Aardvark! A Rummage Sale and TREASURES!

This is ME today after 4 - count em - FOUR failed Etsy sales.  THREE of which were international which means I had to go cross town to my shipping supply store, buy special boxes (for double boxing), run home, pack them for shipping to take to the post office to stand in line to get postage fees to run home, notify the buyers of their fees, to have them CANCEL for various (NUMB-NUT) reasons.  I guess I should have figured that the "buyer" from Australia calling herself MZ. EMBALMO (Ribbons Rigormortis) just MIGHT have been a HOAX.  But oh no - trust everyone in the world, after all some people are very proud of their professions, right?  Etsy has been GREAT - I can't complain tooo much, but really folks, wouldn't you look like this after such a week?!  Actually Ardie looks much better than me at this particular moment in time.  It's before noon here :- )

Onto bigger & better things - like the church rummage sale last Saturday.  I ADORE church rummage sales & hadn't been to one in ages so I was looking forward to this even though by happencestance it was the church I'd been married in once upon a nightmare on another planet but we won't go there right now.  Shoulda been an omen I guess.  And the gall of me to ask Big Daddy to accompany me - but I did and didn't tell him that news until we got through the door (and after a missed-step by him), everything was okay when greeted by this...

Sister's Candy & Lollypop shed their "usual habits" and become CAKE LADIES!

Oh yes, this too should have been an omen.  Get the sweet stuff before you go through the next doors to the rummage sale from HELL!

Okay, it wasn't REALLY hellish, Big Daddy hit the tables like a man possessed! 

(Not bad for an old guy, eh?!  He was particularly ravishing at the recent Scottish Games in his plaid kilt which I told him looked positively WRONG with tennis shoes & golf sox, but would he listen?  Neuuuu.  He thought all the gawking girls were praying for strong winds.  HAH!) 

Anyway, here he is leaving with a *grin* and a brand new pair of Etonic golf shoes & some other such nonsense

And, (I'm going to hell for this)...I stole these from Sister's Candy & Lollypop (JUST KIDDING of course) - not bad, but not the LOAD I was hoping for

Then for being a good soldier I offered to take him to my favorite breakfast place for THE best French Toast in town - maybe the WORLD - the Tower Cafe which is located next to the old and one of the two gorgeous deco theatres left in Sacramento, the Tower Theatre

Inside the also lovely Tower Cafe

Breakfast was GREAT but my mind wanders sometimes

Hmm, margaritaville.  Strawberries are healthy food, right?! ;- )

Okay, I'm stuck in "center" mode so this is how it's going to be till I get unstuck

The week wasn't a complete loss, truly!  I had a FANNNtastic trip to my friend Frank's house who allowed me to pick through and purchase some of his INNNcredible treasure trove of GREATNESS.  And here is just a "sneak peek" at the greatness I was lucky enough to bring home.

 

Getting ready for the spit & polish!

And this

Icart!

And this

1930's LALIQUE!

And more!  But there's a preview of my next blog!

And about that Aardvark who I so cruelly (to him) compared to how I look this morning, It's actually a set of two I found on my way out of one of my favorite thrifting haunts.  Odd little critters by Robert Maxwell.  Never heard of him or seen these but they oddly caught my eye & called to me.  A most odd choice for me, but they just sucked my heart right outta my chest so they came home with me.  A bit of internet research told me Mr. Maxwell is quite a well known artist & his "critter-beasties" as they are known, are also very well known and collectible & I was VERY lucky to find a numbered PAIR!  Lucky me!  Here they are, Ardie & his little pal Vark.



  



Just A Thought For The Day...

* I woke up,
I lifted my arms,
I moved my knees,
I turned my neck....

Everything made the same noise:
'CrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaccccK!'

....I came to a conclusion:

I am not old,
I am crispy!!!

