Happy New Year

I would like to wish all of you a very Happy New Year. My new year will be filled with joy and a whole lot of love because of my baby granddaughter, Lillian Sarah and her precious brother, Brandt Joseph.

Lillian modeled some of her new Christmas gifts for the family while Brandt entertained himself with his new electric train. Lillian is just 10 weeks old and she already has a closet full of the most adorable outfits any little girl could dream of. Brandt, on the other hand, is all boy and plays with his new electric train, his new bicycle (with training wheels), his cars, his wooden Thomas the train set, his new scooter, and a bazillion other things that routinely find their way out of his room and clutter the rest of the house. My daughter posted a "wish/need list" and, along with a housecleaning service, she wants the people from "Mission Organization" to stop by her house to work some of their magic!

~~~~~~Happy New Year~~~~~~

Vintage Christmas Monday

My Vintage Christmas Monday post actually consists of the following 4 posts that include ornaments, a doll, and two 1951 photos. I was trying to be efficient, but instead of one post I ended up with 4 !!!!!!! One of these days I'll finally figure out what I'm doing on this computer! A special thanks to Joan for hosting this event...go to my sidebar, click on her button, and view some other vintage Christmas offerings. I hope that you enjoy my 4 posts even if they should have all been included in one! It is better to click on each photo so the picture enlarges for a full effect.

The Christmas tree in my mother's bedroom

The Christmas tree in my mother's bedroom
Originally uploaded by nostalgic nana

Here are some vintage bird ornaments that my mother has had since I can remember. They are always a favorite of mine. Click on photo to enlarge.

One of my mom's vintage ornaments

One of my mom's vintage ornaments
Originally uploaded by nostalgic nana

A vintage painted glass lemon that has been on many family Christmas trees. I handle this ornament very carefully. Click on photo to enlarge.

Christmas doll from 1951

Christmas doll from 1951
Originally uploaded by nostalgic nana

Here is the doll from my vintage 1951 photo. I still have her and she is in mint condition. Here face is flawless, her eyes still open and close easily, and her coloring is wonderful. Her wig has been replaced and she isn't in her original clothing. I may or may not still have her original clothes...I have to search in some boxes to find out. This doll is 58 years old and you can see her in the following photo from 1951. Click on photo to enlarge.

Christmas, 1951

Christmas, 1951
Originally uploaded by nostalgic nana

Here are two photos of a doll I received for Christmas when I was 3 years old. The photo on the left shows my cousin Rosalie (left) and me holding our dolls that were gifts to us that year.
The photo on the right shows me in my night clothes holding the same doll. You can also see the manger that I previously blogged about on the lower part of the table behind me. Click on photo to enlarge.

Vintage Christmas Monday

Welcome to another delightful celebration of "Vintage Christmas Monday" hosted by Joan. You can click on her button in my right sidebar to view other vintage Christmas items from other participants that are sharing their wonderful treasures.

My first photo is of some vintage candles that my mother knit many, many years ago. She is 95 years old now, and she used to knit and crochet so many wonderful things when her eyesight was better. My mother always put these candles out for Christmas and now I proudly display them especially since they were handmade with love and care by my mother.

My next photo shows ice skates that my mother made a long time ago. I think that they are so cute especially with the paper clips as blades.

Next week I'll show ornaments that are around 60 years old and still very pretty.
Thank you for visiting today and have a wonderful week.

Vintage Christmas Monday

I just started to participate in Joan's blog group titled "Vintage Christmas Monday". You can view her blog and the other vintage Christmas participants by clicking on the top button in my right sidebar.
This Monday I'm including a very old manger that my parents probably bought between 1946-1951 in Rockford, IL. I have such fond memories of this manger which was usually under our tree or on a close-by table. I always wanted baby Jesus to be warm so I would add Kleenex and cotton balls to His "crib". Sometimes I would wrap Him in cloth to make sure that He was extra warm. All the straw that was in the "crib", on the roof and on the floor is long gone but the warm, striking memories will always be with me.


You can see some cotton and tissue under the figure of baby Jesus in this photo. I was so happy when my mother gave the old manger to me so I could display it every Christmas. The little "crib" holding Jesus has lost its front legs and some of the sheep have seen better days, but I cherish this manger and all the happy memories that it brings to mind.
