a bit of earth.

care to hear about this super cool idea i have?

well...i'm planning on setting up a small set of shelves on my wall.

what for?

glass jars.

but not just empty glass jars...jars filled with dirt from every country/state i travel to!

on our roadtrip i went a little crazy buying small, glass bottles at different antique stores.

and when i say "a little crazy"...well...i got about 20.

but they're so cool!

all different shapes and sizes.

unfortunately...i got so carried away with buying the jars, i didn't even remember to fill them up with dirt from the states we went through on vacation.

i know. i know.

i guess that just means i'll have to visit the states again.

(fine by me!)

but coolest idea EVER, right?!

(thanks maddy for the inspiration!)

also...a sign that says "a bit of earth" that hangs over the shelves is a must.

xo,

rebecca jane

p.s. have you ever heard the song "a bit of earth" from secret garden: the musical...? not only is it one of my favorite musicals, but a really beautiful song. listen to the broadway recording HERE or a clip from when they performed secret garden at casa manana last summer while i was an intern (which i think is 10 times better than the broadway recording) HERE.

an ideal day.

a couple of weeks ago i had an absolutely lovely day consisting of being "rue-ed," going antiquing, and getting my senior photos done in an awesome wheat field and pine forest. 

just going to say...it was a pretty awesome day.

i found two beautiful vintage 50's dresses. 

got some INCREDIBLE senior pics (i'll share soon).

and laughed/smiled so much that day...my face was literally sore.

i SO love days like these.

antiques are my one weakness.

i love antique shopping TERRIBLY.

and...i found some of the COOLEST antiques at my new favorite antique store!

i didn't get EVERYTHING i found...but i just HAD to have a few! :)

take for instance the above robin hood book...

cutest book EVER!

these are all the "unpurchased but greatly desired" items.

especially the yellow bike!!

but, oh! the store was closed...and it was probably only a display item anyways.

*sob*

i also got some fun other things...

but a few are to be given as gifts.

and i could HARDLY share them quite yet.

:)

vintage hat!! :)

I am SO a "wait until the last possible moment" kind of person. unfortunately. but yesterday was probably my most successful day of gift shopping...EVER. I mean...it was great.

I can't share all of my awesome finds with you today...because, well, they're going to some friends who might be reading this. but today I'm exchanging gifts with one of my older sisters, so I'll share her's with you! :)

isn't this hat awesome?! I found it half off...and I kind of want to steal it. haha. it was in a really awesome booth with all sorts of vintage clothes, gloves, and hats. all half off! I was really tempted to get a dress...but it was marked FIRM. sad day.

also. as I was shopping...I came upon this CREEPY mechanical gnome/elf with a saw that moves back and forth. it scared me out of my wits!! I had to take a video.

antique treasures - cdvs

i have oh-so many antique treasures, i thought i'd start a new mini blog series about some of my favorites! inspired by atlanta's post.

civil war style clothing has interested me for years. so what better way to study 1860s fashion, than by looking at originals (or at least pictures of originals)?! i went through a faze where i was buying and buying cdvs off of ebay. since then, i've restricted myself from going there...i only peruse every now and then.

here are eight of my favorite cdvs i've collected from various places...all young-adult women from the 1860s:

#1 -

there are so many things i love about this pictures. the dress, for one, has so many gorgeous details. i can't tell what that detailing is on the bodice...quilting or tucking perhaps? do you know? i also LOVE the trim on the sleeves, waistband, and bottom of the dress! also, note the shorter length for the younger girl. and how about that cute doll and carriage in the corner?! i wouldn't have minded a toy like that as a young girl!

#2 -

a simple but lovely dress. buttons down the front, white collar, dropped shoulder, bishop sleeves, belt with buckle. these are all tell-tale signs of the 1860s. also, the simple, parted down the middle hair is another good indication. wouldn't you love to know what book she's reading right there?!

#3 -

ooo. i really love the ruffles/runching trim she's got going on. that's a really fun idea to use on a yoked dress...and she also used it on the coat sleeves and neckline. but what is that she's holding? a parasol...without a stick? a strange looking purse. plus, if you look closely...some sort of rod...? what do you think it is? plus, look at the stamp on the back! if you look real closely you can see the date! september 1864!

#4 -

some more lovely trim! and cute bows/accessories of some sort in her hair. a nice brooch and earrings as well. white collar. and look at that sleeve. it appears to be smooth in the front and pleated in the back! i love it! and i really like that elaborate chair! does she look pregnant to you, or is it only the hoop?

#5 -

this young lady is sporting a very nice striped dress. i'm always a sucker for stripes! she has a nice fan-front bodice with a stand up collar and a sort of neck tie/bow. plus a contrasting belt. again, hair parted down the middle. 

#6 - Nancy (an aspiring seamstress):

here's a pretty young girl! wearing a shorter skirt with two rows of black trim. a white blouse, a black bolero jacket (though it looks rather thin to be of any use in cold weather), and a belt with silver buckles. her hair also seems to be up in a net. she looks rather sad, does she not? i wonder how old she is.

atlanta: Poor 14-year old Nancy has become very fashion concious lately - but her family can't afford to outfit two fashionable young ladies, so her older sister Emmaline gets the new clothing, and Nan has to do with cast-offs. That's why her jacket is too big. :^P But, she's taking sewing lessons so soon she will be able to improve her wardrobe on her own!

#7 -

wow. this lady has very large eyes. i see a brooch peeking behind that large paletot of hers. i also see a wedding ring... those coats are not too terribly flattering, but i must say it looks very warm. 

#8 -

and finally we have this young lady. in a rather sombre colored dress. was she mourning? has someone she loved been killed in the war? regardless, i like the little cap sleeve that is over the bishop sleeve. plus the small black trim around the cuff and cap.

well there you have it. the best of my cdv collection. i hope you enjoyed looking at them! 

for you creative people out there, if you can think of a name/story for any/all of my friends here...make a comment and i might add it to the post (with credit to you, of course). 

i can't wait to hear what you come up with!

a dying art.

sewing is a dying art. 

sad, but true.

Wal-mart has gradually been removing the sewing sections of the store.

small, independent sewing stores have been closing down everywhere.

Saturday, we saw another victim of this cruel and unhappy fate. a sewing store...going out of business. however, lucky for me (and all the other old ladies) who were able to benefit from the great deals.

the previous owner had passed on, and her husband and children and grand children were trying to sell everything. as we were checking out, we saw tears. mom and I had to bite our lip and blink our eyes in a rapid motion (to prevent said tears).

But let other pens dwell on guilt and misery...

we reaped large benefits from the sale.

 $15 quilts:

some $1 a yard fabric:

and a CUTE vintage dress: 

tonight I'm attending a gala for the "Cottage Theatre". 

I have been nominated for "best supporting actress in a non-musical" from my performance as Rachel Lynde in Anne of Green Gables. 

I'm very excited. they will also be showing clips from every play ever done there, and having...DESSERTS! 

it sounds like  a very enjoyable evening.