Bloggie Love

Among the blessings I count are the wonderful friendships I have found in blog-land.  One of those blessings is Maureen at Victorian Studio.  She writes a very fun blog and her creations are amazing.  She surprised me with this package of goodies this week.

 She included a wonderful handmade steampunk (she knows me!) card with a pocket on the front and a separate tag that slips out.  I adore those metal gears and clock faces.  I will treasure it always.

 Each item she sent is one of the things she has seen me blog about collecting.  Love this hankie!

 A new needle card for my collection, a pair of adorable velvet Mary Jane baby shoes and a new old tin cookie cutter.  Sorry I didn't notice it tipped over.  It is a star shape with a metal handle.

Some buttons and she even included two little Wades for my Granddaughter.  What a sweet surprise and an even sweeter friend.  Thank you Maureen!!
For any of you readers who are also customers in my Etsy shop,  I am running a coupon code.  Enter WONDERLAND for 20% off on any order over $25.

Merry Thanksgiving!

May your stuffing be tasty,

May your turkey plump,

May your potatoes and gravy

have nary a lump.

May your yams be delicious

and your pies take the prize,

and may your

Thanksgiving dinner

stay off your thighs!

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends!

Remember...

When you love what you have,

you have everything you need.

XOXO

Plucky Junk Fest Loot

 As promised, The Plucky Maidens Junk Fest loot.  Those folks sure have the right stuff!  A partial roll of very vintage wallpaper, something I almost never find around here.  You will be seeing THAT show up in my projects here and there.

 A sweet postcard that you will see heading up a post at a blog near you very soon and a nativity for my collection.  I'm having a hard time getting in to the Christmas decorating so far this year so that collection might be it!

 A little metal Eiffel Tower, another one of those odd jar sifters and a big pile of glass vials for adding glitter to my Altoid inspiration kits.

 A pile of findings, also for the Altoid kits.  This gal had a whole table full of this stuff and I could have "poked" all day long.  I think I went back three times.  It's the pirate in me.  8+)

 And WHAT was I thinking??  I adore wallpaper covered boxes and the shallow drawer at the top was love at first sight.  Thank you to Melanie at All My Favorite Things for helping it find it's way to me!

I got home and chaos ensued as I moved things this way and that and re-arranged and re-organized and did what I needed to do to make it fit.  Oh.My.Gosh, I do love this little set of drawers and the ones I covered just the other day look right at home on the top.  Tell me you've never done it...!

Selfie

Well that isn't a blog title I ever thought I would write, but here it is!  YES, I did wear the jacket to Plucky today.  I did not borrow my DIL's skinny jeans and boots, even after we played dress-up on Thursday night.  I did, however, like the look and I am lusting after a pair of Born boots.  Hmm, looking at this picture I am realizing this jacket is not doing my hips any favors.
I got two compliments and my friend said she saw one person do a double-take but nobody pointed and laughed out loud so I think I did okay.  Yay me!
Next post I will show you my Plucky loot.

Easy Peasy

I was just worn out on Sunday night.  I know that is pathetic but two days just isn't enough when you're working hard, you know?  Anyway, I need something easy-peasy and mindless to relax with.  No thinking required.  I pulled out some wallpaper that would go with the brown color and pulls these cardboard drawers already had.  Since it matched I didn't bother covering around the edges - easy peasy!  Since I already had the wallpaper out I pulled out a petite vintage suitcase that had been waiting patiently in the closet for far too long.  Wa-La, two easy-peasy projects done!  What do you do when you need some creative time but your thinker is worn out?

Sunday Junking At The VOA

 I only had time for one junking stop this weekend so it was my weekly trek to the VOA.  The clerk commented to another customer that I always find the best stuff - and I think she is right!  I was very pleased with my finds today.
I haven't decided what I will do with the cardboard drawers yet.  I might cover with wallpaper because that is always so pretty, or might just remove the drawers and use the shelves to hold boxes I already have.  Don't you hate when you have to un-stack to get to the one you want?

 A sweet new birdie for my collection.  I have a big collection of vintage canning jars that I have had for years and years.  I am thinking it is time to part with some of those so I can make room for my ever-growing bird collection.
I am not sure what the little cards are.  They say "Flowers from Bethlehem" along the bottom and each one s decorated with dried flower petals.  I am sure someone will have a use for them so they will be headed to Etsy.

 These will go to Etsy, too.  Maybe.  A set of three signed miniature Limoges plates with brass hangers.  They would be SO pretty in a gold frame!

 A vintage Androck flour sifter that still has the original paper label and five old Schilling spice tins.  When I was washing them off I was surprised to discover that one of them was made of cardboard with a metal top and bottom.  I didn't realize they ever made them from cardboard.  Hopefully it won't dry too wonky and I lose it.  All of this will be headed to Etsy, too.

