Thursday, October 2, 2008

Souvenirs

As promised, here are my three favorite finds from the trip last weekend to Illinois. I found the box of much used stamps and the old charm bracelet in the same antique shop. I was so happy to find both and was even the subject of a little teasing. It seems that I expressed my happiness with the expression "OMG" excessively. What else can one say when finding such treasures? I really don't need any more stamps, but I liked the case, and the fact that they are all grungy with ink.

I have loved charm bracelets ever since I was a young girl. I like to find souvenir charms of places that I've travelled to. I have one completely full and another one started. The bracelet I found is significant to me for many reasons. It is filled with mostly charms of Illinois and that is where Iwas born and raised. There's one of Abe Lincoln, Chicago Water Tower, Picasso sculpture, and Gov. Otto Kerner's Inauguration Day, Jan. 11, 1965. My favorite is the "Fighting Illini", mascot of the University of IL. Some of the others that I like are: St. Louis Arch ( I've been up in that scary thing, and I lost the charm that I bought there years ago), a bulldog (enough said), a camper (my husband and I plan to drive off into the sunset in one someday), an Amish buggy, a St. Christopher medallion, a bear from Yellowstone ( I love national parks), an Iowa one that moves and has an ear of corn attached ( my husband is from IA). There are even three charms from Arizona. The charms appear to have been collected in the mid 1960's.


Life, Liberty, the Pursuit of Happiness is a wonderful piece painted by artist, Barbara Jeffords. She was at the Country Folk Art Show we attended. I love meeting the artists and talking to them about their work. She was very nice and humble about her talent. I could have brought several of her pieces home, but this one especially caught my eye.

8 comments:

Joy said...

Don't you wonder about the person who so lovingly collected and attached those charms? I have a dear friend who started me collecting charms when I was six, and now I am the keeper of her charm bracelet, which is close to 70 years old. Oh, the stories that one tells!

Pam Mattick Art and Stuff said...

What nice treasures. Glad you had such a great time :)
Pam

Cindy said...

Wonderful finds indeed. LOVE the stamp case..for the same reason you do! : D and Awesome charm bracelet. I have a weakness for those as well. It looks wonderful and seems to be meant for you.

c

Cristine's Story said...

Absolutely love the stamp box. If only it could talk! There's a little present for you at Mystic Paper. Come by!

Tina(Taken over by her daughter, Nicole) said...

Very cool stamps!! And that bracelet rocks! enjoy your goodies!

Sue said...

Great treasures! I especially love that charm bracelet. I can't imagine why anyone would sell it, but that's a whole different tangent. It's your gain in the end. :) Glad you found it.

The Country Folk Art Show used to be around here every fall and it was a lot of fun.

Enjoy your weekend.

danasmith said...

It always makes me so sad to find items such as the charm bracelet sitting lonely in a store! I have one, as do both my daughters, that a full of lifetime memories and it would kill me to think they ended up in antique store!! And the stamps....just awesome! You scored in a big way on that trip!!
Dana in VA
www.TheThingsILove.typepad.com

Cristine's Story said...

Tanya, can you post pictures of your raised garden bed? I need to get The Peddler going.