Valentine's Day is just a couple of weeks away, on February 14th, so why not say Be My Valentine with a special treasure from Vintages? Hanging Heart Ornaments ($7.95 each) Handmade Cards & Tags (from $3.95) • Murano Glass Hearts (from $22.95) • Heart Photo Albums ($3.50 each) Wrap it all up in this handmade heart paper ($4.95 per sheet) Keys with Messages ($8.95 each) • Pewter Hearts (from $19.95) Decorated Bottles (prices vary) Fantastic Beaded Necklaces and Other Vintage Jewelry Love Notes, Vintage Valentines and Celluloid Candy Bags LOVE Magnets (from $10.95) Heart and Music Ribbons with Tin Boxes Gold and Pearl Necklaces Love and Initial Stones ($15.95 each) Handcrafted Solder Pendants and Charms (from $12.95 each) Various Hearts, Valentines and Love Notes Handmade Love Blocks ($9.95 each) Handcrafted Hearts ($115.00 each) and Signs (39.00 each) Give Your Valentine the Moon and the Stars with a Handcraf...

I found these charts in a little 1936 book titled The Good Fortune Birthday Book . Interesting , as these list the meanings and associations of gems, flowers, birthdays and anniversaries. Nice reference. For an earlier discussion about birthstone s, see this post . Also, these articles on birthstones were posted in 2011, one for each month.

Sparkling gemstones have captured peoples imaginations from ancient times right up to the twenty-first century. From the earliest of times gems have been given special significance and powers. They have been associated with gods and planets, connections and emotions, human traits and animal instincts. The Georgians attached superstitions to certain gems, wore mourning and remembrance jewelry and expressed their feelings in gifts of flowers and gems that conveyed special meanings. Georgian Heart Pins The Victorians continued those traditions, most notably in the mourning jewelry that became the fashion after the death of Queen Elizabeth’s husband Prince Albert. Victorian Mourning Brooch with Braided Hair Sentimental jewelry has taken many forms over time. Lockets were a popular jewelry choice for centuries. By the end of the Victorian era, lockets had become a very romantic symbol. Many were in the shape of hearts. These were expected to be worn near the ...

We got back from the big Atlanta Mart Gift Show a few days ago. Fifty-five floors of shopping in four days! Whew! We found a bunch of great new item and fresh inspiration. As usual, these items take awhile to arrive, so you'll be seeing them over the next few months. But here's a small sample. Colorful, whimsical Wall Plaques (Made in the USA) Framed bottle display ... perfect for using your imagination A new line of decorative papers based on vintage documents (Made in the USA) Vintage design paper packets with feather pens (Made in the USA) Handcrafted pewter pendants (Made in the USA) Handcrafted pewter "Blessing Rings" and key chains (Made in the USA) New designs of metal letters

We created these little Love Notes using our own Heartman design. Each notebook has 50 pages. The perfect way to say "I Love You"! Love Notes • Just $3.50 each • Only available at Vintages of Los Gatos

If you have not checked out my blog about Shirlie Montgomery , please do. Shirlie passed away in November, at the age of 94, leaving behind a legacy of photography virtually unmatched in Santa Clara Valley. She became a professional photographer in the 1930s, and subsequently photographed everyone and everything that mattered for the next forty years. In fact, she was actively taking snapshots right up to her 90s! Shirlie was not a stand behind the camera in a studio type of photographer. She loved being out in the front lines of journalism, catching car crashes, politicians, celebrities and floods ... all in a days work. She also loved to go to wrestling matches. She took her trusty 5x7, captured real action, and then shared her images with the crowd at the Ringside Bar after the matches were over. So, enjoy the blog . I will continue to post photos and stories until I run out of material ... which will take a lifetime. You might recognize some of the subjects in this tanta...