Vintage 4th of July Holiday Party

I'm linking up to the Vintage Holiday Blog Party at Anything Goes Here with my 4th of July decor.  I don't usually link up to parties, but I always join in on Joan's Vintage Parties.  Vintage parties are the best!

I really just started picking up things for my Patriotic/4th of July display within the last year or so.  I particularly like to find vintage souvenirs from Washington DC and old advertising pieces to work in to my display.

The building replica is the Headquarters House from the Civil War located in Fayetteville.  The Bean and I go there quite often, so that was a happy find one day.  The framed flag was a little flag that Sam Walton handed me one day at the Grand opening of a Sam's Club.  The Ben Franklin Avon bottle is the one and only Avon decanter that has ever entered this house. 

Some of my favorites:  A "Star" spool and a "Liberty" spool, an old Liberty Bell Olive jar, a card of Star-Snaps" and some Dennison Gummed label boxes. 

I love this old George Washington Tobacco tin.   I filled it with Presidentiall Silver Spoons, Gummed Star boxes and a Statue of Liberty.  That old Liberty Olive jar is pretty neat too.

A few more Washington DC souvenirs, a set of Dennison Office Supplies and a few more building replicas. 

This is my newest acquisition.  Miss America Cherries!  I lurve this thing soooo much!

A few old Patriotic flyers - the School Souvenir is my Great Grandmother's Report Card from 1912 and the photos are my Great Uncles.  The Marine is my Great Uncle Bob and the Pilot is my Great Uncle Murlin. 

A little bit of this, a little bit of that.....a collage I made a few years ago, the front page of the local newspaper featuring The Bean on the 4th of July when he was 3 *sniff*, some flags, etc.  You get the idea.

More flags, a sweet doll and some pinwheels I got in a swap last year and more photos of The wee Bean *sniff*.

Vintage rolls of red, white and blue ribbon, a vintage spun head guy holding a flag, a jar of poker chips and glittery Uncle Sam hats.

This old record is a recording from a solider to his family from the USO.  I would love to hear this record, if it still works.  I think that is such a sweet idea to make a record for your family.  Aren't we lucky with emails and texts now?

Old folding ruler star.  I have this in my house all year long.

The rooster curtains so don't go with the theme......:( 

 That's the hat The Bean had on in the photos above.  *sniff*

Little gal I made.

STAR and LIBERTY Spools.

I love this old Washington DC Ashtray - I have a collection in progress of ashtrays just like this one, but from different states.  I'd love to find all 48-50 depending on when they were made.  Why?  Who knows?  I think they are cool!

Uncle Sam.  He's da man!

Happy 4th of July everyone! 

Stay safe!

Have fun!

*Don't forget to go check out the other vintage blog posts over at Anything Goes!

For Erin

Erin from Toronto Yard Saler asked me to show where I always take all my photos of my finds.  So, here you go, Erin!

I take most of my photos inside this old cabinet that I scored for $5.00 last year.  I adore it.  I think it's funny when someone sees it and suggests I paint it.  Lordy!  I love the chippy shabby worn rusty look of it!  ( found all that cool stuff on one Saturday morning - possible one of my best junkin' days ever!)

Here is sits on my front porch with a few newly acquired things around it - the child's pink broom was picked out of the trash up the street and the old wire basket came from a garage sale. 

I got this fern for Mother's Day.  This is the first year in 15 years that I have been able to have a fern on the porch.  Normally the sun comes straight in and made it too hot.  But, our trees and the trees across the street are huge now so we have indirect sunlight that isn't bad.

I can't believe I am putting this on the blog - my junk.  Odds and ends that I don't know what to do with or haven't found a spot for.  Hidden away in the bottom of the cabinet. 

I keep the top two shelves empty just for my photos.  The light is good and the shelves are just the right size for most of the things that I bring home.  There are hooks on the top of the shelf and on the sides.  I also use the hook on the inside of the door a lot.

Here is the outside of the cabinet.  Delicious, isn't it?

Sometimes things won't fit in or on the cabinet, so I have to make do with another place.  The privacy fence usually works.  I bought these old metal floral sconces yesterday at a garage sale.  The lady having the sale was super nice and even gave me and the Bean a free ice cold Cream Soda.

