It's all about that child..................

Another year slips by. We come again to the time to remember that, when we have nothing to offer, He comes. A defenseless child comes to bear the weight of our struggles…impossible but true. God acknowledges that I cannot help myself in the most important issues of life, but He can. He sends His Son because I have no hope without Him. He sends His Son because I cannot. What an unthinkable celebration! We celebrate being small, being cared for, being relieved of our burden. It seems to me that every other holiday requires something of us, celebrates something we have done…but not Christmas. These days exalt our inability and His total sufficiency. We give gifts not because we have so much but in order to remember we have nothing at all. He had to give us the gift of life and there was no exchange. I have nothing to give back. Christmas is about receiving not giving. My prayer for you is that you can enter into the season with this wonderful truth in mind. It is all about Him giving to us and we rest and receive. Emmanuel! All of life in one word… God is with us. Merry Christmas!

Many blessings to all of you!!!

cathi

More Mother & Child Photos..........................

Well we are only 2 weeks from Christmas as I write this...and as much as I want to show you so many photos...I just can't pull myself away from Mother & child photos...

I love them!
I must admit...they are not always easy to find...I am sure that is because these are the ones that are kept in families...so these dont show up all the time...but every now and then...I strike Gold..
and that is this week!! GOLD!
The first...
IS AMAZING and it is REAL ...not one of those photos that are posed and are of models..but this is a wonderful photo from a photographer taken in a clients home of a beautiful mother and her child..
do you not LOVE those clothes? I mean..how come we cant wear something like that???
Then the second...
well..she is just too pretty!! and that baby soooo young...how in the world does she keep her hair when that baby is soo young!! beautiful...

and the third..
(in person this is a true 10!!)
is one of my favs..the dress..the way that baby is sure to be pulling on the beads..(beads..come on now..who can wear beads around a baby??) it is simply lovely!!

during this Christmas season...when we celebrate the greatest birth...I am often drawn to those beautiful photos of mothers...

a year ago...i lost my own mother during this season...and this year..i have grown to only love and appreciate her more...

and my own children...

ah the beauty of moms...........
(but you sure won't catch me in BEADS with a baby!!)
cathi

PS:
AS A MOM...I WOULD BE REMISS TO NOT LET YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT JJAY IS UP TO IN HER EBAY.
CURRENTLY, SHE IS GOING TO BE MAJORING ON WEDDING PHOTOS AND HER STORE'S NEW NAME AND NEW LOOK IS CATHERINE SIMMS VINTAGE WEDDING PHOTOS
CHECK IT OUT!!

Getting ready for the holidays..........

Every year, We make a BIG DEAL out of Christmas...our children are scattered all over the world...and the ONE rule is that they MUST be home for Christmas...
For the last 20 years, we HAD a BIG house and decorating it was a 2 day project.
I was OVER THE TOP when it came to decorating...crazy ....it was a Christmas paradise!And everyone came over and the holidays were a BIG thing...we invited everyone to our Christmas...and we had soo much fun!

but, this year, as with so many people today, business was hard...and we inherited a quaint little house...and the smartest idea was to DOWNSIZE and move.To be debt free....to live a simpler life.

so we moved...and although, our home hasn't yet sold...but we are completely out of it...and into the quaint little house....

now, because it hasn't sold, we haven't done any renovation to our "new" old home.....and the house is old......and hopefully, next year will be a big renovation year...
but not yet..

so our family...will have to share bedrooms, bathroom, and it will be a tight Christmas..a little Christmas....and there is NO room for over the top..not at this moment!

as an American..used to having it all...
that is kind of hard..in fact I feel a bit foolish being so sad about not being able to decorate like i used to...or to have the big flight of stairs my kids used to sit on every Christmas morning before they got their stockings...

but as a mother wanting to be with my kids....well, I found this photo today....something I bought from an estate...

and as I looked at it...I was again reminded....that it is NOT about Stuff. It is not about having more...it is about being content with what we have.

With all the ads...all the "stuff" we often forget these truths....
the "stuff" the "buy me nows" pull at us...

2009 ....many of us Americans have had to learn to change some of our priorities..

I think many of us will all have a different Christmas this year...
maybe not as much under the tree...
but hopefully we will learn to really appreciate what we do have...............

cathi

Madonna Mother & Child Photos.......

Over the years I have found several different madonna photos...where the moms dress up and have their babies dressed in cloth with them...
So beautiful...
This week...in honor of the Christmas Season that has come upon us...
I have a Madonna and baby photo I recently found....
(the top one!)
May this season be a blessing to you.............times of love ...reflection....and hope....

cathi

Thankful...............

To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude
means to take nothing for granted,
but to always seek out and value
the kind that will stand behind the action.
Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course.
Everything originates in a will for the good,
which is directed at you.
Train yourself never to put off
the word or action for the expression of gratitude.
Albert Schweitzer


Thankful for all of you...fellow photo lovers....
cathi

It is ALREADY November 19th!.........

