I Couldn't Resist

After the fun finds I scored in the lunchtime picking, I couldn't resist going back on Saturday to see what I could find without a deadline.  I still wasn't inclined to spend hours there so this is what I came up with in about 90 minutes.  That big beige thing in the back is a square lampshade.  I love the shape and it looks good enough for a make-over.  Laurie, the honeycomb bells are in the Ethel box.

I found another Starline suitcase.  It isn't as small as a train case but what I would call an overnight bag.  This one is in worse shape but I still think I will be able to rescue it.

A pretty vintage tin and some wooden spools I need like a hole in the head.  I am going to have to list some because I can't get the lid on the jar anymore.  I am so much better at finding than I am at listing.

More Shiny Brite ornaments and a big pile of silver and gold leaves.

Play money and game pieces.  That is a self-healing cutting mat under them.  I picked that up for the son.  He isn't a crafter but he likes to tinker with things.

Another little Dennison "book" to add to my collection and a beautiful Westmorland milk glass vase. Sorry about the way it washed out in the photo. That book under the bell isn't old.  It is one of those storage boxes like Michael's sells.  I figured it would come in handy for something and the prices are right at The Bins.

I grabbed a box filled with repro Victoria-style die-cut Christmas ornaments because a few of this style were in the box.  They seem to be made of wax.  Does anyone know anything about them?

This is one of my favorite finds.  It is a little 3-ring binder filled with typed song lyrics and prayers.  I opened it to this page.  Those of you who are of a certain age may remember taking birthing classes and having a "labor song".  This Old Man was my song.  I am tone deaf and can't carry tune to save myself but I belted this one out for couple of hours - LOL!  When I had my second child there was no time for singing.  I am sure the nurses were grateful!

Even though I have dozens of patterns waiting to be checked and listed, I can't pass up ones like this.  All except the one in the upper right are for doll clothes.  They are not dated but the style of the envelopes makes me think 1940s.  Imagine, the little girl who's mother was making these doll clothes for is now a Grandma herself, or more likely a Great Grandmother.  I love when things like this survive and can be passed along to someone who can continue to enjoy them!

Lunchtime Pickings

 I haven't been photographing the junk like I should lately, mostly because my work table is a mess with trying to get things photographed and listed.  This was a lunch stop at The Bins yesterday.

 The Santa's noses are all a little "sooty", undoubtedly from all those trips up and down the chimney.  I have about 45 minutes to shop when I stop over there at lunch time.  I was noticing some of the "full-timer's" shopping carts, piled high with goodies.  I was really quite amazed at what some of them had accumulated with the time to wait there for bin after bin to come out.

 I dug but couldn't find the little poker chips to go with the Bakelite holder.  It is a smaller size and I thought it would be fun to use like a piggy bank.  Quarters fit in it perfectly.  The ugly ornament is made from a tea ball.  I have a similar one that was in my Mother's Christmas stuff.  I have been saving it all these years in case my office had another Ugly Christmas Ornament contest.  Now I am double prepared.  I really hope I don't find a third one.

This wicker purse has a broken handle.  I will try to repair it, but if I can't I am happy to remove the velvet strawberries and peas.  I have never seen the peas before.

Here is a lame-junker story.  I spotted another train case, similar to the one I recently rescued.  My arms were completely full because I generally start out with just a shopping bag and not a cart, until I see if I need one.  The carts can make it really hard to navigate in the tight quarters.  Well, I headed up to the front to get a cart.  On my way back I got distracted by another bin and totally forgot to go back and grab the train case.  ARGH!  I hope someone else rescued it!!

Oh a different note, The Husband introduced a new line in his Etsy shop this week.  He has made shaving sets, razor and brushes for a while.  The razors are the modern type and there has been a recent resurgence in popularity for the old-school safety razor style so he added them to his line.  If you haven't visited his shop before, he makes a lot of great gifts for men.  There is always a link over on my sidebar.

**********************UPDATE!************************

Sue from Serendipity Vintage has educated me that my little poker chip holder is probably a thread holder.  Makes perfect sense and I see it from a whole new perspective now.  Thank you, Sue!

The Rug Reveal

I don't hate it - WHEW!  After 20 years with the same rug it was quite a challenge to commit and select a new one, not to mention finding one in the right size.  My rooms are very small and I could not fit anything larger than 8'x10' but couldn't go much smaller, either, or it would "float".   I have to keep walking over it until I get my feet "filled up" with how plush it is.  I almost bought a cushioned pad to go under it, instead of the gripping pad, but I am glad I didn't as it has plenty of loft on it's own and any more might have been a tripping hazard.

This is the before shot so you can see it is a drastic change from very traditional to something more modern.  That isn't my normal M.O. but it was good to shake things up once in a while and I am happy with the result.
Now I have to go walk on it some more.  Maybe I will lay down....  8+)

Train Case Remodel

 I completed the remodel of the vintage train case I showed you in this post.  It was really in pretty good condition and a good scrub worked wonders.

