Category Archives: Green Living

antique, country, crafts, Green Living, Kitchen Collectibles, lace

Male Menopause or Why I Killed Him.

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Living room in a Bowen residence, ca. 1905
Living room in a Bowen residence, ca. 1905 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I haven’t been near a keyboard for over a week. Why? Because my husband and I decided to change ( he say’s redecorate) our living room. I mean, he decided to change the living room and I said OK. In my defense, I was half asleep at the time.

I don’t know what comes over him sometimes. He likes change. I don’t. He thrives on chaos, I don’t. He sits and thinks (that what he says he’s doing) and then suddenly jumps up and starts moving stuff around. I admit, I tend to move things first, then move them back when it doesn’t look right. Maybe he has that part right, but it won’t work as a justifiable motive in my murder trial.

Anyway, we are finished (I am anyway) and maybe – just maybe, we can get back to normality around here. We did manage – between trips to the home store, to put in some new – beautiful 1950’s kitchen and bath linens, and our Mothers Day sale is still on, so I guess some things still work right. I’ve got to end this for now because he wants to move the TV – again.  He didn’t like my spot.  It must be male menopause.  Does anyone else have a husband like this?  I’d like to know so I can mount my defense ahead of time.

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

Patience and Talent

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What happens when you combine patience with talent?  You get one of the most unusual bedspreads we have ever seen.  Done by hand, we were told it was a bedspread, but as big as it is, it could just as well decorate a large table.  It’s in the store now.  See what you think. 

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

The Reason I Collect and Sell

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The other day, I was in the store straightening up the linens and repackaging some lace that someone had left out, when Kitchen Towelsa woman came in a started browsing.  I greeted her and she replied in kind then without another word, went about her browsing seemingly with purpose.  I went back to my straightening up and yet occasionally I could hear her softly chuckling to herself, as she would pick up one tablecloth or drapery at a time.  Soon, she started fingering the napkins and then the bed linens; all the while softly talking to herself or, as I said before, softly chuckling.  Eventually she got close to me and I commented, “Beautiful aren’t they?”  She looked at me and with a slight twinkle in her eye said, “Oh my, do I sound like an idiot?  I’m so sorry, but I must sound like an old nut job.  When I came in here earlier this week, I had to stop myself from smiling out loud.  I keep forgetting that other people are around.”  I told her not to worry, that she didn’t sound like a nut, when she continued to explain, “It’s the linens dear, the lace, they so much remind me of when I was a little girl, helping my mother wash and press the linens.  Every Wednesday was our wash day and my job was to iron and fold the little tea napkins and kitchen towels, when I wasn’t in school.” 

I could see the memories in her eyes as she very carefully folded each towel back up and neatly placed it back on to the stack.  I could tell she was doing it the same way she did as a child.  Rose (that was her name) eventually bought two 50’s hand towels and a couple of lace dress tops I had salvaged.  She said she was going to make a gown with a lace top for her granddaughter.  As I thanked her for her purchases, she stopped me and said, “No, thank you for the memories.  I’m going back home at the end of this week, and this little shop has added a special memory to my trip. 

I have to admit that prior to Rose coming in, as I was ‘cleaning’ up after people, I had asked myself if all the work I put into this shop was worth it.  In one brief encounter, Rose made it all worthwhile.  Thank you Rose – wherever you are.  You are the reason I collect and sell vintage linens.  You managed to put a smile on my face on a day when I needed it the most.

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

Patriotic Teddy Bears

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Estate auctions and antique stores are often great places to find vintage linens and bedding.  This beautiful Patriotic Teddy Bear Queen size Quilt with Pillow Shams is a good example of a find that will be going into our store this week.  Beautifully stitched and thick, it appears to have never been used.  Priced at only $159.00 we don’t expect it to last long.Patriotic Teddy Bear Queen Quilt w/ Shams

antique, country, crafts, fabric, Green Living, Kitchen Collectibles, lace

Buying Vintage Linens

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What is the difference between muslin and combed cotton? 

The sticker says 300 thread count.  I can see my hand through it.  Is the sticker correct? 

These are examples of the questions I get by e-mail, which lead me to believe that there is a lot of misinformation out there regarding the purchase of linens, especially vintage linens.  Let’s see if I can clear up a couple of questions I get most often. 

Muslin pieced
Muslin pieced (Photo credit: lovelihood)

Muslin vs Cotton.  If you have very young children and you are looking to stretch your dollars by buying long-lasting bedding for those rough little dirty feet, stick with muslin.  It’s a little rougher in terms of feel, but a lot tougher and easier to clean than pure cotton.  When your child grows out of their small beds, you can change over to a cotton blend sheets, usually called “percale,” which is softer because the thread count is between 160 to 200.  If you are buying 300 thread count or higher designer sheets for your little ones, I want to come live with you. 

Which leads me to my second question and answer.  Thread count.  Simple put, thread count is the number of threads per square inch of fabric.  Unless you shop with a “Linen Loop,” always on you, (a high-powered magnifying glass for counting threads) how can you tell if that sticker showing a 300 thread count is correct?  First look for a manufacturers tag sewn into the edging..  If none or faded into non-existence, hold the fabric up to the light.  If you can see the weave and the light through the cloth, you have a low thread count on your hands, probably 150 to 200 TPI.   Next, feel it.  The higher the thread count, the softer the fabric. 300 and higher thread count is very soft and not easy to see through. 

I hope this helps for now.  I’ll have more linen buying tips later.

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

Wrinkled Fingers and Time

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A wrinkled finger after a warm bath
Image via Wikipedia

This has been a busy two weeks.  We, (Mom & Me,) have washed, pressed and folded more vintage linen in the last two weeks then we would have in an entire lifetime.  We both have wrinkled fingers.  I have to admit, half the time we sat admiring the linens we held and the other half of the time, between the folding and stacking, was devoted to commenting on them.  What is it about a pure white or cream Damask tablecloth that brings a sparkle into ones eye?  What is it about a table napkin with 1950’s colors and patterns that bring me back into an era I would have longed to live in?  What causes me to pause when I hold up a bit of vintage pillow lace?  Is it the thought that someone, years early, in a quiet and dusky room, sat patiently and painstakingly, twisting and turning each individual bobbin until inch by inch this lovely delicate pattern emerged?  Perhaps that’s why when I try to press out the wrinkles accumulated over the years it sat idle, I don’t get frustrated.  If they had the patience to make it beautiful, I have the patience to present it properly. 

Lace
Lace (Photo credit: Nefi)

Take a look the next time you are in our store.  We put our lace pieces in the lace basket, usually in zip-lock bags to keep them clean.  See if you see what we see and then let us know what you felt when you ran it through your fingers and held it up to the light.  I guarantee you will come to appreciate it more when you apply it to your new dress or table creation.

Until next time, recycle, repurpose and stay green.