owl really

Thrift Report: Owls and Bags!

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I had some great luck at Goodwill last week - I found some really cute purses and suitcases! Last year, I saw a girl scarf up a red "Going to Grandma's" suitcase and ever since then, I've been on the hunt for one. I finally found one and it's in pretty great condition! I also found a blue/purple flowered suitcase (the handle is missing - anyone have suggestions on a replacement?) and a brown leather-ish granny-ish purse (love it), navy blue oversize clutch, and cute gold clutch.
I also found a box of really old dominoes and a brown leather-ish camera case.

The owls are from various shops - my mom picked up the wooden candlesticks and the pair of owls in that first photo. I snagged the owl salt and pepper shakers at the flea market this weekend. I also got that little deer for free from a kind vendor. I asked how much (with 75 cents in hand) and he told me to just take it. I'm going to hold onto it to accent a terrarium or planter!

This beautiful suitcase was picked up by my mom back in Louisville and it's gorgeous! It's in great condition!

This week, I will try to put some new shelves in my booth because I just found out Saturday night that my white enamel table sold. This might be my best month ever - my 2 most expensive items (that table and a cute file cabinet) both sold in February! Here's hoping March follows this great trend!!

Linking to:
Apron Thrift Girl
Her Library Adventures

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Friday Fun: My Mom's KSBI Interview!

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

My mom is so talented and I'm so glad the world is taking notice! :) She was interviewed last week by a TV show on KSBI in Oklahoma and she did so well! Be sure to check out her blog, My Repurposed Life, and watch the interview here!

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Joey's Mom: The Southern

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Joey's mom spent a lot of time at a restaurant/club called The Southern. It started out as a small barbecue stand and grew significantly over the years. She worked there before her marriage to Jerry and after they were married, they socialized there quite often. Below, she tells us more about the club.

It all began with Hank, a boyfriend from my first summer in Grand Rapids after high school graduation in 1946. During that carefree summer of first liberation from parents and home, Hank and I spent many of our nonworking hours with Dotty, my housemate, and her date Chet, my brother. At some point a light went on and Hank said, "You girls should be working at the Southern!" He told us it was a nightclub in a southern suburb, a decent place with good clientele where waitresses could do well. Both his parents had worked there for years. His father, Dave, was the head chef, and his mother, Marian, was maitre d'. He said he could ask them to set up an interview for us with the owners.

About a week later Dotty and I sat at a shiny black-topped table in a booth near the kitchen of the Southern. Over coffee with the owners, Esther and Herb Kaiser, we talked about possible jobs there. It was not a place of casual employment, they stressed. Some of their waitresses had been with them for years. They asked about our lives and backgrounds, and told us we'd be entering a family into which we should fit in. Pay would be $2.50 per night, plus tips. It was a given that we would work Friday and Saturday nights. Other nights, or all day Sunday, could be scheduled according to our preference and their need.

The Owners

Soon we were measured for uniforms -- definitely not Playboy-bunny style -- and we gave notice at our jobs. One thing we liked about the new job was that we were now within walking distance of work. Another benefit was the good dinner prepared by chef Dave and served to us when we reported to work at 5. This was a real plus since our kitchen at Miss Daame's, our Dutch schoolteacher-landlady, was minimal. The club closed at 1 a.m., and we could expect to walk out by 2.

Weekends at the Southern

The Southern "family" included band members Jerry Van Huizen on piano and John Degi on drums. Jessie, the vocalist, was a younger sister of owner Esther Kaiser. The customers loved her and called her away from her hostessing job to come sing.

Jerry Van Huizen was also a talented vocalist, and his Dutch name played very well in a city heavily populated by Dutch immigrants.

Dancing at the Southern

Before marriage, dancing is what Jerry did. When I first saw "Saturday Night Fever," I thought, "I've lived with this family!" Jerry WAS John Travolta, living to dance, and doing it to perfection. While we were engaged and I was working Saturday nights, he continued to go out to dance, and it seemed perfectly natural! Hard to believe that he would want to marry me, the non-dancer. He had to teach me from scratch. He would take me on quiet weeknights to a small place with a dance floor and a juke-box, and hold me closely to help me feel the music and his movements. It was slow going but he was patience personified, and eventually I began to get it. In fact, a year or so into our marriage I made him promise that any night we went to a restaurant, a party, or the theater, that we would end with a dance somewhere! I used my sister-in-law Dotty's birth certificate to obtain a liquor card so that we could go where we pleased. But here we are in August 1950, 3 years into our marriage, and I'm a legitimate 21, grown-up, married, and able to dance.

Mom & Dad at the Southern

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Favorite Finds: Leah's Drafting Table

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

It's so fun to follow other vintage resellers and see what awesome finds they score and what they're up to! I was happy to find Leah's blog Plainview and her etsy store MoxieThrift. She stocks such great items with super affordable prices. I'm pleased to share her favorite find below!

What is your favorite find and where did you find it?

I purchased a drafting table about 7 years ago from a guy I worked with at the time. I didn’t really know him that well, and me, the shy ol' transplant to the area was intimidated by the large group of guys that worked in the back. (Lucky for me, those guys turned out to be a super group of grandpa/dad/brother types that helped a single gal whenever I asked). One day he walked up to the front office, peeked his head in and asked if I wanted a drafting table for $50. He heard that I was ‘artsy’ and thought it would work well for a work table. He even offered to set it up in my apartment. So, I guess I didn’t find it at all...it came to me!

What were your first thoughts when you saw it?

Believe it or not, I purchased it sight unseen. Call me faithful or call me naive, he described it to me and I thought it sounded fine. Now-a-days, I would totally get measurements and height and measure out a spot and hem and haw and do all that grown up responsible stuff -blech. But back then, naaah, I would just figure it out as I went.

