What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Sunday, December 06, 2009

Vintage Christmas Monday

...and Tuesday, and Wednesday and.....pretty much every day until Christmas if you know me.

I moved last week's temporary display to it's actual holiday home. I like it here.I was having a terrible time getting it all to fit in just right, so I cheated and printed off the photo from last year as sort of a blueprint. It helped me get the bigger things just right then I could play around with the little dime store tsotchkes. I don't think I can squeeze one more thing in there. But, if I find just the right thing, I bet I can!

I found this old rubber face Santa at a yard sale about ten years ago when I very first started buying vintage things to sell on ebay. I bought him to sell, but - big surprise here - I feel in love with him. He stands about four feet tall. Can you believe I only paid $2.00 for him?????

Lastly for today's Vintage Monday Post - Here are my vintage Christmas tablecloths. I've made a vow not to buy any more Christmas tablecloths and so far I have stuck to that rule. But, if I find a cutie with elves or Santa on it - it's coming home with me!

Speaking of home - here it is after one afternoon of hard labor. (Sorry for the blur...) See that line of colored lights across the roofline? The Breadman did that. I did everything else. At the same time. In the same amount of time.

I hung up the wreath, added the sign, put the Evergreen garland and lights around the door. He put up those colored lights.

I gathered up all my Santa blowmolds ala Magpie Ethel and arranged them just so. I added in more Evergreen Garland, more lights and vintage red wooden beaded garland. I added the big Santa blowmold to the old window with some more Evergreen garland. I set up the tree and decorated it with rusty decorations and lights. He put up those colored lights.
I've picked these blowmolds up for years - usually for 25¢ to 50¢. This is the first year that I have actually used them. I hope Laurie won't mind that I borrowed her idea. To make up for it, I will gladly send The Breadman up to her house to add some colored lights to her roofline. :o)


Don't forget to visit Anything Goes Here to see the all the fun Vintage Christmas posts!

16 comments:

  1. Oh! How beautiful. I love your shelf and your collection of Santas. They are adorable beyond. Stan

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  2. You have some amazing stuff and your house looks very Christmassy
    Sending you warmest Vintage Christmas Monday wishes from Boxwood Cottage in Germany
    Carola

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  3. LOVE the blowmolds! Up the street from my in-laws is a HUGE blowmold Santa in an inside window. Easily six feet tall. I drool every time I drive by!! hehehe!

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  4. Everything is sooo wonderful! I especially love your vintage Christmas tablecloths! Bisous... Julie Marie

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  5. LOOK at all those tablecloths! I loved that shelf display last year & am really happy to see it back. It's just great.

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  6. i love everything.....truly, EVERYTHING! I wish I could thrit around here.....

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  7. Ooh, it all looks so pretty! I wish I could come over and look at all of your vintage goodies up close!

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  8. What wonderful vintage displays, I took copies of your photos so I can do the same next year....I have a ton of little things and never know how to display them! Great job! Where do you find Santa blowmolds for 25 cents???? Youa re so lucky! I would love to come visit! :) Thanks for the great post!

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  9. Love it all, especially the tablecloths. Happy VCM!
    Pam

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  10. Love those shelves of Christmas joy! And the Santa brigade is great too. I hope your hubby doesn't read your blog, otherwise he might make you get up there and put up those lights next year! Trust me, and be careful what you blog about. I speak from experience!
    Happy Christmas Monday!
    Carol

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  11. So the Breadman is coming to visit huh? Your blow molds looks spectacular and I love them all grouped together...so much SANTA impact that way - glad to provide inspiration!

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  12. I saw that rubber face Santa for $50 at an antique mall today. There were others that were $100. This was a middle-of-nowhere antique mall too.

    I love all your stuff and only hope I can be so lucky as to score so many goodies as the years go on.

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  13. that's simply hilarious..."he put up the lights"...lol! i love it:) and your collection is extraordinary - wow!

    mary

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  14. It is all making me swoon...that that Santa for $2?!

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  15. Everything looks so wonderful and the house looks great from the outside! Love everything. xo Joan, your hostess

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  16. I just wanted you to know that I featured you in my latest Vintage Christmas recap. Your hostess~Joan

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