freshvintage

Two Old Bats, Pancakes & Sanitary Belts

Here's some vintage stuff that Chris found while we've been MIA. To make up for my absence, I'll be rewarding you with excerpts from vintage sex books at the end of this post.

 

We usually don't find home movie cameras that are this big. It's a Keystone Model A-7 from the 1930s. The bicycle license plates are from Wheaties cereal boxes in the 1950s. And the Encyclopedia box was "picked" for us by a neighbor who likes to go to auctions. He also got us the Merck Ether box.

Twin Baby Brownie cameras:

I did some research on this leather pilot's helmet...

And found that it was once worn by the Red Baron:

OK, maybe not.

With "Two Old Bats" in the title, I bet you thought I was going to write about Downton Abbey Season 3, didn't you? No, sorry. These two old bats were both made in Philadelphia. The top one was a promotional item from a boys' clothing store called Goldstein's in South Philly - which is still in business. The bottom is a "Boys Burley" bat that was made in the 1910s by A.J. Reach.

Anyone know a Eddie Snyder, a badass boxer for Shanahan Country Club in Philadelphia? 

If you follow me on Facebook, then you may have seen this image that has been violently burned into your brain:

My husband, Chris, bought a bunch of books at an auction, one of which was about Obstetrics. I questioned why this woman had a sheet over her head. Thanks to all of the way-smarter-than-me people on Facebook, I learned that the sheet was to protect her privacy. Makes sense, but there were many other photos of women throughout that book whose faces weren't covered, and who I can now easily identify in a police line-up. If needed.

Anyway, Chris brought home this book last week: Manual of Operative Surgery, written for the Army Medical Department.

The photos & illustrations in it are really gross. Well, hopefully not gross to doctors or nurses or soldiers. 

I spotted this photo in a chapter about lung surgery. I blocked out on her breasts, in case you are offended by pancake-sized areolas. But, again, I feel much more shame about the towel on her head. Couldn't they just crop her head out of the photo? (And, yes, that black line is where they are going to cut her open. Good luck with that, lady.)

In another wacky and wonderful book, titled Sane Sex Life & Sane Sex Living, I discovered the reason that women gain weight after getting married.

 

But before we get to that enlightening revelation, I'd like to point out the publisher of this book: Eugenics Publishing Company. You know about Eugenics, right? That's the thing where WASPy white people (I know - that's redundant) wanted to make sure that only the "best" people bred with each other to ensure a "perfect" line of humans. None of those pesky homosexuals, mentally challenged, Italians, Greeks, Jews, epileptics, and all the rest.

So, this book was written to make sure that sane white people kept reproducing to populate the world with more sane white people.

Insane, isn't it?

What's more insane is that the book says that women get fat after their wedding because of their husband's semen. Also, you should have a sanitary napkin handy after sex.

She should arrange the towel between her thighs, exactly as she would a sanitary napkin, making no attempt to remove the surplus semen at that time, and turn over and go to sleep immediately.

[...]The [bodily] organs themselves will absorb quantities of semen...and it is most healthful and beneficial to them, and to the woman, to have them do so. It is for this cause that many women increase in flesh, and even grow fat after they are married and so can avail themselves of this healthful food. 

[...] So, after the act of coition is over, let the woman slip a "bandage" into place as soon as possible, and go to sleep. If she sleeps long, so much the better, so much more will she be benefited by the presence of the semen and its absorption. 

Guess what? The whole book is online, so you can read it yourself. 

So, go get your garter. No, not the sexy black one - the one that your mom wore when Aunt Flo is visiting.

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Hey, Philly-area locals: come see us at Clover Winter Market in Philly on January 27th!

What a segue, right?!

Buy half-price tickets online now: two for $5
Or, snag a VIP ticket while they last! Early admission, a swag bag and a boozey coffee drink!

There will be food trucks. That's reason enough. Find more info here: Clover Market.

 

Tool Safety Charts for Pregnant Dummies

As promised, here are a few more finds from our trip to Madison Bouckville...

These were our biggest purchases. And I just about died when I saw them. Three mid-century anatomical wall charts that were in a college lecture hall: the brain, the heart and eye/ear.

