PORTLAND VINTAGE: A NEIGHBOR’S COLLECTION

Portlanders are an amazingly candid and friendly group and this weekend I got to talk to someone who shares the same love of vintage holiday pieces.

Linda is a woman I used to see at the gym, and then later from time to time I’d see her at our neighborhood dog park.

We’d nod hello, but that was it.

This past holiday, however, I bumped into her while we were both shopping at Magpie Ethel’s amazing booth at the Laurelhurst Winter Bazaar and we chatted for a few minutes.

We’d both been collecting Laurie Romanaggi’s pieces for years and we talked about how much we love her creations.

I bumped into her again this past week and because she follows my Instagram feed, she knows how much I love treasure hunting. We got to talking and she invited me over to her house to check out some of her Easter and other collections before she packed some of them up.

So Sunday morning I woke up, made a big batch of Buttermilk Biscuits for my peeps

and then walked to her house.

It turns out she lives just four blocks away from me– and right next door to one of Charlotte’s friends.

Look at what someone did to our Brazee street sign.

Now this is the kind of graffiti that makes me smile.

Linda welcomed me into her home, and showed me her Easter collection in her front hallway.

I spied a Magpie Ethel creation and I fell in love with the little vintage bird whistles and Easter bunny pulling a cart.

I thought this display was the extent of the vintage things she was going to show me, but turns out that was just an amuse-bouche.

Take a peek at a bit of wall space leading up to her stairs.

After Elf Land, she brought me into the dining room where another, larger Easter display awaited.

Look at some of the gems here.

I loved all her honeycombed figures.

And take a look at these miniscule little bunnies. A cake topper perhaps?

Like me, she also collects vintage greeting cards

and all kinds of interesting knick-knacks and crafty items which she then uses on vintage (or vintage-inspired) creations of her own.

She is saving these found treasures for her daughter’s one-day wedding.

This bunny is a new addition,

joining a collection that has been growing for decades.

I walked over to the cabinet with the hundreds of items displayed herein.

The snowman with the red beret was a tribute to her sister who’d passed; it was so moving to see her face light up when she pointed her out to me.

So many other treasures here– these are just the ones I happened to catch on this particular day.

I’m sure as other holidays approach, other beauties will be given their moment in the sun.

The range and breadth of her collection really wowed me.

So thanks so much for inviting me into your home, Linda.

I loved seeing all your amazing pieces and you couldn’t have said it better…

“It’s some of the littlest things that make me happy.”