Postcards are Fun Pieces of the Past

I have found postcards to be a great source of entertainment. They are collected for a lot of reasons and although I don't collect too many, I enjoy the history and family ties attached to them. Actually I sell them and have a lot that one day I will get ready to sell. I recently was researching some that were old French Actresses from the early 1900s and I wanted to know the publishers information. So, I Googled for the publishers and I found a great website that has a lot of them identified. It is the Metropolitan Postcard Club of New York City. I started a list years ago and tried to keep up with it, but failed miserably so you can imagine this in great news for me to find a great list.

As I learn about collectors and their interests in postcards I appreciate the many ways they collect. Some are only interested in a particular City or State, probably from where they came. Some like to collect holiday cards or specific greetings like New Years or Birthday. There are a lot of collectors for Halloween and Valentines Day cards. Santa gets good interest too.

Having your photograph put on a postcard was a polular thing to do in the early 1900s and it almost seems sad that so many peoples families are scattered all around and unless they are identified somehow they are unknown faces in the world.

Vacations have been recorded by the postcard collection for years. I think this has been popular since the 1940's and especially in the 1950's and beyond. Every town along the highway had a selection of postcards to choose from....and people loved them!

Personally I enjoying seeing the country and the world for that matter, by looking at the scenes in these old postcards. I also wonder who some of the faced belongs to on the photos and who would like to find them. I keep my eye out for some areas of interest and it tickles me every time I find one.

To see a few of my listed postcards please visit Vintage4U or Timeless Treasures

Buttons - Beauties of the Past

I have been listing some fun old buttons on my AllButtons shop and I just had to stop and vent a little about how under appreciated these little beauties are. They come in all different sizes, shapes, colors, textures and ages. Just a little like the people I know. Maybe they are under appreciated too. God made us all so unique and different yet like buttons, we have a distinct purpose in the world. Some are bright and cheerful, some are dark and mysterious, while others are just good old consistent workers.

OK back to my rant on buttons. I love to look at these things...they are unique in so many different ways. Some have been made from natural materials like bone, ivory or nuts. These are usually warm to the touch and seem to have held up well over all the years. I am a but partial to the old bone buttons that were used to hold up men's old long johns or underwear. Can you imaging getting up in the middle of the night and having to unbutton those things just to...you know. I especially like the ones that only have 2 big holes (the buttons had 2 big holes) and people used to make them into faces using the holes as eyes!

What I am amazed about is that they usually sell for so little compared to the new ones I see in the stores. I keep thinking I will go take some pictures of the new ones on the cards in the stores and post the equivalent on here....so you can see the bargains you can get. Maybe my daughter will do that for me since she has a website about ways to save! By the way her site is called The Mommy Trade - if you are into couponing....check it out she does a great job of finding the deals locally.

Well...I didn't plan to get off on prices...I was just enjoying the different ones and thought I would share. Take a minute and look closely at some of your buttons and see if they are special to you too.

The love of Sewing

I just finished making some costumes for my grandchildren for Halloween and it was just a nice pleasant experience! When they are wearing them ...maybe I will remember to post a picture.

Now I am in the process of scanning some vintage patterns to list in my Allpatterns shop on Etsy. As I read each one and look through them to see if all the pieces are there I am longing to make something. Some of these old patterns bring back memories of when I wore clothes much like these and then I reminisce about those days for a while. No wonder it takes me so long to get this job done! And as you can see I have diverted to jabbering about it instead of doing it!

One of the things I recall with fondness was when my mother helped me make my first real outfit. I was probably in Jr. High or maybe high school and my sister was getting married in Canada so it was a small wedding and we had to travel. I recall being so proud of my workmanship and how I loved everything about it. It was a lined skirt and jacket in a green color that went well with my red hair.

My mother was very patient with her instructions and I did all of the sewing. I remember her watching me place the pattern pieces on the fabric and her explaining the importance of taking my time cutting it out neatly. Now at a much wiser age I agree with her. I used to hurry and try to make something as fast as I could and wondering why it didn't look quite right. I don't think I have ever made anything as well as that outfit...or at least that is my memory of it. I also recall the days when I was hurrying to make things...it would be because my baby was napping or in bed for the night and I wanted to get as much done as I could! Any one relate?

There are patterns in my shop that I would love to make, but most are not the right size or are not my style now...I do really like just looking them over and thinking about what they might look like made. This pattern is one that started this whole process today...for some reason I just think it is lovely! Back to work I must go!