This "55 or Bust" basketball game is dated 1924. Chris and I both played basketball in high school, so we love anything vintage basketball. He thought I overpaid for it ($30), but I did a little research when we got home, and saw that the same game sold for $120 on an online auction (not eBay). We won't price it that high, though. Because we like to actually sell stuff.

We bought this blue beadboard wall cupboard and the wooden roller skate case in NY. Chris already sold the case to a member of a local roller derby team. So cool! The Havertown Beverage crate and seltzer bottles were PA purchases.

Have you ever seen a Scamp? It's a brand of fiberglass travel trailers. This is a nameplate that was pulled from one. They date as early as 1971, and are still being made today.

I also found Keith's Theatre Dress Circle tag - I think that was handed out when you checked your coat. Keith's opened in 1901 in Philadelphia, and was renamed the Randolph Theater in 1949, so I'm guessing that this is from the thirties or forties.

And then there's the 1949 Girl Scout catalog. So many cute things! I love these colorful handkerchiefs and headbands (although the ginger girl scout looks likes she crazy-glued her eyelids open):

Look at this hot babe in a Girl Scout bathing suit. Not conducive to fetching firewood, I reckon.

Here's the real reason I bought this catalog: the beat-up camera ad on the back cover. I found the same Kodak Girl Scout Jem Jr. camera on eBay - it sold for $76. I guess I'm not getting one anytime soon.

More safety charts!

"Pack a wallop?"  It's called ELECTROCUTION.

I find it hard to believe that this guy really broke a limb...that ladder is not very tall. 

He looks like he's trying to break the wood with his eyebrows. I think he did this on purpose. He likes it.

This one brings back a terrible, horrible memory of my own eye injury...

No, I wasn't operating a grinder while wearing a necktie. I was installing Pottery Barn shelves while 41 weeks pregnant.

Twas the night before my scheduled c-section with Maeve back in 2004. (Just for context - Finn was born 17 days after his due date via c-section, weighing in at 10 lbs 7oz. I didn't want to go that late with Maeve and risk giving birth to another toddler, so we scheduled a c-section seven days after her due date with the high hopes that she would be born earlier).

Maeve's nursery was pretty much complete. But at the last minute, I decided to hang a pair of Pottery Barn wall shelves that I had just bought at a floor sample sale. I HAD TO GET IT DONE. It was 7pm on the evening before my 7am appointment to give birth. I busted out my electric drill and got to work.  

The walls had ugly paneling that we had painted lime green several weeks earlier. As I drilled into the paneling to create a hole for the screw, tiny daggers of pressed wood shot into my eye. I didn't have safety googles on because I was filled with pregnancy hormones that made me do really dumb things. (Please note: As soon as Maeve was born, I became a genius again.)

We had our neighbor watch 20-month-old Finn while Chris drove me to the very same hospital where I was set to give birth in 12 hours. I waited in the Emergency Room for an hour, bawling like a baby the whole time. It really, really hurt. Like, really a whole lot. I don't know any other way to describe the pain, other than it's like when someone pokes a stick in your eye, but that's not a very good analogy.

Here's where my vintage anatomical chart comes in handy:

Keep in mind that I was ENORMOUS. No one in the ER knew that I was there for an eye injury - they assumed that I was about to give birth, crying from painful contractions. Some of the patients were concerned that they were going to have to help me give birth, right there in the waiting room. I think I saw a few of them nervously gathering towels and bowls of hot water.

When I finally saw the doctor, I made him promise that whatever drops he was going to put in my eye would not prevent me from giving birth the next morning. I didn't want to fall into the Finn trap, where the doctor keeps saying, "Oh - you're fine. Let's wait a few more days", and then I give birth to a baby hippo.

After he assured me that my plans wouldn't have to change, the doctor dropped some type of liquid crack into my eyeball and the pain stopped immediately. I asked him if I could take it home, and maybe drink it or sell it on the streets for extra diaper money. But he said no - it was too dangerous. He said that people actually try to steal it from the ER. I still wonder what that magic drug was called. (I was dumb back then, so I can't remember the name).

I went home and took this stunning photo of myself.

