Category Archives: Green Living

antique, country, crafts, fabric, Green Living, home life, Kitchen Collectibles, Uncategorized, vintage

There’s no better time than whenever.

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christmas 2007
christmas 2007 (Photo credit: paparutzi)

I hate to see anything end.  I don’t know why.  Heck, I hate to see a good movie end.  I dislike the word “finale,” and “end of a year.”  I use to look forward to Christmas. However, years back, I began to realize that Christmas signaled the end of that year.  Regardless of whether the year has been good or bad (any year above ground is good) I wasn’t ready for it to end.  One more wrinkle, one more notch on the stick of time, one more year where I haven’t written my great American novel.  My husband say’s that if we didn’t change the calendar or celebrate New Year’s, we would not be as aware of the change.  Therefore, I have adopted this attitude.  It made sense.Our ancestors marked the years passing by the seasons and the crops, why can’t I?  I have a new crop of grey hair, thanks to my husband.  I’ll use that.  Calendars weren’t required on the farm I came from, even though the tractor company would always send us one.  The auto parts store would always send my dad one, but that calendar somehow always ended up in the garage where we kids couldn’t see it.

Without an end, I can function.  For example, for the last two weeks, I have been off on Fall break.  You are probably thinking  – “well then, why haven’t we read more posts?”  I will explain this.  Part of the answer is simple.  I didn’t have time to think of the end.  I have been busy restocking both stores new vintage, in anticipation of the holidays.  New “vintage” meaning Christmas linens, tableware and other Christmas items such as Tree Skirts and Mantle Runners from an East Coast estate, late 70’s, early 80’s.  I also put in some beautiful lace doilies and tableware from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.  (By the way, residents of Manitou Springs, if you have missed your Vintage Linen Store, take time to stop in the Treasure Shoppe downtown Colorado Springs – go to space B4 and look at the vintage German doilies and lace I just put in.)

The only problem with putting new stuff in, is that I am reminded there is a calendar out there, running out of pages.  I don’t celebrate New Year’s now, just another day for me.  I brought out the Christmas linens only because the big stores did.  My calendar is perpetually on 2008.  I keep it because of the hunky firefighters pictures.  Mr. July has been very good for me.

Therefore, if you are one of my relatives or friends, I am sorry I missed your birthday or anniversary.  I was close.  I still have your Christmas card from 2007 – all addressed and ready to go.  I just need to add more postage – someday.  Stop by and pick one up.  For my employing school, call me if I don’t show up one day.  I’m probably on Spring or Winter Break a little early, (or late) I don’t know.  As part of my campaign to let the days roll on, I may not be on time as well.  I stopped wearing my watch and refuse to look at the clock.  If you roll by the house in the early morning, that’s the husband pushing me, half-dressed – out the door.  He is my official timekeeper.  Betcha he wishes he hadn’t been so philosophical now.

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antique, country, fabric, Green Living, home life, Kitchen Collectibles, Quilts & Quilting, sewing, Uncategorized, using color, vintage

Gold on the Ground

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:Fall colors, Poudre Canyon, Colorado
:Fall colors, Poudre Canyon, Colorado (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I get giddy this time of the year.  Giddier then usual I should say.  Maybe it’s the chill in the early morning, the frost on the rooftop or the simple realization that I can see my breath as I walk to the car that gets to me.  I don’t know. Fall just makes me feel alive.  I love sleeping snuggled deep into the covers, whining noticeably to my hubby when I have to get up and he gets to stay warm.  Padding around the pre-dawn hours in my heavy winter terry cloth robe is a perk I leave to winter.  While I dislike freezing temperatures and ice on the windshield, winter white represents a sense of purity that’s refreshing.  The beauty of new snow, dotted here and there with the evergreens; against a contrasting gray sky, signals rebirth is but a few months away.The best thing about fall is the linens.  The rough texture of a vintage linen towel or the silky smoothness of an Irish tablecloth, in vibrant fall colors, gets to me.  Nature knows what she is doing when she carpets the floor of the forest with the gold and reds of fallen leaves.  That’s the image represented by fall linens carefully landscaped on a Thanksgiving table.

Winter morning
Winter morning (Photo credit: blmiers2)

We’ve just put our fall stock into the stores and both stores look great.  As we have an abundance of summer linens, I did my best to separate them, but for you diehard summer people still clinging to the waning summer like weather that we have here in Colorado, don’t despair.  There are still summer linens left in stock for you.  To my fall people, go crazy.  Again, if you see me in the stores with my face buried in the linens, just move me over.  There’s room for both of us.  By the way, for my quilters getting ready to burrow in this winter with your quilt projects, we just put our quilting and fabric stock on sale.  Look in the material cubbies for the 30% off stickers.

antique, country, fabric, Green Living, home life, Kitchen Collectibles, lace, repurpose, Uncategorized, vintage

Summertime, summertime, summertime.

