If only I could budget ...

This little box took some research on my part when I found it. At first, I thought, "Oh cool! What a great tackle box!" But I have a dad and uncles and grandfathers ... no one has a tackle box that looks like this. The patent number is on its bottom and after some searching and researching online, I learned that it is in fact a "budget box" - the top has spots for separating coins and bills and even little places for labels, as in "rent" or "groceries" or "Zappos."

The color and the fact that the little inside metal containers are removable, I've listed it on our shop, but it will be difficult to part with such a neat antique ...

RED POP BLOGGER: Bess

Here's to you, David Bowie ...

There is a very special furniture store on North Avenue in Millvale, Pa., with an immaculate collection of funky pieces that appear straight out of a David Bowie video. I am always in awe of the items in the window - a lot of animal print and Lucite. If only Grace Jones lived in Pittsburgh ...

RED POP BLOGGER: Bess

Pieces of Pittsburgh

Canonsburg Pottery platter for sale at Red Pop Shop
Canonsburg Pottery formerly of Canonsburg, Pa. - a Pittsburgh-area company

Shenango Pottery diner cup set for sale at Red Pop Shop
Shenango Pottery formerly of New Castle, Pa. - a Pittsburgh-area company

A big thank you to IheartPGH (and author Lindsay) for including us in a collection of "Pieces of Pittsburgh you can buy on Etsy." We've met a good many local Steel City crafters and Etsy team members who are making and selling fun and interesting pieces out of our fair city. We hope to continue to be part of the connection between Etsy sellers from our area, both vintage and handmade. Above are a few Red Pop vintage items that were made with love, right here in Southwestern Pennsylvania ...

Sharing a favorite ...

I really love this blog V I N T A G E ...

Can't read a word of it, but it's beautiful and I'm inspired by the imagery.

Visit HERE.

RED POP BLOGGER: Bess

COLLECTION: Autumn

So, it's not officially fall yet here in Southwestern Pa., but we're nearing it by just a few weeks and I'm very much ready for cider and kneesocks and plaid skirts. Here is a little collection of fall favorites, ALL of which are from our own collection ..

RED POP BLOGGER: Bess

Stitch and stare

Pieces by Cayce Zavaglia

I'm a sucker for portraiture in general - faces, to me, are more interesting than a world of shapes and static landscapes. I'm biased, however, as I come from a home where my father is a portrait painter, and I have a degree in art history that's done wonders for my book collection and cocktail party conversation, but not necessarily my working adult life ...

Regardless, a big thank you to Domestica for sharing the work of Cayce Zavaglia on its blog. This is hand-stitched embroidery ... EMBROIDERY! I couldn't keep this link to myself.

RED POP BLOGGER: Bess

Inspired: Cocktails

In honor of the recent fall-like weather in Pittsburgh and this GORGEOUS set of aluminum cups and pitcher listed this morning on Red Pop Shop, here is a yummy recipe for Dark and Stormy Cocktails to fill this pitcher with!

* DARK AND STORMY VANILLA COCKTAILS *

Combine 2 cups dark rum with 3 cups ginger beer (not ginger ale), the juice of 4 limes and a tiny splash of vanilla extract in a pitcher. Serve on the rocks with lime wedges.

Recipe found HERE from Food Network.

My best pal M had this set when we were growing up, and it reminds me of her parents' living room, drinking pop and watching Tom Selleck movies on her Betamax. Mind you, this was far past the era in which this aluminum set was made and obviously her folks had had these for quite some time prior to us getting our early-1980s hands on them. But hey, Selleck's mustache, a wall-to-wall carpet den, a few Barbies and chex mix snacks? Memories are memories!

RED POP BLOGGER: Bess

Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Here's to a swell weekend, whether you're laboring or lounging
... or riding in a car with these two.

xo,
Bess, Jason and Michael

Gonna miss those summer blooms ...

The coreopsis in my garden was amazing this summer and although I'm ready for fall and mums and pumpkins on the porch, I'll be sad to see it go.

I've managed to kill pencil holly, rhododendron and even a few ferns- FERNS - since moving into my pad in 2006. This summer I got wise and went with hard-to-kill plants, lots of succulents and easy growers/repeat bloomers (didn't grow them from seed though - I think I bought them as plants at a local garden spot). I did attempt to plant poppies, which are a favorite of mine. Only one bloomed. I took a photo as evidence (see below) ...

