Betty Or Bettie?

The Child's World First Reader, published by Johnson Publishing Company, 1917

Oh to be young and conflicted as to the best spelling of your name.... B-E-T-T-Y or B-E-T-T-I-E? And now Miss Betty Doris Winn's reader has found its way to my studio.

Thanksgiving Greetings

Baby & Turkey Thanksgiving Postcard at Lots Of Postcards

Sending out Thanksgiving greetings to all of you celebrating this pie-filled holiday. I came across this bizarro image on a 1909 postcard of what is supposedly a baby riding a turkey? To me all I can see is a freak baby with turkey legs. Is it just me?! Made me giggle so I thought I'd share :) Have a happy one!

Doll House no 403

Doll House no 403 (with birth), mixed media assemblage

Follow The Dots

I picked up this dot-to-dot workbook at the Eastbrook Antique Mall on our recent trip to Montgomery, Alabama. Volumes like this are irresistible with their sweet graphics and pencil markings--every image has been carefully mapped out by small hands years ago. The book was published by Cupples & Leon of New York in the 1920's.

Welcome Spring

Welcome Spring! I'm a bit giddy over this recently acquired engraving of various moth species and their caterpillars. The hand-tinted beauty is from Der Schmetterlingsammler by Dr. Julius Hoffmann and was published in Stuttgart, Germany in 1887. After growing up in a tropical climate I'm always very ready to welcome this particular change of season.

Doll House no 393

Doll House no 393 (with prolapsed hand), mixed media assemblage

Or as Patrick calls it..."doll house with jazz hand". The image was gleaned from a recently acquired volume on obstetrics from 1888.

Bone Study

A young student, Mr. Jas A. Russell of La Crosse, Wisconsin, penned these notes on the back pages of his physiology textbook in January of 1872. I love finding nuggets of information like this in the old books that have made their way onto my studio shelves.  One day his notes might find themselves in a collage but for now they'll remain in the ephemera files.

Botanical Plaques

Among my collection of treasured ephemera are a few tattered, hand-colored lithographs from Lorenz Oken’s extensive 13 volume series „Naturgeschichte für alle Stände“ (Natural History for all Social Ranks) which was published in 1843 in Stuttgart, Germany. This botanical plaque and a couple others will be added to the shop today along with some anatomical plaques too.

Tiny Town House Blocks

Tiny Town House Building Blocks by The Embossing Company

Another special find for the vintage shop this Friday morning. Don't forget that Sushipot's Christmas in July sale continues in both shops through midnight (cst) on Sunday.

Mother Goose Toy

Mother Goose, antique wooden stacking toy

A wooden stacking toy of the endearing Mother Goose is my hands-down favorite find brought home from this recent excursion. She's aged to perfection dontcha think?!

Trade Fair Mall

We took a spontaneous trip out of town last weekend to look at a house in Springfield, MO. The house was a bust but we redeemed the excursion with a little bit of antiquing at the Trade Fair Mall in Osceola, Missouri. Lemme just say for the record that I will not be without many incredible sources for vintage goodies once we move this summer! I did my duty and loaded several bags of treasures into the trunk before we headed home. If you're ever traveling through Missouri on State Road 13 this is a fun stop for certain. And...there is a dining table I hope is still waiting for me when we pass by with the moving truck this summer (crossing fingers).

Les Cubes Amusants

Much to my delight, I unearthed some lost treasures during my annual studio purge/clean/organize binge this past week. These French prints are from an old exquisite corpse game of sorts, Les Cubes Amusants. 

Our family is gearing up for an exciting year as we prepare to enter a new chapter of our lives....the 'Life After Grad School' chapter (hip-hip-hooray!!!). Patrick will complete his degree this Spring and we'll be moving soon after. Don't ask me where 'cuz it is yet to be determined as we're currently in the 'Full Swing Job Search' chapter ;)

Needless to say 2013 is bound to be a year full of adventure for our family. I'm not making any concrete resolutions but am embracing the changes head-on and preparing for them by simplifying 'round our home and in my studio so that we're ready to move when it's time. Due to the aforementioned purge/clean/organize binge I've got bins and bins of goodies just waiting to be photographed for the vintage shop. And....big changes afoot at Sushipot as I'll be switching gears a bit. More on that soon. For now I just wanna say from one cast of characters to another....Happy New Year!

Jewelry Findings Catalog

This old catalog, circa 1920's, is chock-full of decorative jewelry findings and metal stampings for earrings, brooches, pins, buckles and much more.

Every page has been meticulously inscribed with the corresponding stock number of each item. Wouldn't that have been a tedious task?!

I searched around the inter-webs a bit for any information on the Rhode Island Stamping Company of Providence, RI but came up with nary a positive query.

The book was purchased via a winning bid on Ebay last winter but it's been sitting in my items-to-be-blogged-about-someday pile and guess what...today's the day!

Now it will most likely venture into the studio to be added to the cool-old-paper-to-be-snipped-up-for-collage pile.

And...since there is no way I'll use up all 40 pages of unique decorative paper-y bits I may post a few pages up in the vintage shop. Keep an eye out for 'em you jewelry fiends ;)

Cubes Alphabétiques

Cubes Alphabétiques, antique French alphabet blocks

Pyrography Portraits

I'm thinking I was quite lucky to come across such a unique pair of antique pyrography portraits. Although I was sorely tempted to keep these ladies for our own collection they were purchased with shop funds and into the shop they must go! You can read all about 'em right here.