... 'J' is for...

Contrary to popular belief,  'J' is NOT for J.U.N.K (remember, that is a 4-Letter word!) LOL

and, though 'J' generally refers to this Great Guy, who is currently outside digging us out - on his BIRTHDAY, we must keep on tract with Alphabet COLLECTIONS!!

Todays featured collection goes to....

JONATHAN GASH / JOHN GRANT

and his LOVEJOY Mystery novel series!

Lovejoy is a series of picaresque novels by John Grant about the adventures of Lovejoy, a British antiques dealer and faker based in East Anglia. A less than scrupulous yet likeable rogue, Lovejoy has a reputation in the antiques trade as a "divvie", meaning one with an almost supernatural talent for recognising exceptional items as well as for distinguishing fakes or forgeries from genuine antiques. Lovejoy's first name is never mentioned in the books. In the TV series based on the novels, he insists on being addressed by all solely as "Lovejoy".

ANTIQUES + MYSTERY + BRITISH SETTING (+'bit' of Harlequin) = WIN! WIN!

  I can't remember 'exactly' how I stumbled upon this series, but it was around 2004. Each 'mystery' involves a bit of 'Obscure Antique History', quick/easy reads...  I was hooked!

HOWEVER... The first in the series came out in the late 70's.  You would think they would be a common site at Sales & Thrifts, but (to my knowledge) they have only been published by PENGUIN, and so they aren't common in the USA :(

To date, I have 17 in my posession, most of which were purchased on eBay.  Yes, SHOCKER!, but I enjoy them That Much!! 

Now, we are off to see what we can find for BIRTHDAY FESTIVITIES!

enJOY!

& 

be well

...MINIMALIST's Nightmare

 Maybe this article by Mary Randalph Carter should be titled

A MINIMALIST's NIGHTMARE

'The Art of Collecting

I am taking stock of what I own: the things that I possess that fill a house in the country, an apartment in the city, an office. There are objects old and new, large and small; things acquired, things given or bequeathed or simply passed along. Some are sentimental, others utilitarian, but all are evidence of how I have spent my days, of where I have been, of what has inspired me, of what I have loved and who I have loved and who has loved me. They, more than words or pictures, suggest an image of who I am, of what I have become. And though I am a firm believer that there are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to collecting, I am happy to share with you some of the lessons learned on my own collector's journey.'

This '30 Day Mins Game' that I have been participating in, has really led to a LOT of introspection... 

How much stuff is TOO MUCH?

Do I really 'want' to be more minimalist?

I think that you can all guess the answer to that question!

"They, more than words or pictures, suggest an image of who I am, of what I have become."

My 'stuff'  "sparks joy" (ie: Marie Kondo Approved - LOL)
I really have no desire to change my design aesthetic, and really have no desire for more 'open space' (other than that being a blank canvas for me to fill!!).  The 'svelteSTUFF' is staying!

~BUT~

(yes, always that Big Butt)

This 30 day challenge has opened my eyes to just.how.MUCH 'behind the scenes' excess that I have!! Socks! Clothes! Tupperware! Candles!  This kind of 'stuff' has been no problem letting go!!

I'm sure that anybody who comes to visit our home (once social distancing is no longer required!!) will find it hard to believe that I purged over 500 items in January 2021, but That's Alright with Me!

enJOY!

& 

be well

... 'I' is for ICONIC (oh, the Irony of it...)

 

INFANT of PRAGUE

and

Iconic Irony!!

icon

[ˈīˌkän]

NOUN

1. a painting of Jesus Christ or another holy figure, typically in a traditional style on wood, venerated and used as an aid to devotion in the Byzantine and other Eastern Churches.

   synonyms:

   image · idol · portrait · likeness · representation · symbol · figure · statue · model