All I needed to do was line the inside of the lid with vintage wallpaper and then I edged that with some forest green braid trim.  Wa-La!
I am really tempted to keep this one but travel is so much different today.  I have a modern soft-sided version and usually squash it inside the larger suitcase for fewer pieces of luggage.  Gone are the days when people traveled with matched sets of luggage or steamer trunks.  Now that we have to pay extra to bring along our clothes, less is more!
I ordered a long-overdue new rug for my living room and will be taking up the old one, cleaning and rolling out the new one today. This rug is quite a departure for me.  My decorating style is heavy on flowers so I hope I don't have to re-decorate the whole living room to make this new rug work.  My house is very low-light so I seldom show pictures but will attempt to get a before and after.  I sure hope the post doesn't end with "What am I going to do now?"!!

First Estate Sale For A New Year

Yikes, where did THAT week go.  Sometimes they just flash by before you know what happened!
I visited my first estate sale of the new year last Saturday.  I had a busy schedule for the day so didn't arrive until well after noon but was still able to find a few things and it felt very good to get back out there after the holiday dry spell.

A new plastic nativity for my collection and it will be new again next Christmas because I will have forgotten about it by then.  The white figures seem like of odd so I wonder if it glows in the dark??

I turned that bottle with the Tiffany blue lid the wrong way in this photo.  It has a pretty label on the other side and it is olive oil that was distributed by Rexal Drug.  Maybe as a beauty product??  A stinky beauty product - just saying.

 One of the out-buildings was a workshop where I picked up this maple leaf shelf.  I think it will be perfect in Grandma Green.  My son bought a drill press.  I think the previous owner would be happy to know it went to someone who will use it!

A huge box of mostly ribbons that I am STILL sorting through.  It is taking me way longer than I anticipated to get all of this off my work table and get back to the business of taking pictures and listing.

I picked up this wonderful crochet lace at Nina and Joe's a couple of weeks back and forgot to post the pictures.  The good stuff!

The tiniest little embroidery hoop I have ever seen.  I put a quarter in the picture for scale.  I am guessing it might have been for mending.
Wishing you all a junky week!

4.8 Pounds of Retail Therapy

 One of my New Year's "intentions" is to try harder to get out of the office at lunch time so I took a quick spin through The Bins today.  I scored a too-late-for-this-year Mother Mary blow mold.  Why does that sound so creepy??  The rest of the nativity was no where to be found, not for lack of hunting.  A bag of vintage jello molds, along with some newer ones, two neat sewing patterns, a thimble and a tea ball for my collection.  Not too bad for 35 minutes.

 This old train case is a perfect shade of green and I think it will be pretty nifty once I give it a good scrub and line the lid with some pretty floral wallpaper.  Finding it with the tray was a bonus.

I adore the name emblem, Starline!  A memento from a time when travel was an elegant adventure instead of sweat pants, flip-flops, backpacks and pat downs.

Last of the 2014 Junk

 2014 was a stormy year in many ways but the junking was good and, as always, an island of relaxation to swim to.  I stopped at The Super Skanky Thrift on New Year's Eve and scored a big poke sack of sewing stuff.  When I got back to the office a tin of buttons I treated myself to from eBay had been delivered.  I would be spending New Year's Eve digging for buried treasures!

 The fun of a poke sack is you never know what will turn up in the tangled mess.  One of these patterns is 1953 and the other is 1949 and both are complete.

 Clearly what I call a "real" button box, including all the non-button this and that.  I ended up pulling 6 thimbles out of here, among other things.

 I have not seen a sewing tape like this before.  Does anyone know the purpose of the attached triangle??

 I didn't see these coming!  Sugar cubes, toothpicks and matches, perhaps souvenirs of Miss Howard's career.

 Hmm...  this looks interesting...  These were in the sewing sack, NOT the button tin.

 Yarn winders and a tiny floral tin.  I'm so easy. 8+)

 A vintage box of Brother sewing machine accessories.  Unfortunately I can't find any information about what model they go with but it appears to be a very complete and little-used set.

 I am tempted to keep the tiny oil can.  The spout is in one of the paper bags.  It is so complete, though, that I won't break it up and will list it and see if someone recognizes and needs it. There is even a replacement light bulb.

And now, about those buttons.  All are vintage except the three that are center left.  They were interesting so I included them in the photo.  Be sure you click this picture bigger because this was a great Bakelite and celluloid score and proof there is treasure in those poke sacks.  Most of these were in the sewing sack, NOT the button tin!  Thank you, Miss Howard.  Apparently you didn't actually use your sewing machine very much but you knew to save the buttons!

Welcome 2015!

Wishing you all a SAFE and BRIGHT New Year!

{and loads of great junking!}

I appreciate each and every one of you and the friendships I have found through blogging.

XOXO

Kathy