Happy Autumn and Junking and Making!

I hope you are all enjoying these final glory-days of Summer!
It goes without saying that I have been blogging less and less and I don't want to be one of those who just drops off the edge of the world so I'm taking a moment to say that all is well.  Real-time posting on Instagram just seems to be more practical for me right now.  That said, I am never one to say never (ever!) so I might just turn up here from time to time.
In the meantime, please visit me over there. I am @buttonsaver.  If you Instagram and we haven't found each other yet, please leave a comment and let me know your Instagram name so we can continue to stay in touch.
I can't even begin to tell you how much meeting this blogging "tribe" has meant to me. Happy junking and making, my friends!

Where In The World Has Kathy Been??

 I have been hard at work sorting and pricing this JUNKALANCHE!  Using my attic for vintage storage is too "out of sight, out of mind" so I hauled it all down and got to work on yard sale prep.

 Those of you who follow me on Instagram have already seen these pictures so this is a little re-cap for the rest of you.

 If you are local, please come by and say hi and please help me spread the word.

 The sale is this Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 - 4:00 and you can find the deets on Craigslist and Estatesale_Finder.com.

The forecast for Saturday is 102 so please come early and buy it all so I can go inside and sit in the AC!  8+)

And The Junk Goes On

My studio table was briefly (very briefly!) cleared off so I could snap a picture of some recent junk. I'm trying not to buy tins but couldn't resist the very vintage Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Resistance is futile for the suitcases!

For those of you who don't follow me on Instagram, here is a little phone dump.  The Scripto set has already gone to it's new forever home.  The 60s wedding veil and corsage are going to be hard to let go of.  Stuff like that just tugs at my heartstrings when I find it.
I hope you are all enjoying the weekend.  For those of you under the "heat dome" I hope you are finding fun ways to keep cool!

Crazy Busy Over Here

 My world is crazy-busy right now with getting ready to move to a bigger mall space on August 1st PLUS getting ready for a huge destash yard sale in August.  Yes, I will be posting on Craig's List for those of you who are local. There will be loads of vintage. AND it is Summer time!
I haven't posted since the 4th of July so this is just a little phone dump for those of you who don't follow me on Instagram.
These are all blue plastic flowers except the upper right which is the real deal.  I am NOT fond of modern "silk" flowers that are not really silk but I adore the old plastic flowers.  They are harder to find than you would think.  Oh boy did my Mom hate those fake plastic flowers!

These are a few shots of the booth after the most recent fluff and stuff. Monticello Antique Marketplace is having a big sale July 14-17 and my booth is 25% off so I will have less to move from the old space to the new space (I hope!).
I hope you are having a great Summer!

Independence Day 2016

Happy Birthday America and happy long weekend to all my blog friends.
Be safe and have fun!

A Little Story About Jack and Diane

 Early one Spring morning not too long ago I was sitting on my patio enjoying my coffee before I got ready for the day.  Steam was wafting up from my coffee cup and the birds were just starting to wake up when I saw a flash of wings and a splash in the fishpond.  Naturally, I jumped up and dashed to the pond to see what was going on.  I was delighted to find a nesting pair of Mallard ducks had stopped by for a rest.  I was SO excited in hopes they would decide to stay and I would get to witness the nest and baby ducks!  I named them Jack and Diane, just two American ducks doing the best that they can.
Yes, I did Google to see if they would eat my fish.  Mr. Google said they would not.
 Well, by the time I got home from work that night Jack and Diane had moved on. I went out to feed the fish.  I called them (yes, they come to eat when I call), I dibbled my fingers in the water to get their attention, no fish.  They were gone.
Well.  Evidently they hadn't checked with Mr. Google!

The water quality had been plagued by suspended silt for the last two years so I decided I would just let it evaporate down and take the opportunity to clean up the pond and do a water change.  Making Lemonade. You may recall I abandoned my rubber boots in Pennsylvania so I could fit rolls of vintage wallpaper in my suitcase. I spotted these red boots in my size at The Bins.  Score!  I brought them home and bleached the insides and scrubbed the outsides and got ready for pond cleaning.  Every night I checked the water level to make sure the pump wasn't exposed.

When the pond got down to about a foot deep I spotted the fish.  They were all huddled together, under the water poppies, in one corner.  A hundred fish in about 18 square inches.  Jack and Diane had just scared the jeepers out of them!  I called Husband to come quick.

Him:  I'll get the hose!

Me:  I'll get the food!

This little video is just a few seconds long.  Don't blink or you will miss one of the fish jumping for joy!

Happy Day in Junkland

 For those of you who haven't been bitten by the Instagram bug yet, this is my junk-a-rama from last Saturday.  Days like that are what keep me going back because you just never know.

 The doll is an Annalee Victorian Santa.  I got oodles of those old slider bingo cards.  Some went to the booth and some are listed on Etsy if anyone is looking for some.

 The barkcloth drape was my favorite find of the day and has already sold.

 I'm really trying to avoid more ornaments but it is hard to resist when they are in original boxes and even harder when they are pink teardrop shapes.  The old Snoopy pull toy had an adorable waddle to his walk and has already moved on to a new home.

 I needed another satin vanity box like a hole in my head but this is the first one I have seen that was two colors.  That's a good enough excuse, right?

 I'm getting well stocked for Christmas.  Maybe too well stocked since it is barely June!

Close-up shot of this interesting handiwork.  Two colors of rick-rack woven together and then crocheted in to an edging.  If any of you are interested in decoding the pattern just let me know and I will be happy to send it to you.

