The Messy Project

Hey Everyone,

Today is super fun because I get to reveal what The Messy Project is, and the piece I got and how I styled it!  I am so excited about this opportunity and how fun the idea is!!  Kelly over at Messy Dirty Hair puts together this project every month, and what a great way to get to know other ladies and their styles!!  So curious as to what it is....  Here is the deal...

The Deal:
1 Top
5 Girls
5 Different Looks
1 Major Blog Post Day

So when I got my vest I was so excited and my mind went crazy!  I was pulling items out of my closet left and right and could not decide as to how to style it.  I had it paired with a dress, skirt, jeans, shorts...you name it and I paired it!  I finally decided to pair it with some items from my store and I hope you like it! 

My first choice and the one I went with was pairing the vest with our Secret Admirer polka dot top, Liverpool Abby Skinny in Dark, leapord print flats, a vintage necklace and jewelry!!  What do ya think???



My second look was with the same top but I paired it with our Dittos Melanie Flare jeans, and some adorable heels!!



This project was so fun, and I am so excited I got to be a part of it!!  Thank you Kelly for thinking of such an amazing idea!

Make sure you check these amazing ladies out as well to see what they did with their vest!!

http://www.messydirtyhair.com

http://www.unsimplycelia.com/

http://my-cliffnotes.blogspot.com/

http://fitnessandthecity.wordpress.com/

Love,

PipLey

Kaitlin Leigh: My First Giveaway

PipLey Vintage is so excited to be a part of this very first giveaway with Kaitlin Leigh!!!  Follow the link and enter the giveaway!!  Lots of amazing prizes including a discount to our store!!

Kaitlin Leigh: My First Giveaway: I'm so excited to announce MY VERY FIRST GIVEAWAY!! These lovely ladies below teamed up with me to give you one AMAZING giveaway! (Whic...

My Favorite Moments

Hey everyone,

I hope everyone is enjoying this season as much as I am!!  Some of my favorite things about the Christmas season are the traditions.  I have a few that I remember growing up, and since having children of my own have tried to create some more.  I have passed on watching Christmas Vacation every day till Christmas, and the love of wrapping gifts.  I have added baking cookies and decorating, and also building gingerbread houses.

My beautiful girls (Photo taken by Melissa Porter Photography)

Making our Gingerbread Train

She loves decorating!!

 

I love making things with the girls and how excited their little faces get when we do something new. Finley, my oldest, is at the age where she thinks she can do everything and doesn't need momma's help. Pippa is still at the age where momma knows everything and she enjoys sitting in my lap and helping.  I hope the girls remember doing these things with me, because I know I will never forget it!!

Fin and myself making cookies (yes she did my hair and makeup)

Pippa helping momma roll out cookies

Our final product!

I have so e fun things coming up on the blog this week!!  PipLey will be involved with a giveaway, details tomorrow and I was lucky enough to win a chance to participate in The Messy Project over at the blog Messy Dirty Hair.  So you will have to stay tuned to see what that is about!!  Trust me...it is super fun!!

Love,
PipLey

Love This Time Of Year!!

Hello everyone,

So sorry I haven't been on here in a while. The weeks are going by so fast and we have so many things to do until Santa arrives! I absolutely love this time of year because you get to see family that you don’t see very often!  This past weekend we headed up to my in-laws house in South Bend, Indiana. They had their big family Christmas party this past weekend, and it was a blast!  The girls love seeing all their cousins and opening gifts.  They open gifts so fast that it is a blur of wrapping paper, bows, baby dolls, Barbie dolls, and then open this…open this…I want this one open…ha ha.  I get home and start unloading everything and have no idea where some of it came from! 

 
I love dressing my girls up for parties! Finley always wants to dress up, but Pippa is hit or miss…so anytime I have an excuse to get them all dolled up I take it! My mother-in-law got them the cutest matching dress this year, and they rocked them! I love how they are taking after their momma and being little fashionistas!

