Magpie Ethel

Estate Sale Friday...I Did A Few Happy Dances This Morning

Today I hit about 6 sales in my morning rounds. I didn't get a ton of stuff, but some of the stuff I got made me do that happy dance.

A old yellow vase (haven't washed it in photo), a couple of tiny old valentine candy boxes, some horse playing cards and 3 vintage plastic Easter baskets.

A couple of old pins.  I have a few other ages similar to the one that says "7 years old".

Insert Happy Dance here...

3 old spun cotton skeleton heads.  Rarely do I find these.  I was thrilled and they will resurface on Etsy during the Halloween season.  I flipped one over so you can see they are marked "Japan" on the back.

Old ribbon spools for my figures with the great graphics on the cardboard labels.

Insert second happy dance here...

I love these old red and white striped metal torches in the original box - instructions included!  They are unused and at first I examined them and passed on buying them.  On my second round thru the basement they called to me again. I don't think I will burn them as torches.  I thought I would take out the wick and use them to display flags during the fourth of July holiday. (FYI the chippy white table was free).

The stick is made up of four 18 inch pieces, so I can take one section out so they aren't so tall.  I really like them and will post a fourth of July photo with them in use.

A green Shawnee flowerpot with a small chip.  It was only $1 tho.

Insert last happy dance here.

An old chick favor cup.  I will add this to my Easter chick collection.  I was so happy when I found this little gal...I think it is handmade as well.

Hopefully if you hit any sales this weekend you will find yourself doing a happy dance over your finds!!!

End of the Year Haircut

When my son Ben,,was in 1st grade my mom read a book to him about a barber that was cutting a man's hair.  The barber wasn't paying attention and accidentally cut a smiley face in the back of the man's head.  Ben thought this was hilarious and wanted to do the same thing.  In first grade he started the end of the year haircut tradition of the smiley face.The kids that he grew up with always knew it was the end of the school year when Ben showed up with this stylish cut.

Ben is now 17 and a junior in high school.  Today he drove himself up solo to get the cut. (He is growing up...usually I drove him there and watched while he got his haircut).  He came home with a huge grin.

and

The haircut that always makes me smile. I love this quirky kid!  Summer is getting closer!

The Free Box

Often when you go to an estate sale or garage sale there is a box marked "Free Stuff".  It is usually sitting at the end of the driveway or on a front porch and often is full of crazy odds and ends.  Tupperware seems to be a favorite thing to put in the "free" box.  I usually glance into the box and see if anything interesting is in it.  After all, free is a very good price.

So today I hit a sale and I checked out the free box at the end of the driveway.  It has some goodies in it.  Like this.

Some old reindeer, old microscope slides (to use for soldering), a lone vintage ornament and a few pieces of old jewelry.

I was happy to find these things.  It is so funny to see what people leave out for free.  I would have happily paid a small price for the reindeer if they had been priced.  For some reason they went in the free box (they are in perfect shape).  Same with the old red, white and blue clip on earrings.  How does a person determine what is free and what warrants a price tag?

These were in the free box too.  I can understand these being there, altho they are neat. 6 original packages of plastic leaf shaped hooks intended to hang Hallite brand cookware. 

I'll find a use for them.

This is what I did pay for at the same sale. 

Happy to pay the $2 for the lot.  My favorite is the tiny cardboard box with the original 10 cent price on the outside.  I'll use these in my Christmas wreaths that I make.

My weirdest free box story is at one sale where I glanced into the free box and saw some good things.  It was a really good estate sale so I decided to make the rounds of the sale and THEN come back to the free box and go through it.  My plan didn't work out as a local estate sale character picked up the ENTIRE free box and tucked it under his arm...he took the WHOLE THING!  I so learned a lesson there....

What is the BEST THING you have ever found in one of those FREE boxes?

A Couple of Projects

I am not one to sit down and read a book in the afternoon. I am one of those people who ALWAYS has a project on the back burner.  I thought I would share two things that I have just finished up.

