Vintage Football helmets

Last week ended with a rainy sidewalk sale.  The rain kind of  described the week at Cici Crib. I wanted a relaxing Mother's Day. James wanted to head to the flea market. We haven't gone in a couple of weeks, so I agreed. It was a short sweet trip. It was not crowded.  There were some dealers coming from the south making a  quick stop on their way to Brimfiield. One day I will go to Brimfiield, an enormous antique fair in Massachusetts . It takes days to get through it.

One dealer was selling early 20th century football helmets. Fantastic collection. The helmets seemed so tiny. He told me most of them were college helmets, but some were for children.

Back then, protection had a different meaning. Everything today is so amped up. From the training to the equipment. I have yet to find any early photos of little kids teams. I think,back then, little kids perfected their crafts out in the field. No coaches. No photographers.  I love looking at old sports photos. Of course there are only guys in the pictures. No girls softball or basketball or soccer.  I purchased these collages of pictures. I believe these photos once hung in the halls  of Columbus School in Bridgeport, CT. The guys look so casual, like the picture was snapped after playing a hard won game.  As I was taking photos of this collage, Justin pointed out that it was put together during the Depression. Wow that adds a whole other element.  Once these collages are framed, they would be great in a play room or  or boy's bedroom.

Well I couldn't leave the market without another trophy. Makes you smile!

See you.

Christina

Sun Protection for babies and toddlers

Wow is the sun so strong these days!   Sometimes the most practical design  is the best solution for protecting baby's skin. Large brim, ties and treated fabric. Sun hats with a UPF +50 have arrived in the shop. From ages 0 to 4 years.

Sunscreen is as important as a good hat. We love the MDMoms products. Their sun block SPF +30 is even safe for newborns.  Nothing is easy about applying sunscreen on a squirmy toddler, but MD Mom's make it a bit easier with their towelettes.

Enjoy the sun.

See you.

Christina

Barbie's comeback

I was at the D& D building the other day doing some research for a few clients, when I stumbled upon this Italian fabric. A nice vintage feel. Wow this would be a great boudoir pillow, on a chaise in a pink houndstooth. Great for decorating a classic girl's bedroom.

The Barbie prints that hang in the shop would fit in nicely.

One of my sweetest customer purchased a lavender Barbie  and put in a plum mat to enhance the print. Now it is perfect for her daughter's bedroom.

Barbie reminds me of the head vases my mother collected.She loved the kitsch factor.  She lined them up on the piano.  Unfortunately, She got tired of the collection and sold it. I wish she held on to them.  I could find a nice spot for them at Cici Crib.

Jonathan Adler took a crazy turn in celebrating Barbie's  50th anniversary. He completely amped it up.  It's over the top. It's Barbie's dream house in Malibu.

In Cici Crib there is a nice desk chair for the studious Jonathan Adler Barbie.

Barbie's style is always changing.

See you.

Christina

Silhouettes

I took a long weekend away from Cici Crib to visit with my family in Pittsburgh. My parents moved to Pittsburgh  after I graduated from college. My sister followed  after burning out of the New York fashion scene a few years ago.  They live in the Shadyside section of Pittsburgh, a  beautiful neighborhood bordering Carnegie Mellon University.  Because the city is so rich in history, the best antiques and vintage items  that have passed through Cici Crib come from Pittsburgh  auction houses.  My mother and sister are avid collectors of just about everything. They were excited about these 19th century children silhouettes the moment they saw them at the auction preview last month. I loved them. There is a lot of discussion amongst the three of us.   I set a budget and actually won all of them. The children are cut from paper, then enhanced by pencil.

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The silhouette of the boy is just so sweet. I will keep him . The picture was small enough to fit into my luggage.  He sits in my livingroom now.

Silhouettes have always been popular. I have some from the 1920's that are in my powder room.

This is a fun one.  It's on an old cake tin.

Modern silhouettes have been reinvented  using different materials.  Some are cut from vintage wallpaper.  They are large. They are an easy way to decorate. Great for playrooms to nurseries. I love these by  Inke Heiland that are in the shop now.

Some silhouettes are cut out of  vinyl. Because the  vinyl is micro thin, the images  almost look painted onto the wall. They are a breeze to apply and most are removable. A great invention. Your child outgrows them and they can easily come off. There are so many brands  and the images seem to get more complex and interesting every year. Here are some that are in the shop.

