Vintage + Sweet!

I have a sister who put together a gift for us to use on our trip south and to share with our daughter and son-in-law.  It was so unique and such a great idea, I thought I'd share the gift with you all, in case you ever want to give consumables away for a gift in the future (I love consumables for Christmas!).

In the brown paper craft bag with handles all tied with a pretty bow, there were all sorts of vintage and retro goodies, and some made especially for Christmas.  What a neat idea!  This way, the bag was ready to go into the car and use on our long journey...


Above is shown a vintage candy tin, made to open like a book.  Inside are the soft mints, the old-fashioned kind that melt. in. your. mouth.  ;-)

I made a little display to stand them all up and show you the goodies she carefully placed in our "to go" bag.  Vintage Cracker Jacks (got to save those boxes, they're red, white and blue!), vintage ribbon candies (so beautiful I don't want to disturb them!), a retro box of LOTS of Moon-Pies (my husband's favorite!) and more...

Remember these hard-candy discs from long ago?  In the center of each one was a Christmas tree, a candy cane, a ribbon, some looked like citrus fruit, and they were just little works of art!

See the "milk carton" shaped box?  That is snowballs...pretzels with white chocolate!  YUM!!  And in the blue package is snowman hats made of chocolate-covered marshmallows:  how cute is that?

I would love to hang those ribbon candies on my tree!  I remember these were always in the candy boxes given to us as kids on Christmas Sunday at our church, did you get those, too?  


I remember it was a ceremony of sorts, kids were called to the front and we lined up as the pastor placed our own box of hard candy into our hands.  Each box had a pop up handle made into the cardboard, and you carried them sort of like a purse.  We had to promise not to open them until we got outside or into our cars.  ;-)

And that darling retro Moon Pie box?  I've given orders to keep it in good shape, and it's going to be glued back together and used in a display somewhere in the kitchen!

And then tucked inside, too,  were these cute as can be note cards with a vintage Campbell's Soup advertising print!

(click on any photo to enlarge)

And, look here!  This was the darling gift tag, a picture she took of a display in her own home of a vintage tableau she created with new and vintage display pieces.  The church is made to look like a vintage Putz piece, only larger with a real bell in the steeple.  It is a beautiful anchor to the display, isn't it?


I am love those Gurley candles, the choir kids have always been a favorite of mine--we always knew it was Christmas time when those came out and appeared somewhere in the living or dining room.  


It reminds me that as kids we sang in a "stocking-footed" choir at church, because the choir director hated the noise shoes made as the choir entered (or shuffled) the choir loft, so she made us remove our shoes.  The little choir kids' capes remind me of the robes we wore for the Christmas choir presentation--that's exactly what they looked like!


And that little snowman?  Who didn't see and admire one of those in their home as a kid?  I am hanging onto this gift card and will think of something to make with it, it's just too cute to throw away!

These cups with a retro Santa theme were a gift from another sister.  They now sit in the kitchen by the coffee maker...and do you know what it says in the bottom when you get to the end of your morning coffee?

And who doesn't need to hear an "atta girl" every once in a while?  ;-)


I LOVED IT and I've been drinking my coffee from one ever since I got them!

Then this sweet shadow-box type ornament was given to me by my niece, isn't it cute?  It is made from the top or base of a cardboard jewelry gift box and uses a welcoming outdoor scene from a glittery Christmas card in the center and then tucked into the corners is a small feather cardinal sitting on a nest made of wound twine (how creative is that?),  

Then in the other corner is a piece vintage plastic holly garland cute apart to use and all glittered up with a beautiful iridescent flaky glitter.  The edges are finished off with the metallic pipe cleaners.  A cute ornament for a tree, or the ribbon is long enough that it allows it to be hung from a cupboard knob or a door handle.   Beautiful!

And this tin can lid was made into a cute refrigerator magnet, with Christmas cards and metallic pipe cleaners.  Katie had another of her annual Christmas craft parties with her friends and they all made crafts like this and more.  I was so happy she gave me these, treasures all.  I am going to write her name and the year on the back.

*I always hesitate to show gifts received because I'd really like to show them all...but if they have a retro or vintage theme, I can't resist showing them to you, especially if they have value as a craft or decorating idea or a gift giving inspiration.  This is not to take away anything from other heartfelt gifts given at Christmas, I love them all!