VintageKC Home. Fashion. DIY. SPRING 2017 | Vol. 5 Issue 4
TWO GREAT STORES IN HISTORIC DOWNTOWN KEARNEY, MISSOURI Downtown Emporium features new and restored furniture as well as an assortment of home décor from farmhouse to traditional and everything in between, you are sure to discover just what you need to enhance the comfort of your home. OPEN TUES–SAT 10AM–5PM 103 S. JEFFERSON, KEARNEY DE-BISTRO105.COM 816.635.2335 Plus, enjoy a tasty breakfast, lunch, coffee or dessert at Bistro 105, located inside the Emporium!
Kearney Old Church Treasures was born from a huge private collection of rare and unique items owned by a local entrepreneur from Marceline, MO (boyhood 105 S. Jefferson 816-635-2648 home of Walt Disney). Discover wonderful, timeless treasures for your home! OPEN TUES–SAT 10AM–6PM ANTIQUES • FURNITURE 105 S. JEFFERSON, KEARNEY COLLECTIBLES • PRIMITIVES KEARNEYTREASURES.COM GLASSWARE • JEWELRY 816.635.2648 SEE MORE PICTURES OF BOTH STORES ON FACEBOOK!
VINTAGE TOYS
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Running  Rabbit  Antiques  &  General  Store BB<:AD@:DD=D 2 VINTAGEKC SPRING 2017
Contents
SPRING 2017 | VOL. 5 ISSUE 4
34
learn
38 DIY DIVINATION Quan Tracy
do 32 27
30
08
Tammy and Rick Haddix tend to maintain the structure of instruments while creating their art. This bassoon lamp that sold at the 2015 Band of Angels Auction is typical of their work. It retains the instrument's natural beauty while transforming it into a functional art piece.
36
VINTAGE RECIPES Spring chicken salads KC FASHION WEEK Designer Q&A
community 06 MAKERS April McAnerny 08 VINTAGE DINING Happy Gillis 30 MAKERS Art Instruments 34 MAKERS Maggie’s Corner
inspiration 12 VINTAGE SPACES 815 Gallery 14 VINTAGE SPACES Lee’s Summit Home 22 VINTAGE FASHION Victorian 28 VINTAGE EVENTS Wedding 36 COLLECTORS Vintage Movie Posters
22
14
Original movie poster for “Metropolis” (1927)
VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 3
^ from the publisher
staff
Follow the Lead
O
ccasionally, I get the question: Where do you come up with your story ideas? If ego reigned supreme in my life, I would answer, “me.” I don’t deny I have an ego, but if I didn’t keep it under check and silenced at crucial times, I doubt if I would get anyone to work with me, which means I wouldn’t be a publisher of any magazine. Putting out a publication is always a collaborative effort involving more than one person. One can liken a publisher as a sort of producer, pulling together the right elements in search of meeting the established overarching theme. Our theme is vintage and Kansas City, and I try to give each of our contributors wide latitude in demonstrating their creativity under that theme. Doing that answers the question — our ideas come from our contributors. If you want to know whom, look at the names on the masthead to the right of this column. This issue features a cover story by Corbin Crable and photography by Silas Cook. The idea for the story sprang from a previous story we did on Michelle Meyer and her farm tables. Assistant editor/fashion director Calli Green and photographer Patti Klinge lobbied hard to do a cover feature on Meyer. What was I to do? Simply trust and agree. So most of the VKC story ideas come from the editors, writers, photographers and, occasionally, our advertising representatives. And sometimes an advertiser or reader will throw out a suggestion. Me? Oh yeah, I contribute some ideas. Some fly into print and visuals, others have the half-life of Frisbee slamming into the trunk of a tree. Ego contained.^
Editorial Calli Green, assistant editor/fashion director calli@vintagekcmag.com Reese Walley, editorial/sales assistant reese@vintagekcmag.com Advertising Cheri Nations, advertising rep cheri@vintagekcmag.com Joe King, advertising rep joseph@vintagekcmag.com Design Emily Bowers emily@vintagekcmag.com Emily Smith aew2000@centurylink.net Patti Klinge artdirector@discoverpub.com Publisher Bruce Rodgers publisher@vintagekcmag.com 816-474-1516
contributors Maggie Bonanomi Quan Tracy Cherry Melissa Cowan Corbin Crable Lauren Hedenkamp Rhiannon Ross Sarah Teresinski Deborah Young
photography Patti Klinge Sarah Teresinski Corbin Crable Nicole Bissey of Nicole Bissey Photography Silas Cook Deborah Young
Bruce Rodgers publisher
VINTAGEKC VOLUME 5, ISSUE 4 IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY VINTAGE MEDIA, LLC, IN KANSAS CITY, MO, AFFILIATED WITH AFFINITY ENTERPRISE GROUP, COPYRIGHT 2017, VINTAGE MEDIA, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN PART OR IN WHOLE WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
Follow along! VKC
vintagekcmag.com
vintagekc
vintagekc
vintagekcmagazine vintagekcfashion
vintagekcmag
4 VINTAGEKC SPRING 2017
Cover photo by Silas Cook
VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 5
community^makers
LYF3 Upcycled Clothing by Calli Green
“It’s not you that needs to change, it’s your clothes!
— Apryl McAnerney (Maker)
Apryl McAnerne y
VKC: Why did you start making? Apryl: I have become increasingly dissatisfied with clothing styles, prices, and standard sizes over the years because I have an eclectic style, minimal budget and haven’t been a “standard” size since I was 17. Like many women, I’ve spent my life thinking there was something wrong with me, with my body, because I just didn’t conform to what was available. It’s not us, it’s the clothes! Add or subtract a couple of inches here and there — draw, paint, dye that favorite shirt with the stain; patch that hole with a fancy fabric, and it’s yours all over again, but better! I can continue to do that for customers over the years, until it becomes a pillow, a purse, and finally part of a rag rug. And then, of course, I’ll take that rag rug back apart and use the pieces in a set of curtains. There is absolutely no waste when it comes to the usefulness and creative potential of fabric. VKC: What inspires you? Apryl: As a professional artist of 30 years, specializing in highly detailed pencil drawings, but constantly dabbling in mixed media and found object sculpture, I’d become disheartened by the notion of creating precious items that simply sat on a shelf or hung on a wall under glass. As a “gallerist” I recognized that matching an artist with a collector was tricky because eventually the collector ran 6 VINTAGEKC SPRING 2017
Top left: Instead of wall hangings and paintings she has made in the past, Apryl uses paint pens to create moveable, wearable art-painting fictional characters and non-fictional elements, like this perched bird on the chest of a button-up shirt. Bottom left: A fictional painting, giving the back of a timeless jean jacket new life and a pop of color. Top right: A formal dress, acquired from a friend, became something new with dye and whimsical floral artwork.
Left: Apryl’s denim pieced curtains, made from old jeans, line the windows of local artist Diana Parrino’s creative space. Right: Painted odds and ends in Apryl’s workspace.
out of wall space! Artists are compelled to create even if their artwork remains stacked in their own homes. Working with clothes provides me an opportunity to create in such a way that combines my drawing skills with found object sculpture and gave it a much richer life beyond static confines. Now my artwork moves about the world with the client, it lives and breathes and can be constantly reworked as it gets stained and torn and loved like a child’s favorite toy.
