Measuring Up

A vintage hatter's rule and plastic tape measure

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I'm not sure how old this pocket tape measure is, but my grandmother passed it along to me about 25 years ago. Encased in plastic, the metal tape measures 68 inches, and has a holographic image of a dump truck and the words "Sand" and "Gravel" on the front that alternate as you tip it back and forth (click on photos to enlarge). The truck also dumps its load when the word shifts to "Gravel". There was once a company name on the opposite side, but it's worn away and now only an "M" remains.

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This 5 inch hat ruler is a neat little haberdashery item that I bought last year, for only a few dollars, at a garage sale held by my local SPCA. Made of boxwood and brass, it was used to measure the inside of a man's existing hat. The brass fixture slides out to 9 inches for those men with big, Charlie Brown heads.




The opposite side of the ruler has a table listing the corresponding sizes, head and hat measurements (click on photo to enlarge). I measured my head with a cloth tape (22 inches), and I'm a size 7 1/8, and would fit a size 23 hat. I'm sure this will come in handy some day.

Gold Rush

I decided to take photos of all my tablecloths, figuring it might take me a few hours. Two days later, and many moments spent regretting I'd ever taken on the task, I had a visual record of the 150 cloths in my collection. I tried taking pics of them on the table or hanging them outside, but that took far too long. Eventually, I found it was easiest just to lay them on the tiled floor in the front hall. My cat, Meeko, stayed with me throughout the whole ordeal, seeming to know that she wasn't to tread on the fabric (although she came very close):




I have two tablecloths with gold metallic paint. I can't imagine they'd survive laundering very well, as illustrated in this cloth that has just a shadow of the gold remaining on the flowers and borders (click on photo for closer inspection):






These sprays of pink carnations, below, include gold painted foliage and lines. As the cloth and gold paint are in excellent condition, I don't believe it's ever been washed:






I'll use these tablecloths for display, but never to eat upon -- it would be a shame to wash away their beauty.

Glass Bead Necklaces

About ten years ago, I purchased two $5.00 bags of jewelry bits and bobs from a second-hand store. Stuffed inside were lots of costume and some vintage necklaces, brooches, earrings and bracelets. I bought them for my daughter, but after arriving home, I put some of the jewelry aside -- it looked just a bit too good for playing dress-up.

The turquoise necklace is about 21 inches long, strung with wedding cake glass beads -- very suitable name, don't you think? The other necklace, a multi-coloured number, is just 14 inches in length, a choker, and is made of hand-blown glass beads.

I should tell you that I don't have much information about all these things I own -- I'm armed with very little experience in or knowledge about vintage goodies. I just know what I like (though perhaps not enough to actually wear it). So ... if I identify something incorrectly, please let me know, as I'm always willing to learn.