Visit other blogs and see more vintage Christmas things on display.

Pink Saturday~~~16 and counting

Well it's that time of year again when boxes of decorations are opened, trees are displayed, lights are twinkling, and excitement is in the air. We usually host Christmas Eve at our house inviting family and friends for dinner and a gift exchange, however this year my sister-in-law decided to have the get-together at her house. This put a damper on my all-out decorating which usually takes about3 days to get everything out and up. We aren't going to put up our 9 ft. tree so I decided to put up an assortment of trees that I have collected from yard sales and retail sales over the years. I have 16 trees on display throughout the house but two of them will go to Tucson with me when I'm there for the holidays with my daughter and my two grandchildren. Some trees are only a few inches high and some are three feet tall. I have trees in all colors but I only have one that is PINK!
I rescued this tree from a yard sale and found the pretty pink roses at another yard sale. Unfortunately I have an old camera so the photos don't do justice to the tree which is much prettier in person.

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Here is close-up of the pink tree with the lovely pink roses. The roses really shine in the light.
I took off all the ornaments that came with this tree and added the roses instead. I took the photos with the tree on the floor, but I'm going to move the tree to a buffet in the dining room.

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Happy Pink Saturday to all and to all a Good Day!

Veteran's Day, 2009

We shall never forget our brave veterans who served proudly to protect our country.


Above is a treasured photo of my father (far left) with his brothers/my uncles~~Sam, Paul, Sylvester, and Nick

Each man served his country in either the Army or the Navy in various parts of the world during World War II. We honor them and all brave veterans today and always. Thank you~~~~~

Thank you, Dad, for loving your country and for being part of the legacy that honors your service today.

My ______is bigger than your __________.

Colleen at Crazy Little Psychos
is having a contest called My_______is bigger than your ________. Go check out her blog for shopping tips, restaurant critiques, general cool stuff, and the adventures and sometime misadventures of her family. Her children are darling and quite comical at times.

For her contest I've decided to display a small sampling of my stash of greeting cards. I always have extra cards on hand because you never know when you will need one for an occasion and not have enough time to run to the store to buy one.

I have greeting cards for every occasion, but my very favorites are the Bunnies by the Bay. These cards are so precious with delicate pastel colors and delightful darling bunnies sharing the cutest sentiments. I bought them on eBay and they have saved me many times in last minute crunches to get to a party with a card and gift in tow.

More cards to choose from~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I buy cards at yard sales sometimes with various characters on the front cover~~~~~~~~~~~~
And I have some greeting cards that I made in a class.
If I took photos of all of the cards that I have, I would be doing it most of the day so I just grabbed a few. I guess I could say "My stash of greeting cards is bigger than your stash of cards."
Don't forget to visit Colleen's blog, Crazy Little Psychos for some smiles, laughs, and smart shopper ideas.

Proud as proud can be

Brandt just beams over his new baby sister, Lillian Sarah. Lily is 2 weeks old today and she is starting to fall into a wonderful pattern of sleeping longer periods of time at night making her parents very happy. She is so sweet and her brother, Brandt, is excited to have a baby sister to love.

Beautiful Pink Saturday

This is a very special Pink Saturday for me because I get to introduce my beautiful baby granddaughter, Lillian Sarah. Lily was born at 7:54 AM on October 19, and she weighed in at 7 lbs 10.9 oz. She is absolutely adorable with a very sweet disposition.
Baby Lillian came home to meet her delighted brother, Brandt, who just couldn't wait to hold her. He is very excited to have a "Baby Sister".

My only regret about this photo is that Lillian wasn't dressed in one of the cute girly sleepers that my daughter brought to the hospital. I guess a pink bow and the pink blanket that my mother made will have to suffice! This baby has a lot of black hair and precious little lips.
I'M SO IN LOVE WITH MY GRANDCHILDREN!

Pink Saturday Treats

Welcome to another celebration of Pink Saturday hosted by the fantastic Beverly. Click on the "Pink Saturday" button to view the many special pink photos shared by so many special people.

My first photo is of a Christmas tree from a yard sale. The lady made the tree for her daughter using her favorite crib sheet remnants and gingerbread ornaments. It lights up making the icicles shine. I really like the pink sequin skirt at the bottom of the tree.
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The above photo is of pretty ornaments that I found at an estate sale. The pink "grapes", bells, ballerina, and basket will look so pretty on my "pink" tree in Tucson.