VKC: What’s the process from concept to design to construction and final finishing? Apryl: My process begins with the client “shopping” his or her own closets. Bring me anything and everything you no longer wear for whatever reason — too small, stained, torn, things you would give or throw away and keepsake clothes — your favorite childhood T-shirt or a deceased loved one’s shirt. We’ll go thru them together and discuss any attachment to the items, what you like or don’t like about them, the way you prefer clothes to fit, your personal style, while I measure you and take notes. And you walk away while I play according to your needs and measurements, to make things
fit or entirely reconfigure the material into something brand new! It’s a very personal and creative dance between us. You come back to try them on and I make any necessary adjustments until you’re happy. I’m always experimenting with various fabrics and designs, and as I’ve accumulated so many clothes from clients and ideas thru Pinterest, I also have several new creations on hand to choose from, to purchase or to inspire. VKC: What do you love about working in the Kansas City Metro area? Apryl: I love living and working in the KC Metro area because it embraces and supports the arts, local creatives, and small businesses. It’s a big city with a small town heart. I moved here from Tulsa, Oklahoma to attend KCAI (Kansas City Art Institute) in 1987, have journeyed often, tried to settle elsewhere, but always come back Home to KC.
^
www.LetYourFreakFlagFly.com www.facebook.com/LYF3upcycled
An Eclectic Mix of Vintage and Current Home Decor with a Touch of Artisan Flair! Opening every Third Thursday of the month for 10 days:
PINEAPPLE
home
• March 16-25 • April 20-29 • May 18-27
Mon-Fri 10-6 • Sat 10-5 • Sun 12-5 6709 W. 75th Street Overland Park, KS 66204 (near 75th & Metcalf )
VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 7
community^dining
HAPPY GILLIS CAFÉ & HANGOUT 549 Gillis St. Kansas City, MO 64106 Hours: Tue-Sat, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. 816-471-3663
Happy Gillis Café & Hangout Experiencing the simple joy of ‘kitchen sitting’ by Rhiannon Ross
F
rom the solo perch of the high chair as a youngin, we grow and descend to the lowlands of the communal kitchen table. Sounds play on the memory during that transition, including the scrape of kitchen chair legs scooching across a linoleum or hardwood floor. The first kitchen table of my memory was oblong, topped with silvery Formica, and boasted six metal legs. Consuming the center of the room in my parent’s flamingo pink kitchen, it was surrounded by six turquoise vinyl chairs. Here, I ate breakfasts of oatmeal and brown sugar or buttermilk bis-
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cuits and gravy. Here, I also would beg my mother for a bite of her buttered toast with dollops of marmalade and a sip of her sugary, hot tea. When my father arrived home, the family – all six of us – would share our day’s activities while gathered around this table. We were a family of “kitchen sitters”. Pleasant thoughts of being a kitchen sitter came to me when I entered Happy Gillis Café & Hangout in the Columbus Park neighborhood. It was deja vu when I spied five vintage kitchen tables – some wooden, others laminated with metal legs – flanked with vinyl or wrought iron patio chairs. Kitschy
salt-and-pepper shakers serve as centerpieces. Plaster and brick walls are painted pistachio, floorboards are varnished wood, and pipes are exposed overhead. Cacti sun in window boxes. One wall showcases 50 mismatched plates, saucers and platters, from vintage to crafted to a child’s whimsical drawing. A bar with stools offers additional seating for four and a coveted, southern window view. In warmer weather, a sidewalk patio allows diners to sit in front of the building’s red brick exterior with its vintage Coca Cola signage. In such a place, one expects to find comfort foods and lots of hot coffee. Happy Gillis, which serves breakfast and lunch, doesn’t disappoint. The menu, printed on white-framed blackboards, lists old-time favorites and trendier entrees, many using local sources. Choices include traditional biscuits and Broadway Butcher sausage gravy (a whole order will feed two unless you’re starving); breakfast burrito using Local Pig chorizo; grits and red eye gravy using local heirloom grits and Ozark country ham shank; lunch specials such as bacon-
Left: Vintage tables at Happy Gillis. Center: A Happy Gillis gentle reminder. Right: Mugs by potter Paul Mallory.
date melt and other tasty accoutrements on farm bread, and the “Line Cook’s Lunch” of pork terrine, chicken liver mousse, frisee, mustard and cornichons on ciabatta. And coffee, from the Broadway Roasting Co., is available all day. For $2.50 plus tax, you can drink as much as your bladder will hold and, upon request, you can grab a complimentary to-go cup. Local potter Paul Mallory designed the stack of mugs that bear the café’s name. Libations include beer from Boulevard Brewing Company, Mimosas, and Bloody Marys.
Owners are chef Josh Eans and his wife, Abbey-Jo, who live with their three children in the upstairs quarters above the café, located just east of the City Market. (The couple also run the Ramen Shop in the former garage attached to the café.) This historic northeast neighborhood is home to Kansas City’s first Italian immigrants, and now also home to Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Burmese and Somalis. It features traditional Italianate homes with wrought iron balconies intermixed with newer split-level homes and apartments. This is a neighbor-
SAVE THE DATE: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBE R 8TH 7:00 PM
hood proud of its heritage. A sense of yesteryear permeates Happy Gillis like the quiet of morning fog that sometimes rises from the Missouri River to the south. The only thing missing in this cozy café is a screen door where intimate conversations can filter out into the surrounding environs from kitchen sitters gathered around its tables.
^
Rhiannon Ross “kitchen sits” at a vintage dropleaf table where she sips Constant Comment Tea and eats buttered toast slathered in marmalade.
Louisburg Second Saturdays
HUGE OUTDOOR SWAP MEET! Junk-n-Donuts
Mark your calendar for Kansas City's first Local Runway show! Guests will line the runway, viewing pieces made exclusively for them! After the show, guests will have the opportunity to meet the designers and boutique owners to purchase affordable runway looks!
Stay connected and be on the lookout for early bird tickets! vintagekcmag.com
Ticket proceeds benefitting:
vintagekcfashion vintagekcw
http://healinghousekc.org
food vendors, junque, veggies, crafts, repurposed pieces, live music & cider donuts! * vendor space still available *
May 13 •* June 10 •* July 8 * August 12 8am-1pm ~ Rain or Shine 14730 KS-68 Louisburg, KS 66053 louisburgcidermill.com 913-837-5202 VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 9
10 VINTAGEKC SPRING 2017
OPEN
TUESDAY-SUNDAY 249 E. BROADWAY EXCELSIOR SPRINGS 816-630-SHOP (7467)
PURVEYORS OF HANDCRAFTED CULINARY DELIGHTS AND MISSOURI WINE, SPIRITS AND CRAFT BEER
VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 11
^ 815 gallery
815 Gallery
A historical place for up and coming artists by Melissa Cowan
I
f you didn’t know of Columbus Park — nestled between the Heart of America Bridge, I-29 and the Missouri River — you’d likely never stumble upon the quiet and quaint neighborhood, one of Kansas City’s oldest. After World War I, Italian immigrants cultivated the area, building everything they needed in a few-block radius: restaurants, drug stores, bakeries, breweries, barber shops and the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, the heart of this close-knit community. In addition to baptisms, weddings and funerals, residents gathered there for dinner and conversation, sports, and annual carnivals. Though the neighborhood is now home to diverse populations, the Italian history remains. The church bells still ring on the hour; you can see the Italian pride in the red, white and green-painted fire hydrants and in the 100-year-old buildings that, on the outside, have not been updated. One such building stands at 815 East 5th Street. Now a private residence, the building once served the community as J. Vaccaro Bottling Works Co., the name still carved above the windows; a dance hall and speak-
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easy, where even police indulged in an illegal beverage during Prohibition; and, for nearly 90 years, Shon and Carol Ha LaRocca Grocery. ll Joe Mike Mesh, a lifelong Columbus Park resident, still remembers the smell of the grocery. “[Owner Frank LaRocca] had everything from the old country — every kind of salami and cheese.” Joe Mike and his mother would shop there, and then walk down the street for a fresh loaf of Italian bread with olive oil. Shon and Carol Hall, the building’s current owners, were looking for an historic firehouse or church to renovate when they found this “secret gem” in Columbus Park, or aka the North End, if you grew up in this little city within a city. When they first opened its doors, the Halls found many of the building’s original elements remained: The pulleys to raise the orange, grape, strawberry and cream soda
hung from the ceiling; the decorative blue stenciling up the staircase to the speakeasy was untouched; and the dance hall’s pristine maple wood floors hid beneath years of debris. “They were so worn down, you couldn’t tell what they looked like,” said Louis Pisser, project manager for Jamie Jeffries Construction, the Hall’s contractors. Once uncovered, it was “one of the most beautiful floors [he’s] ever seen.” To preserve the integrity of the building as much as possible, the construction team repurposed materials — not only from the space, but also from other buildings throughout Kansas City. “Every day, we would have to make a new
Top left: To preserve the integrity of the building, the construction team repurposed its materials, including this old freight door to the Hall’s master bedroom. Top right: A 1920s scaffolding ladder was transformed into a pub table, its wheels original to the building. Bottom left: The neighborhood’s Italian history and pride remain in the red, white and green-painted fire hydrants and North End restaurant. Bottom center: One of the building’s original floor grates is now a chandelier adorned with wine bottles. Bottom right: The dance hall’s pristine maple wood floors once hid beneath years of debris. Bottom right: The building once served the community as J. Vaccaro Bottling Works Co., the name still carved above the windows.
