When garage sales throw up in your truck!

Courtney came down last weekend for a visit and to celebrate her birthday.  One of the things she wanted to do was go "junking" with me. I think she might have felt left out of all the cool finds that ended up in Liz's apartment. So we headed out early to hit some thrift stores and any garage sales we happened upon.

At the first garage sale stop, Courtney scored this cool Asian metal can for $5.
 

 

 I got a pair of silver-plated candelabras, and some pillows that I will "dissect" for the parts.

We stopped at the Goodwill (well, actually two GWs) and another store and picked up some sheets for projects (I got a nice set of Simply Shabby Chic ones for $5!)  

Okay, long story short, we walked about a zillion miles through stores and sales.  We were quite restrained in what we bought.  At first.

What we thought would be our last stop came from a tip from Stud Muffin.  He past a some sales set up in a parking lot while out running his own errands.  It was "fixin" to rain when we got there, so we took a quick look around and started to leave.  One lady asked me if I would give her $5 for a little table I had examined.  Five dollars seemed to be my number!  With raindrops starting to fall, I agreed, but when her helper carried it to the truck, she brought over some ceramic thingies and a clock.  She said she didn't want to take them home, so they were free accessories for the table.  Ummm...okay?

The lady at the next table begged me to buy a spindle cradle that she wanted to get rid of.  I decided that "maybe" I could chop it up and make a bench or something from it, so I agreed.  There seemed to be a lot of parts to it when we were loading it into the truck. That's when she said there was a changing table and some white eyelet bedding too!  Huh??

Another lady had a HUGE steamer trunk on a trailer, but it was so big, I didn't even ask to see inside.  She also had a very old cardboard suitcase, but it was pretty damaged and the top was totally warped. 
 
We were "this close" to home, but got waylaid by a Moving Sale sign on the corner!  The rain had stopped, so we did too.  At the sale.  The folks were starting to pack up, so we took a quick look around.  

There was an old Westinghouse tube radio on a table, looking pretty rough, but in a neat way.  They had glassware and kitchen stuff, old wicker baskets and random other things. 

Pile of chips and dust in the corner is the radio falling apart!

I asked the man how much he wanted for the radio and he suggested $25.  I said that was too rich for my blood considering the conditions, and then it was $15.  I said I'd think about it and started checking out the vintage Pyrex and Tupperware.  Next thing I knew, a pile was forming on the table!

As the sellers packed up the extra items, they kept offering us cool stuff at ridiculous prices or free!  We struck a deal on the whole pile of stuff and (over)loaded the truck some more.  Courtney had to ride home with a large box on her lap filled with vintage glassware wrapped in a free set of King size sheets!  Good thing it was only a few seconds down the road to the house.

I wish I had taken a picture of the truck when we arrived at home, but we had to unload as much as possible, as fast as possible, so Stud Muffin wouldn't see the carnage! Please reference this post's title for mental image.

Gratuitous photo of Courtney laughing at the card her sister gave her.  Something about her being old enough to have played pool with Jesus.

After we unloaded and put our feet up for a while, Courtney mentioned how much she liked the huge trunk.  Why didn't she say something while we are at the sale?!?  So, when she went to have a nap, Stud Muffin and I took off to see if the trunk lady was still at the parking lot.  

Unfortunately, the lot was empty, but since we had already driven to town, I suggested we stop in at my favorite junk store that is only open...when they feel like it.  Hard for me to guess when that might be, but Saturdays were pretty likely.

And look what jumped into the truck and came home with me!!!

Isn't she pretty??

 A 1916 White Family Rotary treadle sewing machine.  For $40!!  Complete with all 6 drawers, the accessory kit, bobbins and extra leather belts!  I'm not sure if she actually sews, but the wheel turns and the needle goes up and down.  

She's going to take quite a bit of work to restore.  Someone lacquered over the whole thing including parts of the machine, and the lacquer had darkened with age and gotten a bit sticky.  So I know what I will be doing for the next little while millennium.. stripping off the old lacquer and making her pretty again.

Oh, and cleaning garage sale spew out of the truck to make room for the next go 'round!  Like maybe this shirt I saw the other day?

Why I love my UPS guy.

It's not really a secret.  I'm having a thing with for my UPS guy. Or maybe it's the Fedex guy. I'm not really sure. See, he usually delivers while I'm not at home (or possibly napping.)

Recently, whoever-he-is left me a brand new vacuum cleaner.  (*Giggle* I think he likes me too!)

 I wrote a little about it here.  I've used the vacuum a couple of times now and can honestly say I like it better each time! The hose is loosening up and I'm getting faster at attaching the hand tools and then switching back to the vacuum again.  I forgot to take pictures of the machine before I used it, and after cleaning my dog fur covered house, you really don't want to see it now!

Anyway, the other day another jumbo box was waiting on the porch.  I actually thought it was something Stud Muffin ordered from Amazon because I was told that something would be arriving.  Imagine my surprised when the box was addressed to me and this was inside!

Whoo hoo!  Another free appliance to test drive!  And this thing is killer!  (Get it? Ninja?)  Okay, bad joke, but it is the Mega Kitchen System 1500 and it includes a blender and food processor.  I don't even think this thing is available yet, at least my Google search didn't turn up anything.

Look at all the stuff in the box.   A ginormous blender pitcher, a food processor bowl with a smaller one that fits inside for smaller portions, 2 single-serve cups (for smoothies) and 6 different killer blades.