 A children's tea party set of Made in Japan Lusterwear dishes.  These will probably be saved for a shadowbox.

 Two thimbles for my non-collection.  I'm still in denial on that one!

And a fun little 1966 book about the history of television programs.  Some of us who are of a certain age can recognize these celebrities.  Every page is illustrated with stills from the old shows.  It distracted me through a whole quarter of the Seahawks game. Whoa! Doh!
Go Seahawks!!

Well. Hmm. Now what?

 I adore the embellished denim jackets that Carol at The Polka Dot Closet creates and was inspired to make one myself.  Last weekend I found a jacket that suited me at the VOA so game on.  Sorry I neglected to take a "before" picture!  The jacket is Chicos with all-over embroidery and it has the boxy shape I like.  I am all about comfort and don't like my clothes to touch me too much.  My finished jacket is nothing like hers but that is how inspiration works.

 I added ruffles that I harvested off some curtains I bought at The Bins...

... and some tapestry trim from my stash.  I like how it turned out but, but...  I don't know if I will have the nerve to wear it out in public.  Sheesh!

Howdy Friends!

 It was a busy weekend 'round here but I got in a quick trip to the VOA plus a visit to the Monticello Antique Mall.  I have been wanting to get over there since Laurie posted about sharing space with Amy for the holidays.  I spotted the pretty cardinal above in one of her photos and was delighted to find it was still there waiting for me.  I don't know which one of you gals was selling it but, oh happy me!
The rest of my finds were from the VOA.  And just what is that peeking out of the bowl??

Well Howdy folks!  The VOA has some bins of bitty toys they sell for 6/$1 and this little hand-puppet was peeking up at me just so.  I don't think he is Howdy since he has glasses and no freckles but I'm thinking he might be Dandy Doody or Grandpa Doody.  No matter, he is vintage and who could resist those googly eyes!

Some Wisdom In The Altered Book

 This is a pretty simple page, just printed on patterned tissue paper and bordered with washi tapes.  It is a LOT of words, really good words, so I intentionally used a frilly font so you have to work a little to read it.

This is what it says:
"To live content with small means...
To seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion...
To be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich...
To study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly...
To listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart...
To bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never...
In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common...
... this is to be my symphony."
William Henry Channing
Not a lot I can add to that!

For Spill Or Not For Spill...

 ... that is the question!  It seemed I wasn't the only one who hadn't heard of these until Laurie educated me so I looked through my collection of bird figurines.  Be sure to pay her visit because she is celebrating her 1000th blog post with a give away.
The one on the bottom right is the one I bought the other day and you can see how much more sense it makes for matches than for flowers.  My friend Carol gifted me with the one on the left several years ago.  The angle of the opening never made sense until I tried it with "spill".  Perfect!

 These short ones seem a little too tall for matches and a little too short for flowers and a little too new for spill.  Hmm..  I did some more research and came up with some images here.

I also found articles here and here.  Clearly, spill vases were not all bird figurines.  I also have a little cornucopia that probably qualifies, too.The jury is still out on the two short ones pictured so please feel free to weigh in and please let me know if you find another resource for information.

My Saturday in Junk

 I didn't see any interesting sounding estate sales advertised this weekend so my only stop on Saturday was Nina and Joe's Division Street Antiques.  Good golly, I adore that place.  There is always something new to see.  I had sold the two big bundles of lace I bought from Nina previously so I went in for more.  Nina cut me a great deal when I said I was interested in all of it.

 The hat inside the Halston hat box does not have a Halston label (darn!) but it is has been carefully stored and is in beautiful condition.  Both are destined for my Etsy.

 The G Howard Hodge hat box is empty but it is pretty enough to stand on it's own.

 A few little trinkets to add to shadow boxes.  Laurie at Indulge Your Shelf recently educated me on the little vases that have an awkwardly angled opening.  They are called "spill vases".  The purpose was to sit on a mantel or next to a stove and they held small splinters of wood that could be lit and used to transfer the flame to a candle or lamp.  The ones I have all seem like they were probably made after matches became plentiful so I am guessing they are a hold-over from earlier times and actually held matches. This one is marked Japan on the bottom and would be adorable next to an old stove!

 A few more Wades for my Granddaughter's collection.   Love that little deer on the left and what girl doesn't need a cannon!

 The Vieilles Chansons book is a French children's song book.  I can't find anything that looks like a copyright date but it is early and it was printed in Paris.

 The illustrations on each page are adorable!  Well, maybe that is the wrong word to use since this soldier and his dog are clearly on the wrong end of the cannon - yikes!

My two years of French class is high school is little help 40 years later but I can recognize Frere Jacques.  Sorry, now it's stuck in your head, too...