past presents shop

Break from blogging.

2008-08-13T09:43:00.002-04:00

Maybe you can tell from my previous post that I'm blogged out!! So I've decided to take an indefinite break from blogging. And the Google Reader too!! My full-time job, my part-time dabbling in finding the perfect job, the Olympics, the upcoming presidential election, trying to finish several sewing projects, cleaning the apartment, and my voracious policy wonky reading habit are all taking precedence to this blog right now. Anyway, knowing me, I could be back within a few weeks or as soon as tomorrow. See ya when I see ya!!

Blog overkill.

2008-08-11T12:55:00.000-04:00

I have a serious case of blog overkill. I get sort of demoralized when I open Google Reader and am confronted with 87 unread items that have accumulated since I last checked Friday afternoon. Is it sad that one of my favorite things about the weekend is not having to face the endless onslaught of fake-cheery blog posts, innumerable galleries of Stepford-perfect homes, the latest eco-chic designs, and magazine worthy vacation pictures? That the prospect of the interminable Monday morning scrolldown makes me break out in hives? Of course, I've got to 'fess up to my own contributory negligence in the matter, but seriously, either I have to be more selective about my subscriptions, or I will go certifiably insane.

Pattern potpourri.

2008-08-07T15:31:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I wish I were a textile designer or a printmaker or a letterpress artist, because I've always wanted to take all these patterns and prints I see on vintage housewares and do something magical with them. Maybe one of these days I'll get around to it, but for now, here's an assortment of some particularly pleasing patterns I've seen recently on etsy. Click on the picture to check out each past present.

A midsummer night's green.

2008-08-06T10:28:00.000-04:00

I very nearly bought myself a pair of black suede boots at the mall the other day before I caught myself. With temperatures in Atlanta still hitting the upper 90s, I don't think I'll be wearing boots for a couple of months. So since everything here is still lush and verdant, I thought I'd post a few items in honor of the color green before we all switch over to black, gray, winter white, and what is apparently the color of the fall season, purple.

Top row (L to R):

set of 8 Homer Laughlin bowls and extra serving bowl, $24.50 from Jen's Closet
fondue set, $10 from Aunt Sissy's Attic
4 coffee mugs, $15 from Modish Vintage

Middle row (L to R):

Pyrex mixing bow l, $12 from Soulful Hues
6 glasses with wheat design, $10 from Miscellania Mania
enamel pot, $22 from White Elephant Vintage

Bottom row (L to R):

vintage modern swing arm lamp, $38 from bluebellbazaar (reserved)
6 tumblers, $8 from geo pillow
Shenango creamer, $11.95 from LadyFran

We have a winner!

2008-08-04T15:34:00.001-04:00

I'm back from the beach and, as I promised, here are pictures of the past presents I've put together for the first Past Presents Shop giveaway contest. And based on my highly unscientific method of picking paper entries out of a baseball cap, Leah of moxie photo & design is our lucky winner!! She has such great taste, I'm a bit wary of how my small efforts will be received, but you can't really argue with a free giveaway, can you? Can you??

Vacation this week.

2008-07-28T16:41:00.000-04:00

I'm trying to wrap everything up that I've got to do this week and avoid getting any new assignments before I leave for the beach on Wednesday, so posting will be lighter than usual (or completely nonexistent!) this week. Don't forget to sign up for the giveaway contest by Thursday, July 31st! I'll pick the winner and post pics of the prize package when I get back from Charleston. Have a great week and see you when I get back!!

[photo from the New York Times]

Flotsam Friday: Old photos and paper ephemera.

2008-07-25T12:40:00.001-04:00

I never knew ephemera was an actual term until recently. I thought it was derived from ephemeral. Which just goes to show you how little I know. At any rate, one of my lovely readers (from Singapore!) wrote when she entered my giveaway contest, which you can still enter by the way, that she'd been searching high and low for vintage postcards and other such things but that hardly anyone ships out to Singapore. I figured I'd keep an eye out for some paper goods for her, since I love going through boxes of old postcards at antique shops too. The two pics above are from Rust 'n' Dust Antiques in Chamblee's Antique Row district. This post is for you, Melly!