 And those blades are sharp!!  Want to know how I know?

That was just loading the parts into and out of the dishwasher.  *Sigh*   Oh!  And this thing is is so much smarter than me that I needed to use the Quick Start guide just to put the lid on the blender!  It kinda suctions on so it doesn't leak.

I made myself a smoothie after washing the parts (and cutting myself...twice)  Works great on ice cubes! I can't wait to try the food processor parts.

Okay, commercial over, but now you know about my adoration for my [insert delivery service name] guy.  He has a big thing for me and is wooing me with new appliances! 

Why I love Home Goods!

I don't have a Home Goods store near me.  Probably a good thing, since I would spend all of Stud Muffin's money there, whether I need the stuff or not!  But, I have been impatiently eagerly awaiting the opening of the first store near Liz's apartment. We've been needing this store as we have outfitted her apartment and there may have been my nose prints on their front door for weeks now.

Yesterday, I ventured into town to help Liz find some artwork for her place.  We haven't had much luck elsewhere, but just knew HG would come through.  And it did!  In about 20 minutes, we found 5 pictures and assorted other goodies.

First up was this sweet print that we hung over her laundry room door. (Sorry about the crappy pictures.  I forgot my camera and had to use my phone!)

It's visible from the front door, so we thought it added a nice touch to the area.

Next came an owl canvass for the guest bath...

and a cute soap box decorated with "vintage" hot and cold spigots.  She still needs a small picture to go above the toilet (but under the cabinet) to add some color.

Liz found a print for her bedroom that looked like an embroidery or crewel stitchery.  (Yeah, no close up.  I'm so lame!)

The biggie we were after was something large to go above the sofa so you were looking at a blank wall when you entered the apartment.  Liz found the print on the right, then located the related one a few minutes later.

It wasn't until we set them on the back of the sofa  that we noticed they looked like one print cut in two.  The right print has a road slanting up towards the top with a lady riding a bike at the far left.  The left hand picture has a continuation of the road leading to a house.  How cool! 

The shutters are two of four that I found at my favorite junk store a while ago and didn't know what to do with them.  Liz wanted them painted yellow and distressed.  I hung one set in the living room...

and the other surrounding the message center I made to sell but she claimed before I even started painting!

Here is the before.  I found this for $5.50 at a charity shop and snatched it up!  I wasn't sure what the 3 cross bars were for (except decoration) but knew it would look better without them.

I painted the piece with two shades of green paint, turned the mirror into a chalkboard and  soaked the hardware and some wire in vinegar and salt to rust them.  I installed rusted "eyes" and ran the wire in a zig-zag pattern where the cross bars had been.  Some stained mini clothespins hold notes or photos.  I wish I had more of these!

I've finished another project that's been on the back burner.  This is based on an idea I found on Pinterest...combining vintage pans and candlesticks to make a two-tiered whatchamacallit.

I wasn't sure this would work, so I didn't take many pictures, but this includes two bundt pans and the parts for a couple of wooden candlesticks.  I put a brass cabinet pull on the very top.  

I'm keeping this one for myself because I glued everything together before I painted, so the paint job isn't perfect.  It was a pain to wrap and tape off the pans and then spray over and around the plastic. I don't recommend this technique!

Anyway, here it is.  The aluminum pans are worn from use and I might add some kind of graphic to them. 

With or without a graphic, I can see many uses for such an item, like a K-cup coffee station.  Or to hold craft supplies (not that ANYONE has stuff like that!)

Since this post has rambled on and on, next time I will share with you why I love my UPS guy, but don't tell Stud Muffin!  He might not understand the sentiment!

I'm a sucker

Seriously.  I am such a sucker for certain vintage things.  Like red and white enamel kitchenware.  Let's examine the evidence piling up against me.  Literally!

I wish I could say that this was all I have.

But I noticed that in my shop, I have a related coffee pot that's missing it's lid (not shown cuz I was too lazy.)   I also had a large stock pot that I planted for Liz's porch.  That's why I have an extra lid in that rectangular box.

 I also seemed to be drawn to metal office products, like this file and the cash box.

I don't know what it is, but when I see them, I. must. have. them.  What's with that?

So here are some recent finds. 

There's the metal file box in the back. The silver plated mirror polished up really well.  The palm tree tray will get a paint job some day soon, but I think the birdcage is perfect as soon as I ripped all the ribbon off! The silver colored picture frames have already been converted into chalkboards.

I plan to list these in my currently-empty Etsy shop.  Soon.  I hope.

I got these at a little thrift store I stopped by on a lark.  The Brass doorknob plaque is by Bombay Company.  I can't decide to keep it as is, paint it, or take it apart and use the knobs in other projects.  The apothecary bottles have neat ground glass stoppers and cost my $3 for the pair!  Love 'em!

The lid-less kettle and ceramic candlestick met in the shopping bag, fell in love, and got married!  Don't they look happy with the paper hydrangeas I made?  Okay, maybe they need a potted plant instead.

I also got this hook/mirror wall thingy.  It never made it into the house (hence the crappy lighting) before I started reworking it.  I'll show you more when I get it finished.

Currently, I have a hundred dozen-ty projects in the works.  Everything takes multiple steps, so I work on more than one at a time.  You know, apply a coat of primer, then work on something else while the primer dries.  Then apply paint, and work on something else while that dries.  So not many projects are ready to show at the moment.  But I promise I will!!