~VINTAGE VICTORIA MAGAZINES and other Fanciful Finds~

SWEET FINDS FROM ALABAMA and TENNESSEE

Vintage Victoria Magazines

One of the things I love most about traveling outside of Oklahoma are the wonderful vintage finds I discover along the way.  Oklahoma is a wonderful place to thrift and our estate sales are simply fabulous.  But...visiting towns beyond our borders can be very exciting as every State and town is vastly different.  One never knows just what they may find!

 Victoria Magazine September 1989

After we left Tuscumbia, Alabama, my hubbs and I drove north to Tennessee for a visit with my sister.  Before she moved away from Oklahoma (and left me!) we junked nearly every Saturday together back when our children were still very, very small.  Honestly...between the two of us we hauled home more incredible stuff than I can even tell you.  And so began our mutual love for all things gently loved and aging...  While still in our twenties we developed a passion for hunting down antique furniture, vintage glass, fine handwork, turn-of-the century clothing and old linens...

Victoria Magazine October 1989

Those days still bring to my mind some of the sweetest (yet financially challenging) days of my life.  Being with her again reminded me just how much I've missed having her live down the street~  So long now since she waved goodbye...

 

Victoria Magazine November 1989

Today our children are all grown-up and except for one they are married and gone.  Our homes are now filled and overflowing with earthly treasures purchased during our years of thrift and tag sale shopping.

 Victoria Magazine January 1990

So...here we were again, all these years later only now it was just the two of us junking around town alone.  Tag Sale Shopping with my big sis always proves to be an over-the-top experience!  She lives in a town not far from Nashville and it is full of some of the sweetest little places I've ever seen.  While visiting several of their antique malls and downtown shoppes I found a big fat stack of vintage Victoria Magazines and my heart just skipped a beat!  I've collected them for years but am still missing several of the early issues.  Expecting to find only duplicates of what I already own I was thrilled to find several issues I was fairly certain I didn't have!

 Victoria Magazine February 1991

It's been well over a year since I stumbled upon ANY vintage Victoria Magazines...  You might remember in early March of 2009 I found a premiere issue of Victoria (that would be Spring/Summer 1987) for only fifty cents (yes...I said CENTS).

 PREMIER ISSUE of VICTORIA MAGAZINE

My heart is still a bit faint over that fabulous find because I once watched an eBay Auction for a Premier Issue of Victoria (in great condition) fetch over $150!!

 

 SOME OF MY VICTORIA MAGAZINES

Out of the ten Magazines I brought home only one was a duplicate.  And it was a Christmas issue from 1995.  Cost for each issue?  Three dollars...only five cents more than the cover price!  Not too bad!

 VINTAGE STEMWARE

At another local antique shoppe we stopped in for a visit I found twelve beautiful pieces of vintage stemware.  I fell in love with the pattern even though I have no idea what it is called!  I would be crazy-happy if anyone out there could identify either the Maker or Design for me as I'd love to add more pieces to my collection.

 ETCHED WATER GLASS

The etched design reminds me of Chantilly but I'm certain that is not what these are called.  My sister collects Chantilly so I'm certain they are not the same.

 ETCHED WINE GLASS

Cost for each piece you ask?  Less than $3.00 each! :)

SCORE!

NEW NOTE:  I JUST FOUND MY STEMWARE AT REPLACEMENTS.COM AND THE NAME OF THE PATTERN TIFFIN/FRANCISCAN LOVE LACE (ETCHED)/JUNE NIGHT!!!  THE TALL GOBLETS RETAIL FOR $45.99 (each) AND THE WATER GOBLETS RETAIL FOR $23.99 (each) AND THE LOW SHERBETS (WHICH THEY DON'T HAVE) RETAIL FOR $19.99 (each)!!!
WHOOT! WHOOT! WHOOT!
THANK YOU, MARIE @ COTTAGEPINKPERFECTION, FOR SENDING ME TO THE RIGHT PLACE.  FOUND THEM ON PAGE 15 UNDER STEMWARE!  
YEAH FOR ME!!!!

 VINTAGE TRAIN CASES

Now...if you've followed my work for very long (especially since my eBay days) then you know I refashion and re-purpose vintage Train Cases.  I'm always on the hunt for them and I was happy to find one in an antique mall while shopping in Alabama.  My sister gifted me with the one on the left.  She found it at her neighborhood Goodwill for $3.99.  WHAT?  NO WAY!  I've NEVER paid that little for a train case!  Especially for one made of wood!  SISTER-SCORE!  Whoot!  Whoot!

LOVELY OLD FIND

I'm pretty picky about the Cases I buy as I've learned through trial and error over the years they were not all created equal.  Some are cardboard and some are made of wood.  I will never again knowingly make over a Case made of pressed paper.

