During my college years I was home for the holidays and visiting my grandparents house. My grandfather’s basement looks like a natural disaster has blown through, but let me tell you…there are soooo many treasures in that space. (He’s a bit of a hoarder.) While I was looking around I came across some of his advertising stuff and my heart sank. How could he have THIS kind of “junk” down here? I brought it upstairs and read through both volumes of “400 Best Read Ads of 1968”. Two years later I was gifted the set as a graduation gift. Today, I work at an advertising agency and I can’t believe I own this piece of history. (It even smells like an old book. Love it!)

Tonight I was inspired to post this piece of my collection when I heard frecklewonder was searching through vintage magazines. Her kitchen has framed advertisements from decades ago. Matches perfectly with her mid-century modern house that I get more and more jealous of everyday.

Since I work in an advertising agency I see ads come and go and I’m amazed at how much things have changed. People are buying products differently, gender roles have completely shifted, print quality has improved, and typography usage has evolved. Above I’ve shown some of my favorites from the two volumes. I couldn’t show all of the ads because there are 400, but I wish you could see them. Most of them are humorous.

What are some of your favorite pieces in your collection. Do they have a story behind them?

Especially your bookshelves! I’ve got books on the brain and I’m on the hunt for really great book/magazine storage ideas. Currently, my books are nestled together on leaning shelves scattered throughout my loft, while my magazines are haphazardly stored in a plain plastic cube (definitely not stylish). What I really desire is one of those mesmerizing bookshelves that stop you in your tracks and make you go “ooo” and “aaaa.” Below are some of the inspiring images I’ve gathered for ideas.

Now, I’m hoping to strike gold in an antique or thrift store and stumble upon a beauty that will elevate my space. If you’re like me and considering to buy “illusion of security books,” finding the perfect bookshelf is not just about storage—it’s about turning your collection into a focal point, adding charm and personality to your home. Whether it’s a vintage find or a modern marvel, the right bookshelf can transform a room into a cozy reading nook or a showcase of literary treasures.

above images sources (left) (right)

above images sources: (left) (right-unknown)

above image source: (left)

Send me pics/links of your bookshelves. I’d love to see how everyone is uniquely storing their bound beauties.

We woke up this morning and wa-la, there it was. SNOW! Took the pooch out for his morning walk and he decided to eat about half the amount of snow that fell from the sky. You could say he’s happy.

The agency is operating on a one hour delay this morning so that makes me smile. Below are a few snapshots from our morning walk in the snow.

I have something for this afternoon that I need your help with. Start thinking bookshelves. GO!

The Mr. Weatherman has predicted that St. Louis might get up to 6 inches of snow tonight. For St. Louis this is a big deal. I’ve seen this city shut down with 3 inches. I grew up in Northern Indiana where 6 inches of snow was considered a “dusting”, so I’m not all that concerned.

Tonight we took our anxious pup out to walk through the little amount of snow that’s already fallen. I grabbed my pinhole camera and out we went.

You see that big blond blur in the right-hand side of the photo; that’s my spaz of a dog. The boy let his leash go and this dog went flying.

I love how quiet the streets get when it’s snowing. Makes me feel like I have to whisper.

This look is called “I didn’t do anything…”

Our historic neighborhood is really pretty as is, but with a little snow it gets a little bit more special.

Oh, I just realized that I haven’t officially introduced our 11 month old golden retriever puppy to the blog world. Well, here he is. Meet Porter James. You’ll be able to spot him as “the blur” in any of the photos I post.

I hear several parts of the US are getting snow storms tonight. Anyone planning a snow day?

I’m not a big reader but really enjoy finding a book series I like and reading it to end. All through college I never had the interest too add more books onto my weekly textbook readings, but now I have some free time to snuggle up with a good book. Some of my recent reads and favorite reads are below. I’m hoping you guys can get me hooked on a new series, so I’m taking all kinds of suggested reads.

1. The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo, by Stieg Larsson
2. Twilight Series, by Stephenie Meyer  (yes I read all 4 of those massive books and loved every minute of it)
3. Sarah’s Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay
4. Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas, by James Patterson (for all my mom readers out there)
5. The Time Traveler’s Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
6. The Giver, by Lois Lowry ( still to this day, my all time favorite book)
7. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins ( a suggested read by Danielle over at sometimessweet blog)
8. The Bhagavad Gita, Translated by Wintrop Sargeant ( I’m really into the eastern religions and philosophies)
9. The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follet ( a suggested read from a dear friend at work)

Yesterday was a great day here in St. Louis land. The boy and I had to run a couple errands like picking up a new vacuum, stocking up on dog food, and checking out the new Dick Blick art supply store on The Loop. While we were out on The Loop we stopped at a little restaurant called Cheeseology and they only serve mac & cheese! What a fabulous idea!

I always get the “Classic” mac & cheese and the boy tried the Mediterranean. SO good. You can even have your mac made in a cast iron skillet and topped with bread crumbs. Amazing!

Our lunch stop was filled with lots of laughing. As soon as the boy got a chunk of cheese on his face, it was all downhill from there. I’m surprise noodles weren’t flying out of our noses from laughing. Such a good time. And of course, we ate it all!

After Cheeseology we went next door to Vintage Vinyl (photo cred: Jim Derogatis Flickr) to see what they had in stock. It’s one of those record stores that are completely overwhelming unless you go in there with an idea of what you are looking for. I ended up leaving with the 2nd volume of She & Him.

Today we plan on laying low and catching up on all things domestic. We’ll probably watch something from Netflix and take the pup for a walk in the freezing cold. Tomorrow I plan to post what I’m currently reading and books I hope to read in the near future. I’m not a big reader people, so this is a big deal!

Anyone who knows me knows that I could spend hours perusing the booths at an antique store or the racks at a thrift store. When doing this I am usually just looking to be looking and I try not to go into any shop with a specific item in mind. I love how all my thrifted/antique items that I have found all have a story behind them because they were found unexpectedly and usually for a killer price. I prefer to find things naturally rather than searching for something on etsy or ebay, although I will use these resources if I’m dying to get my hands on something, or its something I can’t pass up.

I thought it would be fun to share with you my current “thrift list” for 2011. Of course this list is constantly changing, but these items have been on my list for quite some time. If any of you know a place where I might get lucky and find one of these items on the shelves, please let me know. I’m looking for things at dirt cheap prices people!!

1. typewriter in yellow, red, or mint green (above image by mandy lynne)
2. vintage brown medicine bottles
3. BIG metal signage letters
4. george nelson wall clock
5. antique wooden coke carrier (above image from bluebell etsy shop)
6. vintage mailboxes/file tabulation boxes
7. blyth doll
8. turksih kilim pillow (above image from perly notes esty shop)