Friday, May 18, 2018

Another Day for a Celebration

Easter, then Mother's Day have come and gone so quickly I haven't had time to draw breath, now in Canada our May 24th Statutory Holiday Victoria Day is upon us, and Memorial Day in the United States.  Looming on the horizon is that special day of each year to celebrate Father's!

Father's are just as special as are Mother's!  Dads are their children's' heroes, they in a daughters' eyes are the Knights on White horses, they're the one who gives great cuddles, reads bed time stories and walk their daughters down the Isle.  They become the teacher on how to with mechanics, basketball, hockey and the sports their sons enjoy playing, they coach, they drive from venue to venue, they pay for the costs of those sports or sporting events, they are strong, they can do anything and everything.  This is the generalities of Father's Day and why we celebrate them with reverence as we did last month with our mother.  

From SOCIALTYES  my shop for mens' vintage fashion accessories, I am sharing some of those wonderful retro items there are for men...







Have a wonderful long weekend, whether it be Victoria Day or Memorial Day, be safe on the roads and enjoy your time together with family and friends....




Thursday, May 17, 2018

Accents of Copper

I am certain you are aware of Copper and how over the ages it has been treasured to beautify a room with copper planters, or a kitchen with copper cookware, or just because you love the look of copper.  What ever your reason for your appreciation of this red-brown metal the items made from it can be endless. 

My late mother so enjoyed copper products for her home, she collected it for over 50 years and used it not only to cook with in her kitchen, but used copper as a focal accent in many rooms of her home.  Her love of this metal and how it casts its brilliance in a room was as I said focally used, such as planters, and accents which she managed to place in small niches where the shine of the copper would draw the eye to itself and whatever surrounded it.  Many times it one piece or another would catch someone's interest and a lengthy conversation would begin, where it came from, did it have history, what was its functional use, if it had a use, etc. 

I am pleased to share some of the many Copper pieces I have in the shop with you today, such as this wonderful Kettle with its Delft blue with white handle.  NO, it was never used to boil water in or the making of a pot of tea, but it was a beautiful accent set upon the hearth of the huge fireplace where other smaller copper pieces such as planters or copper jugs were also place and used to hold wonderful succulent trailing pearls of the sea, or a wandering jew.  Flowers and plants are a staple in a dutch family home to be certain. 


This little pear shaped lidded canister was one of my favorites while growing up.  When I was little and still played with dolls, I used it for a doll purse, which of course made my mum laugh, but the rule was, put it back when not using it...my father would use it once in awhile to leave my siblings and me treasure hunt messages and if we were sharp enough we'd be rewarded with a chocolate bar or some licorice at the end of that hunt..



This piece always sat on the round maple table in the Den with a brass candlestick holder as well as a long handled brass bell.  During my teen years and while these were accent table ornaments were also made use of on occasions.  When some of my fathers' colleagues would come to visit the ashes were emptied from ashtrays into this and the candlestick held a candle to cut the smoke from their cigarettes or cigars....


This copper 1 Liter milk can was used years and years ago to collect milk from the dairy farmer whose cart stopped along side homes.  In Holland before the convenience of super markets and plastic containers came into being, households would buy much of their staples from vendors who made their wares available, their vendor carts were filled with dairy products, fresh breads, flour and spices for baking, vegetables, and even freshly caught carts with fish and eel.  What vendors did not sell on their carts were sold in neighborhood shops, where a huge leather shopping bag was always a necessity as paper bags were a luxury item and plastic shopping bags not in existence yet.



Planter pots as I has told you were popular in so many Dutch homes, these planters came in many shapes and sizes from long and oblong, oval, round, as well as rectangular and square.  This is but one of those little copper planters used and placed out of doors during the spring and summer months filled with a blooming flowering plane, or in winter with trailing greenery.. 


As stated Copper is a beautiful metal and throughout the ages has been used.  The Dutch are a people who made this metal come alive and be useful within their tiny homes to make is pleasingly cozy. 

Goodness only knows just how many pieces of copper I have unpacked so far and if more pieces will become unearthed as I wade through the locker and each time I find another I am taken back to sometime or another when my mother would handle it, either to care for her plants, or place fresh cut flowers and use it to hold a creation she'd made. 