   
   

~~~~~FLASHBACK to the Late 80's~~~~~

I was freshly out of college, finding my way in a new city, with a new job, and MY OWN APARTMENT!  ThriftStores were my friend!  I was searching high and low for design ideas... reading every magazine I could afford to get my hands on (desktop computers were a thing of the future still!!)  This MARY RANDALPH CARTER had a JUNK Book out... I found it - in a book store!! (AMAZON? Ebay? What are those???).  I became absorbed by her style, and learned SOO much!!  I think she had an influence on MANY of us 'STUFFers'! She opened my eyes to MANY, MANY things, including this 'funny little guy in a dress'  ie: Infant of Prague.

  Have you ever found, that once your eyes are opened to something, you start seeing it EVERYWHERE??  That happened with me and IoP, and they started following me home (they are generally slightly damaged & not in high-demand = CHEAP).  

When I spot them, they usually have some of their 'friends' gathered round - other Saints and Spiritual Icons from various beliefs, in various forms: statues, paintings, rosaries...  OF COURSE, they too were looking for a good home!!

ROSARIES!

and MORE ROSARIES!!

  Now for the IRONY.  I do not believe in organized religion.  Yes, I was raised in a devout Methodist home.  I HAD to go to Church every Sunday; did the Full gamut of Baptism, Sunday School, confirmation - i even taught a grade in Vacation Bible school one Summer !?!!  As much as I hated it at the time, I do thank my Mother now for exposing me to this whole experience, from which I was able to make my own 'educated' decision on how I would proceed..  I do believe in the basics: "Be good to one another" "Cause no harm (to anything!)", but beyond that - NO!  I still have a LOT of questions, and a LOT to learn - about all religions. Bit-by-bit, my curiosity has led me to learn a 'little' about a 'lot' of 'faiths/beliefs'.  It is actually quite interesting, with a historical value.

         So, yes, I do 'collect Iconic pieces' - but my home is NOT Filled with them!  Since we took a booth at an Antique Co-op, our 'Yellow Wall' section has been devoted to all things Spiritual - IoP, Buddha, Tarot Cards, Ouija...  and with every item we purchase, there is an education waiting to be uncovered!  Prime Time Treasure Hunter has a great YouTube video on identifying religious statues that we refer to often.

enJOY!

& 

be well

...SHE ZIGGED! SHE ZAGGED!

"Someday I'll get around to it"

"Someday, when I have the time"

Guess what Folks ~ 'MY TIME" is NOW!   In this time of isolation, there is NOTHING that I "should" be doing, other than staying home and COVID-Free!

Thanks to our recent 30day Min. Challenge, I have been doing a LOT of purging in our closet - including SWEATERS!  Oh, parting is such sweet sorrow when it comes to me and my sweaters...  but, even I had to admit that those stained, Overly-Loved specimens HAD.TO.GO!!

~BUT~
Then inspiration struck!

I remembered, back in the 90's, I had seen a television show that had spotlighted different 'up-cycle' projects in every episode.  One of their projects had been 'refashioning' old natural fiber sweaters by Felting them.  I was so taken by this idea, that I had actually sketched out a pullover hoodie that I.would.make!  I had bought some wool sweaters, felted... and that is where it ended.  Well, in the last 30yrs. that sketch and felted wool got discarded, but the desire remained.

NOW WAS MY TIME!

I felted my newly discarded wool/alpaca/cashmere sweaters.

I made a new sketch, more in keeping with my aging fashion taste...

Pulled out my recently thrifted Fiskar Rotary Cutter (OH wonderful tool ~ Where have you been all of my life??), and started measuring and cutting and measuring and pinning and measuring and...

Okay, so far so good.

Time to pull out the sewing machine!

J was SHOCKED (to put it mildly!)... "We have one of those?"  "YOU know how to use it??"

Yes.I.Do.Thank.You.  (I just choose not to...)  I actually had 2yrs of sewing lessons in my Jr High years (UGH! I did NOT enjoy following patterns, making seams line up in a patchwork quilt, lining up buttons & zippers in skirts & blouses - but with my Mom's insistence, I learned all of the basics - THANKS MOM!)

I digress,

I dug out my box of old 'Tailor Shop' thread, and the 1968 portable Singer Sewing machine that I had inherited when my Great Aunt L dispursed her home.  Needless to say, it had been at least 20yrs since it last seen the light of day. Closely following the Owner's Guide, I got the Bobbin wound, and the machine threaded.  After I overcame my fear, I flicked on the zig-zag switch, put my foot on the 'accelerator', and then the FUN BEGAN!

Because there was NO PATTERN, and I was solely making this for ME, and there was no Pressure for Perfection, I truly enjoyed this project

C.O.M.P.L.E.T.E.L.Y. custom to my 6'-0" stature 

- extra long sleeves w/thumbhole (to keep my ever-cold hands toasty)

-LARGE pockets for keeping track of my cellphone

-long front, and longer back to allow me to comfortably wear leggings!

-a few decorative antique buttons from my Auburn Button Works stash

Ta Da!

After viewing the finished project, I had to laugh!   In my minds' eye, it is what I would envision MacKenzie Childs to produce - if they had a clothing line!!

What do you think?

enJOY!

& 

be well

... 'H' is for...

 

Have you guessed??

Back by Popular Demand (LM!!), I'm picking up on the 'svelteSTUFF Alphabet of Collectibles' where we left off (a couple of years ago??!). THANK GOODNESS when I'm lacking for content, I have PLENTY of collections to fall back on !

For this series, I'm trying to uncover collections that I haven't mentioned EXCESSIVELY on here already (just click on underlined collection name for link to to previous ramblings!!)...  

So it's definitely NOT...

HAEGER Pottery

~or~

HATS

~or~

HATPINS

~or~

HAT BOXES

~or even~

HAIR RECEIVERS!

Today's 'honor' goes to...

The iconic HOLT HOWARD!

This is a VERY SMALL collection in our house !   I first fell for them in the 1990's, after reading an article about HH in COLLECTIBLES magazine (anyone else remember that short-lived, but AMAZING quarterly??)

PIXIEWARE (1958-1962)  These little whimsical Pixies are the first HH that stole my heart.  However they are extremely elusive.  In the past 30yrs, these are the only pieces that I have found (IN MY $range!!).  Most of them the Top/Spoon was found separately from the bowl.

I am also attracted to the 1960-70's patterns & designs they used, and I am a sucker for HH stray, lonesome mugs, and can't leave them behind

This cute kitty caught my eye, and her price was right & ripe for resale, but I am afraid she has found a forever home with me!

...and who can have a fondness for HH, without paying Homage to their early pieces - Red Apple and le Coq Rouge?

until next time ~

BE WELL

& 

enJOY !!