Best Advice Ever

Some of the best advice ever is to keep you politics and religious views to yourself.

God, do I need a breath of fresh air!

I just need to stick to fun, frivolous things like this blog.

Not So Recent Finds and Good News!

I really have to spend more time on this blog, rather than my other one!

Here's a shot of some "recent" finds, as in 2-3 weeks ago recent:

-A Franciscan platter that I took a chance on for Ebay; probably was a bad decision.

-Fun retro pink and black rose glass. Don't know what I'll do with that.

-Set of four totally awesome mid-century chicken milk glass coffee mugs. Those are going to Ebay.

-Portion of vintage fabric. Although when I unrolled it, it's hand-sewn on all the edges and I think someone was using it as a tablecloth. I paid around $5 for this, which sort of makes me gag, but it was one of those days when you didn't feel like you were finding anything, so I splurged.

-Bag of old balls of seam binding tape. I got it only for the two floral patterns, which I use as ribbon when wrapping presents.

-Small glass pitcher with oranges and orange blossoms. That's up on top of the cabinets in my kitchen.

There are other finds to share, but I can't, because they went straight into my new spot at a local antique mall! It's just half a showcase for $25/month, but one has to start somewhere, right? I'm really nervous about it, so any hints or encouragement is welcome.

Know Why I Like Vintage Dresses?

Know why I like vintage dresses? Because for the most part, they have sleeves! It's that simple!

And the ones that don't have sleeves - like the sun dresses - they have straps and design that generally compliment a woman.

As a fat person, this is important. I just wish there were more vintage dresses out there for us big girls.

Ebay Crazies #1

Things that make me crazy on Ebay!

Item #1: When international bidders bid on your items without asking, and when you've indicated that you don't accept international bids.

Which, of course, just happened on one of my auctions. The bid was from Brazil, which is a place I haven't shipped to before and don't want to. If the bid had come from England or Japan, I might have made an exception.

I know that opening auctions up to international bidders is supposed to increase sales. I understand that and sometimes for certain types of items I do open things up to Japan. But overall, I have found international sales to be a pain in the ass.

What I'm Selling On Ebay This Week

I'll be listing more than this, but here's some of the items that I'm selling this week.

If you like looking at pretty vintage lingerie, take a peek:




Do people buy vintage lingerie for VLV? I mean, it's not like people show off what they're wearing when they go to bed, do they? Well, maybe the hardcore crowd does.

One of these vintage nightgowns, I'm secretly hoping it doesn't sell. I want it for myself.

Interesting Retro Radio Live Stream

This past summer, while travelling in Missouri, I discovered this radio station on the FM dial:

KRLI 103.9

It was discovered on an idyllic country-road drive between Sedalia and Jefferson City, where we were visiting relatives. It has live streaming, so check it out.

It's not rockabilly or straight 1940's/1950's - although it has elements of that at times. Rather, it's a little bit of everything that's just, well, old. Some of it is Mad Men-ish, some of it is elevator-ish, some of it is Peggy Lee-ish. As I write this, Nat King Cole is playing. And there was a funny song before that called "Jambalaya," that sounded like it came right out of a late 1950's film dance number.

We made the drive on the Fourth of July, and I remember enjoying a program where they played a bunch of-old time patriotic songs, including a few with singing. Some of it was admittedly corny, but at the same time, I thought to myself, "Here is a station preserving music that is disappearing from the landscape."

Kind of like all the junk I collect and sell.

No Better Way

There is no better way to "christen" this blog than with this photo of the vintage shadowbox that hangs in my PINK living room, as it appeared over this most recent Christmas season:

A good friend gave this to me in the early 1990's, and it sat in storage until about 4 1/2 years ago, when I incorporated it into the nursery decor of my infant son's room. (If that seems strange, well, it might be, but it worked. Maybe someday I'll show photos). Anyway, when it was time to redecorate the room for a "big boy," I realized how much I loved it and wanted to keep using it.

Thankfully I was in the midst of a redecorating project in my home! So since this past spring, it now hangs above my sofa. And was I ever excited to fill it with these little vintage Christmas tschotchkes!

Most impressive (in center of shadow box) is this Josef Originals girl in the sleigh, which I found at a rummage sale this past spring for (honest!) 50 cents! I about choked on my own spit when I saw it, and wondered if the people selling it had made a mistake? When something like this happens, you have to believe that the Junk Gods are smiling down on you! (I know they were smiling, since when I looked it up on Ebay, I about choked a second time!)

Yes, I know the deer are missing. I can work on getting them later.

By the way, I am hyper-obsessed with vintage Christmas items! Not the old, fussy Victorian or early 20th century stuff, but rather the kitschy stuff from the 1950's, 1960's, and 1970's. I feel weird adding the 70's to that list, since I was a kid during the 70's, but as time goes by, I am intuitively seeing the cool factor of some of the stuff I used to think was ugly. Specifically, I'm all over felt these days, and I'm going to start picking up all those tacky sequin and fake pearl decorated silk ball ornaments.

I will always be open to questions about my vintage finds - what they are, where I found them, what they cost, value, etc. Feel free to ask!