Wedding planning

Is there a wedding in your near future?  Don’t forget to check out STARS ANTIQUE MALLS  when you are looking for unique decor items.  Vintage wares are very popular for using in weddings these days; and it’s a very economical way to go too!  Unlike a lot of the decorative things you buy or make ‘just for your wedding’; the vintage items you purchase can continue to be used afterwards for decorating your home

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Here’s a peek at some great vintage items in my two booths at Stars that you could use for wedding decor.

Hand crafted ‘HAPPILY EVER AFTER” banners made using vintage sheet music in neutral tones would work with just about any color scheme.  I put each work on it’s own hanging string, but you can easily hang them together in one long line.  After the wedding, this would be cute in your home, hanging on a wall along with your framed wedding photos.

Be sure to visit Stars website to get a 50% 0FF everything coupon for my booths.  

And speaking of frames!!  I’ve got some plain and fancy large frames that would be great for use in your photo booth, for people to hold up to their faces.  OR use on the hors d’oeuvres table or candy bar.  I love the look of big blank frames like this leaning on a fireplace mantle or hung on a wall.  I’ve got lots of smaller frames too.  Many of the have some sort of picture in them, but they can easily be changed out.  After the wedding?  What home doesn’t need photo frames?

I’ve got lots of smaller frames tucked here and there throughout both booths.  ALL half off with coupon!  I’ve got some pre-printed coupons in my booths also.

Word cloud chalk boards are great for using in your photo booth too!

How perfect are these glitterey crowns for the Bride at the Bridal shower?

Looking for some truly unique ‘little gifts’ for special people who have helped with the wedding?  These one of a kind hand stitched wool felt hearts are something they will treasure forever.  (And half off with coupon!)

This lovely mannequin with a fluffy black tulle skirt would make a perfect greeter for your wedding.  Hang a framed copy of your wedding invitation around her neck and let hert welcome your guests.  Her regular price is $155.00; half off with the coupon. 

Wispy twiggy wreath and paper Hydrangea wreath work great for a nature themed wedding; and of course as home decor afterwards.

More natural style decor with bird nests.

 

Vintage milk glass is just perfect for use in weddings.  Please don’t DIY your vases and other glassware by picking up old clear glass pieces and spray painting them!  Authentic vintage milk glass is not that costly.  I’ve got lots of vintage Milk glass vases, urns, candu and nut bowls, serving plates , punch bowls and dishes.  ALL 50% off now with coupon.

Bundles of old grubby books work well with just about ANY wedding or decorating style.  I always keep a lot of them stocked in my booths, tucked into all kinds or displays.

Going for a more rustic feel for your wedding?  I’ve got quite a few items that will work for that stYle too.  Bit rustic weathered wood trays, small wood drawers and crates, shadow boxes and arrows.  Galvanized buckets, trays and baskets too.

STARS IS OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK ~ 11am – 6pm

Visit the Stars website, or on Facebook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

MORE Christmas in my booth at Stars

Took the rest of my Christmas goods to Stars this week.

Both of my spaces are fuller than full!

Plenty of vintage white Ironstone dishes in my wall space.

 Unique hand crafted gift boxes, perfect for that ‘little gift’ or gift cards.

Hand painted Christmas signs, red glass jar lanterns come with a battery votive and SO CUTE little vintage style car with tree on top ornaments.

Trees.  Trees and MORE trees!  Bottle brush trees in just about every size and color; mounted on unique vintage bases: candle holders, tart tins, glass vials filled with ‘snow’, spools of thread and cherub candle holders!

‘Snowfolk’ made from vintage salt and pepper shakers are making an encore appearance this year; but it will be their final year.  Get them while you can.  Bottle brush trees and snowmen are the perfect winter decorations to leave out after Christmas and before you decorate for Valentine’s Day.

Vintage crepe paper rosette ornaments also make wonderful package toppers.

Vintage sheet music rosette ornaments with classic Christmas color adornments of red, gold and silver.

Both Stars malls are open 7 days a week; 11am – 6pm.

Give unique vintage and upcycled gifts this Christmas.

Ready or not . . .

 . . . . Thanksgiving, the Christmas will be here before you know it.  I’m getting a head start and brought in a few holiday decor things to my booth at Stars this week.  Then tomorrow I deliver to the ‘Every Husband’s Nightmare’ show in Hillsboro.  After that show ends next Saturday, I’ll have even MORE holiday goodies to bring to Stars.

