Salvage Life Blog

Salvage Life's 5th Anniversary

2012-01-27T07:51:00.000-08:00

Today is the 5th Anniversary of my first sale on Etsy. It's crazy to think that I have been doing this for five years now. I can still remember setting up my shop and how my husband was like "so, you just put pictures of items on the internet and people buy them?" Yep, that's what I was hoping people would do and within a couple of hours, I had sold my first item! Look at my first photos, these were a couple of the first items that sold in my shop. Ha, these are terrible (I still think the items are cute though), I didn't really want to put these photos in my post, but I figured if I showed them next to new photos it wouldn't be so bad.

I think that it is extremely important to take a step back sometimes and take stock of what you have accomplished. If you are like me, you are always pressing forward toward a new goal and feeling like you will never get to where you want to be. The truth is, five years ago, I had no idea that this would turn into a full-time business. I have come along way (not trying to brag, but I need to do this for myself, you can stop reading if you want). Since I started I have sold 1766 items online, countless items at shows and through private sales. I have gained Taylor Swift as a regular customer (thank you Taylor!). I was featured in People Magazine, on the Today Show and several other media outlets. I have even opened my own studio/shop space. That's not too shabby. It's SO easy for me to look at other internet businesses and think that they are so much more successful than me, "she has more sales" or "they have more bloggers talking about their clothes," but the reality is, everyone is on their own path and Salvage Life is making it's little mark on the world.

All I've ever wanted is to have a little piece of this world that was my own, where I can create, dream and just be. I think I am doing just that! Thank you for the role you have played in my success! Salvage Life would be nothing without it's readers, customers and supporters, so I will always be grateful to you! xoxo Beth

New Arrivals: Wedding Jewelry

2012-01-26T10:44:00.000-08:00

I just added some new jewelry to the bridal section of the shop. Make your wedding look complete with jewelry that no other bride will be wearing. Pieces range from basic and delicate to layered and statement. Look forward to many more bridal jewelry and accessory pieces in the weeks to come!

My Baby Turns Three Today!

2012-01-24T08:28:00.000-08:00

My little Ruby girl turns three today! How can this be? I just adore this child. She drives me a little nuts sometimes, but that's more my issue than hers. She has such a positive demeanor and zest for life, it's contagious. She makes me laugh and she says the most darling things!

Yesterday she had this really sad face and when I asked her what was wrong, she said "it's taking a long time." "For your birthday to come?" I asked. She responded with "No, for my baby to come." I laughed and told her that it was a good thing because then we have more time together and once the baby comes I am going to be very busy. She told me "Don't worry mom, when the baby comes, I will be the big sister to the baby, so you can do your work. I will hold the baby and tickle it."

Happy Birthday baby girl, I love you with all my heart!

I took these photos of her at the studio recently.

dress: vintage, shoes: marshall's

The Story of Alt Summit told by Instagram

2012-01-23T12:48:00.000-08:00

I had a truly unforgettable time at Alt Summit last week. I met so many fantastic people and learned a ton about how to move forward and improve my business. Now it's time to start setting some goals and accomplishing them! I my photos on this trip were taken with my iphone because I decided not to drag my big 'ol canon with me. Since the lighting conditions were less than optimal, I figured Instagram's filters would be the best way to make the photos look intentionally vintage and blurry. :)

We stayed in The Grand America where the conference was held and it was a very lovely hotel. Plus it was super convenient to be able to run back to the room if I forgot something, which I usually did. First thing I did was hang up my pretties. It was so fun getting dressed up for all the events!

The first night we had dinner at the Tin Angel hosted by Blurb. Everyone was ordering wine and fancy drinks. I ordered this non-alcoholic (oh, the joys of pregnancy!) called a Kid-tini, haha!

Throughout the day Thursday and Friday there were panel discussions on various blogging and business topics, as well as delicious food like this pineapple cheesecake!

Thursday night was the Winter Wonderland Party where everyone dressed in white. dress: anthropologie, jacket: buffalo exchange, necklace: vintage, tights: free people, bag: salvage life.

This is my roomie Whitney, she has a jewelry line called Bel Kai Designs. She used to live in LB, but now she's in Indiana, so I haven't seen her in a year. We had the best time sharing business advice and ordering midnight room service.

Um, this is Nicole Balch from Making It Lovely! Need I say more? One of the first blogs I started reading, what an honor to meet her!

The sea of white at the party. I had to take my shoes off and stand on a chair to get this one. It was SO pretty, I hope they do it again next year!

Friday's key note speaker was the highlight of the trip! Ben Silberman, the founder of Pinterest told the story of his career journey, slip ups, fears and all. He was so humble and honest, it was a truly inspiring talk. He even got a standing ovation. :)

Friday night there were mini parties hosted by a variety of sponsors and bloggers. Here I am eating a macaroon at the Girls with Glasses Party, hosted by Pinhole Press. The whole party was french themed, complete with striped umbrellas, wine and cheese, gelato, macaroons and an Eiffel Tower.

Some of these photos are blurry, the lighting was terrible and I just used my phone, but I couldn't leave this out. Hellooo, this is Erin Loechner of Design for Mankind and HGTV! Her and her husband Ken taught a video blogging class that was out of this world!

Saturday it snowed! And they were the biggest snowflakes I have ever seen! I took this from the car window on the way to the airport. Thank you Alt Summit and Salt Lake City, I had a wonderful time!

Coming Soon...

2012-01-18T16:30:00.000-08:00

I'm in Salt Lake City today through Saturday for Alt Summit and I'm pretty excited! I'll be eating with some fellow attendees tonight at the Tin Angel, they prepare their meals with local and organic ingredients whenever possible, sound like me? It's supposed to snow tonight, yay! While I'm here, I'm hoping to list a few things, so this is a sneak peak of this weeks shop update.

Some Big News

2012-01-17T07:41:00.000-08:00

So, remember how I mentioned that I had some big news?

Have you noticed that I haven't done an outfit post in a while? It's not because I have a huge belly, I'm only 14 weeks along. It's just that I haven't been feeling so hot, not throwing up or anything, just a bit nauseous and very fatigued! That doesn't really lend itself to wearing pretty outfits putting on makeup (I couldn't even do that for this post) and doing my hair (didn't do that either).

Getting pregnant was one of my goals for 2011, is that weird? I actually wrote the goal in this post as follows "Suck it up and get pregnant with baby #2, it's not going to get easier if you wait another year." Haha! I wish I was one of those moms who felt better when she was pregnant, wanted a million babies and didn't mind having kids clinging to her all day, but I'm just not. I want another baby because Ruby needs a sibling and my family just doesn't feel complete. When I came to accept that my reasons for having this baby would be different than my first and that there is nothing wrong with that, it made it easier to take the plunge. Also, the work/mom balance has been a deterrent, I'm just not sure how I will handle two kiddos plus Salvage Life. All this to say, I'm pretty excited, I don't know how it's all going to work out, but I know that I'm going to love this baby very much!

Taylor Swift Rocks a 50's Dress From Salvage Life

2012-01-16T08:27:00.000-08:00

We recently sold another lovely dress to one of our favorite customers, Taylor Swift! When I found this golden lace 50's dress, I knew it would be perfect on her. She wore it at a surprise performance of her new song "Safe &Sound" with The Civil Wars at the The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

New Year, New Look

2012-01-13T15:46:00.000-08:00

Forget spring cleaning, there is something about January that always makes me want to freshen, rearrange, redecorate and redesign everything in my life. I have new ideas throughout the year and I try to wait until the new year to implement changes. Things are slower and there is time to plan and think about what the next year will hold and where I want to take the business this year.

First off, the blog and logo needed a refresher. I've been wanting to use a simple and modern text, rather than the old-fashioned, scripty text that I used to have. So I made this little logo with my new photoshop skills from the awesome Blogshop class I took! I made a couple coordinating versions, one for the business card and one for the website. The new cards came in the mail just in time for Alt Summit! Only 5 days until I get on that plane to Salt Lake City!

Vegetables are SO easy to grow!

2012-01-12T09:37:00.000-08:00

Last summer when we designed our backyard, we reserved some beds on the side of the house for growing vegetables. I have never planted anything before in my life, so I wasn't sure how they would do. I was amazed at how easy it was. We planted them in the ground, set the sprinkler system and started eating in about a month! The next time around, I wanted to try to start with seeds, but when I kept putting it off, I figured it was better to buy little plants again. I'll get to the seed thing eventually, but in the meantime, this is working out well.

A few Saturdays ago I ripped out the old overgrown chard we had, went to the nursery and planted all these veggies in an afternoon. They cost me $35, including fertilizer, which is about one weeks produce bill and this will supply a couple months of veggies! Even if you just have a small space or a couple of pots, you should give it a try. There is nothing like a fresh picked salad!

