A Little Friday Love for My Antique Sewing Cabinet

I was lucky to receive this antique "Make Do" 19th century Sewing Cabinet on my last trip to see my Dad. He had the little cabinet, and he added the dowels and the vegetable ivory pin cushion to make a little sewing cabinet.


The vegetable ivory pin cushion is so sweet--the needles that are in it are from my Grandmother's sewing basket. She made dresses for my sister and I when we were little girls. I like to think about Meemaw when I am working on some small piece of hand sewing.

I recently purchased some Guterman thread, which came in a clear plastic case. I think the spools are so much cozier in their little drawers, don't you?


My Dad embodies the term "Yankee ingenuity." According to Wikipedia, Yankee ingenuity is an American English reference to the self-reliance of early colonial settlers of New England, United States. It describes an attitude of make-do with materials on hand.

Another wonderful addition to my collection. Thanks again, Dad for bringing me these little treasures.

This post is a part of the following link parties:

A Small, Beautiful Pantry Box

I have been meaning to post about a beautiful gift that my Dad gave me for my birthday this past October. It is a small, oval, antique pantry box. He has had several of them in his space over at Cabot Mill, and has been selling some in his Ebay auction as well. I am always admiring them, and he knew that I liked this particular one that I saw on a recent visit home.


My readers know that I have a chimney cupboard--I can envision it in an older time, filled with these boxes. Here is an excerpt about their history that I found online:

"Colonial women kept dairy products and grains well away from the cooking hearth, in small rooms called “butteries.” Like today’s homemakers, they fought an ongoing battle to keep bugs and mice away from flour, sugar, and other dry comestibles whose storage posed a problem until the introduction of covered stoneware crocks and their even more expedient successor, the pantry box." You can read more about them here.

This pantry box is not large, but in my eyes it is truly beautiful. It was made during a time when things were simpler.


Thanks Dad. I love it.

This post is a part of the following link parties:

Market Yourself Monday at Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Making the World Cuter Monday

A Peek at My Dad's Space at Cabot Mill Antiques

For those of you who have read this blog for a bit, you know that it us inspired by the antique shop that my parents ran for nearly 20 years in Bath, Maine and the Ebay auction site that they held for nearly as many years.

Since my Mom's passing in 2009, my Dad closed the shop in Bath, but opened a space in Brunswick Maine's Cabot Mill Antiques. He has also kept the Pollyanna's Antiques Ebay site active. On a recent visit back home to Maine, Chris and the kids and I visited my Dad's space.

Here he is with James standing in his space--surrounded by all of the antiques he loves--creels, lures, early tools, baseballs, tins, duck decoys, and early furniture.


I really love how he has displayed the creels on some branches he brought in from home. Decorating a small space like this--after having an entire shop of his own means that every inch has to be organized to tell the story in a way that is efficient.


Dad's duck decoys have always been a favorite of James'--since he could walk every time we visited home he could be found walking around the house with a decoy in his hand!


And check out the high chair! Take a look in the basket: anyone need a vintage baseball glove? I also love the floor--Cabot Mill is housed in a 15,000 square foot space in Fort Andross, which was originally a textile mill. The floor tells the story of years of labor!


My Dad makes the checkerboards from old breadboards. See, a little old, a little new, a little new and old, a little handmade and I love it all! Take a look on top of the table below, there are two pantry boxes stacked on top of one another--Dad gave me one for my birthday and I will be featuring it this coming Friday. I especially love the paint on this old table:


A close up of some of the many tins that Dad has available for sale:


If you are ever in Brunswick , Maine and want to take a look at the great antiques available at Cabot Mill, visit this link to learn more.


And if you want to take a look at Pollyanna's Antiques' Ebay store, click here. Dad has some fun items on right now:

19th Century Vegetable Ivory Thimble Holder

1842 Sewing Book "Handbook of Needlework"

Lot of Ten 1890 Victorian Calling Cards

Last week he had a beautiful antique white Fiesta-ware bowl with three red stripes on his auction. Apparently it was a sought-after piece because it sold for over $1,000!

I am happy that my Dad can keep his love of antiques alive with his space at the mill and in his Ebay auctions. And hey--his brithday is this Friday. Happy Birthday, Dad!

A Little Twisted Vintage Golden Book Humor

I am so fortunate in that my Dad sends James and Ella storybooks that he finds at the flea market. Boxes and boxes of books arrive from Maine for the kids, and we never know what we might find inside. Sometimes there is a real gem, like this sweet Golden Book, "My Baby Sister."


Awww, how sweet. Don't you love her little push cart, her Mary Janes, the bear. Adorable!

What? You didn't notice what the real title is?



That's right. Somebody decided a better name for the story would be "My Baby Sister Smells." I tried to change the contrast in the photo so you can really see it.

I was laughing out loud when I discovered it. I had just sat down, gotten all cozy with the kids to read the book. Little did I know that I was in for a twisted surprise.


Let's start right inside the first page, with this adorable little girl holding her dear teddy bear:


Oh boy.


Looks innocent enough, but then you have to put the book right up to your nose and start reading those little conversation bubbles that some child started adding to each page.