Here’s what I’ve done to start off the season:

I think my decorating theme for this year is ‘simple elegance’.  Lots of pretty vintage glass baubles in jars and bowls with mini fairy lights give off a truly magical glow!

It’s almost impossible to truly capture the beauty of the little lights in pictures and in the well lit store; but you get the idea.  Some of these arrangements are ‘all inclusive’ pieces, where I have priced the container with the lights and baubles to be sold together as one item.  The rest of them are priced individually so you can just buy what you need.  If you already have the glass baubles and just need the container to put them in, OR if you have the container and just need a few more glass baubles.

SO many different ways to display these holiday lovelies.  Think outside the box and use what you have to place your ornaments in.  Or buy something that will serve multiple purposes.

This is actually a cupcake stand!  Pretty little boxes with bows always add a festive touch to your decor, and you’ll have a gift box handy if you need one for a last minute gift!

I’m pretty sure that the white metal stand filled with ornaments was intended for this very purpose.  But you could also use it at Easter to hold your colored eggs.

Milk glass punch and candy bowls look pretty filled with ornaments too!

You can even fill the dome lid of your cake stand with baubles!  It’s a bit of a tricky process and you have to be sure that no one inadvertently takes the lid off ‘to see what will happen’.  A mess.  A mess will happen.  Which is why I didn’t fill the ones in my booth with glass baubles!

I’ve got some awesome vintage crystal snack plates with cups for you holiday entertaining.  And some beautiful silver espresso cups and saucers.

There is never a shortage of Milk Glass dishes or vases in my booth!  The milk glass vases are really pretty with vintage glass baubles on top of them too!

Always a plentiful supply and variety of stoneware dishes too.  Be sure you have all the serving bowls and platters you will need for serving your holiday feast.

I hate to admit it, but my wall space become more of a depository for ‘all the stuff I can’t fit into my big booth’, as opposed to a theme planned vignette.  A few bits of fall still available in my wall space.

Stop on by and get into the holiday spirit.

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

Stocked and spruced up and ready for the Summer Sidewalk SALE at STARS!!

Stars BIG ‘Summer Sidewalk Sale’ starts Friday, August 31st and runs through Monday, September 3rd; Labor Day.

This is really one of the BEST sales of the year at Stars.  LOTS of vendors bring in ADDITIONAL inventory to set up on the sidewalk outside.  Don’t miss this sale!!

BOTH of my booths are stocked to the hilt; and as always, everything in my booths is 50% off during the sale.  Last chance to purchase my beach decor items from my wall space.  After the sale I will be converting the space to Fall decor.

I have added a few little ‘hints of fall’ to both booths . . .  just to get you in the mood for fall.  (Not that anyone needs to be enticed to ‘think fall’ after the record HOT summer we’ve had!)

Lots of vintage hobnail milk glass vases and dishes added recently; as well as regular and gold rimmed milk glass.

Vintage and upcycled beach decor.  Big surag starfish, painted white and glittered.  Little jars filled with tiny seashells or pretty beach glass.  Shells mounted on wood posts and jars.  Candle lanterns and lamps.  And of course, Mermaid crowns!!

Vintage picnic baskets, bar stool, ‘breakfast in bed’ tray, wreaths, cubby shelves, trugs and wall decor.

And that is just my little wall space!  On to my 10’x10′ booth!

No such thing as ‘too much’ when it comes to my booth!!
Vintage Fire King gold rimmed milk glass dishes and vintage Ironstone dishes are restocked and always plentiful.

Both Stars Mall are open 7 days a week, 11am – 6pm.

“Happily Ever After” ~ New wall space display.

Sorry that it has taken me so long to get the new booth display posted.  Been dealing with a LOT of things all at once.  Finally feeling settled enough to get caught up on my blog.

The theme for May is “Happily Ever After”.  Wedding decor.  Mostly whites with touches of gold, silver, pale pink and blue.  LOTS of vintage milk glass.

Here are some of the major elements that might be a little hard to see once they are filled with displayed smalls.  Lots of shabby white tables and shelves.

Some of the hand crafted elements.  ‘Happily Ever After’ banners made using vintage sheet music and book pages.  Bride to be crowns.  Vintage paper feathers.  Hand stitched vintage lace and felt hearts.

