Interview with Dena from Pad Vintage

J. Tidwell photography.

I met Dena through a common friend a few years ago and I have had a not so secret girl crush ever since. 

She has such a good soul and her presence is always soothing. Not only Dena is super pretty, but she gushes kindness. 

With her husband Kyle, they share a common passion for all things retro & mid century. 

They opened a cute vintage shop in Redlands, California in 2012. 

 When did you find you had a passion for mid century treasures?

Kyle & I started hunting for treasures when we first started dating 10 years ago. We thrifted, antiqued and yard saled for fun. We never had a ton of money for home decor, so finding great pieces of furniture on the cheap was big for us. 

 What made you want to start Pad Vintage?

Pad Vintage was born out of our old antique business, Ultra Lounge. Back in 2008 when our collection got a tad bigger than we had space for, Kyle & I decided we'd take the leap and open a small booth at an antique store in town. It was our first taste at branding our image, inventory, and working with customers. We loved it! And we had a huge response from shoppers! They came from all over to shop our small booth and most visitors to the antique mall came just to shop our space. It was amazing! And we knew this is what we wanted to do. 

Kyle & I had always had a 5 year plan for our business, and our dream was definitely to have a brick and mortar "someday." But "someday" came a lot sooner than we had planned!  

Driving in town one day we noticed that a spot opened up that we loved, so we stepped out in faith and contacted the owners. We were up against 5 other businesses and we were chosen! 

And that's how Pad Vintage was born! 

What is the most rewarding aspect of owning your own business?

The thing that we find most rewarding is doing something we love to do on a daily basis. We can be there together as husband and wife and our kids can be with us too! We also love to see the reactions on shoppers faces when they find something they love! We feel so lucky to be able to have this as our career. 

How do you narrow it down to what stays inside your home amongst all your finds?

Well, that's a great question! And something we haven't figured out! haha!

We are constantly moving things in and out of our house. Certain things we love and will always stay, but some pieces just didn't work for our family so we moved them out. 

 What are your 3 favorite finds ever?

My danish modern credenza which was pulled out of a freight container 3 years ago, my pink bullet planter and my Cathrineholm collection. They all mean so much to me! 

Who & what inspired you when you decorated your home?

We love clean modern design with eclectic pieces. Anything that is danish modern will always have my heart. I love the look of teak and rosewood up against really bright teals and oranges, so those elements have played a big role in our decor. 

We have every color of the rainbow in our house, we definitely aren't afraid to mix and match!

*****

You can follow Dena & Kyle's lovely boutique on Instagram 

@pad_vintage

Pad Vintage is located at 
127 Cajon St
Redlands, CA 92373

Current little obessions // mint & orange

That lipstick.

Burnt orange & mint.

spoon flower goodness.

Orange Iced Tea with Ginger and Mint

yum

China Village Beach Tote

Anthro does it again. 

Thanks for stoping by, naomi xo

makeup mondays // Lucia M.

I had the pleasure to work with Lucia for many years. 

Her contagious smile and high energy leaves no one indifferent. 

She has some of the cleanest, most precise makeup skills I've ever encountered. 

She teams up on the regular with her photographer & hairstylist boyfriend to make gorgeous people look, well, even more gorgeous. 

Enjoy!

*name : Lucia M. 

*based out of : Southern California

*years in the industry : 10

*instagram : @macporvida

-How did you get started in the makeup industry? 

The moment I walked by the MAC counter I knew this is where I wanted to be. The artists were fierce, and the artistry was impeccable. It took me 4 years to have the courage to drop off a resume. I never thought I was cool enough to work at MAC, but I said "F it!",  "what do I have to lose?". I was working for my mom at the time in a boring office, where I spent most of my time on the clock reading beauty blogs and ordering makeup online. I had to get out.

 -What was/is your favorite moment in your makeup career? 

I love  helping brides getting ready for their special day, most importantly,something they will remember for the rest of their lives. 

 -What/who inspires you?

To be honest, the people I work with inspire me daily and I am so grateful to work amongst so much talent. I also love lurking the incredibly talented  lotstar, romerojennings, and missjobaker  on Instagram for inspiration.

-What are 3 products you can't live without? 

 My 3 must have products are Clinique's Even Better Moisturizer, MAC Mineralize Loose Foundation for a flawless satin finish, and a MAC 224 brush to create a seamless smokey eye. 

All photo credits : Phillip Matthews

-What kind of power do you think there is behind makeup?

Makeup can positively change the way a person feels about themselves. Something as simple as a red lipstick can evoke a sexy empowering attitude.  

*****

Thank you for stopping by,  Naomi xo

// mid century modern nurseries //

Many of my friends are expecting this year. 

I'm so excited for them and I can't stop peeking at nursery decors! 

I had so much fun doing Soren's two years ago. 

It is such an exciting time in a one's life, that I cannot help but re-live the joys and thrills of my pregnancy with Soren through them.

Pregnancy is not all unicorns and shiny rainbows. 

