Oh So Pretty

Lucile's Letters #3

Here is the third letter in the series - this letter is written on stationary from the Middle West Hotel in Webb City, Missouri - on the " Corner Allen and Main Streets", offering "Special attention to Theatrical People and Traveling Men".

June 11, 1913

Dear Lucile, 

I am writing you to let you know that I am not mad with you in the least.  I have lost your picture you sent me and I want a couple more.  I have your others in my trunk somewhere but I can't find them.  I will send you a couple of real Jim Dandy pictures in a day or two of myself.  That old postcard picture is no good that I sent you.  I am still in Vaudeville and am going to stick around because I like it.

Oh just wait, I have something to say now.  You said you thought I might have another girl I loved better than you but let me tell you I would not do you that way and another thing I would rather go with some other girl right before your face than go away from the one that always had been true to me and one that I always thought so much of and then go with some other girl.  Lucile don't think that of me. Haven't I always been just as good as I could be to you?  Only once where I would not speak to you and that hurt me so that even now I am sorry of doing that way.Don't take this letter the wrong way now, but I just don't want you to think that I would give you up for any other in this old world. Lucile I don't know but what I might have said something in this letter but any thing I have said don't take in the Wrong Way.

I remain as ever (for you are the only girl for me),

Rodney Forbert

Lucile I want you to get a book or something to keep postals in and I will send you postals from every where I go.

Your loving friend,

Rodney Forbert

He sounds like a winner, huh?

I am not going to be posting much this week.  My in-laws have come to town for their annual visit and my computer is located in guest room (i.e. their room).  I will be checking in with all of you whenever I can dart into the room and log on.  Have a great week everyone!

Tuesday Treasures

I stopped over at my favorite antique mall in the next town and found a few treasures to share with you...

...this crepe paper looks like it's ruched, doesn't it?

... a sweet baby Snow White costume.  Great quality too - not like the costumes that you buy nowadays!

...pretty boxes...

...one with pretty cards still inside...

And four boxes of tiny Christmas bulbs! I love vintage ornaments - I know that you do too.

Hope that you found some treasures today too...

I spy...

... a treasure in this pile of junk.  Can you spot it?

There it is! 

A vintage Christmas "corsage" - isn't it adorable with its mercury-glass beads and bottle brush wreaths?  It was well worth buying the bag for 69 cents to get this  little sweetie.  There were also six vintage honeycomb bells - I'm going to foof them up for my Christmas tree...

I love a good grab bag!

Lucile's Letters #2

Here is the second installment of Lucile's Letters - another from her girlfriend, Leola.  If you missed letter #1, you can read it here.

Salem

,

Virginia

June 2, 1913

Dear Lucile,

I received your letter the other day.  You were very prompt in answering mine.  I like for you to be that way though.  I haven't seen Kelly since I got your letter.  I just think I'll stamp that envelope and drop it in the post office.  Then he'll be sure to get it.

Are you coming to

Salem

this summer? If you are try and get here as soon as possible because I want to see you a great deal and I may go away soon.  I went to that Demostherian thing I was writing you about and I wore my silk dress.  Had a fine time but we stopped at the Model Pharmacy to get some ice cream and the saucer was so full some of the cream got on my dress and spotted it.  I can't wear it at all in the day time.  It don't matter much because it is entirely too fancy for anything but evening affairs.  The boy I went with was Flanders Calloway.  His sisters, Annie and Susie, use to board with Miss Laura.  I went up to their house Saturday and we (just we girls) took a walk.  When we came back

Flanders

was at home and as it was time for me to go he brought me home.  Of course this is all private. For you only.  All of my letters to you must be private and you mustn't let anyone know what’s in them and I won't tell anyone what is in yours. 

