Update: We have a confirmed winner, Dulcie, whose number came up when I spun the random.org random number generator. Her comment was so happy, too:
That collage is the cutest! I don’t have a crafty/artsy bone in my body and I admire people who do.
Here’s my contribution to leave some happiness – or at least a bemused smile. My bathroom isn’t pink, but it is unusual in a different way. I currently have 40 4-day old baby chickens in my bathtub. I couldn’t find any other good, safe place to keep them so the cats wouldn’t eat them. They should only be there for about a week, but in the meantime, using the bathroom is a major adventure at my house.
Thanks, everyone, for playing. I’m planning more giveaways — and they may be Flash Contests like this — so it pays to reader Retro Renovation daily! 
Just for fun: A 24-hour flash contest. As in, flash mob (not flasher). On Wednesday night, I finished the first collage in my big fat retro crafty office now-remodeled. It’s a Save The Pink bathrooms collage on a 6″ craft board notched for hanging. The background is vintage wallpaper from a stash that I bought on ebay a few years ago, and the pink poodle is from the fabulous roll of vintage vinyl poodle wallpaper that an amazingly kind reader sent me a few years ago. I cut out poodle Fifi with my cutter bee scissors; I like to cut. The flowers are die cut from altered photographs from my “Grace” collection (long story, which I’ll tell some other time.)
Read on for the contest rules — contest ends 10:30 p.m. Friday night!:
How to enter:
- Leave a Comment that shares some Happiness.
- You must be in the U.S., so sorry the hassle of shipping overseas is too much for me.
- I will close the contest at 10:30 p.m. Eastern on Friday night, choose a winner by random.org random number generator on Saturday morning and email the winner over the weekend. Winner must respond within one week. If they do not, I will choose another winner.
- I will post the name of the winner at the top of this post as soon as they confirm.
Other details:
- I have never tried to hang one of my collages made with vintage wallpaper in a bathroom environment. I make no promises that it won’t curl up and dye.
- This one is my first… it’s not “perfect”. But it’s my first! If I become president, and they want it for the presidential library, you’ll be a gazillionaire. :0
Pam ~ your first collage is FAB!! I love the vintage pink bathroom. Congratulations in advance to the lucky follower that wins ~ ENJOY
HAPPINESS is waking up every day & thanking God for another chance to make the world a better place for all!
Hey Pam;
Canada is not over-seas so can I get in on the Flash Contest. LOL Your Poodle Collage is too adorable. Even if I can’t win I want to share some happiness. While driving to my cottage I saw something on the highway up ahead. I thought it was something blowing across so slowed down. As I got closer I realized it was a Mother Duck with a whole lineup of little ones crossing 2 lanes of highway. Well, I really had to put the brakes on quite hard and had to go into the left lane (divided highway) while making sure no one was behind me. It all happened in a few seconds, I’m sure those little duck feet could not waddle any faster. Whew they made it safely across.
Happiness is found, for me, spending time with my family and friends, hanging out on the patio of our 1948 rancher which, unfortunately, does not have a pink bathroom.
Outside the home, happiness is found volunteering at a no-kill animal sanctuary, with the hope of becoming a no-kill nation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you! (BTW, we do have a retro-loving cat, Kerby!)
My mom wallpapered every room of every house we lived in, so i love to come across them again, even my brothers with their cowboys & Indians, cars and airplanes. I had ballerinas and remember laying on my bed, daydreaming of dancing :^)
Wow, Sherri, I had ballerinas on my wallpaper too and that memory sure brought a smile to my face! I don’t recall ever wanting to be one too, but I did want to be the girl on the flying trapeze which is just ludicrous because I am terribly afraid of heights! I was too much of a tomboy to aspire to be a ballerina.
I am brimming with happiness this week! On Sunday my little family moved into our first house – a beautiful 1958 ranch in Redlands, CA complete with a wonderful pink bathroom. It’s a beautiful little house that I am quickly falling in love with. Thanks to RR, I have a vision for each little space and I am not intimidated or overwhelmed… Yet! Im so happy to finally be able to put the incredible resources you’ve compiled to use. Truly grateful to love the house I’m in!
Hi Pam love the blog! My little tale of happiness is that last weekend I went to the lake and I found the little sparkly pink plastic jelly shoe that I lost when I was 7. It was a little yucky from the years in the mud but it made me smile to see my little piece of lost childhood
Pam, finding your blog made me so happy to know that there are others out there just like me. Lots of them. I am not alone!!!
