Oh Happy Day!!

Hi Everyone! It is a RED Letter Day!  I found a wonderful book, The Kitchen Linens Book, by EllynAnne Geisel from her blog, Apron Memories. You can find her HERE  She collects and writes about all kinds of vintage textiles...especially aprons.And, is the leader and inspiration for Tie One One Campaign. A few weeks ago I found her book, The Apron Book, at JoAnn's and inside it was filled with all kinds of ooooh and ahhhs vintage aprons. There are half-aprons, full aprons, work aprons, fancy aprons, even a distinctive South of the border apron , but one in particular caught my eye. A vintage 1940-50 plastic apron. My Mom had a child-sized that I remember in her collection..she used em all the time, but they are a collection now.  I said to myself...'someday I'm gonna find one of those'...and closed the book. Well, last weekend we went to the Antique Mall...LOL...it has been sooooo long I was having withdrawl.....anyhoo, Mom and Dad  were with us and they found this cute little number....................................................................................

Isn't it just tooo retro?! And, yes, it is plastic! I was doin the 'Happy Dance'  in the aisle.

Here are some close-ups of the detail...........

The pocket hangs from the waistband. I love the little white flowers and leaves 

that  are on the plastic material.

This is the red rose under the pocket and

this bouquet of mixed flowers is on  the other side.

More of the little white flowers are on the waistband and apronstrings.

Pink plastic ruffles frame the apron at the hem which accentuates those little white flowers

that create a border along the hem too. Can you believe it was only $8! I really didn't look to close at the detail of the apron til I got home..hehe...I saw no stains, so home with me it came 8o)

Sorry this will not be available on any of my websites this one goes into my personal collection. I just couldn't not share the pics. Ya know this is also gettin me to thinkin. I said I'd find a plastic apron......well I've been sayin,   Today I'm gonna win the Lottery...sigh....how come nobody up there listens when I say that!

Don't forget to visit..........................................

Rednesday Wednesday

Market Monday

Vintage Thingy Thursday

Thrifty Things Friday

Pink Saturday

Hi Everybody!

It's been a little busy here. First I've had several Blogpals let me know my e-mail is not working, soooooo, after a lot of back and forth and getting no where I have changed my e-mail address. The new e-mail is,
brownginghamcreations@fuse.net  Please be sure to add it to your address book.
The Southern Belle Summer Garden Pillow is complete. The original embroidered creation became a wall hanging for a new Baby Girl, so this is the pillow edition. it is availalbe at my Shoppe.

Southernbelle measures 18 x 18. Remember this is the first in the Four Season Collection and can be recreated as a custom creation in your color selection.  To see how this Summer Southernbelle bloomed go
Here  and Here

I have also been stitching away and adding some things to my websites.

 I found a wonderful vintage find a while back....this autumn vintage apron was a stamped for embroidery piece using sheer yellow fabric with fall atumn color leaves to embroider.

 I even located a vintage doily to use for the pocket of the apron in coordinating colors.

 Here is a closeup of embroidered leaves. I left some plain to show the original stamping and make the leaves that are embroidered, pop.

Of course the apron comes with a vintage  cookbook tucked into the pocket.

Then I found another stamped for embroidery peice..........................................

A lovely card table or table topper. It's from the 1950's, in a wonderful pale orange cloth with a darker orange shade accent square. It is surrounded by beautiful hand-tatted edging in cream and the palest yellow. The stitcher had started the peice and I have finished it.

And this is my newest Brown Bag..........................................................................

I took a canvas bag and embellished with a vintage 1940 hand-tatted lacy square to create a pocket

I then added a 1960's plaid square and with a colonial motif diamond taken from a vintage1960 curtain panel that I hand-embroidered.. Button stacks to create flowers were added and a charm that says, 'Serenity'



These will all be found Brown Gingham Shoppe soon. 
Oh, and don't forget to stop by the shoppe site to check out the Free Patterns available for sewing or painted projects too....and I added a little more Vintage Inspirations.....................................

  

This is a sample of the vintage haberdashery (hats) for ladies available on this inspiration page from an old advertisment.

















And, the BGC Gallery is now open. It shows past creations that were sold. I also use them for custom orders. If someone sees a past creation it can be an inspiration for a different creation all together.

Ever wonder about all those vintage textiles you see in Blogland or at the Anitque Mall? Wonder what the difference betweeen Calico and Mackadoo fabrics? Or, do you know the difference between a Turkey-Work Carpet or Needlework Rug? Well, visit my Vintage Textile Library  for the answer.
Please visit http://www.brownginghamcreations.com/  to see what's new!

Hope you all weathered the storm okay. Irene breezed thru here yesterday and took all the humidity away she could find. Seems the dog days of Summer followed her too.....yippee!!
Don't forget to visit Susan over at It's a Very Cherry World.....Wednesday is Rednesday. It just brightens the day to see all the red hot vintage finds. I know I don't have much red today, but orange is a shade of red 8o)

Re-do, Re-create, Re-purpose

Maybe it was the Depression Era Grandparents........maybe a Mom who could a  take  little bit of this and that and make a wonderfully decorated home on a budget.......or maybe it was the because in our family things were passed on from Mother to Daughter, Father to Son.....but, I have always figured things could be redone, recreated, or repurposed. I suppose that's why I love the vintage hunt. finding something that most would throw away and finding it's new lease on life.

I don't have a before pic of this wooden ladderback chair, but it was in horrid condition. With some nails, wood putty, a coat of Vanilla paint, some hand-painted rose garlands, and a victorian inspired lace, satin ribbon with satin rosettes accented pillow, this old chair has new life.

