Archeological Dig

Ever since I was a little girl, I thought it would be fun to go on an archeological dig. Sun on my shoulders, pick and brush in my hand. Not necessarily for bones of prehistoric animals, but for household items from past societies.

It seems that I have been doing this very thing without even realizing it. My favorite past time is going to thrift stores and looking for hidden treasures. One of my favorite places to search is the local Goodwill Outlet Store. Locally it is known as "The Big Dig". This is due to the fact that you must "dig" through bins of stuff to get to the treasures.


One of the best finds I made at "The Big Dig" was about 50 vintage sewing patterns just sitting in the bin waiting for me. I love looking at clothing styles from the 70's, 60's, 50's, and beyond. How did the lifestyles of these decades influence Fashion? Color? Hair? Make-up?


Then there are the little notes written on the envelope or directions sheet. Did Grandmom sew for Grandaughter? or Did the seamstress make the clothing for herself?

One day I still would like to go on an actual archeological dig, but for now thrifting keeps me happy.

Repurposed Skirt Becomes a Reusable Tote

About two or three years ago I found a very cute skirt at the Goodwill Clearance Center. (I really love that place) At the time I thought I could maybe sew some pretty beads to it then sell it in my Etsy Shop. It ended up sitting in a drawer in my sewing table ever since.

December 2009. I wanted to make a few reusable tote bags for my mom for Christmas. I started looking through my stash of fabric when I found that skirt I had purchased years earlier. As I held the skirt up, the wheels started turning. Why start from scratch?! That little A line skirt could easily be made into a bag. So I started cutting, rearranging the pieces, and sewing. The final product was the cutest bag I think I ever saw!

That was it! The next day I went back to the Goodwill for more skirts. I found a few that I liked. Took them home and started cutting, rearranging the pieces, and sewing.

Here is one of the skirts:

Before


After

Could It Be?

Well, I photographed a handful of sewing patterns this afternoon. I have one for a man's "T" Shirt. The drawing of the model looks just like Don Grady....aka....Robbie Douglas from the old sitcom "My Three Sons".



Now I'm feeling nostalgic for this wonderfully simple show. It has always been a favorite of mine, along with "I Love Lucy", "Three's Company", and "All in the Family".

According to the calendar, spring is here. The weatherman says it should also feel like spring today, which is good. This morning is still chilly from an overnight freeze. I'm passing time window shopping at Etsy while Mr. Sun warms the earth.

There are many darling handmade crafts and lovely fine art pieces over at Etsy, but I'm cruising through vintage items this morning.

There are some vintage that can be used to create art pieces, such as this charming shabby chic assortment of blue vintage sewing supplies and bird images. This lot comes from the shop of Estate Sale Treasures.




Then there are pieces, such as these sandals from JP Sunshine Boutique, that remind me of when I was in high school. I had a pair of sandals similar to these...they were brown, not black. I loved the sound they made as I walked down the hall to class.



These jelly jar glasses remind me of my grandma. She had so many of these glasses in the kitchen cupboard. When I was a young child I thought it was so cool to drink from them. Thank you Popism Vintage for listing these fun glasses.



Vintage is so much fun for me because so many pieces remind me of times spent with different people, usually people I don't have in my life anymore. I love the warm and fuzzy feeling I get from remembering.
I also like vintage because it is so quirky and fun. The colors and patterns from the 60's and 70's are unmatched.
There are so many reasons to like vintage housewares, clothing, jewelry, books,....etc....Why do you like vintage pieces?