I woke up the next morning, feeling good enough to welcome a baby into the world without the need of an eye patch.

 

The moral of the story is to never poke holes in crappy paneling without eye goggles on the eve of giving birth. I hope that by sharing my story, I've helped at least one person out there...

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Don't forget, Philly folks! We'll be selling at Clover Market on Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Visit the website for the complete list of vendors...it's a looong list! Also, if there is something you've seen on my blog or Facebook page that you want me to bring to Clover, please send me an email or facebook message. 

Madison Bouckville Antique Week Recap & Tips for Newbies

Photo from Madison-Bouckville.com

A few weeks ago, Chris and I made our maiden voyage to Madison Bouckville Antique Week. We went during the first half of the week and I was a little concerned that we were going to miss the biggest show, which started on Thursday. But most people we talked to said that the best deals were found earlier in the week. I'd like to think that they were right.

In order to help other newbies, I pulled together five Madison Bouckville shopping tips that we learned after making a few rookie mistakes:

1. Ignore the official start dates of each field

We arrived on Sunday afternoon and drove straight to the fields so that we could get a better idea of how we were going to tackle them on Monday morning. We didn't realize that you were allowed to shop while people were setting up - so we ended up buying a few things on Sunday. After talking to a few people, we learned that some dealers had been setup since Friday and were selling like crazy over the weekend. 

2. Dealers don't like to wake up early

Chris and I arrived at the fields at 6am, which is a late start in Pennsylvania. It looked like the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse - NO ONE was around, except for a few weirdos who had just recently crawled out of their vans. Things didn't start jumping until 9am.

3. Re-visit fields that you saw the previous day

After we felt like we had seen everything, we went back and to the fields we already shopped and found lots of new dealers that had just arrived.

4. Look no further if you need vintage camp & cabin goods

Adirondack pack baskets, snow shoes, skis and fishing gear were everywhere. We don't have an abundance of those items in my area (or they are super expensive). But you really had to shop around - we saw cool old snow shoes for $40 on the first day, and didn't buy them. We realized by the following day that $40 was really cheap - most of the snow shoes we saw were in the $65-125 range. We did find a couple of old pack baskets for a relatively low price.

5. If you can't book a hotel nearby, stay at one of the casinos

Our trip was planned too late to find a room really close to the flea markets, so we extended our search a bit north. We ended up staying at the Turning Stone Casino, and loved it. They have four different properties: The Inn, Hotel, Tower and Lodge, each with varying price ranges. We stayed at the Hotel. You also get ten dollars in free slot dollars, if you're into that sort of thing, which we are. 

The 25-minute drive from the casino to Bouckville was so pretty that we actually took pictures from the car. We ended up deleting them because they were terrible, but we just didn't want to forget those green rolling hills and old barns.

Vernon Downs Casino & Hotel is just a few minutes past Turning Stone - we heard good things about that hotel, too.

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So, was the five hour trip worth it? Definitely, yes. We bought lots of good stuff that we wouldn't have been able to easily find around here. I would say that the prices were comparable to Adamstown, PA flea markets: some dealers are super expensive, but most are reasonable enough for resale. Everyone was open to a little negotiating, too.

We had a great time hanging out with Gina & Paul from Vintage Junk in my Trunk (here's one of her many recaps of their trip). I'm still trying to remember what I ate for dinner, since I had too many glasses of chardonnay. We arrived a little late to meet them at Ye Olde Landmark Tavern, because Chris and I had just finished taking everything out of our van to squeeze in a vintage 60-drawer card catalog.

Chris promptly put it on Craigslist when we returned, and it sold within two days.

If you follow me on Facebook, you also saw the Fanny Farmer Candies sign. Chris doesn't look very excited in that photo - he was just annoyed that I took ten photos of him holding this heavy sign with the hot sun beating down on him. It didn't help that he had never heard of Fanny Farmer, and didn't believe me when I said that people on the East Coast would recognize the name.

The dealer who sold us the card catalog saw the sign in the back of our van. Her first job was as a line worker at the Fanny Farmer candy factory in Rochester, NY. She said that her job was just like the I Love Lucy episode - she and her co-workers spent most of their time eating candy and trying to catch up with the conveyor belt. It was such a sweet, sentimental story from a lovely lady. Until I caught her trying to steal the sign from the back of the van and I had to punch her square in the fanny.

