Lucky 13!

Best Wishes for a Happy New Year!!  Here's to 2013!

c. 1920 Image courtesy of

1940's White Christmas Ball

The 1940's White Christmas Ball is tonight and Axl and I are going!

I am wearing this vintage navy blue calf length dress:

Here I am (on the far left) wearing said dress (and looking a little Stepford) at my bridal shower.

     I have shoes to match but I haven't decided what accessories I'm wearing. I'm thinking I will style my hair similar to this make-your-long-hair-look-short 'do I tried recently:

     I might wear a vintage hat but the one I have in navy is out of shape and really needs to be steamed.  I suppose I could wear this red capulet hat to add a splash of Christmas color:

Axl is going to wear the suit he wore for our wedding:

So handsome! courtesy of Erin Claire Photography

     He got his hair cut for the ball at Ollie's Barber Shop and, from what I understand, the boys from Ollie's are going to be helping men style up at the ball.

     I might thrift Axl a vintage tie to wear tonight while I'm out running errands today.  If I can just manage to learn how to dance in the next 10 hours, I might fool everyone into believing I didn't wait until the last minute to prepare!

 Yours 'till bobby pins on permanent waves get seasick,

Meteor Vintage

Wishing and Hoping and Planning and Dreaming

Hello Meteorites,

     Did you survive Black Friday? How is your Small Business Saturday going? Axl and I did make a trip to the mall yesterday but it was not at a crazy hour. He was a man on a mission for some super sale H&M sweaters (sadly they were out of his size). Afterward, I persuaded him to go to my favorite Denver consignment store where I purchased a blazer for $2.00 to wear to work and won $10.00 in store credit on a prize wheel. I figured that was not too shabby.  

     Since our wedding, we are still budgeting like crazy and that has not left much wiggle room for thrifting but, if the choice is shop or pay the rent, you pay the rent.  The time will come soon when I have walking around money again but I was saddened to see the following Craigslist post. Maybe if you're local you can shop and get some good deals and tell me about it? It was like the universe itself created an estate sale for me but I know if I go I will want to buy something (or lots of things) and that's just no bueno until I am steadily working again.  

     Being on a budget puts a damper on Christmas shopping but I'm a big fan of daydreaming (the law of attraction) so here is my current wish list. These are the things I hunt for when I'm thrifting for my own collection:

      1. A vintage (or vintage-inspired) mannequin head. I'd prefer something "classic" looking with it's hair painted on. I am not a fan of cartoonish-looking mannequins or ones where the mannequin looks bored, zombie-esque, or "above it all". I know that's giving a mannequin a lot of credit but, if I'm using my mannequin to display a great vintage hat, I don't want her looking like Betty Boop (not that there's anything wrong with Betty but, like all good things, she has a time and place). I just want a gal who's pleasant-looking. Maybe something like this: 

{Photo courtesy  of}

     2. Tijuana Picnic. I don't know a lot about this one and I can't even remember where I first heard of it but, being from Kentucky, I have a soft spot for the Colonel (though PETA has succeeded in convincing me not to eat his finger lickin' goods). From what I understand, this record was given out to KFC diners in the mid 1960's. Though it's attributed to the man himself, it is likely that the music is Herb Alpert  and his Tijuana Brass Band.  

{Photo courtesy of Google Images}

3. Betty Crocker's Cooky (no that is not misspelled) Book. I would like to find a 1963 edition, not a reproduction. It's one of those books I always browse thrift store shelves for. I'm pretty sure my Aunt Joann baked me cookies out of this book when I was a kid and that's all it took for me to form a lifelong obsession.  

{Photo courtesy of Google Images}

4. When You Were A Baby. A Little Golden Book by Rita Eng. 1949 edition. This would my all-time favorite find if I ever came across it. My parents read this book to me when I was very wee and I can still recall its illustrations (by Corinne Malvern). Not knowing it had struck a chord with me, my mother handed our copy down to my cousins. I look for it every time I see Little Golden Books.

{Photo Courtesy of}

5. A vintage french enamelware ladle utensil rack with utensils and strainers. I think these are so charming. It isn't practical for me to have one now as we do not own our own home and our kitchen is the size of a postage stamp but one day I would like to have one of these sets.

{Image Courtesy of eBay}

     So, those are the things I look for when I'm thrifting. I know I could purchase some of them online  right now and, when it comes to no. 4, I'm pretty tempted...but that would ruin the thrill of the find. I might eventually break down for that one, especially once I have children of my own.
     If I was to ask for one thing this year it would be:

6. More Facebook "Likes" on the Meteor Vintage Facebook page. Meteor Vintage is now on Facebook and it would thrill me to know that there is curiosity and mutual interest out there for my blog and (eventual) wares.  I use the page to post when there is a new blog post up, when there is something I want to tell folks about that just needs a quick blurb and, once I start posting items for sale on Etsy,   this will be how you will know. Plus, I respond in kind. A "like" for my page equals a "like" for your page. If you'd like to "like" my page you can click here to be redirected to Meteor Vintage on Facebook.
    More than anything, I wish for everyone to have a safe, happy, healthy and successful holiday season. I look forward to reading your posts and celebrating with you.

