time to pack it up

One of my display cases for antique shows and craft shows is an old heavy cardboard briefcase that I rescued about 10 years ago. In a decoupage phase I copied a zillion old postcards and stuck them on everything that wasn't moving.  When I was packing up the house last May, the briefcase started to give up under the weight of a ton of Victoria mags and it was this close to the trash when I was inspired to give it another life. Hot glue, twill tape and mini clothes pins and there she was - all fixed up pretty again.  And now, after countless trips in my trunk it is time to come in for a bit...  I may list some of my jewlery on etsy soon or I'll end up adopting half these earrings for my personal use before spring!  My favorite are these religious medallions...    

Thrifting Impossible

My mission: $50 in my pocket. A large outdoor flea market with my bff, Dana. Mission: Cover as much ground as I could before the DH and DDs arrived. Luckily we moved quickly as Cathrynn arrived with a nasty headache and fever from a booster shot the night before, and Frank with his usual attitude about me & money ("what you spent $50 in 4 hours???") #$@* MEN! but he still managed to snatch the ugliest dog in 2 states for a mere $100. A dog that can bark for 8 hours straight. Anyways, it was dollar days for me! I love to see vendors with boxes of all junque piled high and signs that advertise only $1. My favorite scores: the powder blue tole painted music box and powder puff (I have my Gram's and thrilled to find another!). A hunter green canvas purse with an ice-cube style Lucite clasp. A tin of sewing notions with rhinestone buttons buried in the bottom. A book of Etiquette (a hoot for me and Dana as I once had a date correct me for pronouncing it "etaquit"). And 10 vintage dresses for $1 each!
I'm not a doll collector but she was $1 and still in her box. It was all mangled and her dress and lace are all gray. A bath is pending. These pins weren't exactly a bargain at 4 for $15, but I loved the size and colors...

Coming soon to a tote near you...

It was meant to be today. A last minute decision to bring my newest totes to Dana's booth was quite handsomely rewarded. Forget making any money on the totes there - the rainy, dreary weather kept the crowds away, but I hit gold (amber, brass...!), buttons that is! I had to use my best, most nonchalant attitude - honed to perfection in a lifetime of yard sales - to not jump up and down in glee as a vendor offered an entire tray of buttons for $4.00. He apologized for not having a glass jar to put them in. Really. It must've been meant to be. He had a bunch of small, military & political buttons that we wanted to put in the case. Alrighty then! Give me those big old girls! I've already bathed them and played with them.
I took my loot and ran back to Dana's booth where about 6 of us examined them with delight. Even more amazing, this particular place is frequented by the finest thrifters in the area (you all know who you are!) but I got the steal of a deal today!

Button, Button, Who has the button?

Here are a few of my favorites:

Stop by SugarSugar! Button Flickr Group

A great way to display your favorite buttons & bling! I won't bore you with my whites, blacks and browns!
Show yours! I know you have some...

oh so pretty

I owed you a few pretty pictures, without my whining, so here's my dining room table last weekend, when my sister-in-law came to visit. It was a really enjoyable evening and the food was yummy - I made a salad, meatballs, portobello stuffed rigatoni, crusty Italian bread and a three layer chocolate mousse parfait. I hosted my family on Christmas day for brunch and dinner - but for dinner, I resorted to buffet style since we had close to 20 people here. I do enjoy a cozier time like this:

Vintage Teacup Fall Swap - Part 2

This is the goodie basket I sent off to Rebecca for the Vintage Indie swap.

I love the delicate acorns on the teacups... they were made a short distance from here, at the Taylor Smith Taylor plant, in the 1940s. I tucked a few fall hankies in the basket - one even had acorns on it, an old Florida spoon, maple syrup in a maple leaf glass jar, apple butter, tea, and hot apple cider mix... I love this season!

knock-off or knock it off?

Sorry I've been MIA- this back to school schedule has already sapped my free spirit. I'm always rushing to get someone somewhere.

Yesterday, I was able to steal a few minutes for myself in between the preschool drop-off and after school pick-up schedule. A better woman than me would've raced home and cleaned their messy house, but not me - I made a trip to a thrift store we affectionately refer to as, the Junkyard.

