Front Porch Musing

Good morning. Tina here. Summer here. Yippee! The hummingbirds are very happy, as you can see. Maybe she is admiring my front porch. It isn't big, it isn't decorated, but it has a great view and is very cozy and private, and it's my sanctuary.
My front porch didn't get a lot of use this past winter or spring. It faces mainly West and a bit South and when the storms come, it is like the bridge of a ship, with waves splashing up and over the deck, water attempting to enter the portholes. Our lovely wooden settee, lovingly made by our Uncle for Christmas about 15 years ago, with cushions from my much-loved, now gone couch and loveseat set from J. C. Penney from almost 30 years ago, is usually too soaked to settle onto.

But not last weekend. I settled on the settee in my brightly crewel-embroidered dress from Mexico, to enjoy the early afternoon and see what I could see. The hummingbird in the first photo tried several times to buzz me, she was very interested in my flowers. Sorry, no nectar here, honey!

Robbi came to the front door screen. He doesn't understand the lure of the front porch. For him, it's either inside or out. There is no in between.

The steps beckon, but I don't use them. I just kick back and smell the roses, and watch the rafters in the river.

Our porch is a good place to watch the sunset, chat with a friend, sip a cup of coffee, read a book.

Due to the inclement weather, I never got around to replanting my potted flowers out on the porch. The snapdragons from last year didn't care, they are blooming away, scraggly and top-heavy, colorful and bright. A few morning glories, self-seeded, are popping up around them. Now I guess I will have to leave them as they are. Nature again takes over.

If I don't want to stretch out a bit on the settee, I can place my bum on my old metal chippy chair with its faded barkcloth cushions (I'd like to see you try to stay bright and fresh out in the weather constantly!) and rock a while.

It is fun to watch the shadow patterns of the railing as the sun moves slowly toward its nightly bed in the West.

Saturday was a busy day for the rafters and kayakers on the river. I think they had been waiting since last September for a hot day. At times I could count at least 11 rafts rounding the big bend from Chili Bar, or pulled over to the edge for a short break. I have tried waving but for some reason they never wave back. But I wonder, do they see the green house on the ridge, and think, I wish I lived there?

I have a few little statues on the railing, one is a gold miner, growing a bit moldy in the creases over the years, kind of like me.

Settled back, sideways on the settee, with a book and an iced tea, enjoying the shade (which I lose about 2 pm.)

Yes there is a lot of yard work to be done, plants to water, I don't care.

My wrought iron dragonfly lantern, which should be hung up on the wall sideways in a perfect world, constantly surveys his domain.

Excuse me while I nod off for a while.

If you snore loudly on the front porch, and there is no one to hear except the hummingbirds, do you make a sound?

Okay I'm awake now, and I guess it is time to actually do something. I think I will pick some lavender and hang it up to dry from the railing. That shouldn't be too strenuous.

Come and sit on my front porch when you need a breather. It is guaranteed to calm you down.

A Peter Max Pool House

I LOVE Peter Max- and I know I have told you this before - but I found some great interior photos in one of my 70's vintage decorating books (Complete Home Decorating, Galahad Books), and I had to share them. These were part of a three room pool house redesign done back then by Stan Hura, incorporating towels and bed linens designed by Peter Max for Mohawk's Tastemaker collection, custom-laminated Formica, and Kohler fixtures. The text in the book reads "Spotlighted......the pool house rooms! The central room, or blue room...meets all the demands for change and shower needs. The others ...the gold and pink rooms...are lounge and party rooms by day, and guest rooms by night. As part of the splash-proofing, all of the rooms have used Formica laminated with Tastemaker sheeting from Mohawk."


Do you understand what they're saying here? Sheets designed by Peter Max for Mohawk, custom laminated to Formica and put on the walls! Wow. Quite an undertaking, I would imagine.

How'd you like to have a place like THAT to hang out in this summer?
Cool.

Lori's Recent Thrift Finds

Some goodies from a recent 1/2 day spent thrifting; a pretty Whitman's chocolate tin and a pink dresser box:

A nice little Daher tin, large pink and coral knitting needles, and a whole bag of cotton thread:

Some pretty calico ribbon, a chafing dish cookbook, and an old cheese grater:

An embroidery hoop and lots of little wooden bits and pieces for crafts:

Some vintage crochet and knitting instruction booklets:

A few vintage school reader books (I love the covers on these!)

An embroidered dresser scarf, pretty place cards, and a sweet little vintage plaque with hooks :

That's it - until next time - which could be soon; yard sales are plentiful this time of year!

What's Penny Wearing? #49 We're All About The Thrift!

It's all about thrifted tops today - and all of the accessories shown with them (bags, shoes, necklaces) are either from thrift shops as well, or were inherited, given to me by a friend or cost $1 or less. Most of these were found recently.
Green shirt from Coldwater Creek, matching Danskin shoes, and an handmade crewelwork ladybug bag (Lori found the bag for me.)
Blue and yellow tropical shirt, beads from my mother-in-law, and a bag I've had since high school!