Our Victoria Day (May 24th) here in Canada is looming, Harry and Meghan's wedding just a full day away, and Memorial Day for those of you living in the United States....so we are all in for some great activities and events this weekend, Enjoy and be safe. 


Monday, May 14, 2018

IN THE PINK

Hello and Happy Monday to you!

It has been a few busy days here in my overcrowded home space.  

Pink or Blush apparently is the color chosen by Pantone for 2018, welllllll I just happen to have loads of pink and blush vintage glass in my Vintage Family Estate Treasures shop!

Flowers such as these always take my breath away as well as amaze me, their colors are so vibrant and in such a variety of shades, are these not super beautiful?
Makers of glass over the centuries have managed in some miraculous mimicry of nature to produce glass in color such as the color PINK!  I chose a few pink items from the shop to support this 2018 chosen color..such as

Cafe Glass Plate from Anchor Hocking from the 1930's, so delicate looking yet in perfect condition and very solid.  Such a very pretty piece to use while entertaining from petit fours, delicate shortbread cookies, beautifully colored meringues..and so much more.

These Tintern hand painted under glaze from the 1950's ALFRED MEAKIN Sandwich Plates...

 Then there is this wonderful Frosted Blush Pink Dish with a gold metal stand that might be used in a guest room, or a powder room who knows where you might wish to use it to hold.  Isn't it absolutely so delicately beautiful? 
As well as a small frosted glass bowl with etched diamond point border surrounding a pretty stched flower in its center and surrounded by a swirled edge...again, a delicate looking bowl, but in every way strong and in pristine condition....It is definitely a Depression Era piece but try as I might I could not discover the maker of this beautiful little delicate bowl.  Would it not look beautiful with a plum jam in it set among your other breakfast or brunch condiments?

AND finally I chose this gorgeous 1980'd double sided condiment or Bon Bon dish from Mikasa.  It certainly while looking mauve falls into the category of being in the Pink colorway.  A beautiful dish to set upon a wooden side board or occasional table in the room...it will hold condiments to set on table while entertaining or in your living room to hold delicious Bon Bon chocolates, or even in a Guest Powder room to hold those dainty colored guest soaps....

All in all, thanks to Pantone for choosing this years' color these and many more pretty pink items may be discovered inside my family estates treasure shop.

The weather is gently turning the Blah end of winter into an exciting warm sprint and I am off to take full advantage of the day..I wish you the same enjoyment from Ms. Spring's arrival.... 


Monday, May 7, 2018

Vintage Incandescent Lighting

It is a beautiful but still chilly day here in Eastern Ontario where I live and I hope you are enjoying wonderful weather too!

I actually made time to hang out my washing and it has that wonderful fresh air scent to it all and tonight I will enjoy inspecting my bed when finally I turn off the lights. 

I have a few lamps to show off to you today, these vintage lamps all provide wonderful room accents and incandescent lighting to enhance many rooms in your home, or placed on your office desk, or a side table somewhere to show it off and all may be purchased from my shop.


This beautiful hob Nail Mauve and White Glass Hurricane Lamp was one of my late mother's favorite.   She used this in the Guest Bedroom and it was a beautiful accent piece.  It burns oil, but was never put into actual use.


This particular Hobnail Milk Glass lamp was a favorite of my late father who used it daily for his bedside lamp.  He would read for hours late into the night and this lamp has burned brightly for years since the mid 1960's. 


This very pretty Majolica Lamp with florals in relief was made in Italy and a wonderful room accent.  Household lamps were moved may time while my late father was in Military Service, many fabric over plastic lamp shades were damaged or destroyed in long distance moves, but somehow a shade to match this base was found and replaced sometime in the late 1970's.  


These hardly seen bottles by Anton Riemer Schmid Distillery, Munich Germany and turned into electric light lamps in 1948 and owned by my late parent since that time.  


I just added this lamp today.  It is a beautiful 1940's Vintage Cloisonné Brass Enamel Chinese Blue with Chrysanthemum Florals carved Champlevé Lamp Ruyie Border in Midnight or Cobalt Blue.  It is a stunning lamp and a beautiful room accent. 