Remembering Those Who Gave All

Freedom was and IS not free.  

Camera Dump

Every now and then the junk makes it in to the camera but never makes it back out so this is a little catch up.  The quilted satin hatbox is the first one I have found so I had to add it to my collection of lingerie and hankie boxes.  The Portugal plate has already sold at my booth. Shara at Monkeybox identified the little floral containers on the left as cigarette servers. They would be sweet little tea party vases!

This cute little frog has also sold.  I thought the frog and the dish would go together because they are so perfect for each other but I priced them individually and so it goes.

The cute old pillow pattern is listed in my Etsy.  Good golly, I have a mountain of patterns to list.  I can't resist the oldies!  Easy to photograph and list but time-consuming to check.

This big pile of keys has also made it's way to Etsy.  I have so many already so I made a point of not letting them anywhere near my key box - LOL!

These four vintage rattles were a real impulse buy.  Who needs four of the same rattle??  An Instagram reader suggested they would make cute napkin rings so that is how I have listed them in my Etsy, too.  I think they would be adorable shower decorations.

Making Time For Making

These lovely words have been rattling around in my head, waiting to be added to the altered book, since Danielle at Blessed Serendipity shared them on her blog quite some time ago.  You can find her more recently on Instagram @blessedserendipity.
Thank you for the inspiration Danielle!

Junkalanche Update

Way back in February I blogged about my new strategy for organizing the junk-in-waiting and hauled everything down from the attic.  It languished and multiplied in the guest bedroom while I searched for an appropriate storage cabinet.

Nobody sleeping here, that's for sure!

I finally found this bad boy at the antique mall and husband and I wrestled it home and in to the house.  This guy is 50" wide and about 40" tall so no small feat to get it out of the truck and up the four separate steps in to the house.  We are getting too old for this stuff!

The view now.  Sorry about the poor picture.  It is a rainy morning here.  It took some time to sort things that would be okay in tubs on the patio and things I wanted stored inside.  Lots of time.

But happy to say I finally got it organized and the room functional again.

Now I just have to train myself to not fall victim to "out of sight, out of mind" and pile that bed back up!

Happy Mother's Day!

Wishing you all a sweet Mother's Day!!

Better Late Than Never!

Oopsie!  I haven't been doing much junking lately, or much of anything I didn't HAVE to do lately and just noticed this blog post that I never finished and published.  That pretty picture is unframed.  I keep buying frames with no pictures and pictures with no frames - doh!!  I need to match them up and figure out sizes of frames I actually need.

The little curio frame in the back is about 3" deep.  The back is covered in very 60s gold wallpaper.  What do you think - switch it out or keep as-is?  The little set of drawers is cardboard with Bakelite handles. I have a weakness for pretty boxes and anything with tiny drawers.

Something for the guys.  I got two of these vintage beer trays and thought the red level was kind of neat looking.  It has been in my booth for a couple weeks now so apparently I am the only one who thinks it is interesting.

The brass plant holder and old ticking pillow cover have both come and gone.  I'd love to find a whole stack of those pillow covers!

This adorable little windmill is staying with me for a while.  It has a hanger on the back and the windmill spins.  It is right at home next to my wooden shoe and there is always room for tiny treasures!

Saturday Finds

This week flew by so that must mean I'm having fun!  8+)  I mostly post my favorite finds on Instagram but figured my poor little neglected blog could use a shot of vintage.
This is a flattering shot of this little dolly since most of the hair on the left side of her head is missing.  She is complete with both arms and legs {{gasp}} so she will be heading to the booth as-is.  The birdhouse isn't vintage but has the look so it will fit in nicely with the Spring theme going on over there.
We are predicted to have 88 degrees tomorrow - in APRIL for crying out loud.  That is 41 degrees higher than last Thursday.  Crazy.

Where the Wild Things Are

 I don't keep up with my garden the way I once did since I'm a bit older and busy growing my junky business. Luckily there are some wild things that show up year after year despite lack of attention from me. I used to fight this wild Lily of the Valley but have learned to embrace it as a sign that Summer is right around the corner.

I am especially fond of the wild Bleeding Heart.  The blossoms are not as big as the hybrid variety but it blooms and flourishes all Summer long instead of dying back after a short hurrah.
Soon the volunteer Foxglove will be here with their annual show - blooming wherever they chose to plant themselves.

Side By Side

These vintage children's ice skates are so adorable!  I found them at lunchtime today.  All afternoon I was picturing two tiny ice dancers whirling and twirling their way around the rink.

I would say they fit 6 - 8 year olds.  Yes, I know Mom probably dropped them off at the skating rink or maybe even the edge of the frozen lake so she could get a little piece of peace but I like my story better so I'm sticking with it.

Surprise Buttons

While I was on vacation I had the rare pleasure of getting to spend time with a dear friend IN PERSON.  We stay in touch but we both work full time so face time is a real treat.  She surprised me with a blue Ball jar AND a tin of buttons.

She is not a button person but she knows I love them.  She scored BIG on these.  As soon as I started rolling over the jar and looking inside I realized it wasn't an ordinary jar of buttons.  This was some one's collection!

There were very few "ordinary" buttons.  These pearly ones look like earrings but they are buttons.

Beautiful Lucite!

Extruded celluloid and a tiger-stripe glow bubble below it.

Glass buttons and some beautiful dark red casin buttons.

Some wooden buttons and some unusual rectangular metal buttons.

Green glass buttons seem to be the hardest to find and love those glass eye buttons!

As found.  Thank you dear friend.  The only thing better than sorting all these beautiful buttons was hanging out with you!