Dipster Deb
DipsterDeb – I love your post! I found this website “by accident” [actually, the Universe led me here
] a few months back. I also thought I was alone in my love of all things retro & even thought there must be something wrong with me. I was ecstatic when I found out there’s an entire community of people who love & appreciate the same things! I super-appreciate the little pop-up ads (no, really!) because they’ve helped me find sources for items and/or materials I never would have known about. Happiness is an understatement! Happy Friday, all you WONDERFUL retro renovators!! You’re the best!
Love your blog and love the collage! So cute! My happiness story is my grandson is finally starting kindergarten next month and his parents won’t be able to let him wear his Batman costume every day. Hallelujah! He calls me Batgirl, his little sister is Robin, and my poor husband is Alfred! We can’t wait to be Papa and Nana again! He’s lucky he’s so cute that we put up with living in “Gotham City” way more than we would like to. I can’t wait to see all the new things he will be exploring in school!
Happiness is going to see my boyfriend this weekend.
Going on vacation with Graham, my husband, who wants to go thrift shopping, to estate sales, and antique stores. There is no dragging him, he enjoys it as much as I do. And that also includes road trips, I love road trips.
We’re visiting Springfield, MO next week and we are both pretty excited! =)
Natalie, our favorite thing to do on vacation up in Maine is hit the antique shops! We go to Searsport and the area is supposed to be the antique capital of New England. Maine is NOT the place to find fifties retro but sometimes I score! Have fun!
Happiness is our 6-year wedding anniversary this weekend!
Happiness is the fact that my oldest son is getting married in October and there’s lots of fun planning involved leading up to the big event. It’s going to be a joyous event!
Happiness is Retronovation.com and discovering in-real-life friends who are also fans of your friendly space here.
Thanks for creating such a welcoming, nurturing and informative blog, Pam!
Happiness is drinking coffee from my vintage jadite Fireking coffee cup in my newly renovated retro 50s kitchen while listening to big band music and planning my next awesome project — a pink bathroom. Yeah!!!!
P.S. Will sent pics of kitchen as soon as I find the perfect vintage frig.
Happiness is eating a slice of warm cinnamon-raisin toast slathered with butter and homemade blueberry jam. And pink bathrooms. And poodles.
That collage is the cutest! I don’t have a crafty/artsy bone in my body and I admire people who do.
Here’s my contribution to leave some happiness – or at least a bemused smile. My bathroom isn’t pink, but it is unusual in a different way. I currently have 40 4-day old baby chickens in my bathtub. I couldn’t find any other good, safe place to keep them so the cats wouldn’t eat them. They should only be there for about a week, but in the meantime, using the bathroom is a major adventure at my house.
Pam, I came across your site when I googled how to decorate a 1967 ranch home (we have made an offer on the home, and if it becomes ours, I will need your help!) … and I have been hooked ever since.
But… to enter this contest I want to share the happiness and delight I get from watching my two-year-old play with a toy that was mine when I was his age: A metal Winnebago (about the size of him)! We rescued it from my home of origin when my folks moved out. My floors are getting ruined from his racing back and forth with it, but I can’t bear to put a stop to the fun. I did the exact same thing in 1972
The idea of the pink poodle collage is brilliant! Now if I EVER find my fifties ranch up in Maine, I will be happy! But seriously, I am so happy to get up in the morning and have my cup of tea and get a big grin from ear to ear reading about the ducks and the baby chicks in the bathtub and Batgirl and Batboy and pink bathrooms and hey, I had ballerinas in my bedroom when I was little too – that sure brings a smile to my face! Hey, I am happy to just be able to get out of bed in the morning! But seriously, I am happiest when I see the hummingbirds at the feeder, or the deer out back in the woods, or the fox cutting through the back yard. I don’t need material things to make me happy – just give me a woods or an ocean to gaze at and that’s happiness for me!
It’s Friday!!!! That’s enough happiness for me
I love your collage and would give it a good home.
Happiness to me is being with my Hubby and 10 year old daughter. Whether we sit home watching a movie or having dinner….as long as we are together…I’m a happy Camper…:)
I just bought two beautiful vintage lamps last weekend! I’m still happy about that. ; )
Poodles and pink: always a happy combination!
Happiness is knowing I’m not alone in loving my pink bathroom!
Pink + poodles = love
Hooray!
pink and blue bathrooms=happiness!
