Victorian Calling Cards

School has become rather hectic as we enter "midterm hell". I have what feels like a million assignments due and three midterms next week alone. So just a heads up posts may become even less frequent over the next few weeks. As I have a spare minute (i.e. if I study one more equation my head will explode), I thought I would share my little collection of Victorian Calling Cards. I picked these up on Etsy with some of the money I got for Christmas. Aren't they sweet?

I find the idea of calling cards completely fascinating. I have been reading up about them in some of my reprints of Victorian etiquette books (yes I have more than one book on Victorian etiquette... Doesn't everyone?). Often they were simply dropped off at a friends house (handed to a maid or other servant) to show you were thinking of them and had stopped by. The cards in my collection that don't appear to have names actually have the name hidden under the picture (which lifts up). 

Well I should get back to studying. Oh, in case I forget, I should mention that I have created a facebook page for my Etsy store. I just thought it would be a great way to keep everyone up-to-date on my latest patterns, and give sneak-previews at some of my works in progress. I also plan on sharing neat vintage sewing and millinery resources I come across. If you are interested feel free to like my page.   

That's All.

Antique Market Goodies

One exam done, three to go. So far it isn't going well. I am always amazed how I can be able to do all the practise problems, have all the formulas memorized, and still do badly on the exam.

I took a much needed trip to my favourite antique store today. It may be my last visit before I move back home for another 4 months. It was warmer today so I decided to dress up a bit. All my dresses are back home already so I just wore a big poofy skirt, a sweater and black ballet flats. The flats were a bad idea though, since I had to wait for the bus in several inches of snow.

The hat I bought at the market. It was in a pile of other hats which were all $4! They had had a tough life. If I had a hat block I would have bought more to try and reshape. This one seemed in decent condition though. It is black velvet with the cutest little bow at the back. I also bought some postcards. My collection is strictly from before 1920, and I only buy ones that have cute messages on the back. This time I obtained ones from 1912, 1910, and 1902 (my oldest one so far!). To add to my collection of scanning materials, I bought two magazines. I think I need a larger scanner though. It is too small to fit the whole magazine :(
That's All.

Turkey Day! (Or Tofurky Day for all the vegetarians out there!)

Whew, what a week! I have been so busy I almost haven't had time to blog! This is just a quick little update post before I get packed to go home for the holiday weekend.

Let me just say how extremely thrilled I am to have reached 50 followers!!!! I honestly never thought anyone but me would read this blog so having so many followers makes me really happy. Thank you for reading! As dictated by blogging tradition, I will be having a giveaway to celebrate :) I will give you ladies more info in my next post.

I have been so busy studying and working on projects I haven't had much time for anything fun. Today I had a bit of free time, so I managed to squeeze in an hour at the antique market. I got quite a few postcards for my collection, although I didn't find any good magazines :(

I am so happy to be going home for Thanksgiving. As a vegetarian I won't be having turkey but I will be having tofurky! Yum! (I realize tofu turkey sounds really gross but it is actually quite yummy). Happy Turkey/Tofurky Day everyone!

One last thing, Frl. Irene Palfy has nominated me for "One Lovely Blog Award"! Thank you so much!!!! I am absolutely delighted to receive my first blogging award :)

The conditions that come along with this reward are:

1. Accept the award. Post it on your blog along with the name of the person who awarded it along with a link to their blog.

2. Pay it forward to 15 other bloggers that you have recently discovered.

3. Contact those bloggers and let them know they've been chosen.

Picking 15 bloggers that I have recently discovered was rather difficult. I love so many blogs but here are some of the ones I have discovered recently:

http://bakedoandmend.blogspot.com/

http://myfeelings-only.blogspot.com/

http://a-red-robin.blogspot.com/

http://ticketybootupney.blogspot.com/

http://artdecogirls.blogspot.com/

http://tealoveanarchy.blogspot.com/

http://swellvintagespot.blogspot.com/

http://oldhollywoodglamour.blogspot.com/

http://mylifeisvintage.blogspot.com/

http://missmatildadreams.blogspot.com/

http://frocknrollvintage.blogspot.com/

Yes I know that only equals 11 blogs but that's all I can think of right now :)

Chilly Weather = Knitting Time!

As the weather gets colder, my desire to knit starts to return. During the summer, the idea of sitting with a big ball of yarn just seems icky. But once autumn starts, all I want to do is relax with my knitting needles and a great old radio show.

At the moment I am working on the bow part of one of these, but if I had the skill (or the patience) I would love to knit one of these beauties from my 1939 Lux Knitting Book. If anyone wants the instructions I am willing to scan you the full pattern, but I warn you now that the patterns are very very very long and scary looking!

