When this all started...

My fascination with all things beautiful and timeless began in high school, oh so many years ago.  I lived in a small town in Mississippi, and searching for treasures at the Sally Ann or auxiliary shops  was something to do after school and on the weekends.  There was no Goodwill or Savers store, just a big, dingy, smelly warehouse - The Salvation Army - small, overpriced antique stores, or even smaller auxiliary shops (usually located in the front parlour of someone's house).  And, we didn't call the things for sale at these places "vintage", just "old" and "used".

My friends and I did a lot of looking, and  not too much buying.  But every once in awhile something wonderful would be tucked away in a corner or hidden under a pile of junk, and I'd find it.  Like the Martin Luther King pendant on a chain that has the quote, "I have a dream", Southern Leadership Conference written on the back.

My Aunt Sue has always shared my passion for antiques and collectibles.  Her home is full of her family's heirlooms- crystal and china, books and photographs. She has some of her grandmother's clothes and jewelry, and she graciously allowed me to try on a few pieces during a visit.  She even took a few photographs.

circa 1988

I felt so grown up and lovely in those clothes!  And so nervous- they were irreplaceable, and I remember being afraid of  tearing a seam or losing a button.  I don't know if my aunt still has those clothes, but my guess would be yes.

When I moved to California after finishing high school , I got my first job at the Goodwill store in Monterey. That is when I started adding countless vintage dresses, shoes and accessories to my wardrobe.  Because the store was located so close to Carmel and Pacific Grove, we received an abundance of high end, gorgeous goods that any fashion lover would go crazy over.  I had the freedom to dress up for work in all of my fancy frocks, and I'll never forget the day one of our regular customers commented that I always dressed like a model from the pages of Vogue magazine.

Throughout countless moves from place to place, I hauled my collection of eclectic fashions, and my pile of old records, with me.  I still have the MLK pendant, and the rhinestone costume necklace and earrings that I wore to my high school prom ( that I also wore when I got married).  I still have the records, too.