Top row (L to R):

1906 alphabet fonts, 2 pages, $4 from otherpeoplesflowers
"chubby boy takes a plane ride" - 5 snapshots, $5 from Jack's Jill Vintage Miscellanea
6 children's playing cards, $3 from Vintage Market

Middle row (L to R):

roll of faux bois wallpaper, $50 from Utopia
postcard folder of San Francisco's Chinatown, $19.99 from TooTooCute
2 part map of San Francisco, $37 from Emily Lynch Vintage

Bottom row (L to R):

10 wedding thank-you notecards, $4 from Humble Labor
1944 insects illustration, $10 from sushipotparts
postcard folder of Yosemite National Park, $19.99 from TooTooCute

Gilded glassware.

2008-07-23T16:51:00.000-04:00

I picked up these gorgeous gold glasses at the Kudzu Antique Market parking lot sale this weekend and couldn't resist looking for some more dishwasher-unfriendly glassware on etsy. Here's what I found:

Gold-rimmed glasses with a steamboat design (set of 8 for $36 from bluebellbazaar).

6 glasses with an owl design for $26.99 from FlightoftheRadish.

Gold-rimmed turquoise bluebell glasses (5 for $20 from Vintage Darling).

8 glasses with a gold scroll and diamond design for $38 from High Street Market.

Vintage TV tray.

2008-07-22T11:27:00.001-04:00

My apartment is tiny and the dining area is pretty cramped (it doesn't help that I have a big buffet/china cabinet that takes up a fifth of the space), so it'd be nice to have these lovely TV trays around for when guests overflow into the living room. There are two available for $12 each from etsy seller Rabbit Oh Rabbit.

Found: framed doily.

2008-07-21T16:17:00.004-04:00

I picked up this framed doily for 2 dollars at My Favorite Place in Chamblee this weekend. I've had doilies and lace on the brain for a long time (I was married in a lace dress 2 years ago), and I was also inspired by the framed doilies in Holly Waterfield's office at her West Village boutique Camp (see below, as featured in the Spring 2007 issue of the now-defunct Blueprint magazine). Anyway, I probably won't assemble a collection of them (too kitschy!), but lace and doilies are still lovely in small doses. Here are several of my picks for today (all from etsy).

Lace cocktail napkins ($15 for a set of six from Historically Inspired Designs Vintage).

Lace tumblers (set of 8 for $40 from etsy shop Foo Foo Vintage).

A random assortment of 20 stamps, including lacemaking stamps from the USA that were issued in 1986 ($3.50 from Missgaylee). Check out a full sheet here (available on ebay for $5).

Lace glass plate ($5 from The Seasonal Cottage).

Doily cards ($6 for a set of 4 with envelopes from Beau Ideal).

Coral Gables doily notecards ($12 for a set of 6 with envelopes from Beau Ideal).

And do check out Holly Becker's comprehensive compendium of doily love here.

Flotsam Friday: Soup tureens and casseroles.

2008-07-18T14:07:00.003-04:00

My church small group is having a potluck tonight. I remember the potlucks from when I was kid circa 1986, when tables would groan under the weight of a hodge-podge rainbow coalition of chow mein, buckets of KFC, fried rice, pizza, pot stickers, spaghetti, potato salad, cabbage and chinese sausage, chicken divan, and green bean casserole, and dessert was almond tofu, fluorescent jello, almond cookies, a package of Oreos, and fudge brownies. (I'm Chinese-American, which explains some of the more unorthodox dishes.) When everyone wore Velcro shoes and too-short shorts, all the children sported bowl cuts, and mom had wings in her hair. I'm pretty sure no one brought their nicest dishes, but if I were to throw a potluck party now, I'd use these.

