I Love an Interesting Brooch

Pins are fun, and a great way to express your feelings, your hobby, your favorite things. They are easy and inexpensive to collect, small to store. Great conversation starters, pins or brooches are a wonderful fashion accessory even if you aren't a "jewelry person" ~ just pin your favorite brooch on a coat, jacket, sweater or blouse and enjoy the compliments!
Like most of us, Madeline Albright loves a good flea market, or an antique store. And like many of us she loves a pretty or an interesting brooch.

Last year while promoting her new book "Read my Pins" I became fascinated with her. Ms. Albright was our first female Secretary of State, a challenging job on its own; most likely more so when you have to prove yourself for being a woman in that position. She was interesting, charming and witty on these promotional talk show interviews, a completely different side of her than we were used to seeing.

I was reminded of that interest recently as the Smithsonian is doing a special exhibit on her many brooches.

The former Secretary of State has an amazing collection of pins, that she would use to her advantage "politically." According to the Harper Collins book description:

"Before long, and without intending it, I found that jewelry had become part of my personal diplomatic arsenal. Former president George H. W. Bush had been known for saying "Read my lips." I began urging colleagues and reporters to "Read my pins."

Despite her important and very serious role, she has a wonderful sense of humor. She took President Bush's "read my lips" one step further with her own "read my pins". The fashion legacy began for her with the Iraq media comparing her to an "unparalleled serpent". On her next trip to Iraq, Ms. Albright wore a snake pin; and the trend began.

Meeting Nelson Mandella? why a zebra pin! Russian president Vladimir Putin ~ "Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil, See No Evil". On a good day, just a flower pin. Being kept in the dark? a mushroom pin of course! A different brooch and a different way to express her feelings various official missions of state.

Pins are a great way to express yourself, and there are unimaginable pins available! From romantic and elegant to whimsical. Vintage bouquets loaded with rhinestones, cute animals, characters, fruit, flowers, pets, favorite places, and from abstract to realistic, these little pieces of jewelry are most often works of unique art.

Pick up her book or try to see Ms. Albright's collection at the Smithsonian, then touring the US, and in the meantime, here are some fun and beautiful pins for you to consider starting your own personal fashion statement!







or more beautiful costume jewelry in my ecrater shop:

http://vintageoutlet.ecrater.com/c/735510/jewelry

Sarah Coventry's Soaring Seventies

The 1970's were an exciting time for me. High school graduation, a wedding, then my first child. It was also the time I went to my first "demonstration". Home parties were extremely popular back then. We were having parties to sell everything from jewelry, to Tupperware to home decor in the comfort of our homes laughing with friends and eating jello salads.

Sarah Coventry was the first "Home Party" jewelry company. I went to a friend's Sarah Coventry party to support her older sister who was the "Fashion Show Director" and by the end of the night I was recruited. I fell in love with the jewelry and the concept!

Charles Stuart founded his company in 1948 using his wife's name, Emmons. In 1949 he incorporated and began Sarah Coventry, named after his granddaughter. They started their company with Home Fashion Shows and continued doing so for almost forty years. The jewelry was wonderful, high quality with precious, semi precious gemstones and very progressive yet timeless designs. The company had a complete line of costume jewelry with something for everyone, from necklaces, key chains, rings, cuff links, tie tacks and even items for "tweens" which they termed back in the 70's . It was exciting that the line was constantly changing and updated. Celebrities endorsed the company and appeared on the catalogues.



We offered holiday, birthstone, monogram, initial pieces and charm collections with themes like "endangered species." Many limited edition items were offered. Each piece had an exotic or fun name and was versatile. As a Fashion Show Director, we were trained to demonstrate this versatility, and show our customers that a brooch would have a fob on back so could be worn as a pendant. Chain necklaces could be worn as a belt, and a dangly brooch like "Fashion in Motion" or an earring could be added to the necklace chain "belt" for a completely different look, and to get the most for your money out of each piece.

