Framed, Again - Times Four

Here I am, at it again with the framing projects.

I get color copies made of images I like, and then I find frames to put them into.
 I almost never pass up a good frame at a decent price, so normally I have quite a few from which to choose!
First up is this Peter Max one (that I LOVE); I think I got lucky finding a square frame for it, as they are harder to come by and I needed a very specific size!

This farm girl in the next one is from a copy of the "National Food Magazine" that is over one hundred years old.
I don't want to frame my originals - hence, the color copies:

(I couldn't decide whether to paint the frame.
 I can always do it later, I suppose.)

I had framed another one of these, below, a while back (I may have already shown it here on the blog) from an antique piece of sheet music with a particularly pretty Art Nouveau image on the front.
 It sold at the shop, so I thought I'd try another.
Here we have "Flower Song"...

And "Nakomis" is an antique piece of sheet music, as well.
 Luckily I had a mat that worked perfectly, since the music had damage and creases that showed up rather badly on the color copy.
I was able to cover up most of the worst part with the mat, and I like the way it turned out.

That's it for today!
(Oh, and I remembered to get my pictures first without the glass, since the glare makes it so difficult to get a good photo afterward.)

A Whale Of A "Tail"

I was tickled to add this cutie of a whale bank to my collection of vintage banks recently:

He's awfully sweet with his flowers and his big eyes and his flippy tail, isn't he?
And since I love to throw in a Disney reference whenever possible, if you are familiar with the Disney song, below, you probably got my (intended) pun in my post title?

"Got a whale of a tail to tell 'ya lads, a whale of a tale or two. 'Bout the flappin' fish and the girls I've loved on nights like this with the moon above - a whale of a tale and it's all true; I swear by my tattoo".
 Kirk Douglas sang it in Walt Disney's "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea".
I swear by my tattoo.

I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas

"I want a hippopotamus for Christmas,
only a hippopotamus will do..."
But only if it's one like this:

Or this:

Or this:

Or this:

(And only if Santa can find me one in a different color!)
"No crocodiles or rhinoceroses
I only like hippopotamuses
And hippopotamuses like me too!"

Little Projects

I have taken some photos of an assortment of little projects I've been working on.
I had this gorgeous crewel stitchery packed away and I had forgotten all about it.
I love it and I was happy to rediscover it!
I just happened to have the correct size of embroidery hoop on hand to frame it with.
I like how it turned out:

And that gave me the idea to frame this smaller one, too:

This piece of vintage sheet music, below, is one of my all-time favorites. I love the artwork on the cover, the colors - and the flowers on her dress remind me of my vintage Ransburg canisters.
I seldom frame the original, so I had a color copy made - and then, luckily, it fit perfectly into this blue frame I found at a thrift store.
I was going to sell it, but I like the way it looks so much, I'm not sure I want to part with it:

This cute little Mary Engelbreit teapot lamp was found at a thrift store. The light bulb socket had some issues and I thought I might have to replace it altogether.
 But I managed to fix it up (at no cost), instead.

The next challenge was finding a lampshade the right size.
Harder than you might think, especially since only a used or vintage one from a thrift store would suit me.
 Plus, it had to be pretty small - not easy.
 I finally found one, but the color wasn't right so I needed to cover it, somehow.
 Oh - and it was actually too short, as well:

I was going to cover it with polka-dot ribbon and black ball fringe:

I had already cut the ribbon into lengths:

But I decided that might be a bit much, and then I found another shade I liked better, and changed my mind!

 It absolutely needed the trim to add a bit of length to the shade.
So this is how it wound up looking, in the end:

( I already had the matching clock when I found the lamp base.)

Honestly, I know it still isn't long enough! It needs to hide more of the socket. But this was the best I could do.
I admit - not all of my projects turn out as well as I'd like!
Next, we have this vintage Samsonite Beauty Case that belonged to my mother-in-law:

The bottom of it was a little bit stained, and it didn't look so nice.
So I cut a piece of  pretty vintage floral fabric to fit and glued it down into the bottom:

Now it looks nice again!
I even have the box it originally came in, which tells me on the side that the color name was "Pink Orchid"
I like that:

I bought this large frame at a thrift store on half-price day.
The print inside was kind of cute, but it's not my style.
(Except for the cat - I love that cat.)

The frame was just the right size for this original painting which was also a thrift find.
 (I've shown you this before; I'm just sharing it again to show you what the "project" was).
 I only needed to give it a coat of white paint, which, to me, looked better surrounding this painting than the natural wood:

Last of all, I finally found one of these folding boards for cutting out fabric at a thrift store (cheap), but the blue paper tape along the edges was falling off:

So I just got some cute floral washi tape and put it on instead:

Easy peasy, and it works for me - all I wanted to do was cover up the ugly edges.
Just some little projects that have been keeping me busy.