Okay - that part's not true. But I think her candy factory story was true.

Anyway, I'm writing up another post with more photos of our finds, but here's a little taste...

A vintage fencing mask, pack basket #2, anatomical wall chart of the heart, metal "S", racetrack sign, old new stock of girly barrettes, antlers mounted on lime green velvet (a hipster just died and went to heaven), and a white beadboard cupboard on casters.

And here's one of the nine Stanley Safety Charts that I acquired (more to come):

Guns don't kill people. Screwdrivers kill people.

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For those of you in the Philadelphia area, freshvintage will be selling at two fabulous sales in September (in addition to our regular store hours). Come see me!

Brandywine View Antiques Fall Fest
9am to 4pm on Saturday, September 8, 2012 
Our vintage camper will be making an appearance!
(Maeve recently named it "DJ Lemon Lime" for its yellow & green paint)

Clover Market
10am to 5pm on Sunday, September 16, 2012
Follow the Clover Facebook page for features on all of the new vendors

Summer Kick-off

Thanks again to Mary Kay Andews for choosing freshvintage as a stop on her national book tour for Spring Fever. Some of her fans drove more than two hours just to meet her! It was a great time....we laughed, we laughed some more, and then my husband did some kind of a weird booty-shaking dance for Mary Kay. And scared away some paying customers.

Here's Mary Kay with some fans that Chris did not scare away:

Congrats to the five winners of the Spring Fever Book Giveaway: Alissa, Meghan, Heidi, Shara, and Kelly!

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So, Highland Orchards is hopping! The strawberry-picking season was in high gear for the past few weeks, and now it's time for blueberries, raspberries and yellow peaches. If you are too lazy to pick, just buy some pre-picked fruit. Or pies. It's all fresh - you can't go wrong.

Yeah, I know, most of you can't come here and pick fruit and witness Chris' booty-shaking. So, I'll share a few pics just to keep you quiet:

 

Chris scored a few Light n' Lively Milk posters. I love the one with the baby in the backseat. This milk was made by Sealtest. Yes, everything comes back to Sealtest...

My friend Mary from Vidalia's Vintage scored these old watchmaker's cabinets. They once stored hundreds of watch crystals, but now they would be great for jewelry-making storage or crafts or office supplies or just as cool industrial decor in your home.

Also from Vidalia's Vintage, a beautiful antique book cabinet with glass doors, straight out of a local judge's office (she totally stole it and is doing hard time now). Why buy Billy when you can have the real thing for an even better price?

Yes, that's a SIGNED copy of Summer Rental. Only one left, so get here quick!

A BLUE Kodak Junior, which I may need to keep for myself. I want to amass a collection of "rainbow" cameras like this guy. I don't think I've ever felt such pangs of jealousy.

Some beachy finds...  

And our tribute to red, white and blue:

Happy Summer!

Fly Traps, Boxing Babies and Ham Sticks

This is a post about the stuff laying around our house that needs to go to our shop. Strangely enough, the shit all over our dining room table isn't making us any money! Weird.

Lots of floral frogs, in all shapes and sizes: 

A cement scottie dog: (I love a dog that doesn't shed, bark or poop. Might need to keep this one.)

Vintage golf and bowling trophy parts:

A fly trap:

It's a BIG STINKY FLY TRAP. The makers of this thing don't mince words. 

A few brass faucets:

Another Infant of Prague statue. This one has clothes, unlike the other ones I shared on my Facebook page. And it doesn't have eyes that make you wish for a quick death.

A big lab timer:

A World War II-era Navy pilot tin toy gun:

Bottle openers and wine/liquor pourers, some American and some German. The plastic chicken pourer is the best. Seems a little childish for a wine bottle, doesn't it?

A bunch of bottles from a Philadelphia soda maker, Esposito:

Yes, that one on the left features a diapered baby in boxing gloves. "The Champ of Thirst Quenchers!"  

Nope - not creepy at all.

