To Be, or Not to Be...

Sorry for the long absence. Like Hamlet, I've been caught up in an internal debate...

Hamlet has been filmed many times, but few can hold a candle to Sir Laurence Olivier's portrayal of the Danish prince in 1948.

My dilemma is (thankfully) not quite as serious as deciding whether to live or to die, but rather...

To Blog, or Not to Blog? That is the question.

Whether 'tis nobler to keep my blog alive, even if it suffers terribly from neglect.
Or simply end it - so that I can focus all my energies on my latest passion of selling on eBay and Etsy?

I know that many of you have faced this same dilemma.  So what do you do when something important comes along that steals away all the time that you used to spend on blogging?  The easy answer is - Well, just stop blogging!  Or - just blog occasionally whenever you have the time...

But it's not that easy for me. When I truly care about something, I want to do it well.  My blog is my baby!  I gave it life, nurtured it, watched it blossom!

And these past few weeks, while I've been devoting all of my time to my antique business - I can hear it calling out to me in the night, like a child....

Feed me! I'm hungry for attention!

So I'm torn between two loves right now. And I'm not quite sure what the future holds for "A Sip of Sarsaparilla." I know that for at least the next month or so, I will likely be visiting your blogs less often (which makes me sad), and my posts will be sporadic. And then maybe after a little break, I might find a renewed energy for blogging. Or this could be my last post...

IF this does turn out to be my last post...this is the dress I want to be wearing when my blog is laid to rest...

A beautiful ivory Edwardian era lacy dress...worthy of its own Shakespearean soliloquy or sonnet...

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?

Thou art more lovely and temperate..." 

I discovered this antique dress at a high-end estate sale last summer - and my heart stopped when I saw it!  I paid $70 for it - quite a bit more than I spent on any other vintage purchase all year.  But I think it was worth every penny, and more! 

Look at these romantic bell sleeves...

And the variety of laces and pleating and embroidery...

I think it's almost more beautiful from the back view... 

These photos were obviously taken months ago, before winter settled in.  Ah...green grass, and sunlight shining through the airy lace!  Can't wait for spring!

Lots of snaps on this early 1900's dress - years before zippers were used in clothing...

I hope you enjoyed the dress - because I enjoyed sharing it with you!

You know, I'm pretty sure I'll be back. 

In the meantime, warm spring wishes to you...

Susan

Short Post Therapy...and an Antique Lacy Fan Valentine

I just got home from work a bit ago, opened a bottle of merlot (after a 5-minute struggle with a way-too-complicated corkscrew) and poured myself a hefty glass to celebrate.  Yay!  I'm so HAPPY that it's Friday!  Aren't you too?!!

I wasn't going to write to you today because all of the creative post ideas that I had floating around in my head involved way too much writing & research & photos.  And it wore me out just thinking about it! 

I realize that my tendency to write looong posts is a wee bit neurotic. So today I am practicing Short Post Therapy.

All you're going to get from me today are some highlights of my week...

** I've been taking Yoga (vinyasa power yoga) classes twice a week for the past month, and yesterday my yoga instructor (who is about half my age) remarked how flexible I was.  Flexible? Moi?  I was beaming. You see, I used to be very flexible as a teeny bopper, but I never expected that I could get it back after all these years. Yoga is really good for the soul!

** I have signed up for Apron Thrift Girl's "Reseller's Listing Challenge."  Me (and 29 other vintage sellers, so far) have set listing goals for the month of February.  My goal is to list 10 items a week (or 40 a month) on eBay and/or Etsy.  This will truly be a challenge for me - but I'm doing great so far...

** My daughter had generously given me a $50 Trader Joe's gift certificate for Christmas, and on Tuesday I went on a little shopping trip.  Because it was a gift, I decided to only buy splurge items that I wouldn't normally buy for myself - interesting cheeses and spreads and crackers and desserts.  I've been in food heaven these past few days.  This was the best gift, Rachel - thank you!

** I actually pulled myself out of my cave on Wednesday and went out with a good friend that I hadn't seen in months.  After a yummy Italian risotto dinner, we went to a north Minneapolis bar to do a bit of karaoke (him, not me).  Very fun!

