Good news / Bad news

Well, I have some bad news and some good news.  Bad for ME.  GOOD for you.  The bad news first.  This is what the passenger side of my car now looks like:

It actually looks a lot WORSE in person.  You can’t really see how DEEP the dent is in the photo.  It’s deep enough that I can’t open that door anymore.  I’m fine.  My car, notsomuch!   Thanks to another driver in a parking lot who ‘saw me but thought I was going to let him to go by’, even though he had a STOP sign and I had the right of way.

Currently dealing with insurance and just waiting to hear what they decide.  Here’s the ‘back story’.  The ‘Cruiser’ is 15 years old and has served me well for the past 7 years.  I definitely ‘got my money’s worth’ out if it.  Because it’s got such a low resale value at this point, it was futile for me to have full coverage on it anymore; and most likely it is going to be deemed ‘totaled’.  And while I knew the day was coming, in the not too distant future, that I was going to have to replace it, I really can’t afford to do so just yet.  I was really hoping to get at least another year out of it.  It’s still driveable, but isn’t going to be worth squat as a trade in.  sigh.

So, what’s the GOOD news?
The good news is that because I need to drum up considerably more funds to replace my vehicle, I’m having a 50% off sale in my booths at Stars.

Look for these red and white ‘50% OFF’ coupons in both of my booths.  You have to have a coupon to get the discount.  The discount is good for everything you purchase from my booths, through May 31, 2019.  After that, I’ll be extending the sale ‘as needed’, until I have enough to replace the Cruiser.

You can also print a coupon directly from the Stars website.   The coupon on the site will look a little different than the ones I printed on my PC, but the offer is the same.

I was just in Stars yesterday, rearranging and restocking, so there is a huge variety and selection of goods awaiting your shopping, and SAVING, pleasure!  And IF there is something that you have seen in my booth in the past and always coveted, but don’t see there just now; feel free to ASK ME!  It might just be something that I pulled and took home when I changed out inventory.  I’ll be happy to take it back in for you; and even have them HOLD it ‘just for you’ at the front desk.

Time for pictures!

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As you can see, both booths are jam-packed with goods.  I will continue to bring in MORE stock every week.   I’ll be making more and resupplying the coupons too.  IF, for some reason you can’t locate a coupon while you are there; ask them to CALL ME, and I will give them a verbal okay for your 50% discount.

So, come and get it while the gettin’s are half off!!

Stars is open 7 days a week; 11am – 6pm.

My newest collection

I have a new little collection going.

Of long neck apothecary bottles.

I wasn’t really collecting them ‘on purpose’.  I just like this style of bottles and had stashed away a few while I was packing to move.  Then bought more before I unpacked those; intending them to eventually use for craft projects.

I didn’t really have any room in my craft room to stash them; so I displayed them on a shelf in my living room.  Once I saw them all grouped together like this, I decided I really liked them ‘as is’ and all clustered together like this!

I just found a new one to add that is teeny tiny; only about 1/4 the size of the smallest brown bottle!  And THAT is about the height of excitement in my life!

The foot stools and the jars

The smaller of the two footstools (the one that had the needlepoint top).  This was my first attempt at stenciling on fabric, and I am pleased to say it worked PERFECTLY!  This fabric is kind of a cross between a muslin and burlap.  Large, but tight weave with a good amount of ‘body’.  (This fabric is actually a scrap piece leftover from a maternity top I made over 33 years ago!)  I ironed the fabric and starched it a bit with some spray starch.  Stenciled the design on the fabric BEFORE attaching the fabric to the stool, just in case I made a ‘boo-boo’.  Once dry, I used a staple gun to attach the fabric.

The wood frames on both stools was exactly the same (just different sizes) so I decided to make them in coordinated fabrics.

Black velvet with little gold crosses seemed ‘Parisian’ enough to me!

I spray painted the legs on both of them with flat black and opted to NOT distress them.

The undersides of upholstered items like this are typically a bit ‘unsightly’.  Being one who seems compelled to always looks ‘under and inside’ everything, I try to make those parts ‘pleasing to the eye’ as well.  On this one I cut the fabric long enough to completely cover the underside.

Much better than seeing THIS, don’t you think?

The finished pair; priced separately.

I’m quite content with how they both turned out.

On to the two little jars.  First I spray painted the lids with flat black, then a quick clear satin spray to protect the paint since the lids will be handled a lot.

