Wednesday, September 24, 2014

PA Loot and Lake Erie

As promised, my little pile of Pennsylvania plunder.  We actually visited several places but I didn't buy much since I wasn't inclined to leave my clothes behind, too.  There is always room for buttons.  The prices in PA were better than I expect and somewhat less than in Portland.  We even went to an antique mall that was inside a shopping mall, where I expected the prices to be sky high but they were not. 
We hardly ever see hats with nice millinery flowers around here and I have never seen this tin with the ballerinas before.  My favorite take-homes!  
I dumped all the buttons in to the ballerina tin and carried the tin and the hat in my carry-on backpack.  Apparently it looked pretty peculiar in the TSA's x-ray device.  I was glad I decided to leave some of the metal barn souvenirs behind.
The shore of Lake Erie.  This was the first time I have been to any of the Great Lakes.  I adore how they call it a "sweet water sea"!  It was overcast that day but the temperature was mild and there was no wind at all.  Perfect for walking along the shore.
I was determined that I would finally find some sea glass.  Well, I am back to that "one good eye" thing again so I did not find any myself but my son and The Husband each found a piece for me - bottom center and left.  I picked up the pretty rocks and some sea shells.  I wonder if I should call them lake shells?
There is a marvelous maritime museum in Erie.  They have a replica of the Niagara and we were able to go on board for a tour.
The complexity of the rigging is amazing.  The Niagara played a very pivotal role in history so the whole visit to the museum was fascinating and our tour guide was more than happy to share every single thing he knew.  8+).
Something I found particularly interesting were these prisms on the deck of the ship.  I couldn't get a good picture below deck but they are shaped like a diamond and project light to the interior of the ship.  Oh my gosh, those are some cramped quarters and hard to imagine 50 or 60 crewmen slung from the rafters in hammocks.
Only I would visit a maritime museum and come out with pictures of buttons and needles - lol!  I wish I could have gotten better photos of the uniform buttons but they were behind glass.  If you click them bigger you might be able to make out some of them.  They had a great collection.

I took a picture of the needles because I find this style in poke sacks all the time and they are still made today.  I never knew what they were for.  Apparently the flat curve prevents the needle from splitting the fibers in the canvas.  Good to know in case I need to stitch up some sails.
 Speaking of buttons...  here are my favorites from the heap in the first pictures.
The carved MOP button is my favorite.  I think the brown ones with the black stripe are Bakelite. Sadly, every single one of the green metal rhinestone buttons is missing some rhinestones.  I can't bring myself to toss them so maybe I'll find some green rhinestones in a poke sack one of these days.  Stranger things have happened!
It turns out I am STILL missing a few comments (not as many as before) so I apologize if you have left one and I haven't responded.

9 comments:

Betsy@My Salvaged Treasures said...

Wow, what a fun stash of buttons you were able to smuggle on. I did the same thing a few years ago when I found four tins of buttons in an antique store somewhere in NY. I wasn't about to let them out of my sight and carried them with me. Looks like it was a perfect day for a walk along the lake, you found some interesting tidbits. Very interesting about the needles and the prisms built into the deck.

The Polka Dot Closet said...

Glad the TSA folks didn't get you...lol! Love the buttons of course !

Carol

Barbara said...

TJ Haalands, the Shenango Valley Mall? I must confess, there have been times I've stopped there before arriving to see my parents. (But only if I've seen a lot of them.) The prices are pretty good, at least on some things. And the owners are friends with a friend (the dear friend that owns the hardware store in Greenville.) Can you sense my excitement at your arrival in western PA?

The Junque Seeker said...

Oh, that hat! As always, you scored some wonderful things.

Maureen said...

Very cool Kathy - love the story about the ship's prisms! Nice haul of goodies - glad the TSA let you keep them! ;)

Annette said...

My husband would have loved that Museum. How clever to put the prisms in the deck to get light below. You goodies are great and as always you found super buttons. when I travel and find lots of goodies I just ship them home. That way I can get everything I want. (well, almost!)
It does surprise the prices were good.

vintage grey said...

What fun! Love the millinery hat! So pretty! And, how neat are prisms on the deck! Neat needles and pretty buttons!! Happy autumn! xo Heather

Celestina Marie said...

Wow you found some great treasures. I love the buttons and so glad you found some sea/lake glass.
I grew up near Lake Erie and we used to go to a park there on the water nearly every weekend in the summer.
Have a great weekend.
XO

Curtains in My Tree said...


loved reading about your adventures