sketched 2,500 fixtures per year, selecting 100 patterns to be prototyped.

In 1946, Virden was elected a director of Eaton Manufacturing Company and became director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland in January 1951 – later rising to chairman of the board. On September 28, 1958, Virden was named president of Eaton Manufacturing Company and diversified the company, believing in “divisional autonomy.” He also announced his resignation as chairman of the board of the Virden Company. In 1965, the Virden Company was acquired by Scott & Fetzer Company of suburban Lakewood, with no changes taking place at its operations at Longfellow Avenue. The company became known as the Virden Lighting division.

In 1970, Scott & Fetzer laid off several hundred from the Virden Lighting division due to a housing slump, and again in 1975. The company sold off its Virden Lighting and Rembrandt Lamp divisions in December 1977 to a newly formed company, Virden Corporation, which at the time of the sale had 360 employees.

That's cool if you're into history--but what was of use to me was that Virden was acquired by the Scott & Fetzer Company in 1965. The label of my prized light fixture showed it was from the Virden Lighting Division of Scott & Fetzer. Scott & Fetzer sold their divisions in 1977. Which meeeeeans my fixture was made between 1965 and 1977.

I also learned that the Virden lighting catalog came out every two years. I was able to dig up the 1959 catalog, which means the catalog came out in odd-numbered years. If I had to guess I'd say my fixture was from 1967. Here's a similar light fixture (bottom right) from the 1959 Virden catalog from the Internet Archive:

I scoured Ebay and Etsy and everywhere in between to find a comparable light fixture to compare prices but I couldn't find anything like it anywhere. This was weeks ago so I tried again now. The closest I could find was this:

The bad news: It really was worth $500. Probably more than that actually. And, even so, I couldn't afford it. So I let it go.

Kind of. I checked back sort of embarrassingly frequently. A month later it was still available. AND it was around half the price.

The good news: I am expert haggler and got the price down to $200...which was still more than I could afford in real life. And yet...

I plan to keep this gem for a very long time or to sell it for much more than I paid for it in the event that Jackson Lloyd needs an emergency liver transplant. The old-new chandelier that came with the house is still in the attic so we can put it back up to appease the herd of prospective buyers when we eventually move out of here. 

PS, I know Columbus Day is kind of a ridiculous holiday for anyone who actually pays attention to history, but Columbus just so happens to be the name of our cat. So--Happy Columbus Day from Columbus the Cat!

How to Make Fish In A Bag Carnival Prize Soap | Circarnival (Circus Carnival) Wedding DIY

Wedding guests at the Circarnival Wedding will be receiving wedding favors, but we thought it would be nice if there were prizes for the carnival games as well. Enter: Fish in a Bag Soap. This project is best accomplished with two people, but is relatively easy and can be done in an evening and, depending on how many you make, is also pretty inexpensive.

What You'll Need

-clear glycerin soap

-a knife

-measuring cup or other bowl with a spout

-funnel

-plastic treat bags

-chopsticks or long forceps

-spray bottle with rubbing alcohol in it (I got mine at CVS for about a dollar.)

-plastic goldfish (I bought a multi-color pack, but only used the orange ones.)

1. Cut up the soap. 

Using the soap we had, I was able to cut the block into about nine sections of four cubes each (for a total of 36--yielding 9 bags). The first cut row you see pictured below was a bit too much soap for one bag so I began cutting thinner slivers after this.

2. Prepare an ice bath.

You'll use this soon.

3. Melt the soap.

Put a "row" of the soap (for me that was four cubes) into the spouted container and microwave it for 45 seconds. If the soap isn't melted, pop in back in there for 8-10 second intervals until it is. 

4. Using the funnel, pour the melted soap into the bag.

This is a surprisingly delicate process and would best be accomplished with two humans. The trick is to keep the funnel's nose aiming toward the center of the bag to avoid getting soap on the sides of the bag. 

5. Spray the soap in the bag with the rubbing alcohol.

This is to remove air bubbles. Failure to do this step will lead to a rabies-like frothing at the top of the soap. Don't forget, or you'll have to shoot your soap, Old Yeller style.

6. Move the bag of soap to the ice bath and use the chopsticks to lower in the fish.

It's best to wait just a smidge (which is the scientific term) before lowering them in so you don't have to hover hand it forever.

7. Hold that damn fish there.

Doot da doot. 

8. Once it seems legit, let that fishy free.

You'll know you've reached legitness when that fish stays put when you let go.