Busy Busy month of August

I have been so busy all summer...I love that some of my grandchildren come to visit for a week at a time. It gives me some one on one time with them. My 11 year old granddaughter is here this week. We have been to Medival Times, Disneyland, pottery painting and clothes shopping. She has been going to VBS at church in the evenings and now our week is almost over. It has gone by so quickly. Disneyland is hard for me but I love going anyway.

My 10 year old grandson was here for just 4 days this summewr since I had a family reunion end up falling on the same week that he was coming, but actually his family was snatching him away for a wedding. I ended up missing the Angel/Yankees baseball game that we had tickets to, but I know they had fun anyway.

I have not had time to work on my shops this week, but I am sure they will be waiting for me next week. All work and no play makes working dreary so this was another nice break.

OK Bargain Hunters...I have Reduced...Reduced...Reduced!

On my Etsy Vintage4u Shop I set up a new section called Bargain Basement SALE. I have been and will continue to go through my shop and CHOP prices. I see somethings are overpriced so they will be reduced. I am just on a lets clean house kick! COME CHECK IT OUT!

Jennifer Lynn's Finds

Hey! Vintage Lovers...Book Lovers...this shop has some nice old books. You can find something for the intellectual here! The name is Jennifer Lynn's Finds

They are part of The Vintage Village that has a bunch of great new shops that sell vintage things. Check it out too! Look for Jennifer's blog there too.

Promoting a Great Shop POSH ADORNMENT

I admired this shop Posh Adornment from visiting The Vintage Village, a pretty new social networking site that has some really great sellers there!

I love the mostly antique jewelry that the Posh Adornment has listed on their Etsy site. My favorite is Edwardian jewelry and they have several pieces that caught my eye immediately.

I highly recommend this shop for anyone who loves vintage jewelry!

NEW blog in town! TheMommyTrade - SUPER DEALS

I just have to share this really neat blog that my daughter started. If you are looking for coupons for groceries or just about anything then checkout TheMommyTrade.com. Tips for bargain hunting...ideas for saving....information about being a good wife and mom...follow TheMommyTrade.com!

There are tips on how to save for lots of things...she often tells me how she went to Target with there advertised sales, coupons from online and her regular coupons and ended up saving $50 and only paid $12! That is worth the effort I would say...especially in this economy!

Dancing with God

I found this on someones blog today while looking for something completely different and since it was interesting to me thought I would share it.

Dancing With God

When I meditated on the word Guidance,

I kept seeing "dance" at the end of the word.

I remember reading that doing God's will is a lot like dancing.

When two people try to lead, nothing feels right.

The movement doesn't flow with the music,

and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky.

When one person realizes that, and lets the other lead,

both bodies begin to flow with the music.

One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back

or by pressing lightly in one direction or another.

It's as if two become one body, moving beautifully.

The dance takes surrender, willingness,

and attentiveness from one person

and gentle guidance and skill from the other.

My eyes drew back to the word Guidance.
When I saw "G: I thought of God, followed by "u" and "i".

"God, "u" and "i" dance."

God, you, and I dance.

As I lowered my head, I became willing to trust

that I would get guidance about my life.

Once again, I became willing to let God lead.
My prayer for you today is that God's blessings

and mercies be upon you on this day and every day.

May you abide in God as God abides in you.

Dance together with God, trusting God to lead

and to guide you through each season of your life.

If God has done anything for you in your life,

please share this message with someone else,

for prayer is one of the best gifts we can receive.

There is no cost but a lot of rewards;

so let's continue to pray for one another.



And I Hope You Dance!!!!!!!!

1927 Superior Patterns

This is a great ad from a Sears,Robuck Catalog during the roaring twenties for Superior patterns. These were early patterns for women's and children's clothing. I have to say the styles look pretty easy to make, but that doesn't mean they were. I have never tried using a Superior Pattern so I have no idea how that would be either.

I love seeing the old styles and patterns. You can check out the old patterns I have on this website: Allpatterns on Etsy. There are links to the right that will take you there.

How I learned to Conserve and Survive!

My mother gets the credit for teaching me the skills to survive the tough times that come into many of our lives from time to time. She lived though the depression and she was German...I think that is a double qualification!