More Vintage Sheet Music

I stopped at a thrift store the last time I was on my way over to Tina's house, and they had a stack of vintage sheet music.
The price was so low that I picked out ten of them and added them to my collection.
(I kind of wish I'd gotten twenty!)
"Yes, We Have No Bananas":

"Cuckoo Waltz" - I liked the purple and black cover....

I collect Bing, and not only did I not have this one, I don't think I've ever even seen it before - "Street Of Dreams":

"Big Rock Candy Mountain" -I have loved this song since I was little:

"I'm Living A Life Of Shadows (Bring Back The Sunshine To Me):

"Quit Cryin' The Blues":

"Thanks For The Memory" - I know I already have a copy of Bob Hope's theme song, but I don't think this one is in better condition (although there is a name written on the front):

I like to put holiday-themed music on my piano, so red, white and blue and patriotic pieces are great for the 4th Of July - hence these next three:
"American Patrol"

"Any Bonds Today?"

and "The Song Of The Seabees"

Luckily for me, sheet music doesn't take up a lot of space.

Fall Is Nearly Here, And I'm Thinking Of Apples

Whenever fall is nearly here, even if we are just barely feeling a touch of autumn in the air,
my thoughts turn to Apple Hill and I find myself longing for a visit.
It's one of my favorite places, and holds some great memories for me.
 Lori gets to go this weekend, and I wish that I was going, too!
I found this sweet Joan Walsh Anglund print in an old calendar of mine:

And seeing that print brought to mind this old song,
"Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree":

When I opened up the sheet music to have a look, I found lyrics that I'd never known, choruses that I'm not sure I'd ever heard before.
"Don't start countin' the stars above with anyone else but me,
anyone else but me,
anyone else but me,
No! No! No!
Don't start singin' those songs of love,
we'll sing 'em in harmony,
when I come marching home."
And :
"Wrap your kisses in cellophane,
don't give 'em away for free,
keep 'em exclusively, salted away for me,
Yes! Yes! Yes!
I'm on record, I'm talkin' plain,
 you're gettin' the third degree,
 when I come marching home".

The song was written in 1942 by Lew Brown, Charlie Tobias and Sam H. Stept.
Below, I'm sharing a YouTube video of the Andrews Sisters singing the song.
I think I want to bake an apple pie......

One Fabulous LP Cover

I paid more for this vintage LP than I usually do at thrift stores.
But I had to have it.
Chuck Mangione Concert, Land Of Make Believe, with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.
Cover concept, design and layout by Robert L. Smith.
I don't believe I had ever seen it before, and I thought I heard it calling my name.
Seriously.
 In a tiny little voice......barely audible, you know:
"Oh, Heidi.....buy me....,please..."
 "Please....I need to go home with only you...."
You betcha.
No problem.

I framed it and I have it hanging on the wall.
It's my new favorite,
and it makes me smile every time I look at it.

More Thrift Shop Finds

WHO keeps trolling the thrift stores looking for wonderful vintage things?
That would be me.
And often, my searching pays off - like when I found these cute little owl crewel-stitched pictures:

 I spotted this super-cool candle holder at the Habitat For Humanity ReStore:

And I found a sweet little tablecloth with Scandinavian dancers (by Inger) and a small tile trivet there, as well:

I've also picked up wooden embroidery hoops, bright floral fabric, and two nice vintage baskets to hold casserole dishes:

I found this vintage ceramic panther with rhinestone eyes:

And these two cute little gals:

An old piece of sheet music with fabulous artwork on the front - "The Midnight Fire Alarm March and Two-Step":

Another vintage coffee mug:

And I found a great vintage Whitman book. I don't have too many of these that are based on old television series, and I am always delighted to find another.

 I loved Mission: Impossible, and I used to watch it all the time.
Pictured on the cover are Barbara Bain and Martin Landau at the top, and below them are Peter Lupus, Peter Graves, and Greg Morris.
I was glad to add this one to my collection.
I also found the cutest vintage kerchief, seen below.
 I don't think too many people wear these anymore, but I like them.
 You could always sport one on a bad hair day, or when you're riding in a convertible, perhaps?
 This is sure a pretty one:

And I'm always finding cute vintage patterns - here are some for summer, two for bathing suits:

 And one for a pretty long dress:

Oh - and I "thrifted" a pair of green moccasins with beading - my very first pair of Minnetonkas:

That's it for today!