And finally...
Because it's February (Love Month) and because I'm a romantic fool...I thought I'd share photos of a favorite early 1900's Valentine from my collection.

"...To wish that sweet and fair as spring

Thy future life might be"

Isn't that sweet? 

Okay, so this post wasn't quite as short as I thought it was going to be.  Clearly more therapy is needed! 

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  Anyone have interesting plans?  When you stop by, I'd love to hear what you've been up to.

Catch you later,
"Sarsaparilla" Susan

Gustav Klimt: a Pop of Color

I rarely turn on the TV in my home.  It's a habit that I somehow managed to drop years ago.  (You're probably thinking - What in the world does TV have to do with Gustav Klimt? Well, read on...)

Believe me, I'm not intending to sound snooty or holier-than-thou by telling you that I don't watch TV.  I'm actually a little embarrassed about it because it's made me somewhat oblivious to current culture and trends.  Of course, being completely lost in my world of antiques much of the time doesn't help matters much either.

It also probably doesn't help that I've got such an archaic TV.

Just kidding...yes, this is my vintage Motorola television, complete with rabbit ears, taking up way too much space in my front porch.  But I do have another TV in my living room that's a little newer model.  :-)

Anyway, I bring this up because for the first time in ages, I found myself watching TV last week with my sisters Mary and Jenny, after an evening of babysitting for Jenny's little daughters.  Both sisters are somewhat hooked on HGTV, and that night we watched Design Stars, where interior designers compete to win their own online show.  It was the first time I'd seen the show - and I'll admit I was intrigued. 

Jenny confided that despite watching so many home decorating shows, she still feels like a novice. And she said that the only decorating trick she always remembers is that it's important to add "a pop of color" to a room.  "Pop of color, pop of color," she chanted. "That's all they ever talk about!"  And we all laughed.

Well, I can't think of a better way to add a pop of color to a room than with a classic work of art.  As someone who loves vintage fashion, I find that I'm especially drawn to oil paintings that feature women. 

Here's a favorite Picasso that I get to enjoy every day as I type away on my keyboard, because I've placed it on the wall directly above my home computer!

Pablo Picasso. Woman with Book, 1932. Oil on canvas. 51 x 38 inches.

Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena CA

And this Modigliani is in my kitchen.  Perhaps an odd choice for a kitchen, but it adds just the right touch of color against my white walls & cabinets.

Amedeo Modigliani. Gypsy Woman with Child. 1919. Oil on canvas. 115.9 x 73 cm.

The National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, USA

When it comes to "pops of color" one of my favorite artists is Gustav Klimt (1862 - 1918) - an Austrian Symbolist painter and a prominent member of the Vienna Secession movement. His primary subject was the female body, which he painted with elegant gold or colored decoration of spirals, swirls and flowers. Many of his works are marked by a frank eroticism which caused a scandal on more than one occasion. 

 A selection of Klimt's work is included in the wonderful video below, compliments of YouTube's Accabadora.  The lovely and haunting music is from Wojciech Kilar's "Prologue: My Life Before Me."

The title of the Klimt work featured on the video above, is Die Musik (or Music I), 1895. I've got this one hanging in my college office.  In the midst of a chaos of white paper, it adds color and calm.

Here are some other Klimt favorites.  I especially love the first one (below), Garden Path with Chickens, 1916.  Do you have a favorite?

In 2006, the 1907 portrait above, Adele Bloch-Bauer I, was purchased for the Neue Galerie in New York by Ronald Lauder for a reported US $135 million, surpassing Picasso's 1905 Boy With a Pipe (sold May 5, 2004 for $104 million), as the highest reported price ever paid for a painting.

Gustav Klimt. Hygeia. Detail of Medicine. 1900-1907. Oil on canvas. Destroyed by fire in 1945. (Above)

Detail from Water Snakes II (also called Friends II). 1907.  (Below)

Best wishes for a Sunday that brings you bright pops of color throughout the day.  Cheers!

Wm. Silverman of New York Vintage Hat...1930's Djer Kiss Vanity Box...1950's Bathroom Curtains with Poodles!