There remains so many Family possessions left for me to uncover, all sadly still holding in a storage locker which I hope to have emptied very soon.  

Being the one responsible for these personal effects is daunting, but the wonderful rediscoveries is worth it when you finally get into that locker and unpack another container.... 

For those who may be interested in any of these wonderful Incandescent Lamps this is where you can see them for sale....30% off all year round....The shop is a 24/7, 365 day affair, so it is conveniently open at your convenience....

You are most welcome to browse my shop at any time, and, should you have any questions about any article, please feel free to contact me.  NO CHARGE for answers or information you may be seeking. 

As always, your comments are most welcome.  


Wednesday, May 2, 2018

HAPPENING NOW

There is a need for me to rid myself of items in all of my shops due to lack of space in my tiny home to store everything as well as having a storage locker to pay for, so in that vein there is a 10% OFF sale going on at SOCIALTYES which already has low prices for men's vintage items, such as Ties, Shoes, Belts, Cuff Links,Bow Ties, Hats and winter wear.  

As Prom time is fast approaching I was reading that some of tomorrow's fine gentlemen are already fashion trend dressing with used vintage men's wear.  

Not these winkelpickers are really retro and would be spiffy on a fellow's feet!  These were called Winklepickers in Great Britain, and were called pointy toes in Canada during the 1960's and like womens' pointed toed shoes, men also wore these and were very fashionable, at that time in years gone by.
Seemingly these are making a comeback in men's fashions today as the younger generation love being totally different.. they choose their own styles!


Or this 1950's retro Llama Fedora!

Then there is also a 10% off in The Bag Lady From The Bay's shop, 10% off is a nice little savings especially since the Canadian Dollar is already saving a Buyer $0.19 on their dollar.....

I enjoy my hobby of making sewn items and quilting fabrics to use in my zippered bags very much but......these need to go....

These are some fun fabrics and I loved quilting them and then turning these into wonderful cosmetic bags, so great for just about any use a bag could be used for....

I also make these BIZZZEE BAGS for children.  Makes a child happy to have his or her own bag to cart all of their favorite take along toys.  These bags are so helpful to mum and dad, as once the child chooses his or her special playthings, or books to schlep along to grandmother's house or a visit with family or friends.  The child gets to keep themselves amused while you get to visit. 



AND all of these items are on sale.  

I committed to a place mat order which means I will be spending some time in front of my favorite tool ever, my sewing machine. 

Made with different fabrics of course, but in this style....whooppee....



Would you enjoy a FREEBIE?  This is for those who enjoy the personal approach with family and friends, and it can be found on a fellow Etsians' Blog, so great to get something for FREE and something you really can make great use of. .........>Devon Browning is a very interesting Lady so for those who might enjoy a great blog to visit and a freebie to boot visit my friend, Devon Browning   She'd love to see you visiting....

If you should have any questions about anything in this Blog, please, don't hesitate to leave me a comment or a question and I would be chuffed to hear from you.  




Tuesday, May 1, 2018

Pass the Plate Please

Good Tuesday morning to you!

I managed to become a tad busier than I thought last week and found myself having to make some special ordered Lavender Sachets. 

I had some left overs so have listed those in the shop and you can see those under Handmade Sachets in my other shop.   
Here is one set.....didn't these turn out looking very sweet and delicate?

While over at BYGONERA there are some plates I would like to share with you today.  These of course are vintage and I so long for them to go, my tiny house is too tiny and I need the space.  






Pictured above are two pieces which have become rather scarce.  The pattern named THE GAY GANDER was produced and all hand painted in the mid 1900's and few are able to find this pattern today, apparently finding pieces is rather rare. 

THESE were produced by WILLIAM ADAMS & CO. established in Tunstall, England in 1657 is and was a well and highly recognized for its enduring quality china wares as well as Staffordshire pottery. 

The makers mark seen on the reverse of these plates are the standard printed mark dates from 1914 to 1940. **Above the crown in the first picture being the pattern name.** 

AND another set of plates from across the pond these 1950's ALFRED MEAKIN 6 1/2" Hand Painted under Glaze Tintern Pattern Sandwich or Dessert Plates Made in England. 
These vintage Meakin sandwich or cake plates are still lovely and all are in terrific vintage condition.  There were 12 but one somehow seems to have gone missing.  These are a terrific buy, and would make wonderful extra's for those larger gatherings or unexpected events which do crop up throughout the summer months. 

