...'F' is for enamel FLOWER POWER! (enamel pins, Frocks and FlipFlops)

"F" Is for...

FLOWERS!

as in ENAMEL FLORAL PINS!

(that Nobody wears quite like Ms. KitCat!)
"Part of the appeal of the bright enamel flower pins that came onto the costume-jewelry scene in the early 1960s was that they were not your mother's jewelry," ... "There was nothing conservative about them. They were cheerful, cheap, and mass produced, and you could wear them in all kinds of ways and in all kinds of places,"
"Today, collectors covet the perky pins for the same reasons. They're fun to collect, look great on hats, bags, and dresses, and they don't cost a fortune"
CountryLivingOnline
PINTEREST

~and~

"F" Is for...

vintage Floral Frocks!

 
...that Sesame Shimmer and Miss Crane due proud, while sporting VERA scarves!!
(despite the fact that I can no longer squeeze into them!)

~and~

"F" Is for...

Flip Flops!

I have been working on adding 'earrings' to my FlipFlop Arsenal.  Earrings are previously unventured territory to me, but I think that I am getting the hang of it! It has been a FUN adventure (and diversion)... ~sorting through our seaglass/beach bricks/beach pottery hoards for the perfect sizes and shapes ~a Great excuse to play with the power tools in the Studio Annex (ie: Garage) ~and it has gotten my creative juices flowing again!  SOON this addition to the North Shores Collection will be ready to hit the stores!


 ~BUT, most importantly~

"F" Is for...

Family and Friends!

April 29,2019 , just barely over 2 weeks ago... Such a short time that seems like forever. 

 I've learned what a big hole a persons' departure can leave in my life.  At the same time I'm realizing just how he formed the 'complete' person I am today, and that is something that will never be taken from me.

~My 'creative' side was definitely a gene from him.

~Remain observant and curious, there is always more to learn.

~There is So Much waste in the world.

~If you Want to do something, You CAN.

~Be positive

~Actions speak louder than words.

~Take pride in your belongings.

~Always shine your shoes.

~A man's word is his honor.

~Love until the end.

and

~SMILE.

Over the last four weeks, our Family has rallied and drawn closer.  Friends near and far have been an unending wealth of support.  Family and Friends truly are the most important 'STUFF' we can have in our lives.  MANY THANKS to all!!

“Love people and use things. The opposite never works.” 

 I love you Dad ~ you will always be near in my heart.

BE WELL

and

en JOY!

... 'E' is for ECHO!

**DISCLAIMER:  The items that I am presenting in this blog are not an advertisement or endorsements for their original intended use!  I am merely presenting bits of oddities, past cultures, and glances of eras-long-gone!**

With that said, 

"E" Is for...

echo©

(Edgar C. Hyman cO.)

 'echo' scarves to be more exact.

When Edgar and Theresa Hyman founded Echo Scarfs in the early 1920s, they set up shop in the heart of New York City, capturing its vibrancy in gorgeous colors, patterns and textures. Today, that rich heritage of timeless quality, craftsmanship and integrity lives on in every new line of fashion accessories, bags, beachwear and home design.

Though my First Love will ALWAYS be VERA (Neumann), I also have a couple of 'closet scarf-passions', including PAOLI, Oscar de la Renta, and ECHO.

With all of the hunting and digging for my VERA, it is no surprise that I come across many 'comrades' or 'competitors' of VERA! 

 ...and this 'Crazy-Scarf-Lady' is weak.

… I have succumbed on occasion to their charms, on the pretense of 're-saleability'   

OK.  So I just counted, and am shocked to find that I have 'succumbed' to ECHO 57times.

Don't judge.

I WILL sell them... eventually.

AND, it is very timely that this week I picked up my first HAEGER and VERA for 2019!! 

VERA19-#1

HAEGER19-#1

BE WELL

&

en JOY!

...Guilty Pleasures

...of the 'percale' type!!

A few weeks ago I came across NEW!  in UNOPENED PACKAGE! VINTAGE! VERA! sheets by Burlington!!!!!

   WELL they have been sitting by our dresser "Daring" me...  I HAD TO!!

   I have Always been a believer that if you LOVE something enough to have it in your possession, don't store it away in a dark corner - USE IT!!!  (After all, who are you keeping it Pristine for - his next wife?? ~ ha, ha!!).  People stress when I get out my Grandmother's crystal punch bowl for Happy Hr at our house, but it has created so MANY MORE great memories- I'm sure it would Please Grandma & Grandpa to know they are still a part of our life!!! 

  *and not a cup has been broken!!

Anyways, back to VERA...

   I finally broke down, Neatly snipped open the packaging and pulled out those Vibrant, Crisp sheet!!! (Sheer pleasure)!  Then into the washer, dryer, then onto the guest room bed!!!  OH MY!!!  THEY ARE SUPERB!!!

   I only wish they fit our Master Bed ((sigh!)).  Want to come visit?  They are waiting for their inaugural SLEEP!!

SWEET DREAMS EVERYONE!