Sales campaigns were constant for Fashion Director's. My favorite was "Sarah's Soaring Seventies." Directors that sold a certain amount during this period, were rewarded a circle pin with the number seven, representing the 1970's in the center.



Their Director Award incentives and hostess gifts were always generous; from Regal poly perk coffee pots to golden maiden trophies and of course jewelry. Hostesses' were entitled to select from an exclusive line of jewelry not available to others. Sarah Coventry jewelry is always marked. "Coventry" is one of the earliest marks, as well as the full name "Sarah Coventry." In 1950 they used "SC" for the first time. Approximately 1951 the mark was changed to simply "Sarah" as well as continuing the "SC" mark. In 1960 they began using "Sarah Cov". There are some pieces marked "SAC" from 1950 to the 1960's but I have not been able to substantiate that it is indeed one of Sarah Coventry's.

In 1984, Sarah Coventry was sold, and the line went from home parties to retail stores. Desire to take the company back to its roots resulted in the company going back to the concept of home party sales in 2003. If you are approached to have a home party ~ go for it! You will earn beautiful jewelry, learn unique ways to wear it and have a good time with your friends.

As for me ~ 40 years later I smile when I see my mom or an aunt wear a piece of now vintage Sarah Coventry purchased through me ~ still as beautiful as the day it was created. And I have lots of jello salad recipes from all those parties!



If you are looking for Sarah, its a wonderful investment, beautiful jewelry and will never loose its value, i have a few pieces available.

http://vintageoutlet.ecrater.com/search.php?keywords=sarah&x=48&y=5

The Red Shoes

Anything more than 20 years old is vintage.. and it has to be more than 100 years old to be an antique.

Although my parents marriage is close to antique.. it's still only "vintage". Today they will be married for 60 years. i'm so proud of them. it has been a huge struggle.. they are still so very much in love, and they've come such a long way.

You see, my dad went to school with my mother's sister, and through her; noticed mom right away. it was love at first sight for him. He thought she was beautiful, and he was attracted to mom's red shoes, he just had to meet her.

Auntie introduced them, they dated and both fell in love.. this is the part where i think i should mention they were both only 15 years old.

After a few months, dad's mother grew concerned. it appeared the kids were getting serious. gram wasn't fond of this idea or my mom. So Gram did what she thought best.. pull dad out of school and ship him off to live with her brother in California.. a long way from Michigan. surely this would break them up. surely.

Who would think their love would endure seperation? dad immediately got a job in California at a gas station and worked up to mechanic. he lived with his uncle, and each week, when he received his paycheck he would send mom money.

Mom, back in michigan, was double promoted and continued school. she never told anyone about the money; but secretly hid it. immediately after graduation, this 16 year old girl took the savings dad sent, hopped on a greyhound bus and began her journey ~ young and alone cross country to be with her love.





When mom arrived, of course uncle was livid. he was not going to allow mom to live in the house when they weren't married, and his sister did not want these two married. so he only "partially" helped them, by driving them to the mexican border, and made them walk across into Tijuana and get married.





Even then, he did not allow them to live together in the house. mom did, but dad had to live in a garage apartment. So again, dad started saving money. six months later, when they could barely afford bus fare, they again got on a greyhound, this time together, and headed back to michigan.




And though they had bus fare, they barely had enough money for food or drink. a kind stranger in Chicago fed them and loaned dad money to continue the trip. Mom kept the stranger's address and as soon as they had jobs, sent him every cent of his loan back.

Once they arrived in Michigan, they stayed very briefly with grandma, then other relatives, then moved to the Brewster projects (famous for being the home of Diana Ross and the Supremes).

From the projects they continued to move as they could afford it. each time a little further north of the city until they were the first ones in the family to move "way out to the suburbs".. which back then was a block north of the "Eminem Famous" eight mile road.

