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 #87: The Old Fashioned Feel of Ocean City, NJ

Welcome to Let's Talk Vintage!
 

My apologies for being late to my own party...

Between the store and dashing off for quick

mini-vacations, I lost track of the weekdays.

 

 

Today I'm sharing my favorite ocean side

town: Ocean City, NJ.

 

Generations have been coming here for

 relaxation, entertainment, and worship.

 

Here is a little tidbit of history:

 

It was founded in 1879 by four ministers..who

chose the island as a suitable spot to establish a Christian retreat and camp meeting, on the order of Ocean Grove. They met under a tall cedar tree which stands today at 6th Street and Asbury Avenue. Having chosen the name “Ocean City”, the founders incorporated the “Ocean City Association”, laid out streets and sold lots for cottages, hotels and businesses. The Tabernacle was built between Wesley and Asbury Avenues and between 5th and 6th Streets. Camp Meetings were held by the following summer.

 

There are still youth groups, church meetings

and plenty of churches in town. It is also

 a dry town. No alcohol is served or sold there.

Families from all over the Southern NJ and 

Philadelphia area  have flocked here because

it still has that old fashioned feel.

 

 

Each year I go to see the ocean

waves crashing in and out...

feel the sand in my toes and breathe

in the ocean air. I've been going

there since I was a child.

 

(Here Bebe is showing me her latest treasure.) 

 

There is nothing quite like it. And now Bebe

gets to come here and start her own memories.

 

 

There is also nothing quite

like the Ocean City boardwalk. How

many times have I walked along the

boards that parallel the Atlantic Ocean?

 

 

Some of my favorite old shops are there.

 

 

We still love watching them make salt water taffy

at the back of the store... a sign to the right

explains how old the machines are.

 

 

... The dolls that flip in the front window,

attract passersby to stop and take

a gander... most likely they'll make a decision  

to go in and check it out. This little pair

has probably sold more taffy than

they ever imagined. Hmmmm. Maybe

I need to come up with something like

that for Vintage and Co.!

 

Here are this week's features:

 

 

Sharon of Blue Willow House

shared her vintage finds and

styled the photos so nicely for

the kick off to summer!

 

 

Newcomer Christine of Christine's Home

and Travel Adventures shared

her beautiful "Provence" themed

tablescape. Such beautiful

treasures to behold!

 

 

and Bernideen of Bernideen's Teatime

Cottage and Garden shared her new

vintage find... a smoking cabinet.

It looks absolutely charming and

pretty in pink now. An old thing

of the past, made new again!

 

 

  If you were featured, be sure to add this LTV button

to your blog side roll or your LTV posts!