decision: how can we make this work with what we have available, while making sure it’s structurally sound,” Pisser said. They used a floor grate for a chandelier adorned with wine bottles, an old steel beam for the downstairs bar’s footrest and the speakeasy’s porcelain sinks for the master bathroom. They also built closet shelves from a local high school’s bleacher seats — after scraping off the chewed gum — and a staircase to the new rooftop patio from wood from the original Boulevard Brewery warehouse. “The space is really a combination of three or four different buildings structured around the same time period.” Almost every piece of the Hall’s home tells a story, dating as far back as 1919, when Joe Vaccaro began construction for J. Vaccaro Bottling Works Co. He quickly outgrew the space, and in 1921, construction began on the Joe Vaccaro Soda Water Manufacturing Company Building at 922 East 5th Street, one block east (now the Soda Lofts). Back then, everyone knew each other and took care of each other. Mary Argento,
licensed funeral director and owner of Sebbeto Funeral Home at 901 East 5th Street, recalled when sugar was in short supply between the world wars, the neighborhood would donate theirs to Vaccaro to help his business stay open. Because Vaccaro’s second location operated longer and received the National Register of Historic Places designation, the history of his original building is all but forgotten. There are few records and even fewer living residents in Columbus Park to pass on its memory.
But, Shon and Carol are writing a new chapter for the building. Every Third Friday, April–October, their home becomes 815 Gallery, a space for local artists to display their talents. “I used to show my work in malls, and it tore away at my soul,” Shon said. “We wanted to give local artists a better opportunity.”
^
Following the inclusive spirit of the neighborhood, all artists and styles are welcomed. If you would like to be featured at 815 Gallery, contact Jody Flaherty at jody.flaherty@gmail.com.
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^ vintage spaces
Leeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Summit woman keeps the spirit of the past alive in her home and business. Words CORBIN CRABLE Photos SILAS COOK 14 VINTAGEKC SPRING 2017
The living room of Myers’ Lee’s Summit home features some of her favorite decorations. Natural light pouring through their high windows illuminate her treasures collected over her career as a dealer of vintage items.
According to Chuck Myers, “You could buy a whole mess of frames cheaply years ago, and now you have to buy them individually.”
A
City metro area. First was a small 5”x3” booth at the Greenwood Mercantile in Greenwood, MO. Afterward, Michelle moved into As Time Goes By, also located in Greenwood. Following her start in Greenwood, Michelle’s wares made their way to the West Bottoms area – first, with a location called Hickory Dickory and now with the store Good Ju Ju, a metro-area mainstay to fellow collectors. According to Good Ju Ju’s website, the shop offers finished antique and vintage furniture, architectural items, holiday decor, primitives, dining room tables, chairs, buffets, china cabinets, sporting goods, jewelry, mid-century modern stuff … retro, fun and funky items and about anything you can imagine.” Michelle’s brand recognition has taken years of shopping, collecting, hard work, and networking with like-minded merchants. Among her friends and peers, Michelle is known for her being selective about the items she sells and the ones that enter her home. “It seems like our circle of friends have the same business philosophy that we do,” she says. “For instance, I don’t spray paint furniture. I hand paint everything. And I will only sell solid wood products. I would rather repurpose the original item and have people love it all over again. “I’m picky, and I pay a lot of attention to detail,” she continues. “When Chuck and I set out (to open the store), we decided not to cut
s a teacher, Michelle Myers knows there are a variety of ways to look at the world. Where some folks see a wooden door, weathered by rain and snow, she sees a decorative conversation piece for her dining room. Where some see rusted, old windmill blades, she envisions a focal point for her living room. The timeless adage of “Everything old is new again” is a world view that Myers has held her entire life, and it can be found on every shelf, every wall, every nook and cranny of her home in Lee’s Summit, MO, where Michelle and her husband, Chuck, have lived since 1995. “People should not throw anything away,” Michelle says, strolling through her living room and eyeing her favorite decorative pieces intently on an overcast morning in January. Her love of vintage knickknacks, trinkets and antiques has endured for just as long, too. What started out as just a hobby of collecting blossomed into a passion and a way of life in adulthood. “It really did start out as a hobby. Eventually, I had so much stuff, and I thought I would just start moving a bit of product every once in a while,” she recalls. For years, Michelle has balanced her full-time job as a special education teacher in the Lee’s Summit school district with overseeing space at antique stores (and stores themselves) throughout the Kansas
VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 15
^ vintage spaces
A collection of old hose nozzles sits arranged atop a white work bench in the Myersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; kitchen.
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corners. We wouldn’t sell anything we wouldn’t put in our own home. And we’ve stuck to that.” Yes, Michelle’s favorite pieces will never see the light of day in Good Ju Ju – instead, they stay in her home, on display for family, friends and visitors alike. Some of the pieces that are sure to be conversation-starters when visitors cross her home’s threshold include a dark-brown wood cabinet in the entryway, constructed with square nails; a work bench painted John Deere green, atop which sits a collection of old metal nozzles for fire hoses; the metal frame of an old laundry cart, which now holds
One of Michelle’s favorite pieces is a set of industrial lamps made of pipe fittings. The lamps were a gift from artistically-minded friends.
throw pillows in the master bedroom; a turn-of-the-century pie safe made of tin and painted white; a pair of industrial lamps made of pipe fittings, which flank the sofa in the living room; and above that, an old blue Proctor & Gamble sign, riddled with bullet holes (“On the farm, you’d shoot at things like that, just for fun,” Michelle notes). And that’s not even a fraction of the home’s carefully selected decorations. “I collect old fans, buckets – you can never have too many buckets,” Michelle laughs. “They’re great for everything. I drag all of my plants inside during the winter, and I put them all in old buckets. I also have a lot of blue jars … oh, and clocks!”
The wire skeleton of an old laundry cart now holds throw pillows at the foot of the Myers’ bed in their master bedroom. VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 17
^ vintage spaces Oh, and there are the frames, too, according to Chuck. “You could buy a whole mess of frames cheaply years ago, and now you have to buy them individually,” Chuck notes. One of her most treasured pieces, however, remains the wooden table in her dining room, featured in an earlier issue of VintageKC. “It’s still one of my favorite pieces,” Michelle beams. “It’s never going to be sold.” In addition to her full-time job and managing her store locations, Michelle somehow finds the time to help produce decorative spaces for individuals and organizations using her keen eye for design. Central to those projects, of course, is matching complementary color families. A mantle behind her living room features a variety of blue- and white-colored pieces. Both are dominant colors throughout her home.
