Friday, February 24, 2012

Snowed In

If I'm honest, I'd re-title this post  "Snowed In...well, not really",  The snowpocalypse they promised us last night (6-8") didn't really materialize -- at least not until it had continued to snow all day.  So I could have gone out and done some shopping or gone to the booth this morning, when we only had 2 or 3".  But there's something psychological about snow days and, once you've gotten in the mood to be snowed in, you just stay in!

So I've been catching up on projects around here -- you can almost see the entire top of the pool table in the basement!  Once I have it completely emptied off, I'm going to get out the SEVERAL bushel baskets of linens I've acquired and sort them out by type and whether they need work or not.  THOSE pictures should be entertaining!  I keep finding aprons, dish towels and tablecloths in odd places -- I'm just like a squirrel burying nuts for the winter, I guess.

I wanted to catch you up on a completed project and on a new arrival.  First the project!
Remember when I bought the nasty, smelly & moldy old 4-drawer chest full of sewing supplies?
You can just about see how filthy the bottom drawer is compared to the others (and they were nasty, too)
Well, I sold a white utility cabinet at the booth that I really wasn't expecting to sell, so I had to get something there fast.  I would have normally just kept looking at it and dithering around until FINALLY I worked on it, but necessity got me to get it clean in one hour.  It came out beautifully (Soft Scrub and pad scrubbers worked their magic again)!  The great mid-century knobs really cleaned up well and you could really see the gold starbursts on them.   
Doesn't it look cute with the black & white floor?
There was just a little paint loss on the feet
I know I priced it too low because it was gone in 3 days and that NEVER happens with furniture.  Oh, well -- live and learn.

Now to show you the new arrival!  Mr. KV & I went last weekend and picked up the stereo I'd bought at a friend's estate sale.
I love the turntable & radio combo.  It's SO mid-century!
 I'm so excited to have it here in my 1960s living room!  It sounds fantastic, too.  Don't you think it fits right in?
Hope you're having a great Friday -- maybe you're having a snow day, too!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Mid-Michigan's Largest Indoor Flea Market?

I had a free day on Saturday, so I decided to drive about an hour northwest to a sale in a K of C (Knights of Columbus) hall.  The sale was billed as 'Mid-Michigan's Largest Indoor Flea Market'.  It wasn't a total frog, but it certainly wasn't a prince, either!  If it's the largest indoor flea market, mid-Michigan is setting the bar pretty low and stepping right over it!

They said there were 100 dealers -- I think there were more like 50 -- and 2/3 of them were selling new things like cheap college logo throw-blankets, $1 Made in China flashlights, and Beanie Babies (which I just lump together under the heading 'tube socks').  There were LOTS of 'tube socks'!  Of the 1/3 vintage dealers, most were WAY overpriced!  I got a few things, though -- especially from one dealer who has a booth at Williamston Antiques, I think. 
I like the A.H. Perfect Coffee can -- I've never heard of that company (midwest-based), but it's still pretty.  I think the bank in the front might turn out to be the buy of the day!  I found a similar one online that an antique dealer wants $130 for, claiming it's from the mid to late 1800s.  I think that's a ridiculous price (and they OBVIOUSLY hadn't found anyone to buy it for that much), but who knows?  My favorite thing is the white poppies California Pottery teapot.
A lot of old spice tins, 2 ink bottles a waxed cardboard cottage cheese container, an old Pabst-ette Cheese container and a Royal Winton plate.  I really like the plate, with its tartan bow in the corner. The pattern is called Ye Olde Innes -- how very Scottish!
Some very pretty yellow & white dishware -- no maker's mark
  After the flea market, I went to a private estate sale that was right up the road.  I was almost afraid to go into the house, because the only sign was a hand-written one with marker on a piece of poster board right between 2 driveways.  I was worried that I'd go to the wrong house, but in the end the thrill of the hunt overpowered my possible embarrassment.  It was the right house, but the wrong stuff!   It sounded like most of the good buys had gone out the door early (though I got there about 2 hours after it opened) and almost everything left was also overpriced.   I think too many people watch Antiques Roadshow!  I got a metal canister set that needs LOTS of work, though, a few things from the 25¢ bin and 2 old suitcases that are both a little flawed (super cheap). 
They look nicer than they are...
After the flea market and estate sale, I took the long way back to the antique mall and fluffed my booth and still got home by about 3:00.  All in all, I'd driven about 120 miles round trip and I'd say I'd almost kissed a frog and never found a prince -- BUT the sun was out and it was a pretty drive over the back roads.  Not a bad way to spend a Saturday at all!

Monday, February 20, 2012

Thank You Wuglyees!

I've met the nicest people through my blog and my Etsy shop -- especially considering I'll probably never 'meet' most of them!  As we convo back & forth on Etsy and read each other's blog posts, we share each other's fun finds, rejoice over a long-sought item found, laugh at the silly things to happen to us and share tears and prayers over the sad ones.  There's still nothing like a face-to-face friendship, but blogging (and selling) are definitely social! 

