Oldness

        I have a thing for almost anything old or vintage. Not just because that's just my style (although that's obviously a huge part of it), but because it's terribly fun to think about the people who used those things when they were new and what their lives were like. It's a happy thought that I get to use those same things now. Today I'm going to share with you some of my antiques and vintage items and do a great deal of speculating and fantasizing as well. :) What can I say, I am a bit whimsical. 

        First up, my 1899 copy of Heidi. I found this at a garage sale last year and just had to get it. It's not really REALLY old, but the oldest item I'm going to talk about today. First off, it's a gorgeous book. You know that type that they used to use in all books long ago? The one that just exudes oldness? I love it. Old books are my favorite.

        Now think about it - a little girl gets this book from her mother for her ninth birthday. She spends hours out in the garden poring over the delightful story and studying the lovely pictures. Her younger brother doesn't think much of it, but it is the sweetest story she ever heard. Or perhaps she lived out in the country and didn't have much access to books at all. She treasured it like a jewel, and would steal away to her secret hideaway in the barn to follow Heidi's adventures with Peter in the Swiss Alps.

        I found this metal ice cream scoop at a thrift store the other day and just had to have it. I'm not sure when it is from, but it looks old to me so that's why it's here.

        I'm saying this was from an ice cream parlor in the 50s when girls wore full-skirted dresses and men were just so polite. Like in this picture, which is one of my favorites.

        These are my hand-me down (from an aunt) Gunne Sax dresses from the 70s. Not very old - I suppose they're considered retro and not vintage - but still older than I am! They haven't fit me for several years, but I'm saving them for when I have kids; for dress-up, if nothing else.

          It goes without saying that you just have to picture a whole room full of girls in these dresses at a party. Curls and braids and ribbons and cake, and the brothers of the birthday girl hiding up in their room.

        Okay, this is what inspired me to do this post in the first place. I found a working treadle sewing machine on Craigslist for a reasonable price, and it all worked out so I could get it! Honestly, now that I have used it, I have no idea why anyone would prefer electric. This treadle is smooth and quiet, the stitches are uniform, and it is so easy to use! Also, I now have a good use for my antique piano stool, which matches the sewing machine nicely.

        I'm guessing this machine is from the 40s, which goes right along with my stack of sewing and knitting magazines from around that same era. Just think about it, people were using this during WWII, when there was a limit to how full you could make your skirts so as to reserve fabric for army uniforms! Maybe I'll have to sew a nice 40s dress soon. :)

        That's all for now, although I have a lot more vintage stuffs. How about you? Do you like old things? What sorts?

Blessings,

Reyna