Happy Easter!

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Wishing you a joyous and happy Easter!

Seeing Things Differently

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INSPIRATION 2014 #65: This image really speaks to me ~ what a clever way to utilize old photos and vintage glasses! Unfortunately, the source link leads to an etsy store where there is no record of the piece, so no additional information is available. While I have a good stash of my own glasses, they are from the 70's and 80's, so not a style that resonates with me ~ guess this means I have another thing to keep an eye out for at flea markets!

Winter Wear?

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INSPIRATION 2014 #62: With the temperatures we are having this week, an outfit like this is very appealing! These are Bibendums, otherwise known as the Michelin Man ~ one of the world's oldest trademarks. The Bibendum was introduced in 1894 at the Lyon Exhibition ~ this image shows an early version of the Michelin Man as pince-nez glasses are part of the costume. A cigar was also used as an accessory, but does not appear in this image. Read more about the history of this famous trademark here.

In the Looking Glass

INSPIRATION 2014 #53: If you live in or are planning to visit Kansas City in the next few months, In the Looking Glass ~ Recent Daguerreotype Acquisitions is an exhibition that runs until July 20, 2014 at the Nelson-Atkins Museum. Definitely on my 'to-do' list!

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Above is one piece from the exhibit. The description is as follows: "The “Genushe (animal post-mortem)”, ca. 1845-46 may be a little odd to viewers in 2014, but during the mid-19th Century it was common to use photography as a means of remembering a deceased loved one. It is possible this little bunny was a cherished pet or it was used to mock the custom."

Vintage Technology

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INSPIRATION 2014 #39: Pre-zamboni ice cleaning technology from the 1936 Winter Olympics makes for an interesting photo op. The special shovel being used is called the 'Petersburg Sleigh'. 

Vintage Skating Styles

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INSPIRATION 2014 #38: Interesting to take a look back at the styles worn by skaters at previous Olympic games ~ most of these are from either the 1924 or 1936 winter games. Black and white photography adds to the elegance of the photos ~ even though some of these outfits are rather bulky, I can't say I prefer most of the rhinestone and glitter covered costumes of current day skaters. 

Take a look at the last image ~ apparently, this is how scoring was done back in the day!

Powerful Portraits

Elijah Wood

William H. Macy

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Phillip Seymour Hoffman

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INSPIRATION 2014 #36: I think I saw the photo of William H. Macy on Pinterest ~ which led me to the rest of these contemporary portraits taken using a wet plate process. These images are called tintypes and this kind of photograph was taken in the 1860's. Victoria Will is a contemporary photographer who has become obsessed with this process ~ this led her to create this rather eerie collection of portraits taken at the Sundance Film Festival. Especially haunting is the portrait of Phillip Seymour Hoffman as it is a recent photo. The photos above are my favorites as the poses seem most in keeping with the tintypes of the past.

Year of the Horse

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INSPIRATION 2014 #31:  Happy Chinese New Year ~ the year of the horse. These "living portraits" have always been fascinating to me. Who decided what image to form? Was the photo planned out ahead of time or did they just work with the uniforms the officers and enlisted men in the company wore at the time? How long did it take to get everyone in position?

Quick & Easy Photo Display

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INSPIRATION 2014 #27:  Another great & simple way to display photos ~ rusty metal corrugated "board" where photos are attached using magnets. This looks especially lovely because of the selection of monochromatic photos. One could get a similar effect using contemporary photos by scanning them, then converting them to black and white or sepia.

Photo Display Inspiration

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INSPIRATION 2014 #23:  Love this creative display of old photos! If you look closely, you can see that the frames are actually crocheted borders with a charm added for a bit of extra interest and a spot of color. The addition of the crochet borders gives the grouping a unique and cohesive look ~ why not try this with contemporary photos too?

Low Tech Marketing

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INSPIRATION 2014 #21: Discovering some new ways to advertise ~ surely more attractive and innovative than sandwich boards. Hmmm, how to apply this to today's marketing efforts?!

Thy Crowning Glory

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INSPIRATION 2014 #14: One of the reasons that jewelry, hair wreaths & sculptures and scrapbooks were created was that the Victorians considered hair a woman's "crowning glory" ~ I suppose it must have been a badge of honor to have the longest and prettiest hair in the neighborhood! Women spent many hours maintaining their tresses ~ as there are many cabinet cards portraying women and their hair from this time period, it is obvious that hair was an important part of a woman's beauty. Visit Rapunzel's Delight to peruse a huge collection of photos and history of hair.

Holy Smokes!

{listed on ebay, but no longer available}

After spotting the smoking children photos that I posted about a couple of days ago, I came upon this cute little cigar tin above ~ how dare someone use a cute little scottie to promote smoking cigars! After that, I just seemed to find smoking dogs everywhere I looked! Here are a few of my favorites ~ credited where possible.

