Coming soon: An online vintage mercantile with "A Lotta Vintage"

Hellooooooooo E'body!

It's finally happened. My dear hubby has buried us in vintage finds, all wonderful, but way too much for us to absorb and use. So it's finally come to this - I'm opening an online vintage mercantile, "A Lotta Vintage," soon.

And it's gonna have - well, a lotta vintage ...

I've always thought it was fun to run out and see what he had found and I've shared much of it with you over the years.

Who could forget this wonderful stainless steel medical cabinet? 

But now the man is making things. To-die-for "things" such as lovely harvest tables, with vintage elements in an array of sherbet and neutral shades.

And for months, he has been scrounging the countrysides to find old railroad workers willing to sell industrial carts. My hubby transforms these into coffee tables. I gotta admit, the "after" results  are really, Really, REALLY cool.

Still, the site is in the development stage. I'm pondering including a "library" of wonderful old books, including a cookbook section connected to the kitchen stuff. There will be fun things  from the seventies  and I'm considering a room of "Steampunk" My hubby's "before and after"  projects always win my heart, maybe others will love them as well. I'm looking forward to this and hope it will be as much fun as I think it will be.

Sound off about what you would like to find in a "vintage" online mercantile - all ideas welcomed and appreciated.  I'll update as we make progress on this site. 

My bests 'til then,
Devonia

A traditional Dallas wedding with a Texas twist: Bluebonnets, boots & baseball

Traditional?

or Texas Traditional?

Whoa, now hold on there a second, partner. There's no need to haul out a shotgun to run your caterer off because they don't get the idea of a  traditional Texas wedding.  

A local Dallas gal, Jenni Pryor, shows how to bring off a Lone Star style wedding plus she blends the Texas theme with her fiance's love of baseball wrapped up in all of the trappings of a  traditional  wedding. (Baseball!?!?! Ahem, a sure sign the groom is not from these  parts.)

Texans are wild about wildflowers: Here's Jenni showing off her wedding dress in a field of  bluebonnets and paintbrush wildflowers.

Bluebonnets are  the state flower of Texas  and no true Texas spring wedding is complete without at least one photo that includes Texas' pride.

Whoops! -- What's that peeking from Jenni's petticoats? Sure looks like a pair of leather cowboy boot ! Shucks, there goes the image, eh? It's no surprise that Jenni is a bit sassy. That's the reason the only wildflowers in Texas bloom in fields. 

Ever since Lady Bird Johnson  sowed wildflower seeds across the prairies and byways of Texas, wildflowers can be found in every direction come springtime in Texas. 

.

And then there is this... What do you do if your honeymoon starts two days after the wedding?

Well,  in this case, the entire wedding party plays baseball the next morning - and who bothers to change clothes?

Jenni is at bat and that's her husband catching the ball behind Jenni.

Well, it may not be football, but, one thing is for certain; that little gal  knows how to hit a home-run, eh? 

Does it get more fun than this?    Bluebonnets,  baseball, boots, a wedding --Texas style!    Yee-Ha! 

Texas gift baskets are a Christmas winner for out-of-state friends

There's never a need for Dallasites to worry about what to send out-of-state friends for Christmas -- a Texas gift basket is always a sure winner. Although Texas  baskets can be pretty expensive to just buy outright, Goodies from Goodman, over on Grissom Lane, offers five different sizes ranging from a low of $54.95 - $119.00. Better call 'em up now though to allow  time for shipping. If you prefer to make your gift basket yourself, and why not, we ask -- there's no end of Texas items to select from in Dallas.  

Texas Treasures at the Dallas Galleria  is a wonderful place to start. Texas Treasures is about all things TEXAS and that includes items perfect for a gift basket. Check out the Texas  t-shirts, spices and chilies,  children's cowboy hats, candies, cookie cutters in the shape of armadillos or longhorns, Texas playing cards and a whole lot more.  Since you are making your own baskets, don't forget the kiddos,. Buy a box  or several boxes of the really tasty  animal crackers in the shape of boots and stars.  Don't wait, check out the Texas treasures online.

Your container should be part of your gift. Consider a child's cowboy hat, or just a plain basket trimmed Texas style. Think about cutting slab  of cheddar in the shape of Texas or even making your own sugar cookies with a Texas cookie cutter.  Lone Star bandanas are plentiful and make great wraps for the cheese. Tex-Mex is always a winner. Think jars of salsa, hot and mild red and green chilies, and don't forget  the pralines and Texas trail mix.

A Texas cookbook is always welcomed and if you were on the watch-out, local Dallas schools and churches generally offer Dallas community cook books chock full of trusted-and-tried Texas recipes for everything from tamales to  Texas chocolate sheath cake. Below is a the Dallas Junior League Cookbook, which will include recipes from the movers and shakers of Dallas.

 

Following is a wonderful video that shows you how to trim a gift basket as quick as Santa can wink. Just remember to change that sunflower to a Yellow Rose of Texas. 

3 ways to start a sentimental collection for the girl in your life

Gifting girls/women is easy if you begin a collection for them -something feminine, sentimental, affordable and something that can be "grown" one precious, thoughtful gift at a time. Look at these very feminine collection possibilities -sure to have any female in your life drooling!


