It's that time of year...the ghosts and goblins are gearing up for a night of candy and fun. Costumes and jack o'lanterns have been around for hundreds of years, and they range from sweet and simple to creepy and macabre. If this is your favorite holiday, you may already have a collection of vintage Halloween decor, but whether you do or don't, here's a quick guide to collecting, displaying and storing those pieces from the past.

No matter how much we love the conveniences of living in a modern era, the allure of old houses and their details will always beckon, from chandeliers and doors to fireplace mantels and more.

​Some items naturally lend themselves to your home, while others may take a bit more creativity to find the perfect spot in your home. 

If you're reading this, you undoubtedly love old things and the thrill of the hunt for those old things. Maybe you've been to some inspiring shops or antique malls or markets. Or maybe you've seen some less-than-ideal booths and thought to yourself how you could/would do it...well, better. Maybe you're already an intrepid vintage picker, or perhaps you have a treasure trove of hand-me-downs that you are ready to part with. No matter how you got here, let's talk about some basic steps that will take you where you want to go next.

Quivery, shimmery jello remains a lunchbox staple and a flavorful ingredient in jello shots. And July 12 just happens to be "Eat your jello day." But long before it became a prepared packaged food or was paired up with alcohol in bar drinks, flavored molded gelatins with sweet or savory "sinkers" and "floaters" were popular dishes at ladies' luncheons, potlucks, and more. 

​Even if aspics and congealed salads are no longer the darlings of parties, those vintage jello molds still hold our interest. Hold that mold while we take a quick stroll down memory lane, back to where they originated.

During the 2020 pandemic, gardening and canning saw a huge surge in popularity. By late summer, the shelves were bare where canning supplies are normally found, and many of us were scrounging around in our basements and garages for old canning jars long forgotten.

But old glass canning jars are good for more than jams and jellies....and some jars are more valuable than antique vases. You just have to know what you're looking for.

Cake is the dessert of choice for many occasions, and has been the crown jewel of many feasts, banquets and parties for centuries. But do you know the origins of cake stands, pedestals, savers and carriers? Each of these items were designed and developed for a very specific purpose - and for some of us, we have sweet, fond childhood memories that flood back when we see a fancy glass cake stand or painted carrier like the one we remember.

Kermit the Frog once famously lamented that iI's not easy being green. Sorry, Kermie - we love you, but we have to disagree; we think it's actually pretty easy to be green, at least if you are a particular hue known as jadeite green. This enduring, soothing color has been a mainstay in kitchens for decades, and it's still just as home in today's modern kitchens as it was in the country kitchens of our mothers and grandmothers.

​Let's explore the origins of this lovely glassware, and what is - and isn't - jadeite.

March is when Spring Fever starts to spike, especially among house-bound Southerners. By now, winter has overstayed her welcome and we're all itching to get outside and enjoy the warmth of the sun on our backs and feel fresh dirt between our toes and fingers as we start filling containers and getting garden patches ready for tender new plants. But Mother Nature can be fickle, so if it's not quite time to get out in the garden, look around your garden shed or some antique stores for a few old garden tools and make them into decorative items while you wait for warm temperatures to arrive.

Valentine's Day conjures up memories of grade school: blunt-tip scissors, pungent paste and a classroom of children cutting and pasting paper doilies onto construction paper hearts under the watchful eye of our teacher, and proudly depositing those handmade Valentines into brightly festooned shoebox "mailboxes" for each other. 

Paper and crocheted doilies have been around since Victorian times. The introduction of mercerized cotton thread made it possible to gussy up napkins with beautiful, intricate embellishments. Even if we aren't from the era that made our own doilies by the dozens, we have all seen them in our mother's or grandmother's homes, protecting furniture and cushioning delicate baked goods.

But don't keep those keepsakes in a box or trunk - break them out and let them have a new life in your home. Here are some ideas on how to collect, care for and repurpose crocheted doilies.

Last month, we explored the fabulous world of vintage drinking glasses - from swanky swigs for your morning juice to tumblers and goblets gracing your dining table. Barware encompasses some very specific and fanciful glassware, as well as other fun accoutrements like shakers, stirrers, measuring jiggers and zesters.

​Whether it's the novelty or nostalgia drawing you in, it is hard to resist the allure of a freshly made drink measured and poured by your favorite mixologist.

​As we ring out the old year and welcome the new one, we're resolving to make 2021 a year filled with more festivities and reasons to celebrate, make great memories, and share more joy and laughter.