Vintage Thursday: Recycled Shutters and an Old Enos bottle

This is my kitchen window. It faces south and up until last year, I never liked it much because it seemed too big and too open. I finally found the answer last year when I bought an old four sectioned, wood louvered shutter at Room With A Past in Walnut Creek. It didn't need paint and only has two broken louvers that I have never fixed and I like to think of it as ~antique ambiance ~ (that's a synonymous expression for "too lazy to fix it")
Last week I pulled everything out and cleaned the whole window . What a project, but it was worth the effort. Everything looked so good that I thought I would take some pictures and do a post on it.
I love these shutters. I can adjust the light as much as I want and still see outside. It just feels cozy and looks a lot better. Getting the shutters in, out and around the window frame is a bear so I won't be cleaning it again for a long while.

The weekend before last The Prospector and I stopped at a yard sale and I found this old bottle. I paid $4.00 for it. I love the color and the silvery residue on the glass. It's a nice complement to the only other old bottle that I own (next to it in the photo).
When I researched it I found out that this was not a rare or unusual bottle. It was very common in fact and a remedy that was very popular.

We certainly wouldn't want to feel "out of sorts" or "bilious", have a sluggish liver or constipation. This magic elixirs, only a teaspoon in a glass of water, was the answer to all kinds of upsets. Bilious (interestingly spelled with two "L"s in England) has to do with liver dysfunction and also means irritable and ill-tempered. Eno's Fruit Salt was made in England, but lots of these bottles were found in the ground... HERE. It was probably imported to Canada and the United States for good reason.... maybe... hangovers? What do you think?

Please go over and visit Colorado Lady's blog for more vintage stories. 

Blue and White Memories

As far back as I can remember this is the set of dishes that was on our table in my parents home. When Mom passed away last August I was going to give the whole set to the Goodwill Store or a consignment store in Walnut Creek. Something said "NO"..., so I boxed the set up and brought it home with me.
Well, sometimes you need to listen to your instincts and wait before you give something away that has so many memories. When I got the box home, I decided to use the set as my everyday dishes and I lovingly washed them and filled my cupboard with this wonderful set of memories. I cannot tell you what a good feeling it is to use these dishes and take care of them.

I think, of all the pieces in this set, the little pitcher is the sweetest. I can remember Mom serving milk for our cereal in it and, even more wonderful, a small bouquet of flowers on a tray when we were sick. I can see this pitcher on our dining table on Sunday morning with warm syrup in it for our pancakes.. We never had the store bottles on the table or "tubs" of margarine. Always butter and always the pitcher. How could such a small piece of china have so many good memories tucked inside? I'm so glad I didn't leave the set at the thrift store. The money I would have made at the consignment store would never compare to having the set here in my home.

A few weeks back a good friend came to visit. She had a very belated birthday present for me. ( My birthday was in Dec. and we had not been able to get together until now.) It was this beautiful vintage cookie tin with the same pattern as Mom's set of dishes. What a wonderful gift. It must have originally held cookies because the lid edge has what looks like tape marks all the way around the tin as if it had been sealed at one time. The design is by Liz Floding 1984. It's so perfect. I will use it often. What a sweet gift Janet. Thank you.
Please remember to check all the vintage loving blogs at Colorado Lady's site. She is the host for Vintage Thingies Thursday and if you love Antiques and Vintage things you will be in 7th heaven here.

Vintage Thursday

Back when my Grandmother was getting ready for a date she wanted to make herself look really pretty like all of us. This was a time when only the wealthy had electricity and no one had a "electric" hair dryer. A sunny day or sitting in front of the hot, old wood stove was how you dried your hair.
Making yourself gorgeous was hard work, but in a changing America we were already making items that would help make this task easier. This mirror and powder holder were in a large set of "vanity" items that were made by the DuBarry company that had developed a plastic that looked like Ivory.

I remember this set on a dresser, with a tray of other items on it, in my Grandmother's guest bedroom . This was the room I always slept in when I stayed with her. This room was a beautiful, magical place; considering she lived in the hills above Napa Valley and everything was very rough and in disarray most of the time (which I loved too). But, in this one room, everything was clean and in order. It was, after all, the "guest" room and even thought I was usually the only guest that stayed with grandma, she kept the room as if it was going to be visited by someone of the utmost importance. I guess that was how I felt..., exquisitely important.

There were many other items, in this set, which have been divided up and given to members of the family since Mom died. She always had the whole set on her dresser in her bedroom and I'm sure she would like the idea of each person having what they wanted. She kept these memories of her mother and we will keep them for her and the memories go on, and on, and on.....

Please check out the other vintage posts that are part of Vintage Thingies Thursday at Colorado Ladys Blog.

Vintage Thursday: More Lovely Memories

This little silver cup (with most of the silver gone) was my grandfather's. His name was Ludwig Lytjen. I suspect it was a baby cup, although it could also have been a shaving mug. It was a very fancy little cup, no matter what it was used for, and has his initials L.L. engraved on the side. He was born in Denmark and died in Berkeley, CA. ( in 1922, at the age of 30) when my mom was 5 years old.

This small cut crystal pitcher was my grandmothers. Mom didn't use it too much unless we had a very big fancy dinner, like Christmas, and then she would bring it out for cream, with our coffee, after the big meal..., and always a delicious dessert. Later, when Mom got too old to fix the big amazing dinners, I remember it being used for small bunches of fresh flowers, and dried roses. These roses are dried "double delight" rose buds that I brought her (from my garden)a few years ago.

As far back as I can remember Mom wore these bracelets. They were the beautiful "dress up and have a party" ones..., the "lets go to the Opera" ones. Lucite and rhinestones..., beautiful memories.

Thank you Colorado Lady for hosting Vintage Thingie Thursdays. I have enjoyed showing everyone Mom's beautiful memories.

Dogs Rule on This Farm

I collect dog statues. Many of these are very old and were given to me by my Mother-in-law many years ago. Some are from Italy, Czechoslovakia, and England but most are from Germany. I haven't done much research on them and I have no idea how valuable they are but I love everyone of them.

I bought some of them, myself, from a company in Italy, called Castagna , because they were so realistic. I don't see them being sold anymore so I think the company went out of business.
The Wolfhound on the right bottom of the upper photo is probably the most valuable but you never know. It could very well be that the little Cocker Spaniel with no markings at all or the Lassie cup from Lancaster, England are much more worthy of being on Antique Roadshow. I guess I should have them appraised and someday I will. Until then, I will take good care of them and at some point give them to my grandchildren.
I just love each one, as they sit and guard my house . They don't require feeding, discipline or walking (like some dogs we know around here) and they will live forever. Of course they will never take the place of my real pooches but I just love their stately grace in my house.

Wanna-be's and other wonderful creatures...
Sometimes I see other animals that I just can't pass up and have to take them home with me. The Penguin is very old and has a sticker on it that says "Genuine Bisque" and the word "Penguin" written in script on the pottery itself.
The Moose, on the left is Italian and I just love him. What elegance. Did you know that a Moose is the largest cervid in the world. A male can weight up to 14oo lbs. Now, that's a big dude. Do you remember the series called Northern Exposure on T.V.? and the moose standing on the street in the intro? Can you imagine this animal walking down our streets here? Whoa Mama!
Still..., I'd like to see one some day.

Please link over to Colorado Lady's blog to see other vintage things.