The Latest Vera Finds

I've only found just a few vintage Vera Neumann things lately.
First up is a brightly colored beach towel:

 I have never come across a towel before:

Some of my favorite colors: 

And I also found two linen tea towels, in two different colorways.

 With a recipe for Irish Coffee:

In red....

 And sort of a harvest gold:

 Coffee, anyone?

I am always on the lookout for vintage Vera.
If my digging results in any more finds, I will surely share them here.
Wish me luck!
(The luck o' the Irish, perhaps?)

Vintage Popsie: He's A Man-Eater - And I'm Not "A Lion"!

I love "Popsies", and I just wanted to share photos of this one.
He isn't mine; I found the pictures of him on eBay.
( I only have one Popsie, and the last thing I need to do is start another collection, believe me!)
This particular one is a man-eating lion.

Do you wonder why he is "licking his chops"?

Well, here's the reason:

I don't think there's any help coming, buddy...
I'm pretty sure you're a "goner".

He doesn't LOOK like a mean, man-eating lion, does he?

His eyes look innocent enough.
A little crazy, maybe - but innocent enough.

Nope, not a mean lion - just hungry, I think!
(Sorry, buddy.)
 I DO own the lion you see below, made by the same company, Pride Creations.
He's a cute little pencil holder:

 Nothing sinister there.

Sweet Dolls From Spinnerin

I found the cutest vintage book from Spinnerin, featuring these adorable dolls:

We see them go through their lives, as they...
   ...get married:

Have children - this is Doreen with mama Marjorie:

And here is Sebastian and father Jasper:

Go shopping:

Spend a holiday at the beach:

Take a walk in the autumn woods:

Wearing their coats and sweaters:

In winter, they build a snowman, with Tobias the pup:

And celebrate all together at Christmas time 'round the tree:

Aren't they the CUTEST?!

Cookies With Quaker Oats

I love oatmeal cookies - how about you?

I got my Quaker Oats tins out of storage a while back, and now I have them in my pantry.
I wanted to use this one to store my Quaker Oats:

I have also tried a couple of new (to me) recipes for oatmeal cookies, instead of making the same ones I have always made.
(Honestly, I'm not sure why? I'm starting to wonder, and think to myself , "Stick with the tried and true, Heidi - just stick with the tried and true!".)
But I made these...

Gratuitous close-up on the batter:

"Peanut Butter Crisps" - oh, yes - now I remember; that was the reason why!
It was because I liked the idea of peanut butter being in there, since my husband also loves peanut butter cookies!

And they were good; I know we both liked them.
I have this tin, below, also.
I can use it to store oats, as well....

... or I can use it to store the cookies, themselves.
(I think I like that option better, LOL!)

I found an old magazine ad from 1992 that I had tucked away; it was to fill out the form and send away for the very same tin:

I'm sure that's what I did. I used to love sending away for things like that - I don't see any offers like that these days.
Another thing of the past, I suppose.
 I've sold or given away a lot of my old tins, but I like my Quaker Oats ones, and I wanted to keep those. 
I also decided to try this recipe recently:

(The photo seen at the top of my post shows the Oatmeal Hermits in the Bar Cookie variation.)

And I know exactly why I tried THAT recipe.
It was all about ease of preparation, and time.

Seriously, does it GET any easier than "combine all ingredients: mix well"?
 I melted the butter in the microwave in a large glass measuring pitcher, and I made the bar cookie version so I could just throw it in the oven, bake them and be done.
It was later in the evening when I made them and I didn't want to mess with drop cookies.
And they were good, too.
Just the other day, I decided to try the recipe below (also torn out of a magazine from 1992, and found with the tin offer):

I tweaked it a bit, though. I did not add nuts nor Toll House Morsels, instead I threw in about 1&1/4 cups of raisins and an extra half-cup of oatmeal, plus cinnamon and a bit of cloves.
And here's a photo of my latest batch:

But most of the time, I just make the regular old tried and true Famous Oatmeal Cookies, from the recipe on my tin:

Because I have always liked THAT recipe!
I've been making them since I was a kid.
(Oh, but I do absolutely have to add raisins, though. And some spices.)
Like I said, I just love oatmeal cookies......

Happy Birthday Daddy Don!

Tina here.

Today, March 22nd, would have been the Gold Country Girls' Daddy's 93 birthday. He will have been gone 40 years this October.