Vintage shabby white candelabras and metal filigree lanterns.

Most of the small shelves can be wall hung OR set on a flat surface.

I couldn’t fit ALL the milk glass and cake stands in the wall booth.  Lots more to explore in my bigger booth.

As always, aqua and turquoise.  Vintage chenille spread and coverlet.  Little aqua stuffed hearts made from vintage chenille cutter spread.  Trugs with vintage wood legs as handles, and pretty dessert stands.

Front view of my big booth.

As much of what was leftover from last months booth display as I could fit, has been moved over to my bit booth.  Bird nests, jars of eggs and moss, jars of natural elements, bark, moss, dried flowers and pods.  Some of the burlap items.

And lots of the assorted galvanized stuff.  Including that cute 12 hole cubby shelf!!

Time for another great SALE at Stars Antique Mall!

They call this one their ‘Haggle Sale’.  Many dealers are on site during the sale dates, and welcome haggling for better prices on the items in their booth.  I am not personally able to be there during the sale, so I just offer 50% off EVERYTHING IN MY BOOTH during the sale.  It’s a great time to grab that piece you’ve had your eye on for a while now!

THE SALE RUNS FRIDAY, 1/12 – MONDAY, 1/15, 2017.  HOURS 11AM – 6PM

I just stocked lots of new inventory, including Valentine gifts and decor.  

LOTS of different colors and styles of hand stitched felt hearts, in various sizes.  Prices start at $3.00 and go up to $29.00, with a median price of $5.00.  Most of them with little ‘words of love’ added to them; but also some ‘not Valentine specific’ hearts that could be used year round with vintage buttons or just simple embroidered designs.

Other vintage and upcycled Valentine items too.  ALL 50% off during the sale.

LOTS of furniture too; mostly white and aqua / turquoise.  ALL 50% 0FF during the sale.

And, as always; lots of vintage Ironstone dishes, vintage Milk glass dishes and vases and frames.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

HAPPY SHOPPING!

HAPPY SAVINGS!

Shabby cottage chic desk and dresser

Found this little desk and three drawer chest at a recent estate sale.

Of course, it was the color that first caught my eye when I saw this little desk from across the room.  Alas, the top was a real MESS!  Cheap plywood that had cracked, stained and peeling paint, but not the kind that you can leave ‘as is’.  Still, the price was right so I bought it.  (and the drawer innards were nice and CLEAN!)

SCORE!!  Another piece in ‘my color’!?!  woo-hoo!  Ah, but wait!  Once I put my reading glasses on I could see that it had been very POORLY painted aqua over a medium green pain; which still showed in several places.  Still, it was nice and sturdy.  The backing was in good shape and the drawers were clean!

The chest was pretty ‘grimey’ and  required a good scrubbing; and those drawer pulls HAD to go.  The pulls were screwed on, which usually means an easy removal; but these had been painted over more than once, so simply removing the screws did not do the job.  I had to WHACK them really hard with a hammer to get them off.

Not all of the stain and grime came off when I washed it, so it was time for the orbital sander.  I was HOPING that I could ‘just sand it’ and leave it this color.  Nope.  This, and the desk were going to HAVE to be painted.  I opted to paint them both white.

The top to the desk turned out just perfect!  Just the right amount of each color, white, aqua and wood showing after I distressed it.

As I am in the habit of doing, I painted the backside also.  It really only takes a few more seconds to do this when you are repainting items; and it gives the purchaser a lot more flexibility on placement of the item, as they won’t HAVE to place it with the back to a wall.

Distressing brought out just the right amount of the original aqua paint along the edges and ‘here and there’.  I recycled some old metal drawer pulls that I had on hand.  The insides of the drawers were completely painted the same aqua as the desk, but the bottoms were a bit scratched up.  I glued some pretty wrapping paper to the bottom of the drawers.

Distressing the chest was a bit more difficult.  Usually I can just ‘sand away’ and not have to pay very close attention and it will turn out fine.  However, the aqua color was a very LIGHT coat of paint, and if I sanded too hard of too much, I went clear through to the green coat of paint.  A little bit of the green showing through wasn’t too bad, but I wanted more of the aqua to show.  At one point, I almost decided to just repaint the whole thing turquoise!  But then I decided to ‘give it a shot’ at selling with the bits of green showing, before I went to all the extra work of painting it a second time.  I used the same vintage metal drawer pulls for the dresser and I did for the desk.