Painted silhouettes can also make a great design statement in a room.

How cool!

See you.

Christina

Keepsake Boxes

Keepsake boxes have different meanings for different ages.  Traditionally, for adults we like a nice box to keep our most treasured possessions. I like this box, handmade in Brooklyn. One can put a birth announcement inside the glass lid. It is lined in a chic gray velvet.

For children, a keepsake box can have a slightly different meaning. I remember having a tiny doll's suitcase where I stored all my very important items. I don't know what happened to my orange suitcase, but any day now I bet I will find it at an antique fair. My older son, Justin began collecting rocks from the garden when he was around 2. As he learned about dinosaurs the rocks became fossils and a collection was born. He needed a large keepsake box.  Really a mini display case was more in order. I found one at a flea market and was thrilled because it fit so perfectly on his dressser. He is a teenager now, but his box is still there. So I removed the cool sunglasses and the  ipod and his Beats  that lay on top so I could peer  inside.  Fossils,bones, rocks,shells and even the glass insect we purchased in Venice years ago. All the things that were special to him as a little boy.

My younger son, James still adds to his small keepsake boxes. I see some amber he purchased last year.  He is far more tidy than his brother. He even labeled his "My Display Case."

In the shop there is a large jewelry box for a little girl. The ballerina twirls to the sound of "The Nutcracker".  The top can be personalized.

Of coarse, there are some nice suitcases to store special cars and trains and dolls and all their accoutrements.

A vintage ballet case would work well.

Or  some new suitcases  that are even  large enough to hold sleepover essentials.

Everything to keep your child's special items..

See you

Christina

Overflowing with Flowers

Flowers were bursting in many store windows around the city last week.

Fantastic paper flowers in Kate's Paperie in Soho.

Completely covering the window at the tasty Teuscher.

Anthropologie in Chelsea showed some  enormous playful  looking flowers. Looks like they were made out of paper mache.

Even Cici Crib has an overflow

Inside there were lots of flowers to discuss. Bedding for a little girl's big girl bed  is inspired by   the nicely exagerated flowers on the fabric of the window treatments.

A possible combination for bedding and a  headboard  to complement the  flowery treatments.

Another customer wanted to look at light fixtures that were not chandeliers. It is her third daughter. The first 2 had lovely chandeliers in their room. So we came up with this white rose wrapped  fixture from Maura Daniel.

After 2 sweet sons, another customer is awaiting the birth of her first little girl.  For her nursery, a delicate floral chandelier was in order..

An then there was the Mom  looking for art for her tween. Art by Jacqueline Shapiro for Oopsy Daisy.

or maybe

Lot's of different styles but one focus, flowers...

See you.

Christina

Poufs

The poufs are in.

Poufs  can add a stylish element. They can be a great alternative to an ottoman. In a nursery , use one with a glider. They  add additional seating that is low enough for kids to use.  Use them in a bedroom at the foot of the bed. Use them in a playroom.

So many places...

Kelly Wearstler used them in her little boy's bedroom.

What's not to love about poufs...

See you

Christina

Opening day at the Flea Market

The Doherty household was up early this Sunday. Justin and Miles were scrambling to get  out the door for a tournament on Long Island. James and  I were readying ourselves for our first flea market  outing of  the season.  James is my new flea market buddy. He started to go with me last year. He is the perfect partner. We work well together. He knows that for me, it is serious buying for the shop. I have interests and he has interests.  He  is thirteen and is very strong willed. "No way Mom is that ever going to sell." "If you buy that I am not going to help you take it to the car."  "Oh, that is so cute." "I want to help you build your dollhouse."  That's  my James. I love everything vintage. It is the backbone of Cici Crib. It's inspiration for the new stuff in the shop. It is about finding vintage accessories to go in the shop.

It was a dusty, gusty start at the flea market. We arrived after eight. I knew from the amount of cars in the lot that we were too late for uncovering any super treasures.

I found a few pieces of art. But as I laid them out at home, I realized that they will need a ton of clean up and repair before they are allowed into the shop. Sigh...

The Currier and Ives print is so lovely. The little girl has a cane in one hand and her doll in the other. Perfect for a little girl's nursery or bedroom.  It's title, "Grandfather's Cane." The dealer asked if I was a cane collector. No just a shop owner.

