How to Make a Themed Bulletin Board

Usually when we think of bulletin boards we think of a cork board that we pin reminders on. But actually they can be used as a decorative way to display memories. They can be made in a million different ways and customized to your particular taste.
My sister recently made two boards for our  room and I thought I would share with you how she did it. So here is four easy steps to make a decorative bulletin board

1. Pick a theme.Picking a theme will help direct what you decide what to put on your board.  Your theme can be very general or it can be very specific. For example, one of our boards is themed "happy memories" and the other is themed "Disneyland".

2. Collect what you are going to put on your board. This can be anything; such as pictures, souvenirs or cut outs. For our "happy memories" board, Hannah cut out quotes and words from some themed scrapbook paper. For the Disneyland board she took some of our disney pins and our tickets and put them with our pictures.

3. Put it all together. Start with arranging the pictures/larger items first. then fill it in with the details. Use your imagination in your arrangement. Word of Advice: Don't overcrowd. Less can be more. Unless of course you are in to the victorian cluttered look ;)

 

4. Enjoy your finished product:) 

The Art of an Introduction

     For me the hardest part of writing has always been the introductory sentence and the closing sentence. Similarly one of the hardest parts of socializing has been introductions. What do I say? Do I introduce myself first? How do I introduce my friend to others? Once I get past that part it is usually smooth sailing but oh the slightly awkward introduction!! As I have talked to other people I have discovered that I am not alone in finding introductions difficult and/or confusing. With a bit of research I have found that there are rules (guidelines, for those of you who don't like rules) on how and when to make introductions. But there are LOTS of them and some of them disagree with each other depending on the source. So I am here to simplify all that for you and condense all I learned into four easy guidelines :)

1. When in doubt; introduce yourself first: There are very few people who are 100% comfortable with making the first move when introductions are involved. Pretty much everybody has some doubts in their mind as to whether they should go up first and introduce themselves to someone they don't know. So realize that just because someone hasn't come up and introduced themselves doesn't mean they don't want to. It probably just means that they are just as unsure as you are. So take courage and spare yourself the awkward and just go up and introduce yourself first.

2. When introducing yourself or being introduced, make eye contact and smile: Confident, friendly body language puts everyone at ease. Eye contact conveys confidence and interest in the other person. It shows that you actually want to talk to them. Same with a smile; no one wants to be introduced to a grump. And if you do come off as unfriendly, whoever you are talking to is probably going to make quick their escape. So, smile and look who you are talking to in the eye.

3. A good firm handshake gives an excellent first impression: This goes along with my comments on confidence and friendliness. A good handshake can convey both. However who initiates a handshake can be a cause of some confusion. So here are some guidelines:

• In general a lady offers her hand to a gentleman because she shouldn't have to shake his hand if she doesn't want to.
• A "higher ranking" person offers their hand first. Be it your employer, father in law or the President, they offer their hand first.
• If your situation falls in neither of these categories then you should offer your hand first. It saves confusion. However you are perfectly within your right not to (because of germ spreading or something like that) but if someone offers their hand to you it is the height of rudeness to refuse it.

4. Introductions do not need to be fancy or creative: "Hi, my name is Emilie Cox. What is your name?" is a perfectly acceptable greeting and does not take a lot of forethought. If you are introducing your friend to someone else "Hannah, this is my friend, Megan. Megan, this is Hannah." is correct and easy to say. There is no need to overthink what you are going to say. That only adds stress where stress is not due. So don't over think it.

To sum up; be confident and friendly. A cheerful smile goes a long way. And remember, introductions do not have to be complicated or intimidating so don't think of them that way :)

What is Class?

Anyone who has looked into the world of fashion or social etiquette has probably come across the words "class" and "classy". But what exactly do those words mean? What does it mean to be "classy"?
When we think of a classy lady we often picture a model who wears designer clothes and carries top of the line bags.

Photo Credit: Google Images

The Webster dictionary defines classy as; "having or reflecting high standards of personal behavior." and "admirably skillful or graceful."
 We can see here that class has nothing to do with social standing and everything to do with how one behaves and carries one's self.
Ann Landers described it this way;
“Class is an aura of confidence that is being sure without being cocky. Class has nothing to do with money. Class never runs scared. It is self-discipline and self-knowledge. It's the sure-footedness that comes with having proved you can meet life. ”

Giorgio Armani said,
"Elegance is not about being noticed, it's about being remembered."
Classy women behave in a way that will make them be remembered. They understand that elegance and class start from a heart and mindset that doesn't  always seek attention. They know the difference between confidence and cockiness.  Classy women are kind and polite to everyone. They know how to capture peoples' attention with out revealing clothing and boisterous behavior.

Being classy is not an unattainable  dream meant only for the beautiful and well off. Any girl can discipline herself to become a woman of class. In the words of Coco Channel;
"It's not the appearance, it's the essence. It's not the money, it's the education. It's not the clothes, it's the class."

Welcome to Vintage Bound

Welcome to Vintage Bound!!

  This is a blog where vintage charm meets the modern lady. In a

day and age where manners and classiness are fast fading we seek to bring back all that was wonderful about the "old days" and make it applicable to the ladies of today.

What will you find here? Well, a bit of everything. Everything from fashion to decorating
DIY to etiquette.
 Relationship advice to food.

So do you care to stop and stay a while?