Heliochrome prints

I run into many different types of prints. The ones from the 1920's and 1930's have attracted my eye lately. There was a lot of expirimenting during the Art Deco era as many illustator artists were experimenting with cameras. These experiments lead to interesting results in adverting art. One great example is this heliochrome I found recently. It caught my eye for the colors are so vibrant and yet it is nearly a century old.

A Heliochrome is created when a silver chloride is put into the printing plate. Then it imprints on the paper. Light exposure causes the image to appear. Even if the results are outstanding, you will find them rare today. Not many were made due to the cost of production. I feel lucky to enjoy having one here in my shop to admire and share will everyone.

Champagne to ring in the New Year!

This journey I have been on here in France has had it's challenges. So many things changed so quickly, like altering things, that I had to reprioritize. It's been a bumpy ride! The struts in this vintage model went caput! I had to step back and reassess everything, what I had lost, what I had left and how much of this old cluncker was salvagable. Thank my lucky stars that I still had some miles left in me yet. And no matter how dire it may seem, there is always something you gain from everything. If you are not certain of that, then let me share with you one of my life lessons.

I went in to get a pedicure and had to book two weeks in advance. I was told that I was in for a special treat. I thought these ladies were going a little over the top for a pedicure, but okay, I'm game! I'm ready for this "special" pedicure, really special.

I arrive for my appointment. This pleasant thin man arrives, wearing a simple plaid shirt. He asked if I were ready to begin. I said, "Sure, why not?" We head into a private room. He asks me to lay on the table. I laid there while he began on my feet. I was thinking of all the problems I had, the things I had yet to do, but he was so happy, so soothing. His voice was pleasant. I glanced at his short sleeved plaid shirt and noticed this rugged tatoo on his arm, a series of numbers. Call me sensitive, but I felt a cold chill as my mind recalled the one place I remember such a thing...a WWII documentary. He continued to work on my feet. He talked about the girls in czechloslovakia, and how they grow up knowing how to do this sort of pedicure. He's a great storyteller. As I got my own pedicure, I could visualize these girls that he talked about, smiling and living their lives in Czechloslovakia. No matter how pleasant the story, I felt this internal pain upon seeing those numbers. I was afraid to ask, but he seemed to know what had me. He told me his story of survival. He told me of the day he walked away, all he had left was his life. He said that when all you have left is your life, you remember what is really important and are happy to be alive. He said he could have had the tatoo removed, but didn't. There are always two sides, and I can understand those that want to hide that, not see it, but I understand him. Removing someting as benign as a tatoo does not erase where you have been. After all, he's not the one with a problem. He is happy.

I have to say that this was a special pedicure alright! Even though I admit, in this small place in Roswell, Ga, I had the best pedicure of my life, I also was also given a very special gift. He taught me to value each little moment. He also taught me that when you have a bunch of problems, you write them down on a piece of paper. You mark them off, one by one, but when you get to the end of the day, you let the paper take care of those problems until tomorrow. If not for what I learned from him, I don't know if I would have had the courage to survive this bumpy ride. I'm smiling right now for being so fortunate to meet him. I'm also smiling, because I have a whole year ahead of me of good things to come. I wish for all of you to have an amazing 2015!

Print by René Gruau, Champagne

Weekend in New York City

Weekend in the City, New York or Paris, both are filled with Art Deco delights to fill your wandering soul. Having lived in both cities myself, I can attest to the Art Deco escape, from the architecture of the building you go in, to the beautiful items available for shopping therapy, ranging true authentic beaded handbags and dresses, to hand tailored driving coats. You can even purchase a vintage car of the era or rent one to really travel in style.

For those of us who can't hop on a plane this weekend, there are plenty of vintage shops on Etsy that sell Art Deco, so you can still have a mini break. Cruise into some of the shops on the IV Team, where you are sure to get some authentic finds and friendly shop keepers. They are quite well educated about vintage and will assist you on creating your own Art Deco oasis. You can find them all by going to Etsy.com and typing ivteam into the search box. There, you will get a list of all the shops have to offer.

I would like to give a special thanks to Anne who owns WeeLambeeVintage and who is also a proud member of the Integrity of Vintage Team (ivteam). Thank you Anne for making this treasury featuring my Art Deco Print. Feel free to visit her shop at etsy.com/weelambeevintage

The Inspired Trader's Vintage Voice: June In the Garden - What's Blooming

The Inspired Trader's Vintage Voice: June In the Garden - What's Blooming: The Mountain Laurels are In Bloom This post is for my friend, who I'll call Rev, a Georgia girl living in Paris, France.  I know sh...

Gotta love the Integrity of Vintage Team! Thanks Deb for bringing me home! Even if Paris has so much to offer, I can't help being a southern Gal and missing to beauty back home in Geargia. Good people, good food and a good ol time!

The Challenge of Compassion

I am a proud member of the Integrity of Vintage Team. We recently had a treasury challenge. The theme was compassion. For me, 2013 got off to a rough start that landed me in the hospital. I'm still recovering. I will tell you that it's at your lowest hour that you find out who people really are. I already knew that most of the members on the Integrity of Vintage Team were a good group of people, but when push came to shove, the members of the team were there for me and went that extra mile. They took time out of their days to send me heartfelt letters of inspiration to get better. They were candid. They were so filled with compassion, that they moved me from tears of fear to courage to heal. They are the kind of people you wish were your neighbors. If I could scoop them all up and make them my neighbors, I would. They all deserve the badge of integrity. I've seen that. The next time I can go on a shopping spree, it will be in their shops, because I feel better about giving my money to good people. Plus, working with them each day, I know they are very knowledgeable about their wares and don't even offer items unless they are certain about it's era and origin. Making a treasury of compassion with these folks put a smile on my face and was not much of a challenge. I know everyone is busy, but often the smallest effort creates an enormous impact in someone else's life. What I will do is challenge each and everyone of you to give just a little compassion to your neighbor, your family, your loved ones, even a stranger. Pick up the phone. Write that email and check up on someone. Help your neighbor get the groceries in. Volunteer an afternoon or hour at a local organization in need. You might be the one needing that compassion one day.

All Blogged in and Covered in Snow

I must admit that winter isn't my favorite time of year. A weekend trip to the mountains will give me all the winter I need to last me all year long. As the snow continues to fall, my dreams of sunshine and Spring flowers grows. What better to do than to stay tucked in and do some shopping in some of my favorite shops on Etsy. Luckily, they seem to as ready for Spring as I am. At least when the last icicle melts, I will be prepared with some of the latest Spring accessories. Stay in where it's warm and do some shopping with me.

Bastille Day!

France and the US have some things in common, one appears to be independence day. They are in the same month, only ten days apart. Although many of the festivities seem the same, summer festivals and fireworks, France's was a little more severe. France's revolution was not giving the power to the people as one would think. Instead, as in most revolutions, it was a shift of powers, from the Monarchy to the Bourgeoisie.The Bourgoisie were the class of merchants and artisians whose wealth was steadily increasing. This is the true revolution. The peasant class still remained peasants for a long time to come. It wouldn't be until the twentieth century that the peasants and working class from the industrial revolution gained any rights or benefits as we know them today. And for all of you who catch yourself saying, "the French revolution", remember there was more than one. France is on it's fifth republic after all.