Since last week's post was devoted to things that slipped through my hands when I was still selling vintage, I thought it might be good to see some of what I managed to hoard for myself over the years. Some came via thrifting, some through ebay purchasing, but there are certain things I have a weakness for. The benefit of not selling vintage anymore is that I don't go treasure hunting with an eye toward selling it as soon as I have it. Over time, I've gotten more selective in what I actually bring home, but these are a handful of some of my favorite things collected over time..stay tuned for more..
old books & paper
working in a library, I am queen of hoarding all the old books for collage and bookwrecking expolits. Every once in a while, I find some really awesome bundles of ephemera--maps, photos, postcards, letters, and these are some of my favorite things to work with. The vintage kid's books above were a rare find,and even now, over the next couple days, I am itching to get cutting my way through some old Life magazines someone at work bequeathed me and I kept them for myself.
floral basket purses
I did not know these beauties even existed until I spotted one on ebay for a steal with (cheap and under 10 bucks, with a slightly unravelling handle, top right). The colors on the florals were beautiful, and though I feel it's a little to fragile to carry, I love looking at it. I loved the photo of it hanging in the studio, I used it as shop promo and sold it as a postcard. Other's have come my way since, and I sold a few in the shop. The other one above was a $2 Salvation Army find.
japanese fishing floats
These are popular design elements and hard to find on the cheap lately, but they are beautiful. I stumbled on this one resting inside a bowl in Goodwill a few years back. I also have some blue glass electrical line toppers I use as paperweights that are the same dreamy sea glass colors.
midcentury dishware
Since both I and the cats are hard on dishware, I've always had a mismatched set, even when I had more modern ones. At some point I began amassing certain floral designs whenever I could find them. As time goes on and more contemporary designs start flooding the thrifts, it's been harder, but every once in a while I'll spot some on ebay with cheap enough shipping to make it worthwhile. My favorite are the blue bachelor's button design, which my mother claimed she had a set of in her hope chest that she lost to a shitty landlord when she moved in with my dad. Sold in grocery stores, they are actually pretty plentiful out there and I find some more every so often.
frilly unmentionables
While ladies of the 1950's on the whole were tiny little things, I occasionally find full and half slips that fit my large 21st century body. When I had the shop, I spent time dying them all sorts of candy colors, but some of my favorites are the beiges and ivories.
framed embroidery pieces
I have number of these picked up in stores--mostly flowers and birds, but also a portrait of a 70's lady hanging above my bed.