Discarded dinner plates become hand-painted wall art, or, place a clear plate over it and it can become a serving dish for cookies.

A vintage 1940's hat and coordinating hankie, hand-embroidered, await to become  a music box base and a dress for an Angelic Music Box creation

With the help of a vintage apron pattern,  a....................................................

vintage 1940's  hydrangea doily and new coordinating calico............................

will become a stylish apron.

A chipped souvenir plate becomes a floral wall hanging.

A 1940-50's rose motif tablecloth that was stained and threadbare. With some quick stitching and paper doll cutting expertise, I created pocket appliques for this vintage apron.

A discarded, rusty, and albeit holey water pump becomes a garden water feature.....

okay , I couldn't figure a way to incorporate a vintage textile in this one, but I do find uses for anything discarded into the garden. I have a 1950's Tappen stove sitting out back covered over.....LOL..to my husband's disbelieving looks....it will be a potting/serving buffet  table on our kitchen deck when we get it finished...hey it was free... and I'm on the lookout for a vintage ringer washer to fill with geraniums by two trees that'll make the perfect holders for a good old fashioned clothesline.

And, newly found vintage transfers..................................................

.......or vintage ephemera used as transfers........................................................

can become new Brown Gingham Creations like this....................

A vintage Southern Belle embroidery transfer will be added to............

this vintage hand-tatted edged hankie

to be the beginning of my newest Brown Gingham Creation pillow, Summertime..

I thought I'd do some different posts this time showing progress of one of my creations using vintage finds.

Summertime will be the first of a four pillow series of the season's.

Don't forget Saturday is Pink Saturday at How Sweet the Sound

Southern Lady's Vintage Love Market

Wednesday is Rednesday at It's a Very Cherry World

Vintage Thingy Thursday at Coloradolady

Drink Anyone?

The Cocktail Hour is back! Martha Stewart, Emeril, Bobby Flay....even Oprah...has dedicated episodes to this popular get-together.  Cocktail Hours originated in the 1950's and continued into the mid-70's. Weekday cocktails began when Hubby arrived home from work and ended at dinnertime...usually 2 hours....and consisted of either Manhattan's (stirred) or Martini's (shaken). Saturdays tho were Cocktail Party time. Everyone had a special Cocktail Set........................................

Barware (courtesy Google search)

Kitchy Shakers.........(courtesy Google Search)

and My Fav, but only cause of what it's made out of...Aluminum..and it's mine!

There was also the Hors d' vours and foods synonimous with Cocktail hours

Cocktail Kabobs------Button Mushrooms and Cocktail Franks marinated in French Dressing

Canapes

Olives stuffed with pimento

Broiled Grapefruit

Potato chips with onion dip.....just to name a few.

The Cocktails included the Manhattan, Daiquiri, Whisky Sour, Tom Collins and others. I used my vintage BGH set of 12 specialty cookbooks for these, but you could go on the 'net and get a myriad of suggestions for vintage cocktail parties.

There were also those kitchy little extras........swizzle sticks, beanbag ashtrays, and cocktail napkins...like this one I found on the internet........................

In the 1950-60's who could forget some of the beautiful built-in bars in any Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra movies. The everyday folks I knew had these for their rumpus rooms, dens, or family rooms.....................

 I found these retro bars on the internet and had to include them....
can't you just see Luvee and Mr. Howell with Gilligan as the Bartender?

Now this is the quintisential 40's Cocktail Bar.














And this pic is of a 1960's Cocktail Bar. Understated, modern, blends in with the decor of the room.

furniture peices were available in a wide variety of styles...modern, art deco, country, My parents had one that was definately an Early American./farm house feel from the early 70's.....it's a divider between kitchen and family room and it now displays vintage bottles, glassware, teapots, and cookbooks.

 The Cocktail Hour had a dress code.....Dinner jacket for the host.....Suit or sport coat for the gentlemen.....and the ladies....................the Cocktail Dress...............(courtesy Google search).

I found these examples on the internet........ But we can't forget the Cocktail Jewelry

Rings, brooches, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. Even men had Cocktail Pinky Rings.

And, the one all important accessory any Hostess had to wear was the............................................

Cocktail Apron.

They were fancy little numbers, usually made of taffetta

 Like this one...........................

I had to do a little redo on this vintage taffata beauty, but the flocked and glittered floral pattern is all original. I also added a few vintage buttons for a bit more umph. This apron is a bit unusual....it is one size fits all. The aprons I find to recreate, redo, repurpose...well.....some....okay they don't quite tie all the way...women were petite back then....but this one fits.

Now this little Cocktail Hour Cutie is probably from the late 50's- early 60's. It's tropical floral accent to commorate the our 50th state..Hawaii....I just see the Tiki Bar poolside now...

It was in excellent condition when I found it, but I did have to do a little seam repair and of course add a little cocktail bling..........................

I added 4 little cocktail charms at both pockets.

You can click the pics to enlarge.

You can visit me at Apronation if you'd like add these to your collection...both are available for $19.99. If you'd prefer you can contact me at melody@brownginghamcreations.com to arrange aquiring them.

Sorry....seems blogger had some issues and lost posts from last Wed to last night.

I was linked into Rednesday Wednesday and Three or More Wed.

Today I linked to Thrifty Things Fri. at the Thrifty Groove and Pink Saturday at How Sweet The Sound

 Hope Blogger has taken care of it's glitches

Uh,,,wait a minute.......it is Friday the 13th...not their bad. It's the Gremlins.