9. Boom! One fish bag is more or less prepared. Now repeat this process until you run out of soap. 

10. Mix it up, mixmaster. 

Every once in a while, stop fighting the urge and go ahead and make a dead fish bag. You could just put the fish upside down at the top of the soap, but trust me this won't satisfy your itch. For true deadness, first scratch the eye paint off of the fish. You're welcome. He's dead now. 

11. Find a friend with a Cricut. 

Trust me. If you're going to make labels for your fish prizes, you're going to want a Jamie-With-a-Cricut in your life. This thing is magical. 

12. Make and attach cute labels.

In my case, I used a star shaped hole punch, double layered Cricut-cut paper tags, wrote on them, and attached them with ribbon and string. Because, why not.

13. Marvel at your craftiness.

No, YOU'RE the winner.

Wide Calf Boots Buying Guide

Finding wide calf boots that look nice sucks. And if you're on a budget? Might as well go barefoot and freeze to death. Sure, it can be done--if you sit and read descriptions online and read reviews and go to stores and try things on and place online orders and return things...but who has time for that? I am certainly not one of those humans who has time for all of that...but I'm also not one of those humans who will let a pair of wide calves get in the way of having awesome boots. So--I did it anyway. And now, hopefully, you won't have to.

How to Measure Your Calves

Look, I know you're not stupid. Measuring your calves is pretty simple. Bust out that measuring tape and measure around the widest part of your calf. But here's something you may not know: If you're 5'3" or shorter, you need to add another inch to this measurement. Why? Because, generally speaking, boots get wider closer to the top of the boot. If you're short, the widest part of your calf is going to be down lower than someone who is tall. So you're going to have to get a wider boot than someone who is 5'8", even if you have the exact calf circumference as that person. I will turn 28 this year and this is the first time this bit of information was ever shared with all 5'3" of me. Also, be sure to measure both calves. One of my calves is a whole unfortunate inch larger than the other. Keep in mind: In most cases, the bigger the boot size, the wider the calf will be. 

For Reference

I have one 16" calf and one 17" calf. I am 5'3". I usually wear a size 7 or 7.5 in shoes. I generally buy boots a size larger to accommodate winter wear. My hair is naturally turquoise. 

Kayleigh Wide-Calf Side-Buckle Boot by Comfortview

I ordered these 2 years ago from Jessica London and wore them about to death. They are still available for $59.99-$64.99 (depending on size) and will fit calves 17" (for size 7) up to 20" (for size 12). I got them in a size 8. 

Pros

They are still wearable and I love the look and color of them. They go with everything. They are comfortable and a perfect height and width for me. They do have a side zip, but I can get them off and on without unzipping them.

Cons

Because they are faux leather, bits of the fake leather have come off in places. The toes are beat up and I've had to use Shoe Goo to re-apply the soles several times. I like the look of the buckles down the sides but they've snagged things while I was sitting or walking in close proximity on more than one occasion. 

Kayleigh wide-calf side-buckle boot by Comfortview

Stevie Wide-Calf Boot by Comfortview

I bought these last year from Jessica London and wore them constantly. If they'd been real leather and therefore held up slightly better, I'd probably still be wearing them. They are still available for $69.99-$74.99 (depending on size) and will fit calves 17" (for size 7) up to 20" (for size 12). I got them in a size 8.

Pros

I like the buckle around the ankle and I LOVE the red zipper up the back of these. It is reminiscent of the Frye boots I so desperately want but, at around $400 and with no guarantee of them fitting my ginormous calves, I just can't pull the trigger. When I found these for $70 instead I was pretty sure I had tricked the system. The calves on these are huge. I'm putting that in the "pro" section, but depending on your calf size this could easily be a "con." The website lists the same measurements for these boots as for the Kayleigh, but these are definitely wider. They are also very warm.

Cons

I don't love the color and wish they were a bit browner like the Kayleigh boots. The leather looks very fake and did not hold up well, particularly on the toes which are almost entirely rubbed down to the lining. For my short height they could have been ever so slightly shorter, but I don't hate the height. There is a flap at the back of the boots (I guess to provide more room) but in my case I didn't need the extra room and found the extra flap to be an annoyance, as it is constantly popping out. 

Stevie wide-calf boot by Comfortview

Lumiani International Collection Laila Extra Wide Calf

This year I decided to only buy real leather boots and save myself the heartache of getting attached to the perfect boots but seeing them destroyed within weeks. I purchased these from 6pm.com for $67.60, but they're now on sale for $50.70. They come in four colors. I got them in a size 8 and the website lists the calf circumference as 19".