Top row (L to R):

porcelain soup tureen, Olivia pattern by Hutschenreuther, currently $15 on ebay
Limoges soup tureen/covered casserole, currently $15.50 on ebay
covered serving bowl, $65 from etsy seller Emily Lynch Vintage

Middle row (L to R):

soup tureen, $95 from Emily Lynch Vintage
tureen with no lid, $10 from 2pear
covered soup tureen, 16.50 from Jen's Closet

Bottom row (L to R):

Taylor Smith serving dish, currently $20.50 on ebay
Descoware casserole, currently $15 on ebay
soup tureen, Capistrano pattern by Red Wing, currently $25 on ebay

Aiguille et fil and vintage fabric.

2008-07-17T14:22:00.003-04:00

I'm loving these two dresses, repurposed in part from vintage fabric, from etsy seller aiguille et fil (which means, appropriately, needle and thread in French). Check out some other dresses from the shop here.

[tip from a fellow reader of design is mine]

Not bowling alone.

2008-07-17T11:26:00.001-04:00

I love this bowling scene from the latest issue of Domino. Necessity Breeds Exuberance is the title of the article featuring events planner Alice Turner's farmhouse in upstate New York. When we finally buy a house (with a huge porch, of course!), I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for a lawn bowling set. You can find one here and here, on ebay. Etsy seller White Elephant Vintage also has several vintage bowling pins for sale individually here.

Past Presents giveaway contest!

2008-07-16T12:48:00.007-04:00

UPDATE: I've decided to make this a regular thing, so the deadline's been moved to the end of the month. Yay!

I've been thinking of putting together a small present for one of my readers (to be chosen at random, of course) with some of the stuff I've featured on my blog, cute housewares and vintage home decor, maybe some photos or postcards from the 1950s, ephemera like that. Everyone likes getting surprise packages in the mail, right? I'm planning to go to thrifting and sidewalk sale-ing this weekend and picking up some past presents, so let's say the deadline for entering the contest is a week from now, Wednesday, July 23rd. Just drop me a comment or an email before then to enter the contest. And if you've got any favorites from the blog or anything you've had your eye on, drop me a line, and I'll keep an eye out for it!

[beach postcard from etsy seller robins egg blue]

Past Presents: Gifts for the mid-century maven.

2008-07-15T11:58:00.003-04:00

The aim of this blog is to get avid consumers to reevaluate their buying habits and broaden their shopping horizons by providing different options within the vintage and secondhand marketplace. Today's post is for anyone who's ever been confounded by finding a gift for a host (or hostess), a bride (or bridegroom), or for a housewarming party. And particularly if the recipient is partial to mid-century design. Here are some pretty past presents, all from etsy.

A pair of Danish teak candlesticks from california vintage* ($30).

Wooden tray from moxie thrift ($9.89).

Punch bowl from Thrifty Goodness ($22).

Peapod condiment tray from Ms. Betsy's Vintage ($15).

Four stainless steel candle holders from studio AMF ($18).

Cast iron candelabra, designed by Jen Quistgaard for Dansk, from little green frog ($65).

Franciscan pitcher, Del Mar pattern by Gladding McBean & Co., from MidCenturyModern ($75).

Oops.

2008-07-14T17:46:00.005-04:00

I'm so sorry... I've been swamped at work today, but I'll be back tomorrow, I promise! In the meantime, here are some flowers from a friend's backyard. Have a happy Bastille Day, and see you tomorrow!!

Flotsam Friday: Salt and pepper shakers.

2008-07-11T17:07:00.002-04:00

Sorry this comes so late in the day, things have been busy around here!! My friend's mother collects salt and pepper shakers. As for myself, I don't even use regular salt and pepper shakers, I just buy the disposable kind from the grocery store. My favorite here is the one smack dab in the middle - it even has a grinder!

