Home on the Range

The Camden Merchants Showcase in Camden, Maine, features an unique collection among its antiques and collectibles. It's called Home on the Range.

Nestled in the back of this antique mall, the Home on the Range room features cowboy boots and western ware to suit every cowboy, cowgirl, cowkid or even a trendy city slicker.

There are boots in all sizes, shapes and colors, some vintage, some new.

There are western shirts, fringe jackets, Indian blankets...

 

 

Boots for little boys and girls...

 

 

 

And even something for a Rhinestone Cowgirl...

 

 

 

No one really knows who the original inventor of cowboy boots was. According to several different stories and legends, the first pair of cowboy boots was made by either a shoemaker in Kansas, or by one in Texas.

After the Civil War was over in 1865, the cowboys who were driving cattle across the country discovered that they needed a different style of boot. The ones worn during the war just didn’t suit the long hours riding on the trails: blazing through the brush and brambles, splashing through creeks and rivers, and riding with their feet in stirrups for hours at a time.

Around 1870 some ingenious cowboy took his boots to a shoemaker and asked for a pointy toe so he could get his foot into the stirrup more easily; a taller shaft to protect his legs; and a bigger, thicker, under slung heal so his foot wouldn’t come out of the stirrup during the rough riding on the trails.

 

And so it began. The knee-high design protected his legs from the thorns of mesquite trees, barbed wire, snakes, and other dangers. The cowboy boots were pulled on with long mule-ear straps but were loose enough on the top so that they could be wiggled out of easily if the cowboy was hung up in the stirrup and needed to get out in a hurry.

 

The tough leather that the cowboy boots were made from also protected the cowboy’s ankles from being bruised by the wooden stirrups, and his legs from rubbing against the stirrup leathers. The cowboy boots were stitched on the outside to keep the leather from buckling and eventually rubbing against the cowboy’s leg.

 

After my visit to the Home on the Range room at the Camden Merchant's Showcase, this cowgirl-boot junkie purchase these turquoise beauties to add to my boot collection.  Giddy-up!

 



History of the boot courtesy of  www.cowboyboots.com

A Charming Tale

This is a tale of a charming little necklace made of 40 different charms of all shapes and sizes.

Why have charms been so popular over the years?   The history of charms goes back as far as the Neolithic era when men would pick up an unusual stone or piece of wood and carry it with him to ward off his enemies. Thousands of years later, elaborate jewelry made of precious stones and metals emerged during the age of the Egyptian Pharaohs, which was when the first recognizable charm bracelets and necklaces first appeared.

The end of WWII saw the charm jewelry gain in popularity. Soldiers leaving Europe and islands in the Pacific purchased little handmade trinkets fashioned into small metal replicas of items common to the area. These were hung on chains or secured to bracelets as mementos and tokens of affection for their loved ones back home. Jewelers in the US quickly picked up on the trend and began creating charms in all shapes and sizes.

By the 1950s, the charm bracelet was a must-have accessory for girls and women. Major rites of passage - 16th birthdays, graduations, weddings, travel and the arrival of children - were all recorded on the links of their bracelets.

The charm bracelet began to disappear from the fashion scene during the early 1970s but in the mid-1980s charm bracelets reappeared and since the 1990s people have been collecting vintage charms and charm bracelets.

In recent years, the fashion industry has again discovered the lure of the charm bracelet, and has flooded the market with new charm styles in all price ranges. Charm bracelets are now a must-have accessory for any occasion.

I have always had a fascination for charm bracelets and have a few myself. I made this charm necklace from a variety of charms that I salvaged from broken necklaces and charm bracelets I found in my flea market travels. Destined for the scrap pile, all these wonderful charms have been united in one bold necklace that jingle and jangles with delight.

The center charm is a lovely little book locket that says "This Is Your Life" on the front.  A sure sign of it's age. There are heart shaped charms, a unicorn and an Egyptian goddess, a few engraved lockets, some lucky clovers and a Tinkerbell charm, a cowboy boot and an elephant.  And the list goes on...

I call it my lucky necklace and it's fun to wear!

If you want to see more of my vintage re-makes, visit my website www.gypsygirldesignsshop.etsy.com

Holidays at the Cabot Mill Antique Mall

We stopped by the Cabot Mill Antique Mall  in Brunswick, Maine, to see how the dealers had decorated for the holidays.

This Santa greeted us at the entrance to the mall. He sports a vintage red wagon instead of a sleigh. But where are his reindeer?

Uh oh!  If their fate was anything like this guy's, I don't even want to know!

Santa seemed to be the theme around the vendor booths.

And how could I resist another Christmas pin for my collection?

My favorites were the vintage glass ornaments...

And the old runner sleigh.  Oh how I remember screaming down the hill on one of these!

A unique collection of handmade ornaments displayed on an antique coat rack made for an interesting reflective photo.