Above: It seems that these days, just about everything can be used as a planter — including this artful bust. A cowboy bathtub in the Myers’ living room also acts as a vessel for multiple houseplants. Michelle’s carefully color-coordinated rooms reflect a love of whites and blues, such as those featured in this mantle. When she isn’t collecting and selling vintage collectibles, Michelle has been known to help friends decorate their fireplace mantles for the holidays or special occasions.
“I like those soft blues and teals,” Michelle says. “They blend so pretty. Anything in the blue and green family blends together so well.” Michelle admits she even learned a thing or two about pairing colors from her adult daughter, Amber. “She told me, ‘Mom, you can put reds along with blues and teals, too, and I was like, ‘Really?’” Michelle laughs. The living room mantle, meanwhile, features splashes of bright color in the form of old watering buckets for children, sitting next to a seemingly innocuous blue glass bottle. At first glance, the piece can be easy to pass over, but Michelle says she and Chuck learned the small bottle held a secret. “We found out it was worth several hundred dollars,” Michelle says. “It was in a box along with other blue glass bottles. We bought the whole box for only $5.” Though programs such as “Antiques Roadshow” highlight collectors who receive a delightful surprise when told an item they bring in for appraisal is actually worth money, Chuck says such news is usually the
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exception to the rule. “If you go to auctions, auctioneers are pretty good at making sure there isn’t anything really valuable hidden away,” he says. Michelle nods and admits that theirs was a case of pure luck. “It doesn’t happen nearly as often as you would think.” That’s not to say, of course, that it never happens, Michelle adds. “I’m finding with this generation of kids, 30s and 40s, they may have something they don’t realize is worth something. And at garage sales, some people just don’t realize what they’ve got,” she says. Both Michelle and Chuck are heartened to find that the monetary worth of an item is of little concern to younger generations of collectors, who embrace the aesthetics, functionality and stories behind the treasures at Good Juju. “Antiques went out of style, and now people are appreciating them, because they’re real and functional,” Michelle says. Both Chuck and Michelle say that when they built their house more than 20 years ago, it was with their expansive collection of vintage
items at the forefront of their minds. In fact, the house is designed around them, according to Chuck. “When the house was built, we knew we wanted cubbies,” he says, pointing to one next to the guest room on the second floor. A metal pedal cart sits there, a grinning, cherubic-faced doll sitting at the wheel. “We asked for them, and shelves, too, because Michelle likes to decorate so much.” Some of the house’s décor changes depending on the season, or just what items have caught Michelle’s eye lately. As a place whose look changes and evolves constantly, Michelle says there are still big projects lined up for the future, including reorganizing her home’s basement, which she describes as “a mess with all the shelves of antiques!” “We want to make the front porch bigger,” she says. “We’ve talked about that, and have debated painting our (kitchen) cabinets white
Bottom left: More planters intermingle with a variety of items in the Myers’ living room. Bottom right: The first piece of furniture to greet visitors to the Myers’ home is this bookcase, atop which sits just a couple of the many clocks to be found in Michelle’s collection of timepieces. Middle right: White is a dominant color in the Myers’ living room, and most of the living room’s decorations hearken back to life on a rustic farmstead. Top right: Not everything in Michelle’s home is vintage. This blanket given to her by a former student has a cozy place in her dining room. Top left: In addition to the natural light to be found in the Myers’ living room, candles sprinkled throughout the house add an extra bit of warmth to every room.
VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 19
^ vintage spaces
Michelle and Chuck’s granddaughter, Charlotte, has her very own place where she can play and create, right off of the kitchen.
and to make other things whiter. I’m always working on something.” And speaking of the future, Michelle doesn’t have to worry about her legacy of collecting being lost anytime soon – it’s something she has passed down to her two-year-old granddaughter, Charlotte, whom she calls “an old soul.” On this day, Charlotte has shown up at Grandma’s house (“Where the word we always say is ‘yes’.”) for a brief visit and to have her picture taken. Charlotte, too, has her own decorative space in a corner of the kitchen – a wooden, child-sized table with matching chairs. Atop the table sits a canister full of brightly colored pencils, and on a shelf across from the table sits an abacus with brightly colored beads. “I told them you like to decorate,” Michelle coos to the shy, blondehaired youngster, who heads for her little table when she arrives. “Do you want to check out your table and see if it’s OK? Mawmaw decorated it for you.” Michelle laughs heartily as she discusses some of Charlotte’s favorite collectibles throughout the house. “Charlotte plays with the old toy trucks, with the old clocks … and I
20 VINTAGEKC SPRING 2017
One of two tailor mannequins in the master bedroom doubles as a jewelry rack of sorts. Michelle says tailor mannequins — especially those in good repair — are becoming increasingly difficult to find in vintage stores.
have an elf collection,” she says. “We have tons of elves, and I put them out at Christmas time. She came over one day and she said, ‘Mawmaw, more elves!’ She got my old trucks out and put elves in the trucks and started driving them around. And I thought, ‘Man, these kids don’t need much!’” Charlotte, it seems, shares her grandmother’s worldview of appreciating the artistic potential of items that are discarded or otherwise taken for granted by others. After Michelle retires from teaching this year, she will be able to turn her focus completely to Good Ju Ju and ensuring such items go to a good home. And eventually, Michelle says, she knows those collectibles will be in good hands – the hands of someone who loves them just as much as she does. “You give kids this old stuff, and they love it like it’s new stuff,” Michelle smiles. “And everything here will be Charlotte’s one day.”
^
Corbin Crable, an adjunct associate professor of journalism at Johnson County Community College, doesn’t have Michelle’s same knack for home decoration, but he knows what he likes.
Greenwood
Antique District
a ReenWood, MO Main stReet g
As Time Goes by 816-366-0545 big creek mall 816-623-5358 greenwood antiques 816-537-7172
greenwood mercantile 816-537-7033
millett & co. 816-537-7129 country tea room 816-537-8434
g spRing eVents
March 17-19 Vintage Market Days March 25-26 Spring Open House April 22 Veranda Garden Show May 20 Handmade Market
vintage, repurposed, americana, country, mid Century, Primitive
VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 21
^ vintage fashion
This Collection: Château de la M’lle design was based off of historical Victorian costume, embodying various genres of popular vintage fashion trends such as Neo-Victorian, shabby chic, and Japanese Lolita. Make your vintage looks modern this spring by adding a touch of your own shabby chic-Victorian style to your favorite modern cardigan, pants or shoes.
VENUE VAILE MANSION, INDEPENDENCE, MO DESIGNS/STYLING BETHANY WICKER PHOTOS NICOLE BISSEY PHOTOGRAPHY MODELS NINA MONZON; EXPOSURE MODEL AND TALENT AGENCY, LEXY COVENSKY; CAREER IMAGES MODEL AND TALENT AGENCY INC., CHRISTEN MAZURAK-FIKE, DANA LARSON HAIR ANNA ELISABETH MAKEUP ASHLEY HAZELWOOD CONCEPT CALLI GREEN
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Featuring soft, innocent floral print on a modern style baby doll dress — with fitted princess seams and ruffle accents — this look encompasses shapes of Victorian era children’s clothing. This look drifts between everyday wear and alternative, vintage fashion trends.
Inspired by the rigid structure of Victorian era menswear, made with modern day comfort in mind, this peplum blouse includes a fitted, comfortable knit fabric, matching stretch leggings and modern ascot scarf.
VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 23
^ vintage fashion
This look features a no-waste design reminiscent of Victorian era sewing practices indicative to a time that every scrap of fabric was precious and reused in clothing, quilts, etc. This mentality holds some relevance today, as clothing manufacturers continue to be pressured towards environmentally conscious manufacturing techniques.
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This look draws inspiration from Victorian era undergarments, and is re-imagined and modernized into an intricate floral tank, and lace bloomer shorts.
