Amazing Unicorn Crest Sign with Spero Melior Motto

UPDATE: This item is SOLD

So, I just came across this incredible carved wood unicorn sign! I looks as though it would make a cool pub sign, but it could be someone may have had it made as a sort of family crest. Apparently, this particular unicorn design is prevalent in traditional heraldry.

More about the piece: It's large, 30 inches high, and looks to be hand carved from 1 1/4 inch thick wood. The saying across the top 'Spero Melior', is Latin for 'I hope for better things'.

I think this would look AMAZING in a bar, restaurant, or home.

Vintage Hand Carved Wooden Unicorn Rustic Wall Decor - $495

Spero Melior - I Hope for Better Things

After some Googling, I found this image of a Unicorn Rampant from the 1909 publication  Complete Guide to Heraldry on WikiSource. 

And what is a Rampant, you may ask? Well, here's what Wikipedia has to say about that:

Rampant

A beast rampant (Old French: "rearing up") is depicted in profile standing erect with forepaws raised.^[2] The position of the hind legs varies according to local custom: the lion may stand on both hind legs, braced wide apart, or on only one, with the other also raised to strike; the word rampant is sometimes omitted, especially in early blazon, as this is the most usual position of a carnivorous quadruped. Note: the term segreant denotes the same position, but is only used in reference to griffins and dragons.^[3] Rampant is the most frequent attitude of quadrupeds, and as supporters they are rarely seen in any other attitude.

Aunt Kiki was a Model

Not too long ago, a cousin of mine posted these album covers on Facebook. Her mother, my Aunt Kiki, had had a brief a modeling career before she was married. All three of the covers below were the product of just one photo session in 1957, where the photographer apparently had her make lots of sexy, pouty faces.

My favorite has to be the Ray Conniff cover, because we get to see her in a gorgeous strapless crushed red velvet gown and elbow length gloves. The guy in the back is definitely not checkin' out the sheet music!

For a little added atmosphere, click on the DivShare player below for a clip from "Oooo!"

The Four Freshman - Voices in Love - Released 1958

Ray Conniff and his Orchestra - S' Awful Nice - Released 1958

Jackie Gleason presents "Oooo!" - Released 1957

Music Monday: The Innocence Mission

This is my earworm this morning. 'You Chase the Light' by The Innocence Mission was released in 1989,  but I didn't discover it until the summer of 1992. By that fall it was on heavy rotation after the graduating senior I had been seeing at art school headed off to do his tour of Europe, and I was all with the, Whoa is me! And also, Angst!

There was never a video produced for this track, so the YouTube clip is just a collection of random impressionist paintings and photos of what I assume to be France. I did find a few photos, mostly of singer/songwriter Karen Peris. Check her out rocking the hombre hair circa 1989. Bet she did that with Sun-in.

Fixing a Sweater Snag

Over the last few years, I've come up with lots of ways to fix little issues in vintage pieces that were otherwise fabulous. Today I thought I'd share one of my methods for repairing a snagged sweater. Sometimes, if you have a small snag, you can just hold the sweater a few inches to either side of the snag, and tug the garment horizontally, vertically, and diagonally of the weave and the snagged fiber will move back into place.

In the case of this Alpaca sweater, however, just a part of the twist of yarn has come loose and is sticking out of the front of the cardigan. No biggie! All I needed to fix this problem was a needle and thread.

First, I threaded the needle, then tied the end of the thread around stray fibers.

Then I poked the needle through the sweater, taking care to follow the direction the of rest of the yarn.

After the stray fibers have been threaded through to the back, the sweater looks like new again, but you need to take further steps to make sure it stays that way...

Next I threaded the renegade fibers through a small piece of yarn on the wrong side of the weave. If the thread slips off the snagged piece at any time during the process, no worries, just re-tie it.

Lastly I just tied the loose fibers to a piece of yarn on the wrong side by double (and triple!) knotting thread around them both. 

Trim the thread, and voilá!

Vintage 90s Tribal Inca Design Peruvian Alpaca Cardigan

Spring Vintage Fashion

I don't know about you, but I'm totally over this winter, so I've been cheering myself up a bit by adding some new listings for vintage spring (and summer) clothing. Sundresses, cropped tops, and skirts in fresh florals or funky tribal inspired prints are helping me think happy thoughts until the weather warms up for real!

Vintage 80s Floral Print Day Dress with Kimono Sleeves and Full Skirt

Vintage 90s Delicate Tea Rose Floral Print A Line Sundress

Vintage 90s Floral Print Rayon Crop Top

Vintage 90s Tropical Floral Print Sundress with Tie Waist

Vintage 1980s Floral Print Full Midi Skirt

Vintage 80s Compaignie Internationale Express Long African Print Wrap Dress

Vintage 90s Tribal Inspired Black and Off White Wrap Mini Skirt

Vintage 90s Tribal Print Long Knit Tank Dress