 My Sweet Little Girls

 

 

 

My Sweet Little Niece Elisabet

 
We still have 3 more Christmas parties to go to, and I can’t wait to start picking out there little outfits (and let’s be honest…mine too) for them.  I hope everyone has a great Holiday and is enjoying their time as much as I am!!

 

Love,

PipLey

Date Night!!

Hello all,

Yesterday was a rare occurrence in our household....Greg and myself went on a date!!!  As most of you know I have a 4 year old and a 17 month old, but what most of you don't know is Pippa has never spent the night away from me ( except in a connected hotel room thanks to my amazing mother-in-law) and Finley has only 3 times; so when my mom said she would take both the kids overnight I could not have been more excited!!  I was very nervous for my mother because let's face it my kids make Dennis the Menace look like an angel, and I really wanted them to behave so we could do this again!  In my mother and mother-in-laws defense, they do offer I am just a little paranoid about them being away from me...so with the girls dropped off at my mothers house I decided to get dressed up and have Greg take me on the town.

Till Midnight Dress, and Peek A Bow belt in black

Find this out fit at PipLey Vintage



I decided to wear an outfit from our store that is not an everyday dress.  I wanted to go back in time and pretend I was a young 22 year old with no stretch marks, loose skin and a baby pooch...you mothers know what I am talking about.  I wanted to knock the socks off my man, so I opted for our Till Midnight Dress and red lipstick!! I paired it with some tights, cuz lets face the truth..I am not a young 22 year old, and some adorable heels.  I have to say I was satisfied with the outcome.  We went to a great Chinese place P.F. Changs, then headed to an Irish pub called Claddagh's to get some drinks (this momma did it up) ha ha.  We ended up getting home around midnight which I think the last time I was up that late was when the girls were sick.

Having a couple drinks

All in all it was a great night and went way to fast.  I loved getting a little break and some me time.  Thanks to my wonderful husband for making it such a special night!!

Love,
PipLey

Not A Lot To Say...

Hey everyone,

I don't really have much to talk about today, so I thought I would post one of my favorite new pieces from my store! I love this dress, and plan to wear it to some Holiday parties coming up. I love a dress with a great print and great fit! I mean come on ladies, who doesn't love a dress that fits their curves and you still feel comfortable in?? 

When in Doubt Dress- PipLey Vintage, vintage bracelet, DSW shoes, Vera Wang tights.

 

It is a little cold in central Indiana right now, so I had to pair it with some tights.  All you southern ladies shouldn’t have to…and I am jealous of you!  I am so not a cold weather girl even though I have never lived anywhere else!! 

 

 

The back on this dress is my favorite!  It has a cowl neck, but the back has this cute little cut out to make it even sexier!  This dress also looks great with leggins and boots!!

 

Have a great week!

 

Love,

PipLey

 

Traditions

How many of you have traditions that you just can’t go without?  My family has one tradition that we must do every year the Friday after Thanksgiving.  My dad’s side of the family has always had Thanksgiving on Friday, so I have never done the whole black Friday shopping (not that I would want to).  So our tradition always starts with Thanksgiving lunch, then we get to come home and put up Christmas decorations and watch my favorite movie of all time…Christmas Vacation!!   We love that movie so much we named our sweet little dog after it...Griswald!!  I don’t care how many times I watch that movie; it just never gets old and less funny.  I have been watching this movie around Christmas time ever since I can remember and it is a movie I will pass on to my girls as well!  Nothing makes me happier when my 4 year old says a quote from Christmas Vacation!  I am sure I will get some flak for letting my girls’ watch this movie, but I really don’t care…it is a tradition!

Me and my girls

 

My little one Pippa is only 17 months old, so this was her first year at kind of getting into the decorating spirit!  She did put her ornament on the tree, and loved dancing to the Christmas music.  My 4 year old Finley on the other hand is just like her momma and loves everything Christmas!  She has been asking her daddy to put up the tree since November 1^st!  She helps put all the ornaments on, hang the candy canes on the tree, and she even gets to help daddy put on the angel. 

