Random Musings...

I thought I'd chat a little bit about what's going on in my life right now (at least the parts of it that are semi-interesting that is). I'm very excited about the Big Flea coming up as it will be my first major show. I've had smaller trunk shows at the fabulous Ornamentea but I've never exhibited at a major antique venue such as the Big Flea. So, we're going to try it out and see what sells. My lovely sister Shannon is coming up to help so that I'll be able to take bathroom breaks as well as do a little shopping.

Other things... Well, I'm on the waiting list for Antique Crossroads in Hagerstown, MD. By the fact that I'm #6 shows what an excellent antique mall it is. Let's just hope I get in before the big holiday season. Additionally, I'm still consigning to Ornamentea and hope to do another trunk show there in November. Also, Rubylane and Etsy are keeping me a little busy what with listing and a few sales here and there. Other news is my up and coming position at the Pink Poet. The Pink Poet is a fabulous vintage "romantic" store filled to the brim with exciting treasures. I'll be working 2 days a week there starting in October. What fun!

We've finally gotten the house together and are hosting a Halloween party - Ben and I are big fans of the holiday and can't wait to use our new house to entertain. I promise to soon show pictures of my "organized" craft space. I've just got to figure out what to do with the walls. I really need something to pop and right now it just isn't here.

So, enough chatting on my part- What about you? Let me know what exciting and new things are going on in your life. Comments are welcome and encouraged- It lets me know I have readers out there.

**Sign ups for the Masked Fete have officially closed. I'll be assigning partners tomorrow and getting out the info to everyone sometime soon. After that, our deadline is the 2nd of October to have everything mailed out.**

***The images used are copyright free so be sure to use them in future projects- they're just the right tones for the up and coming fall season.***

Halloween is a magical time of year when it seems that anything can happen. You can be anything you want (that is at least for a few hours)- A beautiful queen, a swash buckling pirate, even a cackling witch- Whatever your heart desires... Which brings us to the art of figuring out what exactly is in our destinies. The above card touches on divination (the practice of seeking knowledge of the future or the unknown by supernatural means) a popular past time for Halloween parties.

"Unmarried women were frequently told that if they sat in a darkened room and gazed into a mirror on Halloween night, the face of their future husband would appear in the mirror. However, if they were destined to die before marriage, a skull would appear. The custom was widespread enough to be commemorated on greeting cards from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. " -- Wikipedia, Halloween traditions

Certainly, if magic were to happen, it would be on a night like Halloween - Who knows? Maybe your future will appear in a mirror during the twilight of the evening...

With this great fall-like weather, I thought something to celebrate the up-coming season would be a welcome piece of ephemera. I just love owls and this particular image came from a Victorian scrapbook filled with trade cards and the "flotsam and jetsam" of that time. "Whooo" knows -- Maybe this fabulous weather will stay for a while!
Don't forget about the Masquerade- Sign ups are still open until the 7th of this month. Check out this post for more info...

How the West Was Won!

Isn't this a great image? And rather rare since you don't see many Western images in ephemera. She has a very "Gibson Girl" look about her. Hopefully, you'll find some creative endeavor to use her for.

Just thought I'd also share a new item that I added to my Rubylane shop. What a wonderful paper mache snuff box. I love the phrase "Forget me not." Very sweet... The faux tortoiseshell design really takes the look up a notch. Yesterday I also added a c. 1940s puffy heart and an Uncle Wiggily advertising premium for Ovaltine. Be sure to stop by and browse a bit.

I plan on adding items regularly now - I'm renting an out of home office to help with motivation and also for company. Working for yourself tends to lead to being alone and thus a little lonely. But the space I've got is at Sparrows, a lovely antique store filled with beautiful French furniture. There's a little room in the back that works perfect for me listing things online. One day soon I'll share some of the wonderful pieces they have.

So, ta-ta for now. I have plenty more ephemera to share so stop by and browse a bit when you get the chance!

Enchanting Ephemera...

Just thought I would share some of my favorite ephemera pieces over the next couple of days. With our recent move, I've had to confine my collection to one large rubbermaid box. And that my friends was a challenge. So from my fruits of labor, you receive a "harvest" of my very best copy right free images.

19th Century Trade Card

Now I'm on the hunt for more REALLY good pieces -- Color images especially. I find that trade cards* are my best bet. Which reminds me of two more images I need to scan... Ah, the work of a blogger never ends.Hand Tinted c. 1910 Postcard

*Trade cards are 19th - early 20th century advertisements for a number of retailers, including clothing, undergarments, farm supplies, sewing, etc. They are usually the size of a baseball card but can be as large as a postcard or even 5 x 7. Victorians used these tradecards (and other paper goodies) to decorate their homes and bring lively color to bare walls. Indeed, these trade cards became art for the masses.
Trade Card advertising Marshall and Ball Clothiers; c. 1890

Mrs. Brown's Perfect Figure

Mrs. Brown's secret is out-- She uses a "Duplex" corset... Can you even imagine wearing such an undergarment? What women will do in the name of fashion!

What would they think of our push up bras and tiny little thongs? And what of bikinis and Speedos? The horror!~But I do love this piece of ephemera- It folds open to reveal the "secret". Hope you can use these images in your artwork and crafty projects. I know I can't wait to figure out how to incorporate it into one of my collages.

Be sure to check my earlier post on The Masked Ball Swap and Fete- I'd love to have more people join us in celebration ...