And one last thing, I would just like to wish Britt (my favourite model and one of my closest friends) a very happy birthday. Sorry I forgot what day it was today... (I feel so guilty but I honestly thought it was the 28th!)

(Ain't she pretty?)

PS: Wow 47 followers? When I started this blog I didn't expect to get more than 2! I guess I will have to start planning a giveaway for when I reach 50. Thank you so much for everyone who reads this. What do you guys think of the new design? I keep changing the header but I think I like this one...for now...

A little bit of everything.

This post doesn't have much of a theme but here it goes:

I was looking at my postcard collection yesterday and realized I forgot to scan the two latest additions to my collection. So here they are. Normally I go for the ones with the best messages written on the back, but these two were mainly chosen for their pretty pictures.

I also forgot to scan my two "newest" magazines. The covers weren't overly attractive so here are a few of my favourite pictures of Hollywood stars from the November 1934 issue of New Movie.

Mary Pickford

Myrna Loy

And this has to be my all time favourite picture of Ginger Rogers!

I am so excited to have some 1930's magazines now. The early 1930's is by far my favourite time period but I was having a difficult time finding magazines from then (that I could afford anyways). Then on my last trip to the antique market I found three (!) lovely magazines. The third one is going to be a Christmas present, but I will be shortly posting some lovely scans from the two I already have :)

And finally, here is the end result of my latest sewing project. It was made using a 1960's pattern but I had to alter the sleeves and add a belt. I have come to the conclusion that 1960's styles just don't suit me. I look better in clothes that are more fitted and structured. Nevertheless I love this dress, if only from the fact it is made using Ikea fabric! Ikea has some really great (and cheap) fabrics right now! Well I find it exciting...

That's All.

Antique shopping and an unexpected surprise

Last weekend (and I use the term loosely since I work Wednesday to Sunday) I went antique shopping in Orono. Living so close to the GTA (greater Toronto area) I find there is quite a lack of good antique stores. Most of the antique stores are actually in Toronto but I always find them a little overpriced. Orono is a cute little town that, despite its size, has several great antique stores downtown.

I bought this lovely Jonathan Logan dress (1950's perhaps?), which looked terrible on the hanger but fits me perfectly.

I also bought a collection of Victorian paper bits. Basically it was a selection of labels and bits of cards. Some of them I have already put in a frame and I am still deciding what to do with the remaining bits.

The last item I bought was this great Bing Crosby record. Why don't people listen to vinyl anymore? It sounds so great (scratches and all).

Here is where the unexpected surprise comes in:

As I was putting away my record, I happened to glance at some of the records my parents had downstairs. Now I knew they had a lot of 70's and 80's records so I never really bothered to have a closer inspection. But while I was putting Bing away I found a bunch of records I had never seen before. There was several Glen Miller records, a Benny Goodman record, a 1940's big band record, not to mention a whole set of 1930's swing music! I was in shock! I also found several more jazz records from the 1930's and 1940's I have never heard of before. My parents thought it was a little sad how excited I was....

Behind these records I also found this postcard. It was never been used but looks quite old. No one in my family has any idea where it came from.

Sometimes the best surprises come when you least expect them. What treasures have you ladies discovered lately?

Overwhelmed by Antiques

On Saturday I made the 2 and a half hour journey to the Christie Antiques Market (alone because everyone was either busy or didn't want to go). This was my first year going so I didn't quite know what to expect. I must say I was a little overwhelmed when I got there. I had planned on just wandering around aimlessly but that wasn't really an option when I discovered how large it was. I soon formed a plan and began walking up and down the main aisles, then moved to the aisles that ran perpendicular. I was there about 4 hours and I still don't think I saw everything but it was a lot of fun.

I didn't buy very much since I had to take everything back on the train with me. The only thing I regret not getting was a rusted 1920's dark green birdcage. It was $350, which ironically is the same price as the bird cage Holly Golightly gave the narrator of Breakfast at Tiffany's (which I finished reading on the train ride). Too bad it was so much money and there was no way to get it home with me (it had a full stand too). *Sigh* Oh well, there is always next year.

Here are some scans of what I bought (which the exception of a pretty blue plaid dress which I will post later).

Three lovely postcards and the cutest little valentine.


And two patterns. 1950's maybe? They had some cute ones from the 1930's but nothing in my size.

In other news, I discovered that one of the old antiques trunks my parents have is filled to the brim with old photos. Most are from the 1950's and 1960's but some appear even earlier than that. Here are two of my favourites so far (of my Grandma) but I expect to scan some more once I do some digging and get everything sorted.

I am so envious of my Grandma dress in the first picture. The second picture just looks so cool, it almost has a film noir look to it. Sorry if they are a little hard to see but they were small photos to begin with.