I remember my mother giving me an article she cut from the newspaper when she was about 82 that explained how the wealthy got to be wealthy. It told about the little things that kept them in the green like not buying a new car every few years or spending top dollar on anything. It talked about the truly wealthy often didn't look the part. Those that look wealthy are most likely deep in credit card debt from trying to impress others. I don't recall the details too much, but I knew what the point was and like always I argued with her about it. My mother is no longer with us, and I wish I had humbled myself to say "Thank you" more often for the things she did teach me that have proven very useful. So take note of my error and tell those around you what you appreciate them for today...because you WILL regret it later if you don't.

Back to the thrifty ways to live through lean times. Some things have been inbred in me and I didn't realize it until I saw my children practicing some of them in their adult lives. My mother saved a lot of things like so many learned to do during the depression. She saved those twisty ties, margarine tubs and old clothes....everything that she thought she might use again one day. These people have provided us Antique, Vintage collectors/sellers with a wonderful assortment of things to look for today! My grand kids will probably not even save the birthday presents they get 2 days longer than they use them.

One thing I do that has helped my family through some hard times was to clip coupons...now it is even easier since there are a lot online. I not only clipped coupons, but I traded coupons and rebate forms and the UPCs needed to cash them in. This was some years ago and I don't think this is as easy to do today, but I haven't tried lately...so check it out online and see what it there. I averaged about $200 a month in the 1970's...that made a difference for our family of 6. I was a stay at home Mom and this helped me be able to stay that way.

I recycled our aluminum cans and got the cash. I have to say that I wasn't very good at saving all those little twisty things, but I saved a lot of useful things that I could reuse. I made some of my kids clothes and saved the fabric for other projects, I made food last longer by making meals that I could freeze some of for another day, we had a vegetable garden, and watched what we spent on everything.

Clothing was a big expense with 4 kids. I shopped the sales and bought ahead for the little ones and when they got older we shopped together at the sales. When my oldest son started wanting the name brands that we couldn't afford I would allow him to buy the name brand, but he had to make up the difference in price. He always had some kind of income...newspaper boy, babysitting, jobs when a teen. By the way he is a very successful, although maybe a slight workaholic, family man today and lives quite well. He has thanked us for teaching him to be disciplined with work.

The bottom line really is that if you want to achieve something you need to put forth the effort to make it happen. It isn't always easy or pretty, but it can be done with dignity and persistence. Read, learn and plan to make it happen...and I believe you will.

Vintage Collecting during a Recession

Are you finding it hard to keep up with your favorite passion of collecting? Have you had to put that passion aside for now? Maybe not...maybe you can just tweak it a little and still enjoy some of those little passions!

We are all cutting back just to be careful so we are sure we can make it OK down the road. Hopefully we won't have to do this too long, but while the times are lean we do what we need to do. Does that mean that you can't indulge yourself a little? I would say sure you can...just do it wisely! Maybe you were buying furniture to decorate your home...so now maybe you switch to accessorizing instead. Maybe your passion was bookends or glassware that costs a lot to ship....shop at local stores for some of that until you can resume your passion online again.

Why not start a new collection? There are really fun things to collect that are not expensive and yet are great fun to own. They could be buttons or stamps, gold or silver, (ok gold and silver might eat at your pocket book a little...but rumor has it those are commodities that are going to keep rising!) Maybe there are toys from your past that you could search for that bring back really fond memories. Polly pockets, toy cars, dollhouse furniture, paper dolls, marbles, Cracker Jack toys...all of these are small and can make really fun displays in a shadow box or on a shelf!

During the depression it is found that people still wanted to enjoy life...they saved up to go to a 25 cent movie, or buy a cotton candy at the fair. How much more do we waste today on fast food and designer coffees? There are many areas that we can cut back on and still spend a little on building memories for ourselves.

I would suggest that we re-think some of our budgets in this challenging time and pay attention to the little things in life.

While things are great to have...remember they can break and will not last forever...so let's balance the "things" in life with the relationships we have as well. Hug the kids...stop and say hello to a stranger...call your mother or Dad... and then get back online and buy them a little treasure too!

Check back for another post of how I learned to be thrifty from a depression survivor!

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The History of APRONS



I don't think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

Send this to those who would know, and love, the story about Grandma's aprons. Or it can be a good history lesson for those that have no idea how the apron played a part in our lives.


REMEMBER:
Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill to thaw.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.
I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron ..... but Love !!





