Love Story

I found this copy of the book Love Story by Erich Segal in the "FREE" box 2 weeks ago at a yard sale. I didn't have a copy, so I figured, why not? And it's in near perfect shape, and not a book club edition. I remember going to see the movie with my two best friends when we were in high school. When it ended, the sound of all the sniffling and stifled sobs in the theater just struck me funny for some reason, and instead of crying, I got the giggles. Couldn't help myself, and I remember my friends being very annoyed with me about it. Sorry, girls! The book's jacket design was by Anita Scott, but looks remarkably similar to the artwork on the first Love stamp - I put my lone little stamp there (above) when I scanned the book cover.
The information in the article above is from The Postal Service Guide To U.S. Stamps - a very useful tome! And, just because, here is a photo of the sculpture, too:
I like it!

Vintage Pearl And Beaded Chokers

I love these vintage chokers, collars, necklaces - whatever you want to call them.
I only have a few.
Always on the lookout for more, though!

So pretty, so classic, so vintage.

I Love Dick Van Dyke

He is another one of my favorites - from WAY back!Few can argue that The Dick Van Dyke Show is among the greatest TV shows EVER. My sister gave me this in my Christmas stocking a couple of years ago:

Don't tell me you are surprised that I also have the book!
And I was delighted to discover this vintage paperback last year at a shop in Oregon:I also watched Diagnosis Murder religiously, and of course I love Mary Poppins, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, What A Way To Go, Bye Bye Birdie, Fitzwilly , his appearance on Columbo, the made for TV movie The Morning After ...I could go on and on.
I just think he's great.

Hello Faithful Readers!

I know I have just a few of you readers who comment fairly often - please don't let my recent change prevent you from commenting! I had a problem with spam comments, and felt I needed to change to just checking them before they publish. I LOVE your comments, and I will publish ALL comments from my Blogger friends and family, and anyone new who happens to visit and enjoy my blog - or who simply has something to say! If I find that what happened with the spam seemed to be a fluke, I will probably go back to the old way.
But PLEASE leave your comments! They keep me inspired to keep going!

Goodbye, Earle Hagen..

The theme songs he wrote bring back such fond memories for me - The Andy Griffith Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and The Mod Squad, to name a few. The songs will live forever.

Vintage Travel Brochures

My mother-in-law did some traveling before she married, including a cruise to Hawaii and a trip to New York and through parts of Canada. Some of the old books and brochures we have come across were really neat. Like this one about Trinidad:
And this Honolulu Handbook:
Glacier-Waterton National Park:
And the Famous Guide to New York!
I love the graphics and the colors on these. They really don't make 'em like they used to! (These are all from the 1930's)

My Favorite Framed Prints #6

Yet another pair - I think these were from eBay.
I like the painted green frames.
Yep -I'm going to keep doing this until I have featured them all! (Or, at least, as many as possible!)

Memorial Day

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!
I found this album with a great patriotic cover 9 days ago at a thrift shop, and a box full of the eagle coasters at a garage sale. They seemed appropriate for today's post.
Three cheers for the red, white and blue, as we pay tribute to the sacrifices of wartimes past, and a salute with heartfelt thanks to our soldiers of today. Here's wishing them all a safe return.

Beyond The Sea

I am not sure I can even quite express how much I love this movie. I had to BEG my husband to go with me to see it - it finally came to our local cinema 6 months after it was released, as part of their "Independent Film Series", and was shown for 2 days only. Don't even get me started on the topic of what movies are never shown at all here locally! I was SO happy that I got to see it on the big screen! I couldn't wait to get the DVD and soundtrack album.
I think Kevin Spacey is a phenomenal actor, and he did a FABULOUS job in this role. And he can SING - boy, can he ever!
Bobby Darin was such a great singer and entertainer - I could listen to him all day, watch his taped performances, his movies, etc.
Especially the ones he made with his beautiful wife, Sandra Dee. Isn't this a lovely photo of her?
He truly was one of the "Great Gentlemen Of Song", as in the title of one of my CD's from Capitol Records.
Well, you know how I am when I become obsessed! I had to get the book written by their son Dodd, too!
But I have to say ( even at the risk of annoying fellow Bobby Darin fans) that as much as I enjoy him, I would kind of rather listen to Kevin Spacey's soundtrack. It is REALLY great. It may be my favorite movie soundtrack ever - and coming from this HUGE musical fan, that is saying a lot. I feel that he did not get nearly enough kudos for this wonderful film, which I believe was a true labor of love for him. Well, Kevin - you've got one fan here who has a tremendous appreciation for what you have done!!
Did I say that I LOVE IT??!!