Flanders

is real nice but I wish you could see the boys I really love.  They are fine looking boys.  Their names are Garrett Gochenour and Eugene Peery.  Garrett called on me one Sunday night.  I have never met

Eugene

.  Garrett wanted to call last Sunday night and bring

Eugene

but I had another engagement.  I feel like saying some awful things when ever I think of it.  I want to meet

Eugene

so bad.  He's awfully solemn person but he's awfully handsome too.  I certainly do wish you could get here in time for the college commencement exercises.

I went up to the Women's College last Friday afternoon to a joint meeting of the literary societies.  It was real good.  And this Friday evening I went to the

Methodist

Church

to a concert given by the Roanoke College Orchestra and assisted by the Salem Music Club and Miss Schnid, the elocution teacher of the Women's College.  It certainly was good I met quite a number of students and several ladies.  Taking it all to-gether, I enjoyed it all very much.  I must stop now.  Write soon.  Lots of love.

Leola

I will see that Kelly gets that note.

Isn't Leola wonderful?  I still can't believe that this was written in 1913.  I can't imagine having to wait weeks to find out what happened at a party or how my friend was doing. 

Unfortunately, this is the last letter from Leola.  I still have four others that I show you and they each have their own charm.  I could just kick myself for not digging more in that box where I found these letters that day.  I really wasn't expecting to find these beautiful little gems - I was just buying them for the handwriting.   

I wonder what else Leola had to say...

my idea of heaven

After a day filled with going to church and  completing projects around the house, I can't wait to go curl up in my favorite chair with a Hotscotcher (hot cocoa and Buttershotch schnapps) and my issue of the new Victoria...mmmm...bliss!

Happy Sunday night to you!

...ooooo...that's spooky...

Just doing a bit of Halloween decorating around here...

Uh-oh, I see that the Candy Ghost has gotten into the Caramel Apple Candy Corn (!) again and left the lid off...a dead giveaway that she, I mean it, was here again...

It's all about spooky right now, after Halloween we will have more of a harvest theme...

Have a wonderful weekend!

Miss Lucile

Last spring, I found a stack of letters at the Liberty Antique Show.  While organizing my craft/guest room, I ran across them again and decided to spend some time reading through them... 

They are all posted  from May - September 1913 to a Miss Lucile Thomas of Port Norfolk, Virginia.  I thought that since I have 6 letters that I would post one a week.  I wish that I had posted this first one in May.  How wonderful would that have been to be reading a letter exactly 96 years after it was first written? Oh well, I still think that it will be charming. 

So, here is her first letter...

Salem

,

Virginia

May 27, 1913

Dear Lucile,

Your letter came this morning.  I think it was time I was hearing from you.  I had entirely given up hope of ever getting a line from you.  Your picture is fine.  I saw R.K. this morning and showed it to him.  He said you were awfully pretty. He said he has forgotten your address and that was why he hadn't written to you.  I gave it to him but he didn't write it down and I know he'll forget it.  He said all of his pictures were had but that he'd send you one.

I am having a cracker-jack of a time.  You ought to be here.  You know 

Salem

is just full of the best looking boys you ever laid your eyes on while college is going on.  I'm going to the Demosthenian Oratorical Contest to-night with one of the students.  He brought me home from church Sunday-night.  I'm wild about a Mr. Gochenour now.  He goes to

Roanoke

College

.  His home is in

West Virginia

.  He wanted to come down here last Sunday night and bring his friend, Mr. Perry, with him but I had a previous engagement so couldn't have them.  I'm just simply wild about Mr. Perry.  I've never met him, though.  We are distantly related.  I went up to Calloway last Wednesday night to play cards.  I had a fine time.  If you are coming to

Salem

this summer you had better come at once before the college closes.  It closes about the 14th or 15th of June.  We could have such a fine time while the commencement exercises are going on.  You know they last a whole week.  Our exams begin to-morrow.  I'm exempt on everything so I will have a whole week off.  I am so glad because I just simply hate to take the old examinations.  Aren't you glad your school is out?