New Arrivals: Bags & Dresses

2012-01-11T15:07:00.000-08:00

Just added all these lovelies to the shop! Click HERE to see them in the shop.

Bathroom Inspiration

2012-01-10T07:28:00.000-08:00

What is it about remodeling the kitchen that is making me look at the rest of the house with new eyes? I seem to be noticing all the little blemishes and unfinished decorating projects. The bathroom is one place that could use a little sprucing up. We choose a purpley wine color for the walls a few years ago, which has turned out to be a challenging color to coordinate with.

So, at some point, probably not right away, I would like to repaint the walls a light shade of gray. I think it would create a really neutral palette with the black and white tile.

Then I will work in some color, while still keeping it light with this shower curtain. I just ordered it from West Elm.

Embarrassingly enough I haven't had a real soap dispenser, I just buy those disposable ones. So wasteful! I just picked this one up at target and I love the vintagey simplicity of it.

I've been wanting these towels from Anthropologie ever since I saw them at one of their stores a few years ago. They remind me of a pink version my Grandma had. Not sure I'll be buying the whole set, but I did get a gift card for Christmas, so maybe I'll put that towards a few hand towels to get started.

We currently have a white bathmat and it's not my favorite because it blends with the tile and shows every little spot and hair. I like the texture of this one from Urban Outfitters.

(click on photos to see their origin)

Adventures at Oak Glen

2012-01-09T09:49:00.000-08:00

I hope you had a nice weekend, we sure did. Our kitchen isn't quite done, but we got our new counter tops, sink and dishwasher installed and were able to take the plastic down between the kitchen and the rest of the house. YAY! My refrigerator is still in the dining room along with the rest of the kitchen items, but not having to wash dishes in the bathroom sink is a huge step in the right direction! Hopefully, I'll have photos to share early next week.

Over the holiday break, my mom and Ruby and I went out to Oak Glen on a little day trip. It's an area out in Yucaipa with apple orchards, farms and little shops. It's past season for apple picking, but they still had some apples and other fresh fruits and veggies for sale. We even found a little antique shop in very old house across from one of the fruit stands.

Ruby wasn't wasting anytime, she went straight for a bright red apple.

Mom's Country Orchards was my favorite place we stopped. They offered samples of everything they were selling, including: fruit, jam, salsa, cider, honey and about a million other things. I bought a bag of apples to make applesauce and some of the best produce I've had in a while: avocado, tomato and cucumber.

Here's Ruby in the upstairs room of this very old and dilapidated house-turned-antique-shop. I love the outfit she picked out for herself that day: dress by Misha Lulu, skirt from Target, tights and shoes were hand-me-downs.

I picked up this old horse drawing from the 30's at the antique shop.

Love the colors of the box and the apples inside. :)

I wasn't sure how I would make applesauce without a kitchen until the man at the orchard suggested I make it in the crockpot. So, when I got home, I put on a movie while I peeled and cut the apples. Then I just put them in crockpot, turned it on and when I came back I had delicious applesauce! I wrote up the simple recipe for you, in case you want to try it. One word of advice though, take the lemon rind out right after you cook it or in a few days it will taste like rotten lemon sauce. You can also add sugar if you'd like, but I like mine unsweetened.

New Sparkly Purses & A Note About My Boots

2012-01-06T11:52:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday! I wanted to share some new sparkly purses that I just added to the online shop. Everyone needs one of these to add a little pizazz to your outfit on a night out. If you are getting married, it would be so lovely to use one of these for your essentials on the day of or even as a collection bag for a money dance! Just click on any of the photos to see the full listing.

On another note, I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for your thoughtful responses in regards to my boot post, that was just the conversation that I was looking to have with you! Beyond blog comments, I got tweets emails and even had a couple face to face conversations about it. I feel so blessed to have thoughtful consumers in my life with their own experiences to share and I hope to call on your help in the future as I wade through the menagerie of cheaply manufactured goods in the marketplace. Though I try to buy a lot used, I need to buy new things sometimes and I want to be wise about it.

So, with all that being said, I wish I could go back in time and buy different boots as most people seemed to agree that it was worth spending the money on high end shoes. However, since I need to work with what I have, I am going to give the resoling a try for two reasons. The first is that the leather upper of the boots is still in great condition and I hate to throw the whole thing away, when it can be repaired (hence the whole philosophy behind Salvage Life, I'd be a bit of a hypocrite if I didn't, right?). Since the repair is less than half the cost of the original boot, it seems worth it. Secondly, I have always been the type who needs to learn by doing or experimenting, which has not always led me to the best decisions, but I usually learn the best lessons that way. So, I will get new soles and keep track of about how many wears I get out of the boots from there. I'll keep you posted!

Hope you have a lovely weekend! We've been in the midst of a kitchen remodel and I am hoping that we'll be moving back in this weekend, fingers crossed!

What to Wear to Winter Wonderland

2012-01-05T09:54:00.000-08:00

Two weeks from today, I will be at Alt Summit, an amazing design conference that I could not be more excited about! It will be my first conference, I feel so professional. :) One of the nights there will be a Winter Wonderland Party with "Diner en blanc" as the theme, so they are asking that everyone wear shades of white. You know I can't get my hands on enough cream dresses and I have a least 5 different pairs of cream tights, so I'm sure I can find something to wear! I found some pretty images while looking for inspiration, so I thought I'd share.

Bare legs probably won't do, considering it's a high of 50 degrees in Salt Lake City right now, but I like the sculptured shoulder element here and the nude pumps.

This looks like me, in fact, if I owned those shoes (which I really wish I did!) I would have thought this WAS me. I love cream tights with a cream dress.

Ok, these are probably brides, but they could be going to the Alt party, before they walk down the aisle. I'm just loving the coral lipstick here!

If I could bleach my hair and look as pretty as this girl, I would do it! Then I would be head to toe white for the party!

Maybe the most fabulous coat I have ever seen. Do you think the Metropolitan Museum of Art will loan it to me for the party?

More likely I'll be wearing something from my shop, like this puff sleeved lace beauty. When I was in college, they called these sleeves "leg-o-mutten" sleeves, come on, that is gross.

This cream dress is also in the shop and the purse below is going to be added later today. If they're still around in a couple weeks, they may get packed in my bag!

How Long Should A Pair of $89 Last?

2012-01-03T16:26:00.000-08:00

Last February, Jeff and I went to Portland and I needed some flat, comfortable boots to do some walking in. I went to my local mall and looked and after looking at several stores I found a great, fairly affordable (around $89) pair at Aldo. The sales person was helpful and kind and even offered to stretch them for me for free to make them slightly looser and a little more worn in. I ended up getting a blister, so I wore some black ones I had for most of the Portland trip, but after a little more wear, we became besties. Summer came quick and the my brown leather friends were replaced by gladiators and rainbows.

When cooler temperatures returned in October, I started wearing my fave boots again, but one fateful day (it's fun to be dramatic), less than two months later, I started to feel more of the ground then I want to when I'm not walking barefoot. When I looked at the bottom of the boot I saw that the sole had worn through and left a few wrinkled layers of soft, cardboardy material. I hadn't paid much attention to it before, but what the heck was the sole made of?

Note: not sure why I was holding the shovel in this photo, it's not like I was

planning on doing any digging in this outfit, haha.

So, I have a few questions for anyone who will indulge me...

1. How much wear should I expect to get out of a pair of $89 boots? I approximated that I wore them less than 75 times, that's $1.19 a wear.

2. What do I do now, should I write a letter to Aldo, take them back to the store and complain, buy a new pair of boots or have the soles replaced? I checked into getting them resoled and it would be $38, the question in that case is, will the rest of the boot hold up if the soles were clearly poorly made?

I'm really curious what you think because this isn't the first time that I have encountered this problem. I usually try to go middle of the road on price (avoiding Target's 29.99 and Nordstrom's $300+ options) and end up being disappointed by quality. If I had bought them at Target, I would have thrown them away a few weeks ago and never looked back and if I had bought them at Nordstrom, I'm guessing this wouldn't have happened, but am I able and/or prepared to spend $300 on boots? If I could gaurentee that I would wear them at least 300 times, then yes, maybe.

New Vintage Arrivals for 2012

2012-01-03T08:35:00.000-08:00

These are the first new arrivals to the shop for 2012. Expect lots more great clothing and accessories this year! Click on the picture, to take you to the listing for that particular item.

Hope you have a lovely day!

