You Want More? I'll Show You More!

So, you still like me after seeing my Christmas in it's entirety?  Yeah!  I did enjoy the comment from Barbara about it being in a non-functioning living room.  This is our only living space - still plenty of room for the couch, two chairs, three cats, TV watching, crafting, snoozing on the couch *cough*Breadman*cough* and other things.  Everything is neatly displayed and the room is completely livable.  I enjoy being in there and just looking at my treasures. 

Well, what shall we see today???  Kneehuggers?  I have those.

I actually donated quite a few of these this year - they were not truly vintage, but more 1980's versions.  I think discovered that the little group I did donate would have sold for about $30.00 on ebay.  Dadgumit.  Oh well, live and learn!

What else, what else?

How about this cute guy?  I think he was seven years old.  He is wearing a vintage Santa Suit.  I love this photo so much! 

I made these Pinecone Elves last year and I hung them on this little ladder (which is actually an old crib slat) and they have hung there ever since.  I just hated to pack them away after I made them.  I've already made a pink hat, mittens, shoes and scarf - I just need to find the perfect pinecone to complete it.

This is Emily.  She is a funny little handmade doll that my Mom bought me quite a few years ago.  She is wearing The Bean's 1st Christmas outfit.  Between Emily and Hazel, I am always buying little girl clothes.  (I think I might be a teeny bit nuts.  I imagine some day I will get one of those little dogs and dress it in pink and carry it around in my purse.  I am destined to be a weird old lady).

I think that is enough for today - I'll be back with even more tomorrow!

Where Do You Keep It All?

I suppose it is about time to tour the decorations at my house.  When I decorate for Christmas, I take every single thing out of the living room except for the furniture.  And, actually, some of the furniture goes too.  I cover every single square inch of the living room with all of my Christmas decor.  In fact, I don't decorate any other room in the house - just the living room.  And since I have so much vintage Christmas, it ends up looking like the Christmas Store at the Mall.  Albeit, the Vintage Mall.  But, still.  I love it like this - all or nothing - Go Big or Go home and and all that stuff.  When you walk into my living room, there is no denying that it is Christmas.

Ready?

Are you sure?

Here is the bay window area.  I warned you.  There's a lot!  A new addition this year include the Sock Monkey Santa, which I could not resist.  I love the giant Rubber faced Santa in the window on the left.  I bought him for $2.00 in a backyard sale years ago.  He is big and bulky and kind of a pain to store, but I adore him. 

The Dime Store Decor Area.  Lots and lots of vintage packaging, vintage items and general Kitsch.  If it was for sale at Woolsworth or Ben Franklin, it's for me!  This is my favorite collection because I can always add to it and try to find something unique to squeeeeze in there.  I got that Mica Snow in there, didn't I?

The Annalee area.  I know that some people don't like Annalee dolls.  But, I think they are super cute.  Having said that, I only like them with my holiday decor - I don't have any that stay out year round.  I've been lucky to find most of these at the thrift store and my sweet friend sends them to me from time to time too.

This little boy should be holding a candle, I think.  But, I put a glass ornament in his hand.  He looks right at home in the wreath I made last year.

The Nutcrackers.  Oh, my Lord.  The damn Nutcrackers.  Three short years ago The Bean found a Nutcracker at the thrift and decided he liked it.  Then he found another and another and another.  And, he found them after the holidays and at yard sales and on and on.  The Nutcrackers are not my favorite (and I did not display them) but he loves them.  This will be his collection to share with his own family someday.  (Excuse me a second.  Boo Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoo.)  Okay, I am back.  Darn Nutcrackers anyway!

On to the Santa's.  There's a lot of them too.  I didn't even put them all out this year.  Santa's were my first Christmas collection, so even though some of them don't fit into my vintage collection  - I still am attached to them.  So, I had to keep them.

I warned you!  Lots of Santa's.

The Woodland Santa's.  I got that tree this year for $1.00 and it really fits in perfectly.

Santa's!  Most of them are either vintage or vintage inspired.  I got that Santa Mouse in the back when I was six years old.  So, he actually is vintage!  ha  There are a few newer one that give me a chuckle, like the Outhouse that opens to find Santa, well, you know.  There's nesting dolls and glassware and rubber faced Santas and Santa cups and, and, and....