We also have hundreds of photos that we bought from someone who cleaned out a local estate. If you compare these photos to those from normal families, you would find that this group has a wildly disproportionate number of random people holding ham products.

And they needed captions.

 

 Feel free to leave your own captions in the comments below!

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Don't forget - Author Mary Kay Andrews is coming to freshvintage for a book signing on June 10th. This will be a great event, with PRIZES for visitors and fun treats. Don't miss it!

And congrats are in order for Mary Kay - she just announced that her paperback of Summer Rental will debut on the New York Times Bestseller List at #18 next week. Yay for you!

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One more thing - we'll be selling again at the Vintage Garage Sale on June 1st in West Chester, PA. We had a great time in May, so we're coming back with more cool finds. There will be some new vendors this month (including Lisa from Brandywine View), and a few of the same from last month. There are a few spots still open, so visit the website for more info.

Cubbie Crazy

Chris went on some kind of mad cubbie shopping spree last week. And I am totally fine with that.

The long skinny ones in the back left are the perfect size for displaying the Rewined candles in the shop. (The seasonal Mimosa-scented candles just came in and they are delish!)

The one on the right has an old Nail Chart tacked on the side.

The Philadelphia tri-state area is also known as the Delaware Valley (as in the Delaware River, which divides PA from NJ). I might need to keep this crate for myself.

This is my favorite of the bunch. It was probably used in a post office - it has little metal plates with names of Lancaster County, PA towns like Lampeter, Millersville and New Providence.

More cameras. The two Brownie Hawkeyes have already sold since I took this photo last week, and Chris brought six more vintage cameras to the shop today. He just called an hour ago to tell me that one of those sold, too. I wish I could manufacture vintage cameras. Or at the very least, create a time machine and buy up all of the cameras between 1900 and 1950 and stash them in a bomb shelter for safe-keeping until I can retrieve them in the present time.

I'm glad Chris bought this megaphone. He probably remembered that I found one a few years ago.

I don't know why they are wishing death on the poor Schnitzel.

I googled the Die Schnitzel Bunk Jug Band, and immediately found an ad in a 1933 Reading, PA newspaper.

Sounds like a fun night, doesn't it? For a quarter, you get a Hoe Down with a jug band, a bunch of Amish hill billies and the chance to win prizes. I wonder if they had bottle service back then. Oh, wait - 1933 is the end of prohibition, so that place must have been CRAAA-ZEEEY. 

Anyway, here are some deer antlers lovingly mounted on a handsewn stuffed fabric heart. 

My late grandfather played football for Franklin and Marshall back in the 1930s. That's when the football players wore safari hats instead of helmets. Back then, they didn't have goal posts - they just used a pair of giraffes. They played against lions and tigers, which was good on one hand, since big cats can't catch a football for shit. But bad in that most of the players lost at least one limb by the third quarter.

Okay...I don't know why the hell this safari hat has an F & M label. But my granddad really did play there.

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We had a blast at our Grand Opening and we're very happy to report that our Square got a lot of use! Here we are, in a pic taken by Sue.

Our customers and guests ate lots of yummy cake pops, made by Cakes and Candies by Maryellen in West Chester, PA. 

A few guests had a taste of local wine (we had lots left over, which is never a bad thing).

So many friends and family members came to see us, including my mom, grandmom, two aunts, an uncle, a cousin, lots of neighbors, co-workers, siblings, nieces, nephews and some very supportive local antique dealers. Here's a pic of me with Allison from Nannygoat Antiques & Vintage Style and Sue from Vintage Rescue Squad (here's her recap). I am holding a lucky horseshoe (a gift from Allison) and a bottle of Bitch wine (a sweet gift from Sue).

Thanks to everyone who came on March 10th, and those who have visited us since then. We were recently cleaned out by a big-time dealer, so we've been bringing in lots and lots of new inventory. 

My in-laws will be visiting for the next week from Yakima, WA and they will be working their little butts off. I don't care if my Father-in-Law, Jim, has a new hip and shoulder - he will be carrying purchases to customers' cars whether he likes it or not. And probably drinking all of the leftover wine, so please be cautious while driving in the parking lot.

