Hi all! I've decided to declare this a...

Thanks to my extremely sweet hubby, I was able to go thrifting AND flea-ing the past two days! Yes, it is sad that such a thing makes me so gleeful. But there's nothing that makes me happier than digging through all that secondhand stuff and finding new crap to bring home, shine up, and ♥. 

You aren't going to deny our hostess the opportunity to show off some of her wares, are you? And by hostess, I of course do not mean myself, but the charming and very wise gal above. (Just don't mention to her that's she's just an old Avon lotion jar, ok?)

Here she is showcasing our first item up for bid...er, looking at.

Am I the only person who would buy this? Apparently City of Paris, whose logo can be seen on the bottom of this journal, used to be a big department store in San Francisco. As soon as I saw it had been written in, I had to buy it...how else would I read all the entries?  ;)

                                                                                                                                                                     

Whoever wrote in it had the most gorgeous penmanship--it is so hard to read though! I found it funny and a little sad that she says she "feel(s) like a heel" and "lower than a worm."

Inside there were some old labels, the kind people used to paste onto their luggage. And a little note someone left on the back of a fifties-looking business card.

Then a page like this reminds me of what things people alive back then were experiencing...

"If you cannot find shelter in a building, lie down and protect the back of your head."

 Yeah, that'll do it.

This is a J & G Meakin pitcher, very cute for putting some country flowers in.

Or, even just one fake one will do nicely.

The following little plate is heavy, and the most beautiful color. 

Perfect as a change or jewelry catch-all, or for placing a candle on.

Here is another written-in book...but I think I may use the pages themselves somehow. I'll wait until after Halloween, since it is Rip Van Winkle.

I found the following item at the thrift store. I almost died right then and there...

Strawberry Shortcake? Must you pull on my childhood heart-strings? She really was one of my most favorite toys as a kid. So, I bought this cup for Addie to drink strawberry milk out of. And NOT for me. To drink coffee in. Or anything like that.

Did I ever mention I have a slight, growing obsession with tack pins? :) Ever since I bought some vintage ones a bit ago, I've kind of had an obsession with the little suckers. I just find them so charming and odd and nerdy and lovely all rolled into one. And they're cheap! :)

These I've had, and are some of my favorites...

...these are new. 

I never actually wear them, but instead prefer to cluster them together on a bag. 

Not a tack pin, but I like it for both its oddness and the design.

Finally, there is this old German book. (Okay, not really. I did buy more, but I'll stop here :)

Despite the misleading title (Die Madonna??? just kidding), this book is actually a lovely art history book  with neat drawings and pictures in it.

Yep, a book full of portraits of the Virgin Mary. I found it fascinating for several reasons.

For one, the pages were chock full of other pictures, stuck in there after being cut out from different sources--books, magazines. The only one I could find that had a date said 1919.

Did the previous owner do this because they were entranced by the art? Or were they just a very faithful, religious person who collected them and found them beautiful for those reasons?

The different portraits of Mary were SO interesting! Don't believe me? Here, I'll show you.

These were beautiful to me for the love they show between mother and child.

There were tired Mary's...

Mary's that looked like they were getting mommy/baby pics taken at the mall...

And even breastfeeding Mary's! I've NEVER seen that before.

I love how the Baby Jesus is too preoccupied to nurse in this illustration :) Very realistic in that regard.

And THIS Mary, the one you may have glimpsed from before?

She's eyeing her baby with the same suspicious gaze that I do mine oftentimes, wondering if a tantrum 

is around the corner. Meanwhile, the Baby Jesus just looks innocent as pie. Suuuuure.

In all seriousness, I loved looking at these drawings because they remind me that Mary was first and foremost a mother... just like me. 

Thanks for sticking around while I shared some of my stuff! I think I may make this a regular thing...Vintage Saturdays, with---! Hmmm. What should I name my owl?

Any suggestions?

p.s. Yes, I can declare a vintage Saturday even when this post is going up at 11:22 p.m. I'm allowed.  ;)

Dream (wylde)

It's a rainy, blustery day here--the sort of day a California girl like me really loves, even though the weather has been getting cooler each day.




There's nothing like a long, dark, lazy day of rain, spent sitting around in one's pajamas, being dreamy-minded and frittering away the time on little projects :)

And just enjoying the cozyness of the weather.






Don't you love when you can lose yourself in an artistic project--crafting, writing, drawing, blogging, cooking--whatever it may be?

For awhile now, I've thought about opening an Etsy store. Not for the money, because I'm quite sure I wouldn't make much (if any)--but simply for the pleasure it brings me to find little vintage treasures, shine them up a bit, and photograph them in an interesting way.

I know it will likely take me a looong time to put together, but I like having this little "hobby" as a way to have and make some time for myself to do something I really enjoy to do.

Here are some photographs I've taken that I plan to include in my shop:
(It's going to be called Dreamwylde Vintage.)

I hope you will make a little time especially for yourself soon, doing something you especially enjoy :)

Puttering, being half-sleepy, minding babies, and daydreaming--that's what's on my list today!

camera days

    Hi! I've had such fun taking and editing pictures lately. The above is an old bottle I found for a dollar at an antique store. It had the neatest old label on it, and the glass has a cool tarnished/crackly look to it in spots. 

Although I loved that label, I new it had a shabby chic-ier life to it. I decided that it would look neater to remove the label and add a pretty lace detailing to it. For now I just use it a tchotchke on my dresser, but when I have the perfect single flower to put in it, I will.

I tried to give the photograph that same slightly tarnished feel as the bottle--can you tell? :)

Because I so enjoy taking photographs, I decided to start another blog that will focus on that a little more, in a unique sort of format. I figured I have one blog no one reads, why not have two? ;) It will be fun to work on it. Please take a look at it, if you are so inclined--it's called "my life in ten," and you can find it at mylifeinten.blogspot.com. Or simply click {here}.

A happy day to you!

The weather here today is breezy, somewhat cold, and overcast.
Did someone say rain weather? I'll take it!

Wishing you a lovely day, no matter what the forecast may be! ;)

Today we went on one of our fun country drives. The day was absolutely gorgeous! There was a rainbow begging me to take its picture. Can you spy it below? :)

Thanks for visiting us!