One of my fellow bloggers, Kelli, from Polka Dot Chicks sent me this cart the other day. It had held some flowers that she wanted, but she thought the cart looked like something I could work some magic on. Rather than re-thrift it, she sent it to me.

I wasn't thrilled with the gold color, but I knew it had potential.  The first thing I did was spray paint it a turquoise color.  The cart then rolled into the studio for a little magpie magic.

Super easy project.  I painted the wheels and the flower details with craft paint.  There was a plastic insert that fit into the cart (forgot to put it in photo).  I added a ruffle made from vintage crepe paper to the insert to dress it up.  I filled it with some paper easter grass in a fun color.  I love how it turned out.  Thanks Kelli for providing the cart...hope you like the finished piece!!

With my second project, I bought a simple sweater on clearance at Target.  I liked it as the collar was a bit more Anthropologie looking (love that store, but not the price tags) and I thought I could give it a funky edge.

This is the sweater before.  I like that the collar is gathered as well as the sleeves.

I had a whole stash of old fabric pieces I got recently at an estate sale.  The colors and patterns were amazing, but the pieces were small and had been cut out for making a quilt.  I bought some button covers that you cover with fabric the same size as the existing buttons on the sweater.

I used a different fabric to cover each button and then replaced the original buttons with those that I made. If you have never tried making these fabric covered buttons, they are SUPER easy and really cute to boot. They come in a huge variety of sizes and you can get them at a fabric store.

This is the finished sweater.  This is an easy way to recycle a sweater that just needs a little pizazz.  I wore it the other day and got lots of compliments.

Close up of the fabric buttons...love the different detail on the vintage fabrics. 

I hope I have inspired you to work on one of your projects...

Call Me Detective Magpie

About a month ago I bought what I believed to be a flower frog at an estate sale along with my other goodies.  It was super tiny, so could only hold teeny tiny stems, but my best guess was a flower frog.  I asked me blog pals if they had any other ideas...but no one did.

The Mystery Object

I put it on a shelf and didn't think much more about it.  However today the mystery was solved.  Let me get into detective mode.

Today I had breakfast with my friend Pam from One Gal's Trash.  She was very excited as she presented me with a little bag with this inside.

A great old box.

Mystery solved.  These ARE flower frogs and the box contained a set of two.  The tiniest I have ever seen.  So thank you Pam for letting me play detective and solving the mystery.

 I love the things I find at estate sales!

A Fresh Can of Paint

My bathroom has seemed a bit dull to me lately.  I was just tired of the look and needed a little spring color.  There is nothing better to spruce up a room than a can of paint.

The bathroom was previously a periwinkle color - I liked it, but I had it that color for about 8 or so years and needed a change.  I went with Blue Seafoam.

This is the bathroom before.  It is small, but very functional and cute with its odd ceiling angles and built in medicine cabinet.  Only my husband I an use it, so the tiny size isn't a factor.  BEFORE PHOTOS....

BEFORE....

So I spent a couple of days taping it off and painting it (two coats).

BEFORE....

I am in LOVE with the change.VOILA!

I found some great floral towels at Home Goods (which inspired the color).  The remind me of Cath Kidston, but without the price tag.

I had this pink cabinet sitting in my garage waiting for a spot in the house.  I am going to store old toiletries in there. Need to hunt some more down...right now I only have two old cans of Veri Soft Deodorant Talcum Powder. (great graphics)

I collect old beaded flowers and had them in my bathroom previously.  They used to all be in silver vases and containers.  I had a bunch of turquoise pottery in the studio, so I swapped out the containers to carry out my color choice.  The flowers really pop in their new vases.

In the top photo of the newly painted bathroom you will see our built in medicine cabinet. The door to the cabinet was original to the front of our house as the window in a little alcove. When the window was replaced the original wooden window found a new home here as the medicine cabinet door.  I covered all the shelves in fabric and trim and the majority of the containers are pale yellow or floral.  (mix of old and new) I love the little girl statue with the flower umbrella.