Oh yes, there are two.  A pair.  A set.  They are pretty great, don't you think?  I really like them, but I don't have a place for them.  They do look pretty fab just hanging on the fence.  But, I think they deserve a place inside. 

So, there you have it, Erin  My cabinet, my fence, my messy little secrets.  Now you know it all!

*Erin likes to go yard saling and thrifting on her BIKE!  I could never drag home half the crap I do on a bicycle!  (I'm not saying that woulnd't be a bad thing!)

Thursday's Thrifty Finds

I ventured out in the unbearable heat this morning to go to the Super Cheap Thrift and to a couple of garage sales.  I found a little bit - enough to make me happy, but not so much that I had trouble finding spots for it all.  I consider that a good day.

An old velvet covered hat stand, a sweet vintage tin and a teeny piece of vintage pottery with flowers.  A grand total of 75¢ for all three.

A child's hanger from the free bin, an old celluloid box for 25¢, a handpainted greeting card from a tourist spot in Arkansas for 25¢, a set of old Canasta Cards with a Walgreen (no "s") on them for 50¢ and a free book entitled Mr. Arris Goes to Paris.  (It was just too cute to leave behind!)

 

I spotted this glass vase in the kitchen-y area at the thrift.  I thought it was pretty and felt old-ish so for 25¢, I decided to buy it.  When I got it home, I noticed a teeny paper handwritten sticker on the bottom that said "Mt. Washington Burmese Shaker".  So, I did a little research and SHAZAM that sucker is old (1880's) and worth a good amount of money!  If it is still had it's metal shaker top, it would be worth about $450.00!  One website I read had one identical to mine sans the shaker top too for $250.00!  Mine is on ebay already.  We'll see what happens! *Fingers crossed!* (It's been on ebay for 42 minutes and it has a bid!)

I picked up this old good enough for me tablecloth at a garage sale for 50¢.  This was at the house where I got the great old Crazy Quilt last year.  I had spotted it one day, dreamt of it that night, then returned in hopes of it still being there the next day.  Here's the story.  So, today, as I walked around holding the tablecloth remembering the quilt, the lady having the sale that I have only met once looked up at me and said, "Hey!  How's the quilt?"  She remembered me too! 

As I was leaving her sale, I asked about these three old silver Presidential spoons.  "Take them!'  she said.  My kind of lady!  (I did give her three quarters though).

A nice piece of my beloved white pottery - 25¢.  It was pretty disgusting, but it cleaned right up.

I think a lot of you might like this one - spools and spools of vintage French Grosgrain ribbon.  These will most likely be headed to Etsy. 

Now, you might think I am nuts when you see this next purchase.

HAHAHAHAHA!  ACORNS!  HUGE FREAKING ACORNS!  Do you love them?  I do!  The biggest one is about the size of a basketball.  The cap comes off to store the smaller one.  I honestly think The Breadman thought I had officially lost it when he saw me dragging these in - but I think they are FAB.

And lastly, my very favorite find of the day.  A vintage child's hanger.  Dug out of the free bin at the Super Cheap Thrift.  It just makes me ridiculously happy.  I don't even mind the clown.  (I'm a skeered of clowns).

Today it was ridiculously hot and the heat index made it seem even hotter and the humidity made it seem even worse.  I had an "I HATE SUMMER" tantrum and vowed not to leave my house until at least October.  (I do this every year.)  But, the yard sale gods will send me secret coded messages through Craigslist and I will venture out into the God-Awful heat and humidity so that I can find treasures and blog fodder.  I do it all for you fine people. 

You're welcome!

(You guys stay cool and safe and find some FUN junk this weekend!)

Patriotic Doo Dads by Me

I did a little crafting this weekend. It seems I haven't had the opportunity to drag out all my crafty stuff and get my creative juices going in a very, very long time.  I rally didn't have the time this weekend.  But, I made time.  I need some craft therapy!

(No matter how many times I crop these, photos, they are still turning out uncropped!)

A little bit of Patriotic fun - one for me and one headed across the Pond to the UK.

This one is for me.

This one will go on a journey!

