Thank goodness for Instagram so I can keep track of my own life. If you're interested in following me, look me up as RetroReporter!

My co-worker Heather rappelled down a building!	And I took photos!
I got a hair cut and started pin curling.	I met a new guy. One of his (many) shining attributes is this lovely lady, Daisy.
Said guy also buys me beautiful flowers when I'm sad.	I went home.
Helped throw a tea party with these lovely ladies!	I painted my nails for once
Sometimes I get to go to the zoo for work. It's awesome.	I got in more family time at the Red Deer Run for the Cure!

And there you have it, my September! How was yours?

XO Laurie

Some of you may remember a month or so ago when I posted about my Grandpa Marchant's passing. I'm sad to say that my Grandma Marchant, his wife of nearly 68 years, followed six weeks later on September 9. We are all certain that Grandma died of a broken heart, and we all miss her very much. My Grandpa's health was failing, so I wasn't surprised when my mom phoned me to say that he passed. But my Grandma was in good health and had so many plans that she made with her daughters and grandchildren, but sometimes life has other plans.

I love all my family, but my Grandma - Marion Isobel Marchant (nee Huff), born April 25, 1925 - held a very special place in my heart. She grew up outside of Edmonton (it's now the suburbs) and eventually met my Grandpa here while he was stationed in the Air Force and she was working for the American Army as they built the Alaskan highway. Now that I live in Edmonton and love the 40s, I feel a strong connection to her. She was so beautiful, both inside and out.

Grandma as a secretary with the American Army building the Alaskan Highway during WWII.

One of the last photos of them together, which I took a few weeks before Grandpa died.

My cousin Peggy says that there are still some trees from where Grandma's farm used to be in north Edmonton, and I am going to take a trip up there to visit them soon.

The pain is still very raw and sometimes I forget that she's gone, but I have a lot to remember her by. I wore one of her brooches to her funeral, which mom said I could keep.


Grandma also told me last winter that she wanted me to have the compact Grandpa gave them on their first Christmas together. I didn't realize I would get it so soon, but I will treasure it always. Mom also gave me one of Grandma's teapots (which was a wedding present in 1944), a tea cup, a vase, a sugar doily, Grandma's sewing things, one of her faux pearl necklaces, a jewellery roll and Grandpa's Legion cap. Auntie Val also gave me some of Grandma's sheets. I feel very lucky to have gotten so many things to remember them by!

Tea cup, sugar bowl doily, tea strainer, tea pot from 1944, vase

Tea cup detail

Grandpa's Legion cap, faux pearl necklace, jewellery roll, compact

 My Grandma was a meticulous note taker and lots of things were labelled!

"Bill gave this compact to me for Christmas 1944 - Marion"

I miss my grandma so much but I am very thankful for the time we spent together, and also thankful that I have a wonderful and strong family in times like these.

xo Laurie

I love a good excuse to dress up, so when Krista Dee and her man Clayton came up from Calgary to visit Miss Bee, I tagged along with them to hit up some Edmonton antique malls and Whyte Ave vintage/repro stores. Afterwards Bee planned on having a wee little vintage cocktail party.

I wore one of my favourite finds. I got this dress at Imagine Vintage in Camrose and have yet to wear it. It's a dress by an Edmonton-based designer (Trisha Pasnuk) and so it was priced a little higher than normal ($35? $40? I can't exactly remember) but I fell in love and since the zipper was broken, I got a bit of a deal on it.

Turns out that Pasnuk dresses can retail for $250 or more. So, I win.

I had strange hair going on.

Love the print!

So after getting all gussied up, hitting up an antique store (oh the lamps! G and I are going to go back soon) and then lunch at Famoso (nom) and one of the "vintage" stores on Whyte (I use the term loosely) I started feeling crappy - tired and sick to my stomach and just not in the shopping/partying mood, so I went home and vegged out for the rest of the night.

I blame it in part that I was busy covering the University of Alberta HUB Mall shooting/armoured car robbery on Friday. On Fridays I am a lone duck in the newsroom, and when news like a inside-job-heist-triple-homicide-of-armoured-guards breaks, one tends to get overwhelmed. But I thought I kicked ass, especially when you think about the fact that other media outlets had a team of AT LEAST five people on it, where as it was just me. But yes, I felt a little drained after.

In other news - Happy Fathers Day to my dad!


I know everyone says their dad is the best, but mine really is. He's taught me so much, from how to drive to how to play guitar to how to work hard for something you're passionate about. I love staying up late with him, eating popcorn and watching old war movies or sitting around the campfire singing songs. I love you dad and miss you so much! I can't wait to come home for a long, over-due visit.

