Hope Springs Eternal

Spring technically came a week ago, but it really isn't here yet. We still have a lot of snow on the ground, but look for signs with expectancy. The birds are quite vocal this morning, sending out their songs and chattering with the neighbors. Every day there is more activity. Becky saw a robin last weekend, the first indication Spring will come (and it was in flight-lucky her!). Although it is quite gray today, sitting and listening to the well of sound makes it seem not so bad. We're getting back on track and putting up more offerings. We will continue to offer all seasons of clothes. Our Aussie friends and others may be in need of something warm, and we feel there are people like me, in short sleeves year round, who don't necessarily wear summer clothes in summer and vice versa. So take a look and see if you can find yourself the perfect outfit or piece to add to your wardrobe. We're adding more all the time and we have some great new stock. Here are some flowers to help bring them on:
On eBay

In our eBay store

And to help bring on the grass and gardens:



We're going to be running a promotion for Earth Day. We have the perfect way to recycle and help save the planet-BUY VINTAGE!!! Keep your eyes open for it and take a look at what we have now!

Visit our website at heffyscollections.com

and eBay

Wow 'em Dresses Continued

The season is upon us for proms and weddings and all sorts of special events. I started out yesterday trying to give an overview of what we have to offer and ended up only doing long dresses. We have a great assortment of shorter dresses for all different types of occasions, from mother of the bride to cocktail or party dresses. Take a look and when you can, browse around our store heffyscollections.com or eBay http://stores.ebay.com/Heffys-Collections
'60's dress from our store
Coming soon to Heffy's Collections

Oh so '80's super black dress from Tadashi

Enough of the black, although we have more that are just as nice!


Yellow Floral Lilhi in silk

Gorgeous blue dress with matching coat

Bewitchingly beautiful cerulean blue dress with cape

And lastly, two super sexy numbers:

Brocade wiggle dress

Coming soon! New with Tags Byer Too!

I could go on and on, but will hope instead that you take a look at all of our offerings in both stores. We're starting to get back in the swing again and will be adding lots more real soon!

Proms and Special Events

I know it's only March and hey, we have two feet of snow on the ground with more coming down right now! But soon it will be time to think of proms and weddings and graduation and all of the special occasions Spring brings. We have some real beauties to choose from and you can pick your fav and have it in time for your event. I can't show them all, and some I'm so fond of I've shown them before, but take a look and see if there isn't something you would look your stunning best in!

Maxis are coming up really big this Spring, so I'll highlight those to show you what a diverse selection we have, then at another time I'll do the shorter dresses. Take a look!


Simply beautiful turquoise gown and chocolate polka dot dress from our store



Yellow and blue florals from eBay



Great red dress on eBay for special occasion or costume

Sunny yellow halter dress in Heffy's Collections


Isn't this gorgeous? Drop dead purple by Alfred Angelo in our store

Lockport and WNY

We live in Lockport, NY. It mostly doesn't matter with Heffy's Collections, since the eBay, website, and myspace (and this blog) are all online and pretty much accessible to anyone anywhere. It matters to us though, 'cause it's home. I'm one of those cockeyed optimists who can find beauty anywhere, but this area really is beautiful. We have the escarpment, which makes for some interesting hills. The Erie Canal, acres of orchards, and Lake Ontario all add to the landscape. And we have Niagara Falls, the beauty of them all. We're very lucky here. We have all this and the close proximity of Albright-Knox Art Gallery, the BPO, and about 22 colleges and universities. It's just too much to describe!

On our myspace pages, we have added many friends who reflect our interests and tastes along with several uniquely Western New York people and places (which also probably reflect our tastes and interests. Lol.). I'd like to highlight some of these and urge you to check out their myspace pages and if you're in the area, check them out in person!

Our #1 friend is the Transit Drive-In here in Lockport. It has been run by the Cohen family since 1957 and today is an area icon. Drive-ins are great! This one is really spectacular and we're looking forward to the Spring opening March 28. It's a wonderful tie-in to our vintage clothes (think old school). Gotta love it! Just down the street from the drive-in is One Eyed Jack's, our local barbecue place known for dry rub barbecued items like pulled pork and ribs. Worth a stop when you're nearby. Across town is a terrific shop called Herbal Magick. Angela (aka wonderful woman) has many, many loose teas and spices to choose from for cooking, and herbal and homeopathic remedies. Quite a find for us! Another friend is the Niagara Celtic Festival. We got hooked on this when it started because they have Highland Games and we couldn't resist going to check out their version. We had been to see them in other areas and hoped this one so close by would give us our "fix". It sure did! Plus the bagpipe bands and vendors, it's a lot of fun. This year's festival is the weekend of September 12th, so consider checking it out. The last totally local friend on myspace is the City of Lockport. Known for the Erie Canal and its historic roots, the city is improving with the new City Centre and this summer-the Canal concert series. Check it out!

I can't leave out our friends to the south, in Erie County, right next door. They include the Sabres, Buffalo, Buffalo Central Terminal, WBNY (91.3 FM), The Downtowner (Buffalo's newest newspaper), and the Buffalo International Film Festival, and did I say the Sabres? Maybe another time I can fill in more details on these, but today I wanted to highlight Niagara County and Lockport. I hope you have a chance to look them over, maybe visit, and be sure to stop and say Hi to Heffy while you're here!

And here's the real reason we love it here so much:

Newt

Usually when I try to write for this blog, I want to talk about the clothes and Heffy's Collections and keep it light. It's not always possible (especially when one's sense of humor may be a bit stifled). Today's won't be the opposite though, either, because there really is happiness in the story.