“Built by Colonel and Mrs. Harvey Vaile in 1881, it was ‘the most princely house and the most comfortable home in the entire west,’ the Kansas City Times reported in 1882. Situated on North Liberty Street, a mile north of the historic Independence Square, the three-story Gothic-like structure today sits in solitary splendor, an architectural anomaly among the surrounding Midwestern homes.” www.vailemansion.org
VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 25
^ vintage fashion
^meet the designer Bethany Wicker:
Crystal Arcade Clothing
Another look inspired by Victorian era men’s fashion, Adelia includes an elegant silk ruffled blouse and corduroy panel suspender skirt. Adelia embodies the sophistication of aristocratic men, while also being a fun flirty modern day look for any occasion.
VKC: Why/when did you start designing? BW: My love for costume and fashion design sprouted in middle school, but I didn’t start sewing until 2011, when I started making my own cosplays for anime conventions. I’ve been an art kid all my life, but found that I was a “jack of all trades, master of none”. I could draw, sculpt, and paint but couldn’t do any of them exceptionally well enough to establish an identity as an artist. I was also originally discouraged from going to art school after graduating because the economy had collapsed and my family and I had no money for college. Since childhood I knew that I either wanted to help people or do something creative for a career. So, since art school was off the table, I decided to pursue a career in public safety, and ended up getting a job as a police dispatcher and 911 operator at the age of 19. While dispatching was definitely personally fulfilling, it was incredibly stressful and it took quite a toll on my mental and physical health. Just as I was starting to doubt my career decision, I discovered cosplay— I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect distraction and stress reliever. At first I did it to take my anime and video game fandom to the next level, but I quickly found that all my scattered art talents came together perfectly to help me sew and designs costumes. My best friend showed me the ropes of sewing and from there I became obsessed with understanding garment designs and construction. It got to the point where I was bringing bits and pieces of my cosplays and projects to work, and my co-workers started to take notice. When they and my family started encouraging me to pursue it as a career, I decided to do whatever I could to go back to school. Once I started taking classes, I immediately became interested in fashion design, and I haven’t stopped sewing since. VKC: What inspires you? BW: I’d have to say my one of biggest inspiration is my fandoms, hands down. I’ve been playing video games and watching anime basically all my life, and since cosplay was the beginning of my love for sewing and fashion design, I definitely incorporate those aspects into my work. I also draw a lot of inspiration from my friends, who are all very nerdy and creative. I often find myself designing a look with a specific person in mind, and end up designing an outfit for them based on their style and personality. VKC: Why Kansas City? BW: Kansas City is my hometown, and throughout my life I’ve lived all over the KC metro area. While I really want to live in California or New York one day, I feel like I have a lot of work to do on myself first, establishing myself as a designer and growing personally.
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^ kc fashion week
KANSAS CITY FASHION WEEK MARCH 26 - APRIL 1
Q & A with new KCFW designer, Meghann Wheelock of Ethel and Dean KCFW: You previously worked in the LA fashion industry and recently moved back to KC. How has moving back to KC, fueled you to start your own collection? MW: Since moving back, I’ve been struck with the revitalization that is happening in Kansas City, especially with the fashion industry. I love the idea of being a part of the growth that is happening. My family has been a part of this city for so long, my great-grandmother was a seamstress in the city during its heyday in the 1930s, and it almost feels like coming full circle to strike out and try and create my own piece of history here. There is a lot of support in the Kansas City fashion scene as well. Every other designer I have met has been encouraging and offered up their advice on how to get things started, whether its names of sample makers and fabric suppliers or where to go to get your pieces in stores. KCFW: How is your past industry experience helping you prep for this season of KCFW? MW: I learned so much about curating a collection during my time in the LA fashion industry. In my most recent experience as a swimwear designer, I was responsible for completing the entire creative process for each collection, from the initial trend research and interpretation to choosing prints and colors and silhouettes. It gave me the tools and confidence I need to act as creative director for this collection. VKC: Why did you choose childrenswear after designing for women for so long? MW: I’ve alway’s loved childrenswear. I specialized in childrenswear while I was in school, creating a 14-look collection for girls as my final project. I was offered a job at Guess Inc. by one of the owners after graduating, and I thought “this is such a great opportunity, I have to pursue it and see where it leads”. My time at Guess was amazing. I learned to design for both men and women, and it opened up doors to even bigger projects. I moved on to designing swimwear for Betsey Johnson and major retailers like Nordstrom, Dillard’s, and Kohl’s. I also designed some children’s swimwear during that time. It’s always been my favorite, so I guess when the choice is completely mine I will always go back to it.
KCFW: What is your inspiration for the new childrenswear collection you’ll be showing this season at KCFW? MW: When I first started fashion school, there was a British Vogue issue that featured plaid and the Scottish Highlands. It was such an inspiring issue, I’ve had this concept featuring plaid rolling around in my head ever since. When I started thinking about a fall kids line, it came back to the forefront of my mind. The main fabrication is my family’s tartan pattern (my grandmother was a Blair). I’ve combined that with recycled denim and military uniforms to bring a bit of an edge to the line. It’s been a really fun element, taking something apart and making something new from it. The collection is named after my great grandparents (Ethel and Dean) so I’ve tried incorporating a bit of their personalities as well. The boy’s looks are adventurous and daring with an element of the outdoors. The girl’s looks are feminine, but also sassy and strong.
Meghann Wheelock
The Side of KCFW You May Not Know How many hair and makeup artists are under one roof for each season of KCFW? Approximately 460 people over 4 days. Approximately how many photos are taken by Official KCFW Photographers? A minimum of 40,000 photos per season! What time does everything begin on a typical runway day? KCFW staff arrives at 7am every day to get started and doors don’t usually open until 6:30pm! How many hours are there of model/designer rehearsals before each collection is actually shown on the runway? Over 32 hours After 10 seasons of KCFW and on average over 240 model walks per season on an 80 ft. runway, models have walked over 75 miles of KCFWrunway length! How many oz. of coffee and cans of red bull does the KCFW planning committee go through each fashion week season? On average, theKCFW committee drinks 184 oz. of coffee per day and drinks 15-20 cans of Redbull. On average, how many attendees are there during KCFW?
KCFW: What are you looking forward to most about participating in KCFW? MW: I’m most looking forward to seeing the collection fully realized on the runway. I’ve seen it in my head for so long now, it will be wonderful to have it finally come to life.
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VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 27
^ vintage events
Taking Vows with Vintage Flair T
he reality is that it only takes two people who love each other to have a wedding. Sometimes the simple way can be the best way. These two love birds enjoy a bit of vintage flare while keeping things simple and sweet. Retro, yet elegant, hair and makeup can pay homage to the pin-up era, while pops of color add to the intimate affair. Planning a wedding? Try stepping out of the box, like this couple. Include a venue that may be â&#x20AC;&#x153;rough around the edgesâ&#x20AC;? like an old building, or a long forgotten outdoor space. Make it your own with touches of vintage elegance.
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Contributors: www.andreakgristfloralart.com www.eventsbyellekc.com www.fossilforge.com www.sammydress.com www.tiffanymariephotography.com www.whitecarpetbride.com Models: Kylie Christine Smith and Dylan Smith
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Buy any Philly, get 2nd 1/2 off! (offer expires 8/30/17)
10636 Metcalf Ave. Overland Park, KS
12976 W. 87th St. Pkwy Lenexa, KS
913-341-3631
913-660-0180
Dalia’s Silver Lining Beautifully handcrafted and distinctive silver jewelry from Taxco, Mexico, and unique larimar stone jewelry from the Dominican Republic 400 Grand Blvd.Blvd. Ste 416W 400 Grand Kansas City, MO Kansas City, MO
816-651-1538 816-651-1538
Ferris Wheel Antiques
“Come get energized with us!”
