My Summer Mantel Display: The Jersey Shore, Vintage Style!

Well hello there! I am happy to be back on my blog again after a brief hiatus called SUMMER!

We were so busy with the store, vacations, summer camps, etc. Always a good thing! We even found time to go treasure hunting! (An even better thing, right, my vintage lovin' pals?)



With all of that behind me now I wanted to do a post on my summer mantel before I change it Mid-September.

 

This is my ode to the Jersey Shore. Not the Jersey shore you saw in a raunchy reality TV show, but the REAL Jersey shore I've known and loved. Born and raised in NJ plus doing a four and a half year stint working at a local TV station for the Atlantic City/Wildwood area, I grew to love my time spent there.

So, whenever I find vintage NJ beach themed items, I pick them up. I have sold some of my Ocean City, NJ things but to tell you the truth, those are hard to come by.

I love mixing old aqua glass bottles with shells, books, etc.
 

This year I decided to also add in my Philadelphia Magazine pictures. I do think these are original covers that were mounted on foam core.

I love them and barely take them out of my office for fear of damaging one as they are dated 1910.

If I ever get a beach house, these will be framed and used for wall décor.

I also thought this little "beach chair" was too cute and had to be added to my vignette. The plate and vase souvenirs made out of china are fun to collect and are perfect for my mantel.

I love the deep navy blue of this pitcher.
I also get a kick out of the caption:
"Bathing in front of the big hotels."

Is that what we are doing? Bathing?
But then, I remember... we are wearing
bathing suits.



This is a close up of a small portion of a vintage painting... it sits below the mantel on top of the fireplace insert.

Hope you enjoyed my "little tour" of the mantel... stop by and say hi if you have a chance, I've missed chatting with all of you!

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While all of the souvenirs in this post are from Atlantic City, here are a couple of other posts I've written about Ocean City, NJ ... just click here and here. 

And while you're at it, you might enjoy this poem by Ogden Nash, titled Seaside Serenade. I wrote a post about it.... Just click here.

Let's Talk Vintage! #70: Vintage Souvenirs: A Sentimental Journey

Welcome to Let's Talk Vintage!

 

This is where we gather together, to link up in one place, every Tuesday morning, beginning at 9 AM EST.

Today I want you to just sit and think for a moment...
just close your eyes and... well, okay don't close your eyes but just drift off and think back to a time.... a time when you were a kid and wanted a souvenir from a far off place that you visited with your parents... Or, maybe you were an adult and something just touched your heart so much you had to bring it home for someone.

That's what today's LTV is all about... those special souvenirs from road trips of the past.

They are relatively inexpensive and easy to find in local
antique shops and flea markets.

I remember going to Luray Caverns with my family in the summer of 1978. If you recall from an earlier post here, my Grandparents had an antique shop in Florida and my family would make the long drive for yearly visits.

Here we all are that same week, celebrating

 a double birthday for me and my Dad.
Our birthdays were only five days apart.

This particular summer we stopped along the way in Virginia to see the caverns and also to visit Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello. I think I bought a piece of quartz since I was so amazed by the stalactites and stalagmites. I have no idea where it is, I've actually been looking for it to show my Dear Bebe.

 

Souvenir Cup from Buffalo

Souvenirs have touched the hearts of many adults, too. I had a Great Aunt Claire, who in her retirement, would dash off to Hawaii or Hong Kong and bring us back all kinds of things. Some "not so great" things.

I remember receiving a mumu dress that I enjoyed repeating the name of, more than I liked the gown itself.
 
It was sweet of her though, as in "It's the thought that counts." And that is what I love about souvenirs. Nostalgia, loving thoughts, memories... they have happy connotations. I was thrilled that she even thought of me at all.

Atlantic City Souvenir Vase

A vintage souvenir is even better because you imagine who may have purchased it and emotion behind it... was it a gift for someone special, or just a keepsake of a memory made?

Some souvenirs even dared to remind you of who was on your list, like this Coney Island, New York hanky holder.

How about this this old Washington, DC plate? Did it represent a school trip or a present from a husband to his wife?

Or did this vintage pillow cover make one reminisce about a day in Hershey, PA... riding rides and bringing home delicious chocolate treats?

While these sentimental pieces cannot tell us all of these answers, it's okay.  We like to get creative and fill in the backstory from our imagination, anyway!

Thanks so much for going back along with me on my sentimental journey.

I'd love for you to leave a comment and tell us about your FAVORITE souvenir and the memory behind it!

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Now, here are this week's features:

 

 

Debby of Debby Goes Shabby found a little

Valentine love while perusing her local

Goodwill. I love how her thrifty vision turned

into this beautiful display above.

and Sarah of Sadie Seasongoods shared this amazing Parcheesi game board clock that she made! Love it!

And speaking of souvenirs, Amy of Brocante Treasures shared her French vintage goods in her booth at the Vintique Flea in Houston. Ooh la la! She lived in France
and had the chance to bring back all kinds of goodies!

and Stephanie of the Enchanting Rose shared a wonderful
keepsake of her own and a wonderful story that goes along with it. She is a newcomer to LTV so let's give her a big welcome!


Thank you so much to all who stop by each week to link up, read up, or rest up here. I love, love, love the neat things that are shared! (A Happy Valentine's Day to all!)

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