So I couldn’t let one of my favorite vintage holidays go by without posting. Halloween is #3 on my list of favorite holidays for decorating vintage. It’s only been in the past few years that I’ve really started collecting vintage holiday decorations. It is so much fun though! Let me share with you some of my favorite vintage and vintage-inspired pieces as well as some things that I would dearly love to add to my collection if I could just go crazy. Hope you enjoy!

I’m loving this Scaredy Cat vintage hanging decoration. His arms and legs are hinged.

And check out this rare valentine. It works double-duty for Halloween and Valentines Day. It just ghost-to-show-you, you never know what you’ll find!

What a hoot. This crepe paper tablecloth is vintage and a must-have for any spooky festivity. I could also see these adorable illustrations used in some altered-art projects. Hmm… Better beat me to it. You can find it here.

Treats are a must at Halloween! These vintage cookie cutters will make any goblin grin. These would be in my collection if I didn’t have a drawer full of cutters already. My clutter means YOUR cutters! Find them here.

Guess Who! These vintage masks are an especially fun blast from the past. Great way for little ones to play dress-up any time of year!

Lastly, here’s a view of my front door. Found this vintage-inspired garland at Target (believe it or not) several years ago. These spooky faces are painted wood cutouts with a glitter overlay. They’re strung by wire that’s pretty easy to twist and shape. I wrap it around my boxwood wreath that I keep on the front door most of the year, and voila! Spooky greetings!

Keep a close eye out for all those little goblins running around this All Hallows Eve! I’ll try to ’round up’ some costume photos of my wee ones to share with you this weekend. Happy Halloween!

The nautical little boy on the seashore was a request from my friend, Renee — you know the one who wanted the vintage / nautical / Navy – themed nursery? Luckily, designing a birth announcement for Baby James was a much easier assignment. She’s due 11/11 and is in serious nesting mode. Let’s just say she did a really good job of ‘nudging’ me along to get this done. Hey, if it eases her mind to know it’s finished (even before the baby gets here), then what kind of friend would I be if I procrastinated? (I’d be the exact kind of friend she’s had for the past 20 years — she knows me too well.)

On a personal note, I’m having minor outpatient surgery on my wrist tomorrow. It’s a long story. I won’t bore you with the details (ok, well maybe I will if I get really desperate for posting ideas). I just wanted to mention it in case you guys start wondering if I disappeared. We’ll catch up next week! If you need to place an order over the next few days, no worries. The elves are still working.

Keep your eye out for more FREE Vintage Fridays. You never know when another might pop up! Thanks to all who entered!

Update on Sam: Sam the Dapper Little Dog is still orphaned, but eager to be lovingly adopted. Be sure to enter his giveaway!

I tend to hit eBay in waves. I get hooked for a week or two and spend way too much time and often too much money. Eventually I snap out of the eBay fog and ban myself for the next few months. Case in point: After a heated bidding war the other night, I narrowly escaped as victor of this wonderful vintage photograph postcard. How could ‘The Baby Gardner’ not fight for this? It epitomizes the shop, right? But it cost me. Boy, did it cost me. Which brings me to the ‘done’ part. I’ve banned myself from eBay for the foreseeable future. But really — can you blame me?

So what do you think about incorporating this into a product for the shop? Good idea or nah, not so much?

Remember the vintage Charlotte and Charlie dolls I had mentioned in a previous post? Thought you might like to see the collection I have hanging in Gracie’s room. Shadow boxes really come in handy when collecting vintage smalls. I have them everywhere displaying all the little vintage treasures I heart most. And check out the scrapbook paper I used in the back of the box. You’ve probably noticed, I heart paper too.

Hope this sparks ideas for you to add your own vintage touches to your little one’s nursery or bedroom. To learn more about the history of Charlotte & Charlie dolls, you can read my brief description in the Cowboy post or search more online.

N is for Nest:

Here’s a treasure I pulled from my recently acquired stash of vintage coloring books. Hope you like it! Click on image for a larger view.

If you’re looking for an incredible source for vintage children’s books and coloring books, check out GoldenTreasures shop on eBay. Much of their inventory comes straight from the Golden Publishing (as in Golden Book) archives and is un-circulated. It’s really awesome and I suspect not widely known because I managed to get these for less than $3 a piece. What a bargain! And now I’ve revealed my secret source! Oh, what the heck. Go forth and enjoy! But if you see ‘gardners’ bidding, be kind!

Yep, me. Guilty. I’ve unintentionally neglected my blog this week. For my punishment and your reward for hanging in there with me, I’d love to introduce you to another FREE Friday Giveaway at The Baby Gardner – Wise Little Owl Pacifier Clip! This little owl is very wise. He knows just what to do to keep that V.I.P. (Very Important Pacifier) safe and sound. He’s ready at a moment’s notice to swoop in and save the day!

Win him for your favorite little someone! Just leave a comment on this post telling us your favorite animal-inspired item at The Baby Gardner. Giveaway ends Wednesday, 10/15 at 11pm GMT. I’ll announce the winner on Thursday. Winner will be chosen at random. You can find more little hoots here. Good luck!

But let’s just say we’ve been around the block when it comes to extracurricular activities. We’ve done dance. We’ve done gymnastics. We’ve done swimming. This year it’s softball. There’s something to be said for variety I guess, but I would love to see her find something and stick with it. I guess that’s a lot to expect from an 8-yr old.

Softball is a major commitment. I had forgotten just how much so. Two practices and a game every week. THREE nights of ball every week. It’s insane. On second thought, maybe variety is not such a bad thing! I think back to when I was a kid, and I was the exact same way — probably more so. Brownies, dance, cheerleading, softball, gymnastics just to name a few. Poor Mom. Do you ever have those deja vu moments when you realize you’re experiencing with your child the same thing your mom probably experienced with you? And you get that brief wave of guilt followed by a great big feeling it’s payback time?