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?

Linking up with:
Tuesdays Treasures
 Blissful White Wednesday
Treasure Hunt Thursday
Primp Wednesday
Vintage Thingie Thursday

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!!

Unexpected find today...

If you are looking for something, and wait long enough...you will find it at a garage sale or a thrift store. Today was my day!

I already had the antique wood trench dough bowl, which my wonderful daughter gave me after I drooled over it at her place. Her friend from work had sold her a bunch of antiques, when she was downsizing. See it above just leaning against the wall, no purpose.

The problem was, these are hand carved, and do not sit flat on the surface, so it needed some kind of support. Also, I just did not have what I needed to really decorate with it, once I did get it secure on its bottom.

Today's garage sale solved both those issues.

"AJ", down the road was having a "to die for" garage sale... this is because most everything was $1.00. Really big stuff was 5.00, and I am picking up a sweet wood daybed for $20.00. Really, just a buck for most of it. I was like a kid in the candy store.

 I found this unusual stand, it is iron wrapped in wire and was long and narrow, and it did not look mass produced.

I knew it was for my dough bowl when I saw it, even though I had no clue what it's first purpose was.

 I am showing this second picture to show the cool things that are part of this display...which I also got for a dollar, thank you AJ!

The metal lantern was in a large bag, and when I saw the lantern, and the items in the  display,( which included all the rest of what

 you see including the pumpkins etc), I knew that was also meant to be used in the wood dough bowl. Finally my dough bowl has a purpose.

 I am smiling, and even my husband was smiling.
I have 4 bay windows in my house, and this is now in the front bay window off of my kitchen.

And the other projects I brought home, will keep my chalk paint busy for a while. Why am I drawn to tables and chairs??? I got 2 table's, and 3 chairs. One of the table's says it wants to move to my dining room!

Finally, fall is here at my house.

Happy

Saturday!



Linking up with:
Sunday Showcase Party
Making the Scene Monday
Metamorphosis Monday 
Mod Mix Monday
Treasure Hunt Thursday 
Knick of Time Tuesday 
Meet Me Monday 
Three Mango Seeds "Its Party Time"
Table Top Tuesday
Tuesdays Treasures

One Estate Sale treasure...

I went to this sale several weeks ago, in fact I went to it 4 times!

Lets just say that we had to hook up the trailer to bring most of it home! I will address some other items from that sale later....

One of the items I found that I love the most is this concrete/maybe clay type figurine. He is  9 1/4" tall.
 I passed him up the first two times I went, as he was sitting with all the old garage stuff..I looked, I just didn't add him to my pile. The man having the sale (it was his mothers estate) was excepting most offers, it was crazy fun,  and by the 3rd trip I made a low ball offer on him.

The Bird Monk ( I call him that), is really lovely and is holding a very small bird ...

( I seem to have this bird thing going on)

He is signed on the bottom, as you can see below.

Do you think that says Lets...OK now I know it is Stan...duh!

I  am moving him all over the place because he fits in so well in so many places. 

First at my bay window,yes I like him here...

Then onto my brick fireplace mantel...

Hmm, I like him here too.

I have got to stop rearranging ...oh who am I kidding!

I haven't had time to research him yet, it will be interesting. I do know he is here to stay. 

Oh, did I forget to mention how much I paid, well yes I did....

I paid $1.00, true... really, a buck.

Jan

Happy thrifting!

Linking with:

 Blissful Whites Wednesday
Saturday Night Specials

Chalkware...are you familiar with it?

Have you run across any Chalkware lately? 

Are you familiar with this art medium? Click here to see a description of Chalkware.

Just a few weeks ago I found this bust of a girl, and after researching the company that made it, I found it is definitely vintage. 

This was made by the Universal Statuary Company in Chicago. They usually have a date and often a number. I read that even though many different artists completed them, some of the artists would sign them, which was not encouraged by the company.

When I got her, she was in her original color which was a greenish color, not very pretty. 

All I could see was an antique white color on her. Sorry I was in such a hurry to do her makeover, I did not get a before picture, next time I will grab my camera first!

 I then went over her with a little stain to bring out the definition. I am not sure which I like best, but either way she looks better then before.

So for now she is living on my brick fireplace mantel...on the right, next to my dried hydrengas.

 (My walls are not really that bright, the camera does that in this room, and painting the walls is on my winter agenda!)

I recently found this "how can you possibly leave me behind" pooch at St Vinnys...so I didn't!