Alexis Pelfrey Owner Wellness Coach
Specializing in: • Gas • Oil • Advertising • Soda Pop • Memorabilia • 5201 SW Topeka Blvd. Hours:Advertising • Soda Pop • Memorabilia • • Gas • Oil • Topeka, KS Tues-Sat • 9:30-5:30pm Sunday • 12:00-5:00pm 785-862-8850
@energizingmission @energizingmissionks @energizingmission
913-362-1700
5813 Johnson Dr. Mission, KS 66202
Large Selection of Antiques, Collectibles, Jewelry, Vintage, Toys, Glassware & Much More!
~ 15,000 Sq. Ft. ~ 125 Vendors ~
7410 Nieman • Shawnee, KS
Mon-Sat 10-6 & Sun 12-6 913-499-7688
~ rv parking available ~ VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 29
community ^ makers
Instruments by Art by Deborah Young
W
alk through the front door of Meyer Music in Overland Park, KS, and you will see Marley there on your right. He’s a massive sculpture, about 6 feet tall and 165 pounds, crafted from discarded musical instruments. His head is a violin. The locks of his hair are guitar strings and chains from bass drum pedals. His eyes are conveyor ball transfers (the steel balls used to move industrial conveyor belts). His thighs are saxophones, his legs and feet trumpets. In the spring of 2016 Marley was just a vague idea in the mind of his creator, Robert Hurlburt, a production designer for Hallmark. One of Hurlburt’s Hallmark colleagues asked him and other coworkers to create art pieces from unplayable instruments for an annual auction hosted by Band of Angels, a non-profit partnership formed by Fox 4 News and Meyer Music. Band of Angels provides band and orchestra instruments for children in need. Last year when Hurlburt went to Meyer Music to select instruments for his sculpture he had the vague idea of making a jazz man. “I didn’t need him to be bigger than me or actual size. I just thought a musical instrument character that’s standing there or running or doing something,” he said. Initially Hurlburt chose one bass guitar for Marley’s body, but he decided the body would be too flat with only one guitar. Hurlburt’s nephew donated another bass guitar, which he decided to use. Then he had to figure out how to join the two guitars to create the body. He used a snare drum to connect the two guitars. “I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be weird to have these bass guitars looking as though they had been rammed right on through a snare drum but the snare drum still works?’ Hurlburt said. “So then it was, ‘How do I cut everything away and deconstruct it then build it back up, recon-
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Tammy an d Rick Had dix worked to gether to reassemb le an old b anjo, and Rick b uilt stand for th a wooden e instrumen t. The piece was up for sale at the 2016 B and of Ang els Art that Blows and Bows sile auction in Kansas City nt ’s Crossroad s Art Distr ict.
struct it, and put the drum heads back on?’ “Probably the hardest part was just trying to make that torso and neck area work, and once it was working I was home free,” Hurlburt said. “Now it’s just, ‘What crazy looking head can I put on this guy? What kind of effect on his forehead?’” Once Hurlburt had made the head and attached the hair he thought it looked like dreadlocks and decided to name the sculpture Marley (after Jamaican musician Bob Marley). Marley took about 70 hours to complete, Hurlburt said. The media used for Marley included wood, bakelite, copper, brass, aluminum, and steel, epoxy, plastic and acrylic. Tammy and Rick Haddix took a simpler approach to creating their instrument art. They prefer to keep the instruments intact and highlight each instrument’s natural beauty. Like Hurlburt, Tammy works
“Marley” stands just inside the door of Meyer Music in Overland Park, KS. Robert Hurlburt created the 165- to 175-pound jazz man for Band of Angels’ 2016 auction.
Above: This snowman created by bolting three drums together sold at the 2015 Band of Angels Silent Auction. Creators Tammy and Rick Haddix constructed the clarinet arms so that they can be bent slightly into a new position. Right: Artist Bob Hurlburt stands next to the water bird he created for the 2015 Band of Angels auction. The bird took only three days to create. The frog in the bird’s mouth was a last-minute decision when Hurlburt was sweeping his workspace and discovered a small trumpet part that “looked like a frog.”
as a Keepsake artist for Hallmark. Her husband Rick is an electrician and likes to create wood objects in his spare time. Tammy and Rick bounce ideas back and forth, and work as a team to develop artwork for the Band of Angels auction. Tammy said that when she goes to Meyer Music to select raw materials she waits for something to speak to her. In 2015, one of the objects that spoke to her was a drum set. “When I was looking at the instruments I saw this drum set,” she said. “I had done an ornament in Keepsakes (that) was a music shop and in the window was a snowman made out of a drum set.” She decided to create a life-size version of the drum set snowman, with clarinet arms, a handmade hat of foam, and a scarf. The drums are bolted together so that the snowman will stand, and the snowman’s clarinet arms were made so that they can be bent slightly. The couple also created a bassoon lamp in 2015. They cleaned up the instrument, left it
whole, and Rick wired it. “We like to make things that are kind of functional,” said Tammy. “The snowman was not. It was more decorative. But things that are functional really seem to sell well at the auction.” Last year, Tammy and Rick took four pieces to the auction: a banjo with a wooden stand, a cornet lamp, a trumpet lamp, and a violin decoupaged with violin sheet music and mounted on ceiling tile. Tammy chose decoupage for the violin because the instrument was badly worn. When Tammy first saw the banjo it was in pieces, or she thought it was. There was a separate Bacon banjo resonator. Tammy thought Rick might use it as a base for the banjo, but Rick didn’t want to drill holes in the resonator. They connected the resonator to the banjo and replaced the banjo’s torn head with a new one. Rick also created a stand made of cherry wood with a walnut wood inset and put a light on the top of the stand. “The instruments are so beautiful by them-
The Art th silent au at Blows and B o c 9, from 5 tion and party is ws Ju to be value 9 pm. Most item ne The entr d between $75-$ s will y fe 30 informati e cost and add 0. itional on on th e ev posted a ent will be t http://ba ndofang elskc.org in April.
selves,” Tammy said. “They’re like pieces of art by themselves so it’s almost our chance to show them off as an art piece.” Both Tammy and Hurlburt said that the allure of the Band of Angels auction is the uniqueness of art made from musical instruments and the various ways artists find to repurpose the instruments.
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Deborah Young is a freelance writer from Overland Park, KS, who has an interest in all things musical. She also composes music and plays keyboards. She can be reached at dkayyoung@hotmail.com.
VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 31
do^vintage recipes
Gourmet GLAMPING Words LAUREN HEDENKAMP Photos SARAH TERRANOVA
T
he promise of warmer weather is here with spring! Glamping is the perfect activity for this time of year to feel the sun’s warmth and witness nature’s growth. These two vintage inspired recipes together, create the perfect gourmet entrée for this happy season. The Spring Chicken recipe, with a Cornish hen, radiates elegance in its presentation while remaining extremely simple to make. The process is straightforward with minimal ingredients making it easy to create while glamping. The Roasted Potato & Carrot Salad recipe compliments the protein seamlessly. 32 VINTAGEKC SPRING 2017
The colorful vegetables add to the elegant presentation of the Cornish hen. The process also includes easy make-ahead options allowing it to be glamping friendly. The spring table setting mirrors the food’s sophistication through flowers, vintage dishes, and a vintage apron.
^
The Gourmet Glamping team, Lauren Hedenkamp and Sarah Terranova, became fast friends in Italy. They met studying in the same art and photo program and bonded quickly over their love of art and food. Lauren’s vintage camper Ellie serves as the backdrop for Gourmet Glamping.
Lauren lauren@leftpagecommunications.com Twitter @artsykansascity Instagram laurhedenkamp Sarah sarahterranova.com sarahterranovaphoto@gmail.com Twitter @cucina_camera Instagram cucinaandcamera
COOKING NOTE: THE GLAMPER MUST BE CONNECTED TO GAS AND POWER TO COMPLETE THE RECIPES.
