The sign that hung outside the store...

The sign that hung outside the store...
All Things Vintage, Re-purposed, Junked and Treasured!

Monday, December 17, 2012

Christmas is Near....

Are you trying to find all your favorite Christmas decorations like I am? And maybe finding some new  "old" decorations to fill in the holes? Me too! 

Again... Craigslist and thrift stores to the rescue!

I had an old sled I picked up "in my travels" years ago.

 I happen to find another one for cheap on Craigslist, and it wasn't  far from my house to pick it up.

I love decorating them. I had an old Christmas Bazaar sale wreath I got some 15 plus years ago, and after freshening it up a bit, it was hung on the the first sled.




 The "new" second sled was purchased for $20.00 from a man in his 60's, and is a German sled. He had it when he was a kid. 

 On the same weekend I got that sled, I bought an antique oak Icebox ( I will show later!) and asked the gal if she had any other things for sale...I am so glad I asked. 

 She had a bucket of antique treasures, one of which was  old ice skates. Just what I wanted for the German sled! I bought the bucket and everything in it for $30.00, the skates alone were worth that!







My husband says he loves the over the top crazy decorating I have been doing, on my shoestring budget of course.

Since my father was in the typewriter industry, they are special to me and my family. He was with Royal, so we always prefer Royal, but this very old Corona was one that my mother had as one of her vintage finds. Perfect for Christmas decorating, I must say!




I picked up this early vintage  Royal typewriter at an Antique mall in Cashmere Washington ( home of Aplets and Cotlets) about 10 years ago, these old typewriters are getting more expensive now that others are collecting them. I think I paid $35.00 then. My daughter has several Royal's as well.




I took the doors off my old hutch, and just made it a Christmas display of it's own...


 I repurposed an old wood window with a thrift store wreath for a wall in my dining room..


And an elf took up residence in my old wood dough bowl in my kitchen bay window...




So, these are just some bits and pieces of my decorating, as I get ready for our Christmas Eve family party next week.



A wee elf enjoying the view from the fireplace mantel.
My mantel has candles, old clocks, trees, owls, and my mom's jewel tree...I need to fill in the loose areas, where  beads and pins have fallen off over the years.



 My tree is bursting with vintage and favorite decorations.




 I hope you and your families are warm and safe as we approach Christmas, and remember "The Reason for the Season"!

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Friday, December 7, 2012

Changes...




I may have mentioned previously that when I was working, my world had gotten into a rut, because all my time was either commuting to work, working and commuting home. I got up at 5AM and was lucky to get home by 5PM. After almost two hours of commuting per day, and a stressful job, well I did  not have the energy or desire to do anything. My home had fallen into the rut with me.

Now, my world is almost daily change, really...I am forever moving things, painting things, selling things, and buying things (thrift stores or Craigslist).

For example, I sold several items lately that took up to much room...such as this buffet...



We have several pieces of this Mission style furniture, but are ready to depart with much of it. This sold on CL pretty quickly.

I also had a large size Mission coffee table... and the Mission chair in the below picture, sold and gone both of them, to happy new owners.



My living room was ready for change, and since we will be having Christmas Eve at our house this year, I needed to be ready for it! Since my coffee table was gone, I brought in my recent garage sale rusted iron frame coffee table. I had painted and waxed the wood board top with ASCP. It has a smaller footprint, and I love the shabby look .



I also found two smaller size chairs for the living room, on Craigslist. She was asking $60 each which was a steal already, but she took $100.00 for the pair, and the fabric is great, she said they were in their never used living room. I will possibly sell the sofa after the holidays...it is a bit to long for this crazy layout of a living room (who else has six walls in a living room???).

The mirror on the mantel was a $20.00 CL find, it's beveled, so another great find I think. Now I am still on the lookout for one with a more ornate frame...like the one I foolishly sold earlier this year!



I have also listed my Hoosier/Kitchen Queen on Craigslist, and priced it to sell...we will see!  
Update: SOLD!


