Sunday, January 13, 2008

A+ Weekend!

Thanks to everyone for all of your wonderful comments on my last entry about going back to school! That was so sweet of you. So far, everything is going pretty well. This week will be known as Tort week!!! Learning all about torts and contracts!
Now, I bet you will be wondering about these A++ images I have on this entry. They were procured at a wonderful shop that I happened on totally by chance!!! I can't wait to bring my Mom and friends to this shop~ It is the mecca of ephemera~

Anyway, yesterday morning dawned with some happy news that I did well on my first week in school in terms of my grade - so yipee! I felt happy and Mike and I were going to hang out all day doing fun stuff. Well, I kind of commandeered things a bit. While he was getting ready I was hunting on the internet for antique shops in Evanston, IL. Evanston is about 45 minutes from us and is a lovely town that has so many interesting things and lots of bookstores. We often take a ride up there to "toot" the day away. We were planning on seeing a movie, but did not end up doing so.

Backing up to Christmas, Mike's parents gave us a GPS system. One of those things you can program an address in and it will give you directions as you drive. Those things are the best! Anyway, I found the name of this shop (see business card below), Eureka. The internet ad said they were known for ephemera (can you say right up my alley???). So it was legit that we could go there to try out the GPS!! Tricky of me, huh????

Well, we arrived, I looked in the window and just sighed! Heaven!!! Mike waited in the car for me with his book. He would have been bored out of his mind! Not me, I was in there for what I thought was 20 minutes. Mike said it was an hour.

Bindy, the owner, gave me a thorough tour of her shop. It is stuffed to the gills with everything!!! She told me about Irene Castle, dress designer, and showed me these pamphlets from the 1920's. Are they not divine! They are totally me! Love that each model has a name and such beautiful clothes! These images would make A++ stamps don't you think?? I can't wait to use the images in some art work!!!
Being as I am currently on a budget I could only afford two pamphlets (they were $10 each, a bit expensive, but they are so totally worth it). I also bought the magazine ad at the beginning of this post....adorable kid's clothes!!! So, for $23 I was quite a happy gal. I even left something behind...something I usually never do. So, if it is there next time...I can get it. It was an many page advertisement for a bridal dress maker with lovely pen and ink drawings of bridal gowns!!!! Why didn't I just get it???
After that fun we went to lunch at an old favorite in Evanston, Merle's. It is a BBQ place....we sat in our usual booth decorated with pictures of Elvis. Then off to Barnes and Noble for a thoroughly extensive search of that place. We got some really great books!!!!!! On our way back to the car we did a quick check of Borders. And then on our way home we did a quick check of Half-Priced Books (great used book store!) and then picked up Chinese food for dinner at home. We also watched The Bourne Identity last night. My Mom said it was really good so I wanted to check it out.

Then today I did my all-time favorite Sunday activity.....Nothing!!! Just read the paper, read some school stuff, read Entertainment Weekly, read a new book I got yesterday, and took a 4 hour nap!!!!! Life is good!

5 comments:

beth said...

SCORE !!! I could feel your excitement and happiness as I read your blog. What a great weekend !

I think another tootfest is due in Chicago with a side trip to Evanston !!

And congrats on "good grades" you student you !!!

Normally I'd be glued to the Golden Globes right now...but with no dresses, no watchy !!!

hugs to you !

Trixie said...

I thought your comment about "torts" was going to be that you will be learning all "torts" of new stuff! Silly me. Wonderful you! Great post, great score, Yipee on the GPS..and there is a new store in Ottawa you must plug into someday soon. Great buys-good deals!

Jeanie said...

What wonderful finds! I wonder if the designer Irene Castle was the same Irene C. who was a dancer (and whose story was told by Fred and Ginger in "The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle." Wonderful style!

Love ephemera like that -- what lovely treasures! Sounds like a perfect weekend!

Holly Loves Art said...

Oh what fun!!!!!!!! I know you must have been jumping for joy over all the eye candy. Don'tcha just love it when that happens? I'm glad you were able to pick up a couple goodies and thank you for sharing them with us!

Keep up the great work at school.

Take care,
Holly

Unknown said...

OOOooo,ooooo, next time take pictures of the shop (if Bindy will let you) so we can shop vicariously with you!!!!