Of course, by then, i was born, and a few years later a sister.. till eventually our family of five kids, two of us with birth defects; which mom and dad handled with grace. We outgrew the house. Dad picked up a hammer, called some friends and we all pitched in to help build an addition large enough to accommodate us, as well as the all important huge kitchen; which was always the gathering spot.. We stayed in that house for almost 20 years.. and have so many happy memories there.

With such young parents, they literally grew up with us. there were always Friday pizza dinners with uncles, aunts and cousins. barbecues on weekends. a constant flow of company, both friends and family.. and always music. lots of music, dancing, lots of happy times.

Dad bought a boat, and we each had a turn to go fishing with him early Saturday mornings. we bought a tent, and would camp. Dad bought the boat used. .. the tent was used.. we were poor, but never knew it. Mom was always our room mother at school, as well as Brownie and Girl Scout leader.

We had everything we wanted or needed within reason; a nice home, loving parents and were always happy. We were taught morals, ethics, scruples. All of us kids worked part time jobs in high school and actually enjoyed the responsibility.

All five kids are grown now, there are 21 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. Sixty years later, mom has the most amazing shoe collection that fills four closets and favors sparkles, glitter and faux animal. They are still crazy in love. dad can't pass mom without giving her a kiss on the cheek, or even if she's just standing at the sink. Mom still holds dad's hand when they are walking, and they still love to dance. And of course, dad still loves it when mom wears red shoes.

Nobody's Perfect

I am so fortunate to have so many wonderful repeat customers. most are pen pals.. some have become friends over the last 10 years (ELEVEN years next month!). my family & friends all think my "job" is a piece of cake.. and essentially it is. Shop for a living? you betcha its fun!

but they really don't "get it". its a lot of work too! i'm not complaining. not for one second. i absolutely love what i do, i love what i sell, and when i'm not shopping, i don't have to put on makeup, i don't even have to get dressed ~ unless a repair man or someone is coming over. lol.. friends popping in already know to expect me in a zip robe, lounger, or in summer ~ a long maxi cotton sleeveless comfy vintage sundress.

after an estate sale, my procedure is to leave everything in the garage. everything. then the bags go to the back porch, where each item is inspected and hung. despite being in the most beautiful homes in the area, i have still detected a bug or two. and momma does NOT like cockroaches, moths, carpet bugs or anything creepy-crawly.

So the goodies hang outside to be aired out. i'm anal. everything is hung color coded.. all the whites on one side of the porch, pink on another, blue yet a third area.. pretty crazy, but it helps when i wash them, after they have aired for a day.

Then the laundry begins.. everything is washed by color; thus the time saving color coding as mentioned. then hung back outside to air dry. Usually a whole day is spent on washing then steaming or pressing.

Next the mannequin is drug out, and i try to take as many pictures in one day as possible. after the photo shoot, the clothing then precisely folded and added to the "ready to go" tote.

Did i mention inspection?? yep. lots of it. of course i try to check at the estate sales, but its hasty. then its checked again when its hung originally. another after its laundered and hung. again while its being put on the mannequin.

As i write each item up for the listing, i inspect AGAIN as i'm measuring it. Once sold.. yep. i try to check it over again as i'm packing it for shipping.

That's a lot of scrutiny isn't it?? i know i'm not alone in this habbit.. i bet i could name 5 other sellers just off the top of my head that also inspect just as much.

and yes.. very occasionally something slips past. pretty hard to believe, but it does. hey, we're all human. do our customers understand this? most times.. occasionally we get someone unreasonable, but for the most part.. again.. our customers are understanding.

i recently sold a new with tag miss elaine nightgown..my customer was absolutely wonderful. i got the nicest email imaginable as to how happy she was with it ~ but.. under the collar, along the seam it was un-sewn. NOOOOO! how on earth is this possible? did i "assume" since it was NWT, even tho it was vintage, it was perfect?