Paging Dr. A. Willy

Methinks the groundhog will not see his shadow, and winter is almost over, because I scored some primo junk this week. Spring junk. My sister Erin (who was BORN on Groundhog Day) and I went to some outdoor markets and shops in Adamstown a couple of weekends ago. It was freezing, and there weren't many dealers in the outside markets, but we were still able to score a few good finds.

The light blue Steelcase desk and office chair weren't from Adamstown. A friend tipped me off to those. The same friend who tipped me off to the aqua metal desk that I shared on Facebook last year. Nice friend, huh?

I'm tempted to keep this tole-painted chandelier for my kids' playroom in the basement, since the main colors in that room are aqua and orange. But the ceilings are too low. And I don't want the neighbor kids swinging from it (because my children would never do that).

I have to keep this old-timey chrome microphone away from Maeve. She'd be belting out Call Your Girlfriend. And doing all of the moves from the video, which she has nearly perfected.

 This is my second pair of children's skis by Peters.

Chris and I were watching Hell on Wheels a few weeks ago, and we noticed that a railroad surveyor was holding up extremely tall measuring sticks. When I spotted this pair at the flea market, I had to have them. 

Chris found a website called Surveying Antiques, and saw one of our measuring sticks right there in the header of their website, and here in these photos.

The one with the black & white painted numbers extends to 13 feet! Any ideas on how you would use these? I was thinking you could put them along a wall and add hooks. Or, if you were ballsy enough, you could cut them into four pieces and frame an old mirror.

Here's a Brownie Hawkeye camera with flash, and a "Big Community" file box:


Is it bad that I've purchased at least ten copies of How to Attain and Practice the Ideal Sex Life in the past five years? And I still don't know how to attain it OR how to practice it. I am unteachable. (But if you have the urge to be taught, I have a copy for sale in my Etsy shop.)

And then there is my other book - the Illustrated Encyclopedia of Sex. Big thanks to you lovely ladies who pointed out that the first author is named Dr. A. Willy, after I posted a picture of this book on Facebook. What would I ever do without you?

Most of the pictures in the book are run-of-the-mill cross-sections of crotches. Bo-ring. But there were two pages that I had to scan. Just for you.

This page shows the Sexual Excitation of a man. I just love the picture in his brain. Do men really daydream of piles of women awkwardly laying on top of each other?

I don't even want to write about this next picture, because Google will bring perverted people searching for disgusting things. Kind of like me at a yard sale.

Figure C-9 depicts the causes of nocturnal losses of semen. Losses. Like he lost something. "Dammit - where did I put that semen again? It's the middle of the night and I can't find my semen!"

Let us zoom in on my favorite part of this page - the idea that wet dreams are caused by a "Dinner of Exciting Foods".  And the picture is inside a stomach. I wonder what his exciting meal is. Lobster? Foie Gras? 

Let's be real - he is totally watching a porn in front of his TV while eating a Hungry Man frozen dinner. 

And on to my next big sex book score...one about the Amish's Curious Courtship Custom of Bundling. (Okay, okay, I know all of my Amish readers are going to correct me - this is NOT really a sex book.) I had never heard of this custom, but as soon as I opened the book and saw the photo below, I knew it was a keeper.

Bundling is a very old tradition in which young men and women would lay together in bed, but weren't allowed to touch. So, they were totally acting like they were already married, right?  

Here's an illustration of the various forms of "decreasing temptations between bundlers" across different cultures (it wasn't just the Amish who practiced this custom).

 

The lady's body sack is the Amish version of worn-out, comfy sweatpants. Once the drawstring on those sweats from college are tied, there is no chance of any funny business.  And you know that the dude in the couple's sack is going to be looking for something he "lost" later that night (see Figure C-9).

At the end of the book was this image:

So, it's not acceptable to touch each other in bed, but it's okay for a girl to hump a railing in the presence of a man. And check him out....he's all like "Come over here, and hump this fence post instead of that rail. It's way better."

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P.S. Happy Birthday to my sister Erin (Groundhog Baby) and Happy 40th Birthday to her husband Doug, whose birthday is February 3rd! I hope you both celebrate with a Dinner of Exciting Foods, followed by a night of passionate bundling!