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English: Taken at a Chicagoland Flea Market. R...
English: Taken at a Chicagoland Flea Market. Rosemont, Illinois on Sunday. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I just looked at my timeline for the first time in a long time.  My o’ my, where has the time flown.  It’s been six plus weeks since I have posted anything.  You would think I fell off the earth.   Actually, I have been quite busy with back to school things.  Things like getting the daughter prepped and ready for school and getting myself ready for the back to school grind.  Actually that part was easier this year because I taught summer school for the first part of the summer and the daughter attended two band camps of which I participated by being the second camp chauffeur .   The hubby did the first camp during my summer school phase.

Then there were the busy summer sales at both stores.  We put these on in between band camp and summer school.  I love summer sales.  I was trying to decide just what items to put on sale when the hubby said, “Just put it all on sale.”  So we did.  He’s so practical.  In the afternoons and on the occasional weekend, we did manage to get out and go picking.  He’s into collecting and selling “netsukes” and vintage pens and I let him put some in “Dad Corner” in my space at American Classics.  He also has his display in Case 409 there as well.  I love our excursions to the antique stores, estate sales, and garage sales.  Together, we love the flea markets.  It’s where he occasionally finds some of his best treasures.  The weather was hot most days, but we endured.  (it’s a tough life isn’t it?)

So that’s my excuse for not writing and I’m sticking with it.  Been too busy to write and too busy being busy.  In all fairness, I could have simply sat around all summer and complained about the heat.  I know many people who did; so I let them, all by themselves while the hubby and I played.    But now, it’s back to work time.

However, every weekend and after school many times, you will still find me in one of my locations, nose deep in my linens, getting my weekly fix.  If you see me at either the Treasure Shoppe (B4) or American Classics (C30) and I have that glazed look in my eye, know that I’m in my own little heaven.  Feel free to grab a handful of freshly laundered linens and join me.   It’s OK, I know what you’re feeling.  You’re welcome here.

antique, country, fabric, Green Living, Hints Tips, home life, Kitchen Collectibles, Quilts & Quilting, repurpose, restoration, sewing, Uncategorized, vintage

The Care and Cleaning of Vintage Quilts

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I just put in a bunch of 1900’s to 1960 vintage quilt pieces (scraps, fats, squares, oh my)  Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. Anyway, as I started to say before my mind wandered off to its secret place, I put of load of vintage quilt material in both stores, and this got me to thinking about how to take care of vintage quilts.  I called a friend who quilts all the time. First words out of her mouth were “very carefully.”

my new (new to me) antique quilt! i lurve it.
My new (new to me) antique quilt! I love it. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When I asked what she meant by very, she explained.  Never dry clean a cotton quilt since the weight of the ‘fluid’ may place more stress than ‘water’ on old fabric.  I emphasized fluid and water for a reason.  Dry-cleaning fluid is heavy with chemicals. (Who would have thought?)  Its weight will tear old fabric.  Her next bit of advice was “never hang a wet quit on a single line.”  Same reason.  The water pools at the bottom, placing stress on the seams and threads at the top as they drape over the small line.  If you have to dry a quilt outside, then hang it over two or even three lines, evenly distributing the weight of the quilt.  If you have a lot of quilts or need to wash and dry many for sale, then consider making a rope drying rack. The look like an old rope bed.  One of my mother’s friends uses an old king size bed frame she weaves a bed of ropes.  Bottom line of all this is be careful with vintage quilts.  I am sure you have seen some beautiful ones for sale in an antique store, only to turn it over and find the material separated, or the stitching torn out.  Makes you want to cry doesn’t it?

———–

About Julie:

Julie is a homemaker, mother, teacher of special needs children and an entrepreneur. As a teacher with along history of teaching students in the elementary grades, she obtained her credentials for Special Need teaching and advocacy late in her career, because – as she puts it, “these kids need to be taken out of the corner and given a voice.” As a means to lessen the stress that comes when one deals with bureaucracy, Julie – her Mother-in-Law and her daughter, opened the Mom & Me Vintage Linens and Lace shops late in 2011. Now with two locations in Colorado Springs, (The Treasure Shoppe – downtown CS and American Classics on N. Academy) she has managed to gather a rich following of friends and steady customers who look forward to seeing her come in with an armload of vintage linens, fine lace and the occasional vintage purse or pillow to round out her diverse selection. Julie can be reached by JClark@Linens2Lace.com . You can also follow her blog at www.Linens2Lace.WordPress.com, and her Tweets at #MomNMe.