Today is storage locker day, so off I go to unpack more boxes and uncover some old memories, or find a new treasure which I didn't know about or even if I did, simply did not remember. 

Have a wonderful day everyone, seems like around my area Miss Spring is finally making an appearance and she hasn't come back at a better time.....

P.S. Comments are free - why not add your thoughts or questions if you might wish too.  






Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Cardboard Box Finds

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

Wondering what happened to me?  I have been unpacking more family possessions from the storage unit and just take a look at what it is I found yesterday!





I found two exquisite hand made, hand painted Red Clay Masks from a Cuban Artist named Victor CamaGuey.  I researched and researched this name and found nothing. If you have ever seen anything like this, or know of this Artist, please take a moment to let me know.  I am sure others were made and bought by Canadians on vacation or business in or around Havana. 
These were made sometime in the early 1970's and have been carefully packed away for years. 

These are exquisite and one of a kind to be sure.  I am not selling them in my Vintage Shop due to the American Embargo on anything Cuban.  I have done all I can in terms of researching this Cuban Artist, but, found nothing at all.  Since Canada has no such embargo, this means I may sell them, just not on any E-commerce Sites such as Etsy.. 

Many people from around the world have chosen Cuba to vacation and have come back having thoroughly enjoyed their stays and brought many Cuban artworks and items Cubans make and sell to the tourists in order to make a little money to augment their meager wages.  I know my late Aunt would take two large suitcases filled with items of clothing to leave behind and the contents of these suitcases were just as sought after as were tips for those in service at the hotels. 

IF YOU might be interested in these, contact me, I do wish to sell them, both pieces for $150.00 Canadian currency plus shipping costs of course.   In order to determine shipping costs I parcel the items and attend with Canada Post with a postal or zip code for an actual and accurate shipping rate. 

Then, after finding these I unpacked a unique little rustic clay bowl, hand made and hand painted but not glazed on the inside and some thin glazing only on the outside and made by some unknown potter selling his wares from a stall in Tijuana, Mexico.  Someone brought it back in the mid 1960's while visiting family in San Diego many moons ago.   Isn't this a very colorful bowl? 








These are beautiful items and things I haven't seen in years and years.  

Have a wonderful day and thank you for your visit.  




Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Vintage Hats

DO YOU wear hats anymore?  These head coverings were very popular in the mid century for women who attended church and were popularized over the ages by many Iconic Women! 

Hats were adornments popularized by such iconic women as Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline Kennedy, Queen Elizabeth II and her daughter-in-law, the People's Princess, Diana!  Today it is the Fascinators that grab attention and while at first were worn while attending the famous Ascot Race day!  In todays' fashion world,  it hat fashions have become the "in thing" to wear at events like weddings, and cocktail parties, Race Derbies across the world, and other momentous events where Fashion dictates your head covering is noticed. 

While in my family, hats always were worn to attend Church Services and church events but my late Aunt really was the one who bought and wore hats for just about every event going in her circle of family and friends.  
In the mid 50's women in England wore head coverings while shopping even.  Hats were the perfect fashion accessory back then, and even if money was not to be had, head gear was hand made and changed frequently if once upon a time they had a great foundation. 
Several hats were unpacked from my Families Estates and most I found can be viewed in my shop, all in gently used condition.  The majority were all from Canadian Designers and well made. 


Four Spring/Summer hats which are terrific for foundation, or re-designing with a variety of flowers or birds, a butterfly as one in the photo will show.  My late Aunt would make changes depending on the occasion she thought would be appropriate.  





These are wonderful hats made from Canadian Felts and Designed for women who liked a warm but fashionable hat for fall and winter all looking like close to being NEW. 

Sooooooooooo if your looking for a Retro Hat my shop is where you will find a few more.  Browsing doesn't cost a penny, so if you have nothing better to do, nothing new to search for, com'on over and browse my fashion accessories.  

