Crazy4Me - The Modern Bombshell Lifestyle by: Yasmina Greco
Vintage Fashion, Mid-Century Modern, Collectibles, and Everything in Between
Happy Easter!! Hope everyone is healthy and safe. This is the very first quarantine Easter for all of us the world over and although we won’t be celebrating or attending services with our friends and family, we are doing the right thing by staying home. And, we can still get dressed up and glammed up for Easter. I’m also whipping up something sweet and yummy in my vintage Pyrex!
The Pyrex t-shirt says it all “Searching for Treasure”, because that is what flea markets, estate sales, junking, thrifting, picking and antiquing are all about!! Tee features exclusive one-of-a-kind artwork that is screen printed onto a super soft and comfortable t-shirt. Art includes vintage Pyrex starburst, snowflake, and Catherineholm Lotus, Lefton and Topline Imports Bluebirds, and the beloved Holt Howard Pixieware jars with the tagline Searching for Treasure.
Makes a great gift for the Pyrex and kitsch collector!!
This year it felt like retailers really didn’t get into the Valentines Day spirit. I didn’t see very many outfits with hearts or lips and very few red or pink dresses. Also, being a curvy girl I found the selection of Valentines Day outfit sizing to be on the smaller side this year and although I waited till it was nearly too late in the hopes that my go-to brands would come out with something, they didn’t, so, I decided I’d reach into my fabulous wardrobe and put my own Valentine inspired outfit together.
Here is a full report from my annual trip to America’s Largest Antiques and Collectibles Show that is held each July in Portland, Oregon with over 1,000 booths. The past few years have been more bust than bang but, this year was great. There is usually a lot of chaos getting attendees parked and the lines had been terrible in the past. This year they had it better managed and we got parked within 15mins of the show starting. We try to arrive early as doors open at 9:00 am and you usually need to wait in the ticket line for your tickets then join another line to get inside. The show is held in-doors and outdoors at the Portland Expo Center. Bathrooms are clean and plentiful. Lots of food courts too with seating so never worry about being thirsty or hungry!!
My twin sister and I have been attending America’s Largest Antiques and Collectibles Show for the past few years so we have our strategy down pretty good. But, she was not able to join me this year due to illness so my niece was joining me. It wasn’t quite the same without my sister and we missed her terribly. The weather was gorgeous for Portland and super warm. July in Portland tends to be a scorcher!! Attendees were excited and in good spirits, folks were eager to get started with their treasure hunting. There were also lots and lots of outdoor booths!!
Once inside, it was full steam ahead!! After going through a few booths it was apparent that Dealers this year were in very good spirits and super friendly. The past few shows Dealers were really grumpy but this year was different. It is so much more pleasant to shop in a booth with a cheerful Dealer who also engages and interacts with you. Learning about an item is so much fun and if the Dealer shares background information on a piece it makes it that much more special. Prices were super good too!! At past shows prices seemed really high and no one was interested in negotiating. This year prices were very reasonable and many Dealers even commented they would give up to 50% off!! Wow!!
This show really has something for everyone; young and old. You can find vintage clothing, lots of vintage jewelry and accessories, vintage neon signs, lots of kitchen collectibles and Pyrex, Fireking, Jadeite and so much more, even lots and lots of ephemera, lightening, Mid-Century Modern, items from the 1920s-1980s. Vintage Disney, tin toys, Hawaiiana, vintage Christmas, salvage, furniture, cameras, and so many more items!! Over 1,000 dealer booths. You can literally spend all day treasure hunting.
I filled up two large tote bags with treasures!! I especially love kitschy cute items that are anthropomorphic, vintage kitchen goodies from the 50s-60s, vintage Mermaids by Norcrest, Napco, Joty, Lefton, and Holt Howard too. Vintage 50s Poodles, clothing and lucite purses, Bakelite jewelry and I also love fine porcelains from Herend, Majolica, and Meissen. Mid-Century Modern lamps, dinnerware, and furniture too. Also, vintage Gucci, Chanel, Hermes and Christian Dior…… sometimes you can find a treasure!
The next show is in October and it is the vintage Christmas show….. hmmmm, making plans for that one!!
It has been raining for a while now here in Northern California. Lots of flooding and people badly effected. This is not the norm. We are usually in a perpetual drought. Thank goodness my family is just fine. One positive is that they vineyards are already starting to bloom and this time next month they will be stunning.
Being a rainy soggy Saturday, we went to Whistle Stop Antiques mall in Santa Rosa down by Railroad Square to take a look around and search for some treasures. It is really hit or miss like it is at most antique malls. We have been really lucky a few times and found some really great treasures like our vintage Philco Predicta TV, some fabulous Sputnik lighting and Mid-Century Modern chairs and cabinets. Whistlestop is a multi-dealer mall and even has a 2nd floor upstairs. You will find a nice assortment of vintage, retro, mid-century, kitchenalia, Pyrex, artwork, jewelry, and lots of ephemera and even a lot of vintage trains, toys, and Pez collectibles….. something no doubt for everyone.
Here’s a couple pics we snapped. A lovely vintage carousel horse, an incredible Carlo of Hollywood black stallion painting in the amazing forced perspective frame, glass displays, and even a super neat vintage 1950s chrome dining set upholstered with new retro grey fabric. I would love to take this one home but…… where to put it? It was a fun visit at Whistle Stop today!!
Yasmina Greco – Pigtails and Pirates Dress- Whistlestop Antiques
Such a lovely weekend out antiquing with my hubby. The weather in Northern California has changed from being very hot to mid 70s with cool evenings…. almost Fall like. I don’t know how long that will last before we get another scorcher but it is fantastic and perfect for a weekend of antiquing. We stopped at a couple antique malls; one in Santa Rosa ‘Whistlestop’ that has a big train painted on the brick building and the other in Sebastopol ‘Antique Society’. Both are multi dealer malls so there is always lots to see to pick through.
Yasmina Greco – Pinup Classic 1950s GMC Truck
Vintage Pyrex and Kitchenware
Here are a couple pics of the goodies inside the malls and you can see the one in Sebastopol had a lot of vintage Pyrex and I was thrilled because I had been searching for quite sometime now for the turquoise snowflake square baking dishes. I am not a expert when it comes to Pyrex and don’t know if items should have lids or not or what the difference between ‘space savers’ or ‘baking dishes’ are but, I am collecting the turquoise snowflake (yes, because it is turquoise and you all know it is my favorite color) and now I have another couple pieces to add to my set. For the record, these two oblong square shaped pieces did not have lids.
Both antique malls have a bit of retro and Mid-Century Modern and even lots of ephemera, glass, kitchenalia, vintage rhinestone jewelry, and even outdoor furniture and salvage so there really is a good mix of everything and something for everyone. Whistlestop even had their fabulous classic 1951 GMC truck out front and the lady working the register told us it had been in her family for many many years; that truck was immaculate and great for a pose.
Mid-Century Modern Moss Lamps
Next week is a antique fair in the neighboring town of Healdsburg and it is beautiful drive up with all the vineyards in full glory this time of year. Some of you have asked about our 1956 Nash Metropolitan so I wanted to update you and tell you that it has been getting some love in the shop and we should have it back very soon so you can count on more pics to come!!