I thought it was totally great when he delivered it and set it up...but i had no idea how many hours I would eventually spend standing in front of this great piece working on all sorts of projects.

Did you have to make adjustments in your home for it to fit?

I was in the infancy stage of discovering that I wanted to make things - creative things - and realizing it would always be a part of my life in one form or another. I never thought about having a dedicated “work space.” ---heck, I lived alone at the time, my whole apartment was my dedicated work space.

Did you have to do any restoration/repair?

Fun fact: the green rubbery sheet on top is “self healing.” ---yeah, I had never heard of that either. If you use an exacto knife and it goes through to the green sheet, it will ‘heal’ and you won’t be able to see the slice. Ok, so, it’s self healing except for the one big area where I cut up hundreds and hundreds (and hundreds) of my photographs to make greeting cards and artsy pieces. It’s pretty sliced and diced
now.

Any other details we should know?

It’s a jack of all trades table now. Making stuff, cleaning items we find thrifting, packing items to ship...you name it, this is the go to spot. Ok, so it’s also easy to collect junk supplies in the drawers and under the table --- that wood drawer underneath is chock full of vintage greeting cards and notepads. (Vintage paper...it’s a sickness, I tell ya). And the middle tote runneth over with yarn and ribbon (also a sickness -- but, c'mon, the colors and styles are just too good to pass up!) secured from a garage sale and a few auctions.

Why do you love buying vintage/secondhand?

I have a wee bit of trouble articulating the answer to this question. How about this: it’s usually very well made or has great design/color or both. And then tack on the thrill (high?) of the hunt and satisfaction of getting a great price on a funky piece...and add to it the luxury of a constantly rotating “favorite item” collection and of course it goes without saying that cookie cutter designs from big box stores are so...well...cookie cutter. And who wants to be a cookie cutter...unless of course it’s a funky old cookie cutter from the 50s. Then sign me up.

Who all is behind MoxieThrift?

Brent and I will be married 5 years in April. I opened our shop in May of 2008 because the leftover vintage supplies I sold in my handmade shop were selling better than my handmade stuff (bummer, but I’m over it). About a year later Brent came on board and it’s been 50/50 ever since. I absolutely realize and am appreciative of the oddity that is a husband and wife team when it comes to reselling vintage and having similar tastes in what appeals to us when we are seeking out items. We really do love it and still, after more than 3.5 years of reselling, still get all giddy and holler out to the other person when we sell something...”We sold something on et-syyyyy!”

So fun! I would love a huge table like that (and the room for it in our house!)! Great score, Leah!

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Best of Etsy: Vintage Dresses Under $20

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

One of my favorite pastimes is searching Etsy for vintage dresses! I haven't found any for myself lately, but below I rounded up some of the best dresses for under $20! Click the photo or link to check out the listing!

Vintage Meg Marlowe White Eyelet Wiggle Dress

Pristine White Floral Day Dress

80s Silk Dress

Rainbow Brite Beach Dress

Black Lace 80s Dress

Flower Power Dress

Two Tone Mini Dress

Houndstooth Dress

Mod Mini Dress

Pale Blue Eyelet Dress

Hope you found something you like or inspiration, at least! :)

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Thrift Report: Long Distance Edition

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

My mom knows that I'm a sucker for old Cosco shelves and she called me on Sunday because she found some for only $10! Someone in my antique mall was recently selling some (spray painted white) for $60. Yikes!

I want them for our house but the spot where I want to put them is 33" wide and Cosco shelves are 36", sadly. I already have some Cosco shelves in my booth marked "not for sale" because I hope someday we'll have a larger house where they will fit... Not sure what I will do with these new ones yet since I don't have room in my booth OR house for them. They might go into the garage for storage for a little while!

I recently stocked 2 sets of sugar/flour canisters and they sold immediately, so I'm definitely on the hunt for more canisters. Luckily, I saw that the store where my mom was shopping had these in stock (they post photos to their Facebook page) and I asked her to scoop them up for me. They are sooo cute - can't wait to add them to the booth!

Thanks Mom for shopping for me and sending me photos! She'll be down next week to attend Blissdom - can't wait to see her and get my goodies! :-)

Linking up to:
Her Library Adventures
Apron Thrift Girl

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Friday Fun: What's On Our Bar?

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

We're not crazy partiers or anything, but we've set up a cute little bar in our dining room with some special items!

1. Did you know there is legal moonshine? If you've seen that new show Moonshiners, you would probably be surprised to know that there's actually a legal still in Tennessee! Ole Smoky Moonshine is based in Gatlinburg, TN and when I went with Andy's family to Gatlinburg for the first time in 2010, he & I visited the Ole Smoky Moonshine shop and test tasted it. It. was. awful! Ha! Andy liked it and when we went back last fall, he made sure to pick up some! It's fun to share with friends (more on that later!)

2. I love dragging Andy to estate sales. :) He is a great sport and sometimes he finds really great items! He found this beautiful decanter and glass set at an estate sale on his old street, actually. It's only for show right now, as the pump is a little funky.

3. We used this pretty glass for the communion juice at our wedding!

4. My mom found this great "flask satchel" at a thrift store. Not sure what it's officially called, but it's this great case that holds 2 beautiful glass flasks inside. They're a great way for Andy to take his 2 moonshine flavors for friends to try! The joke is that he calls it his "Irish lunch pail." (He's Scottish, so he takes the liberty of making fun of my people, the Irish.) :)

Please drink responsibly! I feel like I have to say that. We are adults and we consume responsibly and you should too. :)

Happy Friday!