I found a huge stack of these fun striped paper cups this weekend.  They have a vintage feel to them, so I knew I could use them to make something.  I was thinking fun like circus or kid's party, but helloooooo, they scream FLAG, right? 

Just what are these mysterious striped cups?

Oh well, a bit of paper and glue and the Popcorn Chicken is all but a distant memory. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*My Aunt passed away unexpectedly this weekend.  She was the sweet Aunt that sent me a lovely handmade yellow gingham apron to complete my gingham rainbow.  It was completely out of the blue and has shocked her entire family.  She will be missed.  Love you Aunt Betty! 

Friday's Junking Finds

This morning, as I trolled Craigslist looking for one perfect sale of vintage goodness, I spotted this ad:

Dealer's stash AND special guest star!

Antique dealer and flea market owner is cleaning house and friends and family have pitched in for a huge sale.

Unique and quirky items.  Lots of furniture, many antique and vintage items including beds, cribs, chairs, tables.  Garden and interior decor items, games, jewelry. Priced to sell!

Special guest appearance! The local man recently featured on TLC's Hoarders will be available to sign autographs!

Holy Moley - a possible Hoarder's yardsale?????  This, I had to see!  The prospect of seeing the contents of a house featured in Hoarder's spread out across the lawn intrigued, but also scared the beejeezus out of me.  And, it seemed sort of wrong that I was excited to go drag a bunch of their stuff to my house. 

When I got there, I was sorely disappointed.  It was actually the owner of a local antique store/ flea market having the sale and her husband had helped clear out the stuff in the house, so he was the person "featured" on Hoarders.   Boo hiss.  False advertising!  Not only that, but this particular woman that was having the sale is a known snoot.  Thinks she knows it all.  In fact, I have mentioned her in the past here.  She is so rude to me, but really, I think to everyone.  I found a wooden cutlery drawer without a price on it.  When I asked her, she hemmed and hawed and said, "Well, I am going to need at least six dollars for that - I planned on taking that to the shop."  "Well, then do."  I said.  Pbttttttttt to her.  Then I had three yard long prints that were rolled up and in a bedpan (I kid you not).  She said, "OH, those are going to be FAR MORE than you are willing to pay."  And, she put them on the table behind her where I couldn't get to them.  I wish I would have had a hundred dollar bill to whip out and said, "Would $100.00 be enough?"  Then I would put it back in my pocket and walk away laughing manically.  I can dream, right? 

My theory is that she sees me buying things and figures out I have a good eye and maybe she made a mistake selling something too cheap.  She did quote me a decent price on a set of old blue canisters with butterscotch bakelite handles and I really meant to go get them, but in the end, I was so PO'ed at her, I just wanted out of there.  Junking should be fun, not a headache!  I do wish I would have grabbed those canisters!

I did buy a few things, despite her nasty behavior.

The seven little wicker birds were 50¢ and they just make me happy!   The wooden rack full of old wooden plates came from a different sale for $1.00.  I've never seen anything like it before.

An old teddy bear with a rubber face (yes, he is missing his eyes, but I have a bag full of vintage animal eyes and he will soon he good as new - or rather, old), a pair of metal bookends in a wonderful chippy aqua color, a vintage handthrown vase, an old Valentine and a handblown paperweight full of seashells. 

The paperweight matches one I already had that I picked up about 12 years ago.  On the shell it says Souvenir 1908.  That's 102 years old! 

One of the silly birds.  Too cute!

I've been wishing to find one of these for a long time.  The side rail from a vintage crib.  I wanted one to hang my tablecloths on.  Now I think I will use it in the booth (which I am sure is completely sold out after two full days of business.  Ha ha) to display linens and such.  When I saw it leaning on the garage, I thought "YES!" then I remembered it was McSnooty's sale and figured it would be priced high.  But, for some crazy reason, she only had it priced 50¢.  Score for me. 

One last story about McSnooty.  Several years ago she had a warehouse sale at her business.  I found a row of twelve teeny little pieces of pottery lined up - all for 10¢ each.  I collect miniature pottery, so I bought them all.  A few years later I was watching Antiques Roadshow and they appraised a pair of Marie pots.  I thought that they looked familiar, so I had a look through my pottery and low and behold, one of those teeny 10¢ vases had a Marie signature on it.  The large ones on the Roadshow had appraised at $55,000 but I was still pretty hyped, even though my piece of pottery was smaller than a golf ball.  I put it on ebay and it sold for a little less than $400.00.  So, take that, McSnooty Booty!

