Tuesday, September 30, 2008

My Favorite Framed Prints #18

These weren't framed when the photos were taken, but they are now, so I'm including them in My Favorite Framed Prints series.
I matted and framed Peter Max artwork "prints" that are actually pages out of a book that was really messed up.
With matching black mats, and now in black frames, I really like the way these turned out.
I love Peter Max, and I love these, but I don't have any place to hang them, so I think I may try to sell them on eBay.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Pansies

Just a post about pretty pansies. Like this vintage birthday card:
And here's a poem by James Whitcomb Riley from my 100-year-old book I found at a thrift store:
Couldn't forget to include these lovely note cards by Tasha Tudor from Corgi Cottage Industries:
And then, let's end with two more pretty vintage cards:
That's it - just a simple pansy post.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Mary Engelbreit Teapot Ornaments

I have lost count of how many of these teapot ornaments I have collected over the years. I bought this Pepsi-Cola crate many years ago, and when I started my collection, I decided they would look nice displayed in the cubbyholes.
When I found another crate (this one in poorer condition), I filled it up, as well. I mixed some other little trinkets in, too, as you can see.
And I have quite a few more that are still in their boxes. They are displayed on other shelves, and some Christmas ones are packed away.
You may remember that I have shown others in some of my previous Mary Engelbreit posts. Sometimes, I do get a little bit carried away.....

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Black Beauty

I saw this movie on TV some 2 or 3 years after it came out. I don't even know how many times I cried while watching it. I mean, I really became quite emotional! When bad things happen to animals, it is hard for me to watch. But this version of the film was truly beautifully done. Even though it made me cry , I LOVED it.
I can't remember whether this book was here in the house, or if I found it at a thrift store. It's a lovely edition of the story by Anna Sewell, adapted by Eleanor Graham Vance and illustrated by Phoebe Erickson.
The illustrations are beautiful - like this one in the very back of the book.
Gorgeous.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Placerville and Thomas Kinkade

I went to high school in Placerville at the same time Thomas Kinkade did. We weren't in the same class, and I did not know him. I found his picture in one of my yearbooks, and also his wife's picture. She was a year behind him. His yearbook picture is shown below:

He painted a series of houses that are located in Placerville, California. These are homes I have admired all of my life, and at some points we had driven by them nearly every day. I managed to find a few old pictures I had taken about 32 years ago:
The one shown in two pictures , which was painted green with white trim at the time, is the Combellack Blair House. I had a Combellack and a Blair in my high school class - I DID know them. I took these pictures on the day of a home tour, we were so excited to go inside! Here is the same house below, as he depicted it - gorgeous. It's a Bed & Breakfast now, so you could go inside if you wanted, too!
And the plate below shows the home in the lower left of the four photos. I was lucky enough to go inside that one once, also - my sister's friend Julie Smith used to live there:
Sorry my little photos are so funky, I am no better at photography now than I was then, but in the top right picture you see a portion of this house, below. See the little diamond shaped window centered below the top eave? My memories of this house aren't quite as pleasant. The only time I was inside of this one was when we went to talk to Daddy's doctor after he died. The doctor tried to explain to us what had happened with his heart. I think we were in a daze, and I never did fully grasp exactly what had happened to him.
My sisters and brothers-in-law surprised me on my birthday in 1991 with a signed and numbered lithograph of the Combellack Blair house. I was thrilled! I have to say that I don't particularly care for all of the "stuff" that's out there now featuring his artwork - figurines, candles- almost anything you can think of - overkill, to say the very least. But buying these Bradford Exchange plates when they came out was the least expensive way I could get the Placerville houses on something that was easily displayable.
And, on a slightly different subject, I just had to share with you his depiction of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland. I snapped a picture of it when it was on display at the (now defunct) Disney Gallery. Sorry for the glare, but I think it's just beautiful!
Here's a better view of it!

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Then And Now # 13 - Kellogg's Corn Flakes

W. K. Kellogg invented his Toasted Corn Flakes in 1906. This first ad, shown below, is from 1910:

This next one is a small section of a 1941 ad:
And this picture of the box is from a 1952 advertisement:
This great full-page ad featuring the iconic rooster on the box is from 50 years ago. Did you know his name is Cornelius? But "You can call him Corny."I'm a big fan of clever print ads and TV commercials. Whoever came up with this design for their new Banana Corn Flakes (ad from 2004) was brilliant! I love this one:
I confess that I never tried the banana version - I'm not even sure they still make them? But they sound good to me. And this last box is the best I can do for "Now" (it's actually from 2006), they took a cute little boy from a vintage package and let him grace the front of the box again to celebrate their 100th anniversary.
Good old Kellogg's Corn Flakes. It just makes me happy when products stick around awhile!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

California Wine

I didn't know it was California Wine Month! I just happened to see an ad in a grocery store circular. I almost missed it, didn't I?
I'm glad I didn't miss it altogether, because, after all, .......
Coincidentally, this month I just happened to find this wine for the first time:
Sofia Rose Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir by Francis Coppola (www.ffcpresents.com). I had wanted to try it ever since I saw it in a magazine this past February. It just sounded good to me, and I like Francis Ford Coppola, and his movies, and the fact that he named it after his daughter. And also (or maybe most of all), I thought the bottle and the label were so pretty! So, I finally found it when we went up to Twain Harte Market. I drink alcohol only occasionally, but I have been known to enjoy a nice glass of wine. So, maybe I will manage to try it before California Wine Month is over!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Fabulous Upholstered Chairs