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Joey's Mom: Barclay Street - The Beginning

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Every Thursday, we're visiting with Joey's Mom. She tells many tales on Joey's Flickr stream, but our story will begin with her leaving the roominghouse she shared with Dotty (when Dotty married Joey's Mom's brother, Chet) and moving into the house on Barclay Street where she rented the maid's room. The house on Barclay Street was bought by Jerry with his Army savings in order to provide for his mother, Josephine, and his youngest brother Tony.

Joey's mom tells intriguing stories and her re-telling of moving into 119 Barclay Street and meeting Jerry for the first time is great. Read below and see more on Joey's Flickr stream.

Photo and commentary by Joey's mother

After graduating from high school in 1946, I worked and attended business school in Grand Rapids. A recent best friend, Dotty, became engaged in the fall to my brother, a returned serviceman. Since Dotty was my roommate, my brother Chet felt responsible for helping me locate a place to live on my own. He rented a room for me in this house in Heritage Hills, just blocks from Davenport College and the bus stop to my workplace. I had a private room and access to the bathroom and kitchen used by the Italian family that owned the building -- young landlord Jerry, his mother, and Jerry's teenage brother.

Entering the spooky, cold, and dark house at 2:30 a.m. on my first night in early December after the nightclub stint, and feeling my way from the front door all the way to the upper-rear maid's room, was an experience to remember. Fitting in with the family for my important use of the kitchen came next. But the young are adaptable. At 18 I was nearly a blank slate, and just took what came, and it became my life. Actually the family regarded me as a novelty and a good addition to their lives.

Mama Josephine

Mama didn't resent my presence in the kitchen, as I feared, which made me move cautiously in her realm at first. I asked the teenager to clear a half-shelf for me in the refrigerator, as no defined area was mine. The whole thing needed a good sanitizing. I did it gradually and no one complained. Emboldened, my Dutch Cleanser arm inched out, scouring teensie cupboard areas at first, then whole shelves, finally a whole cupboard, like a spreading plague of Clean. Then I attacked the indescribable range, temporarily setting to the side the simmering red sauce. Mama appeared briefly, smiled slightly, and disappeared.

Jerry purchased the Italianate style house with his Army savings after World War II. His father was about to divorce his mother, and helped Jerry turn the upstairs (except for my "maid's room") into an independent apartment. It was rented immediately due to the housing shortage. You can see the added wooden fire escape stairway required by law. Jerry then moved his mother and younger brother away from the Italian ghetto off South Division Street to this "new" house. There was ample room for the three of them on the main floor as the rooms were large. The living room on the front had a working fireplace with a white marble mantle above a graceful arched white marble fireplace opening. The dining room was large, with leaded-glass cabinets along one side. I remember inviting a date over for dinner one night, and I entertained him at the table under a huge chandelier with many lights. On each arm, just before the electric bulb, there was a jet operable by thumb and finger. We turned the valve. The jet hissed. My date struck a match. Voila! Gas light. We then lit 'em all. A yellow splendor and a fire hazard. Perhaps at the time the electric chandelier was added folks didn't believe that electricity was really here to stay and wanted a fallback.

Jerry

Because of our busy schedules I lived in the house for about a week before ever meeting Jerry. He worked in the barbershop 8 to 6. I arose late, went to classes, worked a 90-minute lunch-hour job at the Mug 'n' Muffin, and headed by bus to the Southern for late-afternoon dinner set-up and arrived home at 2:30 a.m. The Southern couldn't be counted upon for enough work nights to get me by financially, so I worked the dinner hour on my “off” nights at the Bird and Bow on Division Avenue. It's no wonder Jerry and I seldom collided.

Our first meeting was brief. Seated at the kitchen table, Tony introduced us at dinnertime as Jerry hurried out for a bite to eat before dancing, his nightly routine. He told me later that what he remembered was my posture at the table. What I remembered was that one of his shirtsleeves was ironed and the other wasn't. A short time later we met again in the kitchen. He asked me if I danced, and I admitted not knowing how. He answered that we could take in a movie some time. Our first date! Then he began popping into the kitchen frequently. He proposed a modest restaurant downtown. Another movie. I began finding penciled notes on the kitchen table when I got home from work, hoping I'd done well on tips, did I have any call* customers. Sometimes the landlord himself was waiting, invigorated from a night of dancing.

And so it went. Tony and Mama were pleased about everything. One night, trying to study under the chandelier in the gloomy dining room, I watched Jerry out of the corner of my eye, polishing the dark wood floor for his mother. I thought, "This is a very nice man." Of course Tony led him up to my room one evening to show off the decor. Maybe Jerry thought "This is a very nice girl." In late March he produced a "Keepsake" diamond ring in a jeweler's box.

Joey here. I asked my mom what a "call" customer is. She emailed this explanation to me: "Call customers were those who specifically asked for a certain waitress. Management took heed of girls who were favored thus by customers, and it was a coup among the waitresses too. Sometimes it resulted in a better tip because you paid special attention to customers who asked for you. Further, you weren't waiting in rotation for a customer."

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Favorite Finds: Jill's Mantel Headboard

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

My friend Melissa (whose bathroom was one of my first favorite finds!) shared her friend Jill's great headboard project with me and I was eager to talk more with Jill about it! Jill found a great old mantel in an antique mall and turned it into a headboard! Find out more below and be sure to check out Jill on pinterest!

What is your favorite find and where did you find it?

My favorite antiquing find is definitely my mantel! I was out with one of my friends in early December, and we stopped by 8th Avenue Antiques for their open house. I love 8th Ave because it is so crowded with treasures – the hunt is exhilarating! If you’ve ever been there, you know that the front room is divided into three big aisles, overflowing with items. But most people don’t ever go all the way into the back room, where there are essentially clearance items – old poster frames with cracked glass, ceramic plates with seascapes on them, old wicker vases, things like that. We were rummaging around, and my eyes swept across the back wall. There, behind an old bassinet and a big rocking chair, facing backwards, was my mantel. My heart skipped a beat. We went to dig it out, and once we turned it around, I knew I had to have it. It’s a beautiful cream color, with very simple, classic lines but not plain at all. The asking price was way above my college-student budget (which actually has no room for antiques at all – whoops) but I was able to bargain with the owner and he gave it to me for pretty much a fraction of the price. I think they just wanted to get rid of it, and I was happy to oblige!