Got this in an e-mail & couldn't resist.  Have a great weekend & be crispy instead of old! ;- )

An Orangeday Afternoon

I know I've been a lousy blogger since Christmas but it's been a slow "bounce-back" from the holidays & being sick, etc.  Also, I expanded my space at Folsom & I tell you, that was nearly like a whole house move!  Also consolidated two storage spaces into one (another epic project), and taking care of my Etsy store is, I think, nearly as much work as my space in Folsom.  Whew, who knew!  Anyway, it's been a long road back to "normal" ("Normal" - In my lifetime?  Who am I kidding!).  But of course I've been picking since then - that's what keeps the old ball rolling, right?  Last Saturday was a particularly good day as I managed to find TWO great estate sales NOT run by those scabby robber liquidation outfits.  These were family run and those are my favorite kind.  Not just because the prices are right but also because there is a more personal feeling and interaction, and I like that.  I hit the jackpot!  And it was particularly orange! 

First is a beautiful Red Wing decanter.  I've found a couple of other of this style by Bauer but haven't found one with a lid so I felt very lucky

Then this pretty Oxford Stoneware pitcher - I love this 40's style

(Sorry it's a dark picture - I had to re-take it because Blogger doesn't allow pics that are taken vertically which I had done earlier & now it's late & don't have natural light but either way it sure is pretty isn't it!)

Next is an adorable Cat Tail pitcher from old Sears & Roebuck. 



Then a pretty little orange tea pot.  I don't know the maker but it was orange so it came home with me :- )

And some things were orange and green, like these waaay cool Pyrex dinnerware sets I couldn't live without

And well, some things were blue and green, like this very groovy Mikasa set that called to me :- )

                                                           (I definately have a problem saying NO to dinnerware)

And some things were just brown, like this ADORABLE trio of Howard Pierce birds.

Hiccup...OKAY, these are obviously NOT Howard Pierce birds but I screwed up and I'm terrified of trying to edit and losing everything so let's just ignore this, k ;- )

AhhhhhhHem....Introducing my new Howard Pierce birds

                                              So sweet!  I'm going to have a hard time parting with these little guys!

Oh!  And green again.  I absolutely adore this tiny little wishing well lamp which says on one side, "Oh wishing well" and on the other side says, "Grant a wish to me".  I love it.  I may keep it and tell it my wishes each day & see what happens.  I'll be re-wiring it because the cord is pretty crispy.

Well, I guess that's enough "catch-up" for tonight.  I'll try to do better & not let this go so long.  It's not all that exciting but sharing treasures is fun.  Gotta get ready for BACHELOR BEN night with my wonderful, adorable neice that joins me every Monday night to drool & Oooo & Ahhhh over THE hottest bachelor EVER!  And to think he only lives a couple of hours from here :- )  So I leave you with this verrra nice "wish" for tonight...

(Old ladies aren't supposed to have EVIL thoughts you say?!)

HAH!

Love & Sweetie Pie Dreams

~Vic~





It's Not Just Another Day

It's a holiday.  Another day to not forget

I have a dream tha one day, right there in Alabama, little black boys and little black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.  I have a dream today!

(excerpt from speech 8/23/63, Washington, D.C.)

Martin Luther King, Jr

January 15, 1929 - April 4, 1968

It takes a far braver man to wage peace than to make war.......by Vickie

Enjoy your day and remember the peaceful words of a peaceful man

Vickie



Just This N That & Some Fun Finds This Week...

I should be out picking this morning but there doesn't seem to be too much shakin in Sacto right now so thought I'd show a few of my finds from this week.  I went to an estate sale & didn't find much in the house but did find a few "treasures" in the dirty ol garage.  Let's start with what I consider a sterling example of the ICK FACTOR!!!  Whaaaa!  But, but, it was that GREAT retro orange (under the crud) & I knew it was a challenge I was up to - I've become an expert cootie remover.
If you have the guts, click on the pic to see what I was up against....

I asked the guy to plug it in to see if it actually still works.  It was so cruddy the buttons would barely push down but after a few tries, it did work, so I paid him two bucks (one buck too much for the crud that was on it!).  I hated to even take it into my kitchen!  But after an hour with a pair of hazmat gloves, HOT water, a rag with liquid laundry detergent (dish detergent didn't faze it), a long toothpick & a Q-tip.......

Voila!  Margarita anyone?  This baby's got a whole new life & a lot of party's ahead of her!  (They don't call me the queen of clean for no reason I tell ya!)

At the same place I found this cute pair of ceramic book ends.  They need a bit of touch-up but I just love anything poodles.  A touch of gold paint with a fine brush will make them good as new.  No wait!  They're vintage so they're BETTER than new :- )

                                                                                    Just too sweet, eh?!

I adore VINTAGE Josef Originals & this little sweetie just had to come home with me (purchased NOT in a dirty garage BTW)

Isn't she a sweetie.  It's so hard for me to part with my treasures :- (

Found a few other little things but I guess this was the find of the week.  It screamed to me from across the room & I went into a dead run!  These are the funniest "art" things I can remember from the retro period.  I don't recall ever loving them, but now they just have that retro appeal that melts my heart.  You may know (I didn't) they were called Popcorn Art.  Some were done in colored gravel, but these are melted plastic

I hadn't taken a picture of mine yet but found them on ebay for the (cough-cough-ha-ha) price of THREE HUNDRED bucks.  Found two more on other sites, one set at $170.00, one at $185.00.  Who woulda thunk it, eh?  Not sure if they're going on Etsy or to the store yet, but I'm quite certain they won't be anywhere in my realm for THREE HUNDRED bucks.  It will be interesting to see how they go.

So aside from this (and a teen with a hemmhoraging pulled wisdom tooth - that was exciting), this was my picking week.  Guess I ought to get out there & see if I can find anything interesting on this beautiful Sacramento morning.

Cheerio!

~Vickie~
(Who will be doing a test run on the blender - strawberry or regular margarita?  Salt or not?  Mmmm! ;- )



OhhhMYGawwwd....."The Artist"

More than a month ago me & Auntie and my cousin Karen went to one of the two remaining "old" (which spells once magnificant) movie theatres left in Sacramento to see that Marilyn Monroe movie, which I didn't particularly care for, but on the way in I absolutely fell in LOVE with a movie poster of a coming attraction. Oh my, I wasn't sure about the movie, but the poster was to die for & I was sure I must see the film. Wouldn't you want to?

It was released in some country's in November but did not appear here until last week.  I'd been hearing great things about it being an award winner and a HUGE hit, BUT....it is a French film, and...a silent movie.  Yes, no dialogue, no sub-titles - an old fashioned silent movie.  Hmm.  How would this be?  I definitely had my doubts.  But I fell in love with that darn poster so off we went, Karen & I today.  I snagged this review off the internet - and dang if I forgot which publication the credit goes to so I'm sorry.  It's a 5-star review which most I've read seem to be.  I've done some editing, but it's a GREAT description so I hope you will take time to read it:

It's the late 1920s in Hollywood and handsome George Valentin is a silent movie idol. During the premiere of his latest film, Valentin meets Peppy Miller, a star-struck extra and aspiring actress. The two are attracted to each other and Peppy is given a small dancing role in his next picture. As their romance progresses, Valentin's producer has to cope with a love-struck star who is distracted on the set, Peppy's career begins to take off, and Valentin fears that a new fad in the movie business--talkies--will ruin him…

This new black and white silent set in 1927 took the 2011 Cannes Film Festival by storm. A traditional Star Is Born-story, The Artist is about an actor who watches his girlfriend's career ascend as his is derailed by the arrival of talking pictures. Although a seemingly risky bet for box office success outside of small arthouse niches, the film's charm and delight of discovery, plus its sterling international performances, could make it a breakout hit in theaters, just as it was in Cannes.

Director Michel Hazanavicius, has masterfully captured the tone and spirit of the great silent era without entering into Mel Brooks style send-ups (a la Silent Movie). He clearly has a love for films of the era and has created something new for 2011 that's every bit as viable as those from ‘back in the day.' The Artist is also a compelling movie-within-a-movie about a silent star caught up in major change. Change, and the way we adapt to it, is indeed a major theme of The Artist, as is the need to look to the future, not the past.

George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a huge silent movie star, a swashbuckling Douglas Fairbanks-type who always appears with his faithful Jack Russell Terrier, Jack (Uggy, in a scene stealing performance). Though he's married he falls for the sweet Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), whom he meets at the premiere of one of his films. With paparazzi snapping away she soon lands a role in one of his movies. Not long after, studio boss Al Zimmer (John Goodman) clues Valentin in on the new all talking format the industry plans to adopt. Valentin rejects the thought sound pictures and sets off on an elaborate silent project that ends disastrously. With the converging stock market crash of 1929 and the advent of talkies his career is over just as Peppy's is taking off. She becomes a major star while he hits the ropes, comforted only by his faithful companion Jack. Can he make a comeback? Will true love prevail?

Superbly shot in the original 1:33 aspect ratio of the era by Guillaume Schiffman and gorgeously scored to within an inch of its life by Ludovic Bource, production detail is aces throughout. The performers are certainly up to the task to with Cannes Best Actor winner Dujardin earning his accolades. Jumping into silent mode, Dujardin proves he can do anything from comedy to adventure to dancing with ease. Silent emoting is the essence of great screen acting and he fits the bill perfectly.  Like Roberto Begnini before him, Dujardine richly deserves a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his work here. It's that good. Bejo matches him with charm and style. The Americans in the cast, John Goodman and James Cromwell as his loyal chauffeur and Penelope Anne Miller as his wife —also acquit themselves nicely. Arguably the REAL star here is Uggy, beating the star of Marley & Me by a mile.  The Artist is a film for people who love movies and a movie you are absolutely going to love.

I don't know how to explain this movie but to tell you that by the end when the screen went to credits & before the lights came up all I could say, out loud, was...."I'm in love - with this movie".  Other than that I was left speechless.  The end tap dancing scene made me want to dance down the isle, but the star of the film, Jean Dujardin, had me sliding off the seat I tell ya!  (At the risk of being vulgar here, and I reallly wouldn't want to do that, but well...., it used to be called, "nearly creamed ma jeans" - I shutter to think what it may be called now...).  What a BABE!  And who doesn't love a guy with a side kick....(second scene stealer - Uggie)

Very reminescent of "Asta" this baby nearly steals the show!

Believe me when I tell you I would NOT take this much time to post or ask you to read something that I was not totally over the top about.  HEPCAT, listen up....I know it's the 50's & 60's movies that are your "thing", but grab the Adorable Mz. Kitty and don't walk, RUN to the Tower theatre before January 20th.  I'm not sure where else it will be showing but do not miss it.  It may be a 20's era movie but you've talked about new movies versus old & the nonsense need for special effects & such in the new films.  Well this is a 100% masterpiece of plot driven film.  I think you'll both love it.

I want the whole wide world to see it and LOVE IT.  It's a look at the "old" brought brilliantly into the "now" for us to love, appreciate and enjoy.  DO NOT MISS this film.  Take a sec to watch the trailer & no matter what you THINK, just know that you as lovers of all things vintage will fall in love too.

 

Best regards,

Vic

(Who hasn't SWOONED at the movie theatre in a lonnng time)



Cry...

No, I don't mean you! This is just one of THE most beautiful songs ever written or sung - "Cry" by Johnny Ray. This is a quickie today because I'm on the run already but thought you might enjoy this. I sure do. I guess this guy had quite a colorful/controversal career but don't have time to go into it now darnit. Just enjoy!
~Vickie~