 More and more Santas.  If I see one I like and I can afford it (read, CHEAP), I buy it.  Now that I know more about things, I see that I actually own a few German smokers and some other ones that I know what they are now.  (Yes, that is a crab painted to look like a Santa  Yes, I know it is slightly tacky.  I have a collection within the Santa Collection - things painted like Santa - an acorn, a walnut, a Coke bottle, a crab, a stick, a cinnamon stick, a gourd, a fishing bobber, a rock, an okra pod, a thimble...you get the drift).

Even more Santas!  And tablecloths.  I swore off Christmas tablecloths last year.  But, I accidentally bought one a week or so ago.  I just love them all stacked up like that.  My Egg Nog punchbowl set is sort of buried under all those Santa face mugs.  I bought it for $1.00 at a yard sale about ten years ago, thinking I would sell it.  One day it occurred to me that it was completely awesome and it only cost one dollar, so I needed to keep it! 

I guess that is enough for tonight.  Wouldn't want to overdo it.  Not me!  I'll save the village, the vintage tree, the actual tree, the kneehuggers, the pink area, the cute stuff, the things that make me happy, the things I made, the Christmas tins and the miscellaneous for another day.  Whew!

*The answer to the title is in the garage.  Neatly packed in tubs.  Lots of tubs.

One More Thrifty FInd

Friday at the thrift, nestled under a pile O'Christmas crap, I spotted a small blue cardboard box marked $1.00.  I peeked inside, because...well, you just have to look everywhere.  You never know what you might find, right?

 Inside this box was a set of Children's Italian Alphabet Flashcards.

 They are on printed on chipboard and have the most adorable graphics.   Here are a few of my favorites.

 Bunnies.

Cherries.

Skier.

 Sweet Birdie.

And my favorite favorite - a Gnome. 

It just goes to prove - you need to look everywhere when you are thrifting! 

An Apology to the Thrifting Gods

Dear Thrifting Gods,

I am sorry. I hoped you would bring a little vintage Christmas into my life before the thrifts close for the holidays. You've been teasing me with a little here. A little there. But, today, you were extra good to me.

First you let me find four vintage knitted stockings.  (I especially like that Frosty Stocking)

You told me to look in that big tub of Evergreen Garland. And just look at what was there - Two vintage ornament kits - including a Lee Wards.  And, they are both pink!

You told me to go into the "Antique Corner" even though you know I always avoid that pricey little area.  But, there in the case sat these two tabletop Angel Blowmolds (or ANGLES according to the tag) at an affordable price.

And, even though I had looked everywhere twice, you whispered in my ear that I should look one more time.  And, there on a table, under a Dollar Store felt tree skirt, I spotted three vintage packages of Doubl-Glo Mica Snow.  Original price...10¢.

I was only going to buy one package.  As I was checking out, you reminded me what a mistake it would be to leave the other two packages behind.  You knew that I would be kicking myself later.

You were right.  You know me so well, Thrift Gods. 

Thank you.  And, I really am sorry.

Your thrifty friend,

Shara

P.S.  Could you find it in your heart to bring me just one indented ornament or maybe one spun head person?

P.P.S.  Thank you.

Thursday's Thrifty Finds

I was whining the other day about not finding much in the Vintage Christmas Department this year.  I have found a few items since that post.  But, I still want to find one box of indented ornies or a handful of spun head elves.  (Of course, I always want to find things like that).

Last year I picked up an Angel Chime at a thrift after The Bean looked at it and asked how it worked.

I had never really known what they were, so I bought it and we put it together when we got home.  If you've never seen one in action...the heat of the candles makes the little fan blade go around which makes the angels chime.  I have to say, I am quite smitten with these little chimes now.  I've picked up two sets since and a few boxes of vintage replacement candles.  Even though I do like these metal ones, I have been wishing and hoping to find a wooden one from Germany.

 And, what did I find at the Super Cheap Thrift today for one dollar???????  It's not German, but it is darned cute and it will do.

The little figures are so sweet - even the pantless elf!  This one does not chime, but the fan does go around and the figures spin.  I just adore it and am so happy to have found it.  Especially for one dollar.  :D  Now, to find a three tiered one!

I got these little girls at a different thrift yesterday.  I do think they are cute, but they aren't really my style.  I will sell them somewhere - Etsy, ebay, the booth.....I don't really know.  (I need to talk about the Booth someday.  It's ho hum, and not doing great.  Not bad, just not great.  I don't want to close it, I want to keep it.  I certainly don't want to drag all that crap home again.  But, the amount of work it takes isn't quite matching up to the amount of money I am making lately.  We'll see what happens after New Years.)