The mirror is from Pottery Barn (a few years ago).  I decided to go with a fun ribbon to hang it with.

A few other little details to finish out, but really happy with how the bathroom turned out.  The cost for the re-do was basically a can of paint and new towels.  I used things that I already had and just gave them a new home in the bathroom (like the turquoise vases).  That color just makes me want to sing in the shower!

Have a great week...and to anyone that is a Survivor fan...good finale last night and I was happy that J.T. won (love that southern drawl)!

The Box

My cousin Mark called the other day and there had been a box of Christmas ornaments donated to a church thrift store that he helps out with.  The woman that ran the thrift did not want to be bothered with them and told Mark to take them to the Salvation Army and donate them there.  Luckily Mark knows of my obsession with Christmas things and called to ask if I wanted the box.  And of course I did.

 

This is the box hat showed up...I crossed my fingers when I opened the lid.

This was the first of three layers of ornaments...very promising.

Lots of the solid colored ones, but some great ones like those pictured above.  Indented, frosted and hand-painted....a pretty good box of ornies!

Nothing better to make your day than a FREE box of shiny Christmas fun!  

An Innocent Tin

I went to a local antique mall in Camas, Washington yesterday for a little shopping and lunch with a girlfriend.  I found a few goodies, but this was my favorite.

Those two little lovebirds just spoke to me from their tin box roost. I am truly a sucker for birds and combine that with a round storage tin and if the price is right, it is mine. 

I now have a stack of tins that reaches up to the sky.  My collection (which I use for studio storage) includes these gems.

I like that these are a dual purpose item.  Not only nice to look at, but great storage as well.

And maybe in a pinch, they could be fancy stepping stones...in the quest to add to my stash.

Happy Wednesday.

And the Winner is...

 

A big thank you to all who entered my 200th post giveway.  I so enjoyed reading all the positive comments about my blog and hearing what collections were near and dear to you.(and how many we had in common).

So....drum-roll please....the winner is.

 

Jayme from Flaming Biscuits.  Congrats!  This is the comment that she left me (and she was the second comment of many)

Vintage sewing patterns and prize ribbons - among many, many other things.  Congratulations on your 200th post.  Your blog is my very favorite.

Posted by: Jayme L / May 05, 2009 at 6:05 p.m.

I was thinking if the person who won had a collection of something that I also collected, that I could share mine as well.  So...Like Jayme, I collect vintage sewing patterns (surprise, surprise).  I use them in crafts and also love the graphics on them.  So I hurried out to the studio to find them.

I like to store things in old suitcases.  The one marked "Vintage Sewing Patterns" is an old metal picnic suitcase full of the original cups and plates and such.  I keep my patterns in there as well.

My friend Paula shared some great old patterns with me recently.  This is an official thank you to her!

And these patterns are near and dear to my heart.  When I was a little kid my grandmother made amazing doll clothes for me and my sister. (grandmother Ethel)  I still have the doll clothes but these patterns that she used are extra special as well.

 

So congrats Jayme.  And thanks for giving me the opportunity to share another collection!

Have a great Tuesday everyone and please forgive the change in type during this post - typepad had a mind of it's own this a.m!!!!

Many Faces

If you have read my blog for awhile you know that I have a love affair with the old spun heads and really enjoy crafting with them.  Some of them truly dictate who they will become...like these two.

 A chef (with original chef hat)

 Cowboy Bill (with original cowboy hat)

Or these graduation heads that came complete with a cap on their head and a tiny pipe-cleaner diploma clutched in their hand.

But sometimes, the head is just basically hair and a face.  If that is the case my imagination takes over...and I end up with girls that have tons of personality.

Dancing among the mushrooms

A little bird told me.  I love these old white sunglasses!

Oh what fun I have in the studio!!!  These figures are headed over to Etsy.  I am also giving Lollishops a test spin.  If you aren't familiar with it you should go check it out.

Remember to sign up for my 200th post giveway here.  I am drawing a name TOMORROW.  Good luck and thanks for all that have already left a comment!