Top row (L to R):

5 piece set incl shakers, $13.25 from Goodlookin' Vintage Wares
melamine plastic set, $8 from Bliss Vintage
milk glass set (Sunset pattern by Dithridge), $40 from Designs by Cleo

Middle row (L to R):

red toile/transferware set, $25 from Vicious Vintage
Lenox set incl pepper grinder, $24 from Charmings Collectibles
stainless steel set (by Reed & Barton), $31.25 from Berd and Bee

Bottom row (L to R):

Promise me that you'll shake what your mama gave you at least once this weekend - it'll bring a smile to your face, and to everyone who's watching! Have a great weekend, everyone!

Russel Wright.

2008-07-10T16:10:00.004-04:00

Today I'm featuring Russel Wright (1904-1976), an American industrial designer and 20th century household name. As the creator of the most widely sold American ceramic dishware in history (his American Modern dinnerware line, above at bottom, manufactured by Steubenville Pottery of Steubenville, OH, sold over 250 million pieces between 1939 to 1959!!), he was, according to the New York Times, "Martha Stewart before she was." Working with wood, spun aluminum, stainless steel, paper, plastic, and ceramics, Wright designed modern furniture, dining accessories, and textiles for easy and casual living, and along with his wife/merchandising genius Mary, revolutionized the way Americans lived.

In addition to his American Modern line, Wright designed the "Residential" line of melamine plastic dinnerware (above, at right), manufactured by the Northern Plastic Company of Boston, Mass. It was the first and most popular line of melamine resin plastic dinnerware, better known as "melmac," and received the Good Design Award from the Museum of Modern Art in 1953. Wright also created the "Casual" line of china (above, at left) for the Iroquois China Company of Syracuse, NY, which was more durable than American Modern. Recently many of his designs have been reissued by Oneida. Read more about this modern American master here, here, and here.

Here are several pieces, available on etsy and ebay, designed by Russel Wright.

Top row (L to R):

nesting salt and pepper shakers (Casual China, Iroquois), $25 from etsy seller Lavender RickRack
24 piece dining set (American Modern, Steubenville), $150 from etsy seller RetroCycle
brown bowl and 3 plates (Casual China), currently $3.99 from ebay seller lottiesattic

Middle row (L to R):

60 piece dining set (Queen Anne's Lace pattern, Knowles China), currently $49.99 from ebay seller acidstamp
bread plate (American Modern), $6 from etsy seller Uncommon Eye
creamer (Casual China), currently $5 from ebay seller 1maus

Bottom row (L to R):

pitcher, buy it now for $32.59 from ebay store The Alabama Pedlar
4 cups and saucers (Casual China), $25 from etsy seller Lavender RickRack
nesting cream and sugar set, $6 from etsy shop Beatgrrrl's Basement

[photos at top from the Russel Wright Design Center]

Teacups and saucers.

2008-07-09T16:24:00.002-04:00

Like Jordan of one of my favorite blogs Oh Happy Day, I've been in the inspiration doldrums. Maybe it's all the thunderstorms we've been getting lately. Except I LOVE thunderstorms. So that can't be it. Anyway, I was about to write this day off until, doldrums be darned, I saw this lovely teacup and saucer set from Rosenthal, the German porcelain maker I wrote about a few weeks ago. The gold trim is nice, but the purple half moons and dots really take the cake! All from etsy.

Everyone has to have at least one beautiful cup and saucer, and wouldn't it be lovely to throw a tea party with a set of mismatched drinkware and pretty hats? Here are some more teacups and saucers to charm you right out of hump day and on to pre-Friday!

Top row (L to R):

single teacup and saucer, $8 from My Southern Lace
blue and gold set, $8 from Bliss Vintage
pair of Limoges cups and saucers, $34.95 from JuJuToo

Middle row (L to R):

cup and saucer, $6 from My Sunshine Vintage
gold vine cup and saucer, $14 from artsfarm
espresso cup and saucer, $10 from auroramae

Bottom row (L to R):

cup and saucer (Florentine Gold pattern from Wedgwood), $24 from Charming's Collectibles
bone china cup and saucer, $20 from Dragonflyz
handmade cup and saucer by Hammersley, $29 from blue bell bazaar

Shiny happy home.