I really don't usually hold a grudge.  She's just so darn MEAN!

Hope you all find some good JUNK this weekend!

OPEN For Business

Yesterday, I received a call saying my booth was empty if I wanted to set up now rather than wait until July 1st. The first of the month is a busy time, so this worked out well for me. I had been gathering and pricing things getting ready, but once the call came in, I put it in high gear and got everything organized.

So, here it is - only with what I managed to hunt, gather and price by today.  As you can see - there is still LOTS of room for little stuff on the shelves, things hanging on the pegboard, things hanging on the hooks on the ceiling, etc.  I bought the two big shelves for the booth and found the small skinny one on the right for $4.00  last weekend.   I already had the shelf on the left at home.  I need to find some TALL skinny shelves that will utilize the upper area more.  It will take me a while to tweak it and give it my personality.  You know, doiley's under the pottery, old baskets in the rafters, fun vintage kitsch as far as the eye can see...  I'm really thinking ahead to the holidays - leaves on the rafters, a Christmas tree in the corner, Shiny Brite encrusted wreaths, lots of fun stuff.

Everyone names their booth or their little shop.  I wanted a sign that was me, so I put on my thinking cap.  I picked up a very nice (and probably pretty expensive) frame out of a FREE pile last weekend.  I spray painted it white and added some aqua glittery paper to it. 

Then I broke out the old PROBE cards and spelled out monkeybox. 

I like it.  It's me.  Soon the booth will be me too. 

If the Good Lord's Wilin' and the creeks don't rise.  

I don't know why I said that.

It just popped into my head.

Do you ever have that happen? 

Yea, me too.

Okay.

Bye!

Monday's Adventure

Is there anywhere you drive by all the time and think, "I need to stop there some day?"

 Fayetteville is a college town and full of diverse people with unique ways of life. Therefore, there are a lot of very unique places. Places I always look at when we drive by, but I've never been inside. This summer, The Bean and I have decided we will go to those places. If we drive by and it looks interesting - we're going to stop!

Today we visited the Dickson Street Bookstore.  This is a bookstore that sits on an entire city block.  It is 8,000 square feet of books.  The aisles are packed with books.  There are books sitting on the steps leading up to little alcoves of books.  Today we found books ranging from 91¢ to $1,250.00

Out front on the sidewalk there was a big table - Fill a bag for $12.00.  Or books were 91¢ each. 

"Good books - Bought and Sold" 

A lady came in with two bags of books - the guy gave her $40.00 cash for half of them. 

Guess where I am taking my books now?  ;o)

The aisles are so narrow you have to see if someone is coming before you walk or you will both be stuck.   

Books everywhere.  It is an institution on Dickson Street.  Last year during the Bikes, Blues and BBQ (the event that brings over 50,000 motorcycles to our area), I was behind a couple of tough looking bikers at a stoplight.  As the revved their engines, one leaned over to the other and said, "There's supposed to be a killer bookstore on this street."  I thought they might be more interested in the Pool hall or the local beer joint.  But, they wanted books!

I wanted to take a funky cool trendy kind of photo of The Bean at the Bookstore.  He loves books.  Dickson Street is a funky place.  He dresses funky.  So why not take a funky photo?  But, it turned more into a "The cops must have handcuffed that hoodlum for writing graffiti on the wall" photo. 

Ah, that's better. 

After we left the Bookstore, we went here:

Cupcakes!  Yessssssssssssssssss! 

 (Hoodlums like cupcakes, too)

I planned on getting a Frosting Shot.  Yes, that's right.  A Frosting Shot.  A Shotglass full of frosting.

I know!

But we were saddened to see this sign:

CLOSED MONDAY

*Sniff.  Guess my arteries will stay unclogged for a few more days.  Sniff*

We didn't buy anything at the Bookstore and Bliss was closed.  So, today's adventure only cost me one thin nickle for twelve minutes on the parking meter.  And, we left with eight minutes to spare!