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My Early Happy (Heart) Valentines Day or Update of 3-Ring Circus

Yesterday was the day my heart returned to normal...literally. I have had a rhythm problem with my heart and yesterday I was admitted to the hospital to have an EP (electrophysiology) study done of my heart. They thought I might end up with an implanted defibrillator, but I didn't!! YEA!

I did have 2 ablations done and now my heart feels much calmer. I had PVC's, Premature Ventricular Contractions, so they ambulated 2 places and I seem to be fine. It was along day, but thankfully it is over.

My heart jumps for joy that it has improved. Many people were praying for me and I am so thankful for them. I know the Lord kept me calm and at peace through all of this. I know I must have been somewhat nervous because my blood pressure was up, but I felt fine all week before and the day of. I know my God used this to increase my faith and during the months of many DR visits and concerns before I knew what was wrong until this day...I can see the process led me to needing to rely on Him for what I could not control.

Tagged - You are it

I was tagged by The Empty Envelope
Here are the rules:

1. Go to the 4th picture folder on your computer.
2. Post the 4th picture in that folder.
3. Explain the picture.
4. Tag 4 more people.



Amazing I love this. My husband made this highchair for our grandchildren. He loves to do woodworking in his spare time...which he doesn't have enough of these days. He had a hard time with the inlay of the bear since it was his first attempt. I think he did a great job!

If you are reading this consider yourself tagged. Please let me know what you post I will enjoy checking it out.

Update on 3 Ring Circus

I am feeling more hopeful after my visit with the Cardio-etectrophyiologist yesterday about my heart rythum. They discussed my PVC's and how they happen and how to get rid of them. Depending on all the factors regarding the heart, usually a diffribulator is the answer. In my case they aren't sure so they will perform an EP study to make that determination.

The really good news is that I don't have blockage, which I already new and I don't have congestive heart failure as I thought, but I do have a damaged heart. In my case, which seems to be the least common, they don't know if my heart was damaged from a virus or even the common cold or if I have had PVC's all my life and they caused the damage to the heart. So a study is scheduled for Feb 9th.

This study is the most frightening part, but I will trust that God's hand will lead this proceedure. If you are interested in the study here is a link that explains it better than I. http://www.hrspatients.org/patients/heart_tests/electrophysiology_study.asp

If I need a diffribrulator they will put it in that day too, so hopefully I will leave the hospital with a heart pumping perfectly.

My Personal 3-Ring Circus

If I didn't believe in God and His infinite mercy I might be crying right now, but I am not. Perhaps I am still in shock over my multiple health problems or maybe I am learning that I don't have any control over these things anyway, so why should I cry.

In Ring one I have the issue of hyperparathyroidism. Last fall while trying to loose weight a doctor noticed my calcium levels were too high and so this saga began...long story short...the way to fix a bad parathyroid is to remove it. You have 4 tiny little parathyroid glands behind the thyroid and after some tests they figure out which is bad and out it goes. I also had a nodule on my thyroid for many years so they were removing that too. In November I had that surgery but I had a heart attack during it, and I ended up in intensive care for a couple days and so now we move to...

Ring #2 is the issues of my heart. Just having surgery the cardiologist didn't want to rush into an angiogram until I had a little time to heal and to make sure my calcium and parathyroid levels were ok. So in December, even thought my hormone levels were still too high, they did the angiogram with raving results!!! No significant blockage...Praise the Lord...I am so happy. They still don't know why I had they heart attack or what caused it, but I am thinking all is well now.

I had complained of heart palpitations so the Dr had me wear a heart monitor for 24 hours. I didn't feel many palpitations while wearing the monitor, so I figured that was a waste of time...why does that happen...symtoms leave when your in the Dr's office? Anyway...I will get back to this story in a minute...lets go over to...

Ring #3 is an old story of my osteoarthritis. I have some pretty bad joints in this 60 year old body and about 2 years ago had one knee replaced and since then, although that when pretty good...I have had some issues to deal with. I woke up from that surgery with a pinched nerve in my back that nothing has relieved much. I also developed a pea size very sore spot on my ankle. One of those that if you touch it or bump it a sharp shooting pain strikes. This little pea has grown into a cherry size lump now.