Today I got an Etsy convo (message) from Deb at Wuglyees and made a new blog-friend.  She featured some lamps I'm selling in her most recent blog post and wanted to let me know about it.  What a sweet thing to do!  If you get a chance, be sure to stop by her blog, The Wug's Backyard Blogspot, and check it out.  She crochets and sells beautiful hats & scarves and the neatest little crocheted flowers in her shop on Etsy. 

By the way, you can see the ceramic lamps here.  I just loved these lamps as soon as I saw them and thought their original, really tall & thin terry cloth shades (who makes lampshades out of terry cloth any more?) were wonderful!  I tried so hard to find a place to use them here!  Oh well, my loss will be someone else's 1960s house gain...

Thanks again, Deb -- it was really nice of you to include the lamps! 

Friday, February 17, 2012

Fun Finds at the Local Thrift!

I made a quick trip to the local thrift store after work the other day and found a few really nice things, including a couple of unusual ones.  Since I arrived well after the 'bric-a-brac' shelf stockers had gone home, it meant that other people had just not noticed these great things!  I didn't see the gravy boat or carafe on my first trip through, but I always walk around one more time to see if I missed anything.  I'm glad I did!
Pyrex Spring Blossom Cinderella mixing bowls
A juice carafe, a gravy boat & a REALLY big old glass fish bowl.  It was pretty dirty, so I think people didn't want to mess with it.  I don't know how old it is, but there are bubbles in the glass (does that mean anything)?  Even if it's not old, I thought it would be great in the booth for display.
Here is GREAT FIND #1:  A Metlox Poppytrail Contempora pattern gravy boat. 
Isn't it fantastic?  I just LOVE this mid-century stuff!  I wish I could keep it all!
GREAT FIND #2:  a wonderful 1950s carafe! 
The handle looks like black bakelite (but isn't) and the silver is painted inside the neck.  It was made by Inland Glass and is labeled 'Hand Blown' and even has it's original cork stopper (which is often missing).  It's in really good condition, but was pretty dirty.  Do you think that's why people skipped it?
So my quick trip (and long day) and final walk-through paid off! 

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

A Wonderful Treasure (and a Busy Weekend)!

I've been trying to stay true to my commitment not to buy as much -- I think that's much more realistic than a vow to not buy ANYTHING!  How could I ever have thought I could quit thrift shopping cold turkey?

I've been picking up things here and there at the local thrift store, resale shops and one or two local junk stores, but mostly have been waiting for estate sales.  There were two sales close by this past weekend, so I was able to hit them and still go to the booth and fluff.  The first one was very close and looked like it was almost 100% new.  I go to those anyway when they're close, because you never know what the dealer doesn't take pictures of -- it might be a hidden treasure!  That one was a real frog -- all I found were 2 red dish towels with hand appliqued chickens on them.
 The owner of the house was there along with the estate sale company people, and she kept talking to everyone and trying to 'sell' the items.  It was really uncomfortable!  I was able to ask her, though, about the towels and she said her grandmother had made them as a young woman.  Judging by her age (60s) I think that dates them to the 1940s.

On Saturday, I went to a sale that was run by a friend and her sisters and cousin (it was fun to meet her family and see how much alike all those sister were).  They'd lost a dear aunt in December and they were settling her estate.  She was a lot like my Aunt Gene --  she had no children, so these women were just like daughters to her.  It was really bittersweet for them because she'd died rather suddenly and they were still hurting, but they wanted to have some closure to her condo and the belongings that they hadn't wanted to take.  I got there right before they opened and there were only 3 of us there because the weather was awful -- I got to have first pickings!   I was really pleased to be able to support my friend and her family and also get a few things to use that belonged to her dear aunt. 

Here are pictures of what I got -- but be sure to look all the way down because I've saved the best for last!
A couple of Pyrex pieces (not in the best condition), a Fire King casserole, 4 cool plastic egg cups, a turquoise coffee canister and even a turquoise bottle opener.  The 'turquoise fairy' definitely visited my house this weekend!
A bunch of hankies and some odds & ends.  The old birthday candles (from the 50s) were inside the coffee canister.
A cool galvanized basket and some linens -- not in good condition, at all, but at $2 for the whole lot, it's worth taking a chance
A shabby cream colored train case -- beat up, but I like it!
A Syracuse Carefree china sugar bowl and Boonton melmac platter
A pair of 1950s souvenir salt & peppers from Florida -- Flamingos!
And here's the best buy of the weekend (maybe of the whole year -- and the year is young!)  I just LOVE this stereo & cabinet!  It's a Magnavox and sounds wonderful.  It comes with all the records that were stored inside of it (on the closed left side) and even has the original maintenance & use instructions.  I'm hoping it will fit in the living room where I have my other turntable right now, but we haven't picked it up yet.  My friends and her sisters really wanted me to leave it so they could listen to it on the day of the sale.  What do you think -- would you have bought it?
1950s-60s Magnavox stereo
On Saturday, I sold a metal utility cabinet at the mall and had to hustle something over there to fill its spot on Sunday afternoon.  That forced me to finish up a project I'd started, which will be tomorrow's post.  Right now, it's time for bed!