What Really Matters

2012-01-02T09:44:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a wonderful break. I REALLY needed that. 2011 was intense and we all need to rest, right? Sometimes when you work for yourself, it's hard to take time off...it's funny actually, because I tout that as one of the benefits of working for myself, being able to take a day off whenever I want, and yet, it seems I am less likely now than ever to give myself a break. Over the last 5 years though, I have overworked myself many times and it never seems to pay off, so I am getting better at it.

We had a lovely Christmas, it was very enjoyable to watch Ruby experience it now that she is almost three. I was a little worried about the abundance of presents and her getting greedy, but we didn't have much of a problem. She got a lot of practical gifts, which were great, like this backpack, so she can carry her own stuff around. Yay!

My little girl is getting SO big! I had a lot of moments like this over the break, where I was just astounded by Ruby's maturity. She is so articulate, opinionated and smart. This can be challenging, but it brings me joy at the same time.

I've been having this weird realization over the last year or so, that I am old! I'm not complaining, it's just weird to be so grown up. How did this happen? These girls with Ruby are my cousin's children. We have now taken the place of our parents and they are the Grandparents. I guess time just keeps going by, it won't be long before I'm the Grandparent and I'm asking, how did I get HERE?

One of the things I was pretty excited about this Christmas was a new tradition we started. We're going to let Ruby choose a gift for Jesus every year, since it is, in fact, his birthday. This year she chose to give Jesus a gift through World Vision. They have this great catalog where you can pick out animals and other things to give families in need around the world. She chose a pig, so we bought a pig that will be given to a family and will have up to 20 piglets a year that can be sold and/or eaten for food. I found a little plastic pig in the dollar bin at Target that we can keep as a reminder of our gift.

I'm just in love with this little girl! Sometimes I blame her for not being able to do more with Salvage Life or take it to the next level, but these last few weeks I spent with her without trying to get much else done, were a wonderful reminder of how enriched my life is and how relationships are the most important part of life. I hope you enjoyed your holidays as much as I did!

A quick SL update

2011-12-27T08:03:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to write a quick note to let everyone know that I went on vacation for a few weeks. We are remodeling our kitchen, so I've been busy picking out paint colors, counter tops, etc. Add in Christmas festivities and I am maxed out. I'll be back next week with new posts and lots of new products. I am really excited for 2012...we'll be celebrating our 5th Anniversary here at Salvage Life, we've got a new intern starting in January, lots of new ideas and some big news! Hope you are all enjoying your holidays, see you soon!

Pretty, Girly, Vintage Christmas Inspiration

2011-12-13T15:36:00.000-08:00

The last few days have been pretty miserable, Ruby has been sick...up all night coughing uncontrollably. It looks like she's finally on the mend, thank God. When you have a sick kid, it seems you live in a time warp for that period. Luckily holiday inspiration has been keeping me busy. Here are a few photos that I find to be the prettiest, girliest, most vintagey Chirstmas inspiration on the web. I just love this time of year, minus the illness that inevitably invades the fun.

NOTE: The link option is not working on here, I will try again later. In the meantime you can find the links to these in my Holiday Pinterest Board: http://pinterest.com/salvagelife/holiday-inspiration/

One Weekend, Two Shows

2011-12-08T08:19:00.001-08:00

As you know, I was a crazy person over the weekend and sold my wares at two different shows in downtown LA. It was a whirlwind, but it was so much fun seeing everyone find treasures at our booths! I was so busy that I only snapped a few photos on my phone, the first three here are from A Current Affair and the rest are from Unique LA. A big thanks to my husband and all my other helpers, I couldn't have done it without you!

Weekend Recap & Lovely Package Workshop

2011-12-05T14:30:00.001-08:00

I had a super crazy weekend running back and forth between the two shows, what a blast! I took about three photos with my phone, so you'll just have to trust me that the shows were great. It's always so inspiring to be surrounded by talented people. Now it's time to put the studio back together and add new things to the online shop!

I wanted to share some photos from the Lovely Package Workshop we had here at the studio with the fabulous Danni from Oh Hello Friend. She brought all the cutest vintage decor to set up the refreshment and gift wrapping table. It was such a good time with all the girls and the gifts turned out perfect!

Something Blue from Salvage Life

2011-11-29T15:32:00.001-08:00

I always love when a customer sends photos! Sending off packages every week and never knowing what the recipient looks like can be a real downer. A big thanks to Sarah for sending these photos of her wearing a lovely SL vintage 1960's dress at her wedding rehearsal. Congrats to her and her new hubby!

Photos by Alex Creswell.

Unique LA Sneak Peek

2011-11-28T15:05:00.001-08:00

I am preparing for an insane weekend coming up, with two shows going on simultaneously! I'll be taking loads of clothing, bags and jewelry to A Current Affair. For Unique LA, I will be trying something new...along with clothing and accessories, I put together some collections of vintage ephemera, charms, letter decals, stamps, books and more to add to the mix. Here's a little peak at what you might find this weekend...

Upcoming HOLIDAY Events

2011-11-21T12:14:00.001-08:00

I love this time of year...the chill in the air, the hustle and bustle and all the happenings!

I wanted to share a few upcoming events...

First off, today is the last day to sign up for the Lovely Package Workshop this Saturday at our studio, hosted by Oh, Hello Friend. It's going to be great, Danni has the best vintage style ideas for everything! You can sign up here.

The following weekend, Salvage Life will be selling at two local shows. The first is Unique LA, we've been selling here for a few years now and it NEVER disappoints. There is great music and food and with over 325 vendors, you are sure to go home with lots of unique gifts! We will be filling our booth with vintage clothing, accessories, housewares, decor and ephemera. I'll be sharing some photos of the merchandise you can expect to see on the blog next week.

The second show is A Current Affair and it's only a block from Unique LA. The show is all vintage and it's the best of the best local vintage clothing and accessories dealers aimed at a fashion forward crowd. I'm so excited to be a part of this show for the first time!

So, get some girlfriends together and make a day of it! Plan to visit both shows and support local businesses by buying some one of a kind Christmas gifts!

There have been some requests for a Holiday Sale at the studio which I have been considering doing. If so, it would be Saturday, December 10th. If this interests you, let me know and I will do my best to make it happen!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Coming Soon: Gold & Sterling Watch Necklaces

2011-11-15T15:26:00.001-08:00

I've been working on a project recently...making some necklaces with real gold and sterling silver, just in time for the holidays. All these watch necklaces are made with 14K gold filled chain and findings or sterling silver and will be available in the shop this week!

New Arrivals: Vintage Travel Bags

2011-11-15T13:20:00.001-08:00

As you prepare for the upcoming holidays, you may be in need of a stylish travel bag. You won't need to worry about getting yours mixed up with another traveler, these bags are one of a kind! Click on the individual bag photos below to take you to the listing for that particular bag.

Lovely Package Workshop

2011-11-15T07:16:00.001-08:00

I've got an exciting opportunity for those of you that live in the LA area. We are hosting a gift wrapping workshop with Danni from Oh, Hello Friend and special guests Besotted Brand and Lauren Elise is Crafted.

The workshop will be held at our studio in Long Beach, CA on Saturday, November 26th from 1:00-3:00. Bring a few holiday gifts and the girls will show you some lovely ways to wrap them up! Refreshments will be provided and you'll be sent home with a pretty sweet gift bag filled with lots of packaging goodies.

Cost is $55 if you reserve online or $50 if you pay by check or money order. Reserve your ticket now at eventbrite.

It's going to be a great time! I hope you can make it!

Coming Soon: Holiday Sparkles

2011-11-09T15:55:00.000-08:00

I'll be adding a little bit of Holiday sparkle to the shop over the next few days. It's time to start thinking about holiday parties and events. There are some sequined tops, dresses, and metallic pretties. I just love how these catch the light!

Shop Hours Update

2011-11-09T09:55:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday marked the last day of my trial period of opening up the shop on Saturday's from 10am to 2pm. It was a good time and I enjoyed all the customers that came in. However, I found my appointments in the meantime, to be more profitable and I had to spend a lot of time each week straightening my work space. Not to mention, it really broke up my family time. Sometimes, you have to try things to see why you shouldn't do it, it's often the only way to be sure. So, I will not be having regular hours in the shop for the time being. I have also decided to rearrange the space a bit to better suit the needs of my online shop. Since I set up the front area as a shopping area, a lot of space is sitting unused most of the time. This does not seem like the best use of my rent money, instead I need more room for packaging, sewing, jewelry making and storing merchandise.

I began to rearrange a few items and I actually like how things look stacked on shelves. I think it is still conducive to shopping and saves me a lot of merchandising time and space.

You are still welcome to come by the studio, just call or email and set up a time, it's easy. Plus, if I have someone coming, I will tweet/facebook about it, so you can come by too if the time works for you. Thanks for bearing with all my adjustments as I seek to be a good steward of my time and space, while still providing the best service I can.