2008-07-08T14:58:00.003-04:00

Here's another home full of lovely little things and splashes of bright color everywhere via desire to inspire.I could totally live here too. The difficulty of decorating with found objects and mismatched vintage housewares is the tendency toward overpowering tackiness and a general sense of clutter. Understatement and balance are key. Here, simple and spare furnishings, a neutral paint color (what's more neutral than white?), and bare walls are punched up with small doses of bold and pastel colors, large patterns (floral, geometric, and ethnic), and whimsical touches like the rainbow flags above the sofa and in the bedroom. What could be happier?

Here are some bright and happy housewares, inspired by the desire to make your home a brighter, happier place! All from etsy.

Top row (L to R):

tin canisters (set of 4), $12 from Grey Brocket's Home
apothecary jars (set of 4), $10 from beatgrrrl's basement
petal bowls (set of 7), $30 from edelweiss vintage

Middle row (L to R):

milk glass mug by Hazel Atlas, $6 from Bliss vintage
tablecloth, $25 from thriftypyg
mug, $6.95 from Teelady

Bottom row (L to R):

pitcher by Anchor Hocking, $40 from Callooh Callay
bowls by Fire King for Anchor Hocking (set of 6), $25 from Vintage Ella
glass bowl, $8 from Virginia Vintage

Vintage vignettes.

2008-07-07T16:13:00.002-04:00

I want to live here. Featured in today's design*sponge sneak peek, Abbey Nova's New York apartment beautifully juxtaposes sparing simplicity with the seemingly superfluous. I love the pastoral near-austerity of the bedroom, but I'm particularly enchanted by the vignettes of found objects scattered throughout Abbey's abode. Warmth, character, comfort, and personality (preferably that of the occupant(s)!) are such key ingredients for a home (at least for me), and even if I'm not a huge fan of the foo dogs on the mantel, the beauty of decorating is that it's an outlet for individual expression. So go ahead and express yourself! View more pics of the apartment here.

Today's picks (as inspired by the tray on the table near the entryway, and the figurines above the mantel)!

Two green trays (here and here) with gorgeous detailed handles from etsy seller lorenzstudio ($20 and $8 each).

Brass peacock figurine from We Think We Can ($25).
Pear brass bell ($14) from greenhearts.

[photos from design*sponge]

Skirts from sheets by Seam Sew Swell.

2008-07-03T11:46:00.000-04:00

So I normally do housewares, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to write up Seam Sew Swell, a delightful online shop run by the intrepid and wise beyond her 21 years (21!!!) Victoria Martin. Victoria sells vintage apparel, accessories, and jewelry, as well as clothing and pillows made by her very own talented self. This girl is amazing!
Here are six sweet skirts (available here for $16-22) she's refashioned from thrifted recycled sheets and fabric. If you're just the teeniest bit crafty yourself, take a clue from the precocious Victoria - skip the fabric store and head to your nearest thrift shop. With any luck, you just might encounter adorable vintage textiles like these! If you'd rather peruse online, etsy seller Retro Age offers a great selection of vintage fabrics here.

Kaj Franck for Arabia.

2008-07-02T11:52:00.000-04:00

I just bought this bowl (well, not this bowl in particular) off etsy yesterday. It's an enamel bowl with a mushroom design designed by the great Finnish designer Kaj Franck for Arabia, Finland's oldest ceramics manufacturer, where he was the head of the model design department from 1946 to 1961. You can read more about Kaj Franck here and here. Below is a collection of Arabia ceramics and enamelware compiled by Meet Me at Mike's. And below that is a letterpress mushroom coaster from Wiley Valentine via design*sponge.

