freshvintage

freshfind: vintage bow ties

The bow tie is back...

Keep an eye on silk bow ties at yard sales. A lot of 18 of them recently sold on eBay for $192! I bought these for two bucks each. After coming home and doing an eBay search, I realize that I should have bought the other ten that were at the yard sale. Oops.

I only had to watch three different videos ten times each in order to ties these. I don't know how the nerds do it.

Help! Which freshvintage post is the funniest?

As I've mentioned a few times, I will be attending the BlogHer Conference in Chicago this summer. My husband thinks I am insane because I do not know anyone who is going. Not a soul. I'm going because I want to meet other bloggers and learn new ways to improve my blogs. I also hear that there are great swag bags and fun parties.

I've read that one of the highlights of the 2008 conference was the Community Keynote. Bloggers submitted their favorite posts, and a committee selected the 20 best posts in five different categories. The bloggers who were selected read their posts in front 1000+ attendees. 

BlogHer is asking for submissions for the 2009 keynote right now and I foolishly want to submit one of my posts in the Humor category. The thought of reading a post in front of a crowd makes me want to poop my pants, so I kind of hope that I don't get picked. But, on the other hand, I hope I get picked because I want to feel like a rock star (but without all the coke and sluts and music). So I'm doing it.

Which blog post should I submit? I've selected a few posts that might be keynote-worthy:

Allison Family Heirlooms (peter heater)
Mind-boggling Vintage Finds (mom plays boggle on toilet)
Vintage Hookers and follow-up post (throwing pennies at hookers)
Bedspread Scuffle & Scandalous Toothpicks (raccoon penis)
Yard Sale Memories, Part I (my mom's yard sale)
I will slap you (smart-ass kid at yard sale & installing a pendant lamp)

I can submit more than one post, but it could potentially split the vote and reduce my chances of being selected. Also, I'll be able to display pictures on the screen, so people will know what I am talking about when I read the post.

THE SURVEY IS CLOSED! THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!

Thanks!

Colleen

Sweet Tea Vodka & Lemonade

The Skyy Lime Light is so 2008. Get over it, for god's sake.

The weather in Pennsylvania is perfect for introducing my new favorite fair-weather drink: Sweet Tea Vodka with Lemonade:

I made it with a generous shot of Jeremiah Weed (?!) Sweet Tea Flavored Vodka, Minute Maid Light Lemonade and lots of ice. If I had some lemons in the house, I'd probably use those instead of lemonade. Or maybe not. I'm really lazy.

There are a few other Sweet Tea vodkas on the market, like Firefly and Sweet Carolina (which also comes in other tea flavors like mint, raspberry and peach), but I haven't tried those yet.

What shall we call this drink? Or does it already exist, and I am completely out of the loop?

Oh - and don't forget your bug-cover (also known as a cupcake liner). Don't want any nasty bugs trying to drink your cocktail.

 

Pink Wine, Vintage Wallpaper & The Battle of the Allisons

My in-laws just left after a week-long visit. You know what that means...local sightseeing along with lots of antiquing. We visited Gettysburg, PA for a couple of days and stopped in nearby New Oxford to fulfill our antiques-shopping obligation.

We also had a lovely Easter dinner at my sister Megan's house. This was the first time that the Allisons have spent Easter on the East Coast. Frankly, Chris and I were a little worried. The conversations at my family's holiday dinners tend to steer towards subjects like poop and public drunkeness. (Hopefully, never the twain shall meet.)

My family welcomed them with open arms, especially when they saw my in-laws' contribution to Easter dinner: a can of wine. Yes, the paint-in-a-can comes in a blush! It is called Pail Pink. I'm not usually a pink wine drinker, but I like this one because it isn't too sweet.

Among my non-wine purchases this week were a Redmon picnic basket, a very heavy German Christmas tree stand, an square ironstone bowl, a old drawer, fancy muffin tin, vintage wallpaper rolls, glass spice jars, and a never-used pink and white striped blanket.

The blanket is a brand called Golden Key, a subsidiary of A&P Supermarket (which was at one time known as Great American Tea Company). The original paper label is sewn into the corner:

The vintage price tags in the square ironstone bowl are a recent purchase from eBay and the glass spice jars were from a local thrift store. The German Christmas tree stand pictured above ($12) and muffin tin ($4) were found at the New Oxford Antique Mall. When Erin and I sold our junk at the Kimberton Antiques Show last year, we sold all of the muffin tins that we brought with us. I snatch them up whenever I see them at a good price. One of my favorite muffin tins sits on my dresser and corrals all of my jewelry.

I finally found vintage wallpaper! This is a first for me. Two rolls are the same pattern and appear to be complete. I don't think these are very old (1960s?), but I love the pattern. The roll on the bottom of the photo is definitely older. Maybe from the 1930s.

After spending two days learning about the Battle of Gettysburg, the Allisons had their own battle when my father-in-law Jim spotted this beautiful pitcher and bowl at the Pennsbury-Chadds Ford Antiques Mall. It has aqua-colored flowers, no chips or cracks and was a steal at $40. The Allisons usually sell these for at least $100 in their booth at an antiques mall in Cle Elum, WA. My mother-in-law Mary didn't want to buy it because it was heavy, breakable and the cost of shipping it home to Yakima would substantially eat into their profits. Jim bought it anyway.

After a few days of Mary's subtle, yet acerbic, ribbing, Jim threw in the towel and agreed to leave it at our house. When they left for home this morning, Jim was practically kissing Mary's feet and sobbing in apology. It was quite a turnaround from his attitude at the antiques store when he first bought it.

I am convinced that Mary has powers beyond this world. She is like Officer Parkman from Heroes who uses mind control to make people do things against their will.

I told them I would sell it at my next sale (whenever that is) and send them the profits. But I'm digging the way it looks in our living room/office: