CYBER MONDAY SALE

SALE! SALE! SALE! SALE!

Today only enjoy 20% off all purchases in ImSoVintage and GossamerMemories 


Just use the code CYBERSALE during checkout. How easy is that. 

Sale ends tonight at midnight so you better hurry.

sneak peek sunday

Time for another sneak peek at the week ahead. Some great finds this week  from an estate auction. Oh, and the best part is there will be a sale in both shops on Cyber Monday. Be sure and check back here tomorrow or see my shop announcements in ImSoVintage and GossamerMemories tomorrow for the secret sale code. How fun!

Okay, here are some of those fabulous finds.

french canisters

brass ship lantern

estate silver

primitives

1940s booster chair

 Enjoy your day and don't forget to check back tomorrow.

it's a holly jolly....thanksgiving

The day is finally here for all of us in the US and it pretty much started out like most other days for me. Rise at 6:00 to check my shops for sales and convos. Then I had to make a little detour to the grocery to buy another turkey. (Note to self: next year don't have a non cook bring the turkey to be cooked. Eleven pound turkeys don't thaw out in the refrigerator overnight) So to avoid hurt feelings and family arguments (after all it is Thanksgiving) I just put that one in the freezer and got another one before anyone else was up. Then it was time to continue my normal routine.  Start the coffee brewing, bring in the morning paper and turn to my favorite morning read "Cul de Sac" by Richard Thompson. It is a surefire way to start my day off with a good laugh. If you have kids and a good sense of humor you will love this. 

So because I am thankful, even in these difficult times, that I can still find humor in life I am sharing the last three days of "Cul de Sac" with you.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone and especially to my daughters Katy and Cary and my grandchildren Jack Henry and Sidney ( who I feel sure Petey and Alice were modeled after).Sorry we aren't together today, but can't wait to see you next month.

Enjoy your day. 

let's talk turkey

Well here in the US, Thursday is Thanksgiving. It's a day for being thankful for all the things that we have been blessed with in our lives, a time to spend with family and friends, a time to gather around and feast on wonderful foods and what would Thanksgiving be without turkey. (Here I must insert a slight apology to my vegetarian daughters).


A great big turkey means lots of leftovers...turkey soup, turkey sandwiches, turkey casseroles, and here in Kentucky it means a hot brown. A Kentucky hot brown is not for the faint of heart or those on a diet, but YUMMY!!! 


So in honor of temporarily expanding your waist, I thought I would share a traditional hot brown recipe with you. This comes from the Beaumont Inn in Harrodsburg Kentucky and is one I'm sure you will enjoy.

From Chef Nick Sundberg:
This is a regional favorite that originated at Louisville's Brown Hotel earlier in this century. Many variations can be found, most commonly country ham is added and a cheddar sauce is substituted. This is our version which I feel is closer to the original recipe. It is offered on our lunch menu.

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces turkey breast, roasted, sliced
• 1 slice toasted white bread
• 2 slices tomato
• 2 slices bacon, cooked and drained
• Sauce:
• 2 ounces butter
• 3 ounces flour
• 3/4 cup cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup Swiss cheese, grated
• salt and white pepper to taste

Preparation:

 Heat butter and add flour. Whisk and slowly cook for 5 minutes. Whisk in cream and milk and heat. Whisk in cheese until melted. Season. Simmer for 30 minutes. Sauce should be very thick.
Quarter toast and place in an oven safe dish. Top with turkey and tomatoes. Cover well with sauce. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Garnish with bacon. 

This is for one hot brown, so if you want to share just double, triple, etc. the recipe.

Enjoy and Gobble Gobble

sneak peek saturday

Time for a sneak peek at some of the new items that will be appearing in ImSoVintage  and GossamerMemories over the next week. 

Christmas caroller tin

antique books

vintage Christmas ornaments

very cool electronics

Sheffield silver

 Looks like a fun week ahead and of course there is always more surprises.


Enjoy your weekend!

easy listening

This is one of my favorite songs that I love to listen to when feeling a bit stressed. So as I am a bit short on time today, because the auction is starting earlier than normal, I thought maybe you would enjoy a bit of easy listening to soothe the way through your day.



Enjoy!!

a new focus

For quite awhile now, I have been feeling a discontent with my ImSoVintage shop. Earlier this year, I opened a second shop, Gossamer Memories, to showcase my vintage ephemera and findings, and although I haven't given that as much attention as I should have, I am happy with the overall feel of the shop and will be pushing it more in the future.

The discontent arises from the fact that I have been catering, in ImSoVintage, to what I thought people wanted instead of showcasing the things I love. Now, as the year is ending, and a new year will be unfolding soon, I have decided to return to being true to myself and to offer for sale the things that I truly love. I love vintage and antique items that evoke a cottage/farmhouse feel... a feeling that when you come home from the stress of the outside world, you feel comfort, homeiness, and safety in your surroundings...a place where as a family you can relax together...a place where you can entertain with a combination of elegance and casualness.

So, with that in mind, my shop, will begin to showcase:

beautiful timeless silver pieces
fabulous primitives
sweet handmade pillows from repurposed quilts, chenille, and other vintage fabric finds
cozy cottage accessories
old world antique books
original oil paintings
framed antique photos

I hope you will check back with me often as I add new finds to my shop. Here is a sampling of some of the things that are currently listed.

wood and leather shoe form

aesthetic era etched teapot

english transferware tureen

german primer 1873

vintage fishing boats

and don't forget I still have over 100 fabulous vintage finds in my sale section that you won't want to miss.

Have a wonderful  Monday.

the secret is out

Boy, I am the worst person in the world when it comes to keeping a secret, but for the last seven weeks I have been holding to myself the knowledge that my daughter, Katy was to be this weekend's featured seller on Etsy.  This is such a huge honor for her and the wonderful work she does as an artist and I don't know anyone who is more deserving of it than she is. Okay, I know I'm her mama, but check out her work and I am sure you will agree.

pretty speckled orchid

yellow chenille flower ornament

willow branches seashell

 and this wonderful nativity that is a combination of Katy's work and the work of my other wonderful daughter Cary of LittleLoveBlue

heirloom nativity

 I am so blessed to have two such lovwly daughters, and I hope you enjoy reading the feature 

Have a wonderful day..

antique wood bobbins

I am quite fascinated with antique wood bobbins and thread spools. I love the history they tell and the many ways they can be incorporated into a vintage inspired decor. 


This brief history  comes from Bemidji Woolen Mills.

"The Industrial Revolution (1790's - 1860's) was an important time in America's history. The Revolution brought about many changes in the labor and textile industries. On average women worked a 72-hour week with few breaks. The mill itself was a dangerous place to work with shuttles flying off looms, and a constant humid, 100-degree climate. In response to the poor working conditions, the women of the mills organized America's first labor strikes and formed the first labor unions.

Bobbins and the machinery they ran on were some of the greatest inventions of the Victorian Era. Developed as a way to manage heaps of thread, bobbins revolutionized textile manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution. Many textile mills had their own machine shops and their own favorite shape of bobbin which accounts for their varied designs. Traditional wooden bobbins have been retired from most current day manufacturing. Modern economics does not favor the use of wooden bobbins since a large degree of handwork is involved in making them and they are not well suited to synthetic fibers and high-speed machinery."

Here are a few fine examples of surviving pieces.

This spool has been cleverly converted into a working electric lamp.

wood spool candle lamp via mymagbean13

pair beehive wood bobbins via ImSoVintage

colorful spinning bobbins via psychogeographer

wooden cotton spools via MyVintageFix

Vieilles Bobines via Lapichon

So many beautiful bobbins. Do you have any interesting ways that you have used bobbins in your own decor?

Expanded Sale Section

It's the most wonderful time of the year.  Is it Christmas already you ask. No not quite, although it will be here before you know it. So in honor of  the impending holiday season, a time of entertaining and gift giving, and a time when I am ready to clear out the old and bring in the new (relatively speaking of course as all of my stuff is old) I have added over 100 items to my sale section. You definitely won't want to miss this as it is a great opportunity to get your favorite vintage item at a fabulous price. 

So help your bank account breathe a sigh of relief and help the planet by buying vintage.  Here is just a sampling of some of the great deals. 

amethyst George Washington bottle  $16.00

handpainted bird vase $15.00

Ransburg rooster cookie jar  $49.00

princess ivory telephone $32.00

amberina glass bird  $10.00

 Happy shopping!!!

featured Kentucky Etsy seller Bow Wow Beds

Time to get back to my feature of Kentucky artists. Today I found a seller on Etsy who makes the greatest dog beds, and the pictures of the dogs are irresistible.

Kent and Amberlii, a husband and wife team, who live near Lexington, are the makers of Bow Wow Dog Beds. Their great dane, Darth Vader is the inspiration for their beds(and what an adorable inspiration he is). 

personalized large bed cover

dog crate cover

tough big dog cover

crib mattress size

 Okay, I admit that I am a real sucker for a cute dog face, but these are really awesome dog beds and are especially great for those special large dogs.

Have a great evening.