Texas Ware.

So in my grand perusal of all things Texas, I came across the most beautiful vintage melamine pieces, called Texas Ware. Plastic Manufacturing Company (PMC) made the Texas Ware pieces from the late 1950s through the 1990s. At one point, PMC was the largest plastics manufacturer in the world, and they revolutionized the stackable melamine bowls and cups. Interestingly, out of the thousands of pieces they manufactured, the speckled or spatter Texas Ware is the most sought after. It's interesting because the speckle in the melamine was a result of using surplus material that was left over from other products. The pieces are so pretty.

Here is some Texas Ware that's for sale on eBay...

11" mixing bowl, No.125, from nrls68.


10" Confetti Spatter Bowl, No. 118, from toms1057.


8" Spatter mixing bowl, from tresori.


Orange Spatter Lunch trays, from ajcarson2000.


11" Spatter Bowl, No. 125, from sewsimple57.


11 1/2" Spatter Bowl, from diamonddeb45.

Feedsack Cloth

I had a conversation with my grandmother the other day about the Great Depression. I want to hear all the stories she has, and considering these stressful economic times, I especially wanted to hear what life was like during the Depression. While she didn't go into great depth, she vividly remembers how difficult it was for her family (she was one of seven children) in rural Alabama. They were farmers and grew all the produce for a small mining community. While their lives were filled with so much worry, back-breaking work, and hunger, she fondly remembers the vivid color brought to her life by the feedsack dresses her mother made for her and her sisters.

The era of the printed feedsack started in the 1920s, when manufacturers realized they could sell more of their feedsacks if they were printed with bright colors and patterns. The timing is a bit ironic, I must say. Anyway, feedsack cloth is hard to come by, but I've come across some on eBay. These are truly beautiful. I can only imagine what my grandmother's dresses looked like...

To see each listing, click on the photo!

Bag fiend.

I love vintage leather purses as much as I love boots. At the request of a friend, here are some awesome purses from eBay.


left: leather purse, from sixd3.
right: wicker, leather, gold hardware purse, from vintage*pippi.


left: leather diamond attache/purse, from fauxbazaar.
right: large leather saddle/messenger purse, from ragevogue.



left: handmade leather vintage purse, from bidfamous.
right: 60s patent leather tote/purse, from preserveboutique.



left: oversize doctor-style purse, from indierockvintage.
right: MY FAVORITE!! Indian woven and leather bag, from deja-blues.


left: (Love this one, too) hobo, from indiecultvintage.
right: vintage Etienne Aigner ox blood purse, from myweescotties.

Turquoise beauty.

I love turquoise jewelry so much. I think it comes from my exposure to Southwestern Native American cultures as a young child. My father flew hot air balloons with Thunder and Colt out in New Mexico. We went every year for the races, and every year we were invited to a Pueblo reservation to visit Mary Rosetta, a jewelry maker who had to be 90 years old. She would take me apple picking and show me how she used her kiln. And then my parents would buy several pieces she made--necklaces, cuff bracelets, rings, earrings...

My husband, too, loves the turquoise. He grew up out in Wyoming and saw his dad wear a big hunk of turquoise as a wedding ring. Anyway, we began our own collection of turquoise and Native American-inspired jewelry that we are very proud of and always looking to add to!

Here's a recent find from eBay. I would buy it if we had the money to spare (saving up for SXSW!).

This is an estate auction from catgre2157. I really love the cuffs and the rings. The lot is going for $200 right now, and I think that's a really fantastic price for this stuff.

1920s/30s tooled leather purses.

I've only recently become addicted to eBay, and yesterday I wound up on a search that started with vintage leather purses to tooled leather purses, and ultimately stumbling upon the prettiest purses I've ever seen in my life! I have a few bags from the 20s and 30s, but I've never even seen tooled leather purses from this period!!

Here are a few. Aren't they gorgeous??

This purse comes from Back Thennish Vintage. The inside is dated-- 1-25-21. (The purse just turned 88 years old, and it's still carry-able!) It was made by JEMCO.


This purse comes from Sirwinstonthepug's Done Gone Deals. It's another JEMCO from 1918.



This purse comes from swissgulch Antiques. The purse is circa 1920 and features both Art Nouveau and Art Deco designs, very Arts and Crafts style.


This purse comes from abee2. The inside is dated 11/3/31. It features an Arts and Crafts style floral design.


This comes from Mauri's. The purse features a Mexican/Deco design.


This comes from oldadvertiser. Definitely from the 30s, this leather purser has a bakelite handle!



This comes from Bronnie's Antiques and Collectibles. It's carved bakelite!!! How cool is that?? This purse could only serve the purpose of a dance purse, with only room to hold a lipstick and some cash. If anyone knows anything about this style purse, contact the seller through the link. He/she is looking for info!