He is a nice size, about 13" by 9 1/2" and was made by Home Interiors and Gifts, which was a company that sold decorating accessories through representatives at home parties, they went out of business in 2008. He is dated 1996...he may not be vintage, but he looks like he could be!

I really do think he has character, and am not going to do anything to him, how could I??? 

I have noticed that the Chalkware pieces usually have felt on the bottom, and if you shake them a little, they have a rattle sound..which makes sense since they are made out of a gypsum material.

What do you think? Do you have any, or see it around much?

Please leave a comment and let me know!

Jan

Art is in the Eye of the Beholder...

I love art.

Yes, "Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder", but that is why some call it art, and others just don't see it.
 

 I mention this because, I have learned to look closer at the art I see at thrift stores.  

Recently I found this oil painting 15" x 18 1/2" framed, obviously vintage. It has a signature, R Smith...no luck finding out much about the artist.

But, there was something about it. 

If I had not turned it over, and found out it was called Garden Path...

I may not have seen it so clearly...but yes now I can see it.

  

Can You see the path?

 I am liking it more and more, and like all things vintage, I wish I knew it's story. 
I wonder if it was a Plein Air painting, which is where the artist is painting the canvas outside, looking at the subject...it could have been.

Also, in a different frame this painting would look totally different.


Link Party: 
Treasure Hunt Thursday

Good things come in small packages

When you go into a thrift store, what is your shopping method? Do you first have a walk through and then go around again, to look up or down?  I do. 

Yesterday on my second circle of one of my favorite thrift stores, I found these really wonderful small needlepoint pieces. 

The delicacy and detail is amazing, and they were professionally framed. If I had been in a hurry and not circled around again, I would of missed them.

They were done with small needles, so compared to most needlepoint I run across, they are exceptional works of art. The framed piece is 9 1/2" by 8 1/2 " on each.

They are framed in a shadowbox type frame, so the glass does not touch the matted pieces.  Do you like them?  

As much as I would love to keep them, I think I will put them in my Etsy store.

If you haven't gone by Knick of Time Tuesday, why not do so...but leave me a comment & follow me first!!!

Happy Thrifting! 

 

Welcome to The Pink Geranium!

Welcome to the Pink Geranium!

In honor of the original Pink Geranium, I will need to share  some information regarding the lady who owned it,  Gloria my mother.

She was born in 1923 in St Paul, Minnesota. She married my dad right before the war and proceeded to be like most of the women during the war, she did her part for the war effort while he did his in the Army Air Corps.

Once the war ended their lives took off. He became a successful business man in the typewriter industry, and she was a stay at home wife with a handful of kids.

 We moved many times as my fathers career advanced, from Minnesota to Iowa, to Michigan and then to Washington.

  

As you can see, we were her little tribe, and certainly kept her on her toes! I am in the chair on the far right, covering my eyes.

She kept herself busy even when we were young, for example as a volunteer with Welcome Wagon.

Welcome Wagon...anyone remember that? They were an organization that had members who would bring a basket full of coupons and welcome material from local business to new people in the community.

She wanted to work and get out of the house, and when the last of us was old enough, she got her realtors license and it was no looking back. This job was perfect for her, as they ending up owning a string of rentals, and were not intimidated by the title landlord!

She also opened a consignment/secondhand store in Issaquah Washington, since they had an empty storefront property available on Main Street in Issaquah. 

That was the original Pink Geranium.  

I remember going into her little store and seeing her glass showcase full of interesting old jewelry and things, many she had found at different garage or estate sales. She was a master of the find of old treasures, which she would then sell in her store. She was only about 40 some years ahead of what we are doing now with Etsy, etc!


Gloria had a great eye for vintage jewelry and furniture, and the clothing she sold were usually items people had brought in for her to sell on consignment.

Later when she closed the store, my father and mother had multiple garage sales per year at their house. This gave Gloria an ongoing outlet to do what she loved.


Gloria was a classy lady. From the day she was born to the day she died, she was classy. She traveled the world, she loved "bling",  and loved vintage jewelry and accessories, antiques and Asian collectibles as well.

She loved life... and even after 2 years, is missed by those who love her as if she just left us yesterday.

So this new blog honors Gloria's original Pink Geranium store, and is dedicated to Gloria and her love of old things. 

Linking up this post with:
 The Ivy Cottage Cowgirl Link Up party