Thankful for...

Today I experienced such wonderful kindness, from two different people, on two completely different paths. Each bestowed upon me lovely vintage treasures they had found--two ancient sewing spools and a sheet that traveled a great distance (and to think, they found their way to MY cubicle....)

More than the items themselves, however, it was the givers' thoughtfulness that has made my day. They are both busy, working moms, and the fact that they found the time to not only find these treasures, but remember to bring them in, during a time when we're all so busy I can't even remember to bring my lunch....

I am so grateful for their friendship and appreciative of everyone in my life who knows that sometimes it's the simplest acts of kindness that mean the world....

Nifty Thrifty

Here are some of my recent vintage and thrift acquisitions:

Game board, circa 1943

Pair of pillowcases & notions (I love that word)

Set of 12 wooden community helpers

Pillowcase Apron

I recently acquired a vintage pillowcase (there are no prints like vintage prints!) so I set off to find something crafty to do with it. This apron tutorial looked easy enough, and I liked that the end product was something functional and not just decorative. "Ten minutes," however, was a little misleading. Ten minutes for an expert seamstress, yes. For me, lining up and sewing the ribbon took ten minutes. But I am happy with the results. The purple one was my practice apron using an extra pillowcase I had on hand. I think it would make a cute teacher gift don't you?



(PS - if the floral one looks a little weird in the pocket area it's because it's still wet from my DISAPPEARING INK FABRIC MARKER! Love my new toy!)

Spell the Word

As anyone who has recently shopped for children's electronics or just walked down those GREEN isles in the stores knows, there are a ton of TV games, hand-held games, computer and video games, being marketed to kids and their parents. Some try to pass themselves off as "educational," but they just start blurring together as a giant "VTagTechDigiDS."

We are the proud owners of a Speak & Spell, a toy that kept many an idle hand busy circa 1986. During a car ride was the best time to engage in a round of SAY IT or SPELL THE WORD____. It apparently still is. For now....

Home Ec Flashbacks

My mother-in-law gifted to me these lovely publications from a thrift store: a 1979 issue of Simplicity's 76 Great Gifts and a 1986 Wilton Baking and Decorating Yearbook. Inspiring....

"Disco devotees will enjoy the newest attire--a sequined bowtie for him or her."

Remember these wall hangings?!

I wonder if this Fabric of the Month Club still exists? Let's write them at PO Box 402098, Miami Beach, FL 33140

Oh, yeah.....

I've always wondered what to do with the top of a fresh pineapple....

There really are some timeless tips in these, er, artful books. Embroidery stitches, how to make a flower petal with icing. I can envision the terrycloth exercise mat tutorial as an updated Yoga mat. And, who knows, maybe sequined bow ties will be making a comeback??? {Wouldn't it be funny if I made all the projects and blogged about it, a la Julie & Julia? ha ha ha}

Happy Challadaze

Love it: the hair, the glasses, the Jewish women in my family gathered 'round the Christmas tree. I look slightly frightened. And I see where I acquired my love of stripes....

Found Book

ounting Rhymes. Amazing what you find when you go through the bookshelves in your own home. The pages were so worn and yellow (but smelled, ah, terrific) and the cover was falling off, so I decided to frame it. I think I will go back and paint the frame white....

Coo Coo for Cookie Jars

Vintage Cookie Jars, originally uploaded by melissa.coats.

The cupcake belonged to my grandmother Ross. It sat on her kitchen table, and I remember always peeking in at its contents, usually coupons and receipts, maybe some recipes. I wouldn't be surprised if the few small chips by the lid were caused by me. After acquiring this piece, I had to look for more. That's how collecting goes. I found the ice cream cone to pair with the cupcake, and the owl was just too cute to pass up!

Call Me

Call me, originally uploaded by melissa.coats.

This was the week of new phones. I (finally) purchased an iPhone, after patiently and responsibly waiting for my T-Mobile contract to expire. When I pulled out my Razor phone in the Apple store the "genius" laughed, not only because it was so old-school but because it was in such a state of disrepair. It was only two years old.

Then, after seeing some REAL old-school phones at an antique mall, some wheel dial, some push button, I thought it necessary to give the lone candlestick phone in my collection a mate. I knew I wanted a working model though, so Kennedy can have a REAL phone to see and use. They learned about dialing 9-1-1 in an emergency and our cordless house phone has three steps to go through just to dial out, once you locate the thing.

After some searching online, I found a new model on eBay, and it arrived two days later. It actually rang a few minutes after hooking it up, and the whole house filled with nostalgia at that REAL phone ring. Then, I realized there was no caller ID.

It's funny how I can be so excited about something so modern and something so retro at the same time. I suppose that has always been a part of my personality and taste. I can trace it all the way back to my own childhood when my mom would take me to an antique clothing store called Pink Flamingo. I used to love looking at the dresses and purses and jewelry. Take me to a mall, and I would kick and scream, but take me a vintage store and I could stay for hours. Even today I get lost browsing amongst all the memories and treasures of years past. The day I spotted those old phones, Turner and Kennedy went to a toy store. They came to get me in the antique mall, finding me in a booth with old baby dolls and Raggedy Anns, touching them and thinking, "Who had these, and loved them, and when? And how did these dolls make it here, in my hands?" Everything has a story, and I didn't want it to end. "You guys are done already?" I asked. "You've been in here almost an hour," Turner informed me. Leave it to the present to bring you back to reality.

Silhouettes

I am so happy to have a new silhouette of my girl, to go alongside the one from when she was a baby. There's really no comparison! I do think she looks a little like me in the top one :-)
PS - the photo on the right of the silhouette, of which you can only see a snippet, is the Kennedy School where Turner and I stayed in Portland, OR when I was four months pregnant with Kennedy. Coincidence?!?! If you're ever in the area, GO TO THERE.

Boggle Blogger

No, it's not news or noteworthy, but just an interesting tid-bit: our local antique "mall" had a "Vintage" Boggle game from 1980, all pieces entact, for $5!! I bought it!

My grandma, mom and I used to play this all the time. Now Kennedy is enjoying it. She prefers lining up all the letters in a neat row on the table....

I love the box art -- the finger nails, the Steno pad, the 80s font. They just don't make 'em like they used to....