retro

Hot Rod Flame Pillowcase Set

mandy — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Shopping for bed linens is a mundane and utilitarian task for me. The usual fare of floral, paisley, and striped designs do not interest me at all, so I usually opt to buy a set of plain sheets and leave the store as quickly as possible. Taking a look at the designs from Sin in Linen has caused me to change my mind.

Sin in Linen is an online shop featuring bed linens, kitchen and bathroom accessories, and apparel. There are also designs for baby and dorm bedding. The designs range from animal print to retro pin up girls to pirate-inspired skull and crossbones. There are designs for every taste – from the conservative damask prints to more adventurous tattoos. The items featured on the website are reasonably priced and of a high quality.

Sin in Linen is the creation of entrepreneur Sandy Glaze. Sandy began the company after not finding home products that suited her taste and style. So she launched the company with her mother, Iris, in 2004. Furthermore, Sandy has been an active participant in the Seattle arts and alternative scene since the late 1990's.

The Hot Rod Flame Pillowcase Set I received for this review were great. The design matches my plain bright orange bed linens and don't clash with the traditional décor of my bedroom. The pillowcases fit easily over the standard sized pillows I am currently using, have a thread count of 300, and are 100% sateen. They were very comfortable to sleep on and did not scratch my face or hold heat during the night. Due to the quality of the pillowcases, I am thinking of purchasing the matching Hot Rod Flame sheet set.

Written by: Rekesha Spellman, November 7th 2010

Botanical 2011 Monthly & Weekly Planning Calendar

mandy — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 00:00:00 +0000

By Posh

Andrews McMeel Publishing

Upon returning to the United States after living for two years abroad, my partner was particularly giddy about one specific purchase: a cell phone. In the time we'd been in India, smartphones had become commonplace, and my Applephile other half was overjoyed at the idea of being able to sync his Macbook and iPod with a mobile device. Although he valiantly fought for an iPhone, the more cost efficient two-for-one sale on the Droid won out. For my part, I don't give two flips about technosyncage, and I'm not entirely convinced my semi-functional PC can handle that kind of software. I just wanted to be able to easily check my email.

Although I'm moving in the direction of a paperless lifestyle (the Droid is facilitating my newly blossoming love of apps), the process is slow-going. And now that the end of the year is drawing near, I find myself on a search for the perfect new year planner. I'm not high maintenance, but I do have two uncompromising needs: 1) monthly and weekly planning sections and 2) enough space to write in each. Although it sounds like a simple enough request, many planners fail in at least one of these regards, but the Posh Botanical 2011 Monthly & Weekly Planning Calendar has what it takes—and more.

Let me start with the basics. This desk planner is 7 ¼ x 9 ½ inches and comes in four different retro chic designs: Botanical, Flowers & Stars, Circles & Squiggles, and Asters. All have a feminine sensibility without going over the precipice to infantile, a risk one runs with cutesy product aesthetic. An elastic band wraps around the outside of the planner to hold the cover closed, and a single ribbon allows you to easily keep your place. It's utilitarian in form and function.

Once you crack the slick and sturdy cover, you come directly to twelve pages of monthly calendars. This is where I keep track of important dates, like birthdays and holidays, that I need to prepare for in advance. Gift buying shouldn't be a last minute affair, but it ends up as one when you're only going week-by-week. Posh has also helpfully included major U.S. and international holidays, as well as religious celebrations from Christian, Islamic, and Jewish traditions. So, while you won't find the dates for Durga Puja, you will find Ramadan, and I can live with that.

Just past this monthly section are the two-page spreads of fifty-two weeks broken up into an equally spaced seven days. I appreciate that Saturday and Sunday don't get the short end of the stick, as some other planners are apt to extend the size allotted for traditional work week days at the expense of the two on the weekend. But since I work on several projects outside of my proper 9 to 5, I don't want those days relegated to secondary status by giving them a decreased size. I want them to have equal spacial importance. Posh comes through again!

The handful of back pages in the Posh Botanical 2011 Monthly & Weekly Planning Calendar get a little hit or miss, which is to say that they've covered all the bases and not everyone will need everything found here. There are one-page 2010 and 2012 year-long reference calendars, as well as a two-page "2012 Looking Ahead" spread. Six pages are provided for "Names & Addresses," which even I prefer my cell phone to hold, and inclusion of "Emergency Numbers" seems terribly outdated, especially when situated opposite a page for jotting down "Web Sites." Three pages for "Notes" brings up the rear.