This website makes me happy. I live in a 1953 mid century modest ranch I bought as a starter home when I was 26 in 1995. I never planned to stay in the house…didn’t want to stay in the house as a matter of fact because it was old and boring but the price was right for a young single person. I married in 1999 and because my house was closer to our jobs we stayed here. My husband and I started talking about buying a newer place about 9 years ago, but the more we talked it the more we realized how much we loved our old place and how special it was. We quickly surmised we would be crazy to buy a newer house with inferior construction and a huge mortage when we could fix this place up fine and dandy with what we would spend on a down payment for a new home. So we started doing just that and that’s how I ran into Pam’s website. It has been a source of inspiration and motivation during our process. We love the house we’re in and we are so grateful to be here!
Happiness is many things. My family, friends and living in the doo wop capital, wildwood, Nj. Plus, I have a pink bathroom that was built in 1962 along with a turquoise cook top, wall oven n fridge from the same year in my kitchen!
I LOVE it! If I win, it will be hung in my “what was once pink and black bathroom”. It would be the perfect homage! Great job, Pam!
The weekend is almost here!!!! Crafting time makes me happy!
I love it! I have a poodle bath mat that I bought at the Salvation Army about 15 years ago for one dollar and I adore it! My friends tease me about my poodle, but I just don’t understand how anyone could resist my vintage beauty!
In the past year my life has changed so much. Really amazing sweet wonderful happy things have happened. I adopted a 13 yr old senior rescue, a poodle mix named Sophie who brightens each and everyday and I bought my first house! All by myself! A feat in the uber expensive SF Bay area. Best of all, it has a pink bathroom. I love it and am so happy I was able to get the house and save this bathroom! Anyhoo a bit long winded but I love my old poodle and my pink bathroom AND retro renovation! Thanks for creating this fab resource. – jone
Pink Bathroom Bathroom Haiku:
Vintage porcelain,
Happy pink cheers, gleams, charms,
Reflecting past joys.
Happiness is having discovered RR five years ago. Coincidentally, Pam’s STPB campaign was in full swing at the time I stumbled into the fun..
Even more happiness is having had my love of the collage art from re-kindled by Pam’s posts on her creative endeavors. And, here is yet another fabulous example thereof.
The very most happiness is being a part of the RR family who loves the crazy world of MCM just as much as I do. Trite words, but oh so true!
Stumbling across your website has brought me such joy – and saved me much money in locating vintage bathroom tiles and era-appropriate bathroom fixtures!!
Happiness is sitting among all your retro finds with a YorkiePoo in your lap crafting Teacup Ladies and Bottle Cap Men. When that is done you can always find some vintage knick knack that can use some glitterizing. WOOHOO!!
Happiness Is – Ray Conniff Singers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeXhMS3ipio
That’s what happiness is!
I love poodles. And I would give anything for a pink bathroom
Happiness is moving into our new home…finding the original, fabric backed wallpaper in the kitchen and living areas of my 1940′s home between the sheetrock and the original wood walls, finding an original light fixture still in the celing of a room that was partly closed in to house the a/c fan and condenser, finding out that the original at least 65 year old floors are in great condition and we can rip out the carpet and refinish them to their long lost beauty. Happiness is the adventure and joy you can get out of an old house if you are willing to put in a little time, work and love.
Happiness is recovering from surgery housebound in a small ranch. Greatest happiness is this blog and getting a daily dose of retroness from Pam, the high priestess of all things retro.
happiness is spending time with our grandkids camping in our vintage trailer. We love experiencing life all over again through little eyes!
Happiness is knowing that I have a wonderful husband, three healthy children and a quaint 1940 cottage to go home to after a day at the office.
Happiness, pink bathrooms, and poodles. That makes me think of my childhood in the 70′s. We had a pink bathroom in our 1959 ranch. And we had a black miniature poodle named Babette.
Our mini black poodle was named: Gidget. I named her, of course!
Happiness is watching my four little dogs (3 of them over age 12) spring out of their beds in the morning, tear through the hallway and outside through the dog door, then charge back into the kitchen to gobble their breakfasts.
Oh, and also my 1952 pink bathroom, decorated with Elvis!
Happiness is finding this website! Closing on a house built in 1955 soon. Buying it from the original owner. We love all of the character and want to preserve it as we renovate, it even has a bathroom with Matching Pink tub, sink and toilet.
Love, love, love it! Hope I’m the lucky winner!!!!
Mendy
I have finally gathered everything I need to start my bathroom re-do thanks to this sight! I haven’t been this happy since I bought the house!!! Thanks Pam…. now lets work on my kitchen!