Christmas is literally peaking around the corner.....

HOW did this year go so fast???

Well, for any of you that might have read any of my old posts..and knew that my mother died and i inherited our old family home....so with that and a poor business climate, my husband and i decided that we needed to sell our LARGE home...and move...well...after only a few weeks on the market......well...we seem to have sold our house!!!
(I say this ever so cautiously because closing is still a few weeks away)...yet the contracts are signed and if there was a theme for my year..it would be CHANGE....

and now.....Christmas seems to be peaking around the corner...
soon it will be time for all my children to come back home (?..ok we moved in a much smaller house...so where will they all fit?) and time for making all those wonderful memories that get you thru the hard times....

it has been almost a year since my mother has died and there still isn't a day she isn't thought of or missed....

still Christmas is peaking around the corner....a new Christmas..with so many changes.. A Christmas of new beginnings....as it should be...

so lately i have become infatuated with fairy/angel photos...
mostly always featuring little children...dressed up like angels...

as this new season peaks around the corner.................
(love those photos!)

cathi

What a Gibson Wedding photo.................

Well, This week...has been full...............we finally got an offer on our house...and so it is that crazy time when we have to go thru all the numbers...and at the same time.. I have been trying to get photos up...hunt for more photos..(have an appointment tomorrow to meet with some people who want to sell their photos) and still try to get the house together.............BUSY ...

then...............in the midst of it all...i found THIS..............

now understand..I find photos all the time..in fact it is my day job! then i put them in files and keep them safe ...then, when i am going to list photos, i go thru my photo room and then decide what to post.

so I was in my photo room ......and I was FRIED..really stressed...and trying to be calm (which was not working!) and then i found THIS.............

now the color on this is BEAUTIFUL...
the dress...oh so lovely..........
and the woman....so attractive...( in my DREAMS i look like this!)
the man...boldly sitting in the chair....

beautiful image...
calmed me right down...loved it....

so my pep talk for this week is ..if things get a little rough......take a moment..look at a photo or two...it can really help....

OR if you get frustrated and everyone around you is driving you nuts.....

you might like this photo instead!!

cathi

News...Deals...and more....

As I have shared in other posts...my daughter Jjay has a new store...and I wanted you to ALL know that she is having a SALE! If you are interested in DEALS ...the name of her store on ebay at this moment is charjayhay .

She is going to be featuring lots of mid century things...and lots of old 50's photos..
and she has BIG DEALS THIS WEEK!!

As for Chatham Ho Treasures....well, lately, I am in love with the 20s and dance photos and all of that..(although there will always be brides in my store!)

This is one of my latest photos...this is from a movie that was done in 1928........oh to dress like this on a daily basis..must have been fun...............

anyhow..wanted to let you know...........................................

cathi

Edith Mason's beautiful portrait............

Well this is my recent photo crush!
I must admit, when I found this photo....I couldn't even begin to think of listing it...
so it sat happily in my BEAUTIFUL STUFF I DONT WANT TO PART WITH pile.

but... this IS my business...soo.....

I researched the photo...and found out that this beautiful 1920s photo was none other than EDITH MASON...a wonderful opera singer that sang in the Chicago Opera in 1921.
(this photograph was done in Chicago)

And if you go to youtube you can hear her beautiful voice...

what is really unusual about this photo is, that I have a large collection of twin dancers...the only collection I do not let myself part with...and it is quite extensive. Anyhow..these girls named Velma and Selma danced with the Chicago Opera company in 1921.

Meaning ...they knew our Edith....
I have loads of photos of them traveling with the opera company...now is Edith in one of those photos?

What a unique time ...1920s...when the world was so exciting..full of new adventure..so many changes in technology...so many changes in the world....

love that era....

Have a great photo week....and enjoy Edith...........

cathi

Happy Halloween

This is my darling daughter...(see..told you I loved costumes!)

cathi

When a photo is like a piece of art...........

When I was a little girl, my mother would make our family travel from Chicago once a year to St. Joseph, Missouri to visit an elderly lady named Millie. Now, Millie was no relation really to my mother, but since all my mom's family was gone..this woman filled in, like an elderly aunt. And my mother loved her.

Now Millie had no children...and her home was FILLED with antiques...I was not to touch ANYTHING..which was always hard when I went to visit her. So I was made to sit very carefully on the couch in her living room....while Millie told stories and poured us tea and spent special time with mom. (My brother and dad were always back at the hotel..)

In her beautiful living room, there hung a large portrait of Millie as a young ingenue. She had a beautiful dress on (much like this photograph) and I would look at it for what seemed like hours...behaving in this very beautiful...but delicate home. As years went by..I always came back to see Millie's portrait...and the last time I saw her, she retold the story of her "coming out party" and the gown she wore.

After Millie died, the portrait was given to the historical society...but I never forgot that fashion

Then, the other day...I found this photo....it is simply beautiful in person..and although the woman was much older than Millie in the painting..the style was just like the one that I had memorized so long ago.......

