M is for McCoy Pottery

I love pottery! 

I am very drawn to it and have had various collections over the years.  One of my favorites is McCoy!  I think my first piece was this.

Found in a thrift shop for very little money it holds pens in my workroom!

Not a valuable piece by any means but one that makes me happy.

One day in a thrift shop I found this Aqua bud vase and was so excited.  I paid $1 for it and truly this started my McCoy collecting.  The yellow vase was found many years later and it was also $1.

In an Antique Mall I saw a very expensive piece I just knew I wanted.  I found one on Ebay at a reasonable price

With my love of cats this was a piece I really wanted (in pink) but love the blue/green glaze.

It's a yarn holder!

One year at the World's Longest Yard Sale I bought a collection of 8 ceramic baby shoes for $5 and this was among them.  It's unmarked McCoy and I've seen it in several reference books.

I didn't buy any more McCoy for a long time but began to get the collecting bug again on one of my last trips to the World's Longest Yard Sale when I found this piece.

From the 'Wild Rose Line' of McCoy the Pink flowers really called my name.

My blog friend Claudia @ Mockingbird Hill Cottage is a big collector of McCoy and I've learned so much from her.  I bought a couple of used reference books and learned even more.  

I sent her this piece for her birthday last year.

Also found at the WLYS, it makes me happy to know it's in her home!

When I found this sugar bowl at the thrift shop this Spring, my desire for some McCoy was ignited!

This gorgeous piece was found in a local Antique Mall and the owner of the booth happened to be there and gave me an incredible deal on it! 

A birthday present for myself! 

Claudia mentioned that she found some good deals on line so I started searching Etsy and Ebay.

One seller had this sweet bird planter 

and this unmarked piece from the Rustic Line

I made an offer for both and got a great deal!

Now I was on a roll and had some birthday money
so I looked some more.

This sweet pair of vases from the Blossomtime Line were on Ebay and I had a low bid and won!

I collect Pink Pottery and hadn't seen much pink in McCoy so when I saw this vase at a great price

I knew I wanted it for my collection.

From the Spring Wood Line it is a true pink.

At a local antique mall called Junk in the Trunk
I found this white planter for $5

This piece is from around the late 60's

Someone added some green felt to keep it from scratching a table I guess.  I like it's shape.
At this same place I found this piece of unmarked McCoy and had to have it.

I found it listed in both my books as McCoy.

So that's my collection so far.  Some of the gorgeous vases Claudia have call my name.  I keep on the lookout for good deals.  I 'may' have found one on Ebay the other night, but you'll have to wait and see! 

I'm sharing this post at 
Vintage Inspiration Party
Alphabe-Thur

Babysitting is going well and I'm so lucky to have this time with sweet Rosemary!

Wishing you JOY,

Linda

L is for Love

I don't know what I would do without my sweet 

Charlie

Always helping! 

with photo shoots

Guarding my collections!

and checking my camera angles

I love you Charlie Kitty!

Joining Alphabe-Thur

Wishing you JOY,

Linda

Family Treasures #4

This time I'm sharing sweet items from my Mom's childhood!

My Mom was born October 18, 1930

The first of six children!
I am so blessed to have her baby book.

This is the book and this photo of her parents holding her.  I was very close to my Berkeland grandparents and so love seeing these photos.

Taped inside the front cover is the receipt for the Dr's bill for her home delivery $15

and the birth announcement

I love the illustrations

Being the first child, her parents kept up with lots of her firsts!

This photo is important because it is one of the few where my Granddaddy had hair.  He was bald at a very young age, so Mom loves this photo.

My Grandmother was only 18 when my Mom was born.  If you think the baby photos of my Mom look like my Granddaughter Rosemary, I think you are right!  Blake has said since she was born, she looks like GrannyB!

I love this photo with the bonnet!

My Grandmother was very sentimental and sent my Mom these baby clothes to her after she was all grown up.  These little gowns were made by my Mom's Aunt Golden.

I adore this bonnet with the old ribbons. So sweet!

These photos are so cute!  

Virgie age 3 and 5 1/2 yrs old!

She still has this great smile!

Her family!  Well one more 'surprise' girl was born in 1940.  The only boy (in Grandmother's arms) was suppose to be the last child.  

This is my Mom in 1st grade.  They had a contest to see who dressed up as the best baby, and she won!  The dress was made in 1903 and was an actual Christening dress from her Aunt Golden.

The dress which is over 100 years old is not in the greatest of shape, but is a family treasure.

My Mom was a very small girl and able to wear this at age 7.  I love the details of the collar.

All the little tucks and small stitches

Those of you with vintage fabric expertise might tell me how to preserve this even more if possible.

I have more treasures to share from my Mom next time! 

Joining 

Vintage Inspiration for their 200th party!

Wishing you JOY,

Linda

Changes!!

Changes...yes many changes in my life

Sara has gone back to school/work and so I am helping out with these two while she and Blake work.  This week it's both kiddos and can I tell you how tired I am?  Wow, that 4 year old is an energetic whirling dervish!  I am not use to having two at once but I'm hanging in there and getting it done!   Next week Tiger goes back to school and I will just have Miss Rosemary.

So that will be a bit easier for me! 

Until then blog posts will be sporadic as I'm missing in action! 

Linda

K is for Keene

I think most of us have read Nancy Drew Mysteries!

They were my first mystery books and I loved them.  I could not wait to read more and more.  Mostly I checked them out of the library but my parents did buy me a few.

Over the years I acquired a few more until this was my collection!

Carolyn Keene is a pseudonym for the author of the Nancy Drew Mysteries and also the Dana Girls Mystery Series.  These were written by several authors including Mildred Wirt who wrote many of the first 23 books in the series.

I found some interesting history about the series here.

How many of you read Nancy Drew as a girl?

Joining Jenny at Alphabe-Thur

(I am so late with this post)

Wishing you JOY,

Linda