How did you get the idea to turn the mantel into a headboard?

It was actually the last in a whole line of ideas. My room is already pretty antiquey – my sister says I have “grandma style.” Since my bed is cattycorner to the wall, I had no support behind my head and my pillows kept slipping off the top of the bed into the corner. I wanted a headboard that would fit my style already, and make a statement in my room. My first idea was to use old shutters. Once I started thinking along those lines, I realized I could probably use an old door as well. I scoured Craigslist for a few months, but nothing ever came up that I both liked and could afford. And then, one day, I was sketching out what I wanted the headboard to look like, and it occurred to me that I had pretty much just drawn a fireplace mantel. The fact that I found my mantel about 4 days later was totally fate.

What was the process of repurposing it?

Well, since the mantel was already beautiful, I really didn’t have to do much. I did take nearly an hour cleaning about 70 years of dust and ash off of it, though. The right side upright was a little wobbly, so I had to tighten some screws and add a little support to make it sturdy. I definitely did not want to repaint it, because I love the glossy cream paint – chips and all! Turning it into a headboard was very straightforward – all I needed to do was make the center panel. I had thought of doing a batted panel, but decided against it and went with a simple 2x4 foot bead board panel from Home Depot. They have pre-cut sections, so I just paid $10 for it and walked out! The color isn’t exactly right, but it’s very hard to tell. I’m so happy with it.

Is it attached to the bed or is it freestanding?

As of now, it is freestanding. Having my bed in the corner meant that I just had to put the mantel at the angle I wanted and then push the bed up against it, which holds it in place. I will probably attach it to the bed at some point, but as for now, it’s doing its job!

Was the process harder or easier than you anticipated?

Well, I had thought that I would need to do a lot more to get it to the point where I could use it, so I guess in that sense, it was easier. There were some tricky bits with attaching the bead board (making it level, nailing through the front panel, etc) but overall, it was really simple.

Any other details we need to know?

The man at the store said that the mantel was an original piece that had been taken from a house that was built in the 1940’s. I love the history behind that! Also, mantels work great as headboards, because they give you a great display shelf as a bonus!

Why do you love buying vintage/secondhand?

I’m extremely nostalgic – always have been. Last year, when I studied abroad, I had the opportunity to travel all over Europe and explore the histories of so many incredible places. While I was traveling, I collected postage stamps as souvenirs (which is great, because they are very cheap, don’t take up any space, and you can be sure you’ll always find them wherever you go!). When I got home, I wanted a cute way to display them. One day at Goodwill, I found a beautiful old gold frame, and the idea struck me to put all of my stamps in antiqued frames. My love for antique shopping was born as I began hunting through thrift stores and antique malls, searching for small gold frames to complete my collection. Eventually, though, I started looking for other things as well, and now I have a wonderful assortment of neat, old, beautiful things! I love to think about the events that my items have “seen” – all the Christmas mornings that happened in front of my mantel, the bedtime stories read in my arm chair, the conversations that took place over the tea served from my silver platter.. things like that. It just gives me a sense of connection to the past, and to the future as well, when I remember that I will be a part of someone’s nostalgia one day.

Jill, your headboard turned out so well and I love your thoughts on buying vintage! Thank you so much for sharing!

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Booth Updates: Valentine's Day!

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

January was such a great month in the booth, which left some holes to fill! I haven't really had time to thrift since we got Lucy but luckily I had some stock stored upstairs in our attic that I was holding onto for spring, but the weather was warm last week so it seemed ok to go on and stock!

I got a really cool typewriter at an estate sale recently but it might not sell quickly because some other booths in the mall have much cheaper typewriters. Not sure why they're priced so low, but I always sell them for $45 and feel like that's pretty standard... so... we'll see what happens!

I love creating little vignettes and thought the fawn and succulent looked cute together!

I created a little Valentine section with great classic books (Pride and Prejudice, for example!), a pink frame sent to me from Stephanie, some gold pantyhose, a flowery alarm clock, a cute kissing couple trivet, "heats and flowers" stationery, pink and white glasses, cute mouse stationery, and a pink/purple trivet. Nothing was explicitly Valentine-y, but I hoped that grouped together they would convey a Valentine theme. After a week grouped like that, I hadn't sold anything... but there's still hope. I haven't been up there since Saturday, so maybe something sold since then!

I added some new dresses to the booth and moved the children's clothes to the back wall so they would be more easily seen. I have been pretty surprised that none of the cute kids' clothes have sold yet!

I also added a white enamel-top table.

Some of my "spring" items - I love the orange watering can!

Thanks for checking out my updates! If you're in Nashville, stop by the Tennessee Antique Mall at 654 Wedgewood Ave!

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Thrift Report: Finally!

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Since we got Lucy, I haven't had a chance to thrift!! I snuck out on Saturday afternoon and made it over to the Goodwill Outlet and picked up a few things - nothing super exciting, but some OK stuff!

A mauve clutch (I love 80s clutches!), a 1937 edition of How To Win Friends and Influence People, and some really adorable woodlands creatures greeting cards! You know the moment they bring out new bins at the Outlet and people are going insane throwing stuff around and you are standing behind them and can't get in and don't WANT to get in, because you will probably get injured? That's when I saw these cards and I had to wait for crazy people to get out of the way so I could try to gather up the random cards. I wish I had found more! The raccoon is so, so cute!