I apologize it took me so long to post about the antique market but there's a good reason. I got a job! After much panic about not finding a job this summer, I managed to get a position at a local museum. I am now an "Archivist Assistant" :) Yay! Hopefully it will be a fun as it sounds. The other girls that work there seem quite nice. I will keep you guys posted :)


That's All.

No more classes and a few goodies to celebrate

Today was the last day of classes for this term, so to celebrate I went to the large antique market. I was expecting to pick up a few more postcards and some depression glass but I ended up buying some completely different things. (Apologies for the blurry pictures of me. I need a camera with auto-focus....)

OK so this one isn't too different from my normal purchases. It is a magazine from 1953 and was only $2!!! It does have quite an odor though....

I was so surprised by this little dress. I have never bought (or even seen many) clothes at this antique market before but then I saw this darling dress and I really wanted it. I wasn't sure if it would fit but there was no where to try it on. So I pulled it on over my clothes. A sales lady walked by when it was halfway over my head. I was worried she was going to yell at me but she just laughed and walked away. So end result? Super cute dress for only $25 that fits me perfectly! (I am not sure about its vintage. I think it is handmade but newer than it looks)

I love this hat! It is from the 1930's and, although not in the best condition, it is completely wearable. For $18 I just couldn't leave it! Now if only I can find a way to keep it from falling off my head.....(it needs an elastic strap or a hat pin or something)

After the antique market, I headed over to the outlet mall across the street. I saw a few cute shoes but figured if they hurt after just a few steps then maybe, just maybe, they might not be good for walking in. But the mall has a Royal Doulton outlet store so I had to stop and drool for a bit. I still couldn't afford anything but this teacup set caught my eye. It is their 1930 Polka Rose 3-Piece Set. No wonder I love it so much. It would make a lovely birthday gift (Mom, you reading this :) ?)

Where's the Maple Syrup?

So I went to the Elmira Maple Festival on the weekend expecting to buy a whole bunch of maple goodies. The only maple related product I bought were some maple syrup apple fritters (basically just apple slices fried in a little bit of batter and a whole lot of maple syrup). There really wasn't that much maple related things at the maple festival, which I thought was a little silly. I didn't even get to go on the sugar bush tour since the line was HUGE! Luckily there was a lovely little antique sale in the community centre. It wasn't a large as I expected but I got some lovely goodies.

My purchases included:

-1948 hardcover copy of This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald for only $10! I almost bought it for $15 (for a new paperback edition) the other day, but I am so glad I didn't.

-3 new postcards for my collection. They are all from between 1909 and 1912, and are all written by the same girl to the same girl! I love how the first one starts with "What is the matter with you? Why haven't you written?", the next one says "I am still looking for that letter you said you were going to write", and the last one says "Why don't you write? It has been six months since I heard from you last." It is fun to guess what sort of relationship these two girls had. I feel sorry for Lydia who sent these letters. Sounds like Carrie wasn't very good at answering back!

-A magazine from 1944 called National Home Monthly. It is in perfect condition and I got it for only $5! I was stunned when the man told me the price. I thought it was going to be at least double. I will likely scan some more pictures from it later but it is a little too large to fit on my scanner so I will have to carefully select some pictures that will actually fit.

(A picture from one of the stories in the magazine)

You can never have too many postcards

I have so much studying to do for midterms (which is why I am blogging right now....), but I did take a break this afternoon to go to the Antiques Market again with Steve. They are having a huge sale that ends tomorrow so I had to go get a few more goodies. I bought 4 more vintage postcards to add to my collection as well as a pink depression glass candy dish. It was only $8.50 and I am completely in love with it. Now if only I could decide what to actually do with it... Anyways here are a few pictures of what I bought:

Three of the postcards. Two of them are from 1912 and the other is from 1917.

What I consider the post interesting part of the postcard: the back. I love reading the notes people have written and that's how I choose to buy which ones I do.

Ok, this one I bought for the front. It looks so romantic then you read the words. "I wonder who's kissing her now". It makes me giggle every time.

And this is my new candy dish. Isn't it pretty? Any suggestions on what to use it for?

Oh and while I think of it, what do you think of my new favourite hairstyle? (Photos taken before I was dumb enough to go out in the blizzard and completely ruin both my hair and makeup). It is so easy but I think it still has a vintagey feel. Good for those mornings when I don't have time for anything elaborate.

By the way, I am pointing to my new brooch, not my boob. I got two lovely new brooches at Michael's for only $3 each! The other one is more oval shaped and has faux pearls on it. I think they are just darling but I really need to come up with more outfits I can wear brooches with.

If you are interested in how I did my hair, I got the idea from this video from ThePinUpSweetShoppe on Youtube. She makes lovely hair tutorials and this one is my favourite at the moment.