Brand Design Photography & Styling Clarity Consulting

practically perfect: The Ace Hotel



With locations in Portland, Seattle, New York, and Palm Springs, the Ace Hotel was said to be “The countries most original new hotel” by the New York Times. I totally agree with the Times and that is why the boy and I will be staying in the Portland location for a whole week in mid-july. We’re excited for something new and exciting.

Travel Portland Frugally –> read article

the pup & I take pics



He’s pretty much the best guy ever. Always there to cuddle with, to leave fur on your clothes and on all the rugs, and to whine whenever it thunders. This guy is a keeper!

We hope everyone had a great weekend. We did a lot of just laying around and watching the television. Just what we needed.

GIVEAWAY over @ maiedae blog today!


Hope on over to one of my sponsored blogs, MaieDae, for a chance to win an item from my shop. This will be the first giveaway of some of my collected treasures, so I’m pretty excited about it. She’s also got a lot of other great sponsors giving away great items!

the new catch all

While I was home over Memorial day break, my aunt dropped off an old collapsable wire “hamper/cart thingy” that she thought would be a perfect item for my shop. I considered the idea for a split second and then realized I needed to keep this item for my own personal collection. I try not to do this a whole lot, but I knew I’d regret selling it. It’s super unique and could be used for almost anything. I decided that I’d try to keep all our spare blankets a bit more organized. It’s just what we needed.

It’s silver, it’s industrial, it’s collapsable, it has wheels, it’s funky, it’s vintage and it’s just plain awesome. Have you guys received an item recently that is just darn perfect??

friday finds & favorites (design edition)

Internet greatness is happening below! Some of the best design links I’ve seen recently.

[vimeo 24927348 w=515&h=290]
Another great process video by Product by Process. Watch Helen Rodel’s process of creating beautiful fashion pieces with yarn, thread and a crochet hook.

[vimeo 24686042 w=515&h=290]
If I had an iPad, I’d have this stylus. Feels like an old school marker pen and would be perfect for notetaking, sketching, or just scribbling

[vimeo 19723635 w=515&h=290]
A beautiful, yet super simple way to bring a brand’s identity to life.

1. These brass “paper clip” numbers by Baum-Kuchen are gorgeous and I could see them being highly useful. You can pre order a set (numbers 1-12) now.

2. Orla Kiely has a radio!! Whaaaa….. The PURE Evoke Mio DAB radio has been skinned with Orla Kiely’s signature pattern. I’m in love!

3. I could spend hours perusing the archives of  We Love Typography–  an image bookmarking site that is wholly dedicated to type related content. If you love typography and think Pinterest is addicting, stop by and check it out!

4. I have an online store crush and his name is SURPLUS. OMG this site is amazing designed and you can make a seamless purchase without interrupting the browsing experience.

5. The website Dear Photograph, brings vintage photographs to live by returning to the original site the photo was taken and comparing. What a unique was to show off old photos!

6. Originally tweeted by Kirstin of Simply Grove, the Color-Collective blog helps you put together color combinations that are simply perfection. A great place to visual inspiration.

7. Alright…I know you all want your cities to have one of these. Check out this Kickstarter project where three guys are trying to build a pool in a river. Neato! (don’t forget to watch the video!)

8. Wrap Magazine is a graphic design magazine that is BEAUTIFULLY put together. Check out the first 2 issues.

9. Day in and day out I’m placed in front of brand’s style guides. I feel in love with Polaroid’s rebranding project and style guide. (See video above)

the collected & reused (week2)



On thrift days, I usually I wake up early. I then patiently wait for the boy to wake up. Alright, I impatiently wait for the boy to wake up. He’s been tagging along with me from day one, so it’s only appropriate that he shares a story with you guys. This kid cracks me up. Enjoy!

Thrifting with Cass can be a lot of fun. It can also be a lot of work mixed with awkward pauses and stares. I’ll tell you what it’s like to have an insider’s perspective when she’s on an antique murdering spree. BADTATAT (machine gun mouth noise)!

Over the last couple months she’s turned the thrifting knob to level 12 and I’ve been right there to experience the highs and lows.  I think the difference between her and I, during the antique stalk, would be the mindset.  She’s on her, “I have to get this online store of mine stocked so I can take down the world,” mindset. I’m on my, “Oh, look at that little pony. What if I put it on top of this Mickey Mouse bobble head so it looks like they’re having sex, then I’ll show Cassie,” mindset. Don’t get me wrong, she loves to have fun when we’re out there, we just have slightly different end goals when things start.

