Thursday, December 31, 2015

Welcome 2016, Nice To Greet You!

Wish you all a New Year filled with happy days, happy hearts and LOTS of happy junk!

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Bye-bye Santa, See You Next Year!

 I hope you all had a lovely celebration of comfort and joy!  I know that, for some, saying goodbye to the season is bittersweet but, for me, it marks a new beginning as we head toward a fresh new year. That said, I clearly won't stop finding and buying Christmas any time soon.  As I put things away for next year I am thinking about how fun it will be when I open those totes and "find" them again next year.
 I hardly ever find Thanksgiving so I was delighted with this honeycomb turkey!  Santa and the scale are questionable purchases since both are missing parts.  The scale functions but it is missing the tray on the top and Santa apparently had a sleigh wreck and lost his arm.  I dug and dug in search of the missing parts and finally decided to bring them home anyway and see if I could find a way to rescue them.
 I also found a honeycomb bell.  My favorite part are the suggestions for how to use it.  I never thought of topping a package with one and what a stunning presentation that would make!
 The tattered little book in front of the ledger is called "The Green Primer Sanders Pictorial".  You can barely make out the title on the cover.  It was printed in 1850 and the illustration inside are gorgeous.
 I also found a turkey cookie cutter so I guess it was a turkey day for me. 8+)
 I have a little collection of metal Oregon souvenir ashtrays.  Florida will be moving along to someone else although the flamingos makes it tempting.
 Two new to me needle cards added to my collection.  Click this one bigger so you can see the rocket.
 A big pile of old plastic shower decorations.
 A batch of foil reflectors. They are in much-used condition but would still look beautiful on a tree.
I got three of these beautiful velvet rose package decorations.  They are not vintage but have the "look" and I can't resist a velvet rose.
Time to get busy shifting gears in the art room!

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Happy Christmas To All

I wish you a Christmas filled with the joy of friends and family.
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Monday, December 21, 2015

One Junky Day

'Tis the season with lots of extra-curricular activities last week meant just one junking stop.  The plate in the back is from The Hamilton Hotel, made by Syracuse China.  I don't find restaurant china very often but always grab it when I do.
This was my favorite find for the day.  They are ornaments made from cut tin cans.  Remember when that was a popular craft?  Better watch your fingers when you pick these up but they are sure pretty!
A few more Shiny Brite ornaments to seed the stash for next year.  I am sworn off the solid color balls.  They are about the only fail at the booth this Christmas, even in original boxes.
I will call these swags for lack of a better word.  Plastic holly and felt apples - kitchy mid-century goodness.
I don't usually go for tea cups but couldn't resist this one with the pedestal.  NO, I will not start collecting them.  I had exactly two sets before and I just added one of them to the sell pile.  No, no no...  8+)

Monday, December 14, 2015

The Week in Junk

 A few fun finds from the past week.  We all know I have a weakness for suitcases so no surprise there.  The wooden hanging shelf in the back is sitting on its side for the photo.
 The suitcase is filled with lace ruffles.  The pictures in the frames are ugly but I adore the Italian frames.  The book is a vintage French children's book. I translated the title and it is The Wooden Tiger, or something close to that.
 I used a food mill like this when I used to can back in "the day".  My mother and I just called it a Foley.  I'm sure Foley probably made something besides food mills.  Mine didn't have these pretty red wooden handles. Two strands of pink glass garland.  I'm pretty surprised that I'm still finding Christmas.
 I dug and dug in hopes of finding a mate to the insulated mug but only one was to be found.  I adore the color!
 A box of adorable note cards.  Click this one bigger so you can read them.
 Plastic Christmas do-dads.  I have been bagging them up and people seems to like the little bags.
Three rolls of very vintage Christmas paper.  I rarely find it and was delighted when I spotted these.  It is similar to tissue paper but thicker.
Junking is one of my happy places so I hope you are finding time for some, too!

Monday, December 7, 2015

Gotta Fit in Some Junking Fun!

I have been bad about taking pictures lately but life has not been without junk because that's no fun!  That metal ring is a very old pot rack.  The hooks look like are wrought. I thought son might be able to use it in the new kitchen in his Pennsylvania farmhouse but he said he already had a light for over the island so it will be stored for that someday bigger booth.
This fun old Squirt bottle says "I'm healthy - I'm happy - I'm Squirt".  Love it! The sweet picture is on metal that looks kind of like the top for a tin but I don't think it ever was.  There are holes in the back like it had a hanger.  I can fix that.
A cute set of mushroom canisters.  I hope that fad hasn't run it's course by the time Christmas is done and I get them to the booth.  Click it bigger and you can get a better look at the sifter.
I think this is my favorite recent find.  I have no clue what it is but has a great primitive folk art look and patina.
Adorable graphics on this old pack of rick-rack.  I wouldn't be able to bare to open it!
This old book is very dilapidated but I couldn't resist the covers and end papers.  It is dated 1883.  They just don't make them like this anymore.
A neat little 1945 pamphlet of Christmas Carols.  I'm guessing it was used for caroling. I wonder if anyone does that anymore.  It has been years since I have had carolers at the door.
Vintage and new millinery stamens and pips.
And one more little bit of Christmas!