And now for a Lucy update!

It's hard to get a photo of her because she is a bundle of energy! She is sporting her new "Lucy Young" tag that her grandma Young got her for Valentine's Day! She is spoiled rotten and we love her so much!! :)

Linking up to:
Apron Thrift Girl

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Love Is In The Air: Movies To Watch

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

image source

Looking for a classic romance to watch this Valentine's Day? Here are several available for streaming on Netflix!

An Affair To Remember

Romeo and Juliet

A Farwell To Arms

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

image source

Are 80s movies more your style? Then check out:

Overboard

Roxanne

It Could Happen To You

Grease 2

Dirty Dancing

image source

Looking for a modern classic? One of my favorites is available on Netflix!

Notting Hill

Hope you found something fun to watch! And I apologize to all of you who don't have Netflix streaming! :)

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Joey's Mom: An Introduction

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

I was scouring Flickr for images of real vintage interiors when I came across Joey Harrison's Flickr stream and the beautiful images he uploaded on behalf of his mom.

Joey's mom studied photography and worked diligently to perfect her craft. Most of the uploaded photos are from her marriage to Joey's dad, Jerry. I loved peering into her world as a newlywed and living a vintage life vicariously through her. Her photos are beautiful (especially her self-portraits) and the accompanying stories are enchanting.

Jerry at one of the rental units

Joey was kind enough to tell us more about his mom and his experience of uploading her photographs and sharing them with the world. Over the next several weeks, we're going to dive into Joey's mom's world and learn more about her life and talent. (Joey's mom likes to keep her anonymity, so we will refer to her as Joey's mom throughout the series.)

Tell us a little about yourself and your mom.

My mom grew up poor on a Michigan farm with her parents, a sister and three brothers. Various foster children boarded with the family over the years, and a girl slightly younger than my mother was adopted. My mom’s mom documented their life on the farm with her Brownie camera − not especially skillfully or artistically – but she no doubt influenced my mother’s later pursuit of photography.

Chet's 7th Birthday (by Joey's grandmother)

The Depression left a lasting impact on my mother, forging lifelong habits of frugality and likely played a role in her tremendous personal ambition.

My mother married my father one year out of high school. Their only child − me − came at the end of their seven years together. My mom remarried a few years later and gave birth to two girls.

During the time my parents were married, my mom worked for the neighborhood doctor, who allowed her to set up a darkroom in his office. My father worked as a barber just a few doors down the street. Together, they had a second career developing property and renting apartments. During my mom’s second marriage, she created a small real estate empire piece by piece, doing as much of the work as she could and contracting what she couldn’t. She eventually owned around a dozen properties − single-family homes, duplexes, and some multi-unit buildings.

Dr. Pott

How did she learn photography and is she still an avid photographer?

My mother is mostly self-taught, though she did get assistance from helpful staffers at various photo stores in Grand Rapids. She also belonged to a serious photography club for about a year.

Once my sisters were born, her passion for photography took a back seat to child-rearing and managing her properties. She was extremely organized, efficient, and energetic. When I think back on those years, I remember her constantly on the move: meeting prospective tenants, making clothes for my sisters, cooking and cleaning, painting walls, gardening, dealing with contractors. The demands never let up, and neither did she.

During all that time she continued to take photographs of family activities. Darkroom work was reserved for once-yearly marathon sessions creating handmade Christmas cards. Her photographic ambitions were no longer artistic; she simply wanted to document her family and, later, her travels.

Christmas Card, 1951

Did you grow up knowing she had a stash of amazing photographs and stories, or was this treasure trove a recent discovery?

She kept most of her black & white prints in a drawer in the basement. I was quite familiar with most of them and fascinated by the world they depicted because that world was the family I was born into but which disintegrated before my memories began. So I didn’t look at them as an outsider might; their great value to me was personal. Many years later I began to see how skilled and creative she was, and what a distinctive photographic style she had.

Jerry and Joey

Was she immediately on board with the idea of posting her photos online along with stories?

Not at all. I had to coax and prod. She was very busy with her various activities and insecure enough to imagine that others would not be interested. As the months went by, the number of views and comments picked up rapidly, and as they did, her engagement with the project intensified.

Did you discover something new about your mom in the process of gathering her photographs and stories?

Yes, there were some stories I’d never heard, and I’m always happy to find these missing puzzle pieces. But I’m not sure any number of photos or stories would completely unravel the mystery of their marriage. It’s mysterious to me because it all took place before my memories kicked in. I was still an infant when my parents split.

Joeys First Haircut

Which is your favorite photo and story?

Picking a favorite photo is difficult. There are probably a dozen that I might call my favorite depending on which day you ask me. Today I’d say it’s the one below because it depicts the happy marriage that I want to believe in. It shows them collaborating (creating the photo) and having fun doing it. And it showcases my mom’s craft and artistry.

Total hams

Is your own photography influenced by your mother’s?

Stylistically not so much. We have different eyes and different aims. But her interest in photography was hugely influential. When I first got serious about photography, I had no idea what I wanted to shoot or what I thought was a good photograph. I simply wanted to do what she had done: take photographs and assemble a body of work. She also passed along a visual gene, if such a thing exists. From the time I was a child, I was someone who looked at the world with wide, wondering eyes. It was all so very interesting − and still is. As I got a little older my critical skills began to develop. This thing is exceptionally interesting; this thing is not. And the things that struck me as interesting seemed worthy of preserving photographically.

Self Portrait

I am pleased to bring you more of Joey's mom's photography and her beautiful stories in the coming weeks! Stay tuned for "Joey's Mom Thursdays" each week. :)

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Favorite Finds: Stacie's Jacket and Belt

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Today's Favorite Find comes from Stacie, one of my most favorite people I have met through my job. She is a super talented publicist and such a kind and generous friend! Stacie is passionate about thrifting and finds a lot of great clothes for herself and her daughter at Goodwill. I asked Stacie what her favorite items from Goodwill are, and she shares below!

