For some unknown reason these finds remind me of gadgets that would be in a manly-type store. Hanging upon the wall for employees to use. Maybe in an old garage for mechanics to wash up? Possibly the back of an old hardware store? I dunno.... just thinkin' - and where in the world do I come up with this stuff?
soap dispenser
fabric towel dispenser
Maybe I saw these in a bathroom somewhere along Interstate cutoff 505, or Hwy 99 as my Dad tootled down the road with his wife and kids toward his childhood home....
Every summer my parents packed all of us and the dogs into the station wagon for a visit to my Grandparents. The route to their home was North, and while we lived in the City - they were in an itty-bitty town in the country. The roads that lead to that place of fabulous memories were once very small. We had each landmark etched in our brain and likely our hearts too! Miles and miles of sun bleached landscape. Golden hills where very few humans resided. HOT as Hades and in those days no air conditioning! YAY!! we're now on I-5 almost to the town where Craig & myself were born. Landmark #1. A few more rounds of I spy and we hit Mom's hometown - a landmark we never miss. A predestined right turn off the main drag to drive by the shack (said with love & respect) where she was raised. Maybe even a cruise past her old, beautiful High School. Through the dusty little business area with long forgotten shops. We're getting closer!! A left turn onto 99 and into the home stretch. The ever popular landmark BIBLE QUOTATION sign whizzes past. Now is the time that we're on our knees in the back of the wagon.... we're turning right, nearly into the orchards. WE'RE HERE!! there's our sign that reads the town name, the bump of the railroad tracks at the dead end we go left. Quickly we look down to our right.... YEP! there's enough water in the canal to go swimming - HOORAY! for that is what summer is all about!.... And after hours of wait here is the street that contains the homes that house the people that dwell in our hearts.... all the way down to the end, on the corner, on the left. That ever magnificent walnut stretched out forever in the yard. The dahlia and cactus garden too.
I have paragraphs and pages of memories to write. Maybe I'll do a little series all about this enchanting place. Including all of the people that I have a soft, weak spot for - the family that I dearly cherish.
But, to make this story come full-circle (which I like to do)... well, those finds pictured at the top?? ya know the Borax soap and running cloth dispensers... It's very possible I did see them in a hardware store, in a little place, in the middle of nowhere, on Main Street. I think I just may have!
One of the first items of business once we arrived at Grandma & Grandpa's was to cross the street and grab our cousin to go visitin'! We have lots of family in that small place. We would walk to "town" - just us kids - and the first stop would be the Hardware Store. Our Aunt and Uncle owned it. We went to say our hellos and our we're-in-towns. The Hardware Store got the news as we burst in the door.
Just maybe that bathroom in my Uncle's small town shop had just these sort of fixtures?
I've also found this little ditty. May not be 'bout a Hardware Store, but a small country shop, just the same. The photos are completely reminiscent of MY place.... oh the memories!
We too eventually said goodbye to the store. The building still stands; no longer housing manly wares. My Uncle passed long ago and retired from this piece of life much before that. I will have to travel back sometime - physically and spiritually. I'd like to take that journey!
Self portrait of the uncommon kind! Can you see Mary's spokes... and well, mine too! You can glimpse me in the photo if ya really concentrate. Big ol' helmet head!
Took the ol' girl out for a spin.
FIND - Magpie is in Willow Glen. Willow Glen is in a nice neighborhood near me.
Stop for all yard sales.
Find- interesting treasure.
wedding dress box & gown
Here's a close-up of the treasure box ~
How cool is that?..... Did not take her home though.
If you haven't already seen the post that was written by Cindy Santiago of Romantic Home fame...... (This is her blog address) http://www.romantichome.blogspot.com/. You can click on the link below to read the recent post she did on GOAT HILL!!! She was letting her long list of followers know about our show! That is very exciting in that she has done this blogging thing for quite some time and is very liked and known! Hopefully a big percentage of her readers are locals that will be able to make plans and attend the show.
The show is nearing very quickly! I'm not yet panicked, but getting a tad nervous. Have soooo much to do.... sooooo very much to learn... very little experience! It'll be GREAT though!
I might get to visit the farm this weekend. Wonder how big the baby goats will be??
