Here's What We Bought on Our Antiquing Adventures in Berkeley

 Actually, this is just a part of what I bought...

This little display stand is what I was most excited about.  Judging from the labels on it (patchouli, maddipal, citronella, sandal, musk, jasmine, etc) I'm assuming it was made for incense sticks.  But I think it'll be great for displaying my bracelets!

Also bought a straw hat to decorate for when I work at RWAP.  After last week when I got sunburned at the parking lot sale I think I need a wider brim!

 The clear plastic bottles  in the photo above and these little goodies came from a Japanese dollar store.  I'll show you later what we're doing with the plastic bottles.  I needed jute to tie up my monster tomato plants (not yet on my neighbor's side of the fence, but close) and I love the Japanese craft tapes!

 I also love the Japanese/French labeling.  I think these roses may go on the straw hat.

These old microfiche boxes came from the East Bay Reuse Depot.  I guess the library doesn't need microfiche copies of the New York Times anymore.  It was filled with the individual boxes that I'll be reusing to ship my jewelry orders from Etsy.

Lauren found another frog for me.

And lots of little bits for jewelry!  Great embossed wrapping paper from the Japanese store.  And a lovely old reindeer that wanted to come home with me.  We found it in the scary out building at the antique shop I mentioned yesterday.  I brought it up to the lady at the front.  At first she told me $1.00.  Then she said, "Oh, it's got a broken leg.  You can have it for 50... oh, you can just have it.  I'll catch you next time."  A little superglue and he'll be as good as new.

And it's all on our new dining table!  I'll have to take a picture of that for you, too.  It's decorated right now for our Canada Day party.

Ballard... but Cheaper!

I discovered Ballard Designs last year and really like their decorating ideas.  But NOT their prices.

I saw these antique silverware molds a few months ago.  Of course I like them, 'cause they're grungy.  And Jo says my style isn't "shabby chic", it's "grungy chic."

But I didn't like the $49 price tag.  I found a tutorial online that shows how to make them but it looked like a lot of trouble -- and very messy.

 So I couldn't believe it a few weeks later when I walked into Goodwill and found these.  Not exactly the same thing, but these have little hooks on them, too!  And Jo needed a place to hang all her measuring cups & spoons so they're close by whenever she wants to make cookies for us! 

Guess what I paid for them?....

$3.99!

I didn't copy this from Ballard.  It's just a little reminder that this weekend is the Room With a Past sale!

Thursday, 5/19, 6-9 pm
Friday, 5/20, 9 am - 4 pm
Saturday, 5/21, 9 am - 4 pm
Sunday, 5/22, 10 am - 4 pm

1557 Third Avenue
Walnut Creek, CA

$5.00 Corner Table Makeover

I've been meaning to share this project for  while.  We've had this table for a couple of years.   It's from our  favorite thrift store for only $5.00 and has been in our upstairs hall since then.  I change out the things on it for each season.  Here's what it looked like when we bought it:

And here's what it looks like now:

All it took was one can of black spray paint!  I've been using spray paint a lot lately.  I wanted to share more, but I keep forgetting to take before pictures!  I'll have to go buy some more things to paint.  Which reminds me... this weekend is the Martinez Peddler's Faire!  I'm linking to Frugal Friday.

Things You Can Do With A Frog

I've liked flower frogs for as long as I can remember.  I've collected quite a few and use them around the house but not very often for what they're actually meant for -- arranging flowers.  I was reminded of these again Sunday while I was shopping during Glenn's bike ride.  The antique shop owner was using a glass flower frog to instead of a cup to corral her pens.  I do this on my desk.

I found several frogs in her shop.  When I brought them up she pulled a few more out from under the counter.  She hadn't even priced them yet but offered them to me, too.  Of course, I took them.  These have been selling really well in my booth at Room With A Past (aka, "The Room").   And I've already showed you how I use this frog to organize my jewelry supplies:

Here are a few other ways you can use frogs:  Scripture reminders...

