You're Invited to a Vintage Halloween

I posted these images last year at Halloween,

but I wanted to share them again this year...

a little spooky family memorabilia.

This is an invitation that my paternal grandfather

 made for a surprise Halloween Birthday Party for my grandmother in 1926.

These are their engagement photos from around 1906.

He was a printer, so I have several pieces of his work.

I love the little pumpkin and black cat graphic that he included.

My paternal grandmother, Irma, was born on Halloween,

sometime in the late 1880's or early 1890's.

She was around 40 when my dad was born in 1929.

Halloween was always a special event when she was alive,

so I have a little childhood nostalgia for the holiday.

I'm joining Joan's Party with this very authentic

piece of Vintage Halloween ephemera.

Be sure and have fun with the other partiers at

Anything Goes Here!

I'm also linking to
Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home

Have a fun weekend!

love,

Debra

A Family Cupboard Gets a New Life

As a lover of all things "stuff" I have a lot of it. And more now that I've been doing jewelry again. This spring and summer I've had the time to accomplish a few projects that I've had in my mind for awhile. Repainting the dining room and then my office/studio were two biggies. I have a lot of space and I'm not short on furniture, it's just the dilemma of organizing and utilizing what I DO have. So then, as with all things "stuff", the obvious question will always be..."where to put it?"

My mother-in-law unloaded all her material stash from this great pie cupboard several years ago, and sent it home with me. It had been her great grandmother's, and she is now 85. I've always loved it, and knew it's potential,  but she had restained it about twenty years ago. I don't know what it looked like before then, (I've never asked, but I cringed at the re-do). It just never quite did it for me with the blah brown stain. 

(Original pierced tin insets)

See what I mean?
Uh-oh, here's the paint can all ready to go.

You know how someone gives you something,

 but then there's all these stipulations that go with it?

uh....yea.

See, it even comes with an assistant.

presto-chango.

Love the new Behr paint and primer in one!

It's now in my studio holding supplies and other misc. "stuff".

Then I added back my little chippy shelf.

Now I really love it, and it's serving an important place for organizing supplies.

I won't show you what was inside it before,

or that every bit of it is still waiting to be "dealt with"

all over the downstairs guest room.

That's another project...

My favorite day of the week,

White Wednesday!

And the Shabby Chic Cottage

And My Romantic Home

love,

Debra

Vintage Valentine Cards on Silver Sunday

I've been waiting for today for weeks...

Since Joan at Anything Goes Here

announced her Vintage Valentine Party!

I've sneaked in some Valentine photos

 this last week or so,

hope your not tired of all the "love",

 and some of the same photos.

As my kitties like to say;

Valentines, Schmalentines.

I'm also linking with Beth

from Gypsy Fish Journal today

to be a part of her monthly party,

Silver Sunday
(can't miss that!)

So I'm including some of my Vintage Valentines

on a large footed silver tray on my

Dining Room buffet,

where all things "holiday" seem to land.

This is a silver necklace that my sweet mom

 bought me for Valentines Day this year.

Love the initial and the crown on top.

And a silver bud vase with faux roses.

I found this intricate large Valentine

this summer in St. Louis.

It's supposed to be 3-D,

but I wanted to display it in an old

ornate frame I had been saving.

Here are a few of my vintage Valentine postcards.

The cutie boy here reminds me of my nephew Spence.

(tulips from my sweet sister)

My entry way dresser is holding

another smaller 3-D valentine.

And the pink Hull vase was

 a Valentine to myself this year.

                                        

And here is my sideboard again,

with another Valentine and

some altered children's Valentines

 that I have been playing with.

This framed simple Valentine is an

original from my paternal Grandfather

to my Grandmother, from the early 1920's.

He owned a print shop and this is another of his pieces.

Click here to see the Halloween invitation

to my Grandmother's Birthday Party.

Have a Sweet and Cozy Valentine Weekend,

Hugs and Love,

Debra

p.s. Thank you all for your sweet comments!

I seem to be having a "time management" issue with

preparing for the new booth opening.

Please just know I love you all and that

each and every comment

blesses me.

 

Meet an Old Friend

I have an old friend that lives in my family room,

He's a quiet unassuming little fellow.

My parents bought him for me when I was just a baby,

as he had been gifted to others years and years before.

I brought him up to the Dining Room where the light is better. I'm so glad my parents didn't repaint him or change him. He was given to me again back in the early 80's. I didn't remember him, but he had been kept safe in the loft of my Dad's garage workshop. I'm so glad that we were reunited all those years ago. He has been a joy to have, and each time I see him I think who might have climbed upon his little sturdy body and ridden off into the world of their imagination.

May you remember lovely images

of your childhood Christmases,

 Debra

Vintage Black Friday, Flea Market Finds

With only two Vintage Black Fridays left,

I still have a lot of images to share.

These are a few that I grouped in my Living Room

resting on my antique embroidered velvet crazy quilt.

All these items were found at flea markets this last year.

Even this Bible and crucifix from the 1930's.

This lovely depiction of Jesus is the one exception.

 I found it at Inspirational Home here in Springfield.

Which reminds me, that next week I will be showcasing

Inspirational Home for their Christmas Open House.

My husband got me started with my fascination with daguerreotypes a few years ago. I don't have many but I love that they are remembrances carried with loved ones.

And since it's almost Thanksgiving I thought I'd add

a black and white image of a vintage post card.

 

Time is about to run out for Vintage Black Friday.

If you haven't joined in yet please head to

Gypsy Brocante and say Hello to Jill.

And look at the wonderful surprise I received

 from The Gypsy herself!

She put together an incredible assortment of

vintage goodies to make a wonderful art piece!

Can't wait to get started.

Thank you Jill, for your sweet gift!

Don't you just adore this black and white tissue paper?

It's just the beginning of the wonderful goodies.

Darling cabinet card, doilie, black buttons, lace...

vintage bingo card, dictionary pages, key, silver spoon handle...

Oh my goodness. It's all wonderful!

Have a wonderful Friday,

full of Vintage Fun!

Debra