What is your favorite find and where did you find it?

My big favorite find is the brown leather belt which I found at Goodwill. I was in line one day purchasing a few things and on a table near the register was this belt. Another day at the same Goodwill I found the jacket - it was half off that day too, so I think I paid $2.50.

What drew you to the belt/jacket?

I guess someone just laid the belt down on this table and ended up not wanting it. I'm glad they did because I love it and wear it all the time. It was $1. For the jacket, I love its color and it's just cotton and easy to wash and wear as a dress up jacket or casual.

What is your favorite memory in the belt/skirt?

I've just had the belt and jacket for a handful of months so I'm just starting to make memories...I know this belt is going to last me for years, it seems so well-made. Still can't believe
it was a buck.

Why do you love buying vintage/secondhand?

I love a bargain, and I love the search for a diamond in the rough. Plus, there's nothing better than owning something that had its own history before it became mine.

I agree, Stacie! I love knowing that my new favorite finds have had a life before me! Thanks so much for sharing, stylish lady!

PS - I am trying out another "favorite finds" banner. Do you have a preference??

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DIY Dilemma: Dyeing A Dress

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

In December, I won a dress from Beth's blog, Parsimonia. I was ecstatic! I received the dress and was so excited to try it on! The only problem was that as a pale redhead, the color of the top looked baaaad on me. There are definitely certain colors I can't wear and this particular gold/brown color looked pretty rough against my skin. I felt so guilty that I had won this beautiful dress but couldn't make it work for me!

I decided to take a risk and dye it. I had seen other bloggers dye formal dresses with great success, so I took a chance because I love the style of the dress!

I used a bottle of black RIT dye and added a cup of salt based on the instructions on the bottle.

I let it soak for 45 minutes and when I glanced in, I could tell something was not right... I pulled it out and... womp womp:

It's definitely not black... The top barely changed and the bottom turned pink/lavender. I actually tried again with TWO bottles of dye and let it soak for even longer, and it came out just slightly darker that time.

Some friends have mentioned that synthetics don't dye, but if I remember correctly, the fabrics were all listed on the RIT bottle. The top is a polyester spandex mix while the bottom is polyester, spandex, and rayon.

Anyone have any hints or tips for changing the color more? I love, love, love the style of the dress but the brown/gold still isn't working for me... unless I get a spray tan. :)

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Owl Really: 8 Monthiversary!

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

My booth had very humble beginnings in the strangest-shaped booth of the Tennessee Antique Mall. After doing OK in it for a few months (June-Aug), I moved to the booth next door that has a more traditional booth shape. It has been such a fun 8 months - it really has flown! It doesn't feel like I've been in business that long.

I'm not getting rich from the booth - in all honesty, I'm breaking even. I love being able to shop and thrift and bring home awesome finds but not clutter my house with them. And I love providing a service for people - for making unique items available so they can decorate their house. I love connecting people with items.

If you are reading because you've been by my booth, I would love to hear from you! Please leave a comment or email me at jamie@owlreally.com and say hello and let me know what you bought (if anything) or just say hello! Truthfully I would love to know if my in-booth marketing is bringing people to the blog and I would love to hear feedback from people who have visited.

Thank you for your support, it means the world to me!

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Friday Fun: My Daguerreotype Boyfriend

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

This site is absolutely hilarious. Vintage photos of convicted criminals who look like Hollywood stars? Check! Antique portraits that look like today's hipsters? Check!

Happy Friday!

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I got my Whimseybox!

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Have you heard of Whimseybox? It's a fun project where you subscribe to receive a box of craft supplies each month! I signed up and received my first box last week. I haven't dug in to make anything yet, but I love the idea of receiving a box of surprise craft goodies each month to inspire me!

In my first Whimseybox, I received a small jar of orange paint, a blank slap bracelet to decorate, some pink/orange ribbon wrapped around a blue stripey straw, 2 envelopes of sequins, and 2 packs of Sculpey clay. You crafty types - are your gears spinning yet on what you would make with the items?? If you have some ideas, please leave a comment!

Want to know more about Whimseybox? Find out more in the video below and on their website!

Introducing Whimseybox from Alicia DiRago on Vimeo.

Are you Whimseyboxing? I would love to hear if so - and see what you make!

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Favorite Finds: ModFruGal's Bar Stools

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

ModFruGal is a fellow Nashville blogger with a heart for vintage. She blogs about decorating her mid-century home - and she has such a great eye! Not many of our Favorite Finds contributors have children, so I especially wanted to ask her how her husband and kids feel about her decorating. I love what she had to say about involving her kids in decorating decisions!

She shares her favorite find below - plus a handy DIY tip on how to restore chrome!

What is your favorite find and where did you find it?

My favorite find for the last year or so is a pair of bar stools I bought at the Nashville Flea Market. I use them several times a day, as they sit at my desk and the breakfast bar in our kitchen.

What were your first thoughts - did the rusty parts scare you off?

When I saw them, I was immediately smitten with the lines and curves, but the chrome was looking pretty rough. It did make me wonder if they would clean up enough without replating, but I chatted with the dealer and talked him down on his price given the condition, took a chance and dragged them home.

How did you restore the chrome?

After some research, I discovered the coke solution. Wadded up tin foil used with any soda containing phosphoric acid does a great job of cleaning surface rust and cleaning out some of the pitted areas. It is incredibly disconcerting cleaning the chrome and realizing that stuff goes in my body (although very rarely since)! More details on how I restored them are here. I'd like to reupholster them at some point, but I kind of love the yellow for now.