The coreopsis was terrific however, as were my black-eyed susans, hostas and cone flowers, and they provided me with something sweet to look at in my 75-cent vase each morning on my bathroom sink. Until next summer ...

RED POP BLOGGER: Bess

Collection: A doe * A deer ...

VINTAGE DEER PLANTER by RED POP SHOP

What is it about deer figurines that is so damn irresistible? Here are a few, including the one above, newly listed at Red Pop Shop ...

WHITE FAWN by VINTAGE SOUP


DEER FIGURINE by SHAVING KIT SUPPLIES

DEER IN A SWEATER by SWEATER DEER (this is awesome ...)

RED POP BLOGGER: Bess

Into the "thrift mines" with Andrea

Our new pal Andrea has a fun blog she recently shared with us - favorite part?

MINING MONDAYS! Andrea hits thrift spots all over Pittsburgh, including her parents' basement, and as she states, "Somethings are amazing. Somethings are awful. Somethings are hideous. And somethings just need to be shared ..."


We agree. Check out her most recent edition, "The Best Little Goodwill in Pittsburgh" on her blog.
Note: all photos via andreadisaster.com

RED POP BLOGGER: BESS

Sunday at Soldiers and Sailors

I went to Crafts N' At yesterday at Soldiers and Sailors in Pittsburgh and it was wonderful! Three cheers to the Pittsburgh Crafts Collective for their efforts - the foot traffic was steady and it looked like people (myself included) left with bags of goodies.

Above, our good pal Jennifer of FRESH POPCORN

Above, our new pal Amy of RED RAVEN STUDIOS

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum

RED POP BLOGGER: Bess

Weekend: Get your craft on!

Sunday afternoon and nothing to do? Head to Soldiers and Sailors in Oakland for CRAFTS N'AT, an indie craft show organized by the Pittsburgh Craft Collective ...

Travel: Chicago by train

Red Pop recently sold a set of vintage American Tourister luggage pieces to a soon-to-be-married gal in Wisconsin. She told us of her plans for the all-red set and promised to send along images ...

Carmen and Troy were married this August and took an adventure by train to Chicago for their honeymoon. To be honest, the luggage looks great ... but the beaming bride in red dress and hat looks GORGEOUS! Thanks so much for sending along these photos.

Congratulations you crazy kids! xo.

RED POP BLOGGER: Bess

Call me ...

*swoon*

Terrific 1950s unused telephones for sale by SWEET BELLA (out of Brooklyn) and posted on a blog we love, OH HAPPY DAY.

RED POP BLOGGER: Bess

Finally Hanging My Poster!

So I finally got around to hanging one of my favorite posters. I took it to a frame store to have it mounted to Foamcore, but they tried to sell me something more expensive called "Gator-core" - I cannot find anything about it online, but I was told that it is more rigid and longer lasting than standard Foamcore. But it is twice the price!

So to make the Foamcore more rigid I just used some Gorilla Glue and stuck some small pieces of wood on the back. I drilled holes in two of the pieces on the sides and put some framing wire through to hang it.

Red Pop Blogger: Michael

Collection: Spring Blossom and Crazy Daisy

All are listed on our ETSY SHOP today - add to your collection, or just start one with all of these!

RED POP BLOGGER: Bess

Thrifting: Sheets

To some, items like sheets or towels are things that shouldn't be thrifted and re-used for fear of germs, gross stains, bad 1970s patterns ... however, perfectly good and sometimes mint-condition vintage bed sheets and towel sets can be found and given new life (with a good cleaning).


After a solid inspection at a favorite Pittsburgh thrift shop, I found just one fitted bed sheet (above) and frequently use it with a white flat sheet or mix/match with other floral patterns in the same family or with some bright reds (my bedroom happens to be the same color palette as Red Pop Shop's ... coincidence? Maybe).

If sleeping on old sheets isn't appealing but the patterns are still attractive to you, below is a cool project idea for vintage sheets via Design*Sponge and blogger Katherine Jalaty.

RED POP BLOGGER: Bess