Magpie Ethel

Collection Challenge #48 - Vintage Easter Nodders

I am still in the Easter spirit with my collection challenge posts.  This one was not suggested by anyone, but I love this little collection and am sharing it here.

Most of these nodders are candy containers, so they open up and can store some treats inside.  I have some that don't have this nifty feature, but still have the little spring neck, so they have that nodding head.

Like this cute little wooden duck and cart.

This little fellow is flocked and is a candy container.

This darling, darling pair of ducks was a gift from Elizabeth from Creative Breathing.  These two hold a special spot in my heart and in my nodder collection.

Another candy container.

A pair of nodders.  The one on the left was found like that.  The one on the right (a similar style) was gussied up with a little Magpie Ethel love.

You may remember she was part of a trio that arrived in my studio.  The trio were a bit forlorn and definitely had not had an easy life. Her two friends have gone to good homes.

This is a pair of new nodders.  They still have that vintage look and fit perfectly with the other nodder friends.

I love the attention to detail with these nodders.  Even the inside of the containers have a charming floral graphic.

A cute little bunny container with sweet little fabric button details.

My little collection lives on my dining room table during the Easter season.

If you have an idea for a future collection challenge post, please leave me a comment and finish the sentence "Show my your collection of ___". I will be happy to see what I can come up with.

Happy Day.

I Love My Subaru

I haul quite a bit of stuff in my car with all my estate sale finds.  I love my Subaru wagon. Today I fit a small settee in the rear of it.  I did not have to put my seats down or anything!

I bought this adorable little thing for my teen daughters room.  It was the perfect color and had the most charming details.  It is a soft velvet fabric and has that vintage look. We redid Kate's room here and have been on the hunt for a small settee or chair ever since.

This one fit the bill.

it is the perfect tiny scale at the end of her bed and comfy to sit on as well.

Am glad it fit in the good old Subaru!

Estate Sale Friday. Thank Goodness For A Second Set of Hands

There was not much in estate sale land today, so I was happy to see a church sale listed.  I had been to this particular sale before and it was pretty good the last time.  I asked my mom to join me knowing that she is a good second set of hands for me and knows what I like. Between the two of us it was a good morning.

In sharing of my finds today I will indicate what my mother grabbed for me by listing the item with a "(M)" after it.  She knows me well.

A great vintage Bingo set, poker chips and tin molds (M).

A bunch of BIG pink honeycomb bells (M), a green Haegar vase, a floral metal trash can, some great old noisemakers (M), a cream vase and a wonderful vanity set.

I bought this box purely for the graphics to go in my science minded son's bedroom. He is away at college, but I still add to his room!

A wonderful light up Santa head in the original box for my collection.

My mom scored a couple of my favorite items today. Some vintage party favors that have Little Boy Blue and Little Miss Muffet (M).

Old Captain Kangaroo plates and napkins (M).

The cutest little birthday plate and napkin featuring darling calico animals (M).

My mom did pretty good with that second set of hands.  We hit a couple more sales and had lunch together.  It was a nice morning with her.  I enjoyed having that second set of hands, but I enjoyed her company more.

Happy Day.

Giveaway...Drum Roll Please

I did not mean to do this post so late this evening. I have had one of those days of scrambling about. Estate sales, lunch with my mom, post office, haircut and two trips to the local antique mall.

I decided I had to pick a name in true Easter fashion.  I printed all the comments out and cut them up into strips.  I added a second chance for my google followers.

I got out my stash of plastic Easter eggs and put one comment in each egg. I had alot of eggs to fill..thanks to everyone that entered!

And the winner is LISA W! No blog, just a long-time commenter and blogland friend! Her favorite candy was one that was no longer made - a Fannie Farmer dark chocolate butter-cream egg.  I offered to hunt one down in estate sale land (since people save everything), but after all these years am sure the quality of that treat would be compromised.  Peeps were her second choice.

I also found it interesting that so many people that loved Peeps mentioned that they let them get stale before eating them!

Congrats Lisa.  I will drop you a note to get your address. Thanks to all who entered and to all my blogland friends.

Happy day!

p.s. estate sale Friday post coming soon..

A Friendly Reminder

Just a reminder that tomorrow I will be drawing a winner to celebrate my 600th post and just have some Holiday Fun.  You can enter here if you have not done so.  If you follow me on google you get a second chance!  Good luck.