[photos from (top to bottom): flickr user lafemmededada; flickr user meetmeatmikes; and design*sponge]

Blue and white dishware.

2008-07-01T10:20:00.001-04:00

It's not Flotsam Friday, but I was so inspired by Mackenzie Sala's blue and white dishware post today over at the design*sponge guest blog that I had to cobble together a collection of my own, all vintage, all from etsy.

Top row (L to R):

Pyrex Horizon Blue 2.5 quart bowl, $16 from Jolly Polly Pickins
4 polka dot cups and saucers, $12 from Vero Vintage
Pyrex New Dot bowl, $12 from junkculture

Middle row (L to R):

4 teacups, Lakeview pattern by Nasco, $17 from RetroCycle
4 dinner plates, $30 from lucky stone vintage
mug, $6 from Peacock Modern

Bottom row (L to R):

3 plates, Wild Rose pattern by Homer Laughlin, $9.50 from Vintage Junque
2 sets of teacups, saucers, and dessert plates, $45 from Tea For All Reasons
2 plates, Willow design from Johnson Bros., $6 from My Sunshine Vintage

Be sure to read her guest blog here. And check out Mackenzie's blog on all things weddings at Something Old, Something New!

Spotted: porcelain glove mold.

2008-06-30T10:15:00.001-04:00

Joe and I had brunch on Saturday at the cutest restaurant in Emory Village called Rise 'N Dine, and I couldn't help but notice the cheerful vintage decor, especially the vases and that porcelain glove mold (used for making rubber gloves!). Here in Atlanta, I think I've seen those vases at Providence Antiques in Virginia-Highland, and I'm guessing that porcelain glove mold comes from Decatur's Victory Vintage ($30). If you're not in Atlanta, you can also find a few molds at blue bell bazaar's etsy shop ($28). By the way, Rise 'N Dine's sweet potato pancakes are simply top-notch! Check out my other pictures of Rise 'N Dine here (sorry, I scarfed down my yummy pancakes before realizing I'd left my camera in the car!).

Flotsam Friday: Flowers!

2008-06-27T12:06:00.001-04:00

I just made myself a dress with some floral fabric I bought last year, when florals were actually big. I'll post a pic when I take a flattering one. In the meantime, here are some floral patterned housewares for your flower-happy Friday!

Top row (L to R):

4 mugs and metal stand, $18 from etsy seller 2pear
tin canister, $18 from Ladies & Gentlemen
4 coffee cups, $18 from thirteen leaf clover

Middle row (L to R):

3 coffee cups, $8 from Jen's Closet
crochet doily, $12.99 from What Would Marilyn Wear
Better Homes & Gardens New Garden Book, $19.50 from Surrender Dorothy

Bottom row (L to R):

creamer and sugar set, $28 from Fab Pad
4 stoneware mugs, $22 from Molly Moo Vintage
Noritake sugar bowl with lid, $12 from Simple Vintage

Vintage pillow covers.

2008-06-26T15:43:00.000-04:00

Positively shagadelic pillow covers fashioned from vintage fabric. From etsy seller absoluut. $25 here. Groovy baby.

Textiles from Vera Neumann.

2008-06-25T14:02:00.005-04:00

If you've ever wandered through a vintage store, you've probably encountered some brightly colored scarves with the name Vera scrawled in the corner accompanied by a ladybug. The scarves are probably the signature element of the body of work of Vera Neumann (1910-1993), an influential and prolific mid-century artist and designer. I've known about Vera scarves for awhile but only recently discovered the rest of her creations, including fabric, wallpaper, table and bed linens, apparel, and dishware. This Vera sounds like a few other Veras (Vera Wang and Vera Bradley) we know, right? Here are some of her fabulous designs, most of which are available on etsy and ebay.

Above at top: circle of pink tiles tablecloth, buy it now for $45 from ebay store Vickie Jean's Things. Below that is a round tablecloth for $25 from etsy seller fuzzymama.

