Is it vintage or is it retro?  To me, vintage means it’s truly old, retro means something new made to look old.

At retreat last month, I was helping Susan C. load her car after four fun days of quilting.  On her sewing table were her iron and a can of spray starch.  It had been a long time since I’d seen an aerosol can with small lid.  I remember cans being switched over from small lids like this to lids that are as big around as the can, but I have no idea when it was.

And there was that word “New” on the can.  Suddenly I thought somebody is going back to the old style!  Cool.  But then I wondered, is this really new, or is it really old?  Very old!  As Susan came back to her table, I just had to know.

She laughed.  Definitely old!  She said it had belonged to her mother-in-law originally and that she, Susan, had had it for years herself.  She said, “I really should toss it out, it doesn’t spray that well!”  Then she asked if I wanted it.  Of course!  I don’t plan to spray it, I just think it’s fun to look at!  Then I turned it around and saw the price printed on the can.

How long has it been since, 1.) Prices were printed on cans and 2.) spray starch was 42 cents!?!  Definitely vintage.

Thanks, Susan!

I was in Bend, Oregon earlier this week.  There’s an antique mall in Redmond that I always try to visit when I’m in the area, because I usually find something quilt-y there that I can’t resist.  I wasn’t disappointed.

The best find was this quilt.

It has great 1930′s fabrics for the flowers and a true 1930′s dark green for the leaves.

I love the delicate way they are connected with the embroidery.  There’s almost an Art Nouveau feel to it.

I’ve not seen this pattern before.  Does anyone know the name or history of it?

I also came home with a few other things, like this guy cut from an old quilt.  I just love his daisy britches!

And I can never resist a batch of butterfly blocks.

I’m not sure why I was tempted by this Double Wedding Ring piece, but it came home with me, too.

Lastly, this embroidered splash was too cute to resist.

I had a great day of antiquing lately.  Nan and I hit several quilt shops after my talk to the Comforter’s Quilt Guild.  While on the hunt for another shop, we went around the block a couple of times, couldn’t find the quilt shop, but did see a good looking antique mall.  Sounds of braking! We found ourselves at the Third Street Antique Mall.

It was huge, and I found lots of treasures, including a couple of bags of doll clothes.  I’m not really into doll clothes, but I am into FABRIC–and there were a few in this bag that I just had to have.  Now, even though I’m not into doll clothes, I must admit there were some pretty cute things in here.  In the top row, besides the two calico print dresses, is a darling crocheted cap, and the bath robe in the middle is flannel.  In the bottom row, there is a satin dressing gown in the deepest, darkest purple, an adorable slip and another calico dress.

There were also two pieces of Barbie-sized clothes.  I don’t think she was meant to wear the black velvet cape with the riding jodhpurs!  It does make a rather dashing statement, though.

This little girl’s sunbonnet was too cute to resist.

This Dresden plate block had been backed to be used as a table topper or placemat.  There are some nice fabrics in it.

I was delighted to find this large piece of feedsack!  I actually have a smaller piece with this same design, but I couldn’t pass this up–especially with the orange in there!

This doll quilt is made with a “cheater” fabric with polka-dots.

And this Sunbonnet Sue is on linen–real linen!  It seems like such a contrast, lovely linen and a calico Sunbonnet Sue.

I tried to pass up this lovely piece of Redwork, but it was only $5.00.  $5.00!  It had to come home with me.

Like I keep telling Bob, it’s research!

Look what I bought the other day when I was antique shopping with my daughters-in-law (we had left the kids with the dads and Papa!).  Bob’s mom had a whole set of this Samsonite luggage, which I now have, but she didn’t have this piece.  I just love the shape of it.

I just had to have it–and it wasn’t very expensive.  And, after an afternoon of shopping, it was the only thing in the back of the car.  Bob was so pleased to see that I hadn’t bought a lot of “stuff.”

Of course, what he didn’t know is that as we shopped, I stuffed my stuff into my new trunk!  And boy am I a good stuffer.  Here’s what it looked like when we got home and I took it into the guest room to open it.  Of course as we unloaded the car, and Bob started to pick up my new suitcase, I quickly reached in front of him and said, “Oh no, I’ve got this,” just in case the weight gave it away!  So, what did I manage to get in there?  One very lumpy (but cheap) quilt…

…some adorable building blocks with letters and images…

…and sweet clothes pin holder…

…a wonderfully illustrated children’s book called Merry Murphy that stars a potato.  The end papers were beautiful.

It was a rebus book!  Some of the words were replaced by pictures.

I also bought this apron…

…and this apron…

…and this Hey Diddle Diddle crib cover.

Lastly, there was this rolling cookie cutter that I couldn’t resist–and I still had a little room for another treasure in my trunk!

Good thing Bob doesn’t read my blog!

The Rod Run to the End of the World (also known as Ocean Park) was this weekend.

I don’t know how many cars are there, but it’s a lot.