Chairs that have been reupholstered with vintage barkcloth are probably my favorite pieces of furniture ever! I mean, in a chair, I can sit and visit with a friend, read or watch TV! Three of my favorite pastimes. But, even better if I could do it in a beautiful chair like one of these! These first two I've shown belong to Darwin Otto and Brent Heeb, two of the owners of the Stars Antique Malls in Portland, Oregon. Their home, and that of Gayle Tweed were featured in the April 1996 issue of Country Home Magazine.
I love both of these chairs SO much! Especially with the addition of the fringe. I fell in love with their home, their collections and their furniture, and made a point of going to Stars when I went to visit my friend Kari. I later saw the house in another magazine - it's now owned by Shannon Quimby. My sister bought a fabulous high-backed wing chair covered in vintage yellow floral barkcloth at an antique mall. Unfortunately, her kitties have attacked it - ack! Bad kitty behavior.
Below is another lovely chair I found in a magazine. I tear pages out, and then I don't always know where or when I got it. I only know the lady of the house was named Lenore:
Here's another example that I REALLY love! What fabulous fabric! This one from Saturday Evening Post Magazine's cover on Nov. 18th, 1950, from a painting by the wonderful Norman Rockwell:
And then look what I found in Better Homes And Gardens in May of 1997! VERY similar:
And of course I had to save this magazine when they staged a similar scene. I love the bright colors- yes, even the plaid. The red chair you see down in the corner with the cute kitty on it is ours. It was the best fabric I could find in the book when we purchased a pair of these recliners nine years ago. It's where we sit and have our coffee in the morning.
I'd have much rather had the gorgeous vintage red floral shown in the chair below! This chair was in a home that was featured in another issue of BH&G, in July of '97. The couple, Don and Saundra (no last name given) have a beautiful home in Long Island, and this chair was in a bookshelf-lined library room that is to die for. What I would give for a room like that! We have this impossible dream of having all of our books in one place. Sigh.....

Monday, September 22, 2008

Autumn Is Here!

Golden and red trees nod to the soft breeze
As it whispers "winter is near"'
And the brown nuts fall at the wind's loud call
For this is the Fall of the year.
Good-by sweet flowers!
Through bright Summer hours you have filled our hearts with cheer.
We shall miss you so, and yet you must go,
For this is the Fall of the year.
Now the days grow cold as the year grows old,
And the meadows are brown and sere;
brave robin redbreast has gone from his nest,
for this is the Fall of the year.

I do softly pray at the close of day,
that the little children, so dear,
May as purely grow as the fleecy snow
That follows the Fall of the year.
A Fall Song by Ellen Robena Field
Welcome, Autumn!

Sunday, September 21, 2008

An Invitation

I got an invitation to a birthday party....

And that's where I will be today. My sweet little Grand Nephew is 3 years old today! He
looks kind of like that little boy above, I think.
It's been so long since I've seen him that he wasn't even speaking coherently yet! But he is now, and I can't wait to see the little tyke.Happy Birthday, Robby!

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Vintage Royledge Shelf Liner

I sure do love this stuff! Shown here in an advertisement from 1948:
I have only managed to find a few for myself. Beautiful roses and daffodils:
And a couple of great, colorful kitchen ones that I really like:
Oh, I suppose I have seen more through the years at antique malls, on Ebay, etc, but it's been priced a bit too high for my taste. When I find some at a reasonable price, believe me, I scoop it up! A beautiful, well-made vintage paper product.

Friday, September 19, 2008

The Winner Is.....

....Melony!

Just another quick post today to announce the winner of my One Year Blog Anniversary Giveaway. There weren't many entries, so you all had a pretty darned good chance of winning! The name I picked out of the jar is Melony of Melony's Whimsy Daisy - so congratulations!! Melony - you can e-mail me from my Profile if you like, or - I have sent you an e-mail....look forward to hearing from you so that I may send your prize!
And thank you so much to my faithful readers who entered, I appreciate you SO much!

Then And Now # 12 - LifeSavers

In this ad from 1934,"Spear-O-Mint" Lifesavers are suggested for taking away "the burn" for smokers. What can I say? We all know how popular smoking was in decades past.

In this ad, (from 1940) the "Cryst-O-Mint" flavor is touted as being helpful for breath freshening - and the inference is that you could lose your beau if your breath is not fresh! You don't want that to happen! The only mint ones I used to like were the "Pep-O-Mint" flavor.


And this is the only kind I could find at my regular grocery stores. I had been looking for the rolls for a couple of months (mostly because I had a coupon), and finally gave up and got these, individually wrapped inside this package - sorry it's all wrinkled up.
But then we took a drive last Sunday, and I finally found some at the Twain Harte Market (an independently owned market). In fact, I found a number of things there that they don't have at our big-name supermarkets here in town. I was really impressed with this store! It's a 25 mile round trip, so simply not practical for our regular weekly shopping. But it was really nice.
Butter Rum , Wild Cherry, and the Tropical flavors have been favorites of mine for years- and I just decided to try the Sweet Mint flavor because they're new, and sounded interesting. I haven't opened them yet! It may seem silly, but I was so happy to find the rolls!