Although this is not a painting the photography on this is so soft and so beautiful..it is like an art piece......

wow...I love old images..................


Cathi

Gazing into a pond....

Lately I have been finding some awesome photos....
soo many that are almost HURTING to let them go...............

this one is EXCEPTIONAL!...
1920s...incredible costume...design...really wonderful...
(and for sale this week on ebay!)

....anyway...this photo kind of reminds me of when my kids were going to be brownies...I of course was a brownie leader and my girls were SO excited when it was their turn to be brownies..

anyhow..there was this ceremony where we put this mirror on the floor...decorated it of course..and then took the girls and turned them around...and we all said:

"Twist me and turn me and show me the elf:

I looked in the pond and I saw.......

MYSELF"


Then we would pin the brownie pin on them..and they were to become brownies...full of good deeds and loads of fun meetings...


so...every time..i look at this photo, i keep thinking of this song...

ok.....this is NOTHING like this photo(she HARDLY looks like a brownie...)...but hey.............all photos provoke memories ..eh???

Have a great week!!
cathi

to be a fairy princess....

Did you ever want to be a fairy princess for Halloween?

On Halloween, when I was a little girl, every year in our town we would have a costume contest and there were prizes!...so all the children came out for it.... Each year I would dream for weeks of winning the prize. But my mother couldn't sew.. so each year at the last minute she would pull out an old clown costume she bought somewhere and MADE me wear it. I had to wear it EVERY YEAR and I hated clowns and I never won....

I would look at the other children that would win and wish i had fancy costumes like them... and I would dream that one day I would get a special costume......and maybe i would be a fairy princess...but i would be the most beautiful fairy princess ever........

So, of course...when I had girls...I vowed I would make them costumes that they would win 1st place..no matter what!

Each year, my costumes were elaborate...i would spend a fortune at the fabric stores just to make something no one else would have..
and of course i would have to design my own costumes...taking apart patterns so that over the years my kids were everything from
egyptians to japanese, from cabbage patch kids to money ladies, there was even a year i made them all shoes...you name it... every costume was so over the top...i was competing year after year to win the prize....

only there were no costume contests ....so there were no prizes...

Finally one year, my kids could tell by the gleam in my eye that halloween would soon be there and the annual trip to the fabric store would begin....
and they all ganged up on me....and said...

MOM ! CANT WE JUST BE FAIRY PRINCESSES
JUST NORMAL FAIRY PRINCESSES
PLEASE!

CANT WE PLEASE GO TO A STORE AND BUY A COSTUME!! AND JUST BE FAIRY PRINCESSES?

well of course i did go to a store...and bought dresses...and added a lot of trim...and a bit more sparkle..........well...you know....they still had to be the BEST most BEAUTIFUL fairy princesses every....


~I came upon this photo the other day...
(it is even better in person one of my favorites!)

and I remembered Halloweens of years ago.....and every girls inner dream......to be a fairy princess.....

happy october...
cathi

Navigating around Ebay these days

Lately there have been a lot of changes in Ebay. I have discussed this last year in a number of posts and have been very involved with other sellers trying to get our voices heard...and some things ebay really listened to us in...yeah!...(they are stilllll Changing!!)

so now there are some new changes that as buyers it is important to know:

As you probably know- there has been a BEST MATCH component to finding items at auction.
instead of NEWLY LISTED or ENDING SOONEST, the default goes immediately to BEST MATCH.

This is because the company wants us and wants you to BUY IT NOW.
so BUY IT NOW items are higher in the best match...except when the auctions are almost over.

now for me, I usually list lower prices in my auctions then i do for buy it now. (if you want a deal...the auctions are really the way to go!) I like auctions...and i like the fun they are..and when there are things that I want to buy.... if they are at a "buy it now"..i may never FIND it..let alone BUY it...so I am an auction girl all the way.
(unless it is a book or something)

so I ALWAYS go to the pull down screen that says Best match and change it to NEWLY LISTED. then i see all the new things that have been listed in my section...
then I change it to ENDING SOONEST...and i see what is about to end on auction...
Now, I collect information from ballet from the 1920s and am always hunting thru auctions for things on this subject (as well as gifts for others and so on)

So the news is that the BEST MATCH feature will soon be even more modified...and you will see MOSTLY buy it now in the best match setting. As sellers, we just got this news the other day. so I wanted you all to know how to work with this feature.

The reason is Ebay is changing..and trying to find it's way...with a new CEO and loads of losses in its company...Ebay is trying to understand the marketplace..(that and I dont think that the current CEO of Ebay knows anything about auctions!!)

BUT...I still think that Ebay is the BEST place to find unique and unusual things...but it is changing and I wanted you all to know about some of these changes...

ah well...happy photo hunting...
just wanted to pass this information on to you...
another day for more ebay discussion...
time to look for those old ballet magazines!!

cathi

Fun photos from Vaudveville era...