Spring Chicken INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2): 1 Cornish Hen 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil 1 Spring of Rosemary Salt & Pepper to Taste COOKING UTENSILS: Oven Safe Dish with Edges Basting Brush STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 375o 2. Drizzle chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 3. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Brush the oil from the pan on top of the chicken every 15 minutes.
4. B ake until golden brown on top. Check temperature with meat thermometer. Chicken should be 165o F internal temperature. (This can also be made over a campfire in a Dutch oven.)
Roasted Potato & Carrot Salad SALAD INGREDIENTS: 10 to 15 Fingerling Potatoes cut in half 2 Carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, diced 1/2 Shallot, Sliced Thin 1/2 Bag of Mixed Greens 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil Salt & Pepper to Taste MUSTARD & DILL VINAIGRETTE INGREDIENTS: 1/4 Cup Olive Oil Juice of 1 Lemon 1 teaspoon Grey Poupon Mustard 1 Tablespoon Honey 1 Tablespoon Fresh Dill 1/2 teaspoon Salt 1/2 teaspoon Pepper COOKING UTENSILS: Knife Cutting Board Mason Jar for Dressing Measuring Spoons Measuring Cup Mixing Bowl Container for chopped ingredients (if making ahead) STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Half the larger potatoes and chop the carrots and place them in the pan with the chicken. Drizzle olive oil and
season with salt and pepper to taste. 2. Cook potatoes and carrots for 30 minutes with the spring chicken in the same pan. Stir potatoes and carrots after 15 minutes. Remove them from the pan once their cooking time is up. 3. Rinse vegetables. Chop lettuce, bell pepper, and shallot. Toss together on serving dish or a container if making ahead of time. 4. Once the carrots and potatoes are done, spoon onto the salad. 5. Put all dressing ingredients in a mason jar. (This can be made ahead of time) 6. Shake dressing just before serving, drizzle over salad. 7. Enjoy with the spring chicken!
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diy ^ maggie’s corner
Getting A Jump On Spring — Indoors
“The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month.” — Henry Van Dyke, 1852-1933
by Maggie Bonanomi
H
enry Van Dyke must have visited Kansas City in the spring, which arrives on March 20 this year. We know it’s too early to garden but that doesn’t stop the need for green. There are many ways to bring in some spring without having a garden plot. Why not create an old potting shed feel by gathering up old garden tools such as trowels, vintage flower pots, even an old pitch fork, even wood totes and tool boxes make great places to display what you’ve gathered. Make plans to go search for interesting garden related objects and create some fun vignettes, you will feel you have your very own potting shed and spring is already here. I used some wire to hang the pitch fork on my wall and displayed an old feed sack and some baskets. I even found a child’s rake, an old scoop of some sort and an old watering can, tuck in a few potted plants and its immediately spring. Look for old gardening books and seed catalogs for great floral pictures. Terrariums are another way to bring in some green, a glass container with or without a lid works fine. Old apothecary jars and unusual jars large enough to hold a few plants will work, an old fish tank, I even found a glass and metal cracker display tin and made it into a temporary terrarium with some pea gravel and a few plants, you want to be sure your container is water tight so you don’t have water seeping out. Of course there are always seeds to plant and set along your windowsill, use old flower
34 VINTAGEKC SPRING 2017
pots, it’s fun to watch them sprout. Marigolds and radishes are quick they sprout in about 5 days, if you haven’t found some old flower pot why not fill half egg shells with soil and plant seeds, use the egg carton to hold them, once they are big enough to repot just crack the shell and plant the whole thing, this is a fun child friendly project as well as a perfect recycler. Garden centers as well as the farmers markets will have plenty of tender seedlings to buy. I do not have an actual garden but found an old wash tub makes a perfect kitchen garden, plant some rosemary, thyme, basil and parsley, even adding a cherry tomato plant when it warms up, everything is in one place. I added four thin straight branches tied at the top to stake and help contain anything that grows too tall. All you need is a spot where you get some good sun during the day, maybe a deck or balcony, These metal tubs come in all sizes and if they have a few holes in the bottom all the better. If you have only shade find out what shade loving plants would work for you. Group fresh flowers in old medicine bottles set on top of a great vintage mirror or pin up seed packets you find to add a garden feel without the work of a real garden. Easier yet grow a sweet potato vine with a sweet potato in an old canning jar held in place with a few wood toothpicks, it will root and vine if given a window ledge, it seemed every kitchen in the 70’s had one growing. As the days move to early summer your plants can be moved onto an outdoor ledge if
Old cracker tin with chippy paint makes great terrarium.
Top left: Rosemary filled tin pot on window ledge. Top right: Gathered and ready for spring. Bottom right: Instant spring, fill a basket with moss and paper daffodils. Bottom left: Store bought flowers fill glass medicine bottles and an old pitcher.
you have one, if not continue to enjoy the plants on your window sill or kitchen counter, the days will grow longer and warmer soon enough and we will look for something else to do!
^
About Maggie: I live a short distance east of Kansas City in the wonderful small river town of Lexington. My hubby and I moved here in 2003, bought an 1841/45 house in one of the historic districts. I have gathered fun pieces to furnish my house, some antiques some fun
vintage (primitive) pieces. I have a studio/shop on Main St. called The Purple Turnip where I design and sometimes teach rug hooking as well as wool applique and whatever else that strikes my fancy, recently it was paper daffodils since I did not plant any last fall. This time of year I am always looking for something that speaks spring to me. Gathering up my favorite garden related items is a quick way to feel I have a little potting shed and that I’m ready for spring, since I do not have
a regular garden I “garden” in pots and urns and other containers. Nature continues to bring me inspiration, as long as I have a bit of soil and a few pots to plant in I’m pretty happy, well, I do still need some old textiles and a bit of wool but otherwise I pretty easy. See if some of the suggestions work for you or at least inspire you and give you that jump on spring that is usually needed this time of year. Enjoy! Life is good.
VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 35
do^vintage posters
Movie Art
Vintage movie posters add pop culture art to any home by Corbin Crable
M
ovie theater manager Brian Mossman gets the same questions from customers nearly every weekend. “Hey, may I have that movie poster?” “My daughter loved this movie. May I buy this movie poster for her?” The answer is always a solid “no,” says Mossman, vice president of the Fine Arts Group, which includes the Glenwood and Rio theaters. His career in the movie business began more than three decades ago, and since then he has amassed thousands of movie posters for his own personal collection. “I started collecting them so long ago,” Mossman says. “This can be an investment one day when I retire. It’s like ‘The Blob’ – your collection just keeps on growing and growing.”
Movie poster for “Auntie Mame” in the lobby of The Glenwood Arts Theatre.