Window Shopping

2011-11-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend I actually had some free time and it was so cold that I spent most of the weekend inside. While sipping hot chocolate, I should have been looking for things to put on Ruby's Christmas list, but instead this is what I found.

Salvage Life Wedding Dress Feature

2011-10-31T15:27:00.000-07:00

Hope you're having a Happy Halloween! What are you dressing up as? I can't wait to put on costume tonight, I've been waiting to be this favorite movie character of mine for about 10 years! Can you guess who? (Here's a hint, I'll be wearing a lot of pink.) Hopefully I will snap some good photos to share on the blog.

On to what this post is really about...I have a lot of fun with my camera and I can take some decent photos in the right settings, but photos like these from Aaron Shintaku, remind me of how much I still have to learn. Aaron did a wedding shoot with stylist Kassi Gray that featured a few of our vintage wedding dresses and the photos turned out great! I like how there is a bit of angst and irreverence...at first I thought, why aren't they smiling, they're getting married? But their serious expressions have depth and it adds to the high fashion look of the shoot. Thanks Aaron and Kassi!

Models: Trevor Gray and Keslie Felton

New Arrivals: Vintage Wedding Dresses, Bowties and More!

2011-10-25T15:41:00.000-07:00

This week's new arrivals are vintage wedding dresses, bowties, and other wedding related items. I let the bridal section in the online shop get down to four items, that is just sad. So, for those of you who are looking for wedding attire and decor, this is your week! And for those of us who were married long ago, let's just drool and imagine what our weddings, reinvented in 2011, would look like.

Layers of New Necklaces

2011-10-21T08:33:00.000-07:00

We just got these new necklaces and I am obsessed! They go with everything and you can layer them with other necklaces or wrap them around your wrists as bracelets. The come in two different shapes of beads and either copper or brass. Best part is they are only $20! Plus if you order them along with something else in the shop, they'll ship for free! Find them HERE or visit us at the shop tomorrow to check them out in person.

Coming Soon to the Shop...

2011-10-20T15:47:00.000-07:00

I just photographed all these items and they will all be available by early next week in the online shop. I've highlighted a few of my favorites below. You can also get first dibs on these, plus other new items, if you come to shop this Saturday.

Outfit Post & Guest Blog

2011-10-19T06:04:00.000-07:00

For my outfit post today, I have a surprise...I'm guest blogging on the original What I Wore Wednesday blog, The Pleated Poppy! You can see more photos of my outfits and a few tips on incorporating vintage into your wardrobe over there. Thanks Lindsey for letting me share!

A work day at the shop, keeping it casual. Vintage jeans and sweater, thrifted top.

Vintage silver and turquoise necklace, Salvage Life three watch necklace, brass bead necklace coming soon to the shop!

Vintage dress I stole (and plan to keep) from my shop, wink wink. The shoes were a flea market find - usually I get annoyed when there are modern things mixed among vintage at the flea, but I was thrilled to find these!

Loving this art deco vintage necklace and this vintage belt goes with everything!

Thrifted white tshirt, anthro skinnies, vintage boots, vintage bag (borrowed from here).

Jewelry is Salvage Life and this pretty little accessory is my Ruby! She always wants to pose with me in the pictures. :)

In With The Old...

2011-10-18T15:10:00.000-07:00

It seems about time we have another "In with the OLD, out with the new" post around here. The idea behind these posts is to show how I am constantly rethinking and replacing the things in my life that are "new" (ie. mostly cheap plastic) with things that are "old" (have style and quality). This week I have replaced some of my daughter's things.

Ruby loves dress up, she has these purple plastic dress up shoes that were a sweet gift from her cousin (we won't actually be getting rid of those just yet), but when she comes to the shop, she loves to wear all the vintage shoes I have on display. I let her take this pair home and it reminded me that girls used to dress up in their moms clothes!

I scored this old metal buggy at a thrift shop recently (one of my best finds in a LONG time). Look at the difference between it and it's new Target counterpart...it's metal, has sturdy wheels and someone thought about the aesthetics when they made it. Plus, since Ruby uses them to push stuff (other than dolls) around, she can fit a lot more in the vintage one. ;)

We have lots of pretend tea parties and birthday parties around here, so there is always a need for tea cups! I actually really like these blue tea cups from green toys, so if I had to buy new plastic I'd opt for these, they are recycled and food safe. Still though, the aesthetics aren't really there. Yes, I let Ruby drink out of porcelain tea cups, she's only broken one and it wasn't an heirloom. Life can be more beautiful when you aren't afraid to break something and when you are surrounded by items that are well made and look pretty.

Mimosas & A Sale Section

2011-10-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

The shop will be open this Saturday from 10am to 2pm and besides having complimentary MIMOSAS, I'm putting together a great sale section in the back with lots of deals to be had. Here is just a sampling! Hope to see you tomorrow!

3941 Long Beach Blvd. Long Beach, CA 90807

(there is no sign, look for a bright yellow building)

Behind the Scenes: Custom Tote Bags

2011-10-13T17:14:00.000-07:00

When we had our Grand Opening Party in August, Meghan and Randy of Scott Lou brought their live silk screening to our celebration and printed these custom bags for all the shoppers. Meghan is an amazing artist, she worked with us to develop the designs from some vintage items we had around the shop. I use mine all the time and I love the designs so much that I'm offering them in the online shop for just $20. Scott Lou specializes in weddings, where they create custom designs for the couple and silk screen favors at the wedding. You can find our bags here: purses, watches, sewing machine.

New Merchandise & Shop Hours

2011-10-11T07:31:00.000-07:00

I did some serious vintage scavenging the last few days and here is just a sampling of what I picked up. We are moving into the holidays, so it is time to fill the shop to the brim!

On Saturday, I had a couple of appointments at the shop at I had a chat with the girls that came in about open hours versus appointments. They agreed that they would be more likely to come if they just knew I was open as opposed to have to call and set up a time. Also, Saturday was by far the most preferable day (I tried Thursdays and that didn't work for me or you). So, after a chat with the hubs, I am going to open the shop for the next five Saturdays (Oct. 15, 22, 29, Nov. 5, 12) from 10-2 to see how much interest there is. This Saturday there will be tons of new merchandise, lots of summer items at 50% or more off, and mimosas!

I will still be doing appointments, if you need to come at another time, you can email or call: beth@salvagelife.com or 562-999-4750.

Not all of these items will make it to the online shop, so if you see something you like, email me (beth@salvagelife.com) for more info or to set up an appointment.

Journey of the Dress: Salvage Life Edition

2011-10-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

My friend Maria over at Adelaide's Homesewn (and I think it was actually Duff of Jean Jean Vintage's idea, originally) started this blog post theme where vintage sellers share the process a dress goes through before it lands in the shop. So, I'm joining in to show you how one of our dresses was salvaged and prepared for you to snatch up in our online shop.

This currently available here.

Outfit Post: Bright Blue Pants

2011-10-04T23:57:00.000-07:00

I bought these bright blue jeggings at Buffalo exchange and I wasn't quite sure what to do with them. I paired them with this super soft cotton vintage top from India, a vintage medallion necklace and some amazing vintage shoes! That wasn't so hard.

top ~ vintage

pants ~ buffalo exchange

necklace ~ vintage

shoes ~ vintage

Linking up with the pleated poppy!

New Arrivals: Vintage Belts

2011-10-04T22:30:00.000-07:00

Often times all you need to reinvigorate your wardrobe is a couple of new accessories. A belt can change the whole feel of a dress you've had for years. All these belts were just added to the shop! Click on the shop link to the right to see these belts.

Wilfred's Fiona Gubelmann Wears Salvage Life

2011-10-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

At the last Unique LA show, I met the lovely Fiona Gubelmann from Wilfred on FX and she bought this pretty red dress from me. She wore it recently at Comic Con! I love how she's wearing it with a wide belt, very flattering. Thanks Fiona, you look great!

A Nautical Birthday Party!

2011-10-03T09:19:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I threw myself a 30th birthday party. Everyone said I shouldn't have had to do all the work, but I REALLY like throwing parties and I am a control freak about the details. I did have a few helpers and I think it came together pretty well.

The party was a nautical theme and we hosted in the backyard. It started at 7, but here is a photo from earlier in the day when we were setting up. Instead of having tables, I created several seating areas, it felt a lot cozier that way.

I made some flags from fabric and a happy birthday banner with an old Thomas Guide.

One of the seating areas. I bought this darling settee at Goodwill last week, score!

I used a bunch of old trunks as side tables and decorated with nautical books and sand dollars.