I have recently fallen IN LOVE with old 1900s-1920s Vaudeville/performers photos..
It is the costumes...the styles..you name it..I love it!

It all stated a few years ago when I was looking up something on ebay and ran across photos that were simply stunning. It was being sold by someone who loved beautiful portraits...and I had never seen anything like it in my life.. they were women of the 1920s...stars and unknowns in simply Glamorous photos!

then...not long after that..I ran into a HUGE estate of a set of twin dancers...
and I bought it...

All of it...

and then i had to begin to sell off some of my other collections..because..well, you cant keep everything...

well...then i was hooked..
old photos from dance and vaudeville eras were beautiful!! i mean some are funny...
and some were incredible...and
well you know they wont be around forever...
and i began to hunt for them...and hunt and hunt...
even went into an abandoned house in Chicago and found a batch..Now that is hunting!

like this one here that is listed above this..
it is from a family collection that were in vaudeville and this is early 1900s..
how cute is this photo!!

anyhow...you will see more and more of this era on Chatham Ho treasures this fall and holiday..

and maybe you will fall in love with them too...........................

or not...

thats ok...
cuz i can always ad more to my collection...
smile!

cathi

Jjay OPENS NEW Ebay STORE!!! w wedding photos!

Can I brag about my daughter???

I know ...this is a blog about photos...BUT...I must tell you what an AWESOME daughter I have!

She is now Selling on Charjayhay's vintage finds Now, I originally started this store, and named it....so that means she will probably come up with some very clever name..but for now..this is the name of the ebay store (oh and we just got TOP SELLER status!! yeah!)

On her website..you will see 1950s Midcentury finds...fabrics..photos..things like this...

AND

WEDDING PHOTOS..

1920s and before..

Like this INCREDIBLE photo I posted here...

so NOW we are officially in competition!!! Smile!!

She has GREAT taste and this lovely image is from her new collection!!

Chatham Ho Treasures (my store) will be focusing on photos BEFORE 1950...

and I have loads of fun vaudeville...(I have officially fallen in love with this era)

and of course

I will always carry

Wedding photos...

.................................................................................................................................

So please visit her....she is lonely over there..and misses all of you!!

I, on the other hand am so happy to be back!!

Have a great photo loving day!!

Cathi

Change is in the air!

ok.............crazy times....

This summer...beginning in July...my hubby and I sold a family home in Iowa.. and I called out my lovely daughter Jjay to come and help me and we worked on packing and moving and an estate sale. (that was Estate Sale #1)

THEN

my lovely daughter Jjay, came back to Illinois where she helped me get rid of things in my mothers old home and helped me do another estate sale. (that would be Estate sale#2)

THEN

The following week, Jjay helped me PACK up our home...

because we decided to move and Downsize (or as my hubby calls it..RIGHT SIZE) our life

since i inherited my mothers home.

(that would be Estate sale #3)

The photo on top is my house...it is big...6 bedrooms...and we always had it filled..with our children or other people's kids...this was my old life...my hubby and i worked with youth for years....

(all the while doing photos on the side!)

then one by one..as the years rolled on....the kids moved out...are on their own...and now we have a large house...and we inherited a much smaller one......

so we made the plunge...

signed the contract to sell it...

and moved our things to our much smaller home..

now during all this change...my daughter JJay had taken over my ebay business for me...

and now....in a few days...Jjay is heading back to Connecticut where she resides with her hubby...and I will go back to Chatham Ho Treasures.

BUT

Jjay found out that SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH OLD PHOTOS...so she will now be selling photos under charjayhay Treasured Finds (where I was selling the past few months because I found so much stuff I had to sell!)

I am blessed with an AWESOME daughter....who I trust has taken care of all of you over the past 9 months...

I am so proud of her and her husband who gave their time unselfishly to her dad and me during this crazy time.....

so I am sure you will be seeing alot of her....she LOVES old wedding photos and plans on selling lots of them.....

so it is time for me to RIGHT SIZE my life...

to live a little simpler....

and still ...oh yes....to enjoy those special moments...

Cathi

ps...dont forget to check out charjayhay next week...

A Collection of My Favorite 1950s Photos

Woman at the park, under lovely blossoms

This photo just says "relax, and enjoy the day circa 1950s style"

Great shot of a 1950s Ford Consul Car (made in Great Britain)

A Boy's Basketball team, c1950s. Look at those goofy uniforms!

Time to Fish for Vintage Photos

Ah, it's summer time & I haven't even gone fishing... But I have gone fishing for vintage photos and have found lots of good "catches" Such as this one. This photo is of a man fishing in Lake Wenatchee in August of 1911.

I'll bet if I saw a photo of a man in August 2009 fishing in Lake Wenatchee, it wouldn't look much different. Some things just stay the same. Its a comforting fact, when so much around us changes.

I wish I was fishing right now.

