Spice Up Your Kitchen!

One of the fastest and cheapest ways to add color to your kitchen is with vintage tins!  Vintage spice tins are the perfect thing to add just a little pop of color.  Prior to 1869, these little containers had paper labels.  Thanks to the lithograph process, we are the benefactors of having these colorful little gems last for years!  Today, most spice companies are using glass bottles or plastic containers so the tin container is on its way out.  Most of the spice companies I find tins for easily are McCormick, Durkee, Schilling, Ben Hur and Crescent.  There are those that are much rarer, but the easily found brands will be the most economical for you.  Specialize in a color or a brand for a larger colorful display!  I love the old Crescent cans because of their beautiful shade of blue!  Display them piled in an old crockery bowl or just lined up on a shelf or the windowsill.  You can even change them out for seasonal color!  Get creative on a budget!  Be sure to mark your calendars now for August 12th & 13^th!  This is the last parking lot sale of the year for us. On the 12^th, the city of Aurora is celebrating their Aurora Colony Days where the streets of the downtown area are lined with vendors sharing their vintage and antique treasures with you. There is also a parade, a 1k-5k run/walk, an art show, etc.   Don’t stop at the downtown area without coming a little farther down the road to South End Antique Mall where we spill out into our parking lot on both the 12^th & 13^th. A big shopping weekend not to be missed!

I love how the tins look sitting in a vintage enamel soap dish mounted on the wall

Stack a few tins in an old pottery bowl

Saving Vintage Linen Treasures

Have you been fortunate enough to inherit vintage linens?  Those beautiful printed tablecloths, hand stitched table cloths and napkin sets.  If you have some, you are truly fortunate!  So now, what do you do to care for them?  Most of them cannot be handled in the same way you take care of contemporary linens.  You can’t just throw them in the washing machine and dryer without risking damage to the vintage fibers.  If they have been stored in a cedar chest or dresser drawer, you have probably inherited the storage stains to go with them! Don’t panic!  A hot water and Oxyclean soak overnight will most likely take care of these.   Avoid using a dryer if at all possible; line drying is the safest method.  If you are not going to use them immediately, do not iron them.  Make sure they are thoroughly dry and wrap them in a clean cotton sheet or tuck into a cotton pillowcase for storage.  NEVER store in plastic or in any container where they are touching wood. When you are ready to use them, press with a hot dry iron.  You can starch them if you want that crisp look, just don’t iron, starch and store all in one process.  Bugs love the taste of starch!  The one exception that I have found is the old 100% cotton pillowcases.  They seem to be sturdy enough to stand up to our washers and dryers.  Take time to research the care and cleaning of your special linens; they are so worth the effort. The most important thing you can do for them is take them out and use them!  Enjoy those bright retro colors and patterns!

These crisp linen tablecloths add great color to a luncheon table

This sweet tea cloth combines applique and hand embroidery for a cute design!

Sweet clusters of flowers with a tiny hand crocheted trim add class to this simple linen fabric