We sure have missed him these long, long years. The photo above is my stepmom Donna, Daddy and me about to head up the street for Lori's high school graduation. The home they lived in and that we are standing near partially burned down this past year. There have been many changes to Placerville since Daddy died.  Also a lot of changes to me. I am already twelve years older than he was when he passed. That is a hard thing to realize.

We love you Daddy! I hope there is fishing in heaven!

March, From The Year Around Book

March is more than half-way through, so with St. Patrick's Day already here, and the official start of spring only a few days away, here, finally, is my page from "The Year Around Book", by Helen Jill Fletcher, with illustrations by Jerry Pinkney:

I began showing you these delightfully illustrated pages last May, so I've only got one more to go next month!
And then I'll have to find something else to share, won't I?
I hope you are enjoying your St. Patrick's Day.
Lori came over for one night, and we worked on our booth yesterday at Mountain Treasures.
We happen to have had the most glorious day here today, weather-wise, and I got to go to the Flea Market, which is always fun!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Bridal Veil Falls, Highway 50, El Dorado County

Good morning, Tina here. Below is a vintage (about 1910) real photo postcard showing Bridal Veil Falls, which is right on Highway 50 east of Pollock Pines, and just before the Ice House Road exit.

In the view above, there is a good amount of water flowing. During the drought years that have just passed, we grew used to the falls being a mere trickle, but they never ceased to flow.

The first few months of 2017 have inundated us with that precious liquid we call water, and the falls have been spectacular.  This photograph was from early February.


Come up and take a natural shower!

Yet Another Colorful Crewel Find

I took a box of donations to one of our local thrift stores last week,
and when I went inside afterward to have a look around, I honestly felt like I was being been rewarded for my donation when I found this:

A big, beautiful floral crewel stitchery picture!
Created in 1972 by "S. Noble", and mounted VERY nicely with more than one hanger and green velvet around the outside edge, it measures 17 by 21 inches.
It's in perfect condition, with bright, lovely, and colorful flowers - I mean, it's exactly the kind of thing I love!
And the price was even right.
I often feel like things are truly sitting there, waiting just for me.
And this discovery was one of those times.
Thank you, Thrifting Gods!
(Where am I going to put it, you ask? I'm actually not sure yet, but I will figure it out. Remember Mary Randolph Carter's book title "Never Stop To Think ... Do I Have A Place For This?"?
Well, I didn't stop to think anything - except that it was coming home with me!)

Patterns From The Past: McCall's 7801 - Separates From '65

I really get a kick out of these vintage advertisements for McCall's patterns when I find them in my vintage Seventeen Magazines:

 Here's the pattern she is "talking" about in the ad, McCall's 7801 from 1965:

The ad is silly - but it IS cute:

She made everything, and she certainly was stylin' in her mix and match wardrobe which included a madras plaid.
That's a LOT of sewing, girlfriend; good job!

So he called her shift a "super highway with crazy road dividers", huh?
Hey, she seems happy about it, so that's enough for me.

Here's the back of the pattern:

And, so that we can truly complete her ensemble, here is the pattern for her madras tote bag, "McCall's Quickie No. 7760":

And now, we're off!
Just like "He" and She.

Birthday Books (Five Months Later)

I never had a chance back in October to write about my birthday, because I was too busy at that time, but I was perusing some photos, and I decided better late than never, so here goes:
First of all, my friend Robbi had given me these dear little birthday blocks in their original package, but I had to take them out so I could display them, along with the cute little celebrating kitty-cat ornaments:

My husband always asks me what I want - and this was one of the things I mentioned, so he got me a copy of the vintage Peter Max book, "Love":

And then my sister Tina got me this one, "Peace", and now my collection of four is complete!
 ("God" and "Thought" complete the set.)

 These little books are fabulous, and I'm delighted to have them all, now.
Peter Max is one of my all-time favorite artists.
Here's just one example of the pages inside:

And Lori gave me this Little Golden Book, "I Can Fly" with illustrations by the fabulous Mary Blair - another long-time favorite of mine.
She had found a great selection of vintage  Little Golden Books one day when we were at a thrift store together, and she remembered that I was incredibly envious of this particular one, an "A" edition.

 The illustrations are an absolute delight:

 So, although my birthday was months ago - and of course I said thank you at the time, thank you again, all of you - these are all true treasures to me!