... every once in a while

You stumble upon a new 'piece', 'tidbit of info', or a 'photo' that renews a Passion ~ be it for a craft, hobbie or a collection.

 
Diana at ADIRONDACK GIRL @ HEART did just that for me this morning with this quote on her blog:

"People want to feel or express emotions in their clothes and furnishings.A bland cocoon is a dull existence."

 ~Vera Neumann

That resonated and made my day!

THANK YOU so much Diana!!

VERA.

From dishware...

to linens...

The colorways.

 

The Lines.

...and THANK YOU so much - sweet BlogFriends who help keep the 'spark' alive!!!
Hoping EVERYONE's day is off to as great of a start as mine!!!

(just in case you haven't had enough VERA to hold you over...https://www.pinterest.com/sveltestuff/vera-neumann/)

...Cinco de Cuatro

  ...or, HAPPY CINCO de MAYO 'EVE'!!

Is everyone ready??

Did you hear that Taco Bell is giving away free Breakfast Biscuit Sandwiches on Tuesday 5-5-15??

Can you tell that I spent a L-O-N-G day in the SUN - weeding?!!  ...and right about now, ANY excuse for a drink that involves Tequila sounds REALLY Good!!

Speaking of 'Happy Thoughts", I'll leave you with some TULIPS for TUESDAY from our abode...

The garden variety...

and My Favorite, the VERA variety...

2015 VERA #6 - .50¢ (from a local evening MOVING SALE!!)

HAVE A GREAT CINCO de MAYO EVERYONE!!!

...Half EMPTY or Half FULL??

Our 'Chateau' is getting a face lift! 
T.W.O. "FULL" rooms have been cleared...
Soon to come: New ceilings, walls painted, furniture replaced...

Here are the before/Now of a small portion of the SIX pieces that were 'unloaded' in this process:

"WHAT became of all of this HAEGER??" you may ask...

...it was Carefully cleaned, wrapped, boxed, labelled and tucked away in ANY spare space in other rooms that could be found!!!

Contractor starts Monday a.m
It IS all good.

In conjunction with our 'Face-Lift'...

~The StarBurst clock went to the Dr's, and came back with a Clean Bill of Health, running like a champ and shiny as New!

~MEANWHILE... the tension lamp is on an extended stay at it's second 'Specialist' - verdict should be rendered next week.

ALL of this has left LITTLE time for 'the fun stuff'...

~but 'Where there is a will, there is a way!'

Stopped by the Co-Op the last week to 'FLUFF the BOOTH', before I left I went digging in one of the Vendor's 'box-o-gems' (A HUGE mis-match of jewelry in a tangled mess amidst 6-8 different boxes!!  ANYTHING is .80cents each!!)  I unearthed a sweet PANSY sweaterclip - but ONLY half - so I continued to dig...dig...dig in hopes of finding the other half...

2015 Sweater Clips (#5,6,7,&8)!

I ended up finding 4 other Sweater clip halves and 1 COMPLETE!!  ~Does the White one look familiar?

It is the missing end from a clip I found a couple of weeks ago!!

Remember this 1/2 sweater clip??

Went to TWO 'New-to-me' Rummage sales this week!!

~Neither one was anything to 'write home about'

~BUT they did take me to off-MY-beaten-path towns, in which I hit a couple of thrifts, which produced this FOUR LOVELIES!

(2015 VERA #2,3,4&5)!!

and look:

...one has it's original BUTTON!! (Yes, I did go Over my 'usual-VERA-price tag' for it!).

That's about my excitement, unless you count...

The morning I was cleaning out an old jewelry box that I 'thought' was empty.  Upon closer inspection I found these two 'gems' hiding in the bottom back, under the felt lining - a TINY religious charm and a...   a... Baby tooth?!

Okay, so that in itself was maybe not that 'extra-ordinary', BUT later that SAME DAY I found this at the seaglass beach...

...

...

...

...

?!?

...When it rains

I would like to say "When it rains, it POURS"...

but around here, it's just been Freezing as it comes down! (view from our back porch last Wednesday and VERY similar Sat a.m.)

Despite the weather, we have been on STUFF OVERLOAD this past week!

There was an Aunt's apt. that was being cleaned out, and we were able to take a few NICE pieces:

STARBURST CLOCK - not currently working, but we WILL find a way!!

HAEGER VASE (2015 #2) - You're allowed to bring 'certain banned things' into your home when they are from family -right?!!

and a MidCentury tension pole lamp. (The verdict isn't in yet as to whether this is a keeper?!!)

SAT. am brought NASTY weather, AND the first sign of SPRING-
A CHURCH RUMMAGE SALE!!!!

nothing monumental... just a GOOD.JUNK.FIX!
~and~

some FUN bling!
~and~

a VERA scarf (2015 #1 - REALLY?! this is the FIRST?? )
~and~

a sweet Child's SWEATER CLIP (2015#4 )
~that's all!!~


Oh, and did I mention that 2wks ago J signed us up for a spot at an Antique Co-Op??  

This is our new 10'x7' "home away from home"!!