{Teddy Roosevelt lookalike from here}

 {Statham Cook Collection found here}

Now, do these elegant chaps make you want to go out and buy a pack of smokes so you can emulate their style?

At least I doubt any of these guys are chain smokers ~ dogs are smarter than people when it comes to smoking ~ even if they do look debonair! Plus, I'm sure it is extremely difficult to light up your pipe, cigar or cigarette if you are a dog.

{those photos without credits are from my pinterest board on dogs}

Brrrr ~ Chilly today!

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Only October and I am chilled to the bone!  I think I need an outfit like the girl is wearing, but it is going to make getting work done quite a challenge!

International Coffee Day!

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September 29th is International Coffee Day ~ make sure to celebrate by enjoying a cup with a good friend!  A slice of pie wouldn't be a bad addition either. Reminds me of my waitressing days. Happy Weekend!

Truly Man's Best Friend

As we pay tribute to and remember those who lost their lives on September 11th, those who spent days searching and rescuing deserve our thanks and honor as well ~ not only people, but the search and rescue dogs.

Although this post was made last year, this is the first time I've seen it ~ certainly a lovely tribute ~ make sure to go to the link and see the rest of the photos and read about the 12 surviving search and rescue dogs and their owners. Charlotte Dumas, a Dutch photographer is responsible for these wonderful photos, which have been published in a book titled Retrieved. Special thanks to all of the owners and dogs who gave their time and energy to help during that horrible time.

{Red, age 11 in 2011}

{Guinness, age 15 in 2011}

{Tara, age 16 in 2011}

{all photos © Barcroft Media}

Vintage School Days

Was looking through some old photos the other day and came upon this one ~ it must have been a First Day of First Grade photo from 1968! I believe I was sporting what was called a skort ~ a conglomeration of a skirt and shorts ~ pretty stylish, huh? I'm not sure if that outfit is technically a skort as I do remember it was all one piece ~ it must have buttoned up the back and the belt was just for decoration.

I'm guessing this was 1st grade as I was 6 years old in 1968 ~ too young to be carrying a purse, but I do have both my Dr. Dolittle lunch box and a sticker-decorated notebook (yes, we did have stickers back in the olden days!), along with my sweater. And, best of all, no Instagram needed!

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Just in case you were wondering, here is a much better view of my Dr. Dolittle lunchbox ~ I don't remember it being pink! Too bad I don't think I have mine any more ~ they are selling on ebay for around $50 now!

Happy 4th of July

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Wishing everyone a happy & safe 4th of July!

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Happy Easter 2012!

A Happy Easter to all! Looks like a beautiful day is ahead ~ at least where I live! Found a few Easter themed images to share ~ mostly via Pinterest. Of course, the one I had in mind I couldn't locate ~ probably one of those times where I wasn't able to pin. I have linked all the images (click on image for link) to where I found them, but unfortunately there are several that haven't been pinned properly and one cannot find out where the original source actually is.

I have to say, I am glad the custom of dressing up for Easter didn't catch on ~ these would be some mighty embarrassing photos for your parents to show prospective mates or in case you might choose to run for public office.


The photo below reminds me of Easter when I was a child ~ a new dress and hunting for the easter baskets that my dad hid. It was best if you could find your basket before we left for church so that you would have some candy to get through the service ~ otherwise you had to wait until afternoon. Sometimes those baskets were impossible to find ~ my dad was really clever with hiding them ~ I remember once there was one in the bottom of the laundry hamper. Another time he took the lampshade off, installed the easter basket and replaced the lampshade ~ that may have been the hardest one to find. Then there was also the egg hunt.......

Can't say I ever found any eggs like those below! My grandmother usually had a special egg hunt all set up for my brother and me ~ she taped nickles, dimes and quarters to the decorated eggs. She also wasn't nearly as crafty with hiding the eggs as my dad was with the baskets, so there was always a mad scramble (no pun intended!) to grab up as many eggs as possible and then hope you had a bunch with the quarters on them! So, what easter memories do you have?

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It's raining, it's pouring!

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It's raining, it's pouring, I wish I was snoring ~ it would be a great day to spend sleeping late and lounging around, but too much work on my plate for that!

Looks like a day for rain ~ we had some massive downpours last night, but at least probably need it as spring seems to be here so early this year. Guess I will have to dig into the closet to find my rain outfit so I can take my walk today ~ hope it is as fetching as the one the vintage circus performer is modelling above. I sure wish thighs that size were still in fashion ~ I think she looks great!

I found this via Pinterest and followed it to where it was posted ~ looks like there are lots of interesting things to see at Vintage Vivant ~ when I have some extra time I will definitely be back to visit. If you are interested in vintage circus, you might like to read Among the Wonderful ~ by Stacy Carlson ~ it is about the P.T. Barnum era.

PS. Sorry for the shorter posts ~ I am in the midst of getting ready for Surtex 2012, so I have little time to spare!