Our sterling silver wire-wrapped rough Amber piece really shines in this striking collection of Amber jewelry, curated by gothictoggs on Etsy. We’ve had this piece in our stock since we were in Tennessee, it’s been holding out for just the right person. Thanks to gothictoggs for featuring Quarter Moon Curios!
Hey baby, it’s the Fourth of July! “Free Clip Art Friday” comes early this month, featuring some great July 4th retro clip art from 1961. I love how both the cookout clips show the husband holding the kebob an the wife holding the drinks.
If you use any of this artwork, please feel free to share links to your creations in the comments below.
Note: The clip art from this collection has been scanned from vintage graphic design industry clip art from 1961. This clip art originally came from Multi-Ad Services CLIPPER, a clip art subscription service sent to newspapers and magazine publishers. The art was copyrighted at the time, and likely still is. The art has been digitized and made available, free of charge, for your personal use only. Please do not use any of this artwork on commercial reproductions. All artwork is RGB at 72dpi resolution in .jpg format.
Here is an example of one of the above clip art pieces in a sale flyer I created for my friend’s vintage clothing store, Funky & Darn Near New in Yucca Valley, CA…
This month’s Free Clip Art Friday features vintage Father’s Day ad clipper artwork from 1961. Hope you enjoy!
If you use any of this artwork, please feel free to share links to your creations in the comments below.
Note: The clip art from this collection has been scanned from vintage graphic design industry clip art from 1961. This clip art originally came from Multi-Ad Services, a clip art subscription service sent to newspapers and magazine publishers. The art was copyrighted at the time, and likely still is. The art has been digitized and made available, free of charge, for your personal use only. Please do not use any of this artwork on commercial reproductions. All artwork is RGB at 72dpi resolution in .jpg format.
Last Sunday, June 10, 2012, my brother and his sweetheart were married by comedian and celebrity Judah Friedlander at the Bonnaroo music festival in Manchester, Tennessee. Jay and Sam had an adventure they will remember for the rest of their lives.
A few days from now, on June 15, Allan and I will celebrate the 20th anniversary of our own little adventure. I love to tell my wedding story, probably more than people like to hear it. But on this landmark anniversary, it’s worth noting.
I was 22, and Allan was 25 when we got married. We’d been dating for 3 1/2 years, so why not? Seemed like the thing to do. At that age, 3+ years is a long time.
We decided we’d elope while on vacation. We liked to go to New Orleans every year, and we thought that would be the perfect place to elope. It would be cheaper than a formal wedding, and just as romantic. We wouldn’t tell anyone, except maybe our parents and closest friends. To everyone else, it would be a surprise. That was the plan, anyway. But then my mom called my grandma, who told the whole family. So much for that.
A few weeks later, my grandpa died rather unexpectedly of heart failure. When our family gathered for the funeral, it was both a mourning and a celebration. Grandpa was the first death in our family, and I was the first grandkid to get married. It was the beginning of the big change that families eventually go through, and we all knew it.
When it was time to say goodbye and drive back home, halfway across the state, my grandma grabbed my hand and held it so tight, my knuckles turned white. “Tie a double knot,” she said.
The big day quickly came around. Our plan was to roll into New Orleans sometime on Friday before the government buildings closed, apply for our marriage license, get married on Saturday, then go celebrate out on the French Quarter that night.
We drove all night, and got there early Friday afternoon, only to find a major Gran Prix race running through the streets of downtown New Orleans. What the hell? There were signs taped to all the doors, all government offices were closed till Monday. I sat on the courthouse steps and cried.
Allan assured me it would be ok, and we could still get married. So we made the best of the situation. We got all dressed up in our tux and gown on Saturday night, headed down to the French Quarter, told everyone we were just married (how were they gonna know?), and people bought us drinks all night long.
A good time was had by all. We toasted with a couple who were celebrating their anniversary that night. We ate beignets, and looked at Saturn and the Moon through a telescope next to the Cafe du Monde. Allan sat in with a band at one of the clubs on Bourbon Street, and broke the poor guy’s guitar string. He played a tune with a couple street musicians, and a rich white tourist gave them a $10 tip. Seconds later, I spilled red strawberry daiquiri on the front of my white satin tailor-made wedding dress. An adventure to remember, indeed.
Monday morning, we headed back downtown to do the deed. We spent way too many long, hot hours, shuffling from building to building to take care of all the paperwork (and it was not lost on us that the building with all the poor people was the only one without air conditioning).
Eventually we found ourselves in the judge’s office. He was a well-fed guy, balding on top, and very judge-looking. He was very nice, but I wouldn’t want to face him on the stand. He was a native Cajun, he told us, and those were about the only words he spoke that we could understand. We did a lot of smiling and nodding. I think he was on about the Gran Prix race, and probably the heat. But he talked so fast, and his accent was so thick, it was hard to tell.
After we were officially married, we wandered back down to the French Quarter to soak up the vibe of the city and have some more beignets and coffee. It was late afternoon, nearing sundown, and the sweltering heat had finally let up a little.