Another tropical floral print in paler colors, with beads I believe were a gift, and thrift shop shoes:
Like-new white shirt (for 75 cents), the beads were a dollar, and thrifted, striped Keds:
Bright red tropical blouse, necklace from a friend, and a thrift shop bag:
Another 75 cent shirt, necklace from a friend, thrifted shoes, and another bag I've had for over thirty years::
Shirt and Vera Bradley bag from the same thrift store, on the same day. Tina passed on the blouse, and I was glad she did, because I love it. And SHE bought the bag, but then I traded her for something I had that she wanted. Too much pattern on pattern, you say?

Not for me - I like them together!

Two Vera Finds In One Day

It's always nice to find vintage Vera Neumann items - and finding two in the same day is especially nice! At the Waste Management store, I happened to look through a little pamphlet from a store called "The Little Daisy" in Oakland, California. It appears to be from the 1970's or so, if I had to try and guess. It was a sales promotion booklet that was sent in the mail - the kind of thing most people threw away - and the type of thing a lot of people wouldn't even give a second glance. Not me. Inside, I found this advertisement:
And the same day, I found a nice Vera scarf for 49 cents at a thrift store. It's one of the nicer ones I've found:

I ALWAYS have my eye out for Vera!

Towel Togs

Just for fun today - I found directions on how to make these cute beach cover-ups from towels in a Better Homes And Gardens magazine from 1938:
And I also found this terry cloth cover-up, made from towels, that I had torn out off a magazine back in 1979:

I just thought it was kind of fun to compare the two - similar ideas, 41 years apart.
(If, by any chance there is anybody reading this who is interested in seeing the rest of the directions to make the 1938 "togs", I could scan them and e-mail them to you if you like. Just send me an e-mail - rather than a comment, or better yet, do both! - from my Profile page, and ask.)

"I'm The Cat That Got The Cream"...

"And I've also got a flower in my mouth."

"I'd rather have a mouse, I think."

Today's featured find is yet another original painting I fell in love with at first sight. This fabulous cat was prowling around on the floor at the Waste Management store, begging to come home with me. For one dollar, I was more than happy to oblige. I think it's probably from the 60's or 70's and I LOVE it. So colorful, quirky, cute and cool!
( Tina's comment suggested that I include the name of the artist! I apologize for neglecting to do so. The signature is D. Elliott.
D. Elliott - whoever and wherever you are, I thank you for painting this wonderful cat that I was so happy to find!)
I'm pretty sure my Dizzy Kitty doesn't mind that he came home with me.

"I'm the cat that got the cream. Haven't got a girl, but I can dream. Haven't got a girl, but I can wish. So I take me down to Main Street, and that's where I select my imaginary dish..." From the song "Standing On The Corner" (Watching All The Girls Go By).

A Fan of Fans

Good morning. Tina here. We are having a bit of summer this week, finally. Which means it has gotten rather warm. Out come my fans.
I have been a fan of fans for a long time. I find it hard to pass one up if I see it at a garage sale or in a thrift store. There are so many out there. Vintage, plastic, wood, painted, paper, cheap, antique, glamorous, fun!

I always carry one in my purse, in case I am sitting somewhere, maybe a waiting room, and it gets a little stuffy. Pull it out, and whoosh, a blast of cooling air, courtesy of a little bit of paper glued to a little piece of wood. No electricity needed, just a little bit of "elbow grease", as our piano teacher Mrs. Domingues used to say.

Above is one of my last fan finds. It is painted wood, and came in its own little gold foil box. These punched design fans are often broken in places, but this one is perfect. Perhaps because it has been protected by its box.

I find that often the painted decorations on a fan are oriental in design.

This lovely white plastic fan is a souvenir of Arkansas, and has painted scenes from that state. It would be fun to collect a fan like this from each state.

I love this simple wooden fan, although it has a couple of broken areas. It still works!

I have noticed that in the punch-work designs, the tulip is very common.

Tulips again on this inexpensive yet intricate white plastic fan.

A thin simple satin ribbon holds it all together.

The fan above is a favorite. It is made of thick paper, painted on both sides, with lacquered wood stems. This side is a very popular flower, chrysanthemums, with some peonies and a few other lovelies, all of glowing gold foil. And it is reversible:

Silver foil and daisies plus on the other side. This fan is very sturdy. I plan to use it with a costume one of these days.

An older very sturdy wooden fan with punched designs.

Golden letters spell out BALI. A well-traveled souvenir.

A very cheap, very new paper and balsa wood fan with hibiscus blooms, ready for a neighborhood luau. You can get these in large batches at party supply stores.

These little paper fans fold into the handle when closed. They are very handy for the purse or pocket. And they are very cheap.

I am ending with my oldest fan. It is a mourning fan, all in black, wood with black crepe fabric. I found this fan in Georgetown at an estate sale. It probably dates back to the 1930s or earlier.

Mourning fans are a very interesting collectible. Some are very intricate and decorated with silver and marcasites. Mine is as simple as can be, although made of quality materials. A mourning fan is less for staying cool, and more about holding it up before your face to hide the tears and puffy eyes.

I hope you can stay cool as we head toward the longest day of the year. If you start to heat up, whip out a fan, use some elbow grease, and work up your own personal breeze.