and the incident put me on my toes.. don't think because something has the tags on it, its perfect. :D

after the photographing, there is downloading the pictures, croping, editing, and uploading them. Have i complained lately that i'm working with an almost vintage, hand made circa 1998 computer? lol.. and yes, its slow as molasses. in fact, i recently took it to my little computer guy and he laughed. he actually remembered installing a cd drive (not a dvr, just player) in it a few years ago. and he said he loved me, but had the right to refuse service.

and i have aol.. and i'm on dial up. uhhhh huh. big time slow.

so each listing takes at least 1/2 hr. just to write it up (ok, i admit, my listings are WAY too lengthy!) then uploading the picture. then the item is assigned a number, added to my running inventory list, and noted which site it is listed on. so at least an hour per item most likely. i honestly don't like to think about it, cause it would mean i probably only make fifty cents an hour.

then the item is stored.. again.. anal.. i have shelves marked for items. nightgowns, blouses, robes, slips each have their own shelf; and are stored numerically per the assigned number when listed.

huge totes store listed coats, long dresses or anything bulky.

it would seem to the average person that i would never make a mistake listing. that i would be able to find an item just by the number and the appropriate shelf.. but it isn't always so! every once in a while, something is placed in a tote instead of a shelf.. or worse.. the wrong tote. meaning i have to tear everything apart to find one item.

yesterday was the day! i heard from my kind, understanding (and forgiving!) customer about the split seam in the nightgown, Then i discovered a payment in paypal for an order they never notified me of, so i had no clue the item was sold. a hasty apology to the customer for the "over sight".. grab and pack that order, then spent 1-1/2 hours trying to find a maxi dress for another order. how on earth do you loose not only something big, but bright! it was yellow, blue and red.

i finally found it.. packed the items, and made it to the post office before they closed to ship. .. but you'd think with all my "wonderful" organizational skills, eleven years of doing this, my little business would run a whole lot smoother. but i realized.. everything turned out well, and nobody's perfect.

Coffee A Go- Go ~ A Vintage Lifestyle

Of course my passion for vintage extends to my life style. I think most vintage clothing lovers also appreciate other vintage things, especially in the home, or their cars. I live in a very rural area of Texas that in the last 10 years experienced a boom of new construction. Three new subdivisions of beautiful, extravagant homes who also appreciate the country lifestyle.

One morning I realized the thing we were lacking out here was a good cup of coffee on the way to work. So I spent months researching and even did crazy things like counting cars driving down the main highway at 6 am.Next a friend and I started experimenting with various coffees and donut recipes. Bingo! we hit on a cake fried donut hole, "Texas size" similar to a hush puppy but sweet and melted in your mouth. We rolled them in cinnamon or powdered sugar, they were pure heaven!

Once the "hard part" of menu was out of the way, I needed a venue. Something "cute" and fun for a drive through, so people could just zip though for fresh but no frill coffee and out of this world donut holes. Of course, I preferred something vintage!After months of searching for an air stream camper, I found a little 1959 Mobil Scout Camper. Well, it was "kind of" round like an air stream, and way less expensive. The condition reflected the price.. cheap and a huge mess! It took us almost a week just to clean it out, then another two months replacing the floor, fixing leaks, updating the electrical, building counter tops, shelves and modifying it. We had to remove the old window on the side opposite the door to accomodate a sliding window to serve drive through customers.

Before:


After:


interior before:


interior after:



Drive through coffee, plus love of vintage, plus vintage camper. A perfect name for coffee to go ~ Coffee A go-go! My little dream was born.

A call to my son in Michigan resulted in amazing vinyl graphics, proportioned perfectly to the areas. He recommended Dallas Cowboy blue on the silver camper, and they were so perfect you would have thought he did them here on site. My Kentucky daughter in advertising printed frequent buyer punch cards, business cards, flyers and even found pretty pastel waxed bags for the donut holes. My other daughter helped clean and paint, inside and out of the camper and helped pass out flyers.

It was a family affair, local and long distance.I made different curtains for the windows, alternating between peace signs, happy faces and tie dye with a matching table cloth. Even though it was drive through, I wanted the inside attractive as customers peeked in.