Pippa putting on her first ornament!

Finley putting on the angel

Our sweet little Griswald! 

 

 

There is nothing sweeter than passing on family traditions to your little ones, and watching them have just as much fun as you did when you were younger!  I will always love this season more than anything, and I think I am well on my way to rubbing off on Finley!!

Love my Finley so much!!

 

Love,

PipLey

If you like what I am wearing you can find it at our store www.pipleyvintage.com.  I am wearing the Liverpool Abby skinny jean in Golden yellow, and our Secret Admirer top.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I hope everyone had as great of a Thanksgiving as I did! Who doesn't love a day filled with amazing home cooked food, family, and football!! We headed to my Mother-In-Laws house for Thanksgiving up in South Bend, IN and boy was it amazing!! She is a wonderful cook, and had an amazing spread, and of course way to much food!!  I hate the feeling of being over stuffed, but who can help themselves when one day a year a woman gets to eat without guilt and no diet, and if you have to open up the top button on your pants…..I am not judging!!

 

Not sure about all of you, but I will not be participating in Black Friday, but will instead be traveling home from South Bend, and enjoying yet another Thanksgiving dinner with my dad’s side of the family!  Yes, if you are keeping count that is 3 Thanksgiving dinners for me!!  I know….don’t be jealous!

 

As always I like to represent PipLey, so I wore some of my clothes for the Holiday!  I love wearing my Dittos jeans, and pairing it with a top that gives it the 70’s look!  I love the top because it gives you a little breathing room, and looks adorable.  It is so easy to pair with so many pieces, but this was my favorite!  I hope you like the outfit, and had an awesome Thanksgiving!!

{Top: PipLey Vintage, Jeans: PipLey Vintage, Shoes: DSW, Vest: BCBG, Jewelry: Vintage}

 

 

My little Pippa posing with Momma

Finley always willing to pose!

 

Love,

PipLey



 

 

Thanksgiving Week

I could write a whole book on all the things I am thankful for, but to save a lot of time, I will just say a few and show you an adorable outfit!!  We went to my mom’s today for our family Thanksgiving and had such an awesome time!  I have two little girls, and my brother has a son and two little girls so there is always a lot of fun and squealing to be had.  My grandmother who will be 93 in January loves watching all of her great grandkids run around and play, and I love the joy it puts on her face.  My mom started working on dinner the night before making all the casseroles and prepping everything.  I came early in the morning and helped bake the rest and get things set up.  I love being the “junior chef” around my mom.  She can cook up one hell of a meal!!

 

 

                                                         4 generation picture!

               

 

With that said, the first thing I am thankful for is my family!  I have one crazy, insane, and nutty family, but I love every one of them.  I am thankful to God everyday for blessing me with the family I have.  He knew exactly who could handle us and our family just keeps getting bigger!  The second thing I am most thankful for is the food on our table.  I know many people around this world don’t get to experience a table full of home cooked food.  I am so thankful that I have never been hungry, or thirsty.  I truly pray for those that are less fortunate.  The third and final thing I will talk about is being thankful for our health.  My grandmother is almost 93 and pretty healthy for her age.  I have two very healthy children, and my husband and I are healthy.  After a cancer scare with my mom we realize it is the little things that matter most in life!  And I am thankful for that!! 

Me and my husband

Love her!  I am named after her.  We both have the same middle name Dreatha!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I always like to dress nice when we have family functions and I love wearing our clothing that we sell at PipLey Vintage, so with that said I am going to show you how I decided to wear one of our sweaters with our Abby Skinny Jean by Liverpool.

 

 

sweater: PipLey Vintage, Jeans: PipLey Vintage: Shoes, DSW

Finley getting in on it too!!  She is so funny!!