In it's place in my kitchen, I found an Amish made Pie Safe that is more appropriate for the storage I need.

Here in the Northwest you don't run across these like you do in other parts of the country, so when I found it on Craigslist I was ecstatic!

 Do you have a mental dream list of items you had always wanted? This was on my 40 year dream list, so I was happy to score it, and for a great price too.



So, as I say, life is full of changes, especially when Craigslist or a thrift store is so easily accessible!

What do you think of my current changes, as I prepare for Christmas, as this is just the beginning...stay tuned!

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Wednesday, November 21, 2012

So much to be thankful for....

We just got back from a week long vacation in Puerta Vallarta Mexico, where we wanted to see more then the resort type area. This is when you see the real people of the area. It is also where you see the living conditions of some of the poorest.

While we were at a Sunday morning service where we were staying, we found out this particular resort was a key location for the Canadians who sponsor and run a charity called Families of the Dump. 

They took a few minutes before the service and explained what they do, which is to help  these families who live at the dump. Its a hand up, rather then a hand out program.

They meet every morning at 9AM, and take any one who wants to volunteer, and come see their operation, to sign up to do so.  We did, sign up, and considering it was just weeks before our Thanksgiving...the timing was perfect.

These are some of the homes the families live in...




The conditions are actually much better then when they actually lived in the dump.  I know when you view these pictures that is hard to believe. 

They had put up their new sign the week we were there, announcing the ground breaking for a new center they are putting up, and hope to have completed in less then a year. 


Some of the people who went out with us, were sponsors of some of the children, and were able to go see the kids they sponsor, and give them hugs and love. They said that about 98 cents of every dollar goes straight to the families and the schools, daycare and the needs.

The kids were playing soccer in the dirt streets, barefoot. 





 The kids were all smiles and laughing, and if that didn't make me feel so thankful for what my family has here in the states, nothing would.

So instead of thrift treasures, this post is about heart treasures...and thanksgiving.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Jan

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Monday, November 5, 2012

Long Weekend Wildness

My treasure hunting started Friday, and went all the way through Monday!

On Friday I wandered into St Vincent, where all red tags were 75% off, well my cart was filled up fast. Then on down to the local Goodwill where I found a few more treasures, but no discounts.

Do you want to see what I got?

 Well, this was from St Vincents on Friday. I had a full punch card so the total after discounts and punchcard credit...was $10.41 out of my wallet. The stool, candlesticks, & wood message board will be painted.

The silver tarnished coffeepot is waiting for it's new purpose, I think it has a calling...I love the bluish color.

 Dr Phil's wife Robin's book was a dollar, so will read it on a vacation we are taking soon!



OK, now to the Goodwill's finds  below...a vintage pyrex juice pitcher, a gorgeous carved rooster, a salt jar,  vintage contact paper, a tray that really is already perfectly shabby, and a few other little treasures.



 The lovely Rooster now sits next to my chalkware girl (on my brick mantel) who is covering her ears, while he crows!



The wire cage was the first up for a redo..


Now it is home to a little bird and her nest, and the tray holds everyone together...and this was only Friday!


So Saturday, I finally find time to go to the local Habitat for Humanity store. Always a treasure for a good price there, and wonderful prices on furniture...


I came home with an awesome Eifel Tower picture...I love it! 
And a wire Eifel Tower as well...do you think maybe I want to go to France?



And an old desk that was 25% off which is going to get a chalk paint facelift...soon!





And then, on the way home we went to a garage sale, and found a seamstress table.

  It is huge...and full of storage, for $10.00, seriously...$10.00. 

It may not be pretty, but it is a workhorse size work bench for my projects.

We had to go get out trusty pull behind trailer to bring it home, but now I have a project table for the shop.  You can see by the second picture, it is filling up with my supplies. I am so happy, everything in one spot!




Today I found the old tool chest on the above photo, at St Vincent half off.



  
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Thursday, November 1, 2012

New places for recent finds...