As a former classic radio disc jockey, I had plenty of photographs of rock stars, like Bob Seger, Ted Nugent, Paul McCartney and Mitch Ryder, all from that "era" as well as photos of Leave it to Beaver's Jerry Mathers and Ken Osmond as well as others. I photocopied posters and ticket stubs and made a collage of them to the walls.



Being in the country, I only had to obtain a tax license, and register the name for a business license. The state health department told me I was considered "mobile"and I was good to go! The now freshly remodeled and sparkling clean camper was hauled up to the corner, only one block from my home, and we were in business!

Coffee A Go-Go was pure fun. Other than having to get up at 3am to fry the donuts ~ just like that old commercial; it was social ~ laughs and good times all morning. Within a month we had regulars.

I would recognize cars as people pulled in and by the time they reached the drive through, their coffee was ready as they liked it, with no waiting for them. Customers would call me as they left their driveway and when they got to the shop, their order was waiting for them.

Others would sit and chat, so someone donated a picnic table. Another generous customer donated a huge lighted roadside sign. A different customer donated the letters for the sign as well as "invented" breakfast trays I would make for her to take to her clients.

Breakfast kiddie meals were made, with little bottles of juice, a few donuts and stickers. The menu kept expanding by request. Soon I was serving huge muffins, making breakfast burritos, donut hole "flavor of the day" like chocolate, blueberry or Orange Julius, then biscuits and gravy, and even croissant breakfast sandwiches.

No more 3am.. soon I was getting up at 2 am to fry bacon, eggs and sausage. It was still fun, but became a ton of work. There was barely room in the camper for me, an employee was out of the question. Soon it got to be just too much, and Coffee a Go-Go was done.

For weeks after I closed, customers / neighbors would come to my house for coffee in the morning, missing Coffee A Go-Go. I had requests for my special donut holes, and even a few breakfast tray orders. But, all good things must come to an end.

Neighbors still stop in for coffee, but not before 10am.. and they bring their own donuts. My idea and research must have been pretty good, as one of the very few Dunkin Donuts in TX opened just down the street six months after I closed, and very recently a Starbucks.

"There Really Is An Olga"

Almost every vintage lingerie lover will name an Olga nightgown as one of their favorite gowns. The styling, fabric, design were trend setters, and often copied by other lingerie makers. No one could duplicate an Olga exactly, though many came close. The superior construction of her complete line is a testament to quality, as there are many thirty year old items that still look like new.

And yes.. there really is an Olga. In 1941 Olga Erteszek and her husband immigrated to the United States from Poland, fleeing the Nazi army. In California, she worked in a sweatshop making lingerie; taking a trolley to work.

It was on this trolley that the concept of business was conceived for Olga.. she noticed a woman across from her with her nylon hose rolled to her knees. Olga felt there should be something nicer and more feminine for women to hold their stockings.

With $5.00 and a rented sewing machine, Olga created lace garter belts for women. The garter belts sold immediately to Bullocka-Wilshire, and her dream began. Olga created lingerie items that flattered a woman, while attractive to a man.





As a woman, she knew what "problem areas" most of us had, and created spandex blend fabrics to gently hold and support tummies while holding the bust in place. A true genius! There is an Olga gown to flatter any woman's style or taste, from flannel and demure to lacy and frilly with dramatic full sweep hemlines. During a hospital stay, Olga discovered the need for bust support and created the "Sleeping Pretty" line in 1966 which featured a very softly lined, comfortable bra built into a nightgown.

Olga also created the first line of "seamless" bras and tummy trimming panties. The Olga product line created amazing lingerie, from slips and camisoles to luxurious pajamas. With three daughters, she also had a limited, very exclusive line named for her daughter Christina.