These are the smallest of this type of jar that I’ve ever found.  Not really much room to add a label of any kind, so I went ‘quick and simple’.  A piece of tea stained ribbon and a repro skeleton key.

I always keep a stash of tea stained muslin strips on hand.  Which reminds me that I need to make a new batch SOON, as they dry so much better in the hot sun.

You can see some of the other larger jars with the same kind of ‘lids with handles’ that are currently stocked in my booth at Stars.

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I’ll just tuck the newest smaller ones in amongst these.

I actually did this giant carved wood fork and spoon a while ago, and set them aside.   Now that I have some other black items to take in, I’ll take them also.  Items typically sell better when displayed with similarly themed items.

Stocking up for my next project marathon . . .

After quite an extended ‘shopping hiatus’ while I got packed, moved, unpacked and settled into my new place . . . . I’m finally at the point where I can start shopping for projects again!  Here are my latest finds:Small three drawer chest (about 12″ tall) probably for jewelry.

At first I thought the butterflies and flowers were decals.  Nope, just paint and fairly easily sanded off.

Another little one, about 7″ x 9″.  Little cupboards and chests of drawers always seem to sell well for me.

sigh.  I so wish the insides were not painted bright green!

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a ‘three shelf’ spice rack.

Gold frame.

This is the angle that I saw this piece at at a garage sale.  Unfinished, so easy to paint.  Add some backing and it would be a cute little night stand.

Alas, if I had bent down, even just a little bit, I would have seen the dowel rod near the top.  So, it’s actually a ‘doll wardrobe’.  Oh well.

Super icky . . . and consequently super cheap!

Apparently it had been used as a plant stand.

But the drawer ‘innards’ are nice and clean.  Painted even.  Albeit a very ‘muddy brown’ paint color.  A little paper on the drawer bottoms will take care of that.

I’ve got two of these foot stools; the other a little smaller.

This one had the top already removed, but it was a very FLAT top.  Gonna have to add some batting or foam pad to it.

The smaller one had this needle point cover on it.

Little glass jars.  One of them has ‘IKEA’ on the bottom.  I find jars with this type of lid quite often and in various sizes.  Spray paint the lids black and embellish with some pretty paper labels.  Always good sellers for me in my booth at Stars.

Initially I thought this was a ‘part’ of something.

Nope.  It’s a candle holder.  I’m sure I have something that I can add to it to turn it into a finial.

My latest findings

Taking a quick break from painting furniture OUTSIDE . . . seriously!  It is warm enough to paint outside today . . . without a coat even!  Maybe I can finally get caught up on all the outside projects I didn’t get to last summer because it was just too HOT out!

Here are my most recently procured goods:
I’ve been gathering up dress forms, big and small, for quite a while now.  Soon I shall have myself a mannequin dressing marathon.  (been gathering up clothes for them too!)  This is just a small one, 19″ tall, but I can see her with a big lacey tutu type skirt and maybe some wings.

I don’t usually go for metallic stuff, but for some reason I really liked this gold box.  Trying to add some more variety and ‘different’ elements to my booth st Stars; and this matte gold box just caught my eye!

Little metal frame.

HUGE round finials.  Much bigger than you usually see!  NINE of them!

Unique oval ironstone platters.

I typically look for ‘just white’ for the vintage dishware for my booth.  Again, for the same of expanding my repertoire, I got these with a mustard color trim.  They are smaller than the typical oval dinner platter.  Another reason I really liked them!

Cloches.

Jars and bottles.

Angels and cherubs.

Pitchers.

Vintage Madonna vase and baby booties vase.

HUGE aqua bottle and smaller, lighter one.

Set of four bunny napkin rings.

Time to get back outside to my many painting projects!  Happy SUNNY Sunday everyone!

Findings

Here’s a bit of what I’ve found on my thrifting ventures lately:

White Stoneware pitchers.  (sorry about all the blotches on the pictures.  Must be something on my camera lens?!) This is my very favorite shape of white pitchers, and not that readily found too often.  Let alone finding ALL THREE at the same time.  I’ve always wanted to start my own white pitcher collection, but always convince myself to sell everything I find.  This time I decided to keep them!  And I discovered that I had one more, a smaller one, in one of my booths to add to my collection!

Little glass spice bottle (I put a Halloween label on it) A tall funky heart shaped bottle (will be made into a ‘love potion’ bottle for Valentines Day) and a bell shaped cloche.  (always need these!)