My Husband's Birthday

It's my husband's birthday today, and he has requested his favorite dinner - homemade Chicken Cordon Bleu, and his favorite cake - this kind:Made, of course, with this: We decided against the farmer's market this morning because it's raining.
So, I'll be busy inside baking and such today.
Happy birthday, Sweetie!

Last Weekend's Finds

My sister came over last weekend, and we had fun going to a few garage sales and thrift shops. The sweet little girl planter from a garage sale, above, was kind enough to hold the 7 packages of rick rack I found at a thrift shop. Below, a Dala rooster and horse from Sweden. The white platter displayed behind them was free at a different sale.
An assortment of items - the aqua Melmac bowl was free, I got the bag of aluminum molds (including another set of 10 wreath-shaped ones) mostly because I wanted the bird one - but the others would make cute little candles. I love the strawberry jam jar. The small restaurant china dishes and the Chinese soup spoons were 25c each at a thrift shop.
This little pair, below, is losing some of the red cold paint from their combs, but I liked them anyway. The restaurant china soup cups they are perched atop were free. I love restaurant china; I use it. It's sturdy, and holds up well through the dishwasher. I collect creamers, teapots, plates, bowls, etc.!
I bought the wooden coat hangers at thrift shops. I love the ones with the crocheted covers, and I also buy the ones with advertising on them whenever I can. I like this one from Peacock Cleaners and Dyers "Ladies' Garments Our Specialty". The black lacy vest was free, and I think it's really pretty! The little crocheted pin cushion was 50c at a garage sale.
This picture isn't very good, but you can see the black lace vest a little bit better:
We had fun, despite the heat last weekend. Gotta figure out where to put my stuff!

My Heidi Shoes

Way back in September, I posted one picture of a few pieces in this collection Dutch style shoes. My "Wooden Shoes" - I like to call them my Heidi shoes.
Well, I finally remembered to try to take some more photos of them the other day when I was dusting my 5-tiered corner shelf where they are displayed.
I've been collecting them for a LONG time!
Some are McCoy (top photo), some are in matching pairs, some are tiny - not all of them are shown in these pictures.
Some were probably hand-painted in a ceramics studio.
Colorful and pretty, like so many of my collections!

Vintage Handkerchiefs

Some of these vintage handkerchiefs are just stunning:
I love the bright colors,
The lovely floral printed images,
and the gorgeous compositions of colors. These are just a few favorites from my small collection.
But this bag is my very favorite thing I have ever seen anyone make with them! And I have seen so many beautiful things - in magazines, books, on some of my favorite blogs, etc.
I asked this poor lady if I could take a picture of it! We saw her at Disneyland while we waited in the lobby at Blue Bayou. She may have thought me crazy - because I went on and on about it. To take the California handkerchief and marry it with a Disney child's handkerchief - the ultimate Disneyland/California Adventure tribute! And such a lovely and useful bag, to boot! I love it So much!
And I want one like it.

It's Eliza Doolittle Day!

"...on the twentieth of May, I proclaim 'Liza Doolittle Day!" (from the song "Just You Wait"). Thought I'd celebrate it by proclaiming my love for the musical by Lerner and Loewe. Below, the cover of a souvenir program hardbound book about the film - the person who bought it at the time taped their ticket stub inside from the Coronet Theatre dated Jan. 2nd 1965 (approx. a week after the film's release).
Of course I have the DVD and the soundtrack album:
But I also have some of the sheet music, too:
And even a copy of this book by the great Cecil Beaton , who was responsible for the costumes, scenery, and production design of the film:
BUT - I have to say that as fabulous as the movie is, and as much as I LOVE Audrey Hepburn, there will always be a part of me that is sorry Julie Andrews didn't have the chance to star in the film. She would have been wonderful, too. And she'd have done her own singing. I have a couple of pieces of sheet music from the play as well:
And the original cast album, recorded in 1959:
(P.S. I just saw Ms. Andrews last night on "Conversations With Michael Eisner", and she said "I understood why I wasn't chosen" ... "I wasn't known.." and this is what she said recently in another interview about Audrey Hepburn, that she "..later became a great friend of mine" and "she once said to me...she said - Julie - you should have done the role, but I didn't have the guts to turn it down." How sweet is that? If she had made this film, she may not have been available for Mary Poppins - and I am VERY happy that she made that movie - and she did win the Oscar for that role, after all!)

My Favorite Framed Prints #5

Another lovely pair:
I LOVE the reverse painted blue on the glass.
Such a pretty collection of assorted blooms.