antique, country, fabric, Green Living, Kitchen Collectibles, lace, Uncategorized, vintage

Squeeze your wet linen

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Drying rack
Drying rack (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Wet vintage linen can be delicate.  When the fibers are wet, they become fragile.  Tears or separations are commonplace.  So, how can you dry vintage linens safely?  The best way is to use a large towel.  Lay the wet linen on a large towel and roll it up, squeezing the water out of the linen as you go.  Repeat as many times as you need until the linen is fairly dry, then drape the linen piece over a drying rack.  Make sure you support the linen across the entire drying rack and not just one rung, as one rung will stretch that area touching the rung. Let it dry – then fold it.  Try it – you’ll never dry fine linens on the line or (shudder) throw them into a dryer again.  I have more tips like this on my new public Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mom-Me-Vintage-Linens-Lace/335108499846187?sk=page_insights  Join me and share your tips as well. 

antique, country, crafts, Green Living, home life, repurpose, restoration, Uncategorized, vintage

Lick that Lacquer

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English: Sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydrogenca...
English: Sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydrogencarbonate, sodium bicarb, “baking soda”, “bread soda”, “cooking soda”, bicarb soda Deutsch: Natriumbicarbonat, Natriumhydrogencarbonat, “Natron”, “Backpulver”, “Bullrich-Salz” natriumvätekarbonat (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You see a beautiful brass or copper antique pot, kettle or other metal object in the flea market but some fool has lacquered it.  You know it’s a vintage piece, but its value is greatly diminished by the now yellowing lacquer.  However, the price is right and when you point out that its been lacquered; the seller offers to make you an even better deal.  So you buy it with thoughts of leaving the lacquer and using it for a trash can.  (shudder)

What can you do with that lacquer?  Try this.

Mix ½ cup of baking soda with

1 gallon of boiling water

Put the newly found lacquered pot into this solution and let sit.  When the water cools the lacquer should peel right off.  Be careful not to use any sharp metal instruments around the crevices or tight areas.  Use a toothbrush instead.  If any lacquer remains, repeat the process.  You should have a completely restored piece by the end of the day.   We’ve not tried this on varnish or an other finish other than lacquer.  If you do and it works, let us know.  We’ll pass it on and give you credit for the advice.

antique, country, Green Living, home life, Uncategorized

Cat Olympics

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There has to be a point in every cats life when they realize that they just did something stupid; when they run behind the

Cat hiding behind the couch
Cat hiding behind the couch (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

couch and, according to the legendary comedian George Carlin, slap paw to head and howl out “F*&$*ng Meow. 

My daughter’s kitten had her moment today when she thwarted the laws of nature and in mid-flight, suddenly came face to face with the realization that for every violent action, there is an equal and just as violent reaction.  In her usual morning ‘ kitten run through the house as fast as you can’ moment, she came nose to tail with this old law.

In the spirit of the summer Olympics, her ‘never-before-attempted’ running broad jump from the back of the recliner to the couch was to be her moment of feline glory.  However, the recliner was not to be toyed with.  It “reacted”, (naturally) by doing what it does best.  It reclined – violently.  That’s when I saw it; that “stop action” moment, when the human mind records the feline equivalent of “Oh Crap!”

Did she see me – see her?  Of course she did, but she was too busy to look “cat cool” and that’s when the second myth was shattered.  You can rewrite all text that records “cats always land on their feet.”  I have news for you – they don’t.  They attempt to make up for it by looking as if they meant to land on the side with their head stuck behind their back leg and their tail stuck in the ear.  They do this by imitating their best Fonzy move, jumping up quickly.

This action shatters the third rule of cat mythology.  The rule that says all cats are graceful.   When cats are ungraceful, (as this one was) in their haste to get away, they scatter everything collected on the table – to the floor – including the full cup of coffee.  Then, (this is the best part) they run straight behind the couch – where I am sure they – in the cat’s equivalence of disbelief, slap the old paw to face.

As I write this, hours later, after having cleaned up the last dregs of the overturned coffee and put the table back in order, she has yet to come out from behind the couch.  She knows I am writing about her.  She hears me chuckling between key strokes.  I know this because I hear her “cat muttering” under her breath.  Poor kitty.  Chuckle.

——–

About Julie

Julie Clark is a homemaker, mother, teacher of special needs children and an entrepreneur.   As a teacher with a long history of teaching students in the elementary grades, she obtained her credentials for Special Need teaching and advocacy late in her career, because – as she puts it, “these kids need to be taken out of the corner and given a voice.”