The 1960's Circus litho is so stylish. Really nice in  a modern nursery. Needs a hefty cleaning.

I bought a group of children books from the 1920's-1940's. They are not in great condition. But the illustrations are crisp and vibrant. Time to talk to Judy at Framings, an absolutely top notch frame shop across the street from Cici Crib.

The dealer told me Rags was a precursor to Raggady Ann.

Mother Goose

Peter Rabbit

Wynken Blynken and Nod

I found a little metal train. Inside the train, it reads  Midge Toy, Rockford, ILL. USA.

One day I will make my own dollhouse. I had a great one growing up. For now I collect items for it. Maybe when I retire I will make one.  I found this metal  refrigerator . The dealer and I think it was an advertising piece from General Electric. It is the perfect size. It will fit into my imaginary dollhouse 1/12 scale.

James was happy with his purchases. He found some steel pennies from 1943. He is discovering political memorabilia. We came home with our little treasures. It's back to reality.  Time to prepare for the week ahead. James tells me about his 5:00 A.M. departure for  Washington DC this Tuesday. Oops, I forgot about his field trip. Time to get packing.

See you.

Christina

A Sunny Trip to the City

Kids were at Grandma and Grandpa's house last week, so Miles and I took an afternoon off from work to do some fun things in the city. First stop was the Knoedler Gallery on the upper east side to check out the Milton Avery show.

The art of Milton Avery's art was so indicative of the time. I love the industrial nature of it, yet it is such a gentle take on it. So beautiful. They would fit perfectly in my living room. Just a bit out my price range...

Afterwards, we strolled down Madison. I checked out some children shops, Bonpoint and Baby CZ. Always something new. It's funny as a shopkeeper, I look at other shops differently. Not only is  new merchandise always on your mind, but interesting displays, lighting, merchandising and  traffic flow are also.   We came upon Itoen tea shop.  Itoen  sticks close to it's  cultural guns, always pure in Japanese tradition.  It's closing it's doors, as well as the upstairs eatery, Kai Restaurant. It hurts to see another shop pass away. I bought a lovely handblown glass that now holds my makeup brushes on my new vanity in the master bathroom.

We reached  the subway  and headed downtown  to Moss. So crowdy was Soho, that it was nice to find a quiet spot at Moss. Moss is part galllery part store. The owner's folly. A section of the store was closed for remodeling. Flos Lighting will set up a new shop in the closed area .

Last year  we decided  that  our everyday flatware  and china  were tired  and needed replacement.  So I found some flatware at Moss that we both liked.

Nice and simple, not too heavy or light. Italian. I am still raking  over the china purchase.

Across the street from Moss I eyed a new shop that Kisan.  A shop that has a little bit of everything, with a large dose of children and women's clothes. Owned by a French and Icelandic couple, the shop holds carefully selected items from around the world.

I fell in love with these necklaces made by a Parisian jewelry designer, Servane Gaxotte. So Cici Crib cute!

Miles said it was time to buy my much belated birthday gift. I am kind of hard to buy for, so after 20 years of marriage, we kind of settle for this approach. I love my new necklace.

We  ended the day with an  early dinner at WD50 . The chef is imaginative . You have to go with an open mind. My meal was delicious! A nice ending to a sunny day.

See you.

Christina

Bakelite Show

We finally made it down to the Bakelite Exhibit at the Hudson River Museum in Yonkers.   From utilitarian objects  such as phones and pencil sharpeners to jewelry, bakelite was all the rage in the 1930s and 1940s. The show was interesting in it's technical content.  The clock to teach time and the toy car made in Czechoslovakia were cool.

Bakelite can be so stylish. I wish they asked my brother for his napkin ring collection. Always a highlight at the Thanksgiving table along side his midcentury china.  Some of the pieces look like these:

I am definitely a casual collector of bakelite.  With the exception of the ridiculous number of  enormous bakelite beads that my sister and I purchased years ago out of  an elderly lady's  garage, my collection is tiny. I used  4 of the beads in the past 12 years they have been in my attic. They were  sewn on the tips of a window valance in my son's  little nursery.  One day I am sure I will find another use for them.  They are just so nice.

What about all that fantastic, fun bakelite jewelry that could have been displayed at the show.