FEATURED IN ROMANTIC HOMES MAGAZINE

Back in 2006 Romantic Homes Magazine featured several of my hand painted Train Cases (that I call Gathering Cases TM) in the September issue.  What an honor!

ALL PAINTED UP

I'm currently working on two new Cases and hope to have them on my A Gathering Place Website sometime late next week!

 LOVELY VINTAGE LIQUEUR

Earlier this year I found the sweet Carafe you see on the left.  Another amazing little find from Tennessee was the aging Liqueur on the right.  Generally they bring many bucks but since I'm a bargain hunter I'm always on the lookout for great deals!

SWEET PRESSED GLASS

I snagged this little sweetie for $12.50.  Original price was $58.  It had been marked down three times when I found it...couldn't pass it up!

 And there you have it!  Just a few of the 'tickle me pink' deals I found on my trip out east!

Hope your weekend is wonderful.  I've been working on several new pillows and painted pretties for my website and so I hope you'll stop by soon and see what's new!

My little vacation is over and so I'm back to the grind the JOY of creating!

Blessings for a beautiful day!

Love to you...

~IVY GREEN and LESSONS LEARNED~

Named in honor of English Ivy growing on the grounds, IVY GREEN was the childhood home of Helen Keller.

LAYOUT OF IVY GREEN 

Built upon endless acres of beautiful southern land in the state of Alabama, I found the town of Tuscumbia to be both nostalgic and reserved.

  DINING ROOM

REMAINING FAMILY CHINA

(Helen broke most of the missing pieces)

I found the house and her surrounding grounds to be simply lovely and I can't begin to tell you how glad I am for having made the trip.  Knowing how I longed to visit this plot of earth since my own childhood, my Mr. AGPMan planned a short get-a-way for the two of us and helped to make a tiny little dream of mine come true.

While visiting the birthplace of Helen Keller I learned much more about her life than I ever thought possible.  Many books have been written about her childhood and the 'miracle at the pump'.  But, what I truly found interesting was the life she lead after leaving her Ivy Green home.

Helen became a passionate defender of the disabled and she believed had it not been for the fact her family had money she would never have been afforded the chance to learn.  Had the funds not been available to hire a teacher (Annie Sullivan) or had she been poor (or a slave?) she believed her eyes and ears would have remained shuttered.  She became a member of the Socialist Party while still a young woman as well as a Suffragette.

Now...I'm certainly no Socialist.  Not hardly.  But...I do know these were different times and back then women had no rights.  Maybe today Helen would make different choices.  One will never know.  Regardless of the political views she embraced as an adult I believe her lifetime accomplishments are to be honored and celebrated. 

 STAIRWAY

The front door at Ivy Green opens onto a wide hallway and staircase.  I learned it was constructed in the Virginia-cottage style, with four rooms downstairs, two on each side of the hall. Each room has it's own fireplace and is fully furnished in the period style. 

 

 CLOSET UNDER STAIRS

(Helen locked her Mother in this closet!)

As I shared with you yesterday approximately 80% of the furnishings belonged to the Keller family.  Upstairs, there are three additional rooms connected by a hallway.

 LUGGAGE ROOM

A small center room upstairs was designated  for luggage (can you imagine?).   One upstairs room was for Helen's siblings and one was Helen's and Miss Sullivan's.

SEWING MACHINE IN LUGGAGE ROOM

SIBLING'S ROOM

AUNT EVALINE'S ROOM

(Now a small museum)

 HELEN'S CHRISTENING GOWN

 BEAUTIFULLY HANDMADE

(I loved seeing this!)

 BEAUTIFUL LACE

 HELEN'S CLOTHES

AN OLD PHOTO

 THE MIRACLE WORKER PLAY

On Summer weekends during the months of June and July "The Miracle Worker" play is performed on the grounds of the Ivy Green Estate.  I found the scenery fascinating and I hope next summer we can return to Tuscumbia with our Miss K.  I think she would LOVE to see the story of Helen's life unfold for herself.

 AMAZING SET DESIGN

 COMPLETE WITH PUMP

PLAY WATCHED FROM BLEACHERS

I have many more photos I could show you but for now I will leave you with just a few more.

While driving down the Hwy, close to the town of Tuscumbia, I caught sight of something that took my breath away.

 ALABAMA COTTON FIELDS

 Being a native of Southern Cal I had never seen cotton growing in person so I asked my guy to stop by the roadside so I could get a closer look.  As my eyes scanned the land before me I was truly overwhelmed by the burgeoning fields that were white unto harvest.  I stood there for a long time and thought about life in America more than a century ago... As hard as I tried I couldn't even imagine the back-breaking work of hand picking cotton...

BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL COTTON

I snapped off a few tufts of the fluffy white stuff (hoping it wasn't illegal) and brought it home to show our Miss K...

A PLACE OF HONOR

For now I've placed my cotton under glass as a gentle reminder of my trip and how truly easy my work (which I love!) really is...

Now...I've shared with you before that I don't believe in coincidence.  I never have.  I believe my steps are appointed by the Most High and I trust Him to bring encouragement to me no matter where I am or what I may be doing.  I've learned to pay attention to the things God places before me for in doing so I am reminded (sometimes in the strangest of ways) that my life is right on track and I'm doing the very thing I was designed to do...

As my guy and I headed north out of Tuscumbia towards the Tennessee border I caught sight of an aging storefront that bore an almost identical name to my business, A Gathering Place...

Discount it if you must, but for me it was just another way to hear the sweet, consistent voice of the Father.

  "You are right where I want you to be, Rebecca!  Continue to trust in Me and I will show you more than you've ever thought possible!  I love you and promise to direct your every step."

Thank you for allowing me to share with you a little of my recent journey.  While making our way through a bit of Southern America I believe my own eyes and ears were opened to the very blessed life I have!

Blessings and love to you this very day...

~VISITING IVY GREEN - Childhood Home of Helen Keller~

ENTRANCE TO IVY GREEN

Ever since I sat in Mr. Whalen's English class in the 7th grade and given the assignment of writing a report on the life of Miss Helen Keller I've dreamed of visiting her childhood home. 

 YOUNG HELEN KELLER

Lovingly named, Ivy Green, by her grandparents when originally built back in 1820, it only took me about 38 years to make my way to the beautiful plot of land first made popular by a little girl who could neither see nor hear.

STANDING BY THE FRONT GATE

I don't know when it was that I first became fascinated with the story of  Helen Keller.  Maybe it was while watching a very young Patty Duke and Ann Bancroft in the movie The Miracle Worker with my mother back in the mid 1960's.

 ANN BANCROFT as Annie Sullivan

PATTY DUKE as Helen Keller

The Miracle Worker - 1962

Or, maybe the seed of curiosity was planted as a result of reading a couple of simple books about her life several years before my written assignment.  I can only tell you for certain that from as far back as my mind can go I've wanted to understand more about the triumphs of Helen Keller and the miracle that became the basis for the story of her life.

MAIN ENTRANCE

And so...about ten days ago my Mr. AGPMan and I backed away from our Oklahoma home and began the 11 hour drive that would take us to Northern Alabama and to a beautiful little town called Tuscumbia...

 BEAUTIFUL and RESERVED

Even though my hubby and I knew ahead of time the House, which held a tiny museum, was closed on Sundays, we decided to drive from the town of Florence (where we stayed in a Bed and Breakfast) to Tuscumbia just the same.  It was only about 8 miles away and we both wanted to scout out the town and snoop around the grounds. We returned the next day to actually tour the inside of the house and to snap photos!

LONG BEFORE BECOMING A MUSEUM

I love comparing the old pictures with the ones taken the day of our visit.  So much has changed and yet so much is still the same.  In 2020 the house will celebrate it's 200th birthday.

BUILT FOR CAPTAIN KELLER'S BRIDE

This charming little two-room structure was built as a 'bridal suite' for Helen's mother when she married her father, Captain Keller.  It was the very place Helen was born and also the dwelling where both she and her teacher, Annie Sullivan, would later reside during the early days of Helen's learning.

 BEAUTIFUL INSIDE

 

 BACK PLAY AREA

 

VINTAGE PHOTO of WATER PUMP

I found it very interesting that the water pump has stayed in it's original place.  A gazebo has been built over it but it's position has never changed.

WATER PUMP GAZEBO

Another thing I found very interesting was that the kitchen and cook's quarters were not in the main house.  They were housed in a separate building out back in order to avoid the possibility of a house fire.

KITCHEN and COOK'S QUARTERS

ORIGINAL BRICK OVEN and COOKWARE

I've decided I'm never ever going to complain again about my modern kitchen!  I can't even imagine having to cook in a place like this!

COOK'S ROOM

LIVING ROOM

We were told that about 80% of the furniture and furnishings in the home actually belonged to the Kellers.  I find this amazing!

LOOKING INTO HELEN'S ROOM

ANNIE SULLIVAN'S BED

HELEN'S BED
(Before moving next door)

Tomorrow I will show you the remaining pictures of the inside of the house and also a place on the property where a play about Helen's life is performed during the Summer months of June and July.


I'm off to finish up some Christmas Ornaments that I'll be uploading to my website later today!


Thank you for visiting and allowing me to share my heart with yours...


Love to you~