It was getting dark, just as the party started and our little globe lights provided the perfect ambiance.

I found nautical themed beer and blue and red labeled cola.

I borrowed the globe and ship art from the shop to decorate the food table.

We had to have Pirate's Booty because it goes with the theme and it's delicious!

The dessert table was a bunch of old trunks stacked on a bench.

This is where I got a little crazy, I decorated these cookies with anchors and sailboats. I saw some cute ones on Etsy, but I waited too long to order them. The internet has so many great things, but they aren't good for last minute people.

I made these sea salt caramel cupcakes with chocolate cake mix from Tj's and used their frosting mix, but added caramel sauce and used salted butter instead, sprinkled with a little Maldon salt. Delicious! I also made dark chocolate covered cookie dough balls, chocolate covered strawberries and white chocolate covered rice crispy treats.

I didn't take a lot of pictures once the festivities started, but here I am with my cousin Matt, sister Amy, brother Steve and sister-in-law Camille. (not in that order)

Me and my sis. I found this dress at a thrift shop a long time ago. I added the sash and found these shoes at another thrift shop on Friday, they were perfect!

It was a wonderful celebration with all the people I love!

Outfit Post: Handmade Leather Vest

2011-09-27T23:33:00.000-07:00

I made this leather vest in college as part of my senior collection and I had forgotten about it until I found it in a drawer the other day and guess what? It went perfectly with what I was wearing and it really added something to the vintage jeans and flowy top I had on. This was one of my favorite things I made in school and I love that it's still so wearable!

vest ~ Beth Giles (senior collection at CSULB)

top ~ thrifted

jeans ~ vintage via American Vintage

bracelet ~ vintage

flip flops ~ rainbow

Linking up with the pleated poppy and no model lady!

Salvage Life on Lost in the Haze

2011-09-27T13:45:00.000-07:00

Jo from Lost in the Haze is wearing a lovely lace dress from our shop on her blog!

First Weekend of Fall

2011-09-26T08:34:00.000-07:00

It was a lovely weekend which started on Friday with a little trip to Whole Foods with Ruby after work. She planted some beet seeds in a little pot and when we got home she wanted to water it for the rest of the night. Hopefully they'll still grow.

On Saturday I cleaned the kitchen, living room and my purse. I always see those pretty posts about what's in blogger's purses and I wish mine looked like that, but it doesn't. Did you notice the tissues and gazillion receipts? I wasn't even surprised to find an almond, pistachio and a rock!

Saturday night my friend and sometimes Salvage Life model, Keslie, got married. It was at a lovely rural site in the middle of nowhere, bohemian and perfectly romantic. Wish I took more photos, but I was having too much fun.

I spent the most of the day Sunday, relaxing and collecting inspiration for my 30th birthday bash this Saturday. It's going to be a nautical themed party, so I found this cute party inspiring.

It was a great weekend that marked the end of summer. This was a photo I took at the beginning of summer when we made popsicles with some homegrown strawberries and limes.

Hope your weekend was swell! I'm looking forward to what fall will bring!

4 Bags for 4 Uses

2011-09-23T07:22:00.000-07:00

I have these four amazing bags and I am so excited to add them to the online shop. Before I do, I thought I would take a minute to share some simple equations with you. I wish I was hopping on a plane to somewhere important this weekend with one of these bags. I will be headed to a friend's wedding in a rural field tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to that. I'll also be cleaning my bathroom and doing laundry, in case you were wondering. Hope you have a wonderful weekend. These bags should be in the shop by Monday.

Ode to the Southwest Outfit

2011-09-21T07:13:00.000-07:00

I bought this dress at a thrift store awhile back and I think it fits perfectly with my new Southwest obsession. I thought I'd change up my boring white background and take some photos in the backyard at the studio. I wore this to a friend's birthday shindig over the weekend.

dress ~ thrifted

jacket ~ vintage via flea market

tights ~ free people

boots ~ vintage via thrift shop

necklace ~ thrifted

bracelet ~ vintage via flea market

The High Cost of Discount Culture

2011-09-19T16:24:00.000-07:00

I read a really interesting book recently. If you've had a conversation with me in the past few months, you most likely heard about this book. Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture examines the American consumers obsession with bargains. I found it intriguing how the invention of things like the price tag and the shopping cart, changed consumption practices over time and the discussions on how the demand for inexpensive goods is continually reducing the items we buy to the lowest possible quality.

One of the most interesting things that was brought to my attention by this book (and now it seems rather obvious to me) is that most of us shop with price being the most important factor...to the point that we go to Target to buy one item and when it is too expensive, we come home with something we have no need for, but that seemed like a good deal. You know those dollars bins have swindled you too! It's an easy read with loads of facts and stories. It is definitely trying to make a point and I think it does a good job.

Hanging Around the House

2011-09-16T15:46:00.000-07:00

I've been doing some redecorating around the house lately. My husband makes fun of me because I'm always rearranging old decor instead of hanging things in places that have been in need of something since we moved in.

As you've probably seen on previous posts, I have this crazy wallpaper in my living room and I am always trying to figure out how to decorate with it.

I love the design, but it is so bold that small items tend to disappear, like this white cuckoo clock I just bought, can you even see it on the left? Maybe I should paint it?

I found this school map at an estate sale a few weeks ago. My daughter's singing in her room right now, so sweet. (sorry, stream of consciousness, it's friday)

A little collage I put up in the bathroom, one of the places that has been neglected on the decor front. The pretty lady on the left is by my studio neighbor and new friend, Courtney Oquist. The cross stitch was made as a wedding present to Jeff and I by my little sis who was 11 at the time, it's one of the most precious things I own. The other three are just found vintage items.

Picked up this desert painting at a thrift shop and I just love the colors and the bulky frame. I guess it's kind of an odd item for above the bed, but I don't care. Yes, we have more black and white patterns in the bed room, I was on a kick.

I'm 30 Today!

2011-09-14T14:11:00.000-07:00

Today is a crazy day. I turned 30. I'm trying to process this and maybe I'm making too big of a deal out of it, but it seems significant. I am no longer in my 20's and the 20's were pretty good. I married my love, had my Ruby, started this business and met all of you! I hope the 30's are even better than the 20's!

Weekend Recap & Vintage Sale Photos

2011-09-12T08:56:00.000-07:00

I had a delightful weekend, how about you? I cleaned the house and did some redecorating. I also did a lot of cooking, which was surprisingly relaxing. I made homemade tomato basil sauce with all the overripe, bursting tomatoes from our garden and attempted to put a dent in the ridiculous supply of rainbow chard we have growing by making a crustless quiche. I even made a weird watermelon salad with feta, onions and kalamata olives. These were all delicious and I didn't take photos of any of them, I was too busy eating. Sometimes it's better that way. Here's some photos from an event I've been waiting to share.

Awhile back I was part of a collaborative sale with Oh, Hello Friend, Founds Rentals, Ruche and bunch of other sellers. It was a great day and it was held at Studio EMP's amazing space in Fullerton.

They did a lot of work to this old building, exposing the brick and original wall stenciling and adding architectural details. It was a perfect setting for the variety of vintage goods being sold that day.

The photos shown here were taking by Joel of Studio EMP, he's married to Jenni of Found Rentals, what a phenomenal couple! He'll take gorgeous photos for your wedding and she'll deck it out with vintage decor.

By Appointment Only + Parties

2011-09-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

The shop has been open just a few hours a week on Thursdays, which was fine during the summer, but now that the hubs is back to work full time, it's a little more complicated to be at the shop during those hours. Since my family and my mental health (me completely stressed out is fun for no one!) must come first, I've decided to go back to an appointment only schedule. I'm at the shop on and off throughout the week, so there is plenty of time to open up for customers, I just can't commit to be there at the same time every week because I never know how the week will go. It's taken me about two and a half years to embrace the ambiguity of what my days will hold, but I'm there now and you know what? I kind of like it! Know one tells me when to come to work or times my breaks. So what if I have to come home early because Ruby needs a nap or I have to make dinner, it gives me a great excuse as to why I didn't get very much done. :)

So if you want to come by the shop, just call me at 562-999-4750 or email beth@salvagelife.com to make arrangements. We'll also have parties and sale events from time to time because it's always fun to have a crowd! A few photos of the shop and studio by Ashley of Love Lock & Co.

Taylor Swift Wearing Salvage Life at Fairfax Flea

2011-09-06T13:55:00.000-07:00

Taylor Swift was spotted over the holiday weekend at the Fairfax Flea Market wearing a vintage dress from Salvage Life! I love that she is wearing is wearing one of our pieces while doing my favorite activity, warms my heart! She really does look perfect in the 50's silhouette, and jewel tones are especially flattering. Thanks Tay for making our clothes look so good!

photos found here.