And, at a sort of permanent yard sale up the street, this ginormous assortment of chalkware, plaster, pressed paper and plastic nativity figures and animals.  I like the old chalk sheep.  I may have to keep those.  I have two or three of every member of the Nativity.  Except one.

I only found one baby Jesus.  One baby Jesus with wickedly wild eyebrows.

Time is ticking on the thrifts having vintage Christmas stuff on display.  Maybe there is still time to score some treasures.  Good luck to you!  (and to me!)

Babies, Thrift Scores and A Negative

Yesterday, I spent the day with these two precious baby girls.  The "little girl" I used to babysit, had these delightful twin girls in May and they are now 6 months old.  I could not rest until I got my hands on those babies.  And, they did not disappoint.  That's Kennedy on the left - she is strong..  She wants to stand up on your legs, must have something in her hands at all times and desires to eat your necklace, earrings, buttons and fingers because they look simply delicious. I brought them a book with babies in it and she grabbed the book, forced it to her face and had a baby make out session with the baby in the book.  She was a real go getter and cracked me up.  On the other spectrum, is Maci, on the left.  She is calm and mellow.  She sits quietly and watches everything, drinking it all in.  She watches Kennedy with much fascination like, "Holy cow, Sis, chill!"  She was content to sit on my lap, or lay on the couch and just absorb her surroundings.  When they got in their walkers to play, Maci played quietly with one toy while Kennedy hopped and jumped and hollered and spun around in circles.  When she finally got her self adjusted to be able to see her sister, she found her to be quite comical.  She laughed great big resounding belly laughs at her for the longest time.  Too which Maci just looked at her like, "What?"  I think Maci is in for a big job in her life - keeping an eye on Kennedy and keeping her out of mischief and trouble.  Maci is the logical thinker.  Kennedy is the partier.  My "little girl" is in for quite a ride with these two!

After we left the babies, we proceeded to Krispy Kreme for our annual Donut fix.  Delish!  Then on to a favorite thrift store that is about 30 miles away, so I rarely ever get to go there.  It is usually chock full of vintage goodness and run by elderly women.  The way thrifts were meant to be, I say!  I had hopes of finding a tall Santa Blowmold for my porch.  I'm wanting about a four foot tall one, and I can sense there is one out there - I just need to find it.  Any hopes of finding one at this particular thrift were squashed when I saw the house next door.  I kid you not, they must have had two hundred blowmolds in their yard.  I didn't not get any photos of it because the people were in the yard puting out even more decorations!  I believe they are the official Blow Mold buyers of that thrift. 

Having said, that - I actually did get two Santa Blowmolds, but they are of the tabletop variety like the ones I already have on my porch.  More is better, I always say!

I also found these two Dansk teak Mid Century Peppermills for $1.50 each. 

They will be going on ebay tonight and should be pretty well.  They were a happy accidental find.

Lat night I received my very first negative on ebay - an unjustified negative.  I knew it was a bad transaction from the start.  She bought a $3.00 magazine on October 20th. but did not pay until October 25th.  I mailed it the next day on the 26th.  On the 27th, she filed a complaint with ebay saying that "I have been waiting forever for this magazine".  Ebay said it was too early to file a complaint, so I should contact her.  I did, told her that it had been mailed Priority and should be there in the next day or so.  I asked that she contact me if it didn't arrive by that time.  I never heard back, so I foolishly assumed that it had arrived.  Two months have now passed, not a word from her and BAM she leaves me a Negative..."Took forever to receive item".  I seriously think she has my auction confused with another auction.  I have sold items worth hundreds of dollars without a hitch.  But, this $3.00 auction really sucked.  I only charged Media Rate, then discovered that it didn't qualify, so I upped it to Priority (at my cost - it was my fault).  So, I lost $3.25 for shipping, lost ebay fees, lost PayPal fees and got a Negative.  Sheesh.  What a deal!

But, even that cannot take away from the day with those babies!!!

Kennedy:  Party Girl

Maci:  Future Valedictorian
(If anyone knows how I can get myself a couple of these babies, please let me know!)

New Old Stuff

Last week I had some successful ebay auctions netting me $225.00 for $11.00 worth of finds. Whenever I have that sort of happy luck, I take the original amount (in this case - $11.00) and buy myself a little treat.  I still make a profit and I get a little something special. 