My most recent purchase is a bellhop pin I found  at a flea market last fall.

One of the nicest pieces in my tiny collection is a feeding set. I waiver between selling it in the shop or donating it to the Museum of Modern Art for it's tremendous design.  This baby spoon and fork is silver plated with bakelite handles. It is made in the US by Napier. I believe Napier is no longer in existence.They also made some very chic costume jewelry during the mid century.

Can't wait until flea market season starts, for the hunt to begin again.

See you

Christina

Soft Cuddly Nursery

I  went to the Stark Warehouse Sale down at the Metropolitan Pavillion looking for a few things. I didn't have much time, but I found some really cuddly, soft, yummy rugs that would be great in a nursery. Like all the blankets, stuffed animals and layettes collections in my shop,  the very first purchasing  criteria in  is the softness factor.  This shag rug was like a cloud.

This rug looked like a pebble path, but is made completely of wool.

This rug looked like a bunch of packing peanuts.

Ok so the rugs aren't the most practical. But given their texture and feel, they are definitely a nesting contender.

So now I am thinking soft. What are the softest things in my shop.

The softest light fixture is the one coming in the shop in April. It is a small version than what is pictured. Chihuly inspired..

Number one mobile is bla bla's The colors are gentle and the lambs are just so sweet.

It's really hard to pick the softest bedding, but today I think it is Lulu Dk baby bedding. 500 Thread count. That lovely cotton sheen. Really stylish and sooo soft.

I would be completely remiss if I didn't mention Lotus Springs layette collection made from milk fiber. I don't think there is any softer.

And finally the softest stuffed animal is by Jelly Cats Bashful Bunny:

See you.

Christina

It's Pink and Chartreuse with flower power

I am working on a really fun bedroom right now. The wallpaper and purchased items are the foundation for   this room. As you enter this little girl's room, you face a wall of windows. It's bright! The Designers Guild wallpaper truly dictates the style of this room. It is wallpaper that grows with a child from nursery to a big girl's  bedroom.

The client purchased some items from Cici Crib. In particular this fantastic desk chair that has a clear back. It is a new take on a classic chair.

I would like  to  use this desk. Love the Chartreuse! I also want to add some gold accents.

I purchased this chaise that desperately needs to be painted and properly upholstered. What great lines. Looks like the 1940's.  Maybe we will use  the hot pink quilted fabric.

I don't want to obstruct the view of the windows so I would like a very simple light fixture. I wish I could use this one, but it hangs too low. We may just reuse the chandelier  that is already in the room.

That's it for now. We will see how this room evolves based on the big client(stylish mother) and the little client's(sweet little girl) needs and personality.

Christina

The Forest Floor

Nature decor will definitely be a reoccurring theme in my blog. I am forever inspired by the outside natural world. Our family's annual ski vacation was in Stowe, Vermont this year. I was able to steal away one morning from skiing to check out some of the local shops.  I found a beautiful antique shop, Alpine Home.  Alpine Home is owned by an  energetic woman named Cheryl Shields. Cheryl shares her time between Stowe and NYC. She is a nomad shopkeeper. From Maine to the Hamptons, she finds little places to hang her sign.  Not only does she search the world for weathered antiques, but she also forages  forests to make her  creations.

I am apologizing in advance, as my photos were taken with my cell phone. My camera was left in the ski jacket.

She creates this enormous canopy from grape vines and feathers. The fabric is velvet. It almost looks like an enormous birds nest. Her chandelier is made out of branches that have been painted white. It is an enchanted forest. It reminds me of a children's book, The Story of the Root Children(carried at Cici Crib).This book was published for the first time in the 1920s by Sybylle von Olfers. The root children live underground and come up  when awakened by Mother Earth in the early spring.
The Root Children
The root children would definitely use these night lights that just came into the shop last week. They were created by two sisters in England.

Happy dreams.

Christina

A New Beginning

flower Recently I have been so inspired by design blogs that I finally decided to do my own. Finally I feel like I have a moment to concentrate on the fun part of running a retail/design business.

I will try to post once a week and I promised myself  not to be so intimidated by the imaginative  blogs I love to read. They will be about Cici Crib. From exciting new products to inspired interiors, to what's going on in my life with my family.

A journey through Cici Crib....