Barbie Turns 50 and it's Time to Find a New Home

I was too old for Barbie. By 1960, I was 12 years old and believe it, or not dating boys. Dolls were out of the question but.....I always secretly wanted her...or at least to live the life she seemed to be living. I married at 16 (1964) and thought I was living Barbie's life, but still had never held one in my hands. I saw the ads in magazines and saw the dolls in the stores.

That era (1960-Beatles) is my favorite era. Perhaps, because it helps me relive my innocence. my innocence. I divorced in 1971 and remarried in 1972 (to present Darlin' hubby) and we raised a son. No room for Barbie there...although I became extremely familiar with GI Joe and Star Wars.....it wasn't until June of 2002 when we stumbled on a lot of Barbie stuff that I got interested again....now got hooked.......but the early dolls and clothing is what I really loved.

...... I think because it reminded me of a time when everything was possible and elegant and just plain lovely, and we lived in a pre-Kennedy assassination era. Namely "Camelot". But as with all things the time has come to part with my collection. I find that maintenance and adding to the collection is too time consuming and not as much fun as it was in the beginning of my Barbie Days (at the ripe old age of 54). So I'm offering my collection as a lot this week. And you just have to see it to believe it. This great lot of 43 Dolls and more than 400 pieces of clothing and accessories can be found at cemetarian on eBay.

In Her Easter Bonnet, With all the Frills upon it

hehehe, now you're humming the tune aren't you?

I know it's a touch early but, it's Easter Bonnet time and I hit the Bonanza last week.

So coming soon to cemetarian on eBay are these adorable Chapeau's.

Black Velour Vintage 1960s Toque with Braid Trim



Red and White 60s Rafia Roller




60 Audrey Style Straw Roller



Yellow 60s Rafia Roller


She Wore Blue Velvet.............. (are you singing that now?)
50's Rayon Velvet Smocked Beret

Walk A Way Dress And Its Rockabilly Cousin

In 1952, Butterick Pattern Co experienced a phenomenon it had not known since the 'Garibaldi Suit' of the late 1860's. They released pattern #6015, and dubbed it the 'walk-away' dress, because it was so easy you could "Start it after breakfast... walk-away in it for luncheon!". It's simple yet flattering wrap design and easy construction were what made it so popular.


The envelope back states: Here’s the smartest idea of the season….a dress that has only back, waist and shoulder seams, that has its back wrapped around to the front for a sheath-and-overskirt look. Binding finishes the edges. Wear it for any occasion.

Sales of the pattern were so great, that at one point manufacturing of all other patterns ceased, and only the 'walk-away' dress was produced until all back-orders for this dress could be filled.

The pattern was reproduced and released in the 90's under Buttericks "Retro" line, but the originals remain elusive to most collectors. Of the thousands of patterns I have collected and sold I have only had two.

And later that year Advance tried to steal Butterick's thunder with this lovely creation. It too is a wrap dress and very simple to make with only three pieces. So versatile you can whip it up to wear to the market, wear it over a sweater as a jumper, leave off a piece of the bodice and wear over a sexy jumpsuit for at home occasions or a strapless underslip for the fanciest cocktail party.

Both are available right now at cemetarian on ebay.

My Grandpa Watt and the Confederacy

This is my Daddy and my great-grandfather Watterson Knox Polk Ownby (WKP or Watt for short), taken in 1927. Like all young men in Middle Tennessee in 1861 he answered the call to arms and enlisted in the Infantry and later the Calvary where he was promoted to Sgt. He was captured near Hillsboro, TN Sept 17 1864 and was paroled at Camp Chase, Ohio, Feb 13 1865. Like so many Confederate Veterans he spoke little of his war years or of his time spend in the POW camp. But after moving to Texas in 1885 he did attend 2 reunions for Confederate Veterans. I have been honored to be passed these sentimentally priceless souvenirs of the reunions he attended. For more about my Ownby Family check out my Ownby page on our website.

Because these have been in my possesion for so many years and I wouldn't part with them for any price, I was surprised to find the ones below. I couldn't imagine any family member letting such a thing pass from their hands. But they did. I didn't fully realize the true rarity of these beauties until I started doing a bit of research. So I'm offering these 2 reunion pin backs on our new shop on Bonanzle.





And in addition this Southern Cross of Honor was with the two pin backs. It too is being offered.

IceStorm Fun! Birdseed Popcicles and Frozen Peanut Butter

Since I spend so much time at this computer, I had the hubby remove my widow screen so I could get photos of the birds and squirrels as they feed 4 foot from my desk.

We just had an Icestorm and the babies were hungry. But I didn't realize HOW hungry til I noticed this beauty eating a birdseed popcicle. The sleet had frozen in the bottom of the cup with the last bit of seed and he managed to dig it out and sat there for 15 minutes munching away on ice and millet.



And then I spotted this duo which is very unusual. A woodpecker and a wren sharing the same peanut butter and seed pine cone. Their friendship didn't last long but I did manage to capture it for posterity.