Or something like that. I am back after some time off. I had planned on taking Christmas, my birthday, New Year’s, etc off, but once I flew back from Kansas I decided January would be one long vacation from blogging! It’s just so stressful. (Where’s that sarcasm font when you need one?) I hope everyone has been well and those of you in certain parts of the country aren’t still snowed in.
Back to the subject at hand.
Mine!
In the last six months or so I have acquired an attraction to old coffee carafes, particularly the Pyrex ones. Since I don’t drink coffee, it is a bit curious, however, I love the look of them. They come in varying sizes, shapes, and surface designs that captivate me. They scream vintage kitchen, and the thought of them sitting around brings a smile to my face. They are quite abundant, I see them often while antique perusing, but I perk up every time I come upon one (no pun intended).
You may remember my fascination with a salad bowl a few weeks ago. Well, lo and behold, I found a chip ‘n dip with the same bowl and design! It was an eBay find and I snatched it up quickly. I had been seeing this particular type of chip ‘n dip, with a small holder for the dip/sauce bowl that sits on the larger bowl, and had been close to purchasing one, but never knew it came in “my bowl.” It was a pleasant little surprise and has made my fascination, okay, who am I kidding, obsession with these bowls grow a little more. There must be more out there, and searching for them will become a new adventure for me.
Once I get the notion that I want an item, it turns into an unyielding mission that I focus on, probably too much. When the notion arose for a secretary desk, it was no different. I longed for one, preferably one I could paint. However, when the initial search began, my heart quickly dropped upon seeing the average price of one. Whether it was an original, with no work done on it, or one someone had “shabby-chiced,” (I know that’s not a word) the prices were, well, crazy, to be honest. Most I found, online or in person, were $300-600. Cue cartoon me with my eyes popping out of my head and jaw dropping to my feet.
Cocktail hour is made more festive with the right set of glasses, and infinitely more when it’s a set of mid-century bar glasses. Case in point, the set of blue and gold glasses I happened upon at the antique mall four blocks from my house. My delight was beyond words. They were beautiful, they were a fun shape, and best of all, they were of the same color way of the vintage ice bucket I had found just weeks before at another antique mall almost an hour away. I couldn’t believe my fortune!
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It seems to be a stereotype that many people do not (or didn’t) like school lunch. Eating the cafeteria food is often seen as a form of cruel punishment equivalent to pulling out fingernails and breaking knuckles. I will note here, that in grade school our food at school was incredible. It was a small private school and the food was actually the kind you looked forward to. Plus, my Mom was one of the cooks. Insert lunch lady joke here.
After last week’s post on old photographs, it only seemed logical for this week to be about old cameras. (Very few things I do are logical, so take advantage.) These cameras produce those wonderful images and pieces of paper that speak more to a feeling than any contemporary photograph does. They have character and grit and substance.
It can be said that living in the past is unhealthy, and in many respects I agree. But the past not only offers lessons learned and a path to how we came to be presently, but odds and ends of a different way of doing things, helping us decide how we want to establish our personal footing in the world, and glimpses of a lost connection with something outside of ourselves.
I am those dirty words: sentimental, idealistic, nostalgic. Aka: sappy, corny, kooky. (I embrace them all!) While I am all these things, I don’t (always) live in a dream world. The reality of contemporary times and everyday life are at the forefront. I do, however, like to incorporate my love of past relics, my yearning for a more regaled approach, and my pure enjoyment of using useful yet left behind objects into my life. Technology and modern conveniences are a part of our lives now, and most of us wouldn’t know how to function without them. They do make our lives easier, but I will gladly sacrifice a little convenience for the feeling of doing something myself, the latest trend for something I enjoy that maybe no one else does, and an easily produced object for a personal touch that alludes to something special. Continue reading
Lovely Shades of Nostalgia 