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I can't believe that I found this pink princess phone at the same estate sale!! I brought it home, plugged it in and I've been using it ever since. I have my original rotary white princess phone from the late 50's or early 60's packed away so maybe I'll take that one out and use it as well.

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A box of vintage pink ornaments for $1.00 at a yard sale!!!!!!!!!!! Oh what fun I'll have with these!!

I'm really in "pink" mode right now because my daughter is going to have a baby girl this Monday. I'm beyond excited and I can't wait to meet the newest addition to the family. Many photos will be posted of our new bundle of joy.

Have a safe and happy weekend and please visit other participants in the "Pink Saturday" celebration.

Halloween Whimsy

I enjoy decorating for the holidays as evidenced by the photos in this post. I recently bought this feather tree with ornaments for Halloween, Christmas and Easter for a very good price. I think that it adds some whimsy to my holiday decor.

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The character in the following photo is from The Cracker Barrel....a wonderful place to find neat holiday things.

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Here is another photo of my newly acquired feather tree. I really like the cute "Trick or Treat" plaque that came with the Halloween decorations. If you "click" on the photo, you can see the tree in detail.

Every home needs one of these organizers for the remote control! It is a Longaberger product and, as you can see, I have Halloween/Harvest accessories for it as well. Along with the remote, I have coasters and the fan/light remote in the plastic compartments. We never have to "search" for our remotes with this cute basket.

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I made this "BOO" sign last year and it looks cute with my Halloween bricks and other decor.

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Okay so the candle is crooked....it's broken! I like the orange candles with the black and white harlequin-designed candle holders.

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This is the first year that I've decorated my hutch with fall/harvest decor. It's good to try something new.

I used to dress my daughter's Cabbage Patch dolls in Halloween costumes made especially for them but I don't do that anymore. I'll save them for my granddaughter.

Don't Stop Believin'

The new television program "Glee" is a favorite of mine because of the acting, the varied character portrayals, and most of all the MUSIC. The song by Journey, "Don't Stop Believin', was brilliantly performed by some of the cast which gave me a whole new appreciation for this band that has been around awhile.

"Single Ladies"

OMG!! I must really be a nerd! While I was watching "Glee" last night (I love this new TV series), I really got caught up in this song by Beyonce. I like the rhythm and the words to "Single Ladies", and the actors did a great job dancing to and interpreting the music. I'm sure this song has been out for ages now and I'm just getting around to hearing and liking it. I'm stuck somewhere in the "oldies" generation and I need to get out.

Happy Birthday to you~~~

On September 4, 1914, my mother, Sarah Mary, was born to Rosalia and Pietro in Rockford, IL. Since my mother was born at home, my grandfather didn't register the birth until the next day so her birth certificate has September 5, as her actual birthday.

The following photo is of my mother (standing on the stool) with her grandmother, Maria Stella, and a cousin named Francis or Catherine...I'm not sure. I don't know how old my mother is in this picture and I'm not sure if this photo shows my mother older or younger than the following photo.

Here is my mother at about 2 or 3 years of age. I love the huge bow, the jewelry and the darling shoes.

This is "movie star" mom in one of my favorite photos of her. She just looks so regal and stylish in her dress, hat and bouquet. This is one of many weddings that she was in.

My mother always looked so smart and fashionable as evidenced in this photo of her at age 18.

Mom and Dad were married on September 12, 1943, five days before my father left for WWII.

Here we have 3 generations celebrating my mother's 95th. birthday. My daughter, Karen, and her son, Brandt, are standing behind my mother. Karen is going to have a little girl in October giving my mother her second great-grandchild.

Happy Birthday, Mom, and thank you for all of the life-lessons that you taught me. I had a wonderful childhood thanks to you and Dad, and I have so much to be grateful for. You are the best.

The cameo in the above photo was from my father upon his return from WWII. It is part of a set from Italy that includes a ring and bracelet.

Pink Saturday

Happy Pink Saturday to one and all. Please click on the "Pink Saturday" button to the right of this post so you can visit other participants in the weekly event.