 

 

Love,

PipLey



All About Mom!

Hey Everyone,

I don't know about everyone else but I am a huge momma's girl!! I can't go a day without talking to her, and can barely go a day or two without seeing her! My kids are so use to seeing Nana everyday that if we don't see her then they think something is wrong!!  She is by far my best friend (other than my husband) and my sounding board for all things advice.  Growing up we didn’t always have the best relationship, but as I became a mother I realized that all the “crazy” things she did or said was just because she loved me.  I swore I would never do some of the same things with my children, and I could not have been more wrong.  I find myself worrying more, crying more, yelling more, and flat out looking more exhausted than she ever did!! 

me and my momma!

 

Last year three days before Christmas we found out my mom had breast cancer.  Coming from a family that had no prior history of this cancer it was definitely a shock for everyone involved.  I remember her face the first time she told me, and thinking to myself that I was her only daughter and had to be strong for her.  I am usually an emotional wreck, so it was shocking to me how strong I actually became in that very moment.  I never let her see how scared I was.  I couldn’t help but think about how my life would be without my mom, and to be honest I couldn’t picture it!  I knew then that I would be at every doctor’s appointment, and procedure she had ahead of her.  In early January she had a lumpectomy, followed by chemotherapy, and finally radiation.  Yes she lost her hair (but to be honest she pulled off bald beautifully), was tired and sick, but through it all took care of her 92 year old mother and everyone else around her.  I have never seen someone so strong and more concerned about others even as she was so sick. 

momma and the girls on her birthday

 

She is now in full remission, and clinically cancer free!  Even though it was a difficult time and emotionally challenging there are so many positives that came out of it!  She learned how strong she actually is, and realized not to let the little things that are out of her control bother her anymore because life is way too precious!  In the end it has brought us even closer together, and I wouldn’t change our journey for the world!  We never know why God allows certain things to happen, but I know he has a plan and I believe my mom went through all this to help others out!

 

Love,

PipLey

Fun, Family Weekend

Hello Everyone! 

I hope everyone had an awesome weekend!! We traveled to Michigan this weekend for my niece Elisabet's baptism! Even though it is pretty rough being in a car for 6 hours with two little kids I love family weekends. We don't get to see my brother-in law and sister-in law too often, so it is always nice when we do! Elisabet is growing way to fast, and I wish we could get up there more often!  

My husband and the beautiful Elisabet!

I don't know about everyone else, but I always try to find ways to dress up and look cute!! I mean let’s face it, I am a mother of two little kids, and most days it is jeans and a sweatshirt for me. So when I do get a chance I am all over it! This weekend I paired one of our red pencil skirts (Pencil Me In) with some vintage items, and loved the way it turned out!  I am a huge fan of mixing vintage with new items, and figuring out what suits me! 

 

 

 

 

 

{pencil skirt: PipLey Vintage, clutch, gloves, collar: Vintage, tights: Kohls, shoes: Target} 

One of my favorite new items to wear is vintage gloves!  I am so excited that pairing gloves with an outfit is starting to make a comeback!  I think it looks so classy, and adds a little sass to an outfit!  I love looking at old photos and seeing all the women with matching hats and gloves with all their outfits.  The gloves I am wearing were my husband’s great grandmother Pearl’s gloves.  His grandmother gave them to me, and it is the best gift I have received in a long time!  I love wearing family items.  My clutch is from my grandmother Helen, and it is just a beautiful pearl clutch!  I wish they still made items like that….

Love,
PipLey

What a great way to say Goodbye to October

As many people I have always loved Halloween, but for some reason it is so much more fun with my kids than it ever was when I was a kid!  The excitement on their faces and the fact that ringing a doorbell can be so cool is so much fun!!  I love dressing them up and acting like someone totally different for the entire day!  My girls and I wake up and get dressed first thing in the morning....what can I say I have passed on my love of Halloween on to them! 