Yours 'till bobby pins on permanent waves get seasick,

Meteor Vintage

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bob Hope teaches you how to carve a turkey:

Image courtesy of Google search

Yours 'till bobby pins on permanent waves get seasick, 

Meteor Vintage

Denver's Secret (Vintage) Stash

    When we first moved to Denver, I was intimidated. I didn't know the city very well and, literally, everything was different from what I knew it to be in Kentucky. With the help of a GPS, I started making my way around town. Inevitably, I found my way to thrift stores. I still haven’t discovered my dream* thrift store in Denver but there is still plenty of thrift to be had.
     *By “dream” thrift store, I mean a store that has not been severely picked over, where I can find affordable items that are complete, working or undamaged.

     The first thing I noticed about thrift stores (stores such as Goodwill and ARC (Association for Retarded Citizens)) in Denver was that the cost of items is much higher than what I knew it to be in Kentucky. On the other hand, unlike the stores I went to in Kentucky, Denver stores offer discounts and promotions. 

     If you "like" Goodwill Industries of Denver on Facebook, you are eligible to receive their Make My Monday coupon. It’s only on their site for one Monday a month (the next one will be posted Monday, November 26^th). You print off the coupon to receive 25% off an item that (I think) costs $20.00 or more.  Next, the local Goodwills have a 50% off most items sale at least once a month. Finally, this fall, Goodwill rolled out a program called Club Blue. It is a free rewards program. You receive 10% off the first time you use your Club Blue Card, 20% off every time you spend $25.00 or more in one transaction (after senior or military discounts are applied), a $10.00 reward once you have accumulated 250 points (i.e. once you have spent $250 at Goodwill), and a $5.00 birthday reward.  Kinda takes the sting out of higher prices, right?

     ARC has an e-club you can join to receive coupons, every day one of their various colors of tags is 50% off,  every Tuesday seniors receive 50% off nearly every tag and just about every Saturday is 50% off most items.

     So, what’s missing?  Vintage clothing.  I’m not saying I was rolling in vintage clothing in Kentucky but it wasn’t uncommon to find a piece here or there. And, then…I discovered why. I don’t have it on any authority, but it seems to me that Denver thrift stores put vintage clothing aside for Halloween. Imagine my surprise when I walked into my favorite ARC store a few weeks back and discovered rows of vintage clothes. I’m not saying that what I discovered was my favorite style or condition but, for better or worse, there was the vintage clothing I’d been missing.
     For Halloween, ARC promoted a “Boo It Yourself” costume contest. Having only lived in Denver for eight months, I don’t know if this is an annual contest.  Given the array of clothing and materials in ARC designated for Halloween, I figured you created a costume from what you purchased and submitted it to ARC for judging. Then, I learned that you create a costume through a matrix on their website, submit it to ARC and ARC posts the submissions to their Facebook page.  The costume idea that receives the most “likes” wins a $100.00 shopping spree to ARC. 

     As I was planning our wedding and moving towards my career job, it was necessary that I be conservative in my spending but I still managed to enjoy a few good deals from this promotion. For example, this lovely teal dress with its own crinoline sewn in that I'll enjoy wearing come the spring: 

Close-up of the fabric of the dress.

Yours 'till bobby pins on permanent waves get seasick,

Meteor Vintage

Devilish Delights

     Thursday night, Axl was on the phone and I began poking through Netflix. Ultimately, I noticed The House on Haunted Hill. I have seen bits and pieces of the remake and was not impressed but I had heard that the original was the way to go. I was not disappointed. I promptly made a goal to see Vincent Price's other movies. Such a handsome devil!

     When The House on Haunted Hill completed, it was still early and I happened  to see:

I love Elvira. I think she is hilarious. Elvira, Mistress of the Dark is funny and campy and oh, so Eighties! Like me, you'll probably marvel at how Elvira (Cassandra Peterson) fits in her wardrobe and how Edie McClurg happened to show up in every movie from that time and still looks the exact same now as she did then.  

     If you find yourself home alone this Halloween weekend, don't fear! You now have two great movies to keep you company. Her name is Elvira but, as she says in the movie, you can call her 'tonight'...that is...'tonight' on Netflix.

Yours 'till bobby pins on permanent waves get seasick,

Meteor Vintage

Lazy Sunday

     This past weekend, Axl found himself with unexpected time off. After we made our way to three or four coffee shops (It's what we do. Axl is more coffee obsessed than I, but I still reap the reward of getting to drink good coffee), we did a little antiquing, thrifting, and eating. Lazy Sunday, indeed!

Black Eye Coffee.  Don't get me wrong, I like their coffee, but I love their vintage details.

          At Black Eye, we watched live feed of the Red Bull Stratos jump. Holy cow! I had tears in my eyes.  To jump from the stratosphere and land on Earth? Scary beautiful.

     After we left Black Eye, we found an old wooden desk on the side of the street in need of a fresh coat of paint and some love. I think we both had visions of that desk dancing in our heads. Sadly, it wouldn't fit in the car. I should have taken a picture of it but we were more or less in the middle of the road like a hot mess.

