Hi all! Welcome back after the Easter celebrations! We continue to celebrate however, this time with all things vintage!
What is vintage? Well, vintage originally was the term used solely for Wine from the 1500's and comes from the French word vendage which means wine harvest. In modern times the word is used a lot more freely and refers to an item from another era; or harvest, get it? Trend setters today are also on the vintage train but most commonly for what is referred to as retro items. What this basically means is something that is reproduced to resemble an object from another time. So, it's readily available, and cheaper. Previously it was believed that for an item to be vintage it would need to be at least 50 years old. Today, vintage or retro is anything older than 15 years.
Me, I LOVE old stuff! Even though I would love to live in a museum filled with antiques (the correct term for an object having great monetary or historical value from another time period), I surround myself instead with what I could possible have surrounded myself with in a previous era (the less fancy, more affordable basic life stuff).
You see, I am an old soul in the sense of my fondness for farm life. I experienced this in the most raw for as a child and I swear, even though we shared a tiny bathtub in front of a coal stove and churned our own butter (from our own cows milks at 4am!) it was the most amazing experience of my life!
About a year ago I found this old coal scuttle on marketplace and I swear, the woman I bought it from thought I was mad!
I wish I had the stove to use it with!
An old jug holds some faux greenery next to some of my literary favorites; Rob Roy, Little Woman, Tess of the D'urbervilles! There's a lovely old frame of pressed flowers and as well as a silk print of a lady; both gifts!
I found this on Marketplace about two years ago and could not resist! And it works!!! I have quite a collection of old records from the 60's-early 80's and even a couple of modern ones, including NIN and Florence and the Machine. There's just nothing like the sound of a needle on vinyl!
I'm lucky enough to have some old precious original artworks too! Both from my mom and dad's side of the family, a landscape painted by my great-uncle and a beautiful gum tree flanked dirt ane by close family friend of my Ouma, Aunty Nan.
Aside form my obsession with the simple life; I am a great enthusiast of books! the older the better! And art! And things used to make art! I have a Latin exercise book that dates back to 1892. Some don't have dates at all, but most of my specials are dated between 1922 and 1956
This old typewriter is another unexpected acquisition, from my father in law who dug it out of some dark corner! I just love it's old green original paint job! Perfect in my room!
That type of green show up quite often in my home...an old enamel teapot I still use today on the stove top! A heavy cassarole dish with lid that was my paternal grandmothers and still gets used when I'm roasting for just us. How she ever cooked for 8 in that thing is beyond me. I didn't go through my kitchen for inspiration for this blog, but as I write, more and more things come to mind! My English ceramic mixing bowls, the ones that are white inside and an odd mustard brown on the outside, you know, they have a flat side for tipping to make whisking and beating batter easier. The old double burner I melt my chocolate in. I also have a big old scale from goodness knows when that has a home as decor in my kitchen, although, believe it or not, it actually still works!
If I can saw what I'd really like to continue in terms of functional and beautiful vintage finds, it's the bone handled cutlery in the style of 1930's-1950's. I have some original Sheffield's, some silver forks and spoons with a household monogram stamped into them as well. Fascinating!
I have a small collection of old crochet doilies and napkins with crochet borders and embroidery too, as well as a stunning Irish Linen tablecloth from my grandmother!
I am very blessed to have some bigger furniture items, such as the rocking chair that used to belong to my Great-Grandmother which has a home in my bedroom, you can see it in my blog for Romancing the Bedroom. The old Singer Sewing Machine cabinet is in my top 3 favorites furniture items in my home! All the years it was at my mom's house I hinted at how much I loved it and would you know it, it was specifically left to me when my mom passed. Of course I'd rather have my mom, but life doesn't work that way, so I take comfort in memories instead; tangible and intangible alike.
May is Woman's month and there is bound to be a lot of ideas for how to show your love to the special women in your life! Do stay tuned to see what we come us with!
Oh...Don't forget to check out the other ladies from Romancing the Home!
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'Till next time!