More Vintage Aprons

 

I took my husband's advice and did a little - just s little bit - of shopping for my shop today. I ran into the Salvation Army and ran out with three vintage aprons, a hat, a robe (coming later) and a couple other things not for the shop. The place was packed with stuff for once; it looked like they had cleaned out an entire estate.
This is how I get inventory for my shop - by frequenting local thrift shops, yard sales, estate sales, auctions; things like that.
It takes a long time. Sometimes I go weeks and don't find anything at all worth offering to the public. Other times I luck out and get a great stash.
I can spend a whole six hour afternoon scouring three main local thrift shops. I have to carefully consider every item before buying it. Is it in good condition? Is is desirable enough to re-sell? Can I sell it for a fair price and still make a reasonable profit? What is it's age? What is it's value as a collectible? Is it broken? Is it too worn? What about the tags; what can I ascertain from them? Can I paint it? Can I recycle it? Can I fix it? Can I......
Anyway. It does take a lot of time. But it is something I enjoy doing; I consider myself a rescuer of old things. Like picking up kittens and puppies.
This hat neeeeeeeds me! It neeeeeeds a good home! Just look at those "eyes"..... how can I resist? Poooooor hat.

 

 

 

After making stops at the shops, I make one last stop and pick up camera batteries. The Titanium, or the lithium ones. The camera must be fed.
Such a hard job. But, someones got to do it. Tee hee.

Madly, Insanely, Crazy in Love!!!!!!!!

 

I have been adding to my Etsy Favorites on my shop page the past few days. Basically, it is a collection of all my favorite items and sellers from all over Etsy. Click onto my shop and click on the "favorites" link there. It will show you all of the items I heart!

Today I found my newest internet love, The Honeycomb. Oh - my - goodness. The hair pieces she has made me swoon! Especially her "woodland collection." All I could think was if only I had known - this would have been perfect for my wedding. Oh well. That was almost 2 years ago. :) The designs are sooooo romantic. Her pictures are soooooo romantic. I am completely in LOVE.

 

This dress is another fave I found somewhere recently. Now I cannot even remember where. What a delicious 1950's doosey. It is scrumptious black lace over a beige "shell". The bow I could do without, but the dress? I could just wear it every day for the rest of my life and be happy. Except in cold weather. Then I'd need a matching velvet coat or fur or something. Awwwww, shucks! :)

 

So jump on over to my Etsy and check out my favorite sellers and items! Most of the stuff in my favorites is pretty inexpensive, as well! Perfect for Christmas gifts.
Now, let me get back to gazing at the stuff on The Honeycomb........
*sigh*............ PS - in case you are disturbed but this, I am also madly inlove with my husband, also. Just to clarify. :)

Shop News Flash

 

(This is a postcard from my antique postcards collection. My earliest is from 1903. This one is a few years later; around 1915 or so; right on the edge of the roaring 20's; but still somewhat Victorian. I will tell more about my vast postcards collection later.)

Since opening my Esty shop three weeks ago I have made 13 sales - when last I checked. Of course I would have liked to be sold out by now but that didn't happen......
I have made a little money at this and am totally excited about it. This morning I slept in and when I got up my Husband met me in the hall as I was stumbling around getting some tea.

He'd been checking our emails.

"You sold two more things," he said.

"No friggin' way," I said.

Then I glanced in at my Pay Pal account.

Indeed I had sold two more things; a hat - which are my most popular items - and one of my (cheaper) beaded handbags. (I have some pricey ones; consigning for my friend Ann.)

"You know what this means?" I ask him.

"No, what?"

"My photos are eye catching enough to drag people in!" (Terrible isn't it? Taking photos purposefully to lure people in to spend hard earned money in hard economic times)

"You're right," he said.

Then he drops this delightful bomb:

"You need to go shopping and buy some more stuff for your shop this week, don't you?"

*Evil Grin*

Happy *GASP* Halloween!

I was not raised to observe Halloween. I have never been trick or treating. But that's ok! ALL my life, I have had the most fun dressing up as different things. And even in my adulthood I have continued to love dressing up in costumes and being silly on occasion! Hooray!
I've dressed up Colonial, Antebellum, Victorian, 1940's, 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, 1980's - oh, wait. I lived through those dark ages of fashion that was the 80's.... that wasn't dressing up, that was the real thing - never mind. Even though, I was just a child, and had NO CONTROL over that.....)
As an adult, I have loved dressing up as different people, and I think that Halloween is a great excuse for adults to dress up and act goofy without any remorse about it later.
This year is a little depressing, as I haven't had to dress up as anything. I confess I am extremely disappointed. So to console myself in my grief on this day without a costume, I have been looking at all the photos of my costumes throughout the years and laughing heartily. There are so many good ones; I wish I could share them all, but I picked out a few of my faves to post.

Last year, Kevin and I attended a local Fall Fundraiser as Ellie May and Jeb Clampett. Kevin even wore fake teeth. What a hoot!

 

The year before we were married, the theme for the Fundraiser was Pirates! So, my sister Naomi and I dove into out closets, found a few frilly shirts, and went for it. I wore my Dad's black velvet knee breeches from his Colonial costume, and my brother's waistcoat from his colonial outfit. A Victorian choker, tights, heels, and a ribbon in my hair and poof! I was "Elizabeth Swann"! (Pirates of the Caribbean.)

 

This was not for Halloween, but one of my BFFs Susi and I celebrated our 21st B-Day together, as our respective B-Days are one month apart. She was a respectable Jane Austen lady, and I? I went barefooted to my 21st B-day party as Galadriel from the Lord of the Rings. Mom made the dress, and I love it. The sleeves!

