Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Estate Sale Finds February 24, 2015

This weekend was the BOMB for estate sales, and by bomb, I mean Fab!!!!  We hit about 7 sales in 2 days.  I actually went to one sale on both Friday and Saturday.  They had so...much...stuff....  This house was crammed with things.  Unfortunately, it was also crammed with people - people who are always standing in my way.  LOL!

Before I show you my latest acquisitions, let me show you the awesome printers tray I got from my good friend Moira.   She generously gave me not one, but two of them - one for me and one for Chablis.  Here's a picture of mine....


The original owner had handwritten all the numbers and letters inside the trays.   I think that is so cool and I'm leaving that alone.   Thanks Moira - you're the best!


Ok, so on to the estate sales - Check out the stuff we got.  This was such a bargain.  Seven unopened rolls of Christmas wrapping paper and the Tupperware storage container and its lid, all for 5 bucks!!


Chablis collects Fiestaware and she scored 2 serving platters and a gravy dish - brand new.  They had 3 more serving platters in different colors and I could kick myself for not buying them to re-sell.


Chablis also collects vintage wooden advertising hangers and she found 5 good ones in the back of a closet. I'm telling you - check the back of closets because you never know what's hanging around back there.  My favorite one was the Marshall Fields hanger.


I took this 7 star colander to re-sell.  The old grater is put away for a project I'm mulling over and the mesh spoon is brand new so I took it for Louie when he's making fried fish at the lake.


I found this old Dr. Peter Farhney & Sons bottle standing next to the staircase in the basement of one of the sales.   This one gets bonus points because it's from Chicago and says so on the side of the bottle.



Chablis keeps threatening me that she's going to move out one day, so she bought this cast iron skillet to add to her growing pile of kitchen supplies....


I always make a bee-line to the basement to check out the tools or workshop.  I have such fond memories of watching my dad working in his workshop when I was a kid.  He had an awesome set up, with all his tools organized and hanging on peg boards on the walls.  He would spend hours sawing wood, sanding things down, staining and painting.  To this day I love the smell of saw dust and it reminds me of  him.  I learned more from watching my dad in that workshop that I ever learned in school.  That to me was the best education and something I've used my entire life and have passed down to my kids.

I love to poke through the old tools and I get such a thrill when I find old tins in those workshops.  All those tins made such great containers for storing nuts and bolts and nails.  I always open the tins and check out the contents.  If they hold something I'll use, then I'll keep them along with the tin.  If it's something I don't need I'll usually just dump everything into a box and then just purchase the tins by themselves.  These 2 Revelation tins held small finishing nails and I can always use them, so everything here came home intact.


Check out the yummy green color on these Holiday Pipe Mixture tins - Holy cow!  It's gorgeous!!  The larger tin didn't have a cover and both tins held junk, so they got dumped into a box and we just bought the tins.


I'm always on the look out for yarn and the one skein was full and the other 2 were remnants.  I got a stand-alone Bobbin winder that I was thrilled to find because I hate it when I'm in the middle of sewing something and my bobbin runs out of thread.  I have to un-thread the machine to fill up another bobbin and I hate that - my eyes aren't what they used to be and I never look forward to threading the needle on the machine.  This will really help with that problem.  And the 2 apron patterns are already on their way to my friend Dolly - the apron maker extraordinaire!


Here's another tin I found tucked up on a shelf in a workshop.  This one gets huge bonus points because it's a National Tea private label coffee tin and I used to work at National Tea as a cashier when I was a teenager.   Score!!


I liked this Special Financing sign - it's reversible and says the same thing on both sides.  Very fun sign and it's already listed in my Etsy shop.  The wooden folding ruler has a couple of inches missing from one end.  I didn't notice that when I bought it and I was going to list it until I saw that.  Bummer - looks like this will somehow get re-purposed into a project somewhere down the line....


I know I should list this thermos - it's in perfect condition.  But I love the red plaid and right now it's sitting in a box, slated to go to the lake house.  But I may change my mind and list it.  Then again... maybe not....


Another vintage bottle from Chicago.  Chablis slipped this into one of her moving out boxes....


This tool box is in rough shape but I bought it for myself because it's a nice size for me and it says Sears on it...


Pancakes are my favorite breakfast meal so I bought this Hungry Jack tin for myself.  It's headed to the lake house....

And here's my happy dance, find of the weekend.  OMG - I am in love with this chest.  I saw it at the aforementioned house that was crammed with stuff.  I found it in a closet, and it was filled with a bunch of junk and old boxes.  I actually sat there on the floor and pulled everything out of the chest and gave it the once over.  But where was I going to put it?  I don't have any room for it.  So I did the unthinkable - I walked away from it....


Do you ever see something at a sale, pass on it and then cannot...stop.... thinking about it?  I thought about that damn chest all Friday night.   Every time I woke up in the middle of the night I thought about that trunk and wanted to kick myself for not buying it.  Check it out - it has the original owners name and the dates he used it scribbled on the inside.  1966-1968 - do you think he was a soldier in Viet Nam?


When I got up Saturday morning I told Louie I wanted to go back and see if the trunk was still there.  Being the great husband that he is, he drove me over to check it out.  When we got there, we couldn't even find a place to park - there were cars lining the streets for 2 blocks on each side of the house.  There were people everywhere and they were all carrying things out of that house like they were giving things away.  I had little hope of that chest still being there and I told Louie to just forget it and take me to another sale.  But Louie pulled up in front of the house, stopped the car and shoved me out the door telling me to at least go inside and just look.  I squeezed past all the people standing in line with their treasures and with a sinking heart I ducked into the bedroom where the trunk had been.   OMG - it was still there.  I could not believe it.  I slammed it shut and lugged it up front and stood in line.  Just look at it - isn't it fabulous??