My first photo is of a dress form that I picked up from a Craig's List sale this past Thursday. When I saw it in the listing photo, the form looked a whole lot smaller than it actually is. Of course I don't know what to do with it, but I'm sure a creative person or two from blogland can give me suggestions. I tried to jazz the form up with some vintage jewelry but it certainly needs more than that. It is pale pink in color with a lot of interesting detail.

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I found this little pink plate at the same sale as the above dress form. It, too, has interesting detail.

What better way to end the hot summer than by carrying a pink-striped bag with pink towels to a pool or a beach? My daughter was going to sell this bag, but I snatched it up instead.

My daughter gave this book to me several years ago and I keep it in a curio cabinet along with some other treasures. The sentiments inside are so heartwarming.
Thank you for visiting on this hot Pink Saturday in very sunny Arizona. Have a safe and wonderful weekend.

"Nesting" baby shower

Welcome to my daughter's "Nesting" baby shower. I decided on a bird/nesting theme after seeing Karen's choice of crib bedding. She selected "Love Bird" by Bananafish and, since we both really like birds, it was easy to "fly" with the theme. I didn't know where to begin so I searched the internet and found ideas from other nesting showers. I was fortunate to find a wonderful lady (Debbie) on Craig's List who just happened to be selling bird-theme craft supplies including a Christmas tree that I could decorate with birdhouses, nests, eggs, and birds. I made and decorated the labels, name tags, and place-setting poems using the supplies that I had on hand. It was easy and very cost-effective.I had a supply of plastic beverage glasses that I bought quite cheaply at a yard sale so I decided to give them some class with this label. I have never owned a piece of Waterford nor do I intend to ever own this crystal, but my cheap imitations were quite a delight for my guests.

I know my daughter quite well and I knew that she didn't want to be on "pink" overload so I kept the color to a minimum. Here you can see splashes of pink in the floral arrangements that were centerpieces for the tables.

This photo is blurry but the favors are adorable. In keeping with the bird/nesting theme, I ordered "The Nest Egg" favors which contain a pink soap in the shape of an egg. They are in a toile pink box with a brown ribbon and a "Thank You" tag hanging from the ribbon. Another hit at the shower!
I just love this baby lamb planter and I had pink roses put into it for another centerpiece.

Here is a photo of Karen with a darling pair of white shoes with pink ribbon. In the background you can see a sweater that was made by either my mother or my grandmother 30+ years ago. I might have used it for Karen when she was a baby and it was washed and put away until now. I hope that my new granddaughter gets a lot of use out of it.
Here are several blankets that were knit or crocheted by my mother or my grandmother even before I was ever married. My mom and grandmother were quite skilled at needlework and they would pass the time making things for family and friends.
Here is a photo of Karen with a darling picture frame that will match the nursery and crib bedding perfectly.
Here is a photo of Karen holding up another adorable outfit and blanket.
My mother will be 95 years old on September 4, and here she is posing with Karen. Karen just told me today that the baby's middle name will be "Sarah" in honor of my mother!
Again in keeping with the "nesting" theme, I decorated this tree with birds, nests, birdhouses and eggs. This is part of the box of goodies that I got from Debbie.
What would a baby shower be without a cake? It would be a baby shower with bird nest cupcakes. I bought the cupcakes at Costco and decorated them with toasted coconut and pink-spotted jelly beans that looked like eggs in a nest. Everyone raved about the cupcakes and I had to admit that I got the idea online. I also served quiche, finger sandwiches, broccoli salad, pink deviled eggs (dipped the whites in beet juice) and fruit salad. The pink eggs didn't taste like beets at all...they just looked like regular deviled eggs only they were pink!

Here is a place setting holder. At first I didn't know what to do with the birdhouses, and then it struck me to use them to hold the names of each guest. I hot-glued a little bird into each birdhouse and put each name in the folded wire on top. I wish this photo wasn't crooked!

Here you can get an idea of what the place settings looked like on the table. Unfortunately pieces have been moved but you can get a better idea in the following photo. I found the bird and birdhouse napkins at a yard sale over a year ago and thankfully I still had them. I tied the plastic knife, fork and spoon in each napkin with raffia which sympolized nesting material. I printed, stamped, colored, and edged each poem that welcomed the guests.
Here is a photo of a tablescape complete with a birdhouse as part of the centerpiece. The Mounds candy was part of a game.
The first shower I planned for my daughter had a"Pea in a Pod" theme. This one was a nesting shower theme, and if she has another baby the theme will be pizza and beer!