My Winter Junk & The Vintage Marketplace

I got me some winter junk. Which is never as awesome as spring junk or fall junk. But it is the best I can do, considering that it was mostly dug up from local antique malls, thrift stores and auctions. Not many flea markets or yard sales happening these days.

I love that metal Fresh Eggs sign. I "found" it by the side of the road. The sign says "Self-Service", so I helped myself. Yep, a dozen eggs and the sign. Don't worry - I left a dollar in their box. That Amish family can just make another sign. 

A pair of industrial work stools:

A glass kerosene bottle, made by Perfection Stove Company:

Ironstone bowl, green & white painted utensil organizer and two huge spools of yarn. If anyone knows what kind of yarn this is, please chime in. It is for making doilies? 

A 1950s Bell & Howell Electric Eye 8mm movie camera. The kids are having fun with this one. When I told them that you couldn't record audio with it, they were like, "that's so dumb - who would want to watch a movie with no sound". Later that day, The Artist won the Golden Globe. 

The eleven heavy-duty school posters are two feet square and are double-sided. I can picture a few of them lines up along a nursery wall. Some have Wild Animals on them. Or Pets:

But most have letters or words, and illustrations. I want the turquoise phone & turquoise radio on this one:

 And the red barn on this one:

Here's a green globe desk lamp that Chris found at an auction. I usually don't like this type of modern style, but the color cancels out all of that. And the cool adjustable handle. I searched online, but couldn't find the same one anywhere. Have you ever seen this type of lamp?

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A big welcome to my new advertiser: Vintage Marketplace! If you are anywhere near Nashville, TN on February 2nd through 4th, I implore you visit this huge market, filled with sellers of your favorite vintage finds. With vendors like Urban Farmhouse, Pure Vintage Chicago, and Time-Worn Interiors, you just can't go wrong. The Vintage Marketplace is a brand new feature of the long-running Tailgate-Music Valley Antiques Show, and takes place at the Hendersonville Expo Center.

There are also some fabulous special events happening at the show: Sue Whitney from JUNKMARKET will be shopping along with you, and sharing her tips on finding the best junk and styling it in your home. You can also witness the magic of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint live and in person, courtesy of Tawnya Norton (and enter a drawing to win a day-long seminar with Annie Sloan herself, which takes place in Nashville in March). 

Anyone planning on going? I Google-mapped it, and Nashville is a mere 13 hours from my house in PA. I could make a family trip of it, similar to our journey to Georgia. That was only 12 hours away. Hmmm....

 

Pigs, Drips and Whimsies

I'm back in hunting mode. Watch out, junk, I am comin' to get you.

Last week, I visited a new-ish store in Downingtown, PA called Little Shop of Hoarders. I know - how cute is that name? Among a few other things, I bought this old sign:

The letters aren't painted on, they are gold and black transfer decals. I've seen old sets of these sign letters on eBay in the past, but they usually sell for over $200.

On Monday, the kids had school but most corporate-dwelling adults (like me) had a holiday. So, Chris and I went to Perkiomenville Flea Market, where we met my sister, Erin, and her husband, Doug. (Here are two posts from previous visits to that market.) We thought there would be more outdoor vendors, since a lot of people had off from work, but we were very wrong. Luckily, we found a few things in the indoor section. I bought these three pieces of enamelware from one vendor who had great prices.

The orange & white colander is from Czecholslovakia, but it must have been manufactured for the French market, since it is marked "Tchécoslovaquie". 

This blue and white French beauty is an enamelware milk pail ("laitiere") made by BB Depose in the 1920s or 1930s. It has damage on all sides, but it is perfect to me.

The man that sold me this blue & white drainer told me that it would have sat in the corner of a sink, collecting food scraps from the dirty dishes. He went on to say that those scraps would have been collected each day by a local farmer, who would use the scraps to feed his pigs. That's quite an lengthy explanation for what I would have called a "sink colander". I don't know if I will be able to fit his story on my tag.

Maybe I will call it a "pig-food collector". It will totally sell with that description.

