Shop Sale! Happy Birthday Aunt Katherine

I am so excited.  My mom just told me my Great Aunt Katherine was a leap year baby.  I named my Etsy shop after her.  I only saw her a handful of times in my life, but she is remembered by all as a beloved family member.

Her old photographs and treasures passed down tell a lot about her.  She represents my love for all things old and the stories they tell of their former owner.


 Aunt Katherine was raised by my grandmother (her sister, Helen) because their mom died when she was very little.  She worked for years at the power and light company as an operator and moonlighted at the movie theater.  She was single for some time which is why we have so much fun costume jewelry that was hers and why my grandmother had so much depression glass. (It was given out at the movies)

Aunt Katherine back right, Helen (holding my dad) front right. 

If losing her mom was not enough, she was also the operator on duty the day my grandfather ( Helen's husband, Bill) was killed in a power line accident.  I an only imagine the relationship between Helen and Katherine.  They had been through so much together.

 

Unknown person with Bill and Aunt Katherine

So, in honor of Great Aunt Katherine's birthday, I am having a sale in my Etsy shop.  Go to the link at the right, and use the code LEAPYEARBABY at checkout to get 29% of anything in my store.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNT KATHERINE!

Remember, it's greatauntkate@etsy.com
coupon code LEAPYEARBABY
for 29% off anything in my store!

It's Been a Long Time

I'm back!

Today I am inspired and ready to share something fun. (At least, I think so).

I really love old paper.  The fonts, the graphics, the feel of the paper.  Even the yellowing and musty smell make me happy (as long as I take by antihistamine).  

Maybe it's because my dad was a printer.  The things we create from home with our computers and printers, well, he would have been blown away.  Thankfully old style printing is not a thing of the past.  I so appreciate those who are carrying on the art of letterpress and such.  Anyway, I am watching my appreciation grow lately and am always seeking how to incorporate this stuff into my life. 

One thing I am embracing these days is vintage gift wrap.  I love the look, it costs so much less, and there's the whole save a tree, recycle thing.  It's a win-win for me.  My thrifting adventures have led me to some awesome vintage gift wrap.  Take a gander at these beauties.

shower umbrellas

pink brides

kids in jalopies

classic sliver

Next, my thoughts move to storage.  I am a bull-in-the-china-shop kinda gal, so I wanted some kind of box to protect the paper from getting crumpled.  It dawned on the that this paper comes in folded squares, much the size of a record album.  Hmmm. What about boxed record sets?

I bought a couple of those and they are great, but today's find was even better.  A record album in book form.  Plus it's classic white and discolored with a great font... (all just wonderful).

I am so excited.  I can use the sleeves for my paper, close it up and put it on my bookshelf.  All my pretty paper is safe and sound and easily accessible.  

There is room for my vintage greeting cards and gift tags too!  So pretty and so fun.  

Bonus!  I scored this piece of awesome vintage paperness.  I am loving it!

I am happy.

Now what to do with the old records?

Veterans Day Tribute

 Pages from my paternal grandmother's photo album.   WWI, I believe. 

My maternal grandparents.  Pop pop was in the Navy in WWII.  

My mom is the oldest of her siblings. 
She remembers how hard it was for her mom to be left to raise the family while her dad served. 

I need to scan some pictures of my dad in uniform.  That is for another day. 

But these are some of my favorite of him as a boy celebrating our freedom.

Listen to the stories of the veterans in your family.  

They have a lot to say, even when they use few words. 

The Wedding

Months of preparation.  

Tons of excitement.  

A little reminiscing.  

Lots of hard work.  

Before

After

Several appointments.  

Too many decisions. 

Plenty of advice.  

Generous friends. 

 Great conversations.  

Few disappointments.

A tear or two. 

So much love.

 A great gathering of loved ones.

Warm, memorable fellowship.

Last minute decisions. 

A whole lot, and I mean a whole lot of help.

A cold front.

A gorgeous setting.

A beautiful day.

Sacred Spirit.

Lovely bride.

Handsome groom.

Another tear or two.

Man and wife.

 Celebration.

Music, singing and dancing.

A send off.

A new beginning.

Carport Sale Gift

The main road near my home leads to many, many retirement communities.  Fall begins the "snowbird" season, and with that come carport sales.  I often lament that Floridians don't have basements to store up old stuff for me to buy at estates sales, but we do have retirees who bring treasures to Florida only to find they don't need them (wool blankets, vintage coats), or don't have room for them (antique furniture, Christmas decorations, knick knacks).

Today was a community-wide sale at a huge park down the road.  One of my first stops had quite a bit of vintage stuff.  The homeowner said he has a booth at a local antique store.

I came across this box and as soon as I picked it up the gentleman said, "Do you want those?  You can have them!"
"Are you sure?",  I asked.
"Yeah", he said.  "I have 2 more boxes somewhere.  I'll give those to you also."

What did he just say?  He'll give me three boxes of vintage vocabulary cards? For free?  Whoa!
This box contains about 1000 cards with a word on the front plus an example of it used in a sentence.  On the back is the definition.  They are kinda cool for all kinds of projects.

For an example, look at this cute idea from the October 3rd post on Itsy Bits and Pieces.

http://itsy-bits-and-pieces.blogspot.com

I waited around a while, but the kind man never found the other two boxes.  I told him I'd stop back by after I browsed the other sales in the neighborhood.  About thirty minutes later I checked, but he still had not found them.  He took my number and said he'd call if he found them.

Well, I figured that was that, but, later that afternoon I got a call from him.  They are found and they are mine!  His sale was still going on, so I told him I'd be right there! 

Here are my F.R.E.E. vintage vocabulary cards!  Yay!  Another box of English and a box of French!   

How exciting is that?

By the way, did I mention they were FREE!

Mom's Button Collection

A few years ago I gladly inherited my mother's button collection.  

 

A seemingly ordinary thing can prove extraordinary if you look closely.  These buttons are a perfect example.

It's wedding season and I am planning to make a few of these adorable hanky favors.  I thought the buttons may work for some of the trinkets. 

Lauren Elise Crafted

Lauren Elise Crafted

I have a great collection of vintage hankies already, so I'll be laundering them gently and pressing them to perfection. After that, the fun will begin.  My sister has promised to help me - her talent and creativity will guarantee success. 

Preserving memories of my dad

I have been drawn to these little oil cans lately.

The memory is a strong one:
the smell of the oil,
the doop, doop, doop sound of dad's thumb pumping the bottom of the can ,
and the visual of him oiling hinges, bicycle chains, and wagon wheels.

Every little girl is in awe of her daddy's Mr Fixit skills.  



I bought this one at a sale my husband found while we were staying at the beach.  I love the robin's egg blue color.  I knew I could make a picture holder out of it.  (I've seen this on other blogs.)
But this morning as I was cleaning it up, I remembered this great photo of my dad in his younger years.  He was an amateur artist, sign painter, and printer, so he apparently set up a little studio and sent this picture to his mom.  (This was all before I was born, so I am making an educated guess).  

This picture is only about 3 inches square.  Don't you just love the white, scalloped border?  LOVE old photos.  By the way, isn't he handsome?




So, I just took the oil can apart and threaded my wire through it.  I stablized the wire by bending the end into a little circle that would stand in the bottom of the can.











Then I screwed the top back on and bent the wire around a sharpie.

I pinched it together with the needle nose pliers. 

















And there you have it.  I enjoy the connection between the object and the man.  That's what I love most about vintage finds.