I got a card from Frank Hester yesterday.  He said he was going to send me some roses today. I hope they get here in time for me to wear some to-night.  I had a brand new white china silk dress to wear to-night and now it is simply pouring down rain.  Isn't it a shame?  I think its horrible. I certainly do hope it will clear up.  I must stop now.  Write me a long, long letter and tell me all about your love affairs. Tell Francis to write to me.  Lots of love.

Affectionately yours,

Leola

post script - "I know you'll excuse writing, scratches and all.  If ever I have a picture taken I'll send you one.  You can't get the little tin types here.  They don't make any small pictures here.  Lots of love. Leola"

Isn't this letter great?  Can you even believe that this was written in 1913?  Girlfriends are so wonderful -Leola sounds like such fun!

here it is!

 

I began my first Round Robin back in June and my book has now made its way back to me after its journey to California, Arkansas and South Africa.  It is so beautiful.  I just love it...

...these are the pages I did to start to book...I envisioned it as a journal found in the attic that chronicled a woman's life, filled with memories...

...here are Victoria's...

...here are Lori's...

...here are Dede's...

...here  are Bonnie's...

I want to thank Dede for organizing the RR and Lori, Victoria and Bonnie (and Dede) for the lovely pages that they made for me.  Thanks for your patience ladies - I am sending out Victoria and Lori's book this afternoon.  Hope that you enjoy your books as much as I love mine!

Give me Liberty or...

Oh, it's my favorite time of the year...time for the Fall Liberty Antiques Show in Liberty, North Carolina.  Since moving here, three years ago, I have not found many antique shows. I was spoiled in Michigan with the Ann Arbor Festival held monthly and lots of other shows throughout the season; so I really look forward to this show.  Liberty is so much fun.  I dropped my girl off at kindergarten and then mama headed 30 minutes south to a huge horse farm that is transformed twice a year into a fantastic show.  There are great prices and treasures to be found here. 

Here are some lovelies that I wasn't able to take with me...

Aren't these all the prettiest shade of robin's egg blue?

Just look at this gorgeous dress form!  I missed it by  that  much. It was priced at only $85 - someone scored with that one...

Here are lots of frenchie pretties from the same dealer.  She told me that she is also at the Metrolina Show down in Charlotte.  I'm going to have to start saving my pennies and plan a trip to go check that out...

Can you believe this?  Miss Katy White attending the Seminary for Young Ladies in 1872.  the comments say that she is one of the smartest girls that the teacher has ever had but that she is exhibiting "unladylike behavior"!  I'll bet that Katy was a fun girl!  I wish that I could have bought this but I couldn't justify the $38 price... How fabulous it would have been framed though...

And this is what came home with me...

...a sweet embroidered pillow, vintage nighties and a vintage baby blanket for my girl to use with her dollies...

...vintage pink rose hat and dollie lamp (she has a little light bulb under her skirt - naughty girl!)...

...shabby, frenchy clock with hand-painted roses on the face...

...shabby fabric sewing box...love the little blossoms...

...french tin, vintage brooches,  millinery flower...

...sweet smalls...

...isn't she sweet? I adore her...

...vintage ledgers, french grammar book, vintage sheet music and photos...

....sorry for the blur...vintage Christmas trim, silk ribbon, little set of drawers (they say "lipstick", "bobpins", "eye makeup", etc.)...

At this point it was 95 degrees out, I was hot, hungry and down to my last $20 bill.  I still had 4 more long aisles to see but I was ready to go. That's when I saw it - this confection of white foof.  I asked the price and she said, "I was asking $30 but I'll take $20 for it."  What?! On the first morning of the show? Bless your heart, I'll take it! 

Now, I ask you, was that meant to be or what?

Have a lovely day, friends.

paper doll swap

I am participating in a Paper Doll Swap with nine other women - what fun!

I just sent out my girlies - I hope that everyone likes them.  I have already received three dolls from other participants - so  pretty!  I will be sure to post photos after I get them all.  This was such fun. Thanks for thinking of it, Lori!

Here is my dollie...she is backed with vintage storybook pages...