I plan to wear this desk planner out next year, and maybe with a little more cajoling, I'll consider making the tech savvier, eco-switch come the year of the Mayan apocalypse. Perhaps by then my PC will have seen its end-of-days and a sync won't seem so scary.

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, October 22nd 2010

Leopard Throw Pillow

beth — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0000

By Sin in Linen

I was surprised to hear a shriek of delight from my house guest as she entered my messy apartment. I had forgotten that in a last minute effort to spruce up the place I had carelessly tossed my leopard Sin in Linen throw pillow on my living room couch. However, I was instantly made aware of its presence when my house guest followed her shriek with “I want that pillow!” As my personal anecdote demonstrates, if you are an alternative stylish individual and wish to express this through your linens, clearly, Sin in Linen is the place for you.

With unusual 1940s and 1950s inspired designs, Sin in Linen is perfect for all young/edgy/rockabilly types. Browsing the Sin in Linen website will give you plenty of gift ideas for all your alternative loved ones. Think about that edgy niece of yours who is going off to college and would love to impress her dorm mate with leopard print dorm bedding. Or, how about the adorable zebra print baby bedding which would be the perfect gift for that hip unmarried couple you know who are planning on a little one. Particularly appealing to me is the red sugar skull bedding collection inspired by Mexican Day of the Dead ceremonies.

But even if retro, alternative designs aren’t quite your thing, supporting Sin in Linen owner Sandy Glaze is reason enough for feminists to jump at the chance to meet their various bathroom, kitchen, and bedding needs through Sin in Linen. Those of you Seattlelites like me may recognize Sandy Glaze as former Rat City Rollergirl Ann Munition #357. For the past two decades, Glaze has been a huge supporter of the alternative art communities up and down the coast. She sees her company Sin in Linen as an extension of her passion to encourage and enable everyone to express themselves in every way possible.

Written by: Colleen S. Kenny, September 28th 2010

Tattoo Flash Print Dishtowels

brittany — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 02:00:00 +0000

By Sin in Linen

Sin in Linen, purveyor of retro and punk rock patterned household goods, sent Elevate Difference and this feminist reviewer a pair of their new Tattoo Flash Print Dishtowels. I’m not sure what to review: their utility? As Courtney Love once sang, “I don’t do the dishes, I throw them in the crib.” Do I test them for feminist purity? Included among the sacred hearts, horseshoes, and flames are bikini-clad pinup girls, one of whom strikes a squatting-at-the-strip-club-in-platforms pose that is less Bettie Page than Jenna Jameson. Ew.

Lest you accuse me of typically second wave prudery, I assure you that I do like vintage pin-ups. My husband knows that Playboy is verboten in my house not because naked ladies are bad, but because naked ladies who are shaved, starved, and siliconed into looking like pneumatic twelve-year-olds are bad. My husband, incidentally, is our household’s usual dishwasher, and he approved of the Tattoo Dishtowels. “More absorbent than the crap we got at Ikea,” was his take. Unfortunately, when he draped the towels over the oven door to dry, my five-year-old daughter and ten-year-old son got an eyeful. She liked the mermaids and butterflies; he wondered why on earth there would be women in bathing suits on the new dishtowels. I told him I didn’t know.

I see the appeal of applying tattoos to household products instead of human bodies; the consumer remains au courant while avoiding the inconvenience of a lifetime commitment. What I fail to understand, continually, is the use of voluptuous pin-up girl as shorthand for “I am different. I am alternative.” When I gaze at the designs on the Tattoo Dishtowels, I think of an aging Korean War vet’s meaty forearms. A dishtowel of tattoos for the new millennium might feature Japanese kanji, Celtic knots, or Shiloh Jolie-Pitt’s name in Sanskrit.

But the purpose of these towels is not to celebrate the history of tattooing; it is to send the following message to the neighbors on laundry day: I am no ordinary housewife. This is precisely what I conveyed last week when I attended both kids’ school open houses in rumpled jeans and a pair of maroon Chuck Taylors, so I understand this impulse completely. I just don’t agree that a half-naked babe, however luscious, is the best way to do it.

Now if that bikini babe were in the company of the shirtless Old Spice Guy, then we’d really be cooking (pun totally intended). Equal opportunity objectification could be all that’s needed to unite feminism’s many waves—even if it’s only over the kitchen sink.

