There is nothing that puts me in the Fall-ish mood more quickly than the sound of high school marching band practice floating through the air. The staccato rat-a-tat of the snare drum, the low boom of the bass drum, and then the fanfare of trumpets and tubas - love it! You can't really hear the piccolos and clarinets unless you're right next to the action, but I know they're there. I was once a proud band geek, playing endless rounds of Yankee Doodle on my trusty piccolo (my high school band was colonial soldier-themed - we wore tricorn hats and everything) and to this day, I will stop whatever I'm doing and mock-march in place when I hear band music anywhere in my vicinity. It's happening in my office quite regularly lately, as we're well into the football season and the local high school is just down the street. Every afternoon around 3:00 - rat-a-tat-tat Boom Boom! It's a wonder I get anything done around here...
Anyway, all that drumming has made me realize that it's high time I shared some peeks of the Back to School Fall Subscription Box that went out in mid-September! I gotta admit, there were several items that I had a VERY hard time letting go of, but after such a looooong, hoooooot (hot, not hoot) summer, putting together Fall boxes was super fun.
In keeping with the school sports theme, one of my favorite items that found their way into a couple of the boxes were actual school letters from letterman's jackets. During one of my summer vintage-hunting expeditions, I came across a whole box of these puppies - some were in pretty bad shape, and all had obviously been torn from the jackets they were once carefully stitched to, which made me kinda sad to be honest. But after digging through them for a while, I felt a lot better when I discovered a couple that were awarded for band participation (I had one - it's a sport dammit!) and debate team, which is awesome. These letters are a definite nostalgia trip. And what to do with them, you ask? I liked the look of them individually framed, and maybe used as bookends on a bookshelf. But, if you're feeling crafty, they would make great accessories on a fall wreath or other door deco! Just a single straight pin through each letter into the wreath form, and yer done. Add some black and white vintage photos of sporting events, or maybe some from your own glory days, and voila! The curator in me has to say, though, PUH-LEASE do not GLUE the poor things to a wreath (or anything else, really). You'll never be able to use them for anything else, and essentially you've ruined them forever and ever. It's also a good idea to put this wreath on the inside of your door, or inside your house somewhere, rather than out in the weather. Just sayin'.
Among the other goodies that filled the Back to School boxes was a plaid thermos, ca. 1960. It's obviously perfect to hold your hot beverage of choice during the Saturday afternoon football game, and that's why I snagged it (bonus - it was in nearly pristine condition and looked like it had never been used!), but then I discovered that it had been made in Korea (, which seemed a little odd for the time period (just post-Korean War). While I haven't been able to track down the company that actually made it, I did learn quite a bit about the massive surge in manufacturing in South Korea following the war, specifically in Americana-style goods. Things that looked quintessentially American (think everything from pie plates to picnic gear) were mass-produced and shipped out to be sold in the good old USofA. So, this very cozy, collegiate, plaid thermos is probably part of that manufacturing boom. Cool. Or hot. Whichever.
Anyway, don't forget: the next Fall Subscription Box is mailing out VERY SOON, so if you want to get a box full of awesome vintage finds in the Mod Supper Club theme (Mad Men-esque barware, 70s game night kitsch - you get the idea!) click here and get yourself some!
Happy Fall everyone!