Food as a hobby, it's not what you think

2011-09-02T15:13:00.000-07:00

So, I've been in need of a new hobby/interest that is relaxing fun and healthy. I'm not very good at relaxing and everything that could potentially be a hobby, ends up being part of my work in some way. This is ironic considering I am writing a blog post for "work" about how I found something that won't be work related...haha! I guess it's just impossible to separate work and life when your a self-employed creative, so I'll just embrace it! Anyways, the point of this post is to say I'm taking on food as my hobby. Not going to foodie restaurants or cooking per se, but learning about food. I'm interested in so many aspects, such as: growing food, the manufacturing of food, cooking, health benefits or detriments of certain foods. I really enjoy gaining knowledge about things and thinking critically about why we do what we do.

I'll be visiting my best friend in San Luis Obispo this weekend. Her and her husband have been on a food journey for a long time now and I love learning and sharing with them. I have so many questions for them about my vegetable garden, juicing, food policy...the list goes on and on.

Here's a few things I've eaten lately and enjoyed:

First heirlooms from our tomato plant!

Homemade potato chips, Ruby loved these!

Breakfast this week.

Lunch with my sister-in-law at Forage.

what WE wore wednesday

2011-08-31T06:29:00.000-07:00

Today's outfit post should give you a little taste of the fun that Ruby and I have together at the shop. She has really blossomed over the past few months and I am having such a wonderful time with her these days. She is talking so much, telling me all about her day and even asks "how your day, mommy?" So cute! There are definitely those typical two-year-old moments, but for the most part, she's a treat! She's learning to pose and laugh like I do for the camera when I'm taking photos of myself, silly right? She asks me "Ruby wear mommy jewry?" and she looks pretty cute in it, maybe I should make little girls necklaces.

This is the type of outfit I have been wearing a lot of lately, I'm loving maxi skirts and loose blouses in the hot weather and my so-pale-they're-see-through legs are thanking me. I even like that this skirt drags on the floor, it makes me feel like a hippie or pretty peasant.

On Mommy:

blouse ~ thrifted

skirt ~ vintage

necklaces ~ salvage life

On Ruby:

dress ~ gap via consignment shop

sandals ~ thrifted

necklace ~ salvage life

linked up with the lovely ladies at the pleated poppy!

New Redesigned Vintage Jewelry

2011-08-29T14:32:00.000-07:00

I had a lovely weekend with my family, swimming in the neighbors pool, celebrating at a friend's bridal shower and my niece's birthday. It was just the rest I needed to gear up for a new week!

I'll be adding some great new vintage jewelry to the online shop this week. Some of these have already been added, the rest will be available in the next few days.

Salvage Life Grand Opening Party

2011-08-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

The Grand Opening Party we had for our new Shop and Studio was such a blast on Saturday. We had live models wearing some of the new fall looks. Hair was done by Katie Ruiz (she's the one in the orange dress), make-up by Lindsay Esparza. Photos were snapped by Ashley of Lovelock and Co. My friend Erin Dunn made all the food and it was amazing! Endive with smoked salmon, artichoke spread on cucumbers, homemade tarts and more...so delicious! Meghan and Randy of Scott/Lou were there silk screening bags with our custom designs. DJ Pete Deeble was spinning some great tunes (by the way, he makes fab mid-century furniture, you can find his work here).
I had another outfit planned, but when I ate too much pizza, the skirt was really tight, so I opted for the edwardian dress from this post and my profile picture. :)

It was a dream of a night, thank you to everyone that came out, you made my day, week, month!

Photos: 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10 by Ashley of Lovelock and Co. The rest by me.

Modern Dress + Vintage Accessories = Perfection

2011-08-23T21:27:00.000-07:00

Today's outfit came out of a desire to wear all the new vintage accessories that I purchased at a local show recently. Remember this post? I needed something neutral and modern looking to contrast the old world look of these items. This comfy gray dress was the perfect pairing!

Thank you so much for all of your responses to last week's outfit post. I hope that one day we each get to be someone's match and save a life!

dress ~ anthropologie

necklace ~ vintage pendant hung on found chain

handbag ~ vintage

shoes ~ vintage

we link up with the pleated poppy for wiww.

Around the Studio: new additions

2011-08-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

I've added a few new things around the studio that bring a smile to my face.

I found these letter at the flea market and I just couldn't pass them up!

I have developed quite the attraction to these needlework pieces, they look so much better if you take them out of their old frames and clip them to the wall.

This little round shelf is so unique and perfect for housing my tiny vases.

Jeff made this light for my fitting room out a wire rack I found on the side of the road.

Fall Outfit Practice

2011-08-22T08:51:00.000-07:00

The opening party on Saturday night was absolutely amazing! I am so thankful to everyone who helped and all the lovely customers who came to shop and celebrate! What an honor it was to have so many people in my shop. I don't have photos of the evening from the photographer yet, but I will share them as soon as I do. In the meantime, here are some of the looks we put together last week for the models to wear for the fall preview we had at the party. Modeling here is my good friend and hair stylist, Katie Ruiz.

Party Tomorrow!!!

2011-08-19T15:49:00.000-07:00

The shop opening party is tomorrow night, so if you are expecting an actual blog post, you are crazy! Hopefully you can make it! Here's a little instagram photo I took last night while hanging some lights in the back, it looks so cute out there!

If you haven't rsvp'd yet, click HERE to see the whole invite.

3941 Long Beach Blvd, Long Beach 90807 from 7-10pm Saturday August 20th.

The shop opening party is tomorrow night, so if you are expecting an actual blog post, you are crazy! Hopefully you can make it

What I Wore To Save a Life

2011-08-17T07:19:00.000-07:00

Usually my outfit posts are just that, a post about an outfit. For today's post I started with a lovely little package, from DKMS, and built an outfit around it. DKMS helps leukemia patients find bone marrow donors. My husband has been a registered bone marrow donor for years and I have been a bit reluctant because I thought the process would be really painful, yes I'm a complete wuss.

After reading about DKMS in Lucky Magazine and then seeing a post from a friend on Facebook, I did a little more research and found out that I was completely ignorant about the process. The pain and time is minimal when you consider all the families waiting for their loved one's match, only 4 in 10 find it. When you think about what we spend our time doing and what really matters, I think taking a couple minutes to have the opportunity to save someone's life with a minor procedure trumps anything you could be doing right now, even reading my blog. So browse quickly at the photos below and then go to getswabbed.org to have your swabs sent to you. It takes 30 seconds to swab the inside of your cheek and then send it back to them. No excuses!

My birdie slip dress is from Anthropologie, the sailor top, shoes and clutch are available in my shop and 50% of the sales from those three items willed be donated to DKMS.

We linked up with the pleated poppy for wiww.

Fall Collection: Mad Men Meets Sedona

2011-08-16T14:28:00.000-07:00

I've been running around getting ready for our opening party this weekend, I'm so excited!

Originally I was planning to do a fashion show at the party, but after realizing that all attendees would have to be present at the same time, I decided that a fashion installation would be better. So I'm going to create a themed backdrop and have live models wearing some of our new fall merchandise. Other fall merchandise with be there to preview. Customers can purchase items from the preview to be picked up or shipped the following week.

As I gathered fall pieces, I began to see a theme emerge. I chose a lot of tailored pieces as well as many ethnic printed pieces. The collection has a sort of Mad Men meets Sedona feel. Classy, tailored pieces in orangish reds, rust and deep earth tones, mixed with my favorite bohemian styles, makes for a well rounded selection. Here are a few rugs that inspired me, as well as a couple of the outfits I've been experimenting with.

Vintage Drawer Accumulation

2011-08-12T10:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I moved a bunch of things around in the studio to make room for this amazing card catalog I acquired. After doing so, I began to notice all the different types of drawers I have around here. The funny thing is, most of them are empty! I probably need to start organizing, but I think I'll just enjoy looking at them for now.

If you want to help me get rid of some things or you're looking for some affordable vintage shopping this weekend, come visit me HERE tomorrow. Most of my items will be $5 to $10!!!

The Ones That Got Away.

2011-08-11T07:45:00.000-07:00

I regularly put amazing items in my Etsy favorites with no intention to buy, yet when I revisit my selection, my heart sinks as I see sold on all the items I love. It's a funny thing actually, favoriting an item for me actually means I will probably never purchase it. If I come back and see that it is still available, it feels like it always will be or it seems less desirable because no one else wanted it. So, if you want me to buy something from your shop, don't let me heart it! :) I wonder if this is also true for my customers? I always thought that more views and hearts meant it was more likely to sell, maybe this explains the items with one hundred hearts that seem to linger. Here's a few that sunk my heart just a little bit.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

And Yet Another Cream Dress...