Now being popularized once again are hats for men, and I do have a few listed over at SOCIALTYES.  I have sold so many and these are all that were left, so when I decided to open a shop for men's fashion accessories, I decided these would fit right in. 






Sunday, April 15, 2018

YA YA Those Are Divine Shoes

Old photographs have been coming to light while going through boxes packed, repacked and repacked so many times that even the boxed labels are untrue.  

I actually found a photograph, which I didn't remember, of myself and my youngest brother, on the street in front of our home at that time.  My goodness it did bring back memories.  My little brother was actually wearing my brown leather tie up shoes which I wore at his age.  Those shoes are actually still around and for sale inside the shop!



My father, a Canadian Soldier was a Military career man!  From his stint in WWII as a young man right into the 1970's working for the Department of Defense.  We moved too many times to count anymore and resettling became a problem while growing through the teen years.  We never knew which language or which type of school we'd be in next, the world in the 1950's and 1960's was a magical place to get an education.  
So those little shoes which began their life in Holland as my shoes have seen many a piece of ground as my siblings and I were their masters. 

My mother was a Dutch Girl and of course the Dutch like every other European lost so much during the war years, these shoes managed to remain as they were on my feet as a toddler and even then if memory serves me correctly these belonged to some other child before these were found by my uncle to send me off to Canada with.  Must have cost him a pretty penny, a penny he didn't really have in those days.  

You've all heard of the Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood?  Well these are the Divine shoes of an Immigrant Toddler!

Be kind to Refugees because having survived the German occupation and the devastation of loss it was very difficult for people in Europe to become settlers in a new land and trust that where they were bound for would afford them a much better life than what they were leaving behind.  
Leaving their families, their friends, they cultures and being frightened of how they'd be accepted upon arrival in a new country and culture was such a challenge.  Some never could settle and some settled right into Canadian Life and as many were farmers, they made themselves keepers of land and growers of food which was needed all over the world due to the costs of war.  Battling the psychological I think must have been the hardest of hurdles to overcome.  

Today is no different, refugees are human beings fleeing death and destruction....if you were in their shoes, what would you do if you survived?





Saturday, April 14, 2018

Rediscovering My Blog

It has been so long since I paid any attention to posting on this blog, blame it on my tunnel vision which was aimed at clearing out the over 100+ boxes I had in the storage locker from the estates.  I seem to get tired of all this confusion around me that some days are spent not accomplishing very much at all. 

So many new finds in those stored boxes and the efforts to either find them from my memory bank or doing research just to recover the correct history of them.  My mother's family became such collectors of possession they had in their families before WWII and somehow when a recovered item or a find they came across, of course it was gathered as quickly as possible.  Some items with histories and some just because they had it or something close to "it" before.  

There is no one left but me and I confess growing up among those survivors I too am unable to turn to a disposal bin and see them off to the nether regions of a landfill site.  I have such an attachment but my simple little home to which I downsized to just will not accommodate any more of those wonderful family TREASURES.  

Hopefully there are individuals out there who might appreciate these old and sometimes odd things that they might give them a new home and allow the history of its past to continue. 

I am going to list as many of the things as I can and if you see something you think you might like, then hit which ever link you see for it and go grab it. 

My BYGONEA SHOP is filled with Vintage Treasures and in that shop is a perpetual 30% off, every day, every week and all throughout the year, that makes for great bargains, especially for any buyer living outside the boundaries of Canada as the currency certainly allows for an even better bargain because of the low rate of our Canadian Dollar.  


I found 5 watches, can you believe it?  

My BAG LADY FROM THE BAY SHOP is where you will find those hand made items I love to make and do sit in front of my sewing machine as often as I am able given there are simply not enough hours in my day.  



I found all of these Resin Cherubs and Plastic Angels and little doves just the other day so will have to get these listed in the Supplies section.  

My last shop is SOCIALTYES selling off all of the many items which belonged to my male family members.  The vintage ties seem endless, checking them over to make certain these are in terrific condition and astonished to find many of those ties to be vintage new ties..


A brand new Combat Jacket and I did make time to list this and put it into a sale the shop is running.  

I hope you have not given up on me and that you might come and visit once in awhile.