vintage – Ruth E. Hendricks Photography

Vintage Eyeglasses at Neighborhood Flea

Sunday July 8 10-4. 26th and Smallman Street. A. Boss Opticians of Braddock will have a booth of vintage eyeglasses for sale.

They are about the only establishment who will install replacement lenses in vintage eyeglasses.

The flea market will have lots more vintage items besides eyeglasses.

I learned this today when I picked up my new reading and computer glasses. Mr. Boss brought out some samples and I photographed them.

poster above taken from Simonsgranddaughter.com

Meet A.Boss Master Optician

https://rutheh.com/2018/06/22/meet-a-boss-master-optician/

July 5, 2018 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: A.Boss Opticians, Braddock PA, flea market, neighborhood, neighborhood Flea, photography, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh PA, postaday, Simon’s Granddaughter, Strip District, vintage, vintage eyeglasses, vintage eyewear, vintage frames 16 Comments

Throwback Thursday Home Decor

Ceramic figurines seem to speak of yesteryear to me. People might have them in their homes but I wonder how recently they were purchased. Do people still buy these and put them on display? Dust them? I am fascinated by what people collect. Especially when I’m trying to pare down and reduce my “stuff”.

I’ve posted about Hummels and Lladros before. You’ve seen my Royal Doulton Beatrix Potter figurines and ceramic rabbits who knit. Perhaps you’ve inherited a ceramic figurine from a relative who has passed. One thing I know is this-my own grown up children don’t want any of the porcelain or China things I have in my glass door cupboards.

One this large can’t be classified a tchotchke, can it? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tchotchke)

Urban dictionary says “look around your home and see what a robber probably would not steal.”

Liberty Avenue Window Display

June 27, 2018 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: Bloomfield, ceramic figurine, Ceramics, collections, fine China, home decor, Hummels, Liberty Avenue, Lladros, photography, Pittsburgh PA, Porcelain, postaday, rabbits, retro, Tchotchke, Throwback Thursday, vintage, window display 13 Comments

Our Parents

My Father’s Day post.

Here’s a photo of our parents, Roy and Marian Hendricks. Dad is holding my sister.

My parents didn’t own a camera so a family friend must have taken this picture.

This lovely photo is in one of those awful sticky photo albums. Ugh. There must be a way to remove the photo without damaging it. Any clue?

June 16, 2018 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: 1942, baby, black and white photography, family, Father's Day, parents, photo album, photography, postaday, vintage 8 Comments

Wordless Wednesday

June 12, 2018 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: #wordlesswednesday, anonymous, attic, black and white photography, childhood, marionettes, photography, postaday, puppets, story starter, unknown, unmarked photo, vintage, wordless wednesday, writing prompt 8 Comments

Tin Soldiers in a Square Tin

Tin soldiers in a Square Tin

For Becky B’s challenge

Our March adventure has begun!

March 28, 2018 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: #Marchsquare, childhood, cleaning, photography, play, postaday, storage, tin, tin soldiers, toy, vintage 12 Comments

Harmony, Maine Yarn

I’ve been to Harmony, Pennsylvania but not Harmony, Maine. Recently I watched a Kristy Glass Knits knitting video where she told about Bartlett Yarn Woolen Mills (since 1821) manufacturing yarn.

The man on the video featuring Hudson Valley Sheep and Wool said, “Bartlett is a mainstay for us. This is your grandma’s yarn. This is real true farm yarn. Or your great grandmother’s yarn. At Christmas, a lot of people buy it to make stockings .” Well, I’m getting a head start this year. My friend Deb has been knitting Christmas stockings and inspired me to knit them for my grandchildren. You might remember her gauge difficulties with her Christmas stocking- I blogged it last January.

The grandmother who taught me to knit was born 126 years ago on February 7th.

That very day, I got on the phone and spoke with a nice woman and told her what I wanted to knit. Three days later I got a box of yarn from Harmony, Maine. She helped me select Spruce Heather, Cranberry and Natural. I added the other heather to create sock monkeys on the stockings, which I graphed. Mark’s old stocking from childhood served as a guide and I found a vintage knitting pattern from the 60’s on Etsy to serve as a template for the actual stocking. The woman who knit Mark’s stocking in Clarion PA was named Jane. My plan is to knit one a month and have them ready for NEXT Christmas. For the grandchildren. Getting an early start this year. And yes I did finish James’ sweater and he loves it!

Knitting bowls gifted from Toni, Laura and Bill.

Already I realize my monkey is a bit too tall. Back to the drawing board.

February 11, 2018February 11, 2018 by Ruth Categories: knitting, PhotographyTags: #Kristyglassknits, Bartlett Yarn, childhood, Christmas, Christmas Stocking, design, gauge, grandmother, Harmony Maine, Hudson VAlley Sheep and Wool, Knit, knitting, Mary Alta Kerr Hendricks, paternal grandmother, photography, postaday, sock monkey, vintage, woolen mill, yarn, yarn bowl 6 Comments

Granny Smiths

Yes, it’s winter. Seriously cold winter.