It's already been washed down with vinegar water and it sat outside all afternoon in the sun. I walked all around the house trying to find some place to put it, but we have no room.  Then I thought about the lake house and I really don't have the room there either.  So with a sad heart, I listed it in my shop.  I hate to let it go, but it's so gorgeous that someone has to have it.  I hope someone buys it who will love it because it's just that fabulous!!

Before I go, please help me wish my Mom a Happy Birthday - today is her birthday and after the last year that she has had,I hope this is a very special day for her.  I love you Mom!!


Monday, February 23, 2015

Chicken Wire Memo Board

Last summer Chablis bought a roll of chicken wire and it's been sitting, neglected, ever since.  This weekend she finally had some spare time so she decided to tackle a project she's been wanting to try.

First she painted and distressed an old photo frame.  This one measures about 18" x 12".  Then she tacked some small nails around the back of the frame....


She cut out a piece of chicken wire that was just a little larger than the frame....


And stretched the chicken wire over the nails.  Then she hammered the nails down over the wire...


Here's how it then looked from the front.  She was going to leave it like that, but thought maybe it would look cute with a piece of burlap behind it.


She cut and ironed some burlap and then hot glued it around the frame, right over the edges of the wire and the nails...


Petey always likes to be nearby and sleep supervise.  Notice how he has to be right on top of us and where we are working.  He likes to be involved.....


Once she was finished attaching the burlap, Chablis grabbed some small clothespins to use to hang up cards and pictures.  I think she did a great job!  She added a hook on the back and now it's hanging in her bedroom.


I think she may have to make one for her mother.....

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Estate Sale Finds Feb. 17, 2015

We found a couple of estate sales this weekend and one of them was really fab!   I love a house that is crammed with stuff and the sellers are motivated to move, move, move their items.  I could have spent hours there with no problem.  Let me show you some of the great stuff I got.

A wooden pizza paddle.  I want to clean it up, sand it, stain it and stencil PIZZA on it with my wood burner. 2 Log Cabin syrup 100 anniversary tins -  Chablis has already snatched one for herself.  I have no idea what the small tin that says "Carborundum" originally was, but the tin is cool so I took it.  5 vintage belt buckles - some lead, some brass and all very nice.  I loved the pinking shears because they're in their original box and are in really good condition....


5 pants hangers, a Pyrex 2 qt. casserole in the Snowflake pattern - no lid tho.  A darling little tin pencil box and a wooden box with a sliding lid....


A Snickers tin - again, Chablis grabbed that one.  A super long rolling pin with Red handles.  I bought the brand new bread tin for myself.    And here's the book that was actually my favorite buy for the day.


 The cover is hard to read but it's the "Elements of English Composition" and it was published in 1902.  Oh...  so..... cool.   I don't know if I'll keep it or sell it, but there's just something so awesome about this book.  Plus the owner's name and Chicago address - from 1924!



A square yard stick...


6 assorted license plates.  I have no idea why I love them so much, but I definitely have a weakness for license plates.  I love the colors and the designs on them.   I already have plans for a few of them at the Lake House....

5 assorted leather belts.  Very vintage and very broken in.   I've already cleaned them and later I want to put some leather polish on them.  They are wonderful.  Some are hand tooled.


A nice assortment of trinkets and jewelry that I'll be selling - perfect for those of you who like to up cycle this kind of thing into new jewelry and odds and ends.


This plastic box is in rough condition, but I liked all the buttons and old clothing labels that were inside...



And that's about it for this week.  I have to say, I had a great time at the last estate sale - great sellers and so much stuff to go through.   If it wasn't so close to lunch time and I wasn't starving, we might have stayed a little longer.  But that's ok, I have a bunch of stuff to clean, photograph and list this week.  What did you find this week?

If you see anything that you like, most items will be listed in my shop sometime this week.

Linking up With....
Sundays at Home # 47
Vintage Inspiration Party # 177
Let's Talk Vintage # 19
Party in your PJ's # 43

Monday, February 16, 2015

How to make a Smash Book/Journal

I know a lot of people who like to make Smash Books or Journals.  I've seen some really cute ones all over on Pinterest.  Last week when Chablis was cleaning out her closet she pulled out a bunch of old board games.  I had them sitting in a pile in my office when I had an idea on what to do with some of the old boards.  The graphics are so cool looking and colorful, so I decided to make a couple of Smash books out of some of the boards.

First I cut a Sorry board into 4 equal pieces to use as the book covers and then I pulled out our paper cutter and started cutting white sketch paper and card stock into sheets that would fit in between the covers....




I picked up a couple of binder rings from our local office supply store....


DON'T do what I did at first.   In order to put holes into the thick covers I pulled out my drill and a drill bit.  I placed the board so it was hanging over the table and started to drill a hole into it.  Big mistake......  The drill bit went thru the cover and the pressure from my hand made the drill slip and it it tore a huge hole into the game board.  Idiot!  


I went outside and got a piece of wood like I should have done in the first place, put another game board piece on top of it and then drilled it.  Much better and worked like a charm....

 I put about 50 assorted sheets of card stock and white paper in between the board covers and attached everything with the binder rings.  Instant Smash books!  They make great diaries, art books and journals too.


I like the bright colors and being able to use the vintage board games for something fun....









I even used the original box to make the back cover on one of them...



They make great gifts too - I put a couple of them in my ETSY shop here and here.

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