This very pretty ocean scene was shown yesterday. Got me thinking about how often I decorate with ocean and beach items. Often I've considered keeping the beachy-look in the house for every season. A couple of my friends say that there are no longer shells to be found at the beach because I have them all!..... silly girls!
Other aquatic theme pieces are ~
a friend found this beauty
So far just art pieces.... and another below
These fish are among my favorites. I found them at a neighbor lady's yard sale years ago. They were painted by someone she knew. An Italian. From 1940-something. The grey tones are still on trend to this day.
A very happy commonality that Hubby and I share is our love for oysters. We eat them - raw, BBQ'ed, breaded, smothered in washes.... We collect them too. Shells are saved. Items of oyster paraphanelia are part of our decor.
a gift to Hubby
I found this oyster shell box^ at a lovely French shop in San Francisco. I filled it with oyster shaped chocolates - that did NOT taste like oysters - to give to oyster shucker extraordinaire Hubby! This is how it looks in gift box mode ~
We consume enough oysters that by saving the shells, we can cover some garden walkways....
Hate to admit it but, I can't remember the story behind this find ~
Starfish, sea fans, conch shells, coral and much more fill our living space with their natural beauty. I've not included them in this post or you'd be reading for ages. I'll be sure to give you a glimpse soon.
PANTALOONS, I said!! hmmm maybe I should go check that word. Sounds kinda prairie-like. Didn't find out too much from Wikipedia. Just another term for pants.
Just like knickers and breeches. HA! I like those two words.
Thrifting today I found art and said pantaloons.
I love the painting.
It's titled : Dawn In The Harbor
by Michael J Silver
Googled the artist. There are numerous Michael J Silvers.
Did Michael J Silver, the ACTOR have another hobby??
Title: possibly should read - Cloche Overuse!!
Just in case you don't have my illness and may not know THY LOVELY CLOCHE - here is the definition:
original purpose - garden: see left lower corner
Cloche: Garden Under Glass. The French developed the glass cloche, or bell jar, formed of a solid piece of glass shaped like a dome. The purpose was to protect an early garden plant from bleak cold and frost. This would hasten their crops to maturity. The Dutch and English expanded the idea with handlights, lantern style, faceted pyramidal covers made from glass panes and frames of cast iron. Today French cloches', Dutch and English handlights styles are much on the garden scene. As well as functional, they make a wonderful garden accent.
I've a love affair with cloche decorating! At last count I may have had 5 or 6.... or so! I've found most of them at thrifty spots. It may be time to stop! Any further found treasures most surely should go to other homes.....
found honey comb
And more yet....
paper art under glass
So there you have it - a fetish... that's not too freaky... that I'm willing to share!
The thought occurred to me - well, it cropped up nearly immediately.... I was never over-the-moon enthusiastic on my WTF - what's the find (Friday) series. I could live without doing it. Not many Fridays even ended up with a post for WTF. A few posts back I broached the subject and didn't have photos of my finds. So, now I do! Shall I tag this post a WTF?... let me know by leaving a comment for me!!
To WTF, or NOT to WTF???
On a Tuesday (not a Friday) ..... here's a beautiful treasure or two....
Aside from the silliness above listen to Glen and take a gander at my found beauty....
To get you in the mood, press play here ^ and turn up your volume!
1940's (?) gown.... the details are intricate, yet the dress so simple in it's style! Utterly sublime!! The color is peachy and must've made the skin on some sweet gal look absolutely creamy! Nearly peach sorbet like.....
Here's a back view of the gown ~
and then some of the details... lots of crafting...
Want to try and figure this out... maybe add some of it to the vintage slips I've been collecting for Goat Hill?
Just picture Ginger Rogers stepping lively, swinging... and the hemline of this gown swaying with her moves... what a pretty thought.
Isn't this a classic image?!
A beautiful vintage photo that I found while browsing for something old-timey and perfect for my space ~Abundant Finds ~
Just love her... she was found at http://www.vintagepapergoods.typepad.com/... and there is much more loveliness to be found there!
WTF - What's The Find (Friday) is supposed to be alive and well today. I found some beautiful objects to showcase. Alas, I never got around to photographing it/them.
So, here's a pretty picture... and maybe tomorrow WTF will be WTF on Saturday??
