THANKSGIVING SALE 20% OFF ALL ORDERS!

Use Coupon Code BIGTHANKS during checkout to get your discount.  This will be the last sale until Christmas so if you are wanting to make a special Christmas gift, or decoration or make that special outfit for Christmas or New Years now is the time!

The sale will end Sunday night at midnight AZ time.  All paid orders ship Monday or Tuesday.

May you all have a blessed and safe Thanksgiving filled with family and friends.  God Bless!

McCall's 6515 Fashion Diva's Smocked Hats 1962

Only a high of 77 today - what a great break in the weather for us.  Our blood is so thin I'm actually wearing a sweater.

Keep an eye out for the Thanksgiving holiday sale that I will start probably on that Thanksgiving day or the evening before.  I am committed to reducing my inventory to be at about 4000 so almost 3000 patterns will be deleted or relisted at a reduced price.  Every day I check to see what old listings haven't sold and decide what will stay and what will go.  Anything I already have a picture of I will list so not to waste all the time and effort it took me to do the work but I will only be buying the more scarce and collectible patterns from now on.  The more I can stay off the keyboard the easier on my hands.

Do you have any special dishes that you make for Thanksgiving?  Our family tradition always includes creamed pearl onions.  I added the use of feta or goat cheese to enrich the white sauce and it has become an even bigger hit in the family.  Also - my brandied cranberries.  OMG have you seen the price of cranberries???  Well of course the prices of everything has skyrocketed.  I bought some extra bags of cranberries and have dehydrated them.  They are handy to have on hand when making breads or adding to cereal.  Crossing my fingers that they go on sale so I can stock up my cubbard - which reminds me I need to get more mason jars.

I've been making my own yogurt lately and though it's a bit of work it's so worth the effort.  So rich and creamy.  Once it's made I drain a can of mandarin oranges, squeeze the juice out (to keep the yogurt richer), add a banana and a little sugar, and some vanilla, and a few tablespoons of lime juice, blend until smooth and then freeze in small containers for my evening snack or even breakfast.  I've made all kinds of flavors but this is my favorite.

Also made a batch of mascarpone cheese that is so rich I want to wear pearls while tasting it.  The mascarpone chicken last night will make a wonderful leftover dinner tonight.  On Tuesdays we have Bible study so cooking is a hassle.  I made some blueberry ice cream and some lemon bread for snacks for the study group.

A couple of big winners today to put in:

McCall's 6515 Fashion Diva's Smocked Hats 1962 the style so very reminescent of Jackie Kennedy's "Pillbox" look.  A rare unused pattern.  Hats don't seem to be  in style like they used to be which is a shame.

 

Mail Order 2886 Sexy Summer Dress / Early 1950's - don't you wish you had seen this before cool weather set in?  Well you have all winter to find the right fabric if you snatch it up now.  It comes to you Factory Folded.  Neat little button shoulder and side buttons too.  Maybe more important than the fabric would be the buttons ....

 

Every inch shouts Classic Mod for this Butterick 5593 Mod Fashionista's Dress & Scarf / ca. 1969

 

Back to striaghtening my house - how can it be such a disaster in only one week?

 

VIEW ALL LISTED TODAY

Butterick 2299 Roaring Twenties Frock 1920's

Trying to start the week out with a posting - yay!  Had a couple of awesome listings today that I had to share.  A couple from last week get "honorable mention too" -

 

 

 

 

Butterick 2299 Roaring Twenties Frock 1920's that has remained unused and factory folded for almost 100 years.  In remarkably great condition.

 

 This rare ready is also unused and went in last week. 

Patrons Francais Echo 4126 / Turn of the Century Skirt / Early 1900's.  You have to wonder how they survived much less remained unused.  

 

 

This one is truly priceless and again not used - Simplicity 2565 Hot Tamale Dress & Cummberbund / ca. 1958

Mail Order 4873 Younger Than Springtime Jacket & Dress 1960's

 

 Nothing more flattering than a 60's sleeveless dress with just that perfect "look" to it.  Does anyone watch Tripping Out with Alie & Georgia?  I think it's on the Cooking Channel.  They both wear 40's to 50's vintage outfits and I always look forward to their shows to see what they are wearing.  It's a fun and funny show too.

 

 

 

Simplicity 6434 Sexy Backed Dress with Vestee 1966

 

That refined front fools people - when you turn around it's a big wow!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This next one was listed last week and don't be fooled by the envelope.  It's uncut and factory folded.  A real classic.  Butterick 9472 Two Skirted Jumper & Jacket / ca. 1960

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Striking tiny little Jacket!  Advance 2860 Patsy Cline Jacket & Dress / ca. 1962 - also unused.  The dress is nice but that jacket truly makes the outfit.  I would love that little jacket with a turtlneck sweater and a pair of jeans even. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marian Martin 9310 Dynamite Low Waisted Dress 1950's - with the right figure this would be so flattering.  That low waist however wasn't ever meant to be worn by me boo hoo.

 

 

 

 

VIEW ALL LISTED TODAY

On November 11 we all celebrate our past and present Veterans for their service.  Many gave the ultimate sacrifice and are buried in foreign countries.  My Grandfather Richard Warren Strong died on November 3, 1918 just days before Armistice.  My mother was born on December 17 and never knew him.  Richard Warren Strong

If any of you have family members who died overseas during WW1 or WW2 there is a wonderful website that will help you locate where they are buried.  It is called the American Battle Monuments Commission.

VETERAN'S DAY SALE INFO LISTED BELOW!

 Lots of things going around in my head.  My FMS has limited my ability to do as much as I have in the past as I indicated in the previous posting.  At this time I am going to reduce my stock at my store by not restocking as many new (not vintage - those will still be listed as often as I find them) that aren't as interesting or eye catching.  The "generic" patterns will be reduced.  As they are sold I will not relist the less interesting patterns.  I want to reduce my stock by 1/3 for now.  I am working toward a manageable but still profitable site (the more hours I put in the more sales I make and I am willing to work less to generate less sales).  From close to 7000 I want to weed out to about 4000 still maintaining great patterns and choice.  When I get to that point I will see how I am able to handle it.  I have checked into Etsy and that is also a possibility if I find that maintaining a 4000 level is still a difficulty.  Lots of options!  I really don't like selling on Ebay so that won't be in the future but I know that most sellers on Etsy are happy so if I go that way I know I can maintain a great variety of collectible patterns and have it be manageable.

The first step to lowering my stock are more frequent sales (which I have been having because of my listing difficulty).

VETERAN'S DAY SALE 20% OFF ALL ITEMS

Sale Starts NOW and Ends MONDAY Night at Midnight AZ Time

Use Coupon Code HONORVETS during checkout to get your discount.

May you all have a blessed and safe holiday weekend.  Be sure and give honor, praise and blessings to all our Veterans.  God Bless Them All!