Something Old, Something Mine

Hey everyone!

I just wanted to share a couple of recent finds. Over New Year's we went to visit my mom and she took us to a local antique mall and this place is H-U-G-E! I only got to spend an hour there and maybe saw 1/4 of the place. It is seriously that big. lol

Anyway, I found this awesome automatic typewriter:


And these books which I was really excited about: a Ladies' Home Journal homemaking book (this is an edition printed in the 70's), an Easter and flower arranging book, both from the 50s. Notice the brown mark in the top right hand corner of he flower book? Well that was where the intelligent vendor put the price tag and then the more intelligent cashier ripped it off and there you have it. Ugh. LOL Oh well, it's not like I want to resell it, I'm too attached to my collection. LOL

Have you scored any treasures lately?

Sew Me Up, Buttercup!

Long story short: I have a sewing machine. I don't know how to use the sewing machine.

But hopefully one day I will be able to take some sewing lessons with my long term goal being to sew fabulous clothes from vintage patterns. A lofty yet semi-attainable goal, yes? It's either that or get super rich so I can hire someone to make me an entire wardrobe of custom made vintage repros! LOL

To that end, I've started adding vintage patterns to my collection and have been lucky enough to get the bulk of them for a dollar or two a piece. Some of them are not in the best shape but I think they are just charming. Here are just a few from my current collection. (You can click them to make them larger.)







Do you have any vintage-type goals?

Full Of Starch

You know, I love looking back in the past and sometimes dreaming that I lived in long ago days, full of fun clothes - awesome furniture and groovy beaded curtains. Then I remember that back in the day people had to mix starch with water instead of spraying it from a can and then I'm grateful for our current Age of Ease. lol

**This is an ad from my personal collection, scanned in just for you! Feel free to snag this ad FOR YOUR PERSONAL USE ONLY! No big and bad terms of use and you don't have to link back to me just please do not sell this article as part of a clip art CD or anything like that. I will starch your shorts....and it will hurt. :D Also, please make sure to save it to your own computer! Photobucket has started charging for bandwidth use overage-BOOOOO-urns. Thank you!**

In Case of Vintage Emergency, Break Glass

My Mom (of The Vintage Kitchen) is directly responsible for my love (read: addictions) to crafts and everything vintage. I thought I'd share a little bit of both today and would love to say that I made it this but alas, my Mom put this together and I'm lucky enough to have it decorating my house! (Yeah, I pretty much stole it from her after she made it, lol)

A little back story: My Mom loves to collect vintage-y stuff, especially gloves and jewelry. She found these FABULOUS red and white gloves (which came with washing instructions - they are peeking out of the gloves) and made a shadow box of sorts using them and some of her vintage jewelry pieces. (Note: the Chanel box isn't vintage, it's just from my make-up stash, lol)



You have no idea how I am itching to bust the glass and wear those gloves! LOL But I'll restrain myself, this looks too pretty. :P

Have a great weekend everyone!

Avon Calling!

Ah, Avon. This company has been around since 1886 and was created slightly by accident. Its founder was actually a door-to-door book salesman that would include perfume as an extra to get women to buy his books. Pretty soon the women were only interested in the perfume and thus an icon of in home cosmetics marketing was born. Click the ad for larger size:

**This is an ad from my personal collection, scanned in just for you! Feel free to snag this ad FOR YOUR PERSONAL USE ONLY! No big and bad terms of use and you don't have to link back to me just please do not sell this article as part of a clip art CD or anything like that. I will send the Avon Ladies after you....and it will hurt. :D Also, please make sure to save it to your own computer! Photobucket has started charging for bandwidth use overage-BOOOOO-urns. Thank you!**

So many pretty things about this ad from the July 1955 issue of the Ladies' Home Journal, including the lovely lady at the bottom that looks quite like Julie Newmar (not her though...is it?) And of course, if the wife of a senator is buying Avon then it must be good, right? lol

Have a Seat, Have an Award

Hi everyone!

I have my fabulous little chair to share with you but first, check it out: I have been given some awards from some fabulous bloggers!

First I received this from Kori at Blonde Episodes:


With this one you tell one of your New Year's resolutions and luckily I'm actually making resolutions this year! lol Here's one: I want to crochet at least one afghan to give away to a charity before the end of the year.

Then I got this award from Karen at Bobbins and Bombshells:


With this one I'm suppose to list 7 things about myself and I think I'll go vintage for this one:

1. One of my favorite movies is "Bringing Up Baby". I could watch it multiple times a day.

2. If I had less of a post-baby belly, I think I would tend to lean more towards the 1940s in terms of clothes.

3. One of my long term goals is to learn how to re-size and sew vintage patterns and make my own clothes.

4. I think we should ban together and bring back total acceptance and admiration of the voluptuous female figure. Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell and Maureen O'Hara were not emaciated sticks, plus they all sang, danced, acted AND modeled.

5. I wish I could find a beauty salon that specialized in vintage hairstyles. I would totally pay to have someone else mess with my hair.

6. I still laugh out loud watching "I Love Lucy".

7. I'm working on crocheting from vintage patterns, they are so fun!

And last but not least, the fabulous Stefanie at It's All Make Believe, Isn't It? gave me this:



Thank you so much ladies, I really appreciate you thinking of me!!!

Now, on to my chair story:

My church is pretty low key and casual. Our little building is stocked with odds and ends, furniture that no one wanted, bric a brac, things like that. Well, I've been noticing this little chair sitting outside for a while now and when I finally asked about it found out that it had been used to prop a door opened sometime in 2008 and then left outside to the elements ever since. After picking my jaw up off the floor, I promptly asked permission to swipe it and take it home with me.

Poor little chair...



As you can see, the bottom corners are pretty torn and busted up and from being in the rain the cotton inside the bottom is trashed and the metal arms and legs are tarnished. I need some advice here: is there any way to fix the bottom? I would love to keep the original material (leather?) but I don't think the seat can be saved. Such a bummer since the back is in great condition. Not sure how old it is (50s? 60s?)....hmmmm....Isn't it darling though? I feel so much better having liberated it! lol Any thoughts? Now to convince my Pastor I need to retro looking table and chairs set in the sitting room! lol

Okay, time to get around to all of your blogs and get caught up! :D

Out With The Old, In With The Vintage

Well, here we are, a brand new year! A new chance to share our love of old things! (and I don't just mean my husband, hardy har har) :P

From my blog to yours, I wish you a very happy new year!



Here's to an awesome 2010, full of love, success and vintage awesomeness! :D