Monday, November 30, 2015

A Little Christmas

My time has been occupied with a family illness and Thanksgiving guests but I did find a little time for play.  You might remember when I found this raggedy little Putz house last Spring.  It was in very sorry condition but it still functioned so I couldn't resist!  I straightened and re-glued and glittered it up.  When you pull the string on the side Santa circles the chimney and it plays Santa Claus is Coming to Town.  I don't know how much decorating I will get done this year but this will be delighting me with it's little tune every time I pass by!

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Turkey Day!

Wishing you all a lovely Thanksgiving with many things to be grateful for.
I am counting my blessings this year!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Art Therapy

Sorry I have been so absent lately.  Life is throwing me a curve-ball and I will be catching up with everyone soon.  The page on the left side is unfinished.  The one on the right sums things up perfectly!

Monday, November 9, 2015

The Halls are Decked!

 I have been 100% obsessed focused on getting all of the Christmas priced and staged for the "booth", which is really just a set of shelves.  I am happy to say that I am DONE!
 I went over on Saturday and Sunday mornings and started feeding it in.  I think I have crammed in about two-thirds.
I think this Annalee Santa looks kind of "Grinchie" - LOL!
  I still have some vintage kitchen left to rotate out for the season.  Rotating out the non-seasonal merchandise is my frustration.  Not everyone buys Christmas but the space is so tiny that I really don't have room for both so have to figure out where I'm going to store the off-season stuff.  I think I'm going to throw my name back in the hat for a bigger space before next year.  Anyone else have this issue??
 These are all phone photos and I can't back up far enough to get good pictures so I apologize for the wonky angles and poor quality.
 I held back a few things I still have to list on Etsy but I'm pretty burned out on Christmas at this point and looking forward to a break so I can look at something else for a while and get interested again for my own decorating.
 I can't believe I put some of these ornaments in the booth and might have to snatch a few back for myself!  I am proud to say that I was at The Bins today and found a couple of plain Shiny Brites and I PUT THEM DOWN.  Step away from the ornaments, Kathy.
 I hope the ornaments survive in this wire basket.  I was thinking of putting a wooden bead garland across the back and hanging them from that but they stuck out too far so they made the top shelf kind of unusable.  Fingers crossed.  And toes. These are the good ones.
 The Peanut gallery.
This little knee hugger is my favorite.  He has a bell inside and jingles when you move him.
If you are still here at the end of this long post - thanks for listening!

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Odd Things That Catch My Eye

 Sometimes I come home with the most strange assortment of junk. Something about each thing caught my eye, right or wrong!
The bovines are early plastic, probably celluloid.  The chickens are W.German 1983. The metal eagle looks like he was once on a flagpole and needed another chance to be loved.  I have no idea why I would buy another yellow mustard tin since I have two in my booth already and can't seem to GIVE them away.  Well, I guess I have a collection now!
I love the randomness of the hunt.  You just never know what you will find.

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Little Stuff

Tuesday was all about little stuff so I decided to try a "flat lay" again.  This time I arranged things on a footstool so I could get a better angle.  I tested using the camera and using my phone and was surprised when the phone took the better picture!

Sunday, October 25, 2015

One Junk Stop This Week

 I have been being good and trying to stay on task with getting Christmas sorted and priced for the booth but couldn't resist just one junk stop.  All this honeycomb goodness will be headed to Ethel for a touch of her magic and add to her collection.  It isn't my gig but it will fit right in for her holiday decor.
 This holiday card holder is missing the bottom but I think it will be an easy fix and the graphics are adorable.
 A vintage blue Tonka just waiting for a Christmas tree and another Made in Japan knee hugger.  That girl in the halter top thinks he's hot!
 Sometimes you toss something in your bag because it seems like a good idea at the time and when you get it home you realize it looks like Santa had a roadside tragedy...8+(
 I grabbed that picture-holder because I keep looking for ideas to display single ornaments.  I think this might work out for a few.  Betsy, when I find something like this rusty wheel it always makes me think of you.  I mean that in a good way!
It has been a while since I found a new aluminum tray for my collection.
I haven't been posting as often since I am finding my way in this new world of Etsy PLUS a mall space and appreciate you folks who are sticking with me while I find my way.  Yes, I have been finding some time for play, too, and hope to post about those projects soon.  Have a great week!