A lot of times I’ll be collecting a nice range of items in my arms and find her at the other end of the store, obviously excited to show her my haul, only to have it stunted by her having mixed feelings about it all. Other times, I show her something and she practically tackles me she’s so excited. It’s fun shopping with her because she’s not afraid to tell me when something’s just plain stupid. I have a lot of respect for people who can speak their mind, and she speaks up frequently.

Sometimes, we will play little games too, without really realizing we’re playing a game. For example, sometimes we pretend we’re in our own little movie. I’ll take on a persona, like an overly hyped 13-year-old girl with an infatuation with clowns (for example) and she’ll counter all of my remarks with equally stupid retorts. This can last hours and usually carries on through multiple locations. We’ll, of course, come out of character, but when we go back, the other is right there to play along. In order to increase your bonding experience with your children, you can try incorporating toys like the best wooden playhouse for kids.

Overall, I get a lot of joy thrifting with Cass. To be honest, I wouldn’t be doing it if she wasn’t with me, but the company we give each other makes up for any disagreement I might of had. She also puts up with all my fart jokes…    – Jake

This item, among many more will be featured in the shop. Launch is coming soon, working out a few kinks before pushing it live.

trunk furniture = perfection






As you can see from the first image, I’m giving this company the “love this” stamp of approval. Yummy right? Too bad the company is based over seas and the entire website is in Japanese. Love the beauty and simplicity. Clean lines, comfy textures, amazing colors. Check out their shop here!

the thrifted wardrobe: guest post with Steffy

Today’s I’m lucky enough to have  guest post with Steffy of Steffy’s Pros and Cons.Her blog is becoming my favorite go to source for thrifted/vintage wardrobe inspiration. Adding thrifted items into your wardrobe can be tricky at times, but if you take Steffy’s approach of anything goes, you’ll be just fine. Stefanie has provided a few images for inspiration as well as a tips for styling. Hope you enjoy her style as much as I do. Welcome Steffy!! ♥

Hey cuties! My name is Steffy and I run the blog Steffys Pros and Cons. I am so excited to be here on The Veda House, and thank you so much Cassie for featuring me! I am going to share with you a few summer outfits that are fully thrifted to give you some ideas when you find yourself in a thrift store completely lost (it happens, don’t fret!)

(vintage pleated dress, vintage bag, thrifted sandals)

OUTFIT 1: This dress was one of my luckiest finds. If you find a dress that also looks great with a cropped top over it (like this one).. which usually works with most pleated dresses… BUY IT. This dress can be worn as a dress or as a skirt, and that is awesome!


(vintage hat, vintage polka dot dress, vintage bag, vintage heels)

OUTFIT 2: Anytime I am thrifting, I always am on the lookout for retro looking patterns that pop out at me. That is exactly how I stumbled upon this beautiful polka dotted dress! The hat is also vintage… if by chance you find a cheery item you can wear with many different outfits, never pass it up!


(thrifted striped tee, vintage plaid skirt, vintage bag, vintage loafers)

OUTFIT 3: This outfit is mostly thrifted. I decided to be bold and pair stripes with plaid, as well as bright colors with other bright colors! When you are in the thrift store, be brave! What is the fun in thrifting if you aren’t going to leave with one-of-a-kind, vibrant and unique items?

I hope I could teach you a thing or two about vintage/thrifted clothing, and how to pick it out! Make sure you hope on over to MY STORE- tea and tulips, because most of these items are for sale in my store!

xoxo steffy

Thanks Steffy! We really appreciate you sharing a little bit of your thrifting knowledge with us. Let’s be brave people, and pair stripes with plaid!

 

 

saturday convos & antique runs





Today around 1:30, the boy and I sat ourselves down at a neighborhood pub to enjoy a nice lunch. I mentioned something like “to bang, or not to bang”, meaning should I cut bangs in my hair or not, and the rest of the conversation went down hill from there. It’s interesting how a lunch date conversation can turn from ordinarily pleasant to dirty in less than 10 seconds with the mention of a hairstyle. I think the rest the rest of the conversation included mentions of boners, ninja’s and gang signs. Guys… the things they find entertaining.

We spent the afternoon strolling one of our favorite St. Louis neighborhoods and antique stores.

I wanted to thank everyone who commented and helped me through my recent really rough day. Having a blogging community as supportive as you guys is truly a gift. Thanks to all of you!

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