Saturday, September 29, 2012

Rhoda and Adohr Farms

Rhoda - an unusual name for a cow! How about Bessie? Or Elsie?
 Here is a picture of my Great Grandpa Rindge's family.
My grandpa, Frederick, is the little guy on the right!
  My grandfather had a sister, Rhoda, she's the young girl in this family photo.
Naming my cow after her is a tribute to her dairy farm!

 When my great aunt, Rhoda May Rindge, grew up she met this handsome guy -

 Merritt Huntley Adamson Sr., a farmer,  fell in love, and got married.

 In 1916, Merritt and Rhoda founded a state-of-the-art dairy in Tarzana.
 They named it Adohr Farms; Adohr was Rhoda spelled backward!

Now since my cow is a Holstein, a kind of dairy cow, you can see why I felt compelled to name her after my great aunt, the owner of a large dairy.

Their dairy had Holsteins, and these cows, Guernseys.

 In fact, LOTS of Guernseys!  
The Adohr Stock Farms eventually became the Largest Guernsey Herd in the World!
 This monument still stands in tribute to their achievement, on the grounds at Morningstar Farms in Tulare and is the only remaining sculpture of its kind in the United States. 
The Adohr Milkmaid and Cow was a series of statues
commissioned to advertise Adohr Farms Creameries.
Aunt Rhoda was a strong woman, running the dairy even after her husband's death.

I was lucky enough to find this Adohr Milk Bottle on one of my treasure hunts long ago.

 Nostalgia! The milk man delivery to our door is a fond memory growing up!
My search continues to find more Adohr Farms milk bottles in different sizes ...

 At the last Sacramento Antique Fair, 
a milk crate, just like you see in this picture, was my latest find!

These vintage crates with metal edges are getting harder to find 
and this one even had the Adohr name on it!

I will cherish this treasure - the "Adohr" is a bit worn but still easy to make out!

And my bottle fits inside just right!

 This bronze name plate was uncovered at a Loomis Antique store about seven months ago. Even though the clock is new, the rest is vintage - I would love to know what this piece was used for! Perhaps it sat on my great Aunt Rhoda's desk years ago!

With my latest crate find, my Adohr Farms trifecta is complete!
Looking at it, I think of the long days my ancestors must have spent 
making their dairy so successful.  Dairy farming, like all farming, is hard work and long hours. Sometimes we take for granted how easy it is to get our food supply. With harvest starting soon, we need to take the time to thank all our farmers for their hard work, as they continue to produce the best and safest food supply in the world!

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Update: News about my cow!

Just a quick update on my cherished cow I named "Rhoda"!
(If you need to catch up read about her here!)
My friend Laura, who is quite a bit younger than me, saw my cow in my house when she stopped by the other day and was so excited!
She told me she had one when she was little and she remembered everything about it, 
saying it was one of her favorites!  

"Rhoda" is actually "Milky, the Marvelous Milking Cow", 
a children's toy made by Kenner in 1977.  Milky was talented indeed!  If you pushed her head down and then pumped her tail, her head would eventually pop up, she would moo, and then you could milk her! Yes, this cow originally had an udder!  The toy came with little tablets that you put in water to make 'fake milk' and you could actually 'milk' the cow!

The best part about learning more about my cow was I found an original TV ad on YouTube for the toy!  The ad is titled "1970's Worst Toy Ever Made #1"!  Check it out!
Click on picture to watch it!
Hope you enjoyed it!
I'm still calling my cow "Rhoda" - I'll explain soon is a future post!

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Lipstick Gypsy's Vintage Trailer!

Step on into Lipstick Gypsy's vintage trailer - the Tin Gypsy!  
Last spring, at the Mes Amis Vintage Antique Show
Lipstick Gypsy had yet to 'reveal' her vintage trailer redo on her blog, 
so I promised I wouldn't post my pictures until her big reveal. 
 I'm glad I waited - the redecorating is complete and wow!


Robin Krall, aka Lipstick Gypsy, hauls her vintage 1965 trailer 
from Idaho to various shows throughout the country in order to sell her wares, 
some of which are these hand dyed and designed shabby slip dresses. 
I was lucky enough to catch up with her at the fall
 Mes Amis Vintage Antique Show in Roseville last week. 
As you enter the trailer, the attention to detail grabs you and pulls you in!  Robin tells me she's "always been a 'NESTER' and my surroundings are of utmost importance to me!"

 Just look at all the little touches -
 the wallpaper inserts on the cupboard doors, the vintage mirrors,
 the pink magazine racks, the beaded light shade, 
the vintage artwork of roses and dogs!

 As you turn, the banquette comes into view -
Robin says she "LOVES to create environments and set a tone of comfort for a space."
 She does it well!  I just want to settle in here for a cup of tea and relax with "mes amis"! 
Or read a romance novel under that crystal chandelier with a box of bon bons!!   

I turn again to take in the next wall -
 the homemade curtains flutter underneath the lovely scroll hooks,
 and why not have pink ostrich feathers in your blingy boots?!

Turning back to the 'kitchen' the tole tray sits waiting.
A beautiful towel rack is not too good for this trailer!
And do you see that backsplash? Vintage tin!