Hello all! I just spent the most relaxing weekend away at the farm in Saskatchewan, doing nothing but visiting with family, reading and knitting (a post updating you on my knitting projects is coming soon!). I feel so great! Here I am, about to embark on the four-hour trip to the homeland. Nothing comfier for driving than loafers and roomy skirt.

beret: Joe Fresh | blouse: H&M | cami: Ricki's | wool skirt: Imagine Vintage  loafers: Imagine Vintage | wicker handbag: Imagine Vintage

I really missed getting to see everyone over Christmas, but it was nice to come home during a random weekend - there was no pressure, no where to go and it was all very quiet! I got to visit with both sets of grandparents too, but I could have been there for much longer than I actually was. I feel that my vintage and historical interests have brought me so close to my grandparents, who were growing up and raising families in the 40s and 50s.

My grandma Callsen had a few gifts for me. Last winter at this time my paternal grandparents and my parents went to California to settle my grandpa's cousin's estate. Dorothy had a lot of beautiful things, and my grandma is now passing some of those down to me.

I can't be sure of the date, but this is a silk Christian Dior dressing gown. I wish I had an art deco vanity to sit at every morning to wear this and do my makeup in.

I meant to do a close up of the label and embroidery. Trust me, it's Dior ;)

Grandma also passed on this Prada handbag! I know a little bit more about this, thanks to the authenticity certificate inside. Dorothy bought this in January 2002 at Saks Fifth Avenue for $426 (marked down from $610):


My mom also passed down some brooches to me.


The heart and the lady with the dog are more modern ones that she bought (I think I will pin the heart on a beret, it is too cute!). The Christmas tree was my great-grandmother's and I remember always seeing it in my mother's jewelry box as a kid, while the cameo brooch was given to my mom from my dad's mom (it has a photo of my dad in it). I am just so in love with them - I'm turning into a real brooch person, fancy that.

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you had a great weekend full of festivities. I ended 2011 and started 2012 by shopping, visiting friends and family, and getting the flu. Aside from the flu, I had a great weekend.

I kicked off Friday by buggering off of work early (but I was done all my work, I swear) and then heading down to visit my sponsor, Imagine Vintage. Here are some of the things I picked up (note the self-portraits - I'm working on my resolutions already!)

I didn't spot these pins until I was at the till, but aren't they just darling?!  I first saw the poodle ($4) and squealed out loud, and then Peggy directed my attention to the Scotty ($10). I just had to snap them up!

While this 50s brush isn't a direct companion to the 50s mirror I picked up last time, it's a pretty close match and looks great with the rest of my collection! ($16)

More hats! I think this brown turban will be great for lazy days ($16)

... while this coral hat ($35) will be fantastic for dressing up (come to think of it, it went really well with this outfit)

Another warm pencil skirt, this time in pumpkin ($20). Worn over my Diane wrap dress.

These are the COMFIEST shoes ever. Bright red, never worn loafers in my size? Yes please ($18)

Black oxford high heels, need I say more? ($20)

How adorable is this purse? It's a 1960s wicker handbag in great conditions. I can't wait for summer to roll around so I can wear it with sundresses and big floppy hats!

Later that night, G and I went to a farewell party for a friend of his, who is going to school in Hong Kong fir six months (Good luck Dan!). We failed to take any more photos than this one of me, which is a shame because G looked very handsome.

Diane wrap dress | scarf worn as bandeau

New Years Eve I did some newspaper work before heading down to Bentley to visit my aunt, my parents and my younger sister to ring in the new year. My almost one-year-old cousin Willow had given everyone the flu around Christmas time, but it had seemed to be gone by the time G and I and my parents got there.

This is the little flu culprit, reading magazines with my dad. Isn't she adorable!



Alas, someone was still carrying around very resilient germs because on Jan. 2, G and I both woke up at home sick and my mom was sick on their way back to Saskatchewan. I've certainly have had worse bouts of the flu (I still remember how terribly sick I was last year at Christmas and then woke up NYE with pick eye - belch!) but it's still no fun!

I thought I was better today but when I got to work I realized I would be more productive if I stayed home a day and got better.The latter part of today was spent drinking ginger ale and working on my resolutions of reading more and following the 30 day cleaning guide. How are your resolutions going?

XO Laurie

Well, it's that time of year again. Every year I tell myself that resolutions are silly, but I still end up doing them. It's fun to make goals for the year ahead, even if I don't stick to them. Maybe if I'm feeling really ambitious I'll design them nicely and stick them up to motivate me!

Blogging resolutions

Take better outfit photos



I am so lazy when it comes to my outfit photos. I have a tripod (and a remote somewhere, I think) but it just seems like so much effort to do the whole tripod-self-timer thing, but really I think the results will be better.