Does your family all share your design eye?

They are starting to! My husband is quite creative in his own right, and has always been supportive of my design decisions, even when he's not sure! Many times he'll say "I don't see it, but I'll trust you." He also has great technical skills, so together we make a great team. When the kids were younger, they were always resistant to changes around the house, but now, they see the possibilities and are learning how small changes can make a big difference in everyday life.

They are really starting to develop their own eye which thrills me beyond measure. I like to ask their advice and input when decorating/renovating/getting dressed up and I think allowing them to make certain decisions about the house gives them a feel for how things go together and gives them a greater sense of ownership and inclusion at home. This is a great time of year to see them in action as we clean out closets and shelves and leave them to restyle their knick knacks.

We just rearranged the furniture in my oldest son's room this past weekend, and he's beaming with pride, so of course, the youngest wants a new arrangement now too! It will be interesting to see what styles they gravitate toward as they become adults. Fussy Victorian? Masculine Industrial? I can't wait to see it develop.

Why do you love to buy vintage/secondhand?

Where do I start? Styles and trends through the decades are preserved in fashion and home furnishings and I love having a little flair from bygone days in my life. I must credit my mother for introducing me to the world of flea markets and estate sales as a young child. She has been selling mostly French antiques for decades and I learned from her and my very handy father how to refinish a piece of wood or metal furniture. Summer days were spent with drop cloths spread out on the driveway, and I imagine my kids will have those same memories! (Although I learned early that paint stripper will eat through asphalt!)

Vintage has a sense of character, history and individuality that a new piece will never have. As a struggling college student, and then a newlywed, buying vintage was/is vastly more affordable. It goes without saying the quality of most vintage furniture is far superior than any engineered wood pieces made today. That's why it's still around.

I think my attraction to less than perfect vintage pieces is also part of my passion for rehabbing them. I like to pick the piece everyone else says is too much work...but that's just who I am. I joke that I run a "furniture rescue" operation in my basement. Our house was the one everyone else walked away from too, but we took it on. We see diamonds in the rough, or maybe we just like the extra work!

I also like imperfect pieces because an extra ding or scuff will just blend in. As much as I want to have a pretty house, it has to be livable, and allowing the kids to be kids in every room of the house is important to me. They understand common sense rules (don't stand on coffee tables, no jumping on barcelona chairs, etc..) but there is no place they aren't allowed to go and play. There tends to be as much sword fighting in the living room as the playroom, and if a wooden sword dings the chair, it just blends in. Less stress for me, and for them. We all win.

I love ModFruGal's philosophies! Thank you so much for sharing such thoughtful answers! Be sure to follow her bog!

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How to Host a Jewelry Swap & Make The World a Better Place

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Ok, so the title might be a little exaggerated, but when you can trade jewelry and accessories while getting to know new people and then donate the extra items to a worthy cause, I do believe that you've made the world a little bit brighter!

My mom built me an amazing jewelry armoire several years ago and I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I had filled. it. up. I buy cheap jewelry and over the years - lots of it. I wanted to pare down my collection and while we donate a lot of unwanted items to thrift stores, it felt strange to drop off a bag of small, easy-to-lose jewelry among other donations for some reason. I didn't want it to get mixed up in everything else we donate and I wanted to get creative with it.

And then it hit me - host a jewelry and accessory swap! I could get new-t0-me items while getting rid of items I had grown tired of!

Here's how it works:

Assemble a varied group of friends and encourage them to bring a friend - the more people with different styles, the better variety of jewelry you will have!
Have your guests bring any items in good condition they no longer want. You can set whatever parameters on what to bring - you could even include clothes, but my focus here was jewelry and accessories.
Let everyone know to count the items they bring. They are able to take home as many items as they contributed.
Find a local women's organization to donate the leftover items to. We chose Magdalene House/Thistle Farms, a residential program for women who have survived lives of prostitution, trafficking, addiction and life on the streets.
Display the items (more on that below!).
Split your time into rounds. In round 1, each guest chooses 1 item. Once everyone is finished, announce "round 2" and let everyone choose a 2nd item, and so on. When your guests have reached their total, they stop choosing items while others who brought more items continue choosing.
Don't forget snacks! I served winter white sangria, chocolate cookies, and tortilla chips with a black bean guacamole dip (sounds fancier than it is - I blended black beans and mixed them in with some Wholly Guacamole and sour cream).

More details on hosting a jewelry swap below...

You don't have to have a big space for a swap - you just have to get creative! Find fun ways to display the jewelry and accessories. I used platters from my kitchen to display items and borrowed jewelry display items from my friend Val who sells jewelry and handmade items at flea markets and craft shows.

Make sure you have room for your guests to circle around the tables you have displayed the items on. Everyone will circle constantly, assessing what they want to choose next!

I set up a folding table in the living room where the coffee table normally sits (and placed the coffee table in a corner and instructed my guests to place their purses that weren't up for grabs in that corner).

The swap lasted for 2 hours (from 2-4pm on a Sunday afternoon) and happily, most people arrived right on time. As they entered the house, I explained that they could start unpacking their items and placing them around the different areas we had set up.

We attempted to organize different items in different areas. One platter for bracelets, one for rings, etc. Val even brought stands that we could hang purses, belts, long necklaces, and scarves from. We set those up in the archway between the dining room and the living room.

If you have friends who want to come but don't have anything to bring, suggest they bring a snack or a drink to share in order to earn "credit" toward jewelry. I put enough items into the swap to cover myself and a few others, so I knew we wouldn't run out of items.

I love that everyone went home with at least 6 new items and no money was exchanged. We packed up a really big shopping bag of the leftover items and took them to Magdalene House. It was a great afternoon with old friends and new - and hopefully our small contribution to the women of Magdalene will make a difference.