2011-08-10T00:34:00.000-07:00

Here's a little post about the outfit I wore for opening day of my shop, what do you know, it was a cream dress! I'm so predictable. I'm going to have to come up with something more interesting for my Party next weekend. But seriously, you just can't go wrong with any variation of this outfit.

dress ~ vintage

shoes ~ pink studio via flea market

locket ~ salvage life

We link up with The Pleated Poppy for What I Wore Wednesday.

Our New Backyard...

2011-08-09T09:36:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned in previous posts and on twitter about how we were making over our backyard. We've been so busy enjoying it, that I forgot to share it in a post. When we moved into our house four years ago and it was in tear down condition. We have been fixing up almost every aspect of it, working our way from the inside out. I should probably stop and clarify that when I saw "we", I really mean "he", he being my husband. I am really good at telling him what I like and don't like and noticing tiny mistakes, but when it comes to anything where I might get a splinter or heat stroke, I'm kind of a wuss. So here is our new backyard! Everything you can see was done by Jeff, plus his dad helped a lot and a few friends. Fence, flagstone, pergola, sod, plants, there is almost nothing he can't do. I feel so blessed every time I round the corner and see my little oasis. When you live in a big city, it's nice to have a place like this to rest. I can't wait to deck it out with some rustic furniture. I didn't take enough before photos, but this first photo should give you an idea of how bad it was before. This was when we took the old fence down, so you can see into our neighbors backyards.

Salvage Life Grand Opening Party!

2011-08-05T07:56:00.000-07:00

I'm really looking forward to our Grand Opening Party! I've decided to do a little fall preview fashion show in the backyard while sipping drinks, eating dessert and listening to selected tunes from dj Pete Deeble. There will be lots of shopping to be done, of course, and if you make a purchase of $20 or more, you will get a custom canvas shopping bag. We'll have screen-printing duo Randy and Meghan of Scott /Lou on site to print your choice of design on your new bag. I will update you with more details as the day gets closer! To RSVP, click here.

Up, Up and Away!

2011-08-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

If you follow me on twitter, you probably saw that I was tweeting from a hot air balloon yesterday! I bought my hubby and I a ride from Sunrise Balloons in Temecula, CA through Groupon for Christmas and we finally found the time to use it. We had to be there at 5:30am, they only fly balloons in the morning due to wind. It was a magical experience and a lot more relaxed than I expected. I don't have a fear of heights, but I expected to be nervous at some point. I never really got to that point. Since you are basically floating and there is no real lift off or turbulence, you almost forget that you are in the air. I think my favorite part was going inside the enormous balloon while it was filling up, the top of it looked like a beautiful stained glass window. The ride was about an hour, we went up 3500 or so feet and we could see all the way to the ocean. It was a wonderful experience, if you ever get the chance to ride a hot air balloon, I highly recommend it!

Can't Get Enough Cream Dresses!

2011-08-02T08:17:00.000-07:00

If I had to choose one category of clothing to wear in the summer, it would have to be cream or white dresses. This one has a lot of embroidery, so accessories are hardly needed. I often wear a belt with this one, but I was feeling free this day, so I thought I'd leave it loose.

dress ~ vintage

shoes ~ thrifted

We link up for WIWW with The Pleated Poppy.

Dress form vs. Model

2011-08-02T07:48:00.000-07:00

I have long debated displaying the clothing I sell on a model versus a dress form and have come to various conclusions over the years. The dress form gives the item a clean look and is less distracting to the shopper. A model, however, gives the piece a little life and shows the customer what it will look like on a real body. The concern here is that the model may not be the same size or shape as the shopper and it may be clipped on them in a way that may inaccurately represent fit. From a logistical stand point, there is a lot more work involved in using a live model and therefore the time involved and cost will go up. I have used friends to model things in the past, but now that I am getting a little more comfortable in front of the camera, I thought I would give it a try. Here are a few photos that I have added to listings. What do you think, model? dress form? or both?

What I Bought at the Vintage Clothing Show

2011-08-01T19:56:00.000-07:00

I took Salvage Life to the Vintage Clothing and Textiles Show in Burbank this weekend. It was a good show, definitely a different crowd then other shows I've done. Since all the vendors specialize in vintage clothing, it attracts a lot of collectors and designers. I didn't bring my camera this time, so I don't have any photos of my booth, but I bought a couple things at the show and I took such pictures to share. This is the dangerous part of selling at one of these shows, the vendors have amazing stuff and you want to buy it all! The shoes were by far my favorite purchase and probably will be for a long while.

Info & Happenings

2011-07-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

There has been so much going on around here that I feel like I need to stop and take a deep breath for a minute. Sometimes things get so busy that I forget to inform my customers about events and such. So, I want to take a moment to let you now about a few upcoming dates.

First off, super last minute, but I will be selling at the Vintage Clothing & Textile Show this weekend. This show is all vintage and antique textiles and clothing. There are a lot of beautiful high priced antique pieces to browse if you like old things and also some more affordable vintage clothing.

Sunday July 31, 2011 9am to 3pm

The Pickwick Gardens

1001 Riverside Drive Burbank, CA

admission is $7

Secondly, we'll be selling at a warehouse vintage sale in Fullerton, CA with Ruche, Oh Hello Friend, Found Rentals and many more sellers. You can see more details and get tickets here.

Saturday August 13, 2011 9am to 1pm

112 W. Commonwealth Ave. Ste B Fullerton, 92832

Admission is FREE!!!

Lastly, and I guess I'll say, most importantly!...Please save the date for the Grand Opening Party of our humble little shop here in Long Beach, CA. We had a soft opening last week and are open every Thursday, 2-7pm. We really want to celebrate how far Salvage Life has come over the past five years and would love for you to join us.

Saturday August 20, 2011 7-10pm

3941 Long Beach Blvd. Long Beach, CA 90807

more details to follow

to make sure you get all the info, sign up for our email list! (we only send emails about twice a month)

So that's it for now, it feels good to get all that info written out for you. Have a wonderful weekend and I hope to see you at one of the above events! (if you have to pick just one, come to the opening!)

Spotted: Taylor Swift Wearing Salvage Life

2011-07-28T09:59:00.000-07:00

The lovely Taylor Swift has been spotted once again wearing a piece of Salvage Life jewelry! She bought this necklace from us last year and was seen wearing it on a lunch outing to Market Table 54 in New York last week. I love how she paired it with a 1950's style coral dress!

This isn't the exact necklace in the photo because they are all one of a kind, but I wanted to share a close-up to give you an idea of what it looks like.
Taylor photo copyright: PacificCoastNews

Lace Softens Leather & Studs

2011-07-27T01:46:00.000-07:00

I bought some shoes awhile back and have yet to wear them because even though I like the height and style, they are a little too "biker chick" for my usually soft look. This week, I figured I would give them a try with a soft lace dress and 20's necklace, I think it worked. Pink lipstick never really hurts an outfit.

dress ~ b.p. nordstrom

shoes ~ steve madden

necklace ~ vintage

Linking up with The Pleated Poppy for WIWW.

What's in Store: Typewriters, Trunks & More

2011-07-26T08:14:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share some of the fun items we have in the brick and mortar shop that you can't find in our online boutique. If you live far away and see something you like, just send us an email (info@salvagelife.com) and we can provide a price and shipping quote.

We are open every Thursday from 2-7pm or by appointment. Click on the "contact" page above for location and phone number.

Working typewriters in their original cases.

Pretty & tarnished antique hand mirrors.

Travel trunks in every color.

Never been used vintage scrapbooks

Celebrating 40 Years of Commitment!

2011-07-25T16:02:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend we hosted a party for my in-laws, it was their 40th Wedding Anniversary! We held the party in our new backyard (ok, I really need to take some photos of the backyard and post them already!) We had the dinner catered, but everything else we did ourselves. I got the wild flowers at the LA flea market and threw them in some old bottles and vases. I made two cakes: strawberry vanilla and chocolate butterfinger. After borrowing lots of props and things from my shop and setting up the mismatched china, we were ready to go! It was a lovely evening...I hope the happy couple felt honored because they deserve it. We love you Mom and Dad and we hope that you have many, many more years together!

Opening Day!

2011-07-22T08:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a blast! Thank you to everyone who came by the shop, there was an overwhelming response considering the short notice! It was so fun to see people shopping and trying on the clothes. I only had time to snap a couple photos. I'll be looking forward to Thursdays every week!

Our Shop is Open!

2011-07-20T16:40:00.000-07:00

Our brick and mortar shop is open for business!