It sometimes sucks. 

However, fun stuff like baby kicks or knowing that you are in fact growing a human is pretty mind blowing. 

Fun stuff also includes nesting, decorating, prepping and the nursery. 

Soren is now 2. 

We are no where near wanting another one at the moment. 

We have always wanted our babies a few years apart. 

We get to enjoy this awesome little creature all for ourselves a few more years. 

But I am still lurking and pinning many nursery ideas.

I was introduce to mid century a few years back and my love for it has grown. 

The crisp, simple lines of the designs are timeless and adhere to so many different style of decor.

Here are my favorites.

whorange

Simplicity at its best. Love the Scandinavian art on the wall. What a great gender neutral pick.

source

If I had to do it all over, I would so do a charcoal for S' room. And drool over that credenza. 

source

I spent thousands, yes, thousands of hours nursing Soren. This would be perfect for any parent to soothe in style. 

Not that any of that matter when you are holding a crying baby. 

Dwell Studio

I love the color combo here, if you decide to do the classic blue walls for a boy. And don't get me started on those tapered legs. Swoon.

Apartment Therapy

I love how this one can go from nursery to toddler room easily. 

Such a good idea with the atomic mobile. I would gladly move it to my bedroom when they are done with it. 

Dwell Studio

Another great gender neutral pick. I would probably pick a chartreuse or sea foam green for the walls but that's just me. And look at that bear skin rug. Perfect. The hanging globe? Genius. 

makeup mondays // Aimee-Beth D.

Not only is Aimee-Beth a close friend of mine, she is a witty & charming one of a kind person. 

I am honored to feature her as my first ever Makeup Monday Artist. I'm sure she wins a prize. 

I mean, I'll eventually figure out something. 

based out of : palm springs

years in the industry : 8

instagram : @badabd

-How did you get started in the makeup industry? 

I got started performing in theater for my community. Before every show I would have an hour and a half to sit in front of the vanity and use make up to become another person. It become one of my favorite parts of doing theater, and that love developed into a full on career as a make up artist.

-What was/is your favorite moment in your makeup career? 

My favorite moments are always evolving! But some of the best times for me come from collaborating with friends on photo shoots and creative projects, there is nothing that makes me feel more vibrant as a creative individual.

-What/who inspires you? 

THE MASTER: Kevyn Aucoin. I know this answer may seem obvious, but it's honest. I remember the Christmas I recieved his book "Making Faces", I poured over every detail for hours at a time. He completely fascinated me and was the first person who showed me how absolutely powerful make up can be. His philosphy of "there are no rules in make up" resonates with me today, and I love that he wasn't about "fixing problems", he was about fun, fantasy, creativity, and playing with make up to bring out the many facets of a personality.

Revez Magazine

                                               Revez Magazine

-What are 3 products you can't live without? 

My Clarisonic face brush, Aveda's Inner Light tinted moisturizer, and MAC's In Extreme Dimension mascara.

                            

-What kind of power do you think there is behind makeup? 

There is so much power in transformation, and make up provides instant gratification in that desire to be transformed. I love that it can be accessible to everyone who wants to learn, and that the ritual of pampering yourself or pampering another person through applying make up is a centuries old ritual that lives on today.

*****

Thank you for stopping by! Naomi xo 

// Coming Up //

I am so excited to reveal my weekly little project. 

I have come to know amazing artists through my makeup days, and I am so inspired and thankful to know these peeps. 

Tune in on Monday to find out! 

Sneaky, sneaky pops

I have one awesome toddler that knows what he wants. 

And what he doesn't.

While I can't rationally debate with him why veggies & fruits are exceptionally high in nutrients, I can sneak them in these delicious popsicles. 

Which he LOVES. The best part is that he will help prepping them. Dumping the ingredients in the Vitamix and pushing the buttons. 

Now, I am an "eye balling" type of lady when it comes to recipes. I don't really ever follow directions. 

I go with my guts, hoping it comes out pretty good. It usually does! You can use the 2-4 ratio, veggies to fruit. Add any health boosting goods you have on hand, and boom, you got popsicles. 

Here's our recipe for this week.

// SNEAKY SNEAKY POPSICLES //

-1 cup mixed frozen berries

-2 large brocoli chunks

-handful of frozen peas

-1 banana

-1tbs Goji Berries

- 1/2 cup orange juice

Drop everything in the Vitamix and blend until smooth. Freeze and enjoy! 

And then I watch him savoring those and think, he will never know.

Cue evil laugh.

// Conscious living //

I have had, for many years, friends completely enamored with yoga. 
They live, breathe, eat... anything that had to do with yoga. 
To be blunt, I didn't get it. 
I respected it, but I didn't get it.
Being a "go go go" / type A human being, I mean, how can moving to a slow pace, into hard as heck positions, *listening* to your breathing (who does that?) in a 101F hot room, sound appealing?
On top of that relaxing? 
Life changing? 
The hermit and skeptical within kept me out of those classes for years.