What better time to bake apples?

I used my sister’s method and added a few tablespoons of Balsamic vinegar in the bottom which I later spooned onto the apples’ core opening. Nothing else. No cinnamon or raisins or butter or sugar. Granny Smiths snd Balsamic vinegar.

I used an apple shaped Glasbake Vintage baking dish (a gift from Molly) and baked them at 350F for an hour.

The kitchen was warm from the oven and the whole house smelled delicious. Looks like an electric element but it’s gas.

January 15, 2018 by Ruth Categories: Baking, food, PhotographyTags: apple, baked apples, baking, balsamic vinegar, cooking, eating, food, glasbake, Granny Smith, kitchen, photography, postaday, vintage, weather, winter 28 Comments

Snippet of Lace and a Tiny Flower Tattoo

My sister gave me this vintage apron years ago.

It’s a conversation piece. I don’t know who made it.

Most of my aprons hang inside the pantry door and aren’t vintage. That will be another post.

This half apron is fun to wear when hostessing,

Just lift up the skirt of the dress for the unexpected.

A bit of lace and an embroidered flower. The fabric of the midriff is worn and there is a hole right where the navel would be. Maybe it is one of a kind?

And of course it it all trimmed with good old rick- rack.

Vintage_Apron_Close-Up OoooooLaLa

January 8, 2018 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: apron, cooking, embroidery, entertaining, fashion, flower, fun, humor, kitchen, lace, photography, postaday, rick-rack, sewing, vintage, vintage apron 20 Comments

Games Families Play

Do you have boxes of board games in your home? Or have electronics taken precedent?

This week I’m visiting family in Ohio and we’ve been playing board games. Some take hours and hours. The card games aren’t included in this picture but UNO is the most popular around here. Maura and I’ve played a few rounds. I heard the four grandkids were playing Life before Christmas.

Does anyone in your household seek world domination- or scarf up real estate, utilities and railroads, add houses and hotels?

On my mother’s side my Uncle John was very good at chess and my Uncle Robert was good at backgammon and Royalty. Both of their families are good game players. I think my family missed that game playing gene although we had Flinch. I looked up the vintage card game Flinch and it’s pricey on eBay.

Different ages prefer certain games and there are a few games I find difficult to stick with and finish to the win. If I were photographing games at my house you’d see Scrabble and Jenga, Boggle, Pictionary, Mille Bornes and Monopoly.

Good sportsmanship and learning to lose gracefully is an ongoing effort.

Following the rules, taking turns, paying attention are essential ingredients.

The new Risk has been trending at Mark and Erika’s house this week. I’ve been watching Ticket to Ride tutorials on YouTube to teach the grandchildren how to play.

At Laura and James’ house the selection is colorful and fun. Charlie is 2 1/2 so it’s Hi Ho Cherrio! Or these two games photographed by Laura today. The Sneaky Snacky Squirrel GameCharlie and the squirrel grab acorns. Goodnight Moon Counting Game

December 29, 2017 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: Apples to Apples, board games, card games, childhood, Christmas, Clue, Columbus OH, family, games, gracious loser, grandchildren, memories, Monopoly, Operation, photography, playing games, postaday, Qwirkle, Risk, Scrabble, sportsmanship, Ticket to Ride, UNO, vintage 21 Comments

Paper Dolls Found in Downtown Pittsburgh

The other day I took a bus downtown (Senior Citizen perk= free bus pass) and went to S.W, Randall Toys Store on Smithfield Street. I climbed to the the doll floor on three, looking for a fresh doll outfit for a 14 year old doll when I came upon a two sided display of a variety of paper dolls.

I remember cutting out paper dolls when I was young. So careful not to ruin them and cut off the little white tabs you needed to fold over to hold the clothes onto the doll. Sometimes tape was involved.

A looooong time ago. I had no idea all these different paper dolls were available in 20I asked the sales clerk if I could photograph them and she said sure but now I’m wishing I opened them up and peeked inside and photographed the dolls and clothes. Going to have to plan a return trip downtown.

I considered buying a book of them- many choices. Wondered who is playing with paperdolls nowadays.

Do kids even know about paper dolls? I talked with a friend today and she said she cut out magazine fashion and made up clothes out of the magazines. I relied on the printed and dotted lines to cut around. I can picture a little doll with a full white slip on- waiting to be dressed. Modest!

September 26, 2017 by Ruth Categories: PhotographyTags: bus, bus pass, childhood, doll clothes, dolls, downtown, fashion, iPhone photography, nostalgia, paper dolls, photography, Pittsburgh PA, play, postaday, retro, S.W. Randall Toys, toy store, toys, vintage 18 Comments

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