How to decide which ones to take pictures of???

It was really quite easy for me…

…just take pictures of the orange one!

There were lots to choose from.

But then I thought I should take a few aqua ones, too!

There were a lot of convertibles at this year’s show.

And I know this one isn’t orange or aqua, but I really liked it!

Love the wide white walls on this one.

More aqua.

And more.  Do you love it, Monica?

I remember learning to drive a stick shift in a certain boy’s station wagon that looked a lot like this!

Now, it’s not what I’d call orange, but this creamsicle was quite pretty.

No detail left undone.

And here’s his little brother!

There were some nice orange pick-up trucks.

And aqua ones, too.

This one was in the parking lot.  I wonder why he didn’t get to go to the show.

This orange flatbed has chrome and orange sides.

Even the guys working the show must like orange.

I remember a lot of these from high school days.

This one was a particularly pretty shade of orange.

I always wonder why you have to have cables on the hood.

This got me to thinking about a boy with a purple Road Runner…..

And look at this–a hot pink car with an orange engine.  When I was in high school, my bedroom was decorated in hot pink and orange!

Black and orange is a good combination.

But I think I like all orange best.

It’s amazing how spotless these cars are.

I wasn’t familiar with “Boss.”

But there were two of them!

I love looking at the cars, but under the hood doesn’t do much for me.

Bob, however, seems to like looking in there.

My mom always told me not to ride on motorcycles…

…or in Corvettes!

In 1966 my mom drove a Mustang, very much like this.  My brother got to learn to drive in it.

I got to learn to drive in a 1970 GTO!  I didn’t even know my mom was hot back then!

And look at this cute toddler.  Isn’t she adorable?

“Hey Mom, I want out of this car!”

“Maybe I can do it myself.”

“MOM!”

“Let’s try another one.”

It was a fun day.  Perfect weather, good burgers.  Maybe next year my car will be ready for the show.

My Grandpa Kennedy bought it new in 1954 and gave it to me in 1970.

I drove it for a few years and for the last five we’ve been doing a frame off restoration.  (I just learned that “frame off” jargon at the show yesterday!)

I had a super fun day on Wednesday.  Nan stopped by the studio, we visited, we “did” lunch and then we went to the Klipsan Antique Mall!

Look what I found!

I had forgotten my glasses, and at first I thought this was machine quilted.

But no!  Just incredibly tiny hand quilting.

It was too great a treasure to pass up.

And the ice cream cone variation on the border just makes it that much more special.

Added July 25…….

Thanks to my friend, Melinda.  She recognized this as a Ruby McKim pattern, right down to the border!  Thanks, Melinda.

I don’t play bridge.

I don’t play whist or pinochle.

But I do collect card table cloths.

But only if somewhere on them, there is a suit of cards.

Like the mouths on these flappers.

I don’t know why I collect these table cloths.

I don’t even know what got me started.

But awhile back I mentioned them to Betsy at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum, and that led to a lovely exhibit of them.

It’s so cool to see them all out at one time.

I love the vignettes that have been set up.

The museum is host to a bridge club.

They’ve been meeting there for 25 years!

Many of those ladies loaned tally pads, pencils, cards, etc.

I covet these cards with polka-dot dressed girls.  The green lady pencil holder is mine.

There is so much neat stuff to see.

I think there are three display cases full.  The potato chip bowl in this one is a part of a set of three bowls that my mom used when she entertained in the fifties.  I rescued them from a garage sale she was having a few years ago!

I recently purchased three black cloths–with orange ties!

This one has a swastika, so you know it dates before World War II.  Prior to Hitler adopting it, the swastika was a traditional sign of good luck, like the horse shoe or four leaf clover.

This round cloth is rather unusual, and do you like the built in ashtrays on the card table?!?

The variety of designs amazes me.

Somebody had to design and market all of these.

One of my favorites is this one that says “New Deal.”  It’s a play on words–new deal, as in deal the cards, and New Deal, as in President Roosevelt’s Depression Era program for prosperity.  It even has Scottie dogs on it–a nod to the President’s dog, Fala.

I love the card shaped people.

There are quite a few with Asian motifs, like the middle one below.

Here’s another beautiful flapper.

And check out Minine Mouse!  This is a very early version of Minnie, when she still looked a lot like a rodent!

I like this one, but don’t tell my dad.  He’ll think there should be a donkey one getting equal time!

And kite flyers!  How perfect.

This is more persimmon than orange, but I couldn’t resist it!

I hope you get a chance to stop by and see the show.

There were lots of antique shops in Iowa.

Besides the vintage quilts, I’m always drawn to the kitchen ware.

Every time I turned a corner I was ready to re-do my kitchen in a new color!

Oh, the possibilities…..

Even some nice orange accents.

I couldn’t believe the number of pitchers and glass sets.

They were everywhere.

There’s one fewer in Iowa now.  The dots just had to come home with me!

Dang, I should have bought the Art Deco one, too.