L to R: pair of linen tea towels, currently $25 from ebay seller somewhereintime2; sunflower tea towel, currently $7 from ebay seller ccc0336.

L to R: pair of yellow rose tea towels, currently $10 from ccc0366; yellow ranunculus tablecloth, buy it now for $30 from Vickie Jean's Things.

The remaining items are not for sale, but I wanted to show you my favorite Vera pattern yet! Pillowcases from flickr user jillbliss; towel from skinnylaminx's photostream. For more cool Vera Neumann patterns, check out the Vera Neumann flickr group here.

Speckles sublime.

2008-06-24T10:11:00.002-04:00

These pictures of Scargo Pottery from Lena Corwin's trip to Cape Cod remind me of dishware from Anthropologie and a pitcher I purchased awhile ago at My Favorite Place. Don't all these speckles make you smile?

Top row (L to R):

Confetti dinner plate, $14 at Anthropologie
pitcher, $28 from etsy seller JNpottery
Confetti soup bowl, $15.50 at Anthropologie

Middle row (L to R):

pitcher by Brusche USA, currently $10 from ebay seller swansonh
serving tray, $15 from etsy seller sweetrice
pitcher (from the Lifestyle line by J & G Meakin, a British pottery manufacturer, and the same one I have!) currently $7 from ebay seller allasantiques716

Bottom row (L to R):

set of 10 tumblers, $10 from etsy seller caseyjackdogs
mini pitcher/creamer, $3 from casualsimplicity
dinner plate (Lifestyle by J & G Meakin), $9.99 from DC's Attic

Found: turquoise creamer.

2008-06-23T09:02:00.004-04:00

I got up super early Saturday to hit a round of garage sales. Didn't find much, but I did score a turquoise creamer for a dollar! The one pictured above is from the cutest store ever Three Potato Four. They're sold out there, but you can get one (or two if you like) at Millie and Maggie's etsy shop for 4 bucks. I can't wait to put a few daisies in mine! The color of the creamer reminds me of this With Needle and Thread print from etsy seller Lab Partners, available here for $14. Below that is a yellow version of the same creamer being put to good use as colored pencil holder, from sfgirlbybay.

Flotsam Friday: Yellow.

2008-06-20T11:53:00.000-04:00

Every Friday I'll choose a color or category at random and highlight several items that fall within that parameter. I figure no one wants to read a lot of text on Friday, am I right?

Top row (L to R):

ceramic bowls with yellow scallop trim in the Royal China Jubilee pattern (set of 6), $16 from etsy seller Edelweiss Vintage
napkins with lemon yellow trim (set of 8), $13 from MarcellasExcess
covered casserole dish in the Daisy pattern from Pyrex, $15.50 from Jen's Closet

Middle row (L to R):

enamel pot, $25 from Nice
canister set, $12 from Valerie's Vintage House
ceramic bowls with center floral design (set of 4), $9 from FunkeyFinds

Bottom row (L to R):

floral vinyl placemats (set of 4), $18 from Jess James Jake
frosted glasses (set of 4), $16 from Harlow's Closet
cream and sugar set, $10 from Olive Vintage

Linear by Raymond Loewy for Rosenthal.

2008-06-19T15:25:00.008-04:00

The name Raymond Loewy may not ring a bell, but unless you're blind or have been living in a cave, you've seen his work everywhere. The "father of industrial design" designed the logos for the U.S. Postal Service, Exxon, Shell, and Nabisco, to name a few that are still easily recognizable. Other famous designs include Air Force One, the Greyhound Scenicruiser bus, NASA's Skylab space station, and the Coca-Cola bottle. You can read more about Loewy and see more of his work here, here, and here. In the late 1940s, Loewy created several fine china designs for the German porcelain manufacturer Rosenthal, including the set of 8 plates (pictured above) from the Linear collection, available for $39 from one of my favorite etsy sellers blue bell bazaar.