Becky and I started taking care of my dad December 2006 after he had a "TIA". I put it in quotes since the doctors termed it a mini-stroke. Saturday night, as was his habit, he drove to Wilson to pick up Eleanor, took her to dinner in Olcott, then back to Wilson and home. Wilson and Olcott are small towns on Lake Ontario. Sunday morning, he got up and dressed, got as far as the top of the stairs and then couldn't move. The guy who had been totally independent up to then was rendered dependent in almost every aspect of life. There was nothing "mini" about it. We brought him home Feb. 16, the beginning of a year that changed our lives. We started the eBay business and subsequently our website as a way to try to stay home and continue to take care of him. As he failed and required more time, we hung in there. We had days of screaming at each other. We had days we didn't think we'd make it any farther. We'd talk, try for solutions (hard to come by), and move to the next plateau. In September, he stopped walking and standing (except with a bear hug). A couple of weeks ago, he stopped even that. It took 2 to do everything. At the same time, he could no longer hold a fork or spoon, so we fed him. Slowly, we watched him fade. Becky and I used each other to get through the day, making our work goals as well as our tasks for Newt. This week, we knew he didn't have much longer. Tuesday, his eyes didn't open at all. He was talking a lot (not to us). I talked to him off and on and he seemed to know I was there. He even said something once. I left to go home, telling him I'd be back in a bit. Becky checked on him, made some hot cocoa, and when she went back to talk to him, he was gone.

We called him Newt. I don't know why, it was one of my mother's little things. He didn't mind. His family (the Tysons), called him Dix-he was the 10th child of 12. His friends called him Tex. a man of as many names as there were aspects to him. He loved people, reading, being active, his family. He would take me and later Becky on road trips to "teach" us. We learned how to farm, all about animals, crops, farm machinery. We learned about construction. Every place we went, there was another opportunity for him to teach us something because he had such a wide range of interests. He taught us to always be curious and learn, there is never enough time to get it all. He told stories. He joked. And he taught us family is most important of all. He would take us on trips on the spur of the moment and we'd have a ball. He read obsessively. Before he retired, he loved his job at the Red Cross-it combined people, teaching, learning, and people. It was great for him. He could and did engage people in conversation everywhere he went. It's what he did.

There would never be enough space to give tribute to his life and the man. I'm just trying to fill the space and hours in the day that were spent taking care of him over the last year. The house seems empty, though it certainly isn't. If we get it cleared out in less than 6 months, it's going to be a miracle. Thank you Newt for letting us see you through the only time in your life you were ever sick. I'm trying to invoke his spirit to tell Becky how much her devotion and care toward him made the difference in this last journey. She lived with him and carried the burden most of all. She was rarely away from it in the entire year. And it has hit her hardest of all. It was her beloved grandpa and it showed every day. I wish I shared their depth of feeling for one another, but it was theirs. I hope she can remember the good parts, like him asking her to play the piano and the two of them sharing show tunes to classical to jazz. There are so many, that's just one they both cherished.

One year and ten days out of our lives that have changed us, probably for the better. I hope it makes you smile, Newt. You're back with mom and your family. I love you.

Paul Tyson
5/6/16-2/26/08

Until Spring Comes...

When I decided to talk about floral prints the last time, I hadn't really thought about the quantity and diversity of the prints we have in stock. I had a few in mind to put in, but when I started to choose, the array was amazing! Even to me, the "handler of the clothes". After I finished, Becky said you didn't put in this one, or that one and I knew I had to do it again. I'll leave the flowers after this (at least for awhile), I promise. I said it already, they find us, like a port in the storm. We're the lighthouse. Some of them are truly unique, some are beautiful. Enjoy!

The colorful sweater dress on the right by Cristina, has brilliant beaded flowers on the front and left sleeve. The next dress we call the "fireworks" dress-the print looks like exploding fireworks or abstract flowers.


























This is a '60's dress by Alfred Shaheen in a subtle silkscreen print.


















These are two of our true Springtime beauties. A silk Lilhi and a striking vintage halter dress in yellow with very different designs.





















I saved Becky's favorite for last. She has a thing for iris, and this outfit is a perfect rendition of her flower. It's a long tunic top and pants. A perfect ending for a sweet tale. Or maybe it's a beginning for you!














Check them all out at Heffy's Collections!

Flowers

Ends today on eBay


I wanted to talk about floral prints and this is the blouse that started it. We seem to attract a lot of florals and I haven't been able to figure out why. I think they find us. I don't know if there are just that many out there (I hadn't noticed before) or if we have some kind of sign on our foreheads directing these items to us. I've always had the Social Worker sign on my forehead (Charlie says it comes with the jumpers SWs tend to wear), but I wasn't aware of this one. If we get a lot of clothes, invariably there are many, many floral prints among the clothes. Now I like them. Not all, but I can usually find something about a print I like-color, pattern, something. I'm not sure Becky shares my attraction, but every once in awhile, one will reach out and grab her. Take the one above. It's pure white with jet black and deep brown, an usual mix of dark and light and it is striking. Then there are added butterflies in full color. It is just amazing.

When I was thinking about writing this post, I was just thinking about that blouse. As I went through the pictures of what we have up now, I realized that we have a lot of really outstanding flowers right now, each very unique. Since Spring is around the corner and we seem to wish more often it would just get here, it's kind of nice to gaze at the floral prints and dream of warmer weather. Each of these speaks for itself in its own way, and you might even find something you like. You too could become a floral print person and may not even know it!


Also on eBay






Link to eBay



Soon on our website