Chris and I also acquired THREE heavy-duty metal medical cabinets over the break, each of them different. We had a photo shoot in front of our camper last week, once again freaking out our neighbors. Here's one of them (I'll save the rest for another post):

My massive scheme to get what I want for Christmas (also known as Five Weeks of Fresh Gifts) worked swimmingly. My mom bought me Fresh American Spaces and A Very Vintage Christmas. I bought Chris the Creative Cursing book and the naughty apron from my post about Gifts for the Class Clown. Big laughs all around - especially on the apron. The look on my neighbors' faces when Chris wore it to the neighborhood New Year's Eve party was priceless.

My blog/vintage friends were way too generous this year. Sue from Vintage Rescue Squad gave me an adorable print that I plan to hang in my camper:

And last week, I met my friend Allison from Nannygoat Antiques & Vintage Style for lunch at Terrain. It was the first time I ate there - the food was delicious and the atmosphere was everything you would imagine that an Anthropologie-style cafe would be. Definitely on the pricey side, though, so I'll save it for special occasions (like meeting my vintage friends). Allison gave me this super-awesome sign as a Christmas gift.

 

She knows me too well.  Thanks, Allison!

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If you know anything about Native American Whimsies, please take a look at the photos on my Facebook page. My father-in-law bought two of them, and is looking for more information from all of you highly intelligent people.

On the radio with DJ freshvintage

So...I was interviewed on a local radio show last week: Eat, Drink and Meet Mary. Mary Bigham is a food blogger who has a network of websites about restaurants and events in the Philadelphia suburbs (particularly Chester County, which is where I live). She has a weekly radio show on Fridays from 12-1 EST on WCHE 1520. It is also broadcast live online and recorded for your repeated listening pleasure. Although most of her blog content is local, she has interviewed some big-wig national foodies like Jose Garces, the Beekman Boys, and winners from every Top Master Chopped Iron Chef show that exists. She'll ask them anything, too - which makes her show even more fun. Mary also has a partnership with Southwest Airlines where she (or one of her writers) travels to a city, eats all of their good food and makes fun videos about the trip. It's called DishTrip.com.

And she loves vintage, which is where I come in. You can listen to my stint on her show here. My interview starts around 18:30 (but I encourage you to listen to the whole show, of course). Please keep in mind that it was my first time on the radio and I know that I stammered and sounded a little idiotic on several occasions. I hope you still like me and still think very highly of me.

Since it is a foodie show, Mary asked me to offer some ideas on using vintage finds while entertaining, especially for the upcoming holiday season. One tip I mentioned was using vintage medical or tool carts as a hub for your drinks, bottles & glasses during a party. Here's a medical cart that I sold earlier this year at Clover Market. The buyer was planning to use it as a bar. Smart girl.

 

And a tool-chest-turned-bar-cart that I had for sale at the most recent Clover Market (and is still for sale!):

And this very-newly-acquired tool chest that is for sale now:

I also talked about using small enamel tubs or silver punch bowls as beer & wine coolers. Here's the silver punch bowl that I mentioned (for sale!):

And you can find the (not vintage) pumpkin beer cooler on the Southern Living Magazine website:

Mary asked me if I had any decorating ideas for a Halloween party, and I told her about the pair of large framed photos that Chris bought at an auction a few weeks ago. My kids and I decided to scare them up a bit, and add fangs using white duct tape. You could also use white medical tape.

 

She wants to eat your flesh with her cock-eyed fangs.

My last tip was about using wooden crates, glass cake stands and other inexpensive vintage finds to add height to your appetizer, dessert or buffet table. It is so much more visually appealing when your food is displayed at different heights on a table. And in funky, conversation-starting containers.

These divided cheese boxes would be great for shelled peanuts or pistachios...nuts in one side, and empty shells in the other.

We talked about using soda crates to hold rolled-up napkins with utensils. You could also use them to store the liquor, water or soda that doesn't need to be iced:

Please don't judge me on my current inventory of booze. This looks like something a 17-year-old girl would have stashed in her closet....Godiva Chocolate liqueur, Rumple Minze and Old Smuggler. And don't even get me started on the Tuaca. That stuff is deadly.

I would love to hear your feedback...what did you think of the radio show? Do you have any other tips for entertaining with your vintage home goods? Or creepy Halloween decor using flea market finds?