Shannon shows off some of her new accessories! Oh, another note - one guest didn't have jewelry to bring but she is a hairdresser so she brought hair products. Everyone loved being able to choose from those as well!

Have you ever hosted a clothing or jewelry swap? What other tips do you have?

I am inspired to host more swaps - I want to do a housewares/home decor swap and a craft supply swap! You could even do a book swap! There are so many possibilities.

Linking to:
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

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Do You Have Alt Envy?

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

If you're like me, a lot of the blogs you read have been doing amazing Alt Summit recaps and you've been living vicariously through your blog friends while trying to tame your Alt Envy.

(If you haven't heard of Alt Summit, it's an amazing blog/design conference in Salt Lake City. It just took place last week and the internet has been abuzz about how incredible it was!)

We are so lucky that in this digital age, we can still learn from Alt even though we weren't there. Here are some of my favorite round ups and wrap ups from Alt!

photo by b.a.d. photography

My friend Heather of Joy Of All Crafts attended Alt Summit and posted notes from the various panels she attended. Check out Successful Collaborations / Building Relationship with Ad Networks / From Blog To Book.

She also got the chance to interview my favorite* designer, Emily Henderson! Read the interview here!

Dottie and Alix from Modern Kiddo posted a great recap full of beautiful and super fun photos from their time at Alt!

photo by b.a.d. photography

Danni from oh, hello friend posted a recap of Alt with a ton of great blogging tips.

Nicole from Making It Lovely created a Storify page for the Twitter conversations happening during her panel, Growing a Readership. You can learn a lot from this conversation!

photo by justin hackworth

Here's a great Pinterest board that also gathers lots of Alt Summit posts and you can see more Alt Summit recaps on the Alt Summit Blog!

I think the biggest lesson I've learned from the recaps is to be true to yourself and focus on relationships and not numbers.

Here's hoping I can go next year and experience it for myself and learn firsthand!

Did you go? Have you read great recaps? Let's talk Alt in the comments!

*Hahahah, wishful thinking! In your Google Reader, it probably said "my friend designer" but that is not the case, sadly! What a slip! I meant to write "favorite." :)

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Pinterest: Vintage Living

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Be sure to follow me on Pinterest - especially my new "Vintage Living" board! I have been having so much fun pinning real vintage interiors! Follow here and see all my boards here!

I am so inspired by real vintage photographs and design. And I love that in most of the photographs, a starburst clock is visible! I just wish I could find them often now!

Happy friday, everyone!!

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Time To Sew: Pillows

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Sew, sew, sew! I've been trying to work on a few projects around the house and we had some couch pillows that were falling apart after years of use. I bought some fun fabric at our local fabric shop, Textile*, and made a few pillow cases following this tutorial (minus the ruffle).

I picked up a subtle gray and white pattern that reminds me of bunting and then a teal flower fabric that coordinates well with the 2 teal cushions I got on clearance-clearance at Urban Outfitters. (The first time I ever went to our local UO, they were running a 50% off sale on their clearance items! The cushions were originally $40 each and I got each for $10!)

click to see the photo larger!

I had never made envelope-closure pillows before but I like them! I have a ton of zippers that but they are slightly more complicated to sew and since I haven't sewn much in the past year, I wanted to start back on an easier project. This was the perfect project to get my sewing gears turning! I hope to have more projects to share soon, but with a new puppy, I am not sure how much time I will have for sewing!

Speaking of sewing - my talented friend Heather of Joy of All Crafts is an amazing quilter, crafter, and blogger! Yesterday, she featured my single bloom bouquet tutorial - check it out here and follow her blog! (Need extra incentive? Soon she will be posting an interview with Emily Henderson!)

**Textile's 40% off sale lasts through Saturday! Head on in to grab a great deal!

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Favorite Finds: Savannah's Skirt

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

(I'm trying out a new Favorite Finds banner... what do you think??)

Today's Favorite Find comes from Savannah of MaieDae, a beautiful Atlanta-based blog. I love reading other southern bloggers and Savannah posts a delightful mix of vintage + decor + handmade. She's also running an inspiring "5 Things" series in which bloggers detail 5 things they've learned, or 5 ways they stay inspired, etc. Savannah shares her favorite fashion find below!

What is your favorite find and where did you find it?

One of my favorite thrifted finds, is this black and white pleated skirt. I found it at a local thrift store.

What drew you to the skirt?

I love how flowy and easy to wear it is! AND I love that it goes with everything.

What is your favorite memory in the skirt?

I love to dress up on Sundays, so I often wear this skirt to visit mine and my husband's family. It reminds me of our family days. :)

Why do you love buying vintage/secondhand?

I love to buy vintage/secondhand because I feel like it has a unique character and history. I love bringing to life old pieces and making them work in my home or with my personal style. I also love the fact that vintage tends to be more durable than clothing manufactured now.

Thank you so much for sharing, Savannah!

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Rebekka Seale Print Winner

noreply@blogger.com (jamie) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Chicken dinner!

I'm excited to announce the winner of the Rebekka Seale Sparrow Print Giveaway!

Drumroll please....

#11, Dana!

The only problem though is, Dana, I can't contact you! Your email address isn't listed anywhere (your comment, your blogger profile, or your blog). Please email me your mailing address and I will send the print out to you.

And this is a note to everyone - please visit your blogger profile and see if your email address is listed. If it's not, it means that bloggers can't reply to you when you comment on our blog. You just need to click "Edit profile" on your blogger dashboard and change the setting so that you are email-able. A lot of us subscribe to our comments by email so that we may reply directly but if your email address is not listed, you show up in our inbox as a "no-reply" blogger.

And now it's time for a cute photo of Lucy. :)

Happy Tuesday!

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