The Power of Attraction

I am a firm believer in the power of attraction, and along with that the idea that whatever you focus on expands! Within the last year alone I have acquired a vintage mohair couch and club chair, turntable, fridge, and camper! But this is not solely about purchasing items you like, it's how things come to you in unexpected ways. I think the best example of this is my vintage aluminum canister set. My neighbor gave me a canister set she found in her cabin, and though I was in love with it, it was missing the sugar canister. No matter, I loved them and cleared the clutter (my huge microwave) to make room for them.

 After seeing my canister set on Facebook, my cousin's friend contacted me and told me she had a sugar canister that she thought matched  for me. I picked it up and indeed it did match! A beautiful canister set that came to me for only the price of gratitude.

Just added-S & P set from antiquing in Hixton.

Soon afterwards, my mother gifted me this spice set too!

This holiday season was a particularly delightful one for me. I had decided to cut out the stress of gift giving by not pressuring myself to get the perfect gift. You know what? I do believe that everyone got a well-suited gift from me this year. I also received well-suited gifts this year. The following are a few of my favorite gifts!

Daddy-O got me this gorgeous vintage blue coat!
 Blue is my favorite color, which you don't see too often.

I think this gift was for Daddy-O, but I'm claiming it as mine!

My brother made me a beautiful wooden tray and this vintage sign that goes perfectly in our newly remodeled breezeway.

Good Luck
Compliments of T J Wirrer
General merchandise
Mattoon, Wis.

Bo Peep found this plate in Waupaca brought it home to Mattoon, and fits perfectly in my "new" living room!


Last spring I bought some rocks and shot glasses from my late Great Uncle's estate. I didn't even know other sizes existed until I spied Rebecca's Collins and highball glasses at Mississippi Mayhem! I always gravitate towards glass at any thrift store, but no matching glasses were to be found. Then I received an early birthday present from Bo Peep.

Tom Collins, Highball, Old Fashioned, Rocks, and Shot.

Imagine my delight when I spied the glasses as I opened up the box! Now my mismatched glasses are gone to make way for my beautiful "new" set! Even though they are bar glasses I plan on using them as kitchen glasses. I delight everyday in using these beautiful glasses, and there's no reason to store that joy away!

And would you know it, now I noticed Annie has some too! My focus is expanding.

My mother gave me some of my Great Aunt Helen's lovely jewelry which includes Mount Rushmore sweater clips! Now I am reminded of her whenever I wear one of these.
 I have received many more great gifts, and love witnessing the power of attraction in my life. It never gets old. And if you're wondering what all this power of attraction talk is, I have been reading E Squared by Pam Grout. I highly recommend it!

Bring out your hats!!

Now quick, bang on something with a wooden spoon and repeat,
"Bring out your hats!"

For fellow Monty Python fans out there, doesn't this sort of ring true?  Hats are such a great accessory, but unless their sole purpose is to keep the snow out of our ears, they sort of get left for dead.  Rarely does anyone wear a hat just for adornment purposes anymore.  And all these beautiful vintage creations of felt, rhinestones and netting are slowly deteriorating in their boxes. 

Well, honestly, I'm not any better at wearing my vintage hats.  Several of these are perfect matches to outfits that I've worn on more than one occasion, but do I ever grab the hat?  Nope.  So this past Sunday afternoon, I dumped them all on the dining room table and played dress-up.  I had a good time reminding myself just exactly what a hat can do for one's attitude, and my nine year old daughter enjoyed the entertainment, laughing at all my faces.

One of my easiest hats to wear is a 1950s low-profile, black felt with rhinestones.  Comfortable and unpretentious, this one is a no-brainer. 

Another 1950s vintage hat that fits both my hair style and several outfits in my closet is this white buckram hat. I love the wrap around detail in the front (which eliminates the need for pins!).

This black velvet number is a creation of mine dating back to when I first got hooked on peacocks.  I still adore peacocks, but sadly have never worn this one.

Continuing with my apparent love of tiny, back-of-the-head-perching hats, is this silly red one I picked up at the Hunnert Car PileUp car show in Illinois several years ago.  The top decoration is actually repeating rows of skinny ribbon stitched down to the base.  And I think the maker decided against the propeller in favor of the "wings" on either side.  Super silly, but it makes me laugh.

Another hat I purchased at a car show is this classic, faux fur leopard hat.  It's my single, bonafide designer hat, labeled "Saks Fifth Avenue."  And while I do use a leopard purse all winter, do I ever break this out of it's tissue paper?  (hanging my head in shame)

Ironically, the one hat that does get used is my mother's nurses cap.  This, of course, has made for the perfect Halloween costume more than one year.  I have even inherited the white bobby pins (still on the card).  But somehow, you just can't beat the original...

...my mother in 1962 training as an x-ray technician.

One of my most recent purchases (see, the lack of wearing does not deter the need for buying) is this 1960s beauty.  Wire9Vintage advertised a sale over at her etsy shop, and as this was already on my favorites list, I jumped on the chance!  The front is trimmed with white mink and the back has a large satin bow.  Now should I get all my sewing done in the next month, this will look smashing with my Easter dress.  Because Easter bonnets are one tradition that hopefully will never die!