     At one of the next coffee shops, we asked a friend what we should do with the day and he told us about The Brass Armadillo. Off we went! There were many great booths. Some of them were like little dream rooms to me.

I'm sad this one is blurry because look at that Pyrex!

Coffee grinders for Axl.  We've only seen the black metal and wood versions before.

I find these dolls from time to time. I don't know what they're called. I  cannot say I am fond of this clown one.

'Tis the season!

     After a few hours of shopping (and seeing several items from our childhood), we were tired and hungry. It was time to eat! I appreciate kitsch, even in the form of food, so when Axl told me about  Taco John's I just had to check it out:

Chicken finger burrito with tater tots inside?  Sure!

Yours 'till bobby pins on permanent waves get seasick,

Meteor Vintage

Weekly Post

     A few weeks ago, I had the thought that I wanted to create a weekly posting.  Then...my wedding approached and all rational thought went out the window.  This was the scene on Saturday:

     Axl and I had a beautiful wedding and I can't wait to post more about our day and the diy involved.  Long-distance wedding planning created much talk of elopement!

     Meanwhile, Halloween is right around the corner.  Halloween is my fav-o-rite holiday and so today's post is about Cadbury Screme Eggs.  Have you seen these?  The trick-or-treater in me is squealing  with delight.  I first read about them on J.W. Ocker's Odd Things I've Seen and when I saw them tonight in my local Target I had to try one.  I love Cadbury Creme Eggs.  It used to be that you could only get them during the Easter season and by that, I mean, right before Easter.  There was none of this early merchandising we have today when I was in my youth.

     The following picture is of the inside of the egg.  The poor picture quality is a result of eating the darn thing in the car because I just couldn't wait!

     True to the advertising seen in the picture above, "the creme's gone green with the same great taste".

Yours 'till bobby pins on permanent waves get seasick,

Meteor Vintage

Long Time, No Post

     Moving out west, finding a job and planning a wedding has left me little time for...well...thinking.  I'm still vintage shopping (who can stop?), especially for my wedding which, I realized this morning, is only. twenty. days. away.  Oh my gosh!  So much to do!
     Axl and I are having a vintage-inspired wedding and have invited our guests to wear vintage or vintage-inspired items from the 1930's, 40's, or 50's.  I can't wait to post pictures and begin catching up my blog as well as post some of the items I've been hoarding for sale in my Etsy store.
     I've met some wonderful people in Denver and I was excited to attend last Saturday's Tiki Exotica Ball in Boulder.  I have to say, Colorado, you do vintage right.  Back home, a lot of women have a tendency to put on all their vintage at once and it just ends up looking like...I always say Mama's Family.  Hopefully, y'all remember that show like I do (either that or I am dating myself).
     Speaking of inappropriate vintage-wear, I think I was a little out of date having read the flyer wrong so I was a little more 1940's than 1950's for the ball but here you go just the same:

Yours 'till  bobby pins on permanent waves get seasick,

Meteor Vintage

Lucky Finds

Looking forward to this tomorrow!

Yours 'till bobby pins on permanent waves get seasick,

Meteor Vintage

Hey There, Little Red Riding Hood

     I'm loving this Volvo commercial featuring the vocals of Laura Gibson.

Yours 'till bobby pins on permanent waves get seasick,

Meteor Vintage

Welcome To The West

     So, Axl and I moved out west (18 hours from home, over 1,000 miles) for his job. Hence, the massive downtime here. We didn't have internet for the first few weeks and pressing the tiny buttons on my iPhone in order to post just wasn't cutting it for me. Bear with us! Lots of stories from the move are coming up.

Yours 'till bobby pins on permanent waves get seasick,

Meteor Vintage

Keeping Up?

It probably seems as though I am not keeping up with my resolution to post once a week but I am researchng a change or two to my blog.  Bear with me!

Yours 'till bobby pins on permanent waves get seasick,

Meteor Vintage

Happy New Year!

     Happy New Year! How were your holidays? During mine, I successfully graduated with my second bachelor's degree and sped right into time spent with family, friends, and Axl. What a blur!

     Lately, I have seen so many items I have wanted to buy but it is one of my resolutions not to buy anything else for my Etsy store (or myself) until I actually start selling items in my Etsy store. Sounds simple, right?
     Another of my resolutions is to post here at least once a week. That said, check out some neat-o furniture that was for sale Friday at our local Habitat Re-Store (Pardon the quality. These are phone pics.):

I love the pattern on this couch. It reminds me of the pattern on the couch in the next picture that is at one of my favorite Louisville coffee shops.

There was also this guy. A little too 70's for my liking but I think $85.00 is reasonable for a vintage velvet sofa bed:

Axl tends to disappear when I'm taking pictures. I finally discovered him sitting in one of two of these chairs. Same color scheme as the couches. I sincerely hope these didn't all come from the same house!

     We weren't in the market for furniture this trip but we enjoyed looking. Hope you found some great holiday bargains!

Yours 'till bobby pins on permanent waves get seasick,

Meteor Vintage