Wish it was time to relax and enjoy the stillness of the water, and the gentle pull of a fish at my reel...

So, if you can't get out there and look for some real fish, make sure to look for some vintage photos! Now is the time. Summer is a great season for deals!

*Jjay

THE ESTATE SALE

This is the Momma...and I just wanted to write to let you know what my wonderful daughter has been doing...while you might have been looking for new listings...my daughter has been working day and night helping me with my mothers estate sale!

today we had the sale ...and this photo is just what it was like!!

after a long day..(many months in the making) she ran home to post..."i only have a few photos up..i have been so busy!!"

she is truly a great daughter...and now i have fully caused her to be addicted to photos as well!!

ah a true mother and daughter business...smile!

hope your summer is great.....we ...are still digging out of the sale..(over tomorrow)

bittersweet...(my mother would have had so much fun at it!) but wonderful to share with my daughter....

cathi (jjays proud mom)

"That snapshot stayed in my memory"

I found this wonderful story of a life long love affair that began with a single vintage snapshot & I had to share it....

"93-year-old from Arlington Heights pops question to former sweetheart, 92"

The newpaper article explains how this man met & fell back into love with his former sweetheart, after 8 long decades! Both were married, had children, and were widowed. Years later the woman sent a photo to the man of the two of them as children. As quoted in the Daily Herald:

"For McKitrick, marrying Beatty marks the culmination of a lifelong love story.

He recalls a day, many years ago, when the two of them stood in the Wisconsin sunshine and talked about how one day, they would marry each other.

"I still picture her as my third-grade sweetheart. I've carried that in the back of my mind since that time," said McKitrick, who counts among his prized possessions a photograph taken of the two of them about that time.

"That snapshot stayed in my memory," he said, "and her face stayed in my memory."

This is the reason why snapshots and old photographs are important.

Who knows, the photo may have been torn or smudged, but it helped to rekindle a love that had died out years before. To read more, please follow this link http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=308819

Enjoy

HUGE SALE ON VINTAGE PHOTOS!

Lazy Days of Summer Sale Starts Today!

MY FIRST EVER 1/2 OFF SALE!!!

For one week only save 50% off all of my store inventory (Over 250 items!)

If you haven't stopped by in a while, and were waiting for a great time to save on vintage photos, now is the time!

www.chathamhotreasures.com

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions!

Jjay

Home at Last~Finding Old Photos

It's a funny thing to go home, for some reason one turns into their old self.

For me, its the "High School Me" Since I've been home I've been to Starbucks a few more times than normal, and I even bought Wilco's new CD. (I haven't bought CD's for a long time!)

But, best of all my Mom & I went hunting for Vintage Photos! We found some fun ones, and I probably paid way too much for them, but then I justify it because I actually sell some of my treasures.

This was my favorite find. Its a 1920s Snapshot of a woman on the beach with her dog.

For some reason it looks like a painting. Like I have seen it before...Maybe its a painting I will do some day. I love the wood on the beach & how the tip of her dress is flapping in the wind. She looks content, and happy. She must be visiting Home.

HAPPY 4th!

HOT...oh my it is HOT...this is the momma writing..because JJay is taking advantage of the heat and getting a tan...me, the momma..do not want more wrinkles!!!

Well, it is soon to be the 4th of July week...and THIS IS THE TIME TO TAKE PHOTOS!

(although..note to self: dont take too many photos of 4th of july parades...unless you know someone in them!!~ cant tell you how many funny photos I have found like that in my boxes!)

I love this photo of the kids at the water...oh...water...oh...it is soo HOT

( was over 95 in the great Chicago area...HUMIDITY!)

BY THE WAY....HAVE A GREAT 4th...Happy Birthday America...Happy picnics everyone!!

oh and happy photos .......

and sooooon (I am so sure....) you will hear from Jjay again........after that swim in the pool that is!!

the momma aka cathi

WHERE ARE YOU JJAY???

WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER? WHY HASN'T SHE POSTED SINCE MAY 29TH?

AND WHAT IS THIS??? ON HER EBAY PAGE???

signed the momma

The Pensive Bride

This vintage Bridal Portrait is just too lovely!
c 1920s-1930s
She looks like she is thinking deeply about life....and the love that will soon be her husband.


Let all thy joys be as the month of May
And all thy days be as marriage Day
Let sorrow, sickness and a troubled mind
Be stranger to thee.
To a Bride: Francis Quarles, 1635.

Its a rainy day & I'm waiting for my rainbow

1920s vintage photo of a lovely girl. who, in my opinion, looks like shes waiting for a rainbow... a bit of color, a splash of life, something exciting. She is all dressed up with no where to go...

"The best thing about a storm is the rainbow that appears at the end of it.

Its been raining a lot here.
Dreary days.
Cloudy skies.
Puddles.
And now, very green grass.

Sometimes life is filled with little storms.
Lightning that illuminates our situations.
Thunder that wakes us from our sleep.
And rain drops, like hail, that pound at our window sill.