This navy blue creation is still under construction.  A while back Wild Kat gave me this gorgeous birdcage netting topped with a spidery swirl and scattering of dots.  I found a hat at the thrift store, discarded the raggedy flowers and put the two together.  I still want to add a large grosgrain bow to the back, similar to the white fur hat above. 

So hopefully I've inspired you to search the back of your closet for all your lost hats.  Whether you're in the mood for sultry netting or Little Rascal-esque beanies (see left), this simple accessory can put an extra spring in your step!

Hankie? Does anyone have a hankie?

After a little fall cleaning I have come to the conclusion that I have a handkerchief collection! Where did all these hankies come from? Some are from my grandfather who was never without his pocket knife or hankie while others I have picked up from garage sales etc. Why am I drawn to these? Better yet what am I going to do with all of these? I have been using them on bike rides, they fit into any small space including yes you guessed it, the brassiere, and come in handy for watery eyes or nose on the ride.

A few of my favorites, flowers seem to be a common theme.

My next lifestyle change will be to get back to basics with handkercheifs. With the exception of nasty sinus infections or wicked colds, I think it will be completely doable to replace my box of tissues with an adorable hankie in my pocket.

A monogrammed handkercheif

Please do not share your hankie, but for personal useyour handkercheif will not be ladden with germs unless you are sick. Plus I will feel better knowing I reduced the demand on our lovely trees.

A beautiful Lily of the Valley design.

Once you make these behaviors a habit it really is no harder to make choices that are better for you, your family, and the environment.

Holiday hankies.

If you have hankies that are just too pretty to blow your nose in or wipe your tears with this site has some great ideas to get you started collecting handkercheifs.

Beautifully gift boxed.

What collections are hiding in your drawers?

Vintage Aprons

When the clock strikes 5 pm, do you burst through the front door of your home, arms full of last minute groceries, child magnetically attached to one leg, listening to your husband shouting over his shoulder from the arm chair, "What's for dinner?"  Fighting the urge to drop the groceries, shake off the child and flip off the hubby, you decide rather to smooth over your curls and march determinedly into the kitchen.  You are, after all, the Queen of the Castle, and once you've tied on that apron, all is well.  Here are some of our vintage aprons that instantly induce a feeling of calm and control.*

Wild Kat's favorite is a yellow, gingham, smock-style apron with embroidery on the shoulder ruffles. 

Gingham was a very popular fabric choice in the 1950s.  Most of these aprons are embellished with embroidery patterns using cross-stitch designs or iron-on transfers.

This half apron is light green gingham with a large, cross-stitched peacock.  I received this one as a birthday gift from Kat just a few days ago (yes, I turned 29 again).  It features small pleats along the waistband which provide fullness at the hemline but still keep the bulk of gathers off the mid-section.  At 29 years old *ahem*, I don't need more bulk in my mid-section. 

Since we're talking about the '50s, another popular trend included kitchen motif fabric.  Wild Kat's aqua and white apron features vegetables, watering cans and gardening tools...

...while mine is the classic pots and pans.  This trend was seen in not only dressmaking fabrics used for aprons, but also in home decorating fabrics for curtains and upholstery as well as wallpaper during the 1950s.

My go-to apron is a very typical 1940s bib-style.  It has a single button at the base of the neck and ties at the waist.  I've copied this style many times to make aprons as gifts.

In fact most of my vintage aprons are from the '40s, full-coverage, sturdy, wanna-be Grandma ones.  Very often these have oh-so-skinny, eighth inch bias trim to finish the edges.  And of course generous pockets to stash clothespins, hankies or Wethers.  Pockets are a must for any apron!!

Many of the fabric designs in the 1940s featured meduim-sized flowers.  Feed sacks from that era are a great source of vintage fabric from the '30s and '40s.  Reportedly, women would send their husbands to the mill with strict orders to pick out feed bags that met their sewing needs, not just nourished the pigs.  This was the Mend and Make Do movement at it's finest.

But bib-styled aprons don't have to be strictly utilitarian.  Fanciful embroidery and contrast colors can spruce up any standard pattern.  Rick rack is a common favorite that spans the decades.  Ruffles, fringe and embellishments of any kind are fair game when it comes to aprons.

If you're interested in creating your own themed aprons, take a peek at my blog (Willow Homestead) where I'm hosting an Apron Challenge.  Sew one apron per month.  I started back in October and while not all of my aprons are vintage (because ladies of the '40s were much to smart to sew an apron out of taffeta), it's been a fun project!

So whatever style catches your eye, vintage aprons are great collectibles, and many of them still have a lot of service left.  Their popularity is growing as women discover the practicality and prettiness in this every day, household item.  

*DISCLAIMER*  The Hometown Victory Girls are neither licensed doctors nor actors portraying doctors, and therefore have no authority with which to make the above claim that wearing an apron, vintage or otherwise, will make said wearer calm or controlled.  Most likely you will feel just as irritated with your children and husband as when you walked through the door, but hey, you'll look nicer so it might be worth it.