The bottle on the left is the one from the previous pic.

Cute dog figurine (NO idea what to do with it!?!)  Little urn (to fill with a little nest or bottle brush tree or use as a dessert plate pedestal) small glass (to use for a cupcake stand base) and a salt shaker (to use as a pedestal for a little bird)

This is the little white bird that I want to put on the previous salt shaker.  The bird is also a salt shaker though, so I have to figure out a way to cover up the holes).  Little ceramic bird (maybe paint it black for Halloween??)

It’s the same bird as the one on the left here; that I painted white and used as a cloche handle.

Stoneware bowls (ALWAYS on my ‘look for’ list; any shade of white/cream)  Little stoneware crock that I added a Halloween label to.

Large hurricane vase that I inverted and added a knob to, to make it into a cloche.

BIG lettuce shaped salad bowl!  

 

Such a cute little set of milk glass jars with wicker carrier.  Any one know what this might have originally been used for??  Debating whether or not to ‘piece it out’ and sell bottles and carries individually; or leave it as a set???  What do you think?  One of the lids was GLUED on to the base, which we (the cashier and I) both noticed at checkout.  I decided to get it anyway.  Soaked it in warm soapy water for a while and it came right apart and the glue peeled right off.

Such cute ‘pot belly’ shaped jars!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!  That bell cloche fits this angle candle pedestal perfectly!  Maybe paint the pedestal white and pair them up??

Itty bitty angels; super fragile; might have to glue them in a glass jar to protect them.

These apothecary jars originally had brushed aluminum lids; which I spray painted black.  Will add some collage labels to these.

Here are some similar jars I did a while back; embellished with keys and papers.

A big vintage cherub vase.

Upcycled / repurposed it into a tall cake pedestal.

 With faux display cake.

For sale in my booth at Curiosities in Beaverton for $29.00.  The taller stand is $39.00.  Perfect pieces for a small wedding cake OR a cupcake buffet!

 

 

 

Picnic weather???

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeell . . .not QUITE here in the Pacific Northwest.  Not this week anyhow.  Maybe next week??  In Oregon, April showers bring May showers which usually bring JUNE  showers with scattered sunshine!  Ahhhhhhhhhhhh . .  . but when we DO get sunny days, they ARE glorious!  And we soak up every ounce of sunshine we can!

So whether you save then for that future sunny day, collect them just because you like them, or like using them to store your craft supplies . . . . there’s just something special about picnic baskets!

I just stocked this batch of them in my booth at  CURIOSITIES in Beaverton. 

The largest one (bottom of the stack) is a dark wood with a 3/4 hinged lid.

With the lid opening 3/4 of the way and not just half-way; you have a bigger opening for larger items.  It also has an elastic silverware holder on the inside of the lid.  $42.00 at Curiosities.

The second biggest one needed a little TLC in the form of dry brushed Ivory colored paint.

Painted inside and out, and the lid is hinged at the back so the whole thing opens up.

I ALMOST stenciled something on the lid; but ended up leaving it just shabby.  $39.00 at Curiosities.

Second from the top is the one with the ‘pie shelf’ that I posted recently.

The shelf is designed to go OVER the pie, placed in the bottom first; then the rest of your picnic food can go on top and not smash your pie.  $32.00 at Curiosities.

I know!  This one isn’t really a picnic basket.  But it ‘fits the stack’ nicely.  $15.00 at Curiosities.

I gussied up these apothecary bottles and put them in the open basket.

I wrapped the bottle necks with some tea stained paper, then wrapped some nettle twine and tied on a couple of little keys.  $8.00 each at Curiosities.

Vintage cutting boards and wood bowls.  Cutting boards are $9.00.  Bowls are $15.00 and $17.00.  Available at Curiosities.

Vintage library card file; $43.00 at Curiosities.

It’s a ‘samll-ish’ size card file.  Perfect size to sit atop a desk.

Upcycled cylinder cloches with cat ‘knobs’.

Bird and duck topped cloches.

So many signs and so little room to hang them!  I’ve GOT to come up with a better display than leaning them against the wall!!  Have you seen any clever ways to display signs ‘in bulk’ ???  I’d love to hear your ideas!

Changed up the back wall and hung more of my bigger signs etc there.  Looks a little less ‘cluttered’ this way.

Changed up the signs on the side wall too.  Added some more white pitchers and soup tureens.