Written by: Shannon Drury, September 16th 2010

Vintage Fabric Squares

admin — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 22:38:00 +0000

By Repro Depot

Repro Depot has been bookmarked on my computer for over a year. Whenever I’m in a creative lurch, searching for some vintage, retro-theme inspiration, it’s the click I clack. Repro Depot is a fantastic source for vintage and new fabrics for anyone who appreciates a good Hula Girl print, or a wacky cowpoke scene on a yard of cotton.

The variety pack of fifteen fabric sample squares I received was inspiring. It was like going to a fabric store, with the happy bonus of avoiding the grainy bolts of polyester. My pile of squares came with a purple, polka dot, shiny sample; a repeated sour apple print; some new stripes; and a big, fat paisley. I laid the squares on my desk and started fooling around with the colors and patterns, giving me idea upon idea for collages, quilts, paintings, home décor projects and some great bags I could stitch.

For inspiration, or full-out crafty maniacal projects, check out the Repro Depot site. It has the fabric, the buttons, the ribbons and some wicked tape measures.

Written by: Sarah Papple, June 13th 2007

Viona Echo 15 Laptop Case

admin — Wed, 09 May 2007 12:12:00 +0000

By Lexie Barnes

I live in New York City, where fashion and muggings reign. So what's a girl to do if she wants to keep her laptop safe and fit in with the fashion elite? Lexie Barnes knows. You wanna know why? Because she's from Chicago, a town with these same two afflictions. Her solution? Make products that look a little too cute to hold anything of value. That way would-be thieves are fooled into thinking that the flowery bag you're carrying holds only femme-y items, like lipstick and tissues, and won't bother you. You may, however, be mobbed by hipster girls, who just have to know where you got your fabulous bag. There's always a trade-off for style.

Now that you know you can fight crime with the Echo 15, let me tell you a little about it. Lexie Barnes laptop cases come in three Mac or PC compatible sizes - 13", 15" and 17" - and three retro-chic designs: Baja, Bali Hai and Viona (pictured above). There are two zippered compartments and one open pocket. It's made out of a durable, slightly padded, water-resistant material to protect your electronic goodies, and you can carry the bag by its handles or wear it using the shoulder strap. The Echo 15 is a practical yet aesthetically interesting alternative to traditional laptop cases. Lexie Barnes combines her personal, artistic history with entrepreneurial skill, something more women should have the opportunity to do. Even if you’re not in the market for a laptop bag, stop by her website for a little inspiration.

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, May 9th 2007

Stefani Handbag and Wallet

admin — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 17:18:00 +0000

ChicCosas

Though I'm not a girly girl, I still have more purses than chairs, and I can always find room for one more. That said, I am picky. My ideal purses and bags must be roomy but not bulky, funky but not too strange.

This mod-inspired canvas tote from ChicCosas (retail price $58) will go with any outfit and be appropriate for any occasion. It measures about 14”W x 10”H x 4”D - enough space for everything you shouldn't stash in a regular-sized purse, but want to anyway. The matching wallet is a nice addition.

Based in California, ChicCosas ("chic things" in Spanish) has a variety of artsy, high-quality items that are, unbelievably, all handmade. The caveat is that they're also reasonably priced. You'd expect to pay much more for such unique treasures. Owner Deborah Maciel has an obvious eye for design, color and durability. In addition to buying a fabulous product, you're supporting a small, woman-owned business.

Written by: M.L. Madison, April 25th 2007

Reminted

admin — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 21:27:00 +0000

By Fort Knox Five

Fort Knox Recordings

When I received this CD in the mail, I must say that I was disappointed. The Fort Knox Five, who claim they don't remix songs, they remint them, which kept with the theme and designed their CD cover to be reminiscent of a $5 bill. Clever packaging, but I thought I was actually being sent money, so to find that it was in fact a CD was a bit of a let-down.

I felt better after I popped the disc in, though. Featuring 12 “reminted” tracks by various artists, the CD is thoroughly ‘70s, with funky retro beats that give the album a nice feel. As with all remixes, the tracks do go on quite a bit, but are a lot more listenable than the standard remix fare because there's more going on musically than the usual 20-minute drum machine solo. If you want to play dance music at your next party that won't bore everyone to tears, keep this disc in mind.

Written by: Beeb Ashcroft, April 3rd 2007