Pin Money Banks make such a sweet collection. Now what could be more feminine than pin money? The banks are usually in the shape of a sweet purse and decorated with applied flowers in pastel colors. The banks are now relatively inexpensive, because the collectors have yet to really find them, and would look so lovely grouped in a small cabinet as the collection grows. This might be ideal for a young girl or graduate, but even grandma has a tender spot for sugar jar savings. Since money may be removed from the bottom, it's much nicer than a gift card if you want to actually include some pin money. eBay is a always a good source for pin money banks.

A lovely gift is the old stand-by, a charm bracelet. Begin with one sterling silver link bracelet and one charm, (silver goes so well with denim) perhaps a silver heart, maybe engraved with entwined initials or the date. To make it really special, add unique or antique charms, great for a birthday, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and anniversaries. I especially love these handcrafted sterling silver sortered charms, shown in the photo and created from vintage ephemera and hymnals, swarovski rhinestones and glass glitter, available from Katie's Rose Cottage. Charms are a very inexpensive, yet personal, way to say "I love you". Perhaps your mom or grandmother would love one with snippets of their favorite hymn while a friend or girl friend would treasure a sweet sentiment. Meet Lori, the owner of Katie's Rose Cottage , up close and personal on her blog. Vanity Items - Perfume atomizers or antique apothecary bottles (to be filled with bath salts, powders, etc.) are lovely, soooo feminine and make a beautiful presentation on a vanity or dresser. Even giant size old crystal salt shakers can be added. Just one is eye catching and a grouping will make all tke it really special, antique hearts may be added to it, great for a birthday, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and anniversaries.heir friends envious (and that's definitely part of it!). It is so gratifying to be able to respond to compliments about the collection, with "My ___ started this collection for me. Each one was personally selected by ___ and I treasure them". The neat thing about vanity items is the potential to grow to include mirrors, jars, brushes, - antique or new - the possibilities are unlimited. Price ranges from inexpensive to outrageously costly. Available new & retail or for vintage, check eBay.



It is truly "the thought that counts" and your gift would be special for girl friends, wives, and moms and grandmothers. It doesn't matter if the gifter is male or female - a daughter, friend, mom, can start a collection to be treasured as easily as a man can start one for his wife. Flowers or plants have short lives, a collection lives on to become heirlooms.

Antique Bandboxes: Beautiful Decorative Accessories for Shabby Cottage Decor

You probably already know that bandboxes, commonly known now as hat boxes, were once a staple when women carried reticules hardly large enough to store but the barest necessities. If you think about it, you probably can conjure a vision of a young lady walking down an avenue, gaily swinging a bandbox.

Today, bandboxes are highly collectible and a romantic nod to the nostalgia of another time. The faded, muted colors are perfect for any shabby decorative accessory. One great pamphlet, now out of print is shown above, and sometimes available on eBay auction is, Hat Boxes and Bandboxes at Shelburne Museum, by Lilian Baker Carlisle.

Good Manners & Bandboxes

Most women felt at least two or more bandboxes were a necessity for travel, in addition to trunks.

If train seats were unavailable, a gentlemen was forced to stand and offer their seat to a lady while bandboxes occupied what could have been a seat for him.

Many embarrassing moments were caused by bandboxes - the bottoms were prone to dropping out, spilling the contents for all to see.

To avoid embarrassment and to keep seats clear for passengers, etiquette soon demanded that bandboxes should never visibly travel.

Bandboxes were used for seasonal storage:
From The Lady's Receipt-book: A Useful Companion for Large Or Small Families

By Eliza Leslie

To keep white velvet or silk bonnets white, it was suggested that a cake of white wax (available at an apothecary's for sixpence or a shilling) should be placed beside the bonnet in a bandbox, the bandbox then be tightly closed until the next season, in order to keep the bonnet as white as ever. The cake of wax would be much discolored; not the bonnet.


A bandbox lining of the coarsest brown paper was far preferable for preservation of colors or whiteness of any article stored within. The chloride of lime used in manufacturing white paper was considered injurious to the colors of silks - frequently causing spots and stains. The very coarse, thick brown paper made of old ropes was considered far better; as the tar remaining about it partook somewhat of the turpentine, protecting the colors.

Before storing a white fur muff until the next spring, the muff was saturated in a large quantity of pulverized warm powdered starch and put into the box with some lumps of camphor tied up in thin white papers.

Bandbox Construction:

Today, antique purists insist all true bandboxes are made of thin layers of wood; however, renowned antique collector, Leigh Keno, of Antique Roadshow fame, collected a colorful group of at least 53 bandboxes, made of printed paper on pasteboard between 1820 and 1840. He offered the group, which took twenty years to assemble, for sale at $125,000 in 1992.

Wallpaper was terribly expensive in the days of bandboxes and scraps were saved to cover bandboxes.


Hannah Davis Bandboxes, are highly collectible today - sometimes available on eBay. Her boxes are always signed. To learn how Hannah made her bandboxes and traveled to factories, sometimes in a sleigh, to sell her wares - click here.