Four months ago, everything changed.

We moved to the Bay Area. 
I am utterly grateful and excited to be in a place where my husband can have his dream job and so much possibility for growth. 
However, our family moved from a very tight knit community abundant with friends, family, and friends that are family. All of my comforting routines, all my familiar places and faces were gone. 
We had to make this city our home. 
If you ever moved to a new city and if like us, you were lucky to have amazing roots back home, you know how gut wrenching it is to leave them behind.
With social medias, it lessens the blow. I appreciate to be able to keep track of what my friends are doing, their children, their everyday routine.  Yet, it will never be the same.

So I started having a a tad bit of anxiety. I could not pin point what was making me anxious. I guess a little bit of this, a little bit of that. I couldn't eat for days, my stomach was upset and unable to digest. I just had that knot in your stomach feeling.
After reading on many methods how to "treat" anxiety (no pills over here), yoga kept popping in my researches. With my tight schedule of a stay at home mama, and very little support system to watch Soren if I were to sign up for a yoga class, I was left with very little options. 
I cam across this phenomenal detox yoga sessions (for free!) on Hulu Plus. 

Sybille Gebhardt blows it out of the water. 
After only a few sessions with her teachings, I felt completely at peace with the Ahhhhhhh feeling you can only get from yoga. (Now, I get it.)
She shows you how to do an eye cleanse staring at a candle. I MEAN! It's pretty cool. 
"A yoga therapist and Naturopath, Sybille combines a variety of techniques and therapies that facilitate people’s physical and emotional wellness." 
I cherish that she makes it clear why/how certain positions will help your body and mind to relax and just be. 
The latter is so difficult for me. 
Organs in our body react to stress (our adrenal gland is the culprit for the "flight or fight" response) and causes many ailments to our mental and physical well being. 
It does for me. Often. 
If you are able to focus and elevate your spirit to a close zen state, it is truly life changing. 
I wouldn't say it changed my life. Well, actually I would say it did. It is addicting. Now I get it. 
Namaste.

// OH, SOREN //

“SOMETIMES WHEN YOU PICK UP YOUR CHILD YOU CAN FEEL THE MAP OF YOUR OWN BONES BENEATH YOUR HANDS, OR SMELL THE SCENT OF YOUR SKIN IN THE NAPE OF HIS NECK. THIS IS THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY THING ABOUT MOTHERHOOD – FINDING A PIECE OF YOURSELF SEPARATE AND APART THAT ALL THE SAME YOU COULD NOT LIVE WITHOUT.”

-JODI PICOULT,PERFECT MATCH

BECOMING A MOTHER TO SOREN HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED MY VIEW ON PARENTHOOD. WHAT IT MEANS, WHAT IT DOES AND WHAT IT CAUSES.

I WOULD EVEN SAY IT CHANGES YOU AS A HUMAN BEING. COMPLETELY.

YOU CONNECT SO MUCH MORE WITH THE WORLD AROUND YOU. 

I REMEMBER WHEN SOREN WAS FIRST BORN, I WOULD DRIVE AROUND TO PUT HIM TO SLEEP. I COULD JUST PARK SOMEWHERE AND WATCH HIM SLEEP PEACEFULLY.

THEN I WOULD LOOK AT OTHER PEOPLE DRIVING OR WALKING AND THINKING; ALL THESE PEOPLE WERE BORN FROM A MOTHER. WE ALL HAVE THE SAME, IDENTICAL BEGINNING. HUMANS ARE ULTIMATELY CONNECTED WITH THIS SIMPLE FACT.

RICH OR POOR. BLACK OR WHITE. EDUCATED OR NOT. 

HOPEFULLY THEY WERE LOVED AND CARED FOR AS MUCH AS THEY DESERVED IT. BECAUSE WE ALL DO. 

BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR ANOTHER LITTLE HUMAN CAN BE *AND IS* A COMPLETELY MIND BLOWING ROLLER COSTER. BUT SO DIVINE.

TO NURTURE THEIR LITTLE HEARTS AND SHAPE THEIR LIVES ARE SUCH GREAT RESPONSIBILITIES, AND I DON’T THINK THAT ANY OF US FEEL ADEQUATE TO FULFILL THAT.

WE ARE, IN THEIR EYES. WHICH IS ALL THAT MATTERS. 

TO SEE SOREN’S LITTLE FACE LIGHT UP EVERY TIME I ENTER THE ROOM, TO NOW HAVE HIM RUN TOWARDS ME JUST TO GIVE ME A HUG OR, MY FAVORITE THE CLASSIC YET POWERFUL  “I WUV YOU MOMMY” JUST RUINS ME FOREVER. 

TO HAVE THE LOVE THAT YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND/PARTNER HAVE FOR EACH OTHER, EMBODIED IN ONE LITTLE CREATURE, MIGHT NOT BE THE MEANING OF LIFE, BUT DAMN CLOSE TO IT. 

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO ALL MY LOVELY MAMAS OUT THERE.