We wandered into a little shop we loved to visit, called the Mystic Curio, on Royale Street. The shop’s proprietor was a very characteristic guy, a big pirate looking dude with a long, gray beard, tattoos on his arms, and a brightly colored parrot on his shoulder.
He was standing behind the counter when we walked in. We told him we were just married, and talked with him about handfasting, an ancient pagan wedding ceremony. “Come on back,” he said, motioning for us to follow him.
He grabbed a bottle of wine and a couple glasses, and led us back to the courtyard behind his shop. It was a tiny little patch of paradise, bursting with flora and fauna. Cascading ivy and flowers covered the walls of the courtyard, a concrete fountain tinkled with water, and there were animals everywhere. I remember peacocks, a bunch of cats, a couple dogs, maybe a goat, and the parrot on his shoulder.
There we were, in another world – tucked between Bourbon and Royale streets, surrounded by thousands of noisy drunks and tourists on the outside. But here in the courtyard paradise, we couldn’t hear a sound but the chirping birds and tinkling water.
Our handfasting was quick and impromptu, but romantic and beautiful all the same. He wrapped a ribbon around our hands and held them over a glass of wine. He gave us blessings, we drank from the wine, and he bound us in marriage under witness of a couple peacocks, a bunch of cats, and the parrot. He advised us to “drink wine together, and often.” We took his advice to heart, and we’ve made sure to follow it over the years.
The next morning, I called my mom to tell her it was official. She talked to grandma and told her about the disruption in our plans. Grandma told her, “everything happens for a reason.” As it turned out, the day we ended up getting married – June 15 – would have been my grandparent’s wedding anniversary.
Soon after, I was reflecting on the whole adventure. I kept thinking about my grandma’s words, “everything happens for a reason.” I thought about my grandpa and the love he was sending us from beyond. I was happy that mom had spoiled our surprise, and that the whole family knew we were getting married, especially grandpa before he died. Then I thought about grandma’s advice, and it occurred to me – something we hadn’t planned, or really even realized at the time – we’d tied a double knot.
Here we are, twenty years later. Our amateur wedding photos are fading with age, and some of our family have never seen them. This was long before computers were a common household appliance. I’ve scanned a few of them and included them on the next page.
You can stop here, or keep going if you want to see a few pictures. Thanks for listening!
First comes love, then comes marriage… then comes the sending of “thank you” cards for all the lovely wedding gifts!
DIY weddings are increasingly popular, especially now that the Pinterest craze is catching on.
Just in time for June wedding season, this tutorial will show you how to make do-it-yourself “thank you” cards using recycled wrapping paper from your wedding gifts. And this card includes a little something extra… a heart-shaped pendant inside, a little return gift to say “thank you from the heart.”
Not just for weddings, these “thank you” cards can be designed to fit any occasion – birthdays, anniversaries, or just because.
If you don’t want to make them yourself, you can buy these “thank you” cards pre-made from my Etsy shop, available in singles or packs of four. Designs vary with availability, and can be personalized for a little extra.
Collect Wrapping Paper
First, collect the wrapping paper you want to use. Any kind of wrapping paper will work, but I prefer to use tissue paper. It clings nicely to cardstock, making it look like a printed card.
For an extra personal touch on your wedding gift thank you cards, reuse the wrapping paper wedding gifts. Your recipient will love it – obviously, because they picked out the paper to begin with! Be sure to unwrap your gifts carefully if you plan to do this.
To smooth out really wrinkled wrapping paper, place the sheet between two sheets of parchment paper, and press with an iron on low setting.
Adhere to Card Stock
Gather the card stock you are going to use. You can use any kind of heavy paper, as long as it’s thick enough to be rigid, and light enough to fold. Large, blank index cards are good, or business card stock from an office supply store.
Place a few sheets of the card stock on a protective surface, and lightly mist with spray adhesive.
I find it’s best to do a few sheets at a time, so you can smooth out the wrinkles while the adhesive is still somewhat tacky.
Carefully lay each piece of card stock adhesive-side down onto the back side of the wrapping paper.Flip the card over so the wrapping paper is on the top, and smooth out the wrinkles.Use a brayer (roller), or a bone folding and scoring tool, or both. Work in firm, even strokes, from the center to the outside edges.
Don’t worry if you don’t get all the wrinkles out. Get as many as you can, you can take care of smaller wrinkles later, after the cards are cut.
Smooth Out the Wrinkles
I prefer to use the bone tool to smooth out the most stubborn wrinkles. Tissue paper looks like it is printed right onto the card stock.Smaller pieces of card stock, like index cards, are a bit easier to smooth out.
The type of spray adhesive you use will also affect how well the paper smooths out. Adhesive with an extended drying time, or repositionable adhesive for scrapbooking, will give the best results.
Trim Cards
Trim your cards down to size. Cards should be 5″ wide and 2.5″ tall. Click here to download a template.Bonus: he leftover trimmings can be cut into matching gift tags, or may be used for other paper projects.
After your cards are trimmed, use the bone tool to smooth out any remaining wrinkles, again moving from the center toward the outside edges.Fold the cards in half, using the bone tool to sharpen the crease.
Stamp ‘Em Up!