Thursdays from 2-7pm

If this time does not work for you, you may schedule an appointment by call, text or email.

(562) 999-4750 or beth@salvagelife.com

Now, when you drive up, don't expect to see a big "Salvage Life" sign, we aren't looking for foot traffic, just lovely customers like yourself, who know about our shop. It's a bright yellow building on the west side of the street.

3941 Long Beach Blvd. Long Beach, CA 90807

Join us for our Grand Opening, info here: http://www.salvagelife.eventbrite.com

The storefront.

When you first walk in.

Jewelry.

You can never have too many creamy tops.

Shoes!

Summer Essentials.

A little sampling of housewares.

The wedding corner.

Lots of colorful dresses, many are not in the online shop.

Here is where you'll try on all your pretty things...

Here's where you'll relax and drink champagne!

Scalloped Silk & Lime Lace

2011-07-20T06:18:00.000-07:00

Here are two pieces of clothing I've had for a long while, worn in a fresh way.

slip dress ~ anthropologie

skirt ~ free people

shoes ~ nine west

bracelet - goody hair band ;)

linked up with the pleated poppy for wiww.

Raising Kids in a Culture of Abundance

2011-07-18T09:09:00.000-07:00

This is just something I have been thinking about lately, as a mom and as an American. We have so much stuff! If one is good, then 10 must be better...but you know what, maybe none is better. I have been thinking about how much stuff we have around our house, how we accumulate it and what that is teaching Ruby. This picture is a great example of how this happens. Over the weekend, I took Ruby to Trader Joe's and when we went through the checkout, the cashier offered Ruby some stickers and I said it would be fine. I have to stop for a minute and say that this post is not attempting to say anything against TJ's, you know that I am a loyal fan. Anyway, she ended up with six stickers, which she quickly stuck to her shirt and then later to the bathroom cabinet, before they got thrown out. The thing is, she would have been just as happy with one sticker, just like one birthday present would be enough. It seems we are training our children from an early age that they should have a lot of stuff. I think next time I'll just ask for one sticker or if I'm brave enough, I might even pass, what do you think?

I'd Like It Gift Wrapped, Please

2011-07-14T05:30:00.000-07:00

Do you ever buy something online as a gift and then are scrambling to find a bag or box to put it in. Here at Salvage Life, we are happy to gift wrap your purchases. Just leave us a note in your transaction and we will wrap it up with something cute and vintage. All items will be wrapped differently because we use vintage and recycled materials. The one shown below was a necklace bought by a man last week as a push gift for his wife (you know, when you "push" a baby out, you should get a gift right?!!). We wrapped it in a tiny antique general store box with a little bit of twine, simple and beautiful.

What I Wore Wednesday: Maxi Dresses

2011-07-13T06:43:00.000-07:00

Since the weather has warmed up, I have been wearing maxi dresses like crazy. Even though jeans are my go to staple, maxis are more carefree and stylish, though just as casual and comfy. The perfect match for my ghostly legs and busy lifestyle! Here are three I wore last week with the same shoes, necklace and sunglasses, but different hat...I barely had to think about what to wear.

glasses - vintage

necklace - salvage life

shoes - vintage

dresses - vintage, anthro, thrifted

hats - target, h&m, vintage

I link up with the pleated poppy for wiww :)

New Dress Arrivals

2011-07-12T07:42:00.000-07:00

These dresses are coming to the online shop today!

Dressed Up Grilled Cheese

2011-07-11T14:47:00.000-07:00

I have been a grilled cheese addict for as long as I can remember. It was the first food I learned to cook when I was a kid, I can even remember burning my hand on the pan the first time I made it. I wanted to serve it when some friends came over because it was too hot to use the oven and it just sounded good. I figured I should dress it up a bit in order to make it look more like a gourmet dinner and less like a child's lunch. I added some avocado, red onion and micro greens and it was a big hit. The key to the deliciousness is the sourdough and New Zealand sharp cheddar, I got the bread at the local farmer's market and the cheese at Trader Joe's. I served this with corn on the cob and fruit salad.

New Summer Dreses

2011-07-08T11:36:00.000-07:00

These pretty dresses are coming to the online shop today!

What I'm Reading: Waste and Want

2011-07-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

I'm in the middle of reading a couple interesting books right now. I've never really been a big reader, so it takes me a little while to get through them. I just can't sit still for very long and when I walk around while reading, I bump into things. I tend to go towards non-fiction, there are just so many topics that interest me. One of the books I am currently reading is called Waste and Want: A Social History of Trash by Susan Strasser. Yes, I am reading a book about trash! It examines how trash has changed and increased over our history. I'm about a hundred pages in and I have found it to be extremely thorough and interesting. It's not a fun read per se, but it taps into one of the things I am most intrigued about...why have we become such a disposable society? I sell other people's waste, so this should be no surprise. So far, I have been most impacted by the examination of reuse in centuries (even decades) past. This used to be a regular part of everyone's life, even the rich. Fat was saved to make soap, old clothes were repaired or refashioned, food sacks were made into towels and rugs. We have made some improvements in our standard of living over the years that I would really hate to give up, but something healthy and beautiful has been lost.

Sneak Peek: Vintage Leather Bags Coming Soon

2011-07-06T09:44:00.000-07:00

All of these great bags will be coming to the online shop this week and I better add them quick before I decide to keep them for myself!

Small Arrangement, Large Enjoyment

2011-07-05T09:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a wonderful day of swimming, eating and celebrating! Now it's back to work. I am pretty excited because my husband has offered to watch Ruby this summer while he is off work for six weeks, so I will be working full days starting today. I will still have Ruby on Wednesdays, which is nice because I think I will really miss seeing her. Today I woke up to an alarm and went to work like a regular person! I am sure the novelty will wear off in a few days or weeks, but right now it is exciting and new. Expect to see more items coming to the online shop, lots of blog posts and hopefully I'll get the shop here in Long Beach open by next week.

I am planning to share some photos of our backyard project soon, but since I can't walk on the grass yet, it has been a bit difficult to get good shots of the whole yard. In the meantime, I wanted to share some little arrangements I made from a few cuttings I took from the new plants. You don't need a lot of flowers or fancy vases to make an arrangements. Even a single flower in an old bottle or jar can brighten up a table or counter top!

Happy 4th of July to You!

2011-07-04T11:27:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note to say Happy 4th to my fellow Americans! I hope this is wonderful day of celebration for you and your family. Though our country is not perfect, it has flaws like any other, we are very blessed to have the wealth and freedom that we do. Days like this cause me to ponder my responsibilities as a citizen of this earth, considering the opportunity I was born into. What can I do this year to make a difference for those that do not have the same freedoms? It makes me think of a great organization that my husband and I have supported for many years, International Justice Mission. They fight legal battles on behalf of those in third world countries who are being oppressed and rescue women and children from the slave trade. I feel so humbled to be a part of this great mission.

On a lighter note, I am trying to decide what to wear today and wishing I had something this cute for me and Ruby to sport at our afternoon barbeque with family.

photo found here

Homemade Lemonade and Salvaged Salad Cups

2011-07-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

I bought a bunch of lemons at the farmer's market because they were ten for a dollar without any real plan for them. One day last week, Ruby and I set out to make some lemonade. We also had some smooshy raspberries so we added them to the mix. Ruby loved it and talked about the "pink juice" for days. I used this recipe, but I like my lemonade more tart, so I probably added twice the lemons. Then I had a bunch of empty lemon halves and being the salvager that I am, I knew I could put them to use. I whipped up a chopped greek salad with the ingredients I had on hand. Here's the rundown: romaine lettuce-chopped small, cucumbers-diced, kalamata olives-chopped, feta cheese crumbles, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste and a little lemon juice of course. These would be so cute served at a summer soiree. Note: slice a sliver off the bottom and they will stand up straight.

Burgeoning Salvage Life Shop

2011-06-30T07:11:00.000-07:00

The shop is really coming together, slowly, but surely. When you are trying to piece vintage fixtures together it's not as easy a ordering a bunch of metal racks. I think it is worth it though and I am really excited about some of the things I found last week.

The first is this beautiful cabinet that I have been coveting for a long time, from The Vintage Emporium here in Long Beach. I want to use it for wedding accessories.

Secondly, I bought this shelf at a thrift shop and it's the perfect size for shoes! I will probably need to strip it or paint it, it's kind of an icky blue color.

This is the love of my life (shhh...don't tell my husband), no seriously, when I saw this printer's cabinet at the flea market, my heart started to beat faster. I thought for sure it had already sold and if not it would be extremely unaffordable. It was a bit of a splurge, but completely worth it. It will be a focal point in the shop and it's a good thing because it is too heavy to move any further back.