As a means to lessen the stress that comes when one deals with bureaucracy, Julie – her Mother-in-Law and her daughter, opened the Mom & Me Vintage Linens and Lace shops late in 2011.  Now with two locations in Colorado Springs, (The Treasure Shoppe – downtown CS and American Classics on N. Academy) she has managed to gather a rich following of friends and steady customers who look forward to seeing her come in with an armload of vintage linens, fine lace and the occasional vintage purse or pillow to round out her diverse selection.

Julie can be reached by JClark@Linens2Lace.com .  You can also follow her blog at Linens2Lace.wordPress.com, and her Tweets at #MomNMe.

antique, country, crafts, fabric, Green Living, Kitchen Collectibles, lace, repurpose, restoration, Uncategorized

Oil Down, Don’t Strip

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Have you ever bought an item from an antique store or flea market only to get it home and realize that the seller glued a %@*$#+ sticker on the wood or other finish, that will not come off without the threat of ruin?  Don’t use alcohol, scrape it or use any abrasive.  (shudder)  Don’t even pick at it with your finger nail.  Instead, grab the salad oil or mineral oil, pour it on a soft cloth and cover the sticker, letting it sit and soak for a while.

If you have already pulled parts of the sticker off, use the cloth, rub the oil into the glue in a circular motion until it softens and rolls off.  If the sticker is stuck fast or has been there for a long time and you can afford the time, (and with some stickers you may have to do this anyway) pour either one of the oils directly on the paper and let it sit overnight.  The following day it should be soft enough to pull off, glue and all.

While we are on this topic, every collector should have mineral oil around.  A small amount of mineral oil works great on removing light scratches from vintage furniture, without stripping the original finish or patina.

antique, crafts, Green Living, Uncategorized

Get Down and Polish the Dirty.

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Spray bottle top
Spray bottle top (Photo credit: Arria Belli)

You are in mid-panic.  The in-laws are coming for dinner and your furniture looks as if a dust storm blew through your house in the middle of the night.  You go to your cleaning cabinet and here is where you discover you are out of furniture polish.  The heart can’t take this and you want to open the booze cabinet instead.  What can you do?  Follow these simple steps and you will stay sober and live another day. 

1)      Run to the kitchen.  (don’t trip over the dog or the baby)

2)      Measure out a quart (4 cups) of water and pour into a pot. .  

3)      Put the water on the stove and turn on the burner. 

4)      Open your cupboard and pull out:

  1. Olive oil and
  2. White vinegar. 

5)      Take a deep breath and:

  • Put 2 (two) tablespoons of olive oil into the quart of now hot (tepid) water.
  • Add 1 (one) tablespoon of vinegar
  • Let it heat up until it’s just warm but not boiling while stirring constantly.
  • Pour the mixture into a spray bottle before it gets too warm.
  • Get busy.  Use it as you would any spray polish with a lint free rag. 

 This is a low-cost, green alternative to expensive furniture polish.  It works best if the mixture is warm, so you might want to sit your spray bottle into another pot of warm water occasionally and before using the next time.  The mixture will wash the dirt off the furniture, leaving behind a light oil finish.  Add a drop or two of lemon extract to the mix for a great lemon scented furniture polish.  Your mother-in-law will be impressed. 

By the way, for you collectors, I have a natural formula for a furniture polish that my grandmother used.  It works great on antique furniture because it doesn’t harm the original finish.  That and more of my formula for removing stains from vintage linens are also coming.  Tell your friends.  Have them subscribe.

antique, country, crafts, fabric, Green Living, Kitchen Collectibles, lace, Uncategorized, using color

We Depend on You.

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Occasionally people ask us where we get our linens. It took us awhile, but at this stage of our business, we depend on our customers; therefore, most of our linens come from referrals and sellers who contact us directly. More than just referrals however, we depend on our customers to tell us what they want. In some cases, especially when it comes to vintage lace, we may buy from a few known dealers or private estates, both local and out-of-state.

In any case, we have specific criteria for what we put in the store and most of our referring agents know what we look for. When they get it in stock or hear of a supply, they contact us. For example, some of our early 70’s and 80’s linens have come from a Chicago estate sale and we are fortunate enough to have established a long-term relationship with the estate so we expect that we will have plenty of beautiful vintage linens for years to come.

Some of our exotic lace came from the granddaughter of a Russian immigrant who ‘hand made’ the lace she carried out of Russia as a young girl, during the revolution. Occasionally, I will come across a great supply of vintage material on either Etsy or eBay that I can’t pass up. I have selected dealers on both these sites that I have bought from before and what they sell is quality.

Bottom line is that we depend on people, just like you, people with taste and an eye for fine linen that holds that old school quality. Thank you for you e-mail and your suggestions. Please keep them coming. If you’re local and have vintage linens to sell, contact us. We are always in the market.