CURIOSITIES in open Tuesdays – Sundays; 10am – 6pm.

My newest ‘thing’

Add KEYS to my list of favorite things.  Lately I’ve been adding keys to things almost as often as I do crowns!

I added a few new glass canisters/jars to my recent collection.

This thrifted bottle is about the size of an 8 oz baby bottle; and has a plastic screw on lid.

Instead of using actual keys on this one, I decided to use some skeleton key rub ons that I had; just for the sake of variety and to see which will sell better.

The rub ons are less expensive to use too, so I can price the jars with these less than the ones with the real old keys or the big  repro skeleton keys.

I decided to dress up the lid on this one a bit too.  I could have just spray painted it with the flat black that I used on all the other metal lids.  But, as long as I was trying something different; why not go different with the lid too!  I glued a strip of this burlap ribbon around the edge and a punched round scallop paper medallion on the top.

The jar on the left is the same kind as the two biggest jars I did in the last batch.  I sure wish  I knew where/what they came from!  They are very thick and heavy glass, and the lids are brushed aluminum; which I spray paint black.

Some jute twine around the neck.

In keeping with the ‘key’ theme I added a big skeleton key rub-on on top of a tea stained and hand stamped paper label.

I’m not sure I like this one better than the others that I tied the big ole repro skeleton keys to, but again, just wanted to add some variations on the theme AND offer a lower price point.

These are pretty standard glass canister jars with tin screw on lids.  With the ribbing in the glass along each corner, I needed to keep the label inside one panel.  I miscalculated a bit on the positioning of this rub-on, but it wasn’t bad enough to scrape off and start over.

I decided that this short stubby repro skeleton key was perfect for the top of this jar.

These have all gone to Stars and are blended in with the last batch I made.

I had re-painted this formerly red tin embossed heart back when I got it; then packed it away with my Valentine craft supplies.   One of the big repro skeleton keys tied on was the perfect finishing touch!.

This is what I originally made the hand stamped tea stained paper labels, like I used on the one jar.  Found these four good sized spools of string at the thrift store.

 Usually I like to just toss assorted balls and spools of string ‘as I found them’, into bowls and jars to display and sell.  But now that several other vendors at Stars are doing the same thing; I decided to ‘take mine to the next level’.

LOVE how these labels turned out.  I was going to use some of this  paper ribbon I got a while ago:

And even held it up to the spools to see how it looked.  That’s when I got the inspiration to make some of my own.  The purchased stuff would have worked just fine, but it was kinda pricey.  So I really need to save it for a higher priced item.

I really like my home made stuff just as well.  Might even have to make more of it; and sell just the labels!  Whaddyathink?!?!

Took the spools of string to Stars and tossed them in a big old wooden bowl with some vintage crochet threads.

Might have to make some thinner labels to add to the crochet threads too!

Then ultimately I ended up tossing some hand stitched hearts in with the mix too!

Pondering putting together some ‘bundles’ of assorted spools of threads and string and pillows like this to sell in my etsy shop.

A few new finds

Haven’t been doing a LOT of thrift shopping for product for my booth at Stars lately, as I am trying to focus more on crafting and using up what I have.  Still, I try to stop by a couple of thrift stores every week to keep an eye out for treasures.  Gotta keep a certain % of vintage in my booth since it IS an antique mall.  Here are my latest finds:

Got two of these sets of candles and holders.  **BE SURE to open and check the candles on things like this before you buy.  Oftentimes (and as it turned out to be on ONE of the two sets I bought) the candles are not usable.   The first set I opened and checked, the candles were melted together.

But they were the half price tag color which made them just 50 cents each and I really just wanted the holders (to use as handles for cloches!).  So it was a nice surprise that the other set of candles was good! The first set totally fell apart when I tried to separate them!

Always looking for old wood bowls!  Bought these two at different thrift stores at different times.

The bigger one on the left has ‘Munising’ engraved on the bottom and is NOT varnished.  (that might be a brand name that is collectible; will have to research a bit).   Not sure what I will do with these yet.  Sometimes I repaint them and make them more shabby chic.

But the thrift stores are starting to catch on to which of their items are most collectible and pricing them as such.  Which is oftentimes TOO HIGH of a price for me to be able to buy and re-sell.  SO, if I see wood bowls (in ANY condition!) that are ‘the right price’, I grab them!  Shopping on Wednesday’s when I get a senior discount helps a little too!