Cheers!
Gracie
Happiness is finding this website when I Googled pink tile after discovering the pale pink tile in my kitchen when I was taking down the wallpaper & wanting to share the news with my mother! Who would wallpaper over tile?? gasp… but they saved the tile from exposure — it is gorgeous! Also they carpeted over 2 baths (yellow & blue tile floors) & also a lovely vintage carpet was carpeted over in the bedroom! I’m going to do some sort of wall hanging tapestry deal with that I think. My house was built in ’63 & I’m getting it ready for my mother & dad to move into. For myself I have a 70′s model ranch that we are going to try to retro renovate when budget allows. People tell me I have a gypsy style of decorating because I can’t contain myself to 1 decade or style! Love the site, love the Lowes rant & I agree!
Our first house had a super tiny bathroom we used it to display our 100+ pink spaghetti poodles. It was the coolest, most amazing bathroom ever and I can’t wait till my kids are alittle older to get the poodles out again. I love your square, awesome job.
Happiness is that 32 years ago today I gave birth to my only child, My sweet, quirky, eccentric one-of-a-kind-daughter Cecilia. It was the best day of my life, even after 32 hours of labor! Thank goodness natures amnesia kicks right in. LOL. Happy Birthday, my dear.
My brother just bought a house with (you guessed it!) a pink bathroom! If it wasn’t for this site I probably wouldn’t have been able to/wouldn’t have even thought to convince him to keep it. Him and his little poodle will be moving into the new place soon so I would pass this along to him…maybe…eventually…
Happiness is a poodle in a bathtub. Unfortunately all I have are corgis, which are to short to get into a bathtub. So I really need an adorable poodle collage!
This is beyond fabulous – love the message, the poodle, and the color!! Great fan of your site, too!
Happiness is this: It may be old, drafty, peeling, or leaning. It may be ‘outdated’, tired, and faded…but….it’s mine
Aaagghhh! I collect poodles. My mom collects poodles. Vintage poodles are happiness embodied! I almost said personified. That background wallpaper is to die for, and so is the entire collage. Well done, Pam!
But if that’s not enough happiness, a friend of mine has organized a tribute concert tonight in honor of Woody Guthrie’s 100th birthday, so I’m taking my oldest daughter and meeting up with a bunch of friends. This land was made for you and me. And that collage was made for me. XD
Love the pink poodle defending pink bathrooms! My sister and bro-in-law have an awesome pink bathroom and one day I’ll have one. First, though, I’m locating the right midcentury modern home!
Happiness is finding something you forgot you had and setting it out to see again! I have rotating “exhibitions” of my stuff, and I forget what I have sometime.
Your collage is great! I hope I win!
Cute collage! Both a poodle and a pink bathroom live in our mid-century raised ranch. Your blog and Facebook page inspire me to keep our retro house real. I now regret replacing the “Zsa Zsa Gabor” chandelier in the bedroom with a ceiling fan when we moved in 12 years ago. Live and learn.
Did I mention my poodle loves to take baths?
Have a good weekend, everyone!
Happiness is a husband that buys you a 1955 house with only one bathroom that is…yep, pink and green!….. and lets you keep it only because it makes you smile every time you enter it!!
Happiness is:
1. Owning my first ‘retro’ home
2. Cooking in my retro kitchen
3. Washing my retro dishes
4. Shopping for more retro decor for my retro home
5. Hearing “We had THAT growing up!” when people visit my retro home.
It’s all in the numbers, and today is Friday the 13th. Not so unlucky for someone here!
How fun! I *almost* posted the lyrics to “My Happiness” by Connie Francis. But decided on a list of ‘happiness is” instead.
The pink was removed from our 1955 bathroom long ago (not by us), and we don’t have a poodle, but we do have a Catahoula Leopard Dog that loves to hang out in our gray bathroom. A pink poodle would be a lovely addition.
PS…we still have our beloved original Youngstown Kitchen cabinets, though.
Happiness is planning a 60′s party in honor of my 1963 Mercury Comet being built 50 years ago this month. It is also prepairing for a retro bathroom renovation with an AMAZING vintage boomerange vanity.
My five year old son asked me, while dozing off to sleep, if [my] Grandma Helen was an ape. Happy he knows about evolution, and that he makes me laugh. P.S. My Grandma had a pink bathroom and was not an ape.
My brother and sister in law have a pink retro bathroom and they would love this!