36 VINTAGEKC SPRING 2017
Return to sender It wasn’t always so. In the early days of film, movie theater posters were rented out to theaters, whose management mailed them back to the studios once the film’s run had ended. The concept of movie posters as art didn’t really exist, and thus posters were printed on cheap paper with little attention paid to their overall design or keeping them for posterity. The general fragility of movie posters from the 1920s to the 1940s, coupled with the general conservation of paper during World War II, meant that very few posters from Hollywood’s Golden Age have survived to the present day. In fact, according to online retailer filmposters.com, it is estimated that “fewer copies of movie posters exist from most films made during the period of 1930 through 1945.” This would include many beloved classics of the silver screen, including “Gone With the Wind” and “The Wizard of Oz,” both of which were released by MetroGoldwyn-Mayer in 1939. The idea of movie posters as works of art emerged from a post-war America in the 1950s, and posters began to be more artfully designed and printed on
more durable paper. Mossman says that due to the nature of his job, collecting movie posters has been a cinch. “I collect everything I play, and I have since day one,” he says. Where to find (those valuable) posters For those who don’t have the luxury of having access to free movie posters, the Internet is a collector’s best friend. “With the Internet, you can go to eBay and search for almost anything. It’s so easy to find what you want,” Mossman notes, adding that other websites such as filmposters. com and allposters.com sell both original and reproductions of movie posters from the earliest days of cinema to today. Collectors can also buy old movie posters from some sellers at conventions such as Kansas City’s annual Planet Comicon, a pop culture convention. This year’s event will take place April 28-30 at Bartle Hall in Kansas City, MO. Mossman says that even spending a weekend hunting for treasures at neighborhood garage sales could produce surprising results. “A friend of mine bought an original poster of ‘The Adventures of Robin Hood’ (1938, starring Errol Flynn) for only $15,” Mossman recalls. “It was 30 years ago. He ended up being able to sell it for $15,000. It was an original. It was folded, but only had a couple of pinholes where the poster was put up.” Mossman says that many original posters “can be very valuable,” depending on their condition. “Another friend of mine had the original posters for ‘The Thing’ and ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still,’” he says. “Some can go for thousands of dollars.” Mossman adds that other collectible movie memorabilia includes lobby cards, which are essentially smaller versions of movie posters – usually, 11” x 14” in size. “Those are big collector’s items, too,” he says, but adds that lobby cards are no longer produced, making vintage lobby cards even more valuable. “It’s supply and demand – when an item isn’t made anymore, it really becomes one of a kind.” According to The Boston Globe, the record
for most expensive movie poster goes to the international poster for “Metropolis,” a silent film released by German director Fritz Lang in 1927. The worth of the poster has been estimated to be $850,000. Just collect – but handle carefully “Personally, I don’t collect movie posters for the value of them,” Mossman admits. “Some people do that … but your attachment to the poster should be sentimental. Those posters are a way for you to remember your favorite movies.” One handy tip, according to Mossman, is to leave your vintage posters rolled up in a cardboard tube, like the ones that may be purchased at any post office or craft store. Don’t fold them, he warns, or the paper will become warped with time. Most traditional movie posters measure 27” x Original movie poster for “The Adventures of Robin Hood” (1938) 40”, but sizes may vary based on the time period in which the poster was ers, and just go with one’s natural instinct. made. If you’re just starting out as a collector “People have different reasons for collecting,” and want to make your favorite movie poster he says. “It all depends on your personal taste. the focal point for your home, nicer, more There are so many of them – where do you start?” expensive wooden frames can be found at “If you’re starting a collection, just collect what specialty and craft stores; if the posters will you like,” he says, smiling. “It’s that simple.” be displayed in a special room in your home, like a media room, you might wish to opt for cheaper, black, plastic frames. The 27” x 40” Corbin worked as a movie theater employee size can be found at any big-box retailer. and manager for AMC Theatres and Dickinson “Some people collect on a small scale, but some Theatres in the KC metro area for more than 20 people have their own media room,” Mossman years. Over that time, he amassed a collection notes. You get leather chairs and a digital projecof hundreds of posters, only a few of which are tor, buy those one-sheet frames, and change them displayed in his home. His favorite movie poster out every once in a while – it’s fun!” advertises Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 film, “A ClockMossman encouraged those who are novice work Orange” — though “Barbarella” (1968) collectors to ignore the value of certain postcomes a close second.
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VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 37
learn ^ divination
Vintage by Astrological Sign Is your sign yang/masculine or yin/feminine? by Quan Tracy Cherry
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he yang signs are extroverted, given to action in the present. When you possess more planets in the yang elements of fire and air, your motivation behind vintage centers on the future and the do it yourself refurbishing. Aries, Leo and Sagittarius heat us up, engaging us through their enthusiasms. While the air signs of Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are the cool reasonable people. The yin signs are introverted, given to introspection, security and usually concerned about the past (or more aware of how the past creates the present). The yin elements are earth and water. Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn ground us. While the water signs of Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces soothe our anxiety and impatience souls. If you have a number of planets in a yin sign, you would be naturally attuned to conserve items from the past. Aries individuals can be the trendsetters in working with vintage items. Personal, passionate and different, they will make the old new again. If these plucky people are avid garage sale hunters, they will be desire to remake for practical use for the 21st century, probably something they can restore all by themselves. Then, they want to tell us the story of how they transformed the vintage piece. They will collect what they want in a quick and expedient manner, only to not like it as much once they get it home. The fixed fire sign of Leo will have a more methodical approach. They will want to know the history, the story behind the items. Their vintage pieces must become showpieces that season their home with the narrative (especially if a celebrity or royalty is attached to it). They may not do the work of refurbishing a table or chair, but they will research to hire only the best to do the work for them. Sagittarius, being a dualistic and mutable fire sign of wisdom and travel, they will often want vintage experiences. Going to ancient ruins and
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reading about objects that hold historical and culture significance magnetize these often-blunt folk. In their duality, they want to see the historical piece in how it can inspire themselves and those in their communities for a better future. Also, they will scour their family’s estate for heirlooms, no matter what their monetary value, particularly if there a scandalous story attached to it. The fire signs seek the possibilities through their visionary natures; it is the earth signs of Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn that usually bring these visions into the physical world. Taurus seeks and knows value. So any vintage item will have worth on an open market. Patient and persevering souls will wait out others and will save up the funds to purchase the items that they desire. Into adorning themselves, jewelry can be an Achilles heel when it comes to antiques or vintage products. Whatever the antique, it will be personal, a bit sentimental, yet, rarely cheap. Virgo has an exacting eye of what vintage stuff will be useful and what is not. They are less likely to go for the pretty bauble unless it can be used to make their lives more efficient. Clothes, car parts and even a toaster oven may be considered. Like Scorpio and Aquarius, they will want to recycle old items. Capricorn is for the traditional and family stories of vintage products. As an earth sign of status and ambition, any vintage item will need to offer increased prestige and authority. Collecting things that project or symbolize power from the past can be like catnip to the sea goat. Gemini, as the twins that they are, will often be of two minds about vintage pieces. They have an innate curiosity that gets them to investigate the vintage items, but they may not have the follow through to finish refurbishing it. Objects of communication, rotary phones, and video or cassette tapes anything unusual that incites humor can attract them. However, these souls are likely
to make a business out of selling and exchanging vintage work of value. Libra, as their symbol the scales suggest, balances the old with the new. Typically, these reasonable (and sensitive) folk will want a vintage piece to fit in with their modern décor. They are likely to shop for an antique for a mate or close friend even before they do it for themselves. Also, they can be interested in vinyl instead of digital music. Aquarius, as the sign most attuned to the future, has a quirky relationship to the past and history of humanity. Vintage items can be the 1950’s kitchen item that sits next to a microwave oven. Or they are likely to research the value of the vintage item (particularly when it comes from another culture) and that causes them to buy or trade for it. Cancer is a sign of tradition and vintage products — from food, to the hospitality industry, movies, to anything that could have a sentimental value. These emotive people must make sure they do not hoard, purchasing more than they can reasonably use or store. Let them be the first ones to choose items in a family’s estate, it matters more to them to receive those inherited personal items. Scorpio will tend to want to refurbish vintage products. Usually, they are better at hiding their sentimental side but, nonetheless, it is there. The vintage piece needs a story (particularly if it’s being sold for proceeds from a divorce). They are not afraid of digging in the dirt for the goods of the dead — individuals or culture. They are attracted to a vintage item spooky and provocative. Pisces loves to mix with different time dimensions. Their draw to vintage can include collecting autobiographies, religious artifacts, old movies and cameras. They may still have a black and white TV or a 8mm movie projector — often anything that has to do with music, instruments and vinyl. These are whimsical souls going wherever their imagination takes them; often miraculously draw a vintage item of immense value to them, if not the world.
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Quan Tracy Cherry is a Metaphysician, finding channels in astrology, numerology and tarot. Quan is available for private readings and consultations. Find him at www.beliefisnotrequired.com or on Facebook.
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