Pros

They're real leather and they fit! 

Cons

I don't know--I just didn't love these. I was able to get them on, but because there's no zipper it wasn't the easiest thing I've ever done--even though according to the website I should have had plenty of room in these. They came up slightly too high on me. The leather seemed to be good quality but I didn't really like the look of it after I saw them in person. They had sort of a cobble-stone look to them rather than the smooth look I realized then that I preferred. I was going to return these but ended up selling them to a co-worker instead, who, for what it's worth, really enjoys them. 

Lumiani International Collection Laila Extra Wide Calf

Fitzwell Sante Fe Extra Wide Calf Boot

I'd heard a lot of good things about the Fitzwell brand for wide calf boots so I decided to try them out. I purchased for $69.99 from 6pm.com but they're now on sale for $59.99. They come in two colors. I got them in a size 8. The website says the circumference on these is 17" but I found them to be MUCH wider than the Lumiani boots which were listed at 19". 

Pros

These are SUPER wide. They're actually a bit too wide for me...enough so that I considered returning them, but then my crazy kicked in and I started thinking about how I might want to have super wide boots in case of pregnancy and swollen legs. So I decided to keep them. I like the smooth look of the leather and they are a good height on me.

Cons

They aren't my favorite color. The picture above shows them as more of a brown/tan color, but that's because there's a filter on that puppy. The pictures below are a more accurate reflection of the color. I'm not really sure I can properly explain it, but the heels are weird to me. They're too...sharp...or something. I'd kind of prefer there was no heel at all. My least favorite part is the elastic part on the insides. I understand it's there for more stretch but I just don't think it's attractively done and these are wide enough that I didn't need it there anyway.

Fitzwell Sante Fe Extra Wide Calf Boot

My Favorites: Jessica Simpson 'Elmont' Boot (Wide Calf)

By the time I purchased these, I'd already bought three other pairs this season and it's not even really cold yet. I'd tried to find a pair of genuine leather, wide-calf boots for under $100 that I loved but they'd all been just "meh" at best. Finally I broke down and paid a bit more money for these. I ordered them from Nordstrom.com for $168.49 (including tax) in a size 8. The circumference is listed online as 15" but says it stretches to fit. I was nervous to buy them (that's kind of a lot of stretching to fit there) but I know Nordstrom is great about returns so I went ahead and did it. 

Pros

These are the perfect color to go with everything. Not too brown, not too gray, but a rich brownish tan. The color paired with the subtle buckle accents were exactly what I was looking for. The leather is perfect and soft. The back has elastic goring panels that I had originally ruled out in my boot search beacuse I think it's tacky...but I think these are really tastefully done and it certainly helps them fit a variety of calf sizes (including, thankfully, mine). The other good part about the elastic goring is that it allows the boots to fit without looking huge at the top, like other boots that are fully fashioned in leather. (See the last picture of the Fitzwells to see what I mean.) 

Cons

I'd had these for less than two weeks when I broke the front of the zipper pull off. The actual zipping mechanism was still there so I was still able to zip them up and down, but it defintely sucked having them break so early--especially considering these were my comparatively expensive boots. I returned them in-store at Nordstrom and got a new pair sent to me in a couple days (they don't sell these in-store). So far, so good on the zipper front but I am much more careful with them now. They could be a half inch to an inch shorter on me to really be perfect, but other than that, no complaints.

Jessica Simpson 'Elmont' Boot (Wide Calf)

UPDATE: I returned the original pair of these because the zipper broke. Within days the zipper broke on the second pair too, so I returned them as well. Nordstrom is great with returns so I didn't even need my receipt. I normally wear a size 7-7.5 and had sized up in these to an 8. They kind of hurt my feet and clearly the zipper was working too hard on the one calf. For the third pair I sized up to a size 9 and now they are PERFECT. My feet feel fabulous and the zipper is no longer struggling. I would definitely suggest sizing up. Be sure to read the comments below to see where other readers have found these for cheaper (and in black). 

And One That Didn't Work At All: Franco Sarto Crane Wide-Calf

These were my first purchase this year, but unfortunately they did not work out. I loved the color, the genuine leather, the back zipper, and the clean lines and thought that they would fit based upon the online sizing guide--but I made the rookie mistake of not adding the extra circumference inch for short humans. I was able to barely get them on, with a struggle, on my "skinny" calf but couldn't even zip them up on the other. If you have 16" calves or smaller they may work great for you. I paid $82.49 (with a discount code) for them from Shoes.com.  I returned them and found the return process for Shoes.com to be pretty pain free. They have since sold out, but can still be purchased for $104.99 from 6pm.com.