[The photos of the Shell sign and the Scenicruiser are from flickr users metropol21 and GaryQ respectively.]

To buy or not to buy.

2008-06-19T09:36:00.004-04:00

The creative and ingenious Sarah Cihat of Rehabilitated Dishware is featured in a NYT article today along with several of her dishware picks. Her own line of dishware features ceramics found in thrift stores that she redesigns and reglazes with her own whimsical and quirky designs and new colors. You can see some of her designs here. The philosophy behind Rehabilitated Dishware is that "each piece represents a rejection of more brand new products filling shelves and storage closets." I find it slightly ironic, therefore, that someone who wants to make a "subtle statement of the importance of recycling and the renewed value of unwanted things" would be featured in a shopping column about brand new dishware. I'm including Sarah's picks here as eye candy to show what's being done in dishware design today and also highlight the choice we have, when making even the seemingly most mundane decisions (like buying dishware, for example), to reuse and, to use Sarah's phrase, rehabilitate.

[photos from the New York Times]

Gingham Fire-King mugs by Anchor Hocking.

2008-06-18T12:28:00.006-04:00

Today I'm profiling a pair of red and blue gingham Fire-King mugs by manufacturer Anchor Hocking. These slightly mismatched mugs (the handles are shaped differently) are available on etsy from seller Tumbleweed Cottage Vintage for $8 here. The Fire-King line of glassware, similar to Pyrex, was produced from 1940-1976 and can be purchased these days in antique stores, garage sales, flea markets, thrift shops, and online. One note of caution: Fire-King products should not be put in the dishwasher, as the glass will lose its shine and any decorative designs may fade or chip away. You can learn more about Fire-King here and here.

The mugs' gingham pattern immediately brought to mind a delightful blue gingham shift I'd seen in this month's issue of Domino, worn by the lovely Carina Schott, fashion designer and owner of the Wakefield, Rhode Island boutique Nonchalant Mom. (Click here for the photo gallery of her beautiful home in Matunuck, RI.) On either side of her are a Forever 21 gingham jumper dress for $20 on the left and a pleated gingham top from F21 for $21.

More higher-end pieces are (L to R) the Jessalyn tank from Wiksten for $150, a gingham shift from A.P.C.'s Summer 2008 collection, and a gingham shirtdress by Sea available at Gargyle for $300.

Finally, a vintage ruffle skirt from fabulous etsy seller ramonawest for $42, a pocket dress from flickr user thegenevacollection; and a gingham jacket that's currently $12.75 on ebay.

Welcome to Past Presents!

2008-06-17T16:43:00.002-04:00

Hi! Welcome to my new blog! I've been blogging at mermerings for awhile now on things to do in and around Atlanta and the Southeast, thrifty stuff I've found online and in flea markets, affordable fashion and art, DIY projects, and everything else upon which my easily wandering eye has alighted, even ever so briefly. Perhaps due to the frequency of my blogging and the inevitably associated buying, it's become increasingly evident to me that my hyperactive consumerist tendencies (i.e., I'm a shopaholic) are, in the long run, utterly wasteful and completely unsustainable. (I mean, my closet is only so big, right??) And so, with the tiniest degree of newfound clarity, I've decided to make a go, in baby steps, of re-evaluating my own lifestyle, disposition, values, and habits. I hope that others will be inspired to do likewise.

One important aspect of doing our part by the world around us is choosing to reuse. Here, at Past Presents Shop, I plan on encouraging that choice to reuse by introducing (or re-introducing, as it were) a selectively edited variety of vintage housewares, from milk bottles to mixing bowls, cutlery to cake stands, and vases to Victrolas. To keep things interesting, I'll be pairing each past present with another item, perhaps an outfit, a vignette, or a drawing, that draws upon a similar vein of visual inspiration. When possible, each past present will also be accompanied by a description and brief history. Hopefully, this process will be as fun, exciting, and even informative for you as I'm expecting it to be for me, so sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!