...memorizing vocabulary words...

... displaying photos...

.... or displaying jewelry...

... do you use flower frogs in creative ways?  Add a link to your blog below.  Oh, and if you'd like to learn more about flower frogs, look at this website.

Tiny Talk Tuesday (A Little Late) & What I Bought at the Thrift Store

I forgot to blog yesterday and I had some really good things to share.  I found these glasses at a thrift store yesterday.  Do they look familiar to anyone else?  This is what I remember my grandmother's (Mattie Beth's) glasses looking like.  Am I remembering correctly?  Here's a close up.  I thought I remembered those little circles... I always liked lining up my fingers in the circles.

ADDED NOTE:  Yes, they're like frosted or etched leaves & grapes. I remember hers being much more worn than these. I couldn't believe I found these. I've never seen any like them anywhere. Are these some of the dishes she got free for buying something else? Seems like I remember her telling us she got some of her dishes that way.

On Sunday I took Margie to church then we came home, ate, and opened Mother's Day gifts.  After she opened everything she said, "This is the best birthday I've ever had!"

Something for Angie to See -- My Altered Brush

I thought if I put Angie's name in my post title she'd see this when it shows up on Facebook.  :-)  Their family has had a rough week, too.  Angie's dad has been very sick the last few weeks.  Then Gary's dad died last weekend.  Maybe this will cheer her up.  I blogged here last fall about our little shopping trip to Pleasanton & what I bought.  I told her I was going to make something with it.  It's only taken me six months.  That's pretty typical for me.

I may put it in my Etsy shop, but for now it's sitting here on my desk reminding me that my adornment should not  be merely external.

Also, in this blog post you saw my project that made it into last year's issue of Somerset Holidays & Celebrations.  I found out this week that I'm going to be in it again this year -- that's THREE years in a row!  Yay!  One of my favorite magazines!!!

I Am A Creative Mess

 

Yes, this is where I create.  Amazing that anything can come out of this, right?  I've looked at the magazine "Where Women Create" and dreamed about having a whole room for my crafts.  Maybe it's a good thing I don't... the whole room would probably look like this.

OK, I think something's wrong with my Blogger.  I can't move these photos the way I could on my last few posts.

Here are a few of the things I bought on my shopping trip Tuesday.  The green flower frog is for my Etsy Cottage Style Street Team friend, Tina, in Denmark.  Her Etsy shop is called Tiny Treasures from TinyBear.  I found some things that I usually only find in antique stores or estate sales.

I also bought these pretty pearlized pins for a future project... stay tuned.

And another sneak peek:

Junkin' Monday

I've been meaning to join Nice & Easy Antiques for their Junkin' Monday for the last few weeks but kept forgetting. I remembered tonight so I thought I'd get a head start. Here's some "junk" I bought at a vintage sale a few weeks ago.

I've seen lots of examples of altered bottles & baby shoes so I was excited to find these.


Haven't made anything yet. Probably won't 'til after Christmas. Right now I'm still working on getting my blog ready for "30 Days of Thanksgiving." I may be through with my blog buttons tomorrow if anyone wants one.

What I'm Wearing Today...

I thought that would be a good title after my last post. lol... We had a nice girls' shopping day today. Did some wedding shopping and hit our favorite craft & thrift stores. Again, found some great things at the thrift store. Jeans are $5.00 at our favorite shop but today everything was 30% off. Jo found some Hollister jeans and I found some 7 For All Mankind jeans. I got them cause they're sooooooooo soft. When we got home Jo looked them up online & hers where originally $60 and mine were originally $198!!!! How can a pair of jeans possibly cost almost $200? Jo used her amazing algebra skills to figure that I saved about 98% on these jeans. So, do I win the shopping award for the week?

