Bonzai Aphrodite » vintage

A Teeny Tiny Room For A Very, Very Big Little Boy

Sayward — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 05:55:49 +0000

It’s finished! After months and months (and months! seriously, oi) of working in our spare time, Jeremy and I have finally finished Waits’s bedroom makeover. It’s so exciting!

And what a labor of love. This is a project that started off ambitious and then progressively spun further and further out of control. But Jeremy and I were having so much fun! Can’t really blame us for that, eh?

I’ve gotta to say, I see a lot of Pinterest bedrooms that seem to be designed more for the parents than for the actual kids. And I didn’t want that. So as you’ll see, this isn’t some hip Scandi minimalist space, haha. I really just wanted to fill this teeny tiny room up to the top with the things that Waits loves, with items that interest him and that are meaningful in our lives. It’s a good blend of vintage, family history, and hand-me-downs, combined with flashy, fun modern stuff. It’s everything that he loves and it’s all for him, and that’s what matters to me.

Okay, now here comes a million pictures!

First, the pièce de résistance: the fire truck bunk bed that Jeremy designed and built from scratch. The lights really light up. The control panel is real diamond plate steel, fitted with real switches and buttons. We got a real bumper, gauge, and steering wheel from the junk yard. And the fire hose and nozzle (which unravel far enough to reach the living room!) are real as well – a vintage model that Jeremy scored on Ebay.

Legit.

The front wheel swivels on a hinge for easy entrance.

That painting is one of the few things I have that belonged to my mother. It hung in our living room all through my childhood. (And the dresser was a Craigslist find back in Portland)

The firehose winds on a custom “W” spool.

Charles Darwin. I DIYed this using one of my old textbooks.

I gave Waits those giant anatomy posters for his 4th birthday. He’s completely obsessed with the inner workings of the human body. And the pennant above the closet is vintage 1950s Disney – a reminder of his birthday adventure!

This little wooden animal set belonged to my grandmother. I used to play with them as a child.

I picked up these vintage blocks when Waits was 6 or 8 months old, at a flea market in Portland.

That top drawing was done years ago by a blog reader. It’s a family portrait of Damian, Waits, and me. I feel like it’s important to reinforce visually what Damian and I always tell Waits: we are still a family.

The lower drawing was done for me years ago by one of my closest friends. It features a wacky variety of “creepy crawlies” (I did my undergraduate research studying parasites).

Made by a local artist.

From above.

And below!

♥ ♥ ♥

And that’s that! Before I go, I just want to take a moment to thank the person who made this all possible. Jeremy conceived of the fire truck bunk bed that started it all, but that was just the tip of the goliath ice berg that ended up being the bedroom project. From coming home late and finding him tearing up the old carpet, to seeing him spend his days researching materials and options, I can say with 100% confidence that none of this would have been possible without our strength, our motivation, and our never ending FUN – our Jeremy.

Thank you baby. From both of us.

Big Changes!

Sayward — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 02:17:02 +0000

Lookit those long flowing locks. Such beautiful tresses! But if you’ve been following this blog for any amount of time, you’ve probably noticed that hairstyles don’t last long around these parts . . .

All gone! Waits was so brave (even though he was totally scared) and our friend Gabe at The Color Room was so patient and sweet. And in the end, it was a fantastic afternoon all around.

Ponytail removed and intact. I WILL KEEP IT FOREVER (okay, maybe I cried a little).

He loves it! We all do.

After such an event, we all felt like celebrating, so Jeremy, Waits and I went out for an impromptu pizza party. Oh yeah, and the transformers. They had to come too, of course.

Perfect.

Happy weekend, friends!

♥ ♥ ♥

Playing Dress-Up: A SoCal Spring Wedding

Sayward — Thu, 13 May 2010 21:58:12 +0000

Two of my favoritest people on the planet recently married each other. I love it when that happens!

It was a gorgeous afternoon, sunny and warm with a mild ocean breeze. An easy evening full of friends and laughter, and music late into the night. Thank you Tommy and Kelly. And mazel tov!

I wore :

Vintage Minidress: secondhand, and it’s handmade!
White Cotton Tights: from the amazing Sock Dreams
Black Cardigan: from Nordstrom, ages and ages ago
Red Flats: also from Nordstrom, also ages ago

Waits wore his own little wedding number. In case you can’t tell, that’s an ‘All Dressed Up’ tux onesie. He also had matching black booties, not pictured. He’s already got mad style, eh?

Photo booth!

Playing Dress-Up: Farmers Market and AR Activism

Sayward — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 06:43:35 +0000

I recently acquired this reconstructed vintage shirtdress, and it is easily my favorite dress ever. The design is impeccable and the tatter is so refined – it’s truly a work of art. If you love scrap fashion and deconstructed couture, you’ve got to check out Mad Madeline. Portlanders, hit up Last Thursday to see her stuff in person. She’s totally talented, and a sweetheart too!

I first wore my new frock this Saturday, to the Portland Farmers Market and then to the Let Live NW Animal Rights Conference. The big event, which the local vegan community has been fundraising for, was a smashing success (in my opinion, as an attendee). It was so great to meet everybody, and to hear all the amazing speakers. I hope everyone went home as inspired as I was!

You can sorta make out my ceramic chicken pin – it belonged to my mother.

Embellished Vintage Dress: Mad Madeline
Black Leggings: Nordstrom, ages ago
Black Pinstripe Sneakers: by xhilaration
Magical Beaded Bracelet: who knows?
Chicken Pin: an heirloom

With friends at the Portland Farmers Market, before the conference.