A New Name

November 21, 20168 Comments

SAY HELLO TO OKAY ANDIE

Well, if you are here (and not completely new) then you have noticed a “rebrand”, if you will. Yes, Larkspur Vintage is no more. It was bloody time, if I’m being honest. I have disliked that name for a few years now, and the longer I’ve had this space the less like me that name felt. I am still influenced by vintage fashion, I think I always will be, but I just don’t live and breathe it the way I used to. Vintage started to feel too much like something everyone expected of me (which was absolutely my doing…duh, the name!), and if I had any interest in a different style, it seemed like I wasn’t allowed near it. It still feels like that sometimes. After awhile, you do start to notice what people take to, what does better with your audience, what doesn’t…my cutesy vintage looks were always a hit. But, what to do when those looks just don’t feel like you anymore? Do you just do it because it’s on “brand”, even though your “brand” is really just being yourself, or do you just say a proverbial “fuck it!” and do whatever you please. I chose being my whole self, I guess, which is to say, wearing kind of whatever the hell I want. I have noticed a change in my followers, the rate in which it goes up, the rate in which it goes down. To say I didn’t care about that would be a total lie, but I try to remind myself that being wholly me – not the version that people have come to expect, or want me to be – is far more important than gaining 1000 followers a week. All that to say, the name change was necessary.

So, the name. What does it mean? Who is Andie? Well, I’m Andie, actually, to a couple handfuls of people in this world. My family, extended family and my oldest friend Upjeet call me Andie. It was a name given to me by my older brother when I was first born, when he couldn’t quite pronounce – to be fair, the difficult and long-winded name – Alexandra. It just stuck, really. It’s a name I have always loved, a name that never really made it outside my family, but it’s a name I feel a very deep connection to. When I think of it, it feels like my soft and playful side. It reminds me of my young self, in my Elmo t-shirt, wooden spoons for microphones, socks for gloves, and Madonna. Andie is a performer, a creator and a genuine soul. So, that’s the Andie side. Now, what’s Okay? Well, it’s kind of simple, I like the word, really. I like that it can be a word people absolutely loathe (the dreaded “okay.” repsonse text), a word to describe how you’re feeling, a word of understanding, a word of confusion, a word of anger, a word of exasperation, a word of comfort…its ever changing, it’s a chameleon and yet it’s so damn simple, and it felt perfect for this space.

So there you have it, a bit of an explanation for it all. I’m hoping you guys are feeling the change. The page itself is still pretty much the same, and my content is going to stay the same as well. I just really needed this rebrand and I’m pretty happy with it so far. Thanks to any of you that have been around for years now and have followed me along with this thing. Thanks to those of you that are more recently here, I hope you stay awhile. Love you all so fricken much!

Pillow Talk

June 15, 20164 Comments

Larkspur Vintage | Kilim Pillow Talk After ridding myself of a ton of things during my last move, I’ve made it a point to only purchase and have things in my home that I really need and love. It may feel a bit bare (except for my closets…that’s another ~~scary~~ story!), but I’d rather accumulate things over time that I really care for, rather than just trying to fill up the space with whatever, as soon as possible. In the last year my attachment to things has changed quite significantly. It could just be growing, aesthetics changing and feeling less need to hang onto every bit and bob I’ve had for years, but I began to realize how freeing it felt to not be weighed down by things. And I realize how very now and trendy that sounds, but after moving so many times in my life, it is truly anxiety inducing to see how much you have collected in just a year…but I digress.

Receiving this Kilim pillow from Sarah who runs The Wanderly – a shop filled with well-crafted goods, both local and from around the world – felt like the perfect example of finding things for my home that I really love, fit aesthetically, while also serving a purpose. This colourful, woven Turkish pillow has been a great head rest, foot rest, and of course, dog rest. It’s got the Gus seal of approval, so you know it’s good.

PJ set: J Crew (old, but here are others) | Kilim pillow c/o The Wanderly
Larkspur Vintage | Kilim Pillow Talk

Bits Of My Home

May 11, 201612 Comments

MAISON SPENCE

I’ve had a few requests from you lot to see my apartment, but since it has been a very s l o w work in progress since the day I moved in, I haven’t really wanted to share the whole thing – it’s just really not that exciting or noteworthy, at this point. But there are a few bits and bobs from around the apartment that I figured I’d share – mostly in the way of decoration – and some tiny peeks of how things are coming together. If you’ll remember my previous places, I’ve always been a collector of things, but when I moved out of my place with Ryan, I decided to get rid of a lot, only hold onto the things I really loved and live a little more minimalist-y, if you will (it’s so annoying to move when you own a lot of shit). So here we are. It still feels like me – girly, vintage and quirky, but a little more clean and refined.
Larkspur Vintage | Bits Of My Home

Things I Like / 1

March 31, 20163 Comments

Larkspur Vintage | Things I like / 1

things things things!

