A Relic of My Own...

I received a special gift today.  From my mother.  It's a card from "The White House" directed to my grandmother, Kate McCraw, of Boligee, Alabama.  It's a thank-you card, from the Kennedy Administration on behalf of "The President and Mrs. Kennedy" for my grandmother's "thoughtfulness and expression of sympathy at this time."  The postmark on the envelope is August 19, 1963.  Ten days after the sad loss of the Kennedys' two-day-old baby son, Patrick Bouvier Kennedy, due to respiratory distress syndrome.

From one mother to another - my grandmother had sent Jackie Kennedy a sympathy note...

It was a special time to receive this gift from my mother.  I didn't even know it existed.  Sadly, my paternal grandmother passed away yesterday.  Maybe that's why my mother may have been looking back through her own mother's keepsakes, remembering a woman who was both strong and sensitive.  I imagine what the Kennedy loss would have meant for my grandmother, a mother of four herself.  As a mother of two of my own, I could never imagine how truly horrible it would be to lose a child.

Unfortunately, this was not Jackie Kennedy's only tragedy this year.  A mere three months after this card was sent, John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas.

In any case, while I find myself remembering my grandmother, a woman I was so very close to growing up, I am also so touched by this gift from my mother that I had to share it.  It really is beautiful.

Vintage Redux and Retro - Recipes

Ahh...just in time for Easter baking, look what I found in People Magazine (which I never read, because I am so above silly Hollywood gossip.  Unless I'm on a roadtrip...or apparently other times...as well). 

It's a modern take on the vintage classic - Shortbread Cookie meet your younger, slightly more sophisticated cousin, the Lemon Rosemary Shortbread Cookie...

Looks easy enough, no?

The Road to Hell...

Research and just plain good reading...where much of my time has gone...

...yada, yada, yada...

In my defense, I have been very Bold-Sparrow-Vintage busy.  Devotional, actually.  Nothing has stopped in the background, although the foreground listing process has...slowed...to say the least.  However, this is in no way an indication of the shop.  I have soooo many new items and so much to list, it's actually...exciting!  Keep a check on this site.  We're far from over.  And I am REALLY gonna try to keep the blog active.  If only I could clone myself....:)

Keep a look out for some more really cool vintage desk fans, vintage silverware, Mexican enamel ware, vintage milk bottles and tea cups, and so much more...

The Inappropriate Past, Pt. II - Valentines

Ah...St. Valentine's Day.  Let's all run off to Target and hunt for that perfect cheeseball greeting card that tries to express what we can't seem to say.  Back in Victorian times, these mementos were ornate and gorgeous, with lace overlays, landscapes, flowers, and cupids.  At the turn of the century and through the 1940's or so, the idea of humor was injected into the novelty, and the result was often...strange.  Strange, confusing, and downright inappropriate.  See for yourself...

The Bizarre

Dental humor...this guy must get all the chicks.

What?!?  Oh...it's a beet.  Lame.  NEXT!

I'd like to think it's a dairy cow, but apparently not.  Excuse me while I take a break to cry in the corner for a spell.  Thanks, Honey.

The (Highly) Suggestive

Well, it is Valentine's Day...

No caption necessary.  But I will just point out that this is jointed with a brad, so the monkey, um...eats...the banana.  It's a very bad monkey.

Aww...so sweet.  Um, does the canon HAVE to be flesh-colored?  No.  No, it doesn't.  But it is.

The Threatening

This card is preferred by 3 out of 4 serial killers.

Uh, does that kid have a black eye?  Yikes.

It's the steroids.  He used to be such a nice boy.

The Offensive

Racist AND chauvinist??  What a gem.  Ugh...

And on that note, let's be done with it.

Have you come across some interesting vintage valentines?  Let's share!!

Vintage Weddings - The Hollywood Glam Wedding

Don't save the drama for your mama...save it for your big day.  Think big.  Lots of bling and vintage glamour.  Go.all.out.

1.59 Old European cut diamond engagement ring, c. 1924.  Price tag?  $10,000.00.  And you're worth every penny, dahling...

Gorgeous "Vintage Glam" wedding invitation suite from Shine Wedding Invitations.  They have a myriad of elegant designs to choose from...

The perfect dress...

And for the girls...

A bouquet studded with vintage brooches...

And a parachute ceiling adds to the dramatic feel...

Grand floral centerpieces...

This is one of those "money-is-no-object" types of affairs.  Think over-the-top mid-century movie starlet meets Kardashian drama, and go wild!!

Vintage Weddings - The Rustic Barn Wedding

This time of year, I always have weddings on my mind.  Between Valentine's Day and my own wedding anniversary approaching, it's just in the air.  Ah, Internet.  Thanks to you, I have already planned my next six weddings (so far).  There are so many very, very cool ideas, and the vintage theme is EXPLODING into everything right now.  Here are some details for what I am calling the Rustic Barn Vintage Wedding Theme.  Enjoy!

Burlap.  'Nuff said.

Wildflowers in tin cans, vintage outdoor furniture...

Love the rustic old crates.  Love this entire setting...

Who says you can't have chandeliers in a barn?

Or do chandeliers, paper lanterns, and white string lights to set the mood...

These gorgeous flowers feature burlap, twine, and buttons, providing even more rustic charm...

Mixed vintage China in subdued hues...

Here's why vintage anything is cool, in a nutshell...

I see this as a fairly casual theme revolving around rustic vintage details, burlap, old wood serving and display pieces, mixed vintage china, and wildflowers, with soft hues and lighting (that being said, I'd love to cover the small side table in the second photo with a burlap tablecloth).  I like a soft sage green or lavender as a color.  Better yet, a slate blue.  What design details would you make part of a "rustic barn" wedding theme?  Sigh...this is way too fun.

In any case, start collecting pieces now.  (Why not?)  Even if you're not getting married, most of these vintage details translate nicely into the home.  For example...

Welcome to 2012...a week later...

So let's come out with it.  Yes, my Christmas tree is still up.  But, no, the outside lights have come down.  December of 2011 was good to me, but it's time to move on.  It's 2012, a new year of hope, promise, and redemption.  Or the last year of our lives, according to the Mayans. We'll see, I guess.

Already it's a time of great change in the Bold Sparrow Household.  As of this week, I will be leaving the comfort of my "real" job to do this full-time.  By "this" I mean selling my vintage wares on my Etsy site, and by "full-time" I mean as full-time as I can get with two toddlers.

Never in my life have I been in more need of establishing and fulfilling my New Year's Resolutions.  In my Etsy life, they involve being more active in blogging, and more prolific in listing items.  That being said, hang in there.  I have a LOT of cool stuff yet to come, and I will be getting it all out in the next three months (Resolution #6).  In the meantime, enjoy some of my recent(-ish) listings:

 

So, let's kick the year off with a little incentive.  10% off any item at Bold Sparrow Vintage with the coupon code: BSVBLOG12.  Enjoy, and as always, let me know if you're looking for a specific vintage or antique item.  I will gladly scour various sources to see what I can find...