My favourite outfit photos, like the one above, are when G has taken them for me. Taking them in the mirror takes away from the over-all look I'm going for. So coming in 2012 I will be taking the extra effort to do better outfit photos and better outfit posts in general!

More variety in posts

 In 2012 I want to go to more vintage-geared events (especially now that I know of some people who might want to go with) and hope to draw on my journalism to do previews or reviews on events like the Wetaskiwin Air Show or a local music show or feature pieces on vintage/retro geared organizations like Sugar Swing or the Reynolds Museum. I would concentrate on places like Edmonton, Camrose, Wetaskiwin, Red Deer and surrounding area, since those are reasonable places to travel for a blog. Maybe Calgary if it's really good.

I also want to do more reviews (I have a few ideas lined up) and also some knitting posts, since I have a few projects on the go now.

Personal resolutions

Be more social


This may sound like a silly resolution, but I mean it! Sometimes I can be very much a homebody and a loner, but I want to get out more, meet new people and create stronger friendships with the friends I already have. One lesson I've learned, both as a person and a journalist, is to step out of your comfort zone. I really wanted to go to the Alex Pangman show,  even though G didn't come with me. I'm glad that I did, because I got to see Nicole, who I hardly ever spend time with now that I live in a different city AND I met Miss Bee, a great blogger friend and partner in crime. I also stepped out of my comfort zone and asked Alex to sign a CD for my giveaway and we ended up having a great chat!

I'm a very shy person, so it's hard for me to chit-chat with strangers, so it's definitely something to work on this year. There have been a few times when I've been out and about and people have said that they like my style. One cashier at the grocery store mentioned she liked my victory rolls (she actually knew what they were!) and I am kicking myself now for not mentioning my blog. G said he will help me make up Retro Reporter business cards fro the cigarette case he got me, so I think having that little piece of paper will give me a lot more confidence and a bit of a ice breaker.

Spend more time with my family

This is a tough one, simply because I live so far away and it's not always easy to just hop in the car and see my parents and grandparents. But I do have vacation time that I need to take off, and my goal is to go home and visit. I am so so so lucky to have both sets of grandparents still alive and healthy, so I need to take the time to get as much family history down on tape before it's too late!
I've already have done it once with my maternal grandparents, but I still need to get more info on the Callsen side. My Grandpa Callsen has also done a LOT of work on our family tree and has so much knowledge about not only our family, but our hometown.
(On a side note - aren't my grandparents stunning! Now you know why I am so good looking ;p)

Clean ALL the things
A major goal I have for 2012 is to follow this list to keep your house clean in 20 minutes over 30 days. The only problem is that I had the same goal last year... oops. But really, I don't want to waste my days off doing a massive cleaning of the house when I can spread it out over the week. And 20 minutes is nothing!

Be healthy and happy


I always seem like an anomaly because weight loss has never been a goal for me. I feel that I am at a good weight and love the way I look (this is not a dig at anyone who DOES want to lose weight - there is nothing wrong with that. Good on you! I just feel like I don't need to). However, one of my goals is to be more active and eat healthier. I think I actually ate healthier in college because I walked everywhere and rarely went out for food because it was so expensive (that's not to say that I actually ate healthy - I had a lot of tomato soup in J-school).

I do hope to get to the pool more often (that is ALWAYS one of my goals) but it is a hassle because lane swim is only at certain times that don't always work for me. So my new goal is to swim once a week (once I buy a new suit) AND do bike training once a week AND try to get into yoga. Ambitious but I think I hope I make it happen. For January my goal is to do one of those things once a week. Beginner yoga is Tuesday evenings and the best think about bike training is that the gym is open early and late! I used to swim all the time but since I've fallen out of shape, it's harder to get back into. I chose yoga and bike training to help me regain my breathing exercises and leg strength. I love swimming and I feel so good after - it really is stupid that I don't do it more.

I also want to use sustainable and active transportation more often. I've joined a noon knitting group at the library (more on that later) and since it's right around the corner from my office, I can walk. Rotaract is at Augustana, just a few blocks from my place, so I also walk. But I want MORE walking. It's so easy and in Camrose, we have so many urban parks and trails that it's pretty as well as smart.

All of these things make me feel so good during and after. I am literally glowing - so why don't I do it more often? It's because it's easier to sit on the couch and watch documentaries about Kim Jong-il, that's why.

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OK, I think that's all folks, but I may have more to add in the coming months - which is perfect! I should always be making new goals, not just at the beginning of the year, month or week.

What are your resolutions? I'd love to hear them!

xo Laurie