Hannah Davis Box , 1840-1860

D.I.Y.: Transforming A Gatsby Era Suitcase Into A Coffee Table With Storage

Painting furniture, or something that will serve as furniture is so much fun.

Above is one project - from my husband's shed. I'm not sure what to call it - a steamer trunk? a huge suitcase? but I do know it has loads of style.

I especially love the four bamboo bands that surround it. (Click to enlarge and you can see those bamboo bands better) I hope you can see that the corners are heavily reinforced with leather and I was delighted that the leather straps/handles are still intact and usuable. This very old piece was found in "patched-up" condition, the work of a previous owner.

It was such an extraordinary treasure that I thought about it a long time before painting a design on it. I didn't want to overwhelm the raw appeal it had as found. To enhance, but not to overwhelm or cutesy it up was my goal. I needed a design that was as unique as the trunk and as classic.

After basecoating and antiquing so all of the distressed and aged areas were highlighted, I decided that I would paint botanical roses, in neutral tones, complete with the Latin names in the different areas. On the top, I alternated the direction of the designs so the top would be pleasing from front or back view. Counting the top surface, the sides and ends, there are nine different botanical rose designs. I truly don't want to admit how long that took me to do.
I'm redoing the interior, so that will require even more downtime. Waiting for adhesive to dry - the devil is in the details. And I'm pondering about a base to elevate it so that it might be used for a table. Little stick legs don't appeal to me. Some sort of neat iron frame would be nice though I don't happen to have one. I guess I will have to talk to my hubby about this and rummage around in his sheds to see if inspiration strikes.

In the meantime, since I've already finished most of the interior pieces for lining this, I can either take a break, or continue where I left off on another project. Eventually, most find their way to completion. *Smile* A coffee breaks sounds appealing.....

So much of art or craft work is spent -

w a i t i n g.

PS. My hubby found four wonderful huge wood BUN feet for it! We measured the height and they are perfect!

Other Posts You Might Enjoy:

• Antique Curiosities: From My Husband's Shed

• Repurposed Treasures: As Pretty As I could Make Them

• PACK 'ET UP!: Best Online Free Printable Packet Templates

• BEST Online Free D.I.Y. Fabulous SPRING WREATH Video I've Ever Seen!

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SIGH - Be Still My Beating Heart: A Killer LINE!?!?!? (Best I've Ever Heard!)

Dallas is a high crime area. Not only do women take self-defense courses, women try to remain always vigilant, always cautious. So what does it take to make women throw caution to the wind and forget everything they ever learned about personal safety? 

Check this story out:

I recently heard the very best line ever! It had me dopey for hours - and then I told my husband.

Here's what happened~I had dashed into a local Dallas grocery store for some milk. 10 min later, a Texas downpour had me aghast. My car was miles across the parking lot. I fidget wondering if I should dash for it.

I'm in shorts, after all, does it really matter if I get soaked?

He: (a warm, masculine voice right behind me) I have an umbrella and if you'll point out your car, I believe I can get you to it dry.

Me: Looking up (seeing the huge umbrella) and then I point - um, there. It's the blue one.

He: Let's go ...

We dash together, reach the car, and he opens the door.
I'm in, dry and grateful. Smiling up my appreciation at this wonderful handsome fellow.

Me: Thank you so much!

He: (right before he closes the door) No problem. Glad to do it...after all, sugar melts....

OMG!!! -SUGAR melts - was that the best line ever?!?!? I was utterly charmed to my toes. Home and in a happy daze, the dopey feeling stays with me until my husband is home from work. I had to tell him, of course I did. Served him right for always taking me for granted, anyway.

Hubby: And if he had been a serial killer, you'd be dead right now.

T h u d.

Awww, I noticed my hubby tucked an umbrella in my car- my true hero!

There you have it. Just one unguarded moment and everything learned is tossed out the window. It may be easier than thought to become the next statistic.

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Capture the Natural Beauty & Breathtaking Colors of Fall With An Autumn Bouquet of Roses: Created From Maple Leaves

It's a gorgeous weekend here in Dallas. I hope everyone is enjoying this kind of weather. It fills me with energy. My dear husband is off to Canton First Monday. I hope he does really well there. I would ask him to take photos for us all (me too); however, he never has time. And that's a good thing because it means that he is selling. For him, selling means more money to use to hunt and find more treasures to sell to hunt and find... well, you get the idea.

But back to the weather, the leaves are turning, the leaves are falling...

I loved these roses made from leaves! I made a bouquet and it was easy as can be. I used dental floss to tie them - no clue what kind of leaves I used. I think I mixed kinds. *laughing* I tucked my roses into a burlap bag/vase that I made by dipping a large square of burlap into Petal Porcelain, shaping it around a vase and letting it dry. The next morning that burlap had enough body to stand on it's own; all I needed to do was trim away the edges/corners. Remember Petal Porcelain? It was used to make huge bows out of fabric for baskets? Good product.

A step by step photo tutorial is available here.
Wouldn't leaf roses make a gorgeous swag , wreath, or pumpkin topiary?

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Love this Love Luggage

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