Thursday’s Unique Picks – Cannot tell a lie…

Get those party hats out. Crank up “Hail to the Chief” on your iPod. Drape yourself in bunting.

Next Monday is President’s day kids!

Outstanding Letterpress print of an original illustration of all of the 44 U.S. Presidents from oneCANOEtwo on etsy.

Garage Sale Girly is going geek on you this week with the inside skinny on President’s Day, plus great finds from etsy sellers that will help you celebrate this holiday in style.

I always loved history class, but I think that I may have retained a little bit more of the knowledge if the information had be presented to me with visual aids of awesome items that I had the option to buy.

Shallow geek.

Once upon a time, in a far away land, when I was in elementary school we would celebrate President's Day.

This 1923 original photograph from Ephemera & Objects etsy shop takes the cake. These kids know how to celebrate George Washington's birthday in style!

February was always a fun month in elementary school; there was Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day and President’s Day. It was always the month we learned about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln in history class. I especially like the part where we learned about the Presidents when they were kids and facts outside of their political achievements. It was sort of like the E! true Hollywood story of history class.

What little nuggets stayed in my brain?

Awesome Upcycled (from a wood fence) Lincoln silhouette from Recycled State by John Birdsong on etsy

President Abraham Lincoln:

16th President of The United States

Birthday: February 12th, 1809

I love this print created from an illustrated graphic by Jamie Patrick Paul in The Lost & Found Dept.'s etsy shop

Honest Abe was raised in a log cabin.

Spice up the decor of your log cabin with a woodland inspired Eco Chic moss covered "S" monogram from astylishdesign on etsy. 

Abraham Lincoln's mother passed away when he was nine, and his father remarried a lady named Sarah (Gee, don't know why that stuck with me). Abraham Lincoln was very close to his stepmother, who encouraged him to read.

Pour over history with a 1940 World's Fair George Washington Pitcher found in World Vintage's etsy shop.

President George Washington:

1st President of The United States, aka "Father of Our Country"

Birthday: February 22nd, 1732

Stylish vintage painted axe found in Opendoor Studio's etsy shop will liven up any room's decor.

Apparently young George Washington had an axe to grind.

Gorgeous vintage cherry brooch found in General Whimsey's etsy shop.

He took his hatchet and chopped down a cherry tree.

When his father asked George if he had chopped it down, he replied "I cut down the cherry tree with my hatchet. I cannot tell a lie".

These charming 1960's false teeth charms are from the Olde Farm Vintage Supplies & Treasures' etsy shop.

George Washington had false wooden teeth.

This is what I retained from elementary school about our 1st and 16th Presidents. Stop acting so impressed.

Recently I discovered though, that my knowledge about George Washington wasn't actually accurate.

I just had to go and read a book.

Secret Lives of the U.S. Presidents: What you teachers never told you about the men in the White House, by Cormac O'Brien. It is sort of like US Weekly but about the U.S. Presidents.

1. That whole "chopping down a cherry tree", "cannot tell a lie" story was a myth. After the president's death, a man named Mason Locke Weems, wrote a book about George Washington's exploits and seemed to have embellished some stories about the President's life in order to make him seem like a super human.

Keep the legend alive with this pre 1915 postcard celebrating Washington in his boyhood days from Vintage Vendor's  etsy shop.

2. The President didn't really have wooden teeth. He did wear dentures though. Most of them were ill fitting and he even had a set that was upcycled from hippopotamus bone. This fact was amusing, but I cannot tell a lie...I liked it better when I thought his teeth really were made out of wood.

Make no Bones about it, this little vintage hippo planter from Little Edith Bee's etsy shop is adorable!

Since my brain seems to be a bit fuzzy, clouded with legends, folklore and partial truths, I figured I better find out what we are really celebrating on President's Day. So I checked out these articles on Snopes and Wikipedia (of course).

A day to celebrate all of the U.S. Presidents? Nope.

Who would win? Washington vs. Lincoln? Duke it out with these magnetic paper dolls from Melly Mo's etsy shop. 

Surely it is to celebrate the birthdays of Lincoln and Washington (Just like they taught us in school, right?).

Wouldn't this be a great little ring to have around? This handy metal lie detector ring can be found in belluga's etsy shop.

Foiled again. It seems that it really is a holiday just to celebrate Washington's Birthday. It all started back in 1879, and was meant to be on his actual birthday, but alas in 1971 the government decided to move the holiday to the third Monday in February to streamline holidays into convenient three day weekends.

Don't be blue Mr. President, this holiday is for you! Great vintage glass bottle shaped like the birthday boy, found in WaldenRoad's etsy shop.

There you have it. I could not tell a lie...