Mommy Dearest

"C'mon, click the button. i dare you" is truly a double-dog dare from the spunky Scary Mommy Creations. Scary Mommy designs retro cool buttons for all you bloggers out there.

Here's a few of Retro Republik's favorites:

I'm pretty cool

A little bit of attitude

I don't cook or clean


Rated G


Please comment

Ink, Post & Paperwink

This Santa Barbaran is officially obsessed with a new blog I discovered today, via Sunset magazine, called Ink & Post.

Ink & Post is the creative outlet and personal aesthetic of local Santa Barbara blogger Katie Chambers.

Ink & Post covers: design, ephemera, fashion, home, interiors, music, paper, photography, print, Santa Barbara, shops, travel and type.

By the way if you're asking yourself like I did, 'What is ephemera?'

This should help...

From Wikipedia: Ephemera is transitory written and printed matter not intended to be retained or preserved. The word derives from the Greek, meaning things lasting no more than a day. Some collectible ephemera are advertising trade cards, airsickness bags, bookmarks, catalogues, greeting cards, letters, pamphlets, postcards, posters, prospectuses, stock certificates, tickets and zines.

Ironically Ms. Chambers' and Retro Republik share a favorite ephemera...STAMPS!

******

To keep this ink and post theme going thought I'd indulge in a throwback to a bygone era and share my recent Design*Sponge find, Paperwink.

Paperwink's award-winning stationer duo Darcey + Tara have wowed us with their retro inspired custom wooden address stamps.

Had a hard time deciding between Airmail, Telegram and Vintage Typewriter:

In the end the bright and simple Vintage Typewriter won me over:

Click here to check out Paperwink's full section of rubber stamps, note cards, labels and calling cards.

We got blogged

We got blogged by Ribsy a handsome and surly whippet that has an eye for style.

Check out the posting: Fast Freddy Finds

Art: Retro Bikes

Artist Hillarie Tasche of Winnipeg, Canada loves to draw and paint bikes. She has a collection of her favorite originals that she's strung up. Prints are available for sale on her etsy site.

Yellow Ten Speed Road Bike


Red Ten Speed Road Bike


Green Ten Speed Road Bike

Gold Ladies Ten Speed Road Bike


Red Lighting Speedster Bike


Full Series - 14 Bikes - Limited Edition Art Prints

History Lesson: Barbie turns 50

I'm a barbie girl, in the barbie world
Life in plastic, it's fantastic!
you can brush my hair, undress me everywhere
Imagination, life is your creation
Come on Barbie, let's go party!
-Lyrics by Aqua, "Barbie Girl"

Even though I preferred playing He-Man, She-Ra and Skeletor with my brother & cousin, I did play with Barbie (think my mom made me) every once in a while. Have to admit Barbie really did have always have the best shoes in town.

Barbie broke into the fashion spotlight in 1959 and literally came to life this Feb 14 at the Bryant Park Fashion week:

According to BarbieMedia.com:
"She may be petite, at just 11.5 inches tall, but her wardrobe is anything but tiny. Her amazing outfits have been designed by more than 70 fabulous names in fashion, cut from more than 105 million yards of fabric (and still counting) and she has had 1 billion pairs of the most to-die-for shoes.

Barbie® boasts five decades of fashion heritage, working with more fashion designers than any other brand in the world.

As model or muse, Barbie has relationships with more than 70 of the biggest names in fashion. From Calvin to Cartier, Gucci to Galliano, Versace to Vera, they all have something to say about Barbie:

"Barbie represents a confident and independent woman with an amazing ability to have fun while remaining glamorous." -- Diane von Furstenberg

"Barbie doll has been a cherished fashion phenomenon for five decades, so it was exciting to be able to dress her in one of my signature gowns." -- Monique Lhuillier

"It's been my honor to dress some of the most glamorous women in the world and Barbie is certainly among the ultimate 'It' girls!” -- Patricia Field

"As a little girl, I spent countless hours playing with my Barbie doll's, even designing and sewing one-of-a kind outfits for the doll--I guess you could say Barbie gave me my start as a designer," -- Cynthia Rowley"