Giveaway - 'Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict'


Hey, how about a giveaway?
This one is for a book that I recently read (I wasn't asked to promote it)

The book is 'Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict' by Laurie Viera Rigler and it is the follow-up book to 'Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict' which I gave away last November .
In the first book, modern day gal Courtney Stone wakes up in the body of Jane Austen era gal Jane Mansfield and has to deal with the vast differences of living in that time. Now in 'Rude Awakenings' we have the other half of the story with Jane Mansfield waking up in the modern day life of Courtney Stone. Jane has to deal with the problems that Courtney left behind (man trouble of course) plus she has to learn how to use a phone, a computer, drive a car etc. all that modern day stuff.

If you'd like to sign up for the drawing for this book, please comment below or send an email to dvintage@comcast.net
A winner will be chosen on August 10th.

A Vintage Purse and a New Jersey Head Scarf for me!


It's been a busy Summer for me, and I haven't been posting very often, sorry. I made two nice vintage stock purchases recently and here are 2 items that I kept for myself.
First is a nice big straw bag. This one should be good for me because the straw is the kind that is wrapped in clear plastic vinyl, and it has leather straps with metal bases. Looks nice and sturdy - my straw bags take a beating, I have several that are now clutches because the handles broke off.

Then I got a very cool head scarf, it's the kind with the plastic headband sewn inside of the top. The print is like those state hankies, but on heavier fabric. Showing New Jersey and all of her Summerly delights! Awesome!

Working on my Beach

Trucking up the beach, they are now pumping sand out at Winthrop -




Starting to rebuild the dunes along Neptune at the ends of Seacliff and Seaview -




Standing behind the rocks on Seaview, looking towards the ocean, slightly south, then straight out to the dredge and then towards the rough water at the inlet -

The new Library in Strathmere.

This past Saturday I took a walk down to the new Schiavo Library to check it out and to join as a member. Dr. Rita C. Schiavo was from Philadelphia and her family had a long history, over 80 years, in Strathmere NJ. Her father and uncle were land developers there and they owned several homes and many lots. Following her death, Rita, who had no other living relatives, left her estate to the town of Strathmere to establish a library there, as a gift to the small community. It's been exciting watching the library be built and to hear of it's progress. It really feesl like Strathmere in the Library and I'm sure Rita would be very happy.

A photo of her in a 1960s cocktail dress hangs in the library and more vintage images of here will be hung too.
I went through many boxes of things from her estate, which were resold on this website over the past 3 years. In the library, there is a special display in this pretty case, showing momentos from the life of Rita Schiavo - a baby dress, a hat, photos and letters. The hat and baby dress were items that I had kept from Rita's things (I usually keep a few things from some estate clothing lots that I buy, to remember the person) I was asked if I still had any of Rita's items that I could lend for this display, and I was glad to provide the hat and baby dress.

Throughout the library are vintage images of Strathmere, which I was asked and very glad to provide from the Strathmere website's collection of photos. The images were matted and framed by a local man, and they will be changed throughout the year.


You can see more of the photos from inside of the Schiavo Library here -
http://strathmere.blogspot.com/2009/07/peek-inside-schiavo-library.html

Strathmere 4th of July Parade photos

Here's where I am this weekend, watching and photographing the always awesome Strathmere 4th of July Parade! Got some sunburn today too. Beautiful weather.










Check out all 4 pages of photos here - http://www.strathmere.net/2009.html