This elegant cut-glass punch bowl made me thirsty for a cup of egg nog.

And I guess I'm not the only one in the mood for some holiday eats!

As usual, we spent almost two hours strolling through the displays.  There are over 160 of them in this 16,000 square foot mill space. It's amazing!

 

And if someone on your Christmas list loves antiques and collectibles, stop by the Cabot Mill Antique Mall during the month of December and take advantage of savings up to 25%. All the dealers are in the holiday spirit!

 

 

But you'd better hurry!  Time is ticking away and Christmas will be here before you know it!  Happy holidays!

Late Summer in Camden Maine

Labor Day weekend in Camden, Maine, meant the annual Windjammer Festival. The town was bustling with tourists, taking in a final weekend before returning home to the structure and routines of Fall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful wooden schooners graced the harbor. Concerts were held in the park.

Boat builders, crafters, food vendors, artists and musicians complimented the gorgeous harbor views and salty air.

 

 

 

Is that a pirate??  Aye!!

And thankfully I have a patient husband who waited outside while I strolled through the various shops and boutiques.  (He's the handsome one the left of course!)

 

 

The highlight of the visit was the Camden Merchants Showcase.  Housed in the former Camden Cinema this group shop offers everything from tin to Tiffany, country, European and vintage furniture, to art, jewelry, ephemera, vintage clothing, textiles, tools and much more.

 

 

The Showcase features a variety of coastal memorabilia in keeping with its location.

 

 

 

Take a look at some of the inviting arrangements. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                 

 

I couldn't help but wonder about the love stories these pictures would tell if they only could talk. Were they off to war? Did they break a heart or two?

And imagine my surprise when I turned the corner to see! Poof! My fantasies of love and romance were soon gone.

This old Singer sewing machine is just like the one my mother used to sew my clothes when I was a little girl. It was an antique but it was a workhorse. 

 

 

 

 

My favorite part of the Camden Merchants Showcase was the "Home on the Range" room chocked full of cowboy boots and western ware! I thought I was dreaming!

More to come on this later. It's worthy of a posting of its own!

 

 

 

 

I hope you have enjoyed this stroll through the Camden Merchants Showcase. Drop me a line and let me know what you thought!   

 

 

 

 

 Until next time.... 

 



Vintage Opulance- Victoria Mansion in Portland, Maine

A trip to the Victoria Mansion in downtown Portland, Maine, seemed like the perfect Gypsy Girl Vintage Adventure on a sunny July afternoon.

The Victoria Mansion is known as one of the greatest 19th-century houses in the United States. Located in the heart of Portland's waterfront district, it stands as a reminder of the city's wealthiest citizens who built grand homes of brick and brownstone during the pre-Civil War area.

Courtesy: victorianmansion.org

Also known as the Morse-Libby House, the Mansion was built between 1858 and 1860 as a summer home for Ruggles Sylvester Morse,  a Maine native who made his fortune in New Orleans as the proprietor of luxury hotels.  Ruggles was from Leeds and his wife Olive was born in the Gray/New Gloucester area.

Architect Henry Austin of New Haven, Connecticut, designed this majestic structure with an asymmetrical plan, low-pitched roofs, a soaring, square tower, and rich detail. The Victoria Mansion exemplifies the Italian villa style that was fashionable in the mid-nineteenth century. This picturesque style was intended to convey a blending of city and country life, so it was especially suited to Morse's summer retreat in an urban setting.

Courtesy: victoriamansion.org

To decorate his summer retreat, Morse hired Gustave Herter, a German-trained cabinetmaker and interior designer who immigrated to New York City in 1848. Herter Brothers, which he founded, was to become the most influential design firm in the United States during the second half of the nineteenth century. The interiors are lavishly decorated with carved wood details, painted surfaces to mimic wood, trump l'oeil and damask painted walls, themed rooms with grand furniture, Italian marble fireplaces and stain glass sky lights.

Courtesy: victoriamansion.org

Morse died in 1893 and the following year his widow sold the house with most of its furnishings to J.R. Libby, a prominent dry goods merchant. The Libby family preserved the original decor and made few changes to the property. They occupied the Mansion until about 1929. After a hurricane damaged the Mansion in 1938, its future was in peril.

In 1940 it was scheduled to be demolished and replaced by a gas station when retired educator Dr. William H. Holmes purchased the property to save it. With his sister, Clara Holmes, he opened the building to the public in 1941 as a museum in honor of Queen Victoria. Today, Victoria Mansion, Inc. is the non-profit organization who owns and operates the building as a historic house museum.

The Victoria Mansion is a magnificent example of America's highest aspirations in architecture, interior design, and the decorative arts. It is truly an example of vintage splendor and opulence!

The mansion is open for guided tours during the summer and fall, and for self-guided tours during the December holiday season, which I hear is fabulous. I can just imagine how beautiful it is decorated for the holiday. I will be sure to return again in December!