Our New Kitchen Table

Hey, Angie... remember that table we saw this morning that I said Glenn wanted?  Well, as soon as I got home, Glenn & Jo wanted to go to Lisa's House of Hot Dogs & the thrift store to look for a small table or desk.  (He's getting prepared to move out of Lauren's room for the summer & wants to set up his recording stuff in a corner of the living room.)  He did find a little desk for only $15.00 but look what else we found!?!  It was really cheap plus all the furniture was 30% off.  It cleaned up pretty well.  It reminded me of cleaning my 1960s chair that I bought for $5.00.  It looked REALLY bad when we found it, but I thought I'd risk $5 on it.  I think it took 3 Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, but it looks great now in our living room!

Now I'm off to Craigslist to sell my dining table.

Batten Down the Hatches!

That phrase came to my mind yesterday as we were rearranging silverware, china, and trying to find places for all the food we just bought!  I came across this definition online.  lol...  

I told SE that I'd show her photos of some napkins I bought.  We used these all summer.  The ones with the flowers and ladybugs/fruit are designed by Vera Neumann.  I found this website that tells a little about her.  Here's another that tells more about her linens.  I have a few of her scarves, too.  She uses a ladybug as her trademark symbol!  Always makes me think of Elizabeth.  

SE, let me know if you want any of these and I'll send them back for you.  Here are the napkins we've been using this fall.  I made the ones with pumpkins over 4 years ago!

I was a featured seller this week on the Etsy Cottage Style blog.

Thrift Store & Antique Show Finds

I almost forgot about these photos already.  Sunday after church, Angie & I went over to the Shadelands Antique Show for about an hour.  We found some really good buys!  I had wanted some old rusty keys and found a whole box full, also lots of cabinet cards with gorgeous frames.  
Take a look at the detail on this one, and the rhinestones on these gloves!
Then today I dropped off several boxes & bags at the thrift store.  I always go in when I do that.  Luckily I usually leave more with them than I buy.  :-)  I thought this tray was great -- "How to Preserve a Husband."  Glenn got a kick out of it.  I told Jordann I'd display it here and give it to the first daughter who gets married.  :-)

Pretty good advice, huh?  Here are the pumpkins Jo & I painted last week.  I made the tablerunner by cutting felt with my pinking shears.  The easiest thing I've made in a long time!  

Oh, our guest star must make an appearance.  She's not in a good mood, can you tell?  She wants me to open the door for her.  Then she'll go outside and stand in front of the gate & stare at it, wanting us to open it for her, too.  How'd she get so spoiled?
One last thrift store find.  I found these about a month ago.  I really wish I had taken a before shot.  They were that ugly gold, antiqued plastic that must have once hung on everyone's grandmother's walls.  They were really cheap so I bought them & spray painted them black.  They were supposed to be for one of my swap partners but me, Glenn, AND Jordann liked them so my partner will get something else -- just as good, don't worry.  It's not often that all three of us agree on a home decor item.  I just have some pumpkins stuck on them for now.

Look what I found!

Glenn & I were watching a movie last week and one of the characters was typing on a manual typewriter.  I mentioned that I'd like to have a typewriter and didn't really think of it again.  The next day when I walked into my FAVORITE thrift store there it was...  a typewriter!  Not just any typewriter.  An Underwood manual.  I left the price tag on for the first photo 'cause I couldn't believe it.  

From my online research I found that it's an Underwood manual Model No 5 made in 1924.   It seems to be in good shape just dirty.  I've found instructions on cleaning online, too.  The most detailed instructions say to take it completely apart and soak the piece in gasoline.  Ummmm, I don't think so.  I think I'll try the alcohol method without taking it apart.  :-)  Does anyone have any experience cleaning/repairing a typewriter this old? 

Supposedly it's portable, but it's about 30 pounds!

Grandpa, do you still have your old portable manual that we used to type on?  Hey, maybe I'll clean this up & type my article on it.  lol...

L & I are going to Ladies Day Away today.  Tomorrow after church we're all going to Marine World!