A family shot before we left!

 



Another thing I love is making it a family affair.  Usually we get to go trick-or-treating with cousins and my mother!  We live in Indiana so it is usually pretty cold come October 31st, so my mom makes cookies and hot chocolate for after so we can go through our goodies and warm up!

My youngest daughter Pippa is only 1, so this was her first big introduction to how fun it can be to look adorable and get candy for it!  She was my little flower, and she wore it well.  By far the cutest little flower I have ever seen.  She was a little nervous at first and didn't like the fact that strangers were opening the door and talking to her...but she got used to it towards the end! 

Cutest little Flower

 



My oldest daughter Finley is 4, and she is a pro at ringing the doorbell and saying "trick-or-treat", she is a little ham, so she loved all the attention!  It is so hard to keep up with a little 4 year old running from house to house and trying to capture it all on camera...don't they understand the importance of a picture???? LOL.  Her bucket was so full by the end of the night that she refused to carry it!  I am pretty sure my husband was not complaining about that one! 

My little witch and flower!

 

 



I hope everyone had an awesome time with their families and I am so excited about the upcoming Holidays!!

Me and my girls

 



Love,
PipLey

Colder Weather

Hey Everyone,

I don't know about anyone else but I am loving this colder weather!  I love everything about this time of year;  the stores are so much more festive, the clothes are so cute, the family gets together often, and the food is amazing!  Who doesn't love getting together with friends or family and eating till you can't move!  Today I am going to post some of my family's favorite recipes, and hopefully you guys will enjoy them as well! 

The first is a true family favorite!  If I do not bring this recipe to my family events, then my family seriously will not talk to me.  Even my little cousins know not to look my way if I do not walk in with my mac n cheese!  My mom has been making this recipe for years and when I was old enough to take over she taught it to me...

Macaroni and Cheese Bake

2 cups macaroni noodles (cooked)

2 cups Velveeta (cubed)

2 cups cottage cheese

2 cups shredded cheddar

2 cups sour cream

4 eggs

Cook macaroni till done, then mix all ingredients together and place in a 9x13 pan.

I like to add the seasoning Nature Season to the mix, I think it gives it a little more flavor but this is optional.  :)

Bake at 375 for around 45 minutes, longer if you like a crunchier top.  This will be sure to be a crowd pleasing recipe!!

The second recipe is a favorite for dessert!  These brownies are to die for and are almost like fudge.  WARNING: These are super rich and very addicting!!

Brownies

Batter

1 1/2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

7 Tbsp cocoa

1/4 tsp salt

3 large eggs

2 sticks butter (softened)

1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients in mixing bowl.  Place in greased 9x13 pan.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.  Do not over bake!

Icing

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 Tbsp milk

1 Tbsp oil

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp cocoa

Mix all ingredients until thick.  Pour over hot brownies and spread!

Hope you enjoy these recipes as much as my family does!!

Love,

PipLey

Celebrating "Big Papa"

What I love most about the Fall/Winter season is all the family get togethers!!  I get to eat all the amazing food that you only get once a year, and catch up on what everyone has been up to.  I love watching all the little kids play together, and see what games they make up while the adults stuff their mouths full of food. 

This weekend we headed to South Bend to celebrate my husbands Grandpa's 88th birthday.  My mother-in-law made an amazing meal of ham, cheesy potatoes, beans, apple squares, pumpkin roll, and an apple cake!!  I probably gained about 5 pounds this weekend...but who could blame me!  I love sitting around the table with family and enjoying a home cooked meal, there is nothing like it.  Especially with someone as cool as Grandpa Dale (the great grandkids call him Big Papa). 