Using your favorite “thank you” rubber stamp, and a matching ink color, stamp the image onto the front of your cards and let dry.I bought these adorable stamps from the Etsy store Creatiate. I love how they put hearts inside the letters!
Few things say “Summer of Love” like the iconic concert poster from the Monterey Pop International Festival in 1967, created by the late, great artist Tom Wilkes, and featured here in this Etsy treasury list, “It’s the Summer – of Love” curated by howtobooksandmore.
If you remember 1967 you weren’t there but the Beatles, Jackie O, a blonde Jane Fonda, Peter Max, Mia Farrow, The Monkees and the Harlem Globetrotters were.
Wine Much, Laugh Often – good advice, hanging outside the back door of the Cosmic American Outpost in Pioneertown, where Quarter Moon was included in a pop-up shop the summer of 2011.
I have a soft spot for vintage recipe books, especially ones with retro artwork and dated designs.
This little gem from 1968 was a promotional recipe booklet for Kretschmer Wheat Germ. This cookbook has it all… ugly colors, funky artwork, and recipes I might actually use!
“Recipes With Something Special” features more than 60 recipes that all include something special… Kretschmer Wheat Germ, of course! Recipes cover breads, main dishes, salads and vegetables, desserts, and beverages and snacks. This cute little recipe booklet also offers helpful hints and ideas “for adventurous cooks,” as well as facts about and nutritious benefits of wheat germ.
Maybe because I’m a child of the ’70s, and my mom went through the same health food craze that all mothers did at the time, but I do actually like wheat germ. Wish I could say the same for carob and all-natural peanut butter.
Browse through the entire recipe book below (17 pages including the cover), or [popup url=”http://quartermoon.us/downloads/download-kertschmer.html”]download the PDF here for FREE[/popup], courtesy of the kitschy kitchen at Quarter Moon!
Something about Mother’s Day and May inspires colorful visions of flowers, plants and gardening.
This month’s Free Clip Art Friday theme is “Garden Time”. Hope you enjoy! If you use any of this artwork, please feel free to share links to your creations in the comments below.
Note: The clip art from this collection has been scanned from vintage graphic design industry clip art from 1958. This clip art originally came from Multi-Ad Services, a clip art subscription service typically sent to newspapers and magazines. The art was copyrighted at the time, and likely still is. The art has been digitized and made available, free of charge, for your personal use only. Please do not use any of this artwork on commercial reproductions. All artwork is RGB at 72dpi resolution in .jpg format.
Remember to Breathe – Breathing is so much easier, up here at 4,500 feet elevation!
This helpful reminder is painted on a wall at Rimrock Ranch Cabins, just a stone’s throw from where we live. It’s a cute little place, with affordable rates. I’d recommend it to anyone visiting the area who doesn’t want to sleep on our couch.
This delicious and healthy snack is packed with flavor – so good, you’ll be reaching for another!
Carrot Orange Ginger Muffins Recipe
Ingredients :
1 c grated carrots
1 c fresh squeezed orange juice
orange zest from one orange
1-inch slice of ginger root, peeled and grated
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
4 Tbsp melted butter or 1/4 c vegetable oil
2 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 +1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
½ tsp nutmeg
1 c dried cranberries (optional)
2 Tbsp ground flax seeds or wheat germ (optional)
Grate the rind from your oranges before juicing. Put aside the zest from one orange, plus 1 Tbsp from another orange. Approx. 4 large oranges should yield 1 c juice.
Mix together in a blender grated carrots, orange juice, orange zest, grated ginger, sugar and egg, and – if you’re using them – ground flax seeds or wheat germ. Add the vegetable oil or melted butter to the mix.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in dried cranberries (optional).
Spoon batter into lightly oiled muffin pans, filling three-quarters full. Bake in a lightly oiled muffin tin for 30-40 minutes at 350ºF (175ºC), or until a toothpick stuck into the cake comes out clean.
Prepare the topping by mixing sugar with orange rind in a small bowl. After the muffins have baked for about 15 to 20 minutes, remove from oven and sprinkle the topping over the muffins in each cup, then return to the oven to finish baking.
Every time a new season of Mad Men comes out, the buzz is all about the vintage clothes and fashion from the era.
Hopping on the bandwagon, this month’s Free Clip Art Friday brings you more genuine advertising clip art from 1958, featuring vintage men & women’s fashion.
Hope you enjoy! If you use any of this artwork, please feel free to share links to your creations in the comments below.
Note: The clip art from this collection has been scanned from vintage graphic design industry clip art from 1958. This clip art originally came from Multi-Ad Services, a clip art subscription service typically sent to newspapers and magazines. The art was copyrighted at the time, and likely still is. The art has been digitized and made available, free of charge, for your personal use only. Please do not use any of this artwork on commercial reproductions. All artwork is RGB at 72dpi resolution in .jpg format.
Our rainbow sheen Labradorite mineral specimen looks so much prettier surrounded by these gorgeous and flashy feldspars in “The Feldspar Group” treasury collection. As much as I love the bright, neon color flash of Labradorite and Rainbow Moonstone, I’m partial to the Sunstone featured in this treasury by JunkDrawerToo, mostly because it’s so hard to find of this quality!