Not Walking in a Retail Wunderland......

Shotguns ring, are you listening.... feel your feet, they're a blistering.....

Its that time of the year again where retail madness reigns supreme! 

I caught a commercial for Walgreens on the t.v. where very little was said, but it showed the cattle-herding insanity of shopping at a big store during a peak time.  I had to laugh- brings back many memories of elbows in the back and the strollers blocking any conceivable walking path (and, yes, I've even been one of those women wielding my stroller as a personal space preserver!)  Shuffling down an aisle, climbing over people thinking to yourself in your best Captain James T. Kirk voice, "If..... I could only get past.....this......woman....maybe I can save...the ship!" Yes, I can shop without fighting over a sweater with some little old lady who looks like a seasoned pro at caning to death competing bargain hunters while listening to my toddler scream "DOWN! DOWN!" to the tune of Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer.  It seems like retailers have caught onto the unpleasantness of the trend in "Christmas-kamikaze-road-rage" style shopping and extended their hours so the nutters can get their list done without the involvement of the police. 

I myself have only gone out on one Christmas shopping excursion since Thanksgiving, and they can be fun when you are in the mood and most of the people around you look sane. Gorgeous Christmas tree displays and lots of things to drool over that I could never possibly afford. Kind of like pressing your face into the glass of the toy store like Ralphie in the beginning of "A Christmas Story." This in and of itself can be torturous, so give me good 'ol online shopping! Give me my jammies, cup of Joe and specs, and I'm ready to play Santa on Etsy!

In addition to the higher physical safety factor of shopping at home (unless you fall off your chair and dump your coffee down your lap,) there is the wonderful feeling of potentially helping along another small business. Being a small business owner concerned over every sale, I can appreciate the challenge of remaining afloat with your unique goods while the big guys raffle off Kindles.  I have found some amazingly wonderful things from Etsy this year, my favorite being vintage wooden painted tree ornaments that we had back in the 60s-70s when I was little.  Most of my mom's collection has disappeared over the years so I was delighted to get a full collection of them again!  They were kind of a paint by number wooden kit, so they looked exactly the same as the ones of my youth.  Mom and I looked through them all noted the ones we remembered the best.  Hey, you can't get that at the mall! 

So, please support your favorite small businesses this season, both on-line and in your town.  We are chock full of wonderful goodies and guarantee to be safer and kinder than Walmart- we promise!

P.S. GET FREE U.S. SHIPPING AND GIFT WRAP THRU 12/31 at my shop!

The Holiday Dresses are Here!

I can hear Old Blue Eyes crooning his Christmas songs tonight.....one of my favorites is The Christmas Walz. Its time to pull out your party dresses and get ready for your office parties, galas and cocktail hours!  If you are in need of a "new" vintage dress, stop by Jojo's and take a peek at the great selection we have!  Something for every body!


Frosted Windowpanes....

60s white chiffon Mike Benet silver beaded gown

Candles gleaming inside....

50s blush pink lace dress and jacket

Painted Candycanes on the Tree....

80s red hot taffeta dress

Happy Holidays!

60s black sequined cocktail sheath

Longing for A Very Vintage Thanksgiving (oh but theres a SALE too....)

Thanksgiving when I was little was very small and homespun.  I grew up in Minnesota with no extended family nearby, so my small, struggling family of five celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas without all the usual hub-bub surrounding the holidays. There were no exhausting car trips all over the state visiting people that really didn't want to see you anyway. Dad was on his La-z-boy recliner watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and then the football game with my brother, not white-knuckling it on a country road in a developing snowstorm.

 My mother's kitchen smelled of basting herbed turkey and her kitchen cabinets were decorated with carefully cutout images from magazines depicting vintage holiday scenes, happy families dining, and festive decorating ideas.  We always had the same meal each year: sage stuffing, corn and bean succotash, butterball turkey, white rolls and the jellied cranberry sauce.  The sauce was a mystery to me in how it had been extracted from the can so it lay in a perfectly rippled, molded state in the carousel glass dish.  Thrilled at being out of school on holiday but without much to do, I'd spend my time hovering around the table watching her preparations and marveling at all the different colors in that amber toned dish.  She would set the table with her white china dishes that were only used for special occasions.  They each had a single red rose etched into the center of each dish and were simple and elegant.  I came to find out as an adult that she obtained those dishes one at a time in a supermarket promo.  Ah, the days before credit cards, when it actually took time to obtain your prized possessions.  I rarely see those dishes anymore. Mom is in her 70s and prefers to use festive paper plates so the clean up is less tiring, but those old magazine cutouts are still taped on the wooden cupboard doors.  When the fine dishes have made a rare appearance along with the familiar cooking smells, I am filled with the awe of looking at a childhood memory through my now adult eyes.  