This week's happy accident brought me this vintage pinecone snowman.  He's really big.  His spun cotton head is about as big as a golf ball - the largest I've ever seen.

He brought a friend too.  Two giant pinecone snowmen!  I love their chenille stem candy canes and their jaunty little hats.

I also got this sweet little pine cone gnome.  He is holding a wee mercury glass toadstool in one hand and some mercury beads in the other.  He's a dapper little dude.

And, one more.  A spun cotton elf sitting on a pinecone.  His tag says 10¢.  Made in Japan of course.  All extra cute things were once made in Japan.

I generally find one or two extra special vintage Christmas items at the thrifts this time of year.  But, this year, I have not found one thing!  The thrifts are full of new stuff - from Department 56 to Walmart.  I'm starting to think that all the vintage has been dispersed and is in the hands of collectors like me and you, that it is all GONE!  I hope that isn't so.  I don't need boxes of ornaments or dozens of pinecone elves or miles of mercury beads...just a couple little things.  Maybe a couple of indented ornaments or one Putz house or one bottle brush.  Just a taste.  Is that too much to ask?

**(I certainly would take boxes of ornaments and dozens of pinecone elves and miles of mercury beads if the vintage Christmas Gods are listening........)

Have you found any vintage Christmas goodness this year?

The Free Stuff

First, let me announce......commence the trumpets..... Do-do-do-DO....I have finished decorating.  I have been working on it for nearly two weeks.  I do love playing with my pretties and making new arrangements, but after awhile, I get cranky and crabby.  So, this year, I did it in small increments over a longer time and finally finished today.  I would have been finished a lot earlier, but the darn tree kept shorting out and blowing fuses.  I'd get one set of lights going and *pop* another would go out.  Finally, on Tuesday, I had all I could handle, opened the front door and heaved it to the curb.  As I drove off in search of a new tree, I saw something sparkling on the old tree and stopped to investigate.  It was our "First Christmas Together" ornament, so I am glad that I saw it.  When The Breadman saw the tree at the curb, he said, "Well, you made it a day longer than I thought you would."  Meaning, he knew I would toss it and get a new one.  Which is weird, because that is so not like me!

My woodland Santas.

So, I mentioned that I found an Estate Sale last weekend where everything was FREE.  The pickings were slim and a family ahead of me was grabbing things left and right, so I really didn't get that much.  But, I was happy with what I did get and thanked the man giving it away.  I do wish I would have found the sale when things were actually being SOLD, because the things that I did get make me wonder what I missed.  Lots of vintage goodness, I am afraid.

I did get a vintage Sorry game, a vintage Scrabble game, a big tin full of vintage Beistle and honeycomb Halloween decorations, a pair of vintage red garden shears, a signed Italian restaurant menu from 1970, some vintage Christmas cards, a logic puzzle, a plaque with a copper toadstool on it, a wood burned eagle plaque and a handmade penis.  Oh, you caught that last one, did you?  Just seeing if you are paying attention!  I really did get all that - including the last, ahem, item.  I pulled it out of the tin full of vintage Halloween stuff and my eyes about popped out of my head.  I'd put a photo on here, but there might be little eyes peering somewhere over your shoulder. 

On to the photoworthy items:

 An Acme Brick from 1976.   You won't believe what I am going to tell you, but I sort of have a collection of bricks.  So, this will go in that collection.  Yes, I collect bricks.  Whoda thunk it?

A bulldog from a letter jacket or maybe a uniform jacket. 

 An old metal Bus Stop sign from ????  I don't know. 

A cigar box full of bottle caps.

 This is something I have always wanted to find when out thrifting - a gum wrapper chain.  Why I wanted one, I do not know.  I just think they are neat.  This one is about 7 feet long.  There was also a shoebox full of vintage gum wrappers, so I can make my own (I took a few links off and it's surprisingly easy to make).

This vintage felt Christmas Card holder stole my heart when I spotted it under a table in a box.  There are Mercury Glass beads, jungle bells, a spun head Santa and other little treats on the pockets. 

 How can you not love this face!   The whole thing is nearly as tall as I am so I don't know if I can display it or not.  It is really enduring, though.   

Two weeks ago, I scored a bag of goodies at a sale for 59¢.  Last weekend I got all this stuff for free.  So, this weekend, I'm sure I will find a sale that will pay me cash to take things.  I'm sure that will work out...right?  (The fact that I am still finding an occasional yard sale this time of year is a feat within itself.)