Olga's company grew, to over 2000 employees and 17 designers. As well as a successful line of lingerie, she was also very successful in the business world. She held the woman's record for patents ~ with over 28 of them. Olga was one named by Fortune 500 as of the 100 best companies to work for in the United States, and was one of the first to initiate profit sharing for her employees. She won numerous awards, humanitarian as well as Industry design and fashion as well as California Industrialist of the Year Award for lifetime achievement..

According to her obituary, by 1984 the Olga Company; now public had reached a volume of $67 million. The company was sold that year to Warnaco (warner's). Warnaco is still producing under the Olga name, but has sadly discontinued the nightgowns, only offering bras and panties.

Daughter Christina stayed on as a designer for the line "Olga's Christina" for Warnaco. Christina designs for her own company, "Intimate Health" and sells earth friendly all organic cotton bras and panties to help prevent bacterial infections, as well as the "Brassage" a massaging bra designed to help prevent breast cancer, a cause dear to her, as that is how her mother, Olga died in 1989.

There is an Olga style for everyone, demure brushed flannel, sexy sweeping dramatic, to even innocent baby doll nightgowns, do try a vintage Olga nightgown. The minute you slip it on, you will understand what the fuss is all about.

And of course, here come's the shameless plug, lol.. i was fortunate to obtain some fabulous NWT olga's from the grandaughter of an Olga employee..and still have just a few left!



Olga Babydoll Nightgown & Matching panties, NWT:



http://vintageoutlet.ecrater.com/product.php?pid=6770205

Demure Brushed Nylon Olga Nightgown:

http://vintageoutlet.ecrater.com/product.php?pid=6769910

New Years Resolution in June?

i realized this morning i had started a blog. Took a huge amount of searching, recovering passwords, finding the "correct" email associated with it, and accessing it. Sure did! found it. lol..

and i am embarassed, yet its kind of funny. my last and only post was 2 years ago. i think i got side tracked?

Did i get to busy to blog??? Why, I'm an "empty nester" now! My last daughter left for college ten years ago. There are no more responsibilities of the children. Sure, i still have the house. a wonderful neighbor does my much smaller lawn. the daily responsibilites now are much less.

So how on earth could i forget i started a blog and there are masses out there waiting to read my every word.. REALLY lol now!


when the kids left, and i found myself working from home i was organized. i had goals. i would discipline myself to take pictures of minimum 10 new items a week, and list them on my "secret" nights on ebay when i thought my items would get the most attention.

then ebay ended. i set up selling sites on other venues. there was no longer the need to list at certain times ~ i could list during the day or the middle of the night! it was wonderful. i loved my new found freedom, but missed the regular sales of course. It is WAY more difficult to promote items on a web site verses the international exposure of a site like ebay.

i started a blog. did twitter and facebook. the social media thing. Facebook is fun..its not a chore and has not been neglected in two years. I have found friends i havent seen since kindergarten ~ in fact, 6 of us from elementary school had lunch together in Mich a few months back.. it was like we had just seen each other yesterday, not 30 years ago.. too fun! I'm in the middle with the black print shirt.




i digress..anyway.. this social media thing on line is fun. Since i have limited computer skills, my daughter the college grad started a face book fan page for me..


http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fort-Worth-TX/Vintage-Pretties-Ruby-Lane/32988219942?ajaxpipe=1&__a=4 (yes.. i'd love you as a fan, or a "like"..)

and since i love to write, i can't imagine how i could forget my blog!

So even though its June, and its unconventional, i'm making a new years resolution. i am now going to post a new blog (realistically) once a week; although i'm shooting for more.

i am going to keep up with my social media projects. Twitter regularly as well as the Vintage Pretties Fan page.. (the personal face book is already a daily routine, lol)

i am going to list at least 5 new things a week, and start getting this overwhelming inventory of racks and racks and totes of vintage inventory, both women's and mens; boxes of hats and shoes and even tons of estate jewelry out of my house.

Just because i don't "have" to do things.. i should.. and i really want to! And if i commit to it like this, why i'll just have to do it, won't i??

let the games begin!