Over the years my family of five has changed and grown and shrunk with the changes that come with altered relationships, long distance moves and the growing of children.  This year will mark the first year my mother has not had a thanksgiving dinner as she has accepted an invitation from a younger in-law who will host a gathering.  I and my young children will be shuffled off to my husband's enormous multi-generational family gathering in southern Minnesota.  I fear my little homespun thanksgiving has forever been altered by the now customary driving all over the state to attend extended relatives gatherings.  Yet, I am thankful for the memories my mother gave me and that fact that despite a strict budget, she created wonderful memories for me.  My challenge is to try to recreate holiday memories for my own children.  With the help of etsy and the internet, I've tracked down a lot of vintage Christmas decor that we had when I was little along with the wonderful bubble lights for the tree.  But Thanksgiving?  I'm sad to say my cupboard doors are bare.  Maybe its time to get some old magazines off etsy and a pair of scissors.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Oh, and as I promised..... Jojo's big annual sale info:

SALE SALE SALE 
JOJO'S ETSY THANKSGIVING SALE
starts on....Thanksgiving!  Tomorrow through Cyber Monday, receive 20% off and free gift wrapping on ENTIRE SHOP starting at midnight tonight- so mark your favorites today!  Get that fab vintage holiday party dress for a song! :-)

Additionally, starting Black Friday, Jojo's is participating in the Vintage Market Team's fantastic sale- search all members offerings with search term VMTEAMBFCMSALE.  Etsy sellers will also start their sale with the tags BLACKFRIDAYETSY, CYBERMONDAYETSY, and FREESHIPPINGETSY.

Jojo's is in Hot Wax!

So the UHaul is loaded and ready to head out today to the Minnesota History Center where the 1968 Exhibit is in full swing.  Today is the event entitled, "Hot Wax: A Musical History of 1968" that will run from 1-4pm.  I will have a booth over in the music listening rooms that will have all my vintage out for sale!  Lots of graphic 60s items will be prominently displayed and available for purchase that haven't made it to the webstore yet. If you are here in town, come on down!  Here is a sample of today's activites at Hot Wax:

"Join The Current’s Bill Deville for an afternoon of live interviews with veteran rock critic Jon Bream, Badfinger’s Joey Molland and Mint Condition’s Stokley Williams on the impact and legacy of the era’s music. Relax in the music lounges with the DJd sounds of “Crap From the Past’s” Ron “Boogiemonster” Gerber, “Cosmic Slop’s” Chuck and Joel, Jake Rudh and Danny Sigelman. Tour "The 1968 Exhibit" with a psychedelic musical backdrop provided by “First Communion Afterparty.” Vote for Best Album, Worst Artist, Greatest British Import and more. Make a vinyl-inspired musical keepsake, then stop by vintage boutiques and shop for vinyl and clothing from Electric Fetus (founded in 1968), GoJohnnyGo, TJNovak, Riffs-Ahoy, Tim’s Music Shop, Jojo's, Ms Tips and Vintage Studio. For more information visit http://www.the1968exhibit.org/."

VINTAGE DEALS! 25% off select items at Jojo's Retro and Vintage

My studio is overflowing with vintage, and I had just moved to a larger studio too!  That means that I clearly have a buying problem (lol) and select pieces are now on sale at 25% off in the store.  Pick up a summery Lilly Pulitzer or Amy Adams dress for your upcoming vacation! Just CLICK the link below to visit the "SALE" section to get some great deals, maybe even an early Christmas present for yourself!

SALE AT JOJOS

Jojo's Show and Sale this weekend!!

Jojo's Retro and Vintage will have a booth at the following show this weekend!  Stop by and see us if you are in the area!  If you are in Kansas, wondering what this has to do with you.....

PLEASE NOTE: JOJO'S ETSY SHOP WILL BE CLOSED FRIDAY AND SATURDAY OCT. 14-15TH.  If there is something you have your eye on online, snatch it up before Friday as all my online inventory will be for sale at the show.  

Jojo's Gift Certificates are Here!

Looking for a gift for a vintage lover on your shopping list?  Consider presenting them with a beautiful packaged gift certificate from Jojo's Retro and Vintage:

Your recipient will receive a beautiful, professionally printed 8.27" x 3.74" color gift certificate as pictured on premium 100 pound matte paper with hand printed amount, to/from and redemption code. Certificate comes in a white envelope and is adorned with a pink and chocolate polka dot matching ribbon. Shipping to you or your recipient is free!

I can mail you or the recipient the physical gift certificate or can email an image if you prefer.
Each gift certificate will have a unique code which the recipient will enter in the "message to seller" upon checkout. A refund for the full amount of the certificate will be processed through Paypal within 24 hours of the order. Redemption instructions will be included with the certificate.

Stop by the shop and order yours today! http://www.jojosretroandvintage.etsy.com/