Vintage vases

Well it seems that another collection has crept up on me in the still of the night.  It all started with Sunbeam mixers, then moved on to vintage bra straps and then peacocks.  I'm starting to notice that when my eye turns towards something or some style, that particular something slowly accumulates in my house and before I know it, *poof!* a collection is born!  The one I've most recently noticed is white ceramic vases.

This is the first one I picked up at a rummage for 50cents.  No markings on the bottom, but the bird reminded me of Victorian tombstones.  And not many people know this, but I have a love of old tombstones.

When I need a break from the noisy barnyard, I enjoy a walk through the old crumbling down cemeteries.  I enjoy the history and the design of the stones.  If you piece together the stories of the people that are there, it seems to put life in perspective.  This bird looks like he's flying to a better place.

And of course we are all familiar with this classic beauty.  I found her locally at a thrift store and paid a whopping $20.  She's stamped "Design 2 USA" on the bottom.

I've seen beautiful versions of her, painted in soft pastels with lush eyelashes, but I like the simplicity of the white.  And she makes a great holder for my hair flowers!

This large vase, standing a full foot tall, was purchased in my above mentioned peacock craze.  Marked "P168" on the bottom, I don't know anything else about it.  I can easily recognize the soft pastels of Majolica and the apple cookie jars of Hull, but these white pieces have me stumped.  Are they also Hull?

And as much as I'd love to put a bouquet of peonies in here, I can't contort my fingers down in the bottom to clean it out.  So I'll suffice with quality silk.

This Art Deco bust was also purchased at the same thrift store.  She is stamped "Japan" on the bottom.  It's hard to see in the photo, but there is quite a lot of relief design on the sides of the vase behind her and on the base.

She only stands eight inches tall and has some crazing in the finish.  But I instantly fell in love with her Mona Lisa smile and cocked shoulder.

So if any of you are more familiar with this style pottery, I'd love to know more.  And now that I have this official collection, I might just stroll over to etsy to see what else it out there.

Happy Spring Everyone!

Update:   So my bit of etsy surfing leads me to believe that most of these are mid-century McCoy vases.  I even found the top one listed as a Redwing 'Bird of Paradise' vase.  Does this ring a bell to anyone?  And of course I found a few more to add to the collection!  :)

Making Your Own Lingerie?

Over the past few months, I've been re-evaluating my bras.  **cue the collective groaning**  You've been there.  You know how torturous it is to finally admit that your old style just doesn't cut it any more, and it's time to hit the stores for a new brand.  You spend hours in the dressing room, hooking, adjusting, tightening, loosening and walking out with nothing.

Well, shortly after my determination to find a new fit, I came across a sew-along hosted by 'A Few Threads Loose' to make a corset garter belt and (coming soon) a bra.  As Anna points out, lingerie is small.  Fabric requirements are virtually nil.  Notions include a few hooks, shoulder straps, a garter clip (or six) and a scrap of lace if you really want to get crazy about it.  Back in college I made a halter-style bra out of my boyfriend's flannel shirt.  I copied an old Victoria's Secret cotton bra and used the underwires.  It wasn't that hard.  So maybe I should revisit this idea?

Meanwhile back in the sewing room (while rummaging for patterns and garter clips), I came across several pairs of vintage shoulder straps that I had picked up at the thrift store.  How many do you need to be a bona fide collection?  I found four tucked in and around my sewing projects!

GemCo ~ Washable and Rustproof!

Primstyle ~ Made for Woolworth's

Vanity Fair

You should have seen the look on the clerk's face when I took this empty card to the checkout!

So I guess I've got a good start here.  When I first started collecting patterns and resolved to have a home sewn vintage wardrobe, I never thought it would include my unmentionables!  Should I actually take this step, I'll be sure to mention it.

1950s Christmas Cards

Emily Post writes in the 1943 edition of her infamous book, Etiquette;

"The ever-increasing impulse to send out Christmas cards as messages of friendship and goodwill is plainly not a mere caprice of fashion, but evidence of a country-wide trend toward a broadened and more friendly social relationship."

Oh, if Mrs. Post only knew how broadened and social we've become these days!  Imagine my joy when I recently purchased five Christmas cards (for a mere $1) dated from 1944 to 1962

The oval illustration is printed on silk and padded.

A piece of real lace trims her skirt.

All the cards are addressed to "my wife," all signed "from your honey" and all dated with the year. So sweet. You know these were sitting in a shoebox, in some woman's closet, for years.  A few had water stains and crumpled corners, but this kind of sentiment should not be put back in a box.

I decided to use my three favorite and put together a frame.  I covered the background with fabric, simply taped on to the back side, and used long stickpins to secure the cards.  The pins are stuck behind the folds of the paper or, in one case, the pinhead is hidden within the illustration.  Then I added a little bunch of plastic mistletoe tied with a black velvet ribbon.

A frame like this can be done using any sort of vintage cards, magazines, recipes, paper dolls, sheet music or photos; the possibilities are endless.  So don't shy away from all that vintage ephemera!  Use it to decorate your house.  And don't forget to save your own cards and papers.  Someday your kids will hang it on their walls!