Collection Challenge #47 - Vintage Bunnies

Since I did a challenge on chicks/ducks last week it only seemed fair to give bunnies some blog time this week.  I was happy that Eileen asked to see this collection.  I have a larger collection of chicks and ducks..but bunnies are close behind.

I love these plastic rabbits by Rosen.  I like them all lined up nice and neat with their lollipops.

I like the variety of materials and styles that my bunnies are made with.

This guy is a favorite.

These came from Kim at Camp Whimsy. They are old cupcake picks.

Ceramic bunnies that live on my windowsill during Easter with spring blooms.

I had to have some spun head bunnies in my collection. The ears on the pair on the left inspired some crafting on my latest round of spun head figures.

One of my spun head bunnies

A bunny gal from from one of my favorite crafters, Crystal.

A fun little Easter scene from Elizabeth of Creative Breathing.

These smaller scale bunnies all live in one little area on the shelf of my kitchen built in.  I love them all collected together like this.  I also like the little plastic doilies that decorate the top of this shelf for Easter.

My larger bunnies that just were to tall for this space still must be included in this post.

Plush bunnies.  The box with polka dots is adorable and is original to the bunny that sits inside of it.

A lone chalkware bunny.

A lone squeaky rubber bunny.  This guy is awesome.

I have a few other chicks and bunnies that did not make this post as they fell into another collection challenge of Easter nodders.

Fun to share.  I love Easter!  If you have an idea for a future collection challenge, leave me a comment and finish the sentence "Show me your collection of _______".  I will HOP right on that idea and see what I can do!

happy day!

Easter Etsy and A Giveaway

My stash of vintage chicks is all used up.  These are the last of them headed to Etsy on Monday, April 4th at 5:30 p.m. (pacific time).

A few spun heads and other goodies will be tagging along to Etsy as well.

On another note, in the world of Magpie Ethel I have been very blessed.  I have done over 600 blog posts and made lots of wonderful friends. My Etsy shop has done very well as well. Life is good.

It is time to have a little Easter themed giveaway. A pastel colored world of Easter fun will be headed your way.  Handcrafted goodies and some vintage ones as well.

A little bunny gal.

Ducks and chicks.

Cute vintage Easter paper items. You have heard me go on and on about graphics!

And of course there will be some surprise treats as well...surprises are good.

If you want to participate in this Easter giveaway, leave me a comment and tell me your favorite Easter candy.  I personally am a jelly bean gal. If you follow me on google you get a second chance (so sign up if you aren't a follower already). I will draw a name on Friday.

Good luck and happy day! 

 

Estate Sale Friday...Almost Struck Out...But Thank Goodness I Didn't!

I spent the first three hours of the morning heading from sale to sale with very little to show for my efforts.  I was afraid I would have one of those days where I found diddly-squat.

I decided to venture over to ONE MORE sale that had started yesterday.  My friend Kate had gone the first day and mentioned she thought I would like it.  Let me tell you, she was RIGHT!

I wish I would have hit this sale the first day.  The bonus about my visit there today was that they had already gone to half price!

Lots of little Christmas ornaments and some glass garland.

I was super happy to find some vintage chicks to add to my collection.

A pair of plastic lattice pots and a celluloid stork for my collection.

A darling trio of plastic embossed plaques with historical figures. These are super darling!

A cute little storage cabinet, vintage glitter, old peanut butter jars (for storage), tin molds, tiny flowers and a happy elephant.

A bird statue for my collection.

In the garage of the house, there were lots of grab bag garbage bags that held misc. stuff.  Lots of plastic flowers and oddball stuff. I bought one of the bags as I saw something of interest in it.

I wanted these faded crepe paper flowers.

I thought rest of the bag was junk. I was surprised to find this in the bag as well. 

I have a soft spot for handcrafted items. The flowers are made from feathers and don't float my boat.  The swan is actually quite well made and probably took some time to create.  I think he will live in the studio.  He is just to goofy to toss...his whole body is created with little tufts of tulle that are pipecleanered onto a plastic bleach bottle.

The one item that I bought prior to this sale came from a church sale.  I love it when the ladies of the church pick flowers from their yards and have them for sale.  I paid 50 cents for this great bouquet of spring (the vase was mine).  They smell heavenly!

I hope the weekend brings you some fun and some good finds!  Happy Day!