Franco Sarto Crane Wide-Calf

Mid-Century Monday

A couple weeks ago Kurt and I got lucky and happened upon a lockbox full of treasures for $5. That was a pretty exciting find, but it wasn't the only one that weekend. There was also this:

A Stetson "Fireworks" Bowl 

This doesn't seem like it would be all that rare but I've yet to see this color variation of the "fireworks" pattern from 1955-1965 available anywhere else. I paid $1 for it. 

This Busted Mid-Century Stool

Theoretically, I love this stool. The orange upholstery matches my bar and the legs are great. But in real life the seam is noticeably busted in one place and is strongly considering making a break for it in several other places as well. There are random paint spots all over it. And one of the metal caps is missing. In my head I'm going to fix it up to its former glory, but in real life that may very well never happen. I only spent $3 on this so I guess it's okay either way. 

A Future-Baby-Dresser

Look, you can call me a crazy baby lady all you want, but when you get pregnant and have to make a mad dash to Babies R Us to spend thousands of dollars on cookie cutter baby furniture, don't come crying to me about how you weren't absolutely insane enough to start furnishing a baby room before you ever even conceived. This estate sale find was $30 and is still sitting in the pole studio. It will, however, slowly but surely, migrate upstairs so I can start to prematurely fill it with baby stuff. 

I'm hoping it'll go nicely with this other estate sale find from a month or so ago. What's really weird is how this is already fully decorated. I don't know who did that. But I know she paid $20 for this. And I also know the books were hand-me-downs from her parents, the circus decor was from a baby shower she threw last winter, the winking Bailey cups were from an antique store for $5 each, the green wall art was from an estate sale for 75 cents, and the red Texas thing was a failed string art project. 

Bow Gloves for Teeny Tiny Lady Hands

AKA gloves that fit my abnormally small hands perfectly. Please don't mistake "small" for "dainty," however. I also have short little sausage fingers. When I look at my hands they remind of me the fat kid from The Goonies. The gloves were $2.

A Handmade Dress

Randomly stumbling across vintage clothing that fits you perfectly when you're not the skinniest broad on the block is quite the feat. Finding a dress with pockets though? Shut up. I love a dress with pockets. It has shoulder pads too and I'm not mad about it. I fished this gem out of a hundred degree attic and paid $4 for it. (I'm not exaggerating about the attic, either.) The hat is vintage, the belt is from Target, and the shoes are past season Charlotte Russe. 

This past weekend I ventured out alone to an hour-long estate flash sale and then to a flea market in Pasadena that has apparently been around since the beginning of time, but that I'm only just now finding out about. The following treasures were found:

Mid-Century Leather Tufted Bench & Fantastic Rainbow Pillows

I found the bench and three of the four pillows at the hour-long estate sale. The bench is in near-perfect condition and the pillows appear to be hand-made. I do a lot of vintage shopping so I can tell you that bright pink color is not so easy to come by. I paid $35 for all of them. The turquoise pillow in front was from the flea market and was $1. 

My long-term vision is to magically stumble across a mid-century buffet for under $100 and put it in this space. In the meantime I think the bench and pillows are doing an alright job. The shelves, the 3-tier planter, and the rug were all from Ikea. The oval mirror and the framed print were from Goodwill and the big mirror was from Tuesday Morning. 

Wind-Up Tin Circus Elephant on a Bicycle Toy

I am, in general, all about getting the best deals on all the things. This elephant was $20 at the flea market. I talked the guy down to $15 but I'm still pretty sure I paid too much for this. The tassely ball on his nose spins around while he rides his little bicycle. Which is cool. But I really want to believe this is an old toy and in real life I think know it's just a new toy packaged look like an old toy. Sigh. Anyway, aside from the future baby room decor aspect, I figured I could use it as decor in the upcoming Circarnival wedding I'm planning. 

1976-ish Salton Hotray Automatic Plate Warmer with Original Box

I'd never seen one of these until I saw a vintage reseller selling one on Instagram the other day. I don't really need one but a hot tray seems like it would be a good idea for entertaining and the seller had it listed for what seemed like a really fair price, so the shop-a-holic in me briefly considered buying it. I paid $4 for it at the flea market, which is, for what it's worth, quite a bit cheaper than the 'fair price' I'd seen days before. A quick Etsy search tells me the cheapest one of the same design is $23 before shipping.