Here Baby Sister is saying "I killed the bear." Oh my. Someone has some anger issues.


Here big brother is feeding the kittens. But someone has written "How can they eat pewk." NICE.


Here's another page about sweet Big Brother putting on a puppet show for Baby Sister.


"I'm going to EAT you" it says.


Here's a classic early look at brother sister relationships!


Here was my first hint that the bubbles were written pre-1970. I mean, who says "fink" anymore?


Here's my favorite page, and the one that really brings this child's twisted humor to light.


"Let's kill the dog and bury it." and "I'll bury you alive." Does that one make you as uncomfortable as it does me? Well, in between bouts of snorting laughter, I mean.


Here Big Brother says "I'm going to tip the table over."


Awww . . . if this is any indication of how teddy bears were treated in this child's home, I feel bad for the poor things! "I'll pull it's leg off." and "Leave him alone!"

So who do we think was the owner of this book, back in 1958?


Oh, Becky. Dear, dear girl. I hope you aren't locked up in a women's penitentiary right now, serving time for some unimaginable crime. And little did you know that as a little girl you would have provided us with so much fun 52 YEARS LATER!

Hmm, UNLESS this was done by poor Becky's older brother, in an attempt to further terrorize her when tipping the tea table, teasing the kittens and pulling arms off teddy bears wasn't enough!

Okay, hope you enjoyed that little blast from the past. I'm off to look through the hundred or so other Golden Books I have for another gem!

Let's Begin at the Beginning

My parents, Chuck and Judy Ferguson opened a little antique shop in Bath Maine on Front Street 20 years ago. The shop was an eclectic mix of Victorian textiles, jewelry and glassware, with some vintage and retro kitchenware and Civil War and vintage sports memorabilia thrown in for good measure. The shop was loved by many, and well known for its cheery yellow facade and stunning window displays, which my mother took great pride in designing. I often relate my love of theatrical stage design with her displays.

Mom in front of the store, 2004

As a child I remember my younger sister, Amy and I being dragged to flea markets nearly every Saturday morning. While most children were watching The Smurfs or Scooby Doo, I was picking through copies of Cherry Ames, Student Nurse or Nancy Drew mysteries. While I can't say that I loved these Saturday morning outings, I can say that I was unknowingly developing an appreciation and an eye for everything from Fiesta Ware to Homespun to pretty much vintage anything. I am now so, so, SO THANKFUL for being afforded the opportunity to grow up alongside my parents' affection for antiques.

Mom and Amy before a Civil War re-enactment

In addition to the shop, my parents really LIVED a vintage lifestyle. When I was six we moved to a small farm in Brunswick on 24 acres. The house was a white cape, 100+ years old, which my parents renovated, period style, room by room themselves. We raised chickens, turkeys and geese, had rabbits as pets and were known for always having a few dogs and farm cats around the place. My sister and I were the lucky little girls that when we said "Can I have a pony?" while other little girls were playing with their Breyer horse models, we were racing around the neighborhood on our REAL horses.

Our New England cape.

In my thirties I really began to understand that my affection for vintage ran deep. My relationship with my mother grew stronger after I gave birth to my son in 2006, as relationships with mothers and their daughters often do after the birth of a child. I spoke with her nearly every day and we shared recipes, links to fun vintage websites and blogs and photos over e-mail regularly.

Mom & Dad with James, 2007

Sadly, I lost my Mom quite suddenly due to complications from a prolonged illness resulting from heart problems in 2009. I am sure that her passing made me grasp on to my love for vintage items even more strongly, as a way in fact to hold her memory even more tightly in my heart. Nevertheless, the gift that she and my father gave me, this appreciation for things that are careworn, with chipping paint or bright patina or unusually delicate handiwork is just that--a gift. And I treasure it.

Mom & her Friend Sue clowning around, 2008

My Dad closed down Pollyanna's Antiques in the later part of 2009. He still maintains the Pollyanna's Ebay store, which he estimates has had over 10,000 sales since it went live nearly 12 years ago. Although my Mom managed the Ebay store and my father only took the item photos, now he runs the store from soup to nuts and I am so proud of him, as that is quite an achievement for someone who a few years ago barely knew how to turn on a computer.

Mom and Dad, 2008

Now I am 36 and have two small children, James, 4 and Ella 2. We head back to Maine every six weeks or so to visit with my Dad and my sister. We always head home with a car load of vintage items--be it fabrics from the 40s for my latest sewing project, car parts from the 50s for my husband's collection, storybooks from the 30s for James or Victorian dolls for Ella. I know that we live our love for vintage as a family--and hopefully when my children are older they will come to appreciate these precious gifts just as I do.

James admiring his new vintage bat and glove on a recent visit with Dad

This blog is meant to open a window onto our little world--and the small vintage part of it that we hold dear. You will find here stories of our latest finds, kitchen escapades out of vintage cookbooks, sewing, crafts, collecting and highlights of items found online in the Pollyanna's Ebay store. Who knows--as you follow along with me, you just may find yourself itching for a little piece of the past yourself.

Me, in a retro-inspired Mexican embroidered shirt.
Mom wore a number of authentic versions of this when I was a kid.

Welcome to Vintage Pollyanna.