Day 109 - Search is On for Heritage Exhibits!

Finally, my love of vintage items has a purpose.  OK - a purpose for something other than gracing my home, reminding me of days long past and remembering my grandma's favorite stories.  I admit it - I am a collector.  I also see myself as a saver of forgotten items.  My home is filled with old items sharing space with modern technology and conveniences.  Somehow, I think it is good to remember our past and I enjoy sharing my space with items that have been around much longer than I have and have their own stories to tell.

What do I collect - well; in the first category, items that have meaning to me or my family that have been passed down through the generations.  When my grandmother passed away two years ago I ended up with some very treasured gifts.  My love of sewing is now done on grandma's beloved sewing machine and I have inherited some of her fabric stash.  My love of baking now involves using her favorite bundt pan.  My plants (many of them from clippings she gave me) are watered using the old copper pot she always used to water her plants (fyi - the Hoyas are in bloom!).  Second I collect items that remind me of days past such as old blue canning jars, milk glass, old photos, old recipe books, etc.  And finally I collect items that can find new use in my home like cake pans and fabric.  All right, all right - if I happen to find some vintage Star Wars items or vintage Fisher Price Little People those usually go home with me too if the price is right (Star Wars for my husband and Little People for me and the boys)!


I do love auctions and garage sales.  The thrill of finding something useful, beautiful or worthy of a new home for a good price is fun.  I usually search auctions for milk glass, canning jars and fabric or something else the family may need at the time.  Earlier this winter I bought two wonderful boxes of fabrics, sewing accessories and old quilt blocks.  Looking at another women's quilting and sewing work makes it seem sad to just leave it.  So I have enjoyed figuring out how to re-purpose or rework the old quilt blocks and fabric, lace and ric rac in order to make something new, pretty and useful out of something that otherwise might have been discarded.  Sometimes it is like glimpsing into someone else's past - it is interesting to imagine what the person may have thought or dreamed about or worked on.


I know - you are asking what does this have to do with the Iowa State Fair and my entry challenge?  Well, as I mentioned in the beginning I have found another purpose for these items - exhibiting some of them at the ISF.  Yes, the Heritage Exhibits in Pioneer Hall is the place for some of these items.  To enter in this area articles must be at least 50 years old and authenticity and condition of the exhibits is considered by the judges.   Looking around my home today I believe I have at least 3 (maybe more) very good items for this department.  The best part is I can continue looking for other items to rescue to beautify my home and possibly to find a place within my ISF exhibits.

Happy hunting!