The Color of Summer

Certain colors just make us think of summer. Turquoise is one of the those colors that is so fresh and pairs well with every neutral -- black, white, khaki, gold and silver. It is a great accent color for your home and works equally well for your wardrobe. Today we have pulled together our favorite turquoise home accessories that have a touch of gold. Each of these pieces is from our personal collection. Here's the story behind each piece. If you would like helping sourcing your own turquoise goodies, you can connect with us here!

Floral tray - Vintage. Scored from an estate sale several years ago for a song.

Books - Vintage. Picked up from various estate sales and antique malls.

Florentine trinket box - Vintage. Belonged to Joan and was handed down to me by my mom while I was in college.

Candles - Vintage. Previously belonged to my paternal grandmother, Lucy, who is 90 and lives in Italy. Turquoise is her favorite color.

Avon milk glass vase - Vintage. Also belonged to Joan and was given to me by my mom when I first moved to Memphis in 2006.

Heart-shaped bottle - Purchased at Disneyland when I was 12 or 13. Over the years, I have filled it with tiny shells from all of my beach trips, which basically means it has 16 years worth of shells in it!

Florentine frame - Vintage. Found at a antique mall four years ago. I put one of my beloved postcards in it. Underneath the postcard is a precious poem for a baby boy, but since I don't have a baby boy, I covered it up...for now.

Earrings - Old Banana Republic.

Bracelet and bird charm - Gifts from my sister from Anthropologie.

Leaf necklace - Gifted to me by my mom from a shop in Manhattan Beach, California that is now closed.

Polished mineral - Purchased in 1996 from a nature store in Costa Mesa, California that is now closed.

We hope you enjoyed a peek at some of our favorite turquoises pieces. Living with this color is like taking a mini-vacation.

Well, almost! :)

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Memorial Day Grilling with the Big Boy Barbecue Book

Happy Memorial Day! I don't know about you, but every Memorial Day weekend we spend quite a bit of time at the old grill. In honor of that tradition, I wanted to share this vintage cookbook that I found at Joan's house a few years ago. It was published in 1960, and the illustrations and verbiage are just so kitschy and fun. For example, the book is attributed to "the Barbecue Experts of the Tested Recipe Institute, Inc. at the Kitchen in the Clouds and with the Cooperation of Barbecue Experts of Big Boy Mfg. Co." The book is filled with recipes for meat-eaters and veggie-lovers, and they do look pretty yummy for the most part....perfect for a Memorial Day cookout. Enjoy a little peek inside!

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Collections: Bauer Pottery

[gallery type="square" ids="1218,1224,1219,1221,1222,1223,1220"] In keeping with the colorful vintage vibe we have going this week, today we're sharing our collection of vintage Bauer coffee carafes. You might be wondering if a collection is really a collection if you only have two...Well, if you knew how hard it was for us to get our hands on these two, you would definitely say yes!

For two years, I stalked Stars Antique Market's amazing collection of Bauer Pottery every single time we were in Hermosa Beach (we were in Hermosa a lot back then - sigh!). It wasn't a terrible thing to do, as Stars is my favorite antique mall in the entire world. After drooling over the brightly colored coffee carafes for so long, we asked if the prices were firm. They called the seller, and they were willing to work with us! I brought home the orange carafe on that trip. They had several others, including the turquoise one, but the orange carafe was my favorite. I'm sure I was quite a sight, carrying it on the plane like a small child. I secretly hoped to bring home the turquoise carafe on our next trip, but it was gone. A year later, Jonathan and I were back in California at the Santa Monica flea market, and there was my turquoise carafe at a really good price! Apparently it was meant to be after all! Success!

If you're wondering why I found both of my carafes in California, then you might be interested in the history of the company. Originally, it was a Kentucky company known for its hand-thrown, brown-glazed crocks and jugs. It was purchased by J.A. Bauer in 1885, and he relocated his family and the company to Los Angeles in 1909. After J.A. retired in 1922, his daughter and his husband bought a third of the company, and the remaining two-thirds were sold to the Bernheim family. The owners switched roles for several years before J.A.'s son-in-law bought the entire company in 1929 and hired ceramic engineer Victor Houser to create new glazes. California Colored Pottery was introduced by the Bauer Company the following year, just as the Great Depression was beginning. Despite the hard times, the colorful pieces were a huge hit with the public. The company would expand its operations in 1938, when they bought an old winery in Atlanta and converted it to a new pottery plant. Unfortunately, the work produced at the Atlanta plant was not successful, and after a labor strike in the early 1960s, Bauer closed its doors.

While Bauer wasn't the only company to create brightly colored pottery, its work was and continues to be coveted by collectors. In 2000, Bauer reopened in a small Los Angeles studio, and it has introduced a new line based on the original colorful pieces from the 1930s and 1940s. I especially love their Monterey pitcher and dog bowls.

To this day, all of their work is produced in California. You can support their efforts by checking out their website and liking them on Facebook!

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

With Mother's Day fast approaching, we decided to share some thoughtful gift ideas for the special lady (or ladies) in your life: 1. Custom Photo Books: Gerald & Joan has long been creating photo books for family and friends. To us, a photo book is one of the very best gifts you can give because you are sharing special memories that will be passed down for generations. Photo books are modern photo albums and work great with iPhone photos, scanned pictures or camera images. Our pricing depends on the scope of the project, but we will do what we can to work with any budget! Contact us to learn more.

2. Dressing Table Items: Women love to feel pretty, and what makes them feel prettier than a dressing table filled with vintage perfume bottles and painted porcelain trinkets? These were handed down from Joan and are a part of our personal collection. However, we would be happy to help you find a few that would be perfect for your mom!

3. Jewelry: Women love jewelry. If you can't afford diamonds, consider a colorful vintage piece. We love brooches, beads, enamel and fun earrings. Oh, and Bakelite. Any of these pieces are perfect for summertime.

4. Party Essentials: Speaking of summer, let's get Mom ready for outdoor dining. Our favorites are vintage table cloths, painted glassware and Pyrex. If you don't want us to find a vintage piece for you, Anthropologie has new whimsical gift ideas that are equally charming.

5. Vintage-inspired photography: Need a last-minute gift idea? Dig through your archives and pop a vintage family photo in a fun frame. You can also send us a new photo, and we'll add vintage-inspired filters and a frame for you.

Need help making or locating the perfect gift for Mom? We're here if you need us!

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