Bought a LOT of these little plates.  We called them ‘bread plates’ back when I worked in the restaurant biz.  There were a couple more ‘bundles of 7 of these, and all were half price.  Kicking myself for not getting them ALL now!

They are English Ironstone, which always sells well.  And this size is very popular these days for dessert buffets at weddings.  will be waiting til after the first of the year (when my 40% off sale has ended) to put these out in my booth.

Set of four Ironstone plates.  I’m always looking for white dishes of ANY kind; especially Ironstone!  And if they are the ‘half price color tag of the week’, all the better!!   Have just about sold through my white dinner plates at Stars this month.

These were originally part of a partial set at the thrift store.  The tag said “10 pieces” but I could only find 15 of the pieces and didn’t really want the saucers.  So I took the whole set to the cashier with me and asked if they would be willing to further break down and further discount it since the set was already incomplete (and already half price!)  They were happy to do so!

It’s a very delicate and pretty design, and Ironstone again!

It was ‘plate week’!  Some more nice china plates at half price; these like the previous set, are ‘salad’ size plates.

 I normally don’t get plates with any color designs on them, but I was really drawn to the very subtle silver rims and designs on these.

AND they were half price!!  Even if I don’t really NEED them right now, at half price they are worth buying and stashing away for a short while.

Always need small white pitchers/creamers and gravy boats.  Think I sold out of gravy boats this month.  Holidays are when the gravy boats sell the most.  But I keep them stocked yer round, so that shoppers will SEE that I have them, and then come back to buy when they need an extra one for holiday dinner guests.

Covered crock style butter dish and condiment jar w/o lid.  Normally won’t buy things that have lids missing, but white canisters are such good sellers.  And white ones without lids are popular for storing utensils in on the kitchen counter.

Cloche, votive holder (which I will make into a cloche) and apothecary jar.  Always buy apothecary jars, IF the price is right.  Can easily sell them, ‘as is’, but prefer to use them for crafting; like this:

LOVE the colors on this vintage music box.

Will probably keep this one for my personal collection.

Vintage Avon bird perfume bottle (with a lot of perfume left in it!)  And a glass frog votive holder; which I will probably ‘crown’!

How CUTE are these vintage Kiwi bird egg cups?!?!?  NO IDEA what I will do with them, but I HAD to have them!!!

Vintage (and VERY heavy!!!) shaving mug and white soup tureen ladle.  Ladles are usually missing or broken on the tureens I buy, so when I find good ladles at a good price, I grab them!

NOW, I’ve really got to pack away my Christmas supplies and get started on Valentine stuff!!!!

Apothecary jars and eggs

I forgot to remind you that if you are looking for eggs to decorate with (not specifically Easter) that Easter time is THE time to look.  You might still find some on clearance at this point.  I ALWAYS stock up on faux eggs while they are in stock before Easter.  Found these pretty combo packs of eggs at 40% off a few weeks ago at JoAnn’s.   They also had these same eggs with clear strings attached to use as ornaments.

Rummaged through my stash of glass jars and found these three matching apothecary jars; all bought at different places/times. If the price is right, I’ll always grab up and buy glass jars.  Pretty ones like this, and grubby glass bottles.  Even if I don’t have an immediate use for them.  Because when inspiration DOES strike, I want to have them on hand and ready to use!

What can you DO with all those eggs???  Fill jars with them, like I already showed you.  Put them under a glass cloche, like this.

Fill MORE glass apothecary jars with them!

And if they don’t happen to sell as quickly as you’d hoped; you can always EMPTY the jars and sell them empty; OR fill them with other things!  Like spools of thread, moss rocks, shells, glass vase fillers . . . just about ANYTHING!

I used this tall skinny cloche, the lid from a used jar candle and a little glass taper candle holder (instead of the wood base shown that I originally was going to use) to make this:

I spent a GOOD amount of time figuring out exactly which eggs to use to best fill the cloche.  And since it was such an ‘exact’ fit, I decided NOT to chance someone taking it apart; and GLUED (using e6000) the cloche to the base.

This was my other option for a base.  And NOW that I look at it again; I like this one BETTER!  Go figure?!?

Used up some of the smaller eggs in these bell jars, with moss nests.  The two jars in the back  are actually the SAME size.  I just added a small glass candle holder as a pedestal on one of them to make it a tad taller.

On display at Stars with some vintage ceramic bunnies.

And the bell jars at Stars.