the snail and the cyclops: March 2010

Friday, March 26, 2010

Album 1935 - 1944

I don't normally post other's photographs ... but I have to make an exception for this series. Simply called Album 1935 - 1944 and it's unwaveringly my favorite thing on flickr. Pretty floral couches. Sleeping pups in baskets. Floaty 30s dresses. Vacation adventures (including knitting fingers) and sunny day record-listening afternoons. I want this life!

At Home (1937)

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The Cats

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Joi De Vivre

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Should this be allowed on Holiday?

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Listening to Music

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Draughtsman, Thursday 22 Aug 1935

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Throwing Stones

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New Camera, 1939 (#2)

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Visit to Whipsnade, May 1940

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Cornwall

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Home No. #4

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Visitor

Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Frolie Grasshopper Circus

I had another post in the works for today - but I decided the pictures wouldn't do... So, instead - double book days! Apologies for two days in a row of book matter!

The Frolie Grasshopper Circus was a little booklet put out by the Quaker Oats Company in 1898. I tried to do a bit of research on the booklet - grasshoppers doing circus tricks seems a strange match for oat meal - I'm really curious to learn a little more on the symbolism behind precariously balanced oat meal boxes on insect legs. But, I think it's just simple proof that the prizes in breakfast food boxes were 100x cooler then they are now. (If they even have prizes now?)

The booklet is strange, somewhat creepy but completely beautiful to me. The muted colors and pretty details of the grasshoppers. The subtle circus backdrops. Even the wretched beasts that be grain moths are looking good. I can't however, make any excuses for the creepy feelings that the clowns give me ... It's just those faces!

Anyway, without further ado - I present to you, The Frolie Grasshopper Circus:

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

What genus are you?

It's been a long time since I had a What Genus Are You? post! But, it's back and I hope to keep this somewhat a regular thing! Hunting the Archive's site for pretty things has become a new fix for junk/dress hunting - and it doesn't cost a penny!

These images come from a Belgian horticulture book written in French circa 1848 - there's a slew of volumes but unfortunately there's only 2 scanned. I imagine the rest of them are just perfect as well!

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Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Etsy sales for Easter visits!

Sorry for the silly blog post, but I'm having another Flea Market style sale! I forgot to buy my plane tickets to Boston for Easter and mannn they're getting expensive!

So, it'll be just like the last one - except the whole shop is up for grabs! I'll be running the sale for the next 24 hours (ending at 4:00 PM Pacific)

... So, pick your fancy from my shop and send me a message with an offer price. I'll write you back and either accept that price or offer a different one. If you agree on that price then I'll reserve the Item for you until 4:00 on Wednesday March 24th! One thing to remember is that the item has to be purchased and paid for by 4! And of course the golden rule of the flea market applies - the more you buy the more you save - so don't be shy and shop away!!

PS Alice also has a boat load of 30s/40s/60s dresses she got for me at an auction - so expect those to be listed once I get back in Massachusetts!

SF Spring Vintage Expo loot

The Spring SF Vintage Expo was this past weekend and the entire week before I was himm'ing and haw'ing about going. I'd heard that the prices were insanely expensive - and who wants to spend a day looking at pretty dresses you can't have? We went though, and I'm glad we did. We showed up on Saturday in the early afternoon to be greeted by the lovely duo that is The SF Style.

When I first started walking around I seriously got so overwhelmed by all the beautiful things I started tearing up. It was just - too much, too fast. So, I did the initial loop around - and then I pulled myself together to start the browsing. I have to do this with magazines too... I can't read any one thing until I flip through the entire thing.

The expo had mostly ladies clothing. A range from Edwardian lawn dresses to 60s polyester with some really amazing sheer/floaty 30s dresses in between. Lots of shoes, hats, jewelry, and sunnies too. There was also a really lovely selection of fabric and sewing notions - if only I were a dressmaker, it would have been a really great opportunity to stock a fabric stash. I was a little disappointed on the men's clothing situation. The few folks carrying menswear had mostly 50s rockabilly styles and not a single piece of nice workwear, denim, or collegiate attire to be found. Does this only exist in LA and on the East Coast?? I'm beginning to wonder....

... So, my loot - gosh.... what was supposed to be a weekend of no shopping for me, turned into 3 dresses, a coat, a scarf, and 3 old millinery flower do-dads for my hair... I have absolutely no self control.

I wore the 30s fruit print dress home on Saturday. And immediately stuck one of the flowers in my hair

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We ended up going back to the expo on Sunday and I wore the 40s geometric print dress ... I get so stupidly obsessed with new things... I wear them for days and days in a row until I'm sick of them.

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I lugged my camera with me to the expo (see proof of the thing making my bag look ridiculous) but I didn't snap a single photo. I know how crotchety old ladies get about taking photos of their stuff at expos and fleas, and I didn't even feel like getting a lecture. The Hummingbird Girls managed to get some good ones though!

Monday, March 22, 2010

Places to Visit: San Francisco and Lomo adventures, pt. 9 - Sutro Baths

Two weekends ago we made a spontaneous decision to visit the Sutro Baths. I wasn't expecting a mini-adventure that day so I only had half a roll of film in my lomo, and lemme tell you - if I had the film and it wasn't a bustling sunny Sunday with other people - I could have probably shot 2 or 3 rolls of film, so I'll have to get back there soon on a week day when it's a little less busy!