My problem is probably much like many of yours... I don't need one more thing, I have a house full of things I love.

 But....vintage is so calling me when I find it, and next thing you know I have found a way to get it home in my convertible (usually)... and it is now either on the project's growing list, or in my home.

So when it comes into the house, something else may be moved. Heck, maybe it calls for a total "re-arrange". This is often the case. Personally I like that, because when I was working full time ( until the end of June when my job of 21 years ended) I came home exhausted, and to tired to even notice the rut I had gotten into regarding my home and it's stagnate condition.

Last weekend at AJ's garage sale, I found this old Scottie dog vintage small lamp. He did not have a shade and is very shabby.



 AJ said they bought him many years ago at an antique store. Well, $1.00 for Scottie, and $0.50 for lampshade at St Vincent, he now is in the bay window in my bedroom. 

He shares the window while sitting on some vintage books. Also you see his friend from AJ's, the brass Toucan, and my old stained glass window which  is from a garage sale in the 70's. The art on each side are gifts from my daughter, who supports some great local artists.

Dosent Scottie look like he was always here?



Of course another $1.00 garage sale find was this metal( pewter?) grasshopper with red bead eyes.. His detail is amazing...he just hopped right into my car with me and came home with all his friends.





 Isn't he beautiful? I wish he had a mark on him so I could research his story, as the detail is wonderful.





He got a job, right off the bat, he now collects the mail as you come in the back door near the mudroom.






And finally, How could anyone pass up this face?



She moved into my office, and replaced my oh so boring normal desk lamp. We are smiling at each other as I type, I call her Liz. She bends at the neck to look wherever I want her to!



So, now they all live with me, as if we have been sharing space for years... 


Happy Thursday!


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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Paint or Stain?

I sure hope all of you folks on the East Coast and in the Midwest are keeping safe, after Sandy. Prayers sent your way for sure.

Remember AJ's fabulous G-Sale? 

Almost everything was a dollar, even chairs. 
I did buy two tables, and paid $5.00 for each table.  AJ was even offered $20.00 for the oak one before I picked it up...and said no it is sold for $5.00.  

We have 5 acres of horse property, and have a large shop/garage that is perfect for working on projects. If I kept the projects up at the house, well I don't think my husband would be as forgiving for all the things I haul home!

  The pictures show them as they looked when they came home, poor dirty tables.
OK, heres my question, on the above table should I paint the whole table ( it does have a solid butcher block top).  Or I could stain the top...and paint the rest? I am thinking of Annie Sloan Old White. It would look nice either way I think.





 This oak table has a story.

AJ's wife Linda told me the story about this oak table. It was her Grandma Cavellini's kitchen table, and then Linda's mother had it, and then Linda.

 Well, Linda is my age ( in her 60's), so....this is easily a 100 plus year old table. 
She said she remembered as a little girl her grandma taking two days to make the best spaghetti sauce, and all the prep work was done on this table. She remembers many dinners at this little oak table as a child.

When Linda and AJ moved from California to the Seattle area 16 years ago, the table was stored in their shop garage and was not used, and after all those years...this is it.

Of course after hearing the story, I felt like it was up to me to bring purpose back to Grandma Cavellini's old oak table.

My first thought was to paint all of it with chalk paint... but then I thought maybe I should totally strip it and  stain it.
                                                                                          
          



 I am leaning towards staining the top, and painting the rest of it. I have already sanded the top of the table. I am ready to go, once I decide where I am going!

Now this is where you all come in, I need suggestions... paint, don't paint, colors...distress, don't distress? 

I think I will keep it for myself, which means one of my own tables will have to go... I can live with that.

So I really would like some idea's tossed my way, what do you think? If it was yours what would you do?

I also want to throw in a cute little guy that came home from the G-Sale, Why? 
Well, because my husband has used the term "when pigs fly" many times over the years. I had to have the little flying piggy to show him, yes, pigs do fly... 


Happy Halloween!!
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