 

 

Wait a second! Hold on! Where did this one come from?! How embarrassing. This is my niece Abi and I in Darth Vader masks watching Star Wars two summers ago at my parent's! What the.............. :)

Another one of my all time favorites was when my sister (Naomi) and I made black robes and dressed as Ring Wraiths on Halloween. We costumed our horses as well, and rode all over the town. Passers by had no clue who we were! We created quite the stir in the town. People still talk about it. Let me tell you, there is nothing like galloping around on a horse in flowing black robes, silently creeping about the little village of Milton, stopping traffic......

Well this is really making me sad! Makes me want to go dig out my Ring Wraith robes and go for a gallop.

Onward to Thanksgiving and Christmas!! Yay!!

Part 2 - The Street Where I Live

In addition to all the wonderful old houses in town, we have a few shops and stores; mostly antiques shops and a great old fashioned themed pizza parlor and ice cream shop.

Occasionally I work at the Milton General Store Antique Shop. Built in 1837, it has been the post office, feed store, and General Store up until the 50's. (I am pretty sure it was the 50's....) My friend Sally's father owned it and ran it throughout the Great Depression. She remembers selling shoes and things as a child. They also had other General store items. She talks about people sitting around on chairs on the front porch of the store.... just like the movies. I love it.



A view of the window displays - by me. I do most all of the window displays for the General Store. I especially love Christmas time!!



"The Shoppes" of Milton. These are Victorian Era. Milton used to be a booming little place; back in the day. This must have been like going to the mall!













Yep, we even have a pretty cool art studio in town with local artist's work! Quilts, paintings, sculpture, pottery, photography, drawings, etc.

This summer the public TV station in NC came up to do a "thing" on Milton. I happened to be working in the store that day, and I got interviewed! I was even on TV. I still haven't seen it. I was so glad I decided to wear a vintage style sundress that day. It just fit.

Well, that's it for now! I sure hope you come visit Milton, NC soon! We'd love to have ya! Plan to spend the day!

Y'all come back now, hear?

Antique and Vintage Handbags - I'm in love!

My friend Ann emailed me the other day. "I have these beaded bags," she says. "Why don't you put them in your Etsy shop?" I agreed. I was thinking your typical 1950's - 60's beaded bags; I have a few, and they are cute.
When I went to Ann's to pick them up, what she brought out was antique bags. I am in love.

Here is a cute little brown satin and glass beads 1940's number:

 

And a copper colored glass beaded one, also 1940's:




This is a 1920's Art Deco beaded bag in unbelievable condition! The satin lining is still perfect. Gold glass beads with a metal frame and chain. I wish it were mine.....





Here is another 1920's "flapper" bag - silver mesh, with a drawstring. UNbelieveable condition! (This one is not going to be for sale, though. I just couldn't resist showing it while I had the chance.)


This is the most rare piece: a turn of the century (or older, in fact) coin purse. It is glass beaded on the bottom, with a silver frame and lid, with some kind of Grecian design on it. This, also, is not for sale. I just wanted to tempt you people......





This one is not actually part of Ann's collection; it is just a random 1940's black crepe handbag on hand. It pales in comparison to Anne's collection - and it is a fraction of the price as well!



I really struggled with taking photos this week - none seemed to turn out right. Or maybe it was just these handbags. I simply cannot do them justice with my meager attempts. They are worthy of a spread in Victoria Magazine.

I am such a handbag fanatic. I just want to sit these somewhere and gaze at them while I can.

On the Street Where I Live

Well, on the street where I lived, actually. I grew up in a small, rural, historical town in North Carolina about 8 miles from where I live now on a farm in Virginia. Milton is an adorable little hamlet set on a hill overlooking the Dan River for which nearby Danville, VA. is named.
I was born a North Carolina girl and I will always be a North Carolina girl; and I will always have a soft spot in my heart for my home in Caswell County, and my hometown of Milton.
I ran for the office of Town Commissioner in the last municipal elections; and lost. Too young and inexperienced, I guess. Although I did have quite a group of supporters who voted for me.
Even though I do not live there anymore, I am still a board member of the Milton Historic Preservation and Beautification Society there.

This will be a 2-part post, as there are faaaaar too many pictures for one post. This leg of the "tour" will cover some of the homes in the township. So, let the tour begin!

 

We members of the Preservation and Beautification sold countless hot dogs, countless pounds of NC BBQ, Thousands of raffle tickets, and lots of baked goods to raise the money to build this rock sign that greets you upon entering our town. As you can see, the town was incorporated in 1796 - in the Colonial Era. Few houses from that time remain. Most you will see are Antebellum and Victorian.


This stone wall is from then, however. It is preserved and maintained by citizens of the town, and is a huge source of pride.


This is the main tourist attraction in Milton: the Thomas Day house. Thomas Day was a free black cabinet and furniture maker in during the time of the War Between the States. This building burned in 1989, when I was 8 years old. I remember watching as multiple fire departments tried to save the historical structure and failed; the only thing they could do was try to save the surrounding historical homes. They succeeded in that. Now it is slowly being restored and is a museum downstairs.




My parents looked at buying/renting this house a few years ago. It cost too much to heat..... I wonder why?....


My friend Sally lives here. The house is three stories and let's see.... 13 rooms, 4 bathrooms, sunroom, etc. etc.... I used to help her clean it. That is a full time job! It was built by her Grandfather in 1917.


This home was ordered out of the Sears Catalog in the early 1900's. And yes, that is a white picket fence and meandering brick pathway leading up to the front door...




These two places are under renovations. It makes me happy when people love those old places and fix them up....




Afew weeks ago, one lovely old place burned down.


The Women's Club of Milton.... these ladies brought in the first telephones to the town - but not till the early 1950's.

Next time I will show all the antique stores and little shops. There are quite a few outlying Grand old homes, also. But that is for another day.

Y'all come back now, hear?