You can really see the green around the edges of the top of the chest.  That little ‘reddish’ mark near the center of the top of the chest had been a ‘blob of paint’ that had to be sanded down.  Apparently the top had been RED at one time, and sanding went down to that coat on this one little spot.  SO, I may well have to paint this chest a second time.

But for now, it’s in my booth at Stars Antique Mall priced at $59.00.  The smaller size of this chest make it perfect for a child’s dresser and/or a bed-side chest for an adult’s room.

As is the desk; which is $49.00.  That aqua cute bow back chair is also $49.00.

While I had the white paint out, I painted up a couple of wood slat picnic baskets that I’ve had for a while.

The smaller square basket with the BEE on top is $24.00.

The bigger, dark brown one with EAT on the top is $29.00.

The shabby apple basket is $15.00.

White metal birdcage (decorative use only; it does NOT open!) is $ 25.00.

Upcycled candle chandelier is $29.00.  Made using old white metal garden edge fencing; with five frosted glass hanging jars for tea light candles or battery tea lights.

I’ve recently added a LOT more vintage milk glass dishes!  Look at that adorable little espresso cup and saucer!!  I’ve got LOTS of regular coffee’tea cups and saucers and creamers and sugar bowls.  Perfect for an elegant bridal shower.  Lots of vases too!

I also just took in a nice collection of vintage Taylor, Smith and Taylor ‘Boutonnier’ dishes.  I had been collecting these for myself for quite some time; and finally decided that I just didn’t have room for them.  It’s not a complete set.  But there are a lot of cups and saucers and dessert size plates.

Stop by soon and see what’s new!!  Don’t let the construction on the side street scare you away.  (they tore down the boys and girls club and are putting is a high rise condo building!)  There is still plenty of parking; actually MORE than what was available before on some days!!

My NEW Baby!!!

Isn’t she absolutely adorable?!?!?!

This is a picture I found on-line since I am still cleaning mine up.  But I found this EXACT mixer with the two matching bowls at the thrift store today.  The biggest bowl has a chip in it though.

I have wanted a ‘pretty’ stand mixer; pretty enough to leave sitting out on the counter, for as long as I can remember.  And it works!!  But I can’t get the beaters out?!?!?  Even Michael tried to no avail.  I looked around on-line for old instruction manuals (it’s a 1950’s version) to see if there was a secret to getting the beaters out.  No luck there either.

Finally cam across a you-tube video of how to use the juicer attachment (which I do not have).  Decided to watch and see if maybe they showed how to remove the beaters.  They just pulled them out!  But they were hard to get out in the video too.  So, maybe I’ll be able to get them out after I get it all cleaned up.  Lots of ‘grease marks’ all over it to clean.

I’M SO EXCITED ABOUT MY PRETTY NEW MIXER . . . . . . AND MY NEW HOME THAT I WILL BE TAKING IT TO IN LESS THAN A MONTH!!

Yep!  I finally found a place. . . . AND it has an attached garage!  Hallelujah for that garage!!  So, now it’s full steam ahead on the packing.

Seems like I have been ‘packing and purging’ for forEVER already.  feels so good to finally have an end in sight.  And I can’t wait to make the new place ‘my own’ and share the pictures and progress with you all here in my blog.

I’ve been heavily stocking my space at Stars in anticipation of my upcoming move.

I’ve got it full enough right now that I shouldn’t need to take in any more inventory until after I get moved.  All the furniture in my booth is stacked 2-3 pieces high, so I’ll just lower the stacks as things sell, and rearrange and tidy up every week as needed.

Took in a HUGE stack of frames last week!

Some really BIG gold frames, behind the big distressed framed chalk boards.

A few ‘word cloud’ chalk boards; but the more popular name for these seems to be ‘speech bubbles’.  Great fun to use for photos at parties.

A couple of vintage styled dry erase boards.

And still MORE frames!

Here is a better look at a grouping of white and gold distressed frames that are a bit hidden in the above pictures.

It’s been ages since I’ve had a lot of frames in stick so they are bound to sell quickly!

How cute is this vintage pair of suede shoes!?!?

One of a kind teddy bear lamp that I made.

Over-stuffed ‘granny’ foot stool.

And a couple more vintage foot stools; newly reupholstered.