There is something so beautiful about the rain.
It washes away the dirt and quenches our deepest thirsts.
Rain, like water, fills.

Its been raining a lot.
For what feels like months.
And only just today did I see a rainbow in the sky.
A full half circle.
Then, the blue sky invaded pushing the gray away."

--Jjay

It ain't over till the fat lady sings!

This Vintage 1950s Photo was taken by photographer Allan J. Delay. I feature a lot of his collection on my ebay store. For some reason, I have really begun to like 1950s Black & White photos...and am on the search for more!

Today I realized that with life its not over until the fat lady sings! Sometimes we cant see how everything will work out, or how all the little pieces will come together.
LIFE is still happening to us, and we can't always see the larger picture....

The phrase "It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings" is a proverb essentially meaning that one should not assume the outcome of some activity (frequently a sports game) until it has actually finished.

Case in point the Boston Celtics vs. the favored Chicago Bulls.
After many overtimes & a lengthy few games, the Celtics eventually won out against the Bulls.
Too bad. I was really hoping the Bulls would win..
Jjay

White Orchid~Vintage Postcard Photo!

Real Photo Postcard (RPPC) From Brazil, Postally Used & dated 1908

Its my birthday in one day. So, as always, I have to tell my husband what I want.
Yesterday while we were at the store, a LOVELY WHITE ORCHID stole my glance.
It now sits on a ledge in my home.
Orchids are symbols of peace & beauty. I wore two flowers in my hair on my wedding day. My husband says their unique shape is "sensual." It made me wonder about Orchids in the past. If they were common in North America or not. Apparently the US has many native Orchids. Orchids of Wyoming, Nebraska, etc. (http://www.orchids.org/ooc/na_orchids/us_orchids_java.shtml)
I often list photos with Calla Lilies. People loved them back then & they still love them now! But, I have never found an old photo of orchids, till now! I searched through the wild wild web and found this vintage orchid postcard photo! Wow! Unfortunately it is way over priced, even for me....I will have to wait till I find some of my own.
Jjay

Vintage Double Wedding Photos!

Seeing Double? Nope! Its just Double WEDDING Week in my store & I had to share it with all of my blogger friends! These are just too unique & are rarely ever found!! 1 in 500 & I have 3 of them!!! (That is also because I sell a lot of photos-higher possibility of finding the "golden ticket")

Lets look at the facts...according to Wikipedia, of course, "A double wedding is a single ceremony where two affianced couples rendezvous for two simultaneous or consecutive weddings. Typically, a fiancé with a sibling might plan a double wedding with that sibling. In the Philippines, however, the wedding of two siblings within the same year is considered bad luck and is called sukob."
OOPS! I think these couples may be guilty of this Sukob!

Did you know that "Double Wedding" is also the name of a film in 1937?

Honestly, a double wedding is such a foreign concept, especially since the brides I am familiar with are insanely selfish about their wedding day (including myself of course!)
But, in this economy it might just be a better option for friends & siblings...
Who knows maybe the idea of double weddings will gain some renewed popularity?!
All I know is that they make for excellent vintage photos...
Jjay

Where do I put all these Vintage Photos?

Adorable little Girl. A bit nervous of the camera, but then she gets into it :) These Photos are from a photographer who took a lot of childrens photos in the 1940s-1950s. She is just too cute.

Where is the best place to store lost Art? To store someones fondest memories, greatest loves, or secret moments?

Its been a few months since I moved out to the East Coast & I am still unsettled. I have my store area organized, but I have moved it (or had it moved on me) 3 Times! GRR!!!
That's a lot for me.
I'm getting a bit frustrated to say the least.
I just don't want to misplace any of these treasures & I want to make sure to store them properly (away from heaters & windows!) I have so many photos, they take up a huge area in my living room!

It got me thinking. What do people do with all their photos? Most of the photos I find have been stored in someones basement, or the back of their closest for years, just waiting to be seen! Sometimes they smell like mildew (I hate that!) and sometimes they look as though no one has touched them for over 100 years, in perfect condition! What is their secret? And is it better to have a well loved photo or a photo in mint condition?
Funny thing is the photos in mint condition sell better, but I am sure they were not as highly valued by the owner (probably not framed or even taken out of the box). Its difficult to set a price on "value." What is the true Value of an item? To one person it is garbage, good for nothing. To another it is their most prized possession. How sad then, when finally a trove of photos are found people toss or sell them.

Well, Spring has arrived (as of March 20th!), and I have funneled all of my frustration with moving my store from one corner of the room to the other into planting!!

