Welcome One, Welcome ALL!

Welcome to Bella Tarra Vintage! This is a new adventure for me, one I have been mulling over embarking on for awhile; I took the plunge early this morning (or was it late last night?) and was up for hours just tweaking and searching all over the place, as I'm sure many of you are "guilty" of as well. But it is a fun sort of guilt spending hours searching for beauty on the Internet, isn't it?

I started this blog simply to vent my creative energies. I have passions for writing, photography ~ and really anything vintage. Rustic or chic, I find beauty in it all, and I have collections of so many things tucked into every nook and cranny of my home (which my husband just loves...) that it is time for these things, passions ~ and me ~ to speak.

My passion for beautiful things and "vintage" started when I was a young girl. I adored Victoriana, and had a couple of books laying around my room which were presents from various birthdays, etc... I collected soaps from Crabtree & Evelyn and other fancy perveyors because I not only loved the fragrances but I loved the vintage-inspired images on the boxes even more. So, when my family went to Disney World when I was 11 or so, what did I buy? Small soaps with beautiful boxes, yes it is true. When my parents had my cariacture done while we were there, the man drew me carrying a bag of soaps! Funny! I went so far as to send off $10 at the time for Crabtree's entire catalog and when it came in the manila envelope, it was an instant treasure which was proudly displayed in my room.

I had this appreciation for things of days-gone-by for many years but fought it, thinking it wasn't really what "modern" women were "supposed" to like or want. It disappeared while in college completely and then was resurrected when my husband took me to my first estate sale in roughly 2003 shortly after we were married. It was amazing. We went to a couple more, and I found myself always being drawn to the vintage linens and textiles ~ but again ~ I tried to suppress these ultra feminine attractions. But I touched and touched and caressed, and occasionally bought something even though I could have bought so much more.

I have since completely given in to these feelings, passions, appreciations ~ whatever you desire to name them... and my home is surrounded with things "of the past". And my passions extend well beyond Victoriana. Sometimes I am ashamed I could not own up to what I loved in my heart for fear that others would not accept it, and now, knowing how increasingly hard it is to find fine vintage linens, I am angry that I could not simply give in at the time knowing what treasures must have slipped through my hands into someone else's, someone stronger in accepting her loves. Now, I do know that many still don't understand the thrill of finding the perfect vintage tablecloth or a stunning lace hankie, but I don't care. They are them, I am me.

Now, I know everyone these days has a blog and I know how difficult it is to have anyone read/recognize a blogger's efforts... But, as my picture shows: I must believe! I must believe that if I put passion and energy into making this a beautiful space with beautiful words and images, you will come. This star hangs on my daughter's chest of drawers in her bedroom, along with two others which read "Wish" and "Dream". So dear reader: Believe, Wish and Dream of vintage beauty with me ~ here at Bella Tarra Vintage.