Wordless Wednesday...Beautiful Butterfly

Leap This Year

Did you know that 2012 is a Leap Year?

It has to do with keeping the calendar year and the astronomical year harmonious (ie, synchronized). 

 If you cannot remember whether a particular year is a "common" year or a "Leap Year,"  (and you are decent at math), just divide the year by four. If the result is a whole number, and not a fraction, it is a Leap Year. For example, 2012 divided by 4 = 53.

 

 One funny bit of folklore contends that these extra-day years are the only times where women could propose to men. It was known as "The Ladies' Privilege."

 When I was a kid, I knew a boy whose birthday was on February 29th. We thought it was so hilarious that when we were 12, he was only 3 (ha-ha, right?). 

There is a cute term for those born on the 29th of February...

LEAPLINGS! 

(Nearly) Wordless Wednesday... Happy 280th Birthday, George

Did you know that February 22nd is the original president's (birth)day?

Immortalized in salt and pepper shakers,

which may be found here..

Win-Win!!

You can win 16 fabulous vintage treasures in the VESTIESTEAM SPRING VINTAGE GIVEAWAY TREASURY!! Yes, totally free - including U.S. shipping (International shipping will be reduced)!
Simply follow this link to our GiveAway Treasury:

WIN THIS TREASURY 

Place a comment under the treasuries no later than Sat. 3-3-12 11:00 am CST and you will be entered in this drawing to win all 16 items  in that treasury!

WAIT! THERE IS MORE! We have TWO Spring Vintage GiveAwayTreasuries!!
Double your chances and follow this link! (sorry, you can only win 1 of the treasuries)

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Please see rules stated at the beginning of the comments section.

Wordless Wednesday... A Head

Not Always Red

Everyone seems to associate red and pink with Valentine's Day, but I have in my shop evidence that it may not have been a hard and fast rule at one time.

The poetry in each card is so very romantic...

Come springtime
shower, or summer heat,
Come autumn gale
or wintery blast,
With fondest love
my heart will beat
For thee, my dear,
while life shall
last.

I send you this to faintly show
The love that fills my heart,
But to voice its full intensity
Exceeds the poet's art.

I turn, dear love, to thee as turns
The flower to meet the sun,
E'en though, when clouds and storms arise,
It be not shown upon
Thus dear one, in thine eye I see
The only light that beams for me. 

The traditional red and pink is lovely too, of course!

Love hath swift wing
And sharpened darts
He laughs and sings
While wounding hearts

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

Wordless Wednesday... Bracelet Legs

 Jewelry shop in Paris

 

Hunting the Antique Mall

Took a highly anticipated 20 mile trip the other day to my favorite (huge) antique mall to look for material to use in my jewelry creations (old jewelry to repurpose, buttons, charms--little found objects) and also, if truth be told, to scout out some inexpensive goodies to sell in my vintage shops.

We spent many hours there and it was getting to be late afternoon. I had found jewelry items, but not too much resale stuff, other than a couple of old children's books. We got to the locked glass cases, which tend to hold small things (good for resale) and expensive things (not too good for either of my quests). But suddenly something caught my eye and I rang the button to have someone come and unlock the case, so I could take a closer look.

     This faux leather case full of cuff links, tie bars, and tie pins enthralled me because it's always good business to mix in a few things for sale for the guys.

I looked it over as carefully as one can when a salesperson is standing nearby waiting to see if you want it or not.

I turned several pieces over  and though some were unmarked, many others were signed (Swank and Hickok are both well-known companies).

The price was, well, let's just say, it was a bargain.

  Counting each set as one piece, it averaged out to be around a dollar each.       Yikes! I HAD to get it! Fourteen tie bars, eleven sets of cufflinks, three shirt studs (one oddball), several tie tacks, and an ugly old case 

are mine now.
Hope they sell!

Now I picked a few to show in close-up. Most are in good condition, though all will need cleaning prior to listing.

 A maple leaf and a traffic light --how cute are these tie tacks?

I think this is a set of golf clubs, pun intended.

Great set here if your name is Nick or Nathan.

Of course, there is always a dud in the bunch, and this group was no exception. Check these out... (even the tie tac decoration was glued back on, rather messily.

Oh well, that's okay. They can always go into the odd and ends stuff --someone somewhere will want them, I'm sure!

Wordless Wednesday... Two Years!

Photo by LJ Franklin Photography