.
I've had so much fun at weekend estate sales lately, I thought it was about time that I shared some of my recent purchases with you!  Welcome to Heavenly Finds Sunday - where each week I'll be showing off some of my great buys...and fabulous finds that make my heart sing...

When I walk in the door of an estate sale, usually the first place I head is the bedroom - with the hopes of finding vintage clothing or accessories.  Yesterday I found this sweet little hat, probably from the 1950's.  I am intrigued with the colored bands of mocha, dove gray, black and a hint of red at the front.  The single long black feather adds a touch of drama.

This is a Wm Silverman of New York designed hat...

I'm always intrigued by vintage clothing labels, and this one has two!

I just put this hat up for auction on eBay (bidding ends Sunday 7/18).

Click here if you'd like to take a peek...

I think these pretty sweater clips are so...nifty!  This one is still on the original card...

Here's a close-up.  Look at all the tiny pink & gold colorful confetti inside!

And here I am modeling the sweater guard with a pink sweater.  Very sweet! 

(This one is hard to give up, but I just posted it for auction on eBay.  Take a peek - the auction ends on Wednesday night, July 21.)

Here's a fabulous find, probably from the 1930's - possibly earlier...  A Djer Kiss Parfum box for your vanity!

Inside it's a lovely pinky salmon, and it has the Djer Kiss label on the lid.  I suppose this might have been a gift set, filled with talcum powder, cologne or perfume, etc.

 

Here's a close-up of the fabulous illustration on the cover of the box!

These next three items are my super buys of the weekend.  Each cost me just $1.00...

Okay...I'll admit that there's a catch.  One has a chip, and two have cracks - but displayed on the shelf above my piano, or in my curio cabinet, I'm the only one who will ever know!

 

Isn't this a lovely bud vase?  It's probably from the 1920's, maybe a bit earlier.

This porcelain vase (early 1900's, possibly as late as 1920's?)  is decorated with soft peach lustre and has a lovely transfer on the front.  Marked "Germany" on the base.  At 10" tall, it's not small.  And, yes - it was just $1.00!    I would definitely have paid more than a buck for this - but I won't complain...

Here's a close-up of the baby and little girl.  They're enchanted with the butterfly.

The baby's face is rather adult looking, wouldn't you say? But it just adds to the charm.

Isn't she lovely...

And my third $1.00 find is this pretty yellow planter, marked "Ransbottom, Roseville" on the bottom.  (Robinson Ransbottom Pottery Co. of Roseville, Ohio mark is often confused with Roseville Pottery Co. which was also located in Roseville, Ohio.)

 

I really love the nice textures on this piece.  What a deal!

The mission style plant stand, ca. 1920's or 30's, was a bit of a splurge....$8.00.

When I bought these 1950's (or 40's?) drapes, my intention was to turn around and sell them right away.  But when I brought them home, I thought I'd try them out in my bedroom - and they were perfect!

I love the subtly textured fabric, and the soft green trees against the crisp white background.  

 

I spend so much time in bed reading....it will be nice to have this new lovely view...

I've still got another pair of these drapes. Hmm...maybe I could be resourceful and turn them into a long matching robe - like Scarlett did in Gone With the Wind.

And finally....another set of curtains....with a very different theme.  Poodles!

When I first spotted these vintage 1950's vinyl curtains at an estate sale yesterday, I thought it was a shower curtain.  But when I held it up, I realized it was a bit too short - 54".  Plus there was a matching panel.  Clearly this was meant to be used as a bathroom curtain for the window above a bathtub. 

What makes these bathroom curtains special is that they're sprinkled with poodles!

Aren't these crazy!

I'd keep these curtains too, if I had the right window in my bathroom.  But no such luck!  So...I'm selling them on eBay this week (bidding ends Sunday, 7/18).  Click here to take a closer look at the curtains and some of my other items up for auction this week...a vintage cake topper, sewing patterns and an Oscar de la Renta scarf.

I've got lots more to share, but I think I'll save some for next Sunday!  Hope you all have a wonderful week...