Yesterday I planted a delicious herb garden with Lavender, Dill, Parsley, Oregano, Cilantro, Sweet Basil, & Sage. Or should I say, I "started" the seeds. Meaning, I am keeping them in a plastic container in my window sill to help the seeds get started (without fear of frost).
I think my husband (who purchased the seeds) was just trying to keep me from getting too upset at him for moving my stuff around, but it worked!
I cannot wait to see them bud..... In life it is just as important to have something to look forward to, as it is to bring closure to our past (boxing up old photos :) & order to our present!
Enjoy today, Jjay

The EXTRAordinary

Extraordinary Vintage Wedding Photo. Why is it Extraordinary? Look at the little girl holding the train of her dress. Look at their hats & lovely outfits. Incredible & in incredible condition!

Besides my own auctions at chathamhotreasures.com (hopeless plug in) here are few extraordinary things I found while looking for the ordinary....

1. Japanese Corrugated Cardboard Furniture ($28.80) Don't ask me why this stood out, but maybe its because you can make your own furniture out of cardboard!! (I have tons of that!)
2. Prince Charles Love Letters ($30,000) Enough said. wow. Thats too much money for a depressing storyline.
3. The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss!! ($1,505) Who knew he had secret artwork? How cool is that!

4. A New Website by Ebay called World of Good!! I love it! Everything is fair trade, recycled & helps to promote awesome habits in today's society. So my question is this, are vintage photos considered "recycled items" on their site, since I am saving them from being thrown out? In order to sell on their new site I have to be identified by a third party as being Eco-friendly. Apparently Antiques are not necessarily considered "recycled items"....but maybe they just don't want the site flooded with antique dealers!

If you find anything extraordinary while searching for the ordinary, let me know. Jjay

Tiny Imperfections Show Lots of Character

Lately I have found some hidden treasures which at first glance seemed worthless. Why are we too quick to judge the perfection of an image? Some of the best images I have ever seen were not perfect. Though I enjoy photos in mint condition, vintage photos are still vintage and can never be 100% Flawless. Its hard to explain this to people who are accustomed to having excellent photos print in microwave time (aka digital cameras & photo printers!)
The key to finding quality vintage photos is looking in unusual places, and being willing to accept imperfections. I believe that tiny imperfections can show lots of character. Isn't that also true of ourselves? The little quirks we have, make us unique. I am horrible at directions. Ask me which way is north & I will always point directly in front of me (25% of the time I am right!). My sisters think that is funny. My husband thinks its cute. Its just me.

*Look at this perfectly imperfect vintage photo! The little girl in the foreground was moving, so her face is blurry! And the men in the back are working with such a unique farm tool! (loggers!) The background is barren, no homes yet, since they are only just getting all the trees cleared! I love photos like this. They tell a story!*

One particular imperfection I have grown quite fond of on vintage photos is this...
When two, three, or more photos have been stacked together for a period of time there is an oxidizing effect, where the image is lightly transferred to whatever it touches, either the front flap of the folder or the back side of another photo. Its a chemical reaction over time, but it is almost ghostlike in appearance.
The best way to protect and care for your vintage photos (to prevent preventable imperfections) is simply to store them well (away from heaters & pests), to clean them gently (no water or wet substances) & to display them appropriately (not near direct sunlight). For more helpful tips on caring for photos go to this website for the American Institute of Conservation.
Heres to loving vintage photos, Jjay

snow snow go away.

**Cant wait till I can do this**
*1950s Photo by photographer Allan J. De Lay. "Friends enjoying the pleasures of summer!"

Its still snowing.
I cant believe it!
The groundhog was right about the Northeast!
Big fluffy flakes of snow have been falling for the past 2 hours!
The dirty, muddy ground has been covered with a lovely blanket of white.
Unfortunately so has my very long driveway.
--Signing off to shovel some snow. Grr, Jjay

the roaring 20s

*Lovely 1920s Wedding Photo. They went "all out" This was an expensive wedding, with designer hats & dresses. They did not skimp on this one! It is my "fave" of the week. Just Gorgeous!

I'm reading this excellent F. Scott Fitzgerald book right now entitled "Tender is the Night"
In it he speaks of the disillusionment of the American people just before the great depression.
Unfortunately I see way too many parallels.

The Americans are frequent travelers and are known as belonging to the most powerful country on earth. As tourists they make up a majority of the earned income in their various vacation spots, spending upwards of millions of dollars per season. All this in the roaring 20s.
The 20s were called the "roaring 20s" because it was a time of great excitement & there was much to be said. The war had ended, the soldiers returned. There was a giddiness, a playfulness & and an anticipation for the all that was to come. Sadly, the only thing they did not expect was the Great Depression.

We too have lived in a world way too consumed with our own consumerism. Do you ever find that when you walk into a store you walk out with much more than you actually needed? Or that you are more willing to buy that extra shirt, shoes, and not give the same amount to someone in need? Thankfully, now is the time to ask those questions, to reconsider how & why we spend what we spend. (or for others to question why we invest & save where we invest & save? For even that can be dangerous (aka Madoff)

So, what do we have left of these roaring 20s, these spendy 1990s? Lovely pictures. Great shoes.
I guess, all we can do is appreciate what we had, and remember that life is not about what we have or have not, but how we live or live not.