Thursday, February 9, 2012

One Year Anniversary!

I've been really busy straightening up, organizing and getting things ready for the booth and to list on Etsy.  I'm finally getting to the bottom of the piles UNDER the table that I first started my 'inventory' on a year ago.  Can you believe it's been an entire year since Bargain Hunter and I start our booth at the antique mall?  I'd been selling on Ebay for years & had just opened my shop on  Etsy, but she really had to talk me into the booth at the mall.  I'm so glad that she did.  Those 12 months have flown by -- it's been LOTS of work, but LOTS of fun!

Remember the booth that Bargain Hunter started out with (a pretty scary first step!)?
The original booth -- day 3
That was a great booth!  I struck out on my own in July...
My booth -- two weeks ago
 I was thinking today (as I was getting things ready to take to the booth tomorrow) that thrift shopping and selling, both in the mall and on Etsy, is the most fun thing I've ever done -- it literally is a dream fulfilled.  When I coordinated our church's membership classes, the spiritual gifts section's first question always was, "If you could do anything in the world and would be guaranteed not to fail (they add that part so you won't be afraid to dream BIG), what would you most like to do?"  My answer has always been "to sell antiques" (NOT a very spiritual answer, but an honest one) and now that's what I get to do in my spare time.  It doesn't get any better than that!

I'm hoping to take a few pictures tomorrow and catch up with my blog.  In the meantime -- GOOD NEWS!  The newest issue of Flea Market Style is on its way!   I'm excited to get it -- it looks like it will be a good one!

Friday, February 3, 2012

Fun Friday Finds

Remember just one week ago when I told you that I wasn't going to go shopping because I had too much stuff?  Well, that didn't last long!  Just the same way that starvation diets make you want to eat more and actually gain weight, not shopping at all makes you want to shop more.  I'm sure there must be a scientific study on that somewhere.

I went out with my friend Bargain Hunter to some sales this morning.  We hadn't been shopping together in a LONG TIME and, even though we work at the same church, we hardly ever get a chance to just talk.  So we had a lot of catching up to do.  We had a great time!

The first sale we went to was okay -- a semi-prince.  We got there right when it was starting but still had to wait about 15 minutes.  From the things people were bringing out, it looked like the prices would be good.  However, they were all over the place -- mostly too high.

Then we went to a couple more, which turned out to be frogs.  One of them was an estate sale company that just puts all their stuff in a warehouse.  Their truck hadn't arrived yet, so it was pretty empty and it was COLD.  That was a quick stop.  The next quick stop was an estate sale in the banquet room of a restaurant -- no kidding.  We had to walk through the restaurant to get there and the workers (who doubled as servers, I think, told me if we wanted to wait, the restaurant opened in 15 minutes.  That might have been my first-ever sale & lunch stop!

The last sale turned out to be the best, at least for me.  It was advertised as a digger sale and it really was.  Everything was piled up and most of it was filthy.  We got there an hour and a half after the sale started and there was still a line at the door -- there were about 25 people ahead of us.  I think we waited 45 minutes or so (and it was cold, too), but I told Bargain Hunter it had only been 5 minutes.  I don't think she believed me.  The entire time we were there the line was at least 20 people  -- amazing!

Here are some of my fun finds:
A box of clay poker chips, a cloth roulette board and a tiddledy wink game
A tin of odd Christmas items, an old souvenir snapshot folder, a wallet and a Smurfs glass
The book should be helpful, right?
A turquoise & silver plastic salad serving set
28 Singer bird cards.  They're by the Singer Sewing Company (I have no idea why) from the 1920s and have the bird and it's egg on the front and information about it on the back
Lots of potholders and a cool lucite hand mirror, plus a quilted satin hosiery box
A strange recipe & spoon holder, an art deco Universal scale and a baseball game dart board.  I found out why the scale was still there -- it's broken!  Now I have to figure out if I can fix it.
Two suitcases (the name came off almost completely with a Mr. Clean magic eraser) and a filthy, yucky chest of drawers
The chest was full of sewing stuff and I tried to get the dealer to just give it to me (easier than emptying it) but he made me pay for it all.  I hope I can get $10 out of it all -- what do you think?
Next time I stop shopping, I'm not going to go cold turkey!  Now I'm off to see what all of you have been up to.  Have a happy weekend!