 Stunning! All beautiful vintage pink stoves should have oval mirrors behind them!
A pink dog sits on watch under the pink hood - and check out the match holder!
Roses appear everywhere - so romantic . . .

 But please, don't linger too long once you are inside!
There are lots of people waiting outside to get a look as the "Tin Gypsy" is notorious!
The Tin Gypsy started as a contractor's "job shack" - a place for the builders and contractors to meet and go over plans with Robin's husband while they were building their home.
 The trailer sat for while after they moved in and Robin says she
 used to "look out the office window and pity the poor little neglected gem"! 
Robin's husband traded it to her cousin for a hunting trailer 
but it was never picked up and Robin decided that no one could love 
the trailer more than she did, so the restoration of the Tin Gypsy began!

It was a labor of love.   
"Tin Gypsy really told me what she wanted and it was a seamless restoration . . . 
BLOOD, SWEAT, and TEARS . . . but Seamless:)"!
 No doubt you'll feel the love of all things vintage 
when you come upon her 'Tin Gypsy' and/or booth at any show! 

 How to find the "Tin Gypsy" at a show?  
Look for gorgeous dream catchers made from vintage doilies hanging around -

and PINK! Look for lots of pink, and lace, and feathers, and delightfully vintage goods!

So grab your boots and head out to San Luis Obispo, CA on 
October 19 - 21st to catch up with Lipstick Gypsy! 
She'll be a vendor at the wonderful Remnants of the Past show 
at the infamously PINK Madonna Inn Expo Center!  

 
And if you're lucky enough, you may get a glimpse of her shabulous "Tin Gypsy" trailer!
Thanks Robin for sharing your story and trailer with all of us!
Visit Lipstick Gypsy's blog and online store here!

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Mes Amis Vintage Antique Show

 
  Every spring and fall, the flea markets of France come to Roseville, California by way of the Mes Amis Vintage Antique Show!  "Mes Amis" means "My Friends" in French and that is exactly what the vendors become throughout your day of shopping.

Vendors from near and far arrive and set up gorgeous booths! One of my favorites is "Lipstick Gypsy" who brings a vintage trailer all decked out in shabby chic decor - all the way from Idaho! (See pictures of her trailer in my next blog post!) The pheasant perched among so many vintage treasures, looks like he's about to eat from the vintage feeder above.

There were so many beautiful garden plants in vendor booths.  Live plants were nestled in vintage pots and old farm supplies, giving me lots of planting ideas, as well as ideas on how to use some of these great vintage finds!

I love to go first thing in the morning.  The sun's rays shine through the stacks of vintage wares spotlighting things to catch my eye.

The fall show brings lots of pumpkins interspersed among the treasures . . .

. . . as well as a few guests who waited a long time for the show to start!  
This pair welcomed guests to Burlap and Bees booth. 


I love how Lisa and Heather of Burlap and Bees, made this vignette of masked marvels!


Two tree lined city blocks welcome visitors with vendors hand picked by host Sandy Bryan. One of these vendors is a mutual friend, Annette Eagle, who created the beautiful necklace you see here, creatively displayed on angel statuary.

 
As well as writing her blog, The Olive and Rose, and creating this beautiful jewelry above, Sandy also hosts the Mes Amis Show. She has brought together a group of her friends (thus the moniker 'Mes Amis'!) she has met through the years attending craft shows and flea markets from around California and beyond.


 So many talented and creative people in one spot 
makes for an amazing shopping experience!
Recognize that bin under the sign?!
I love the way "The Red Door" incorporated white and green pumpkins into their booth!

 
 Look how cute this little white pumpkin is that they tucked into a rusty file cabinet drawer?!
That bit of white just pops against the dark, 
and the added grass makes you think it just grew there!

Rusty objects aren't the only kind of metals you'll see here.
 Mary Salabar of Glorie, arranged this glittering display of vintage silver pieces!

And look at Mary's multitude of gorgeous frames - the interplay of texture between the iron piece and wood just draws you into her booth.  If you missed the show, Mary also has a space at The Antique Trove

 It was great meeting new vendors Ashley and Heather of 'Figgy and Flax'.  While Ashley was busy with a shopper, I talked with Heather and got a few pictures.
How clever is this laundry room sign they created out of an old ironing board?!


I loved their silouette artwork which really added to the fall theme of the show.


It's delightful just to see how each vendor identifies themselves!
The Antique Gardener chose to set up a chalkboard on a chippy chair, surrounded by more chalkboards and pumpkins made from wine barrel rings.

The Rusty Clover hung their sign high, which drew your eye up to the birdhouses they created from salvaged materials. There were so many other great vendors, I couldn't take pictures of all of them, but you can see all came if you click here.

 
The fall "Mes Amis Vintage Antique Show" has come and gone.  If you missed it, you have another chance to catch up with some of these great vendors.  
Sandy is organizing a new show named "Noel Vintage Holiday Market" 
scheduled to be held Friday, November 16 and Saturday, November 17th at
 Beatnik Studios, 2421 17th Street, Sacramento
 
 I can't wait! So until then, I'm closing the door on this fall show and saying
"Au Revoir Mes Amis!" until we meet again!