It’s been a long while since I shared some new products and things with ya’ll, and I don’t think I’ve ever done a so-called “favourites” post, so here we are with a new (not original) column for the blog. I’m hoping to make this column monthly, however, it will not be a “monthly favourites” because I don’t find new, favourite things every month…I am just not that fickle. But I am lucky enough to have some brands send me cool products, and if I do indeed like them, I want to be able to share that with you, along with things I have come across myself or old things that have been my bbs for a long while and I have never talked about here. Anyways! Blahblahblah, I yammer on sometimes…let’s get to it!

Larkspur Vintage | Things I Like / 1

GREETINGS!

I instantly fell for these cards sent to me by Just Greet; so cute! Cards are definitely something I never have on hand, but often want when there is a birthday or special occasion. I’m lucky enough to live in a city that has plenty of adorable cards made by independent artists, but depending on where you live or how much time you have, finding cards made by independent artists may not be easy. Just Greet is a great site to head to when you want to find original designs (also eco-friendly) right quick and have them sent by the click of a button. You can send to your receivee straight from the site just by picking a card, typing up a quick note and Just Greet will do the rest!

lip service

I received Maybelline’s Vivid Matte Liquid lip colour at TFW and holy cow, I love it (and I can attest Meaghan loves hers too, so it aint just me!). I went a little outside my comfort zone and got the nude shade, but I’m so happy I did. It’s a subtle, wearable colour, that adds just the right amount of life to the lips. It applies like a gloss but instantly dries to a matte and is fairly long lasting. It feels a bit drying, the way mattes often do, so I apply a little lip balm before and everything is a-ok.

and make it snappy

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m loving snapchat (my username is pushyspence, btw)! I’ve always been interested in getting into vlogging and making youtube videos, but it seems like such a huge commitment, and definitely new, confusing territory for me. Snapchat kind of feels like vlogging, but it’s way more simple and a whole lot of fun. I love blogging and instagram, but often times it’s hard to share your personality through writing (I do try, though). Snapchat gives me space to actually be the weirdo that I am and offer a bit more of me and my personality to my readers and followers. And on the flip side, it’s been so awesome getting to hear the voices and see the personalities of so many of my online pals.

Larkspur Vintage | Things I Like / 1

SNUggle up

It had been a long while since I bought a new sheets for my bed. For a long time I was using a quilt my grandmother handmade and passed down to me, which I obviously love, but it was definitely time for a change. Since I live in a bachelor apartment (or studio) my bed is a big part of the room, so my sheets (or duvet cover, rather) need to compliment everything else in the room. My quilt is adorable, but it is very colourful and I found it was clashing with a lot of things in the room. So the last time Zach and I were at Ikea I picked up this duvet cover and matching pillow covers and it is much more suited to my apartment. Isn’t it lovely how just a little change like that can make all the difference?

THAT SCENT

A few weekends ago when the weather was beautiful, Zach and I decided to take a stroll around our neighbourhood and pop into some local shops. I was mostly looking for some small antique furniture pieces for my apartment, but ended up coming away with this roller demi perfume from Illume. The scent is Cactus Verde, which is a fresh fragrance that finishes off sweet and slightly floral. To be honest, it was not the scent that drew me in initially, but rather the adorable packaging and how portable it is. You can be sure I’ve been carrying it in my bag everyday since.

*some of these products were sent as a gift from the brand

Bloopers / 1

March 25, 2016March 25, 201616 Comments

i blink too much

It probably goes without saying, there are a lot of bloopers during shoots for this blog. I’m certain every blogger can relate to going through images and finding scary or weird facial expressions, poses gone wrong and just downright hilarious shots. I thought it would be fun to occasionally share the images that just didn’t work out and certainly didn’t make it to the blog -cause I look crazy or scary or I am making a really stupid pose or blinking (which apparently I do alot). Larkspur Vintage | Bloopers / 1 don’t hug yourself in photos, it’s weird.