While there I saw a cutest floral canvas purse by Ralph Lauren. I almost bought it. 'Cept for the stain inside that I truly hope was a chocolate bar gone bad. So, I did the next best thing and tried to make my own version. I know RL's people won't be coming after me... the only things similar, the tied handles and a vague resemblance to the shape, if you squint your eyes. And hey, I know it's not perfectly even - I did this without measuring at 1:00am. 'Cause that's how & when my creativity flows...
Another find - a huge roll of vintage wallpaper for $3.49:
And a big 'ole chipped up teapot for $4.99 that now keeps more of my kitchen utensils at hand in the worst laid out kitchen in suburbia:More stuff in the car. Hidden until I clean up this place so the husband doesn't freak. Or trip over it.

Keep crafting & thrifting girlfriends...! Ciao!

wildflowers & blueberries

Helllllloooooo! Gifts from my little wildflowers. I think that's a sprig of ragweed - Frank's allergies have kicked in since Liv brought it home. The girl's requested a blueberry pie with these berries. I'm allergic so we'll skip all that. Plus, are they really blueberries?

So, I've been busy. Back to school preparation. And all the usual. But, I've also been having some fun with my sewing machine. I'm making some pretty dang cute tote bags to sell. I'm not a seamstress by any means, but I can put some vintage stuff together in a great new. I sew like I live - I have an idea what the end result will be, but even I won't know how I'm going to get there - I just wing it and try to make masterpieces from the mistakes. I'll bet you're glued to the screen wondering what tote/purse can live up to all that! A few more buttons & I'll be listing them on Etsy. Along with some killer mosiacs that I started in the spring.
On the table, my thrifty find of the weekend - 4 brand new Ralph Lauren place mats for $1.50. I could care less about labels, but they are crisp & a perfect match to the kitchen.

thrifty finds

Yesterday, I had to go into the city & made a secretive stop at a Red, White & Blue Thrift Store. Secretive because, Frank would NOT understand WHY I would need to visit, or worse shop, for more old stuff. Yeah, I know - but I was right there, kwim? My purchases were small and able to get lost in the shuffle of linens & buttons. I didn't divulge such classified information since he didn't ask, and more importantly, the girls didn't spill the beans this time. Happiness for less than $10... 3 aprons at .95 each - the best - the teal, rose & black rose toile that I scanned for my header above - gorgeous, huh? And drum roll please... Cathrynn's find of the day. As I was searching the bags of craft stuff, when Cathrynn holds up a pretty aqua kitty tin, and asked, "what about this?" So adorable, I gasped, especially when I realized it was full of buttons. We didn't know exactly what kind since it was taped shut and I didn't want to draw attention to such an extravaganza, lest they reprice it! Even a pound of so of whites would've made our day... but we cracked open the lid to this treasure chest for $2.95:

Eight matching napkin rings for $1.95 - the girls love them!
Although Vince did ask, "who would make such a thing? And why?"

I promised we'll use them on the table tonight for Caitlin's 20th birthday dinner.
On the menu - Italian bread, homemade meatballs,
linguine with shrimp in pesto & garlic sauce,
Dad's cuke & 'mato salad
cheesecake with strawberries & whipped cream. YUM!

Here's the American Cutie (says so right on her shirt!) waiting for dinner:

tchotchkes

doesn't it sound so much nicer to call this little guy a tchotchke or kitsch. Just don't call him a knicknack, okay? Cause then we're talking about old ladies with dust covered clowns on every surface. Even I don't like a lot of little stuff everywhere. Standards, you know? I keep my kitsch in the craft room. I find it all inspirational and amusing.

He was Friday's thrift store find. An old s&p shaker. Rolling his eyes & arching his brows. I like his attitude, he can stay.

Passer-Uppers Guilt

Don'tcha hate when you find something you LOVEloveLOVE at some antique store and then pass it up repeatedly for something else. Until one day it's gone forever and all you can do is slap yourself on the head, wail & whine to your girlfriends?Okay - a bit dramatic, but ya know what I'm talking about -
Passer-uppers guilt.

Shopper's guilt? No way Jose!
Buyer's remorse? Never. Nada.
I only lament the junque I've passed over. The best part of thrifting & antiquing is knowing you might never see that item again. So, the pretty, faded shoe bag that's been calling
my name for months at Preserve Cottage is MINE.
These pockets are going to hold some of my favorite
junque at arm's reach in the craft room:Away from little creative fingers that are prone to
leaving marker caps off & using the really BIG buttons and gizmos
that I've been squirreling away.

So, don't pass up good junque!