With all the heart and hormone stuff going on these issues were definitely on the back burner, but since I thought things were settling down I had the MRI and Nerve test done on the ankle. I just saw my Rheumitologist yesterday and he said it looks like a tumor on the nerve and wants me to see a Orthopedic-oncologist, at the City of Hope! Oh my gosh...what are you saying? He assures me that he doesn't think it is cancer...just that these Drs are specialists and they know how to handle this the best.

Jumping back to ring #2 and the heart monitor story...apparently the monitor did record some significant readings of PVC's. And the cardiologist wants me to see another specialist that deals with the electrical part of the heart. From what I have read the PVCs, Premature Ventricle Contractions, are a big problem if you have a damaged heart, which the heart attack caused. As I glazed over listening to the Dr. I recall hearing "sudden death" and defibrillator come out of his mouth...oh my...what does this all mean? Today I have an appointment with the specialist and then I will know more about this adventure!

For those of you who pray....please pray for me. I look forward to the healing that will take place in this body. I do know that God's word says that he knows all about me and even knows the number of hairs on my head...He is Omnipotent and knows the very day my body will be done here on earth...I personally want to be here for years to come...I want to see all the grandchildren grow up. I also want to do it with a healthy body.

TO sumerize: Ring one still holds hyperparathyroidism...the doctors are waiting until mid Feb to recheck them again. Ring #2 Heart PVC's and Ring #3 Arthritis and tumor.

A little about Valentine's Day Beginnings

Apparently Valentine's Day was observed to some degree in the 4th Century BC and later the Roman Christians tried to abolish it because it was really a lottery for young men's entertainment. In Rome 270Ad they abolished marriage because it made bad soldiers, but then Valentine, bishop of Interamna, a Christian, would invite young lovers to come to meet in secret and he would marry them. Valentine tried to convert the emperor to Christianity, but ended up being clubbed or stoned to death.

As I have read, while Valentine was in jail awaiting execution he fell in love with the jailers blind daughter, his faith and prayers healed her blindness and he signed a farewell message to her "From your Valentine".

I guess Valentine cards began to exist in 1415 when Charles, Duke of Orleans sent a card to his wife while in prisoned in the Tower of London. In the 1600's it was attempted to ban this practice, but card giving grew. It was around this time that Cupid..the naked angel with arrows became popular.

During the 1800's with the onset of the industrial period...cards began to be printed. Mechanical cards emerged and racy verses grew in popularity when sending them anonymously became popular...or maybe that should be the other way around....sending them anonymously allowed for less prudishness!

The fist American publisher printer was Esther Howland...she made fancy lace cards and they supposedly cost $5-$10. Wow! I wonder what one of those cards today might cost! Let me know if you have one.

Button Button Who' s Got The Button?

I have been listing some buttons in my Allbutton shop on Etsy the last couple days and it reminded me of my memories with buttons.

When I was a child my mother played a game with me. She use to hide buttons for me to find. She seemed to have the best buttons because I remember wanting to find certain ones more. They were big and bright and I am sure it kept me occupied for quite a while so she could get other things done! This has remained a warm memory for me.

Years later I worked in an antique mall and met my first button collector. She told me a lot about buttons...much of which I don't recall, but I remember thinking it so odd that people actually save those things. I loved glass and that seemed more practical and useful.

Over the years as I bought and sold antiques and collectibles I would run accross buttons and knowing there were collectors for them I would buy them if they were reasonable...they had to be really reasonable because I still didn't think they were all that special. I didn't try selling any for many years....just kept putting them aside.

When I was in Ohio one year taking care of my ailing parents, my mother asked me if I wanted anything from her sewing cabinet, since she wasn't sewing any more and I was the only daughter that actually did any sewing. As I looked through the drawers I ran across a tin of old buttons and those fond memories filled my heart. I know some of them were the ones I played with as a child and some were just ones she always had.
I have these buttons still in the old bandaid tin she kept them in. I must be a collector of buttons now!

It was some time after that that I decided to sort through my button stash and see if there were any worth selling. I must say these little round closures are really very addicting! I haven't become a collector of any more than my mothers, but I can see why people do like them. I have spent hours and hours going through these buttons, sorting, resorting, and organizing them. I have several books that have helped my understand the ages, the material content, the sizes, the styles and all the tidbits of information that make them so desirable.

I won't go through all the statistics of them since you can find everything you need to know somewhere on the internet! Just start searching and you will find what you want I am sure.

Thanks for reading...if you read to this point of my ramblings! Happy Button Collecting to you!!