I’ve built up quite the collection of vintage cream pitchers and sugar bowls.

And plenty of ‘butter bells’.  I LOVE my butter bell.  Keeps the butter nice and soft and FRESH without refrigeration.

And look at this CUTIE PATOOTIE mini butter bell with it’s mama!!!

Replenished the vintage Milk Glass dishes.  The gold rimmed ones are SO pretty!

Milk glass bowls and custard cups.

Pretty scalloped Milk Glass fruit cups and a creamer.

Gold rimmed serving bowl and a lace edge Milk Glass candy dish.  I’ve got several of the candy dished in this small size and a larger size.  Perfect for your party candy buffet!

Adorable Milk Glass egg cups.

LOTS of vintage Ironstone in stock too.

Dessert / Hors d’ourves size stoneware plates for your next party.  So much nicer to use than paper plates.

And of course Ironstone BOWLS.  Bowls always seem to sell the fastest.

And I’m well stocked on several sizes and styles of stoneware bowls and ramekins.

Including these extra BIG Ironstone soup/cereal bowls.

Plenty of white Ironstone canisters, utensil crocks and covered casserole dishes too.

Several sets of white stoneware napkin rings too!  Chickens, bunnies, kittens and plain ones.

And for those warm summer nights when you want to languish on the patio . . . this big rusty rooster is a candle lantern! One wing lifts up to place a candle inside.

So, fret not if you don’t hear much from me for the next month or so.  I’ve got a few posts ‘written and ready to publish’ saved up so I’ll have SOME new content to add.  But I’m going to be pretty much buried in bubble wrap and boxes for the next month.  Wish me luck!

What I’ve been working on lately

Since we’re done with shows for the season and don’t have the  store to stock anymore, I’m not doing much in the way of holiday themed stuff.  I’m actually ‘thinking spring’ already!  And working on some ‘general stuff for our space at Stars.

I actually ended up filling this cloche with gold and platinum glitter ornaments, but forgot to take a picture after I added  them!

I started with a thrift store wood candle holder, and glued (epoxy) a craft store 4×4″ wood routered edge plaque to the top and bottom.

I find I can use these things for ALL KINDS of crafting projects, so I always keep a good-sized stash of them on hand by stocking up when they are on sale.

Then I added the feet, again using epoxy.  I’m really ‘into’ FEET lately.  Especially BUN feet.  You absolutely will not believe what I came up with to use as inexpensive bun feet for small furniture pieces!  So fun!  Real bun feet are ridiculously expensive.  Too expensive for me to use on anything that I want to sell.   For this little project I used some small candle cups I had on hand.  I’ve used wood spools and round wood knobs in such situations as well.

It just so happened to be a DRY fall day here in Oregon; so I took it outside and spray painted it with flat black paint.

For the cloche to top it with, I had these bell-shaped chandelier globes.  I needed to ‘plug up the hole’ at the top (which is really the bottom in its original use) to make it look more like a cloche.  I used a tiny clear glass remekin, which I epoxied on.

I’ve also used these aemekins as knobs on glass vases the I inverted to make into cloches, like the ones below.

Here are more recent projects, kind along the same theme, pedestals with cloches.

Vintage milk glass cup and bowl (or it might actually be an ashtray!) epoxied together and topped with a cut glass candle cup, used as a cloche.

These are itty bitty and OH so cute!  Made using a silver coaster and napkin ring, epoxied together, and topped with a candle cup.   These are the perfect size for holding a single chocolate truffle or maybe for presenting a special piece of jewelry to a special someone.

Thrift store mini glass ginger jar with vintage shrimp cocktail glass epoxied on for the base.

Filled with handmade paper shred made from an old book, and a black silk ribbon tied to the lid.  I have an awesome full size ginger jar that I did similarly.  It’s buried somewhere amongst the 40 boxes and bins of craft show left overs at the moment though.  I took a pic of it at the show, but it kinda washed out because of light coming in from behind.  But you can kinda see it:

Next project: A thrift store resin finial and ceramic pillar candle holder.

Epoxied together and then both spray painted black.

Sanded the finial a bit to bring out the design.

More finials:

I actually made these a while back, and I don’t think I took any ‘before’ pictures.  I used a craft store 4×4 plaque for the base, a piece of a 2×2 for the core.

Glued on some carved wood appliques to the front side, and topped them with a craft store week finial.