RetroBabs Vintage

New remix item, we took a vintage wooden, shadow box and REMIXED it into a work of art, a sculpture!  The abstract, graphic design and the primary colors will really set off your collectibles. We hope Piet Mondrian would be proud:   He was a Dutch painter and he coined the term Neo-Plasticism .  Wikipedia states that he did a series of paintings with black lines and three primary colors. We tweeked it a little bit but definitely wanted to pay homage to him.

I have joined a new team on Etsy called Follow Me .  This team helps support each other by using social media.  Each week they give chores or tasks to do. This week was Tumblr for me.  So I took on the challenge and set up a Tumblr account . http://retrobabs.tumblr.com/ I will see if I can keep up with the group.  This dinosaur has learned to use Twitter and Facebook. Check it out and tell me what you think.  Remember Dinosaurs did go extinct!

I have a few new items in the shop and I realized they are all made of aluminum.   It started me to think about "new" materials of the 1950's that we take for granted today.  ALUMINUM made by Alcoa was an innovation,  a light weight metal that could be molded and did not corrode or rust. Fantastic! In the 50's Alcoa had a company called Kromex and they designed wonderful serving and entertainment products for the "housewives of America". This Ice Bucket is the perfect example, with its shiny surface and Lucite handle (also a new material of its time).  Kromex also used stainless steel in some of their groovy new products.  Aluminum was used in everything from dessert trays to furniture. It was a strong metal that could withstand weight and abuse. Many more uses than just cans for cola! Check out these aluminum chairs from the 1950s -Lurelle by Kensington which is another division of Alcoa. This souvenir tray is made out of aluminum but not by the...

We wanted to introduce you to a good friend of ours, Marie from Wear the Heart Is vintage shop on Etsy. 1852, New York issued, Hungarian Fund, 1 dollar banknote. A lobby card for the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis flick, The Caddy. Marie lives in Slater, Iowa and is the proprietor of her vintage shop and a jewelry shop on Etsy called Bright Baubles . A vintage Amethyst and 14K gold ring. We asked Marie a few questions so we could get to know her better. Tell us about yourself. "I was born in Northern Iowa and left Iowa after high school, in 1985. I didn't intend to return. After graduating from the University of Minnesota with my BA, I got a TEFL certification in San Francisco and taught ESL/ EFL overseas for 12 years." (EFL- is English (as a) foreign language. TEFL- teaching English as a foreign language. ESL- English as a second language.) "I worked mostly in Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Bolivia. I also traveled t...

I made this collection to feature the Vesties Team of which I am a member. The members have so many fantastic vintage items but one of my favorite are the Western bits and pieces. Leather, cast iron, denim, cowboy, square dancing, mason jars, block and tackle, pulleys, horses, I could go on and on. Sit back, click and enjoy. Ye Ha!

I started this blog to have a discussion about mid-century modern and vintage furniture and products. I came across this wonderful photo from the 1960's, it was published in Playboy magazine. The photo features the genius designers of the century when it comes to modern furniture. Each designer sits on his own creation, in order are: Gerorge Nelson, Edward Wormley, Eero Saarinen, Harry Bertoria, Charles Eames, Jens Risom from July 1961, PlayBoy magazine. From the (Saarinen) Womb chair to the iconic school chair (Eames), we should celebrate their genius, they have changed our everyday lives with their innovation. From clean lines and use of new products of their age (Eames- molded plywood chair or molded fiberglass),they have led us on a modern journey. For over 50 years their furniture is valued and desired, we covet and copy their work. Their designs are still valid today. I know I am on my soap box but I just wanted to share my opinion and this fantastic photograph wit...

I love pottery, and especially art pottery. I confess I collect it and I especially love Mc Coy. I made this Treasury to celebrate Mc Coy- with its lovely patina and pastel color glaze. I have this leaf dish on Etsy at the moment. I am not sure if it is Mc Coy or USA pottery. It has that aqua color and great crazing ( minute cracks in the glaze that show its age ) of the glaze. Here are a few of my actual pottery collection, I think what I am first drawn to is the color of the glaze and then the shape ( a vase, a shoe, a planter pot, an urn). Since I throw pottery on the wheel I know how much work it is to make a piece. Pottery is truly a work of art and I don't think folks appreciate that fact. Pottery is just as difficult to create as any painting or sculpture! I like to think of it as a Useable Piece of Art . Mc Coy Dutch Shoe circa 1940s Mc Coy Bean Dish for the family favorite- baked bean casserole! I hope you enjoyed this little walk through pottery as muc...