I also love to see what everyone will be wearing.  There are so many different personalities in our family that the fashion is so different.  We have cousins who like to wear comfy clothes, some who like to wear cute, but comfy, and then there is me who likes to go all out and wake up a room!  I wore my purple Abby Skinny jeans by Liverpool, with light green tank and a vintage sweater!  I love showing everyone how fun it can be to mix the new with the old.  I also wore some vintage jewelry that has been in the family for years!  I love that all of us cousins are about the same age and yet have totally different taste in style. 

I can't wait to see what everyone is going to be for Halloween!!  Pictures of our little stinkers soon!!!

Love,
PipLey

Enough Said...

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!  PipLey is heading to chicago for Vintage Garage and will be posting pics and all the fun activities of the day!!!

xo,

PipLey

Mixing the Old with the New

Anyone who knows me knows that I love mixing vintage pieces with newer pieces!  I love the idea of mixing my generation with my grandmothers.  I feel like women back in the 1920’s-1950 knew how to put an outfit together.  I have so many pictures of my grandmother from back then, and she looks stunning even when she is just around the house!  I would find dresses and think they were for an evening out, and she would say that was just her house dress…seriously grandma??  I love how clothes were made to last, I feel so sad for my daughters because I feel like the clothes I wear from my generation will not hold up for them when they are older and into vintage fashion. 

      

For me I always mix the old with the new in two different ways.  My favorite is mixing a newer dress with a vintage sweater, cardigan or shawl.  Nothing pulls an outfit together better than a great vintage cardigan!  I have been doing this a lot lately with the weather getting cooler.  It is a great way to make your dresses last a little longer, and still keep warm and cute!  My second favorite way to mix the old with the new would be to mix in vintage jewelry!  I am a huge collector of vintage jewelry, and am so blessed to have a grandmother who was an artist and painted a lot of her jewelry!  If I wear an outfit that is all modern day, I will always throw on some vintage jewelry to show it off!  Vintage jewelry is so easy to layer and collaborate with other pieces.   I really don’t think I go a day without something vintage…ha ha.

Love, PipLey

The pictures are of my beautiful Grandma Helen, who is still alive today at the ripe young age of 92!! 

Finally Fall

I am a huge fan of anything Fall!!  I love the weather, colors, food, bonfires, hayrides, pumpkin patches, and the fact that Christmas is right around the corner.  I love the friendliness this season brings and the family aspect of it.  There is no greater joy than seeing your kids find that perfect pumpkin, or them helping you in the kitchen making apple pie.  Even my husband enjoys the weather getting colder because that means it is football season, and most importantly almost college basketball season (Go Hoosiers!!).  I would have to say my most favorite part of the Fall season is the fashion!!

There is no better feeling than dusting off those boots and big comfy sweaters.  I am a huge fan of layering and pairing skinny jeans with just about anything oversize.  I know I am not alone in this feeling because I see so many women right now wearing the same thing!  My favorite staple this season is the colored skinny jean.  I love the purple, yellow and green skinny jeans paired with a neutral top, great color heel, and great colored accessories.  I really don’t think you can go wrong with that combo.  Another great Fall piece I like is the maxi dress with a blazer and flats!  This look is very boho chic and comfortable to wear during any of your Fall festivities. 

So whether you are enjoying a bonfire in your skinny jeans, or out at a festival in your maxi dress enjoy the weather and the season!  Make sure you check out some of my favorite picks for Fall from our website!!

                           http://pipleyvintage.com/Abby-Skinny-by-Liverpool-Golden-Yellow-B0006.htm

                            http://pipleyvintage.com/Abby-Skinny-by-Liverpool-Plum-B0008.htm

                              http://pipleyvintage.com/Abby-Skinny-by-Liverpool-Vert-B0007.htm

                            http://pipleyvintage.com/Bohemian-Love-Maxi-Dress-DR0003.htm

                           http://pipleyvintage.com/Fall-Foliage-Cardigan-by-Tulle-Orange-SH0011.htm

                       http://pipleyvintage.com/Evening-Stroll-Sweater-by-Tulle-SH0012.htm



Love,

PipLey