The best investments....

During times like these its important to remember that the best things in life are free. No tax, no government, no stupid news shows will ever take those away from you!

Here is a list of a few treasured investments that have not lost their value in recent times :)
A good laugh on the phone with my mom
The smell of chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven
Remembering fun memories through old photos
Dancing in my car to a great album
The awesome feeling of having completed a fat burning workout!
Comfy down comforters
A loving kiss...

[This photo comes from the estate of Allan J De Lay, Portland photographer for the Oregonian Newspaper. It is so adorable, I couldn't resist blogging it! It made me remember that there is no price tag on fun moments like this. ]

AND THE WINNER OF LAST WEEKS CONTEST?????????? Sandra!!
(You win!! A great color tinted photo will be on its way to your home!)

The best title for the weird photo below is:

"I'm her. He's me"

***Thanks to everyone who participated. Those who didn't--you missed out! If you are too scared to write because you don't want to sign up to blogger--just do it! Its a painless process & they won't send you spam or sell your info. It would be fun to hear from everyone who reads this, I would love the feedback! Plus it would encourage me to write more often!**

People are Funny Photo CONTEST!!!

People.
The world is filled with them, and yet sometimes I still cannot understand them!
People are funny creatures.
We all are.
Getting to know another funny creature only reinforces that idea. And because people are funny, so are their photos, or the artifacts they leave behind.
Take a look at this Hand Colored Vintage Photo

*GIVE THIS PHOTO THE BEST NAME Or DESCRIPTIVE TITLE & I WILL SEND YOU A HAND COLORED VINTAGE PHOTO for your very own!!

I need a great title-this one deserves it!!
Too many titles come to mind.....
Have fun!
Be creative not crass! Jjay

Peering into another world...

I should be used to this already. I've moved countless times.
Something inside me though just cannot understand.
I think it is that when I move to a new place I carry with me the expectations of the old.
Its almost as if I'm on the outside looking in, wondering if anyone can see my face peering out that hole.

Thankfully there is a liberating sense of adventure, like I'm a spy from a different world. Its exciting to learn my way around, to discover new little stores, & to walk fresh paths. The sense of loneliness & separation, unfortunately, creep in & try to overwhelm the adventurous spirit at times. Its then that I fight back & remember that I'm not alone peering out this window.

I guess that is why this photo is one of my favorites.
This vintage 1950s Photo is from Allan J. De Lay's personal collection(photographer for the Oregonian). I think it is of his kids. They are so cute looking out the window at the world below. I wonder what they see??

The day of ones birth...

The amazing part about birthdays is that even though I hate celebrating my own, I LOVE to celebrate other peoples!! Happy Birthday to my husband, my mother-in-law, best friend, & grandma, who have birthdays this coming week!!

This adorable Vintage Real Photo Postcard Photo was my favorite find this week. So fitting. I just love that he has a homemade birthday cake sitting next to him with only one candle in it. It is dated July 12, 1948. A very historic year for many reasons. One of them, being it was the birth year of the state of Israel. Also, Mahtma Ghandi was assasinated & the game Scrabble was introduced to the public....
Birthdays are a funny thing. My philosophy is to just enjoy them while you have them. While it may be awkward to accept cards & pats on the back from coworkers & friend it can be encouraging to remember that you are appreciated & loved, at least on this day. The day of your birth.

leap year...

I found this great photo among my Portland, Oregon collection & for obvious reasons made me think about leap year. Last year February 29th, 2008 was leap year day. Who knew? I don't think I even realized that last year consisted of 366 days! February consisted of 5 fridays & the next occurrence of 5 Fridays in the month of February is in 2036!! (leap year is every 4 years) I will be my mothers age by then! I wonder how the world will change... how much will a gallon of milk cost?

Since I forgot to celebrate it, and I'm assuming a few others might have forgotten to celebrate it--Happy Late Leap Year! Hope everyone is sticking to their New Years Resolutions...its been more than a month~now is when we begin to forget we ever made resolutions!
Revive those resolutions & get to work on renewing your body, soul, mind, & relationships.
Jjay

Weddings, Weddings, Weddings

The single day of one's wedding could very well be the most memorable day in one's life.

Every moment of that day is planned.
Every item worn, given, or received has been uniquely designed.

When I think back to my own wedding, I can remember it like it was yesterday (well it wasn't too long ago, but still) No other day compares.

Today, when I look at wedding photos, I can't help but think that this is the Bride (& Groom's) most memorable day of their life (whether it worked out or not it is still memorable!!).
Sure it was 50+ years ago, but the emotions & thoughts were still the same.

Treasured photos can come in many different sizes & shapes. A worn out crumpled picture might be someone's trash or their last photo of their beloved dog. One never knows. A wedding photo, however, is a guaranteed magical moment.

Enjoy this magical moment of a unique bride wearing spectacles... Isn't she lovely? Jjay