Magpie Ethel

Collection Challenge #55 - Vintage School Items

Today's collection comes from Mary B who asked to see this collection quite awhile ago. Better late than never...here we go Mary.

Three vintage school bells. The one with the red handle was actually my grandmothers that she used when she taught.

This is my favorite back to school banner. Each apple is about 8 inches tall and it is meant to be strung with twine and hung in the classroom.  Sometimes I will decorate when the kids go back to school and use it then.

You have heard the expression "an apple for the teacher"...how about a honeycomb one?

With original price tag of 15 cents.

I love this book of posters that were meant to be displayed in the classroom. They are dated 1957 by the Hayes School Publishing Co.

It is full of words of wisdom for the student.

I also have a good supply of vintage report cards from the 1940s.

An assortment of forms ready to be filled out by the teacher. Absentee Slips, Reports to Parents and Library Permits.

I have quite a few pee-chees.  You can tell the era they are from as the graphics change with the years.

Vintage wrapping paper.  This is graduation themed, but still falls in that school category.

I have lots of classroom readers with those fabulous illustrations.

I need to end this post with a couple of sweet items.  This note on the spelling test is so nice from the teacher. (dated 1944 - the student misspelled the word lightning".

And this last note.

Speaking of notes... I once went to an estate sale of a 90 year old former teacher.  She had saved every absence excuse from a parent that she had ever received. The scrapbook was so humorous...still kicking myself for not buying it!

Collection challenge #55 is done. If you have an idea for a future challenge leave me a note and finish the sentence "show me your collection of ___". I do enjoy digging in my stash!

 

 

Welcome Ethel to the Studio

I got my awesome "Welcome Ethel" sign hung in my studio this weekend. I knew that is had to have a place of honor out in my studio so I cleared off this wall of vintage trays.

BEFORE!

I have had the trays up in the studio for a number of years and was ready for a change and to add some storage.  I cleared them all out and had a blank wall just itching for a change.

I knew that I wanted a couple of storage shelves in addition to the "Welcome Ethel" sign.  I decided to head to our local rebuilding center and see what they had in the way of cupboard doors to use as shelves.  I like using something like that as it is vintage and it is already painted (call me lazy).

This is the entrance to one of our local rebuilding centers.

Here are the cabinet doors I had to choose from.

I was not super particular on the size or color.  I found some pale yellow cabinet doors that fit the bill and would make great shelves.

Tom hung them up and the pale yellow matched my wall color really well. You can see the "Welcome Ethel" sign in the background.

Here we have the glorious sign!

Of course I spent about two hours futzing with things and reorganizing.  My new shelves are all nice and full. I even had room to hang a green birdcage full of my sparkly pink estate sale found birds.

The shelves are stuffed and organized the way I like it.

I really don't think Ethel could feel more at home in my studio.

Love how this project turned out and a big thank you to Kim for rescuing that sign for me from an alley. Love, love, love!

PS. Reminder that my Fourth of July items hit Etsy tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. (pacific time). 

The Red, White and Blue Parade

My studio has been swirling with red, white and blue lately.  The patriotic parade for the 4th of July will be lead by this majorette.

Original spun head with cap and vintage whistle in hand ready to lead the march...TWEET!

Followed by an assortment of firecracker fun...KABOOM, BANG, BOOM!

Uncle Sam will be a featured guest.

And then of course we have an assortment of patriotic gals.

The parade will begin on Etsy on Tuesday, May 31st, 5:30 p.m. (pacific time).  Other fun goodies will be joining the festivities as well. I do love my red, white and blue.

 

Estate Sale Friday

A holiday weekend always is a bit bleak in the estate sale department. I hit one sale yesterday and walked away with two items.

A vintage bathing cap to add to my "I wish" collection and a cluster of gold spike ornaments.

Have a good holiday weekend. Hubby and I are hanging my "Welcome Ethel" sign in the studio as well as some storage shelves.  Can't wait to do some studio rearranging!

Road Trip Recap...San Francisco

A week ago I was in San Francisco.  A girlfriend and I drove down to pick up her daughter from college.  I love San Fran.  It really is a city that has its own flavor.  Pull up a chair and see some snippets of my trip...

We had beautiful weather.

I hit my favorite tea room, Crown and Crumpet. I did not have tea there, but did walk around and take in the the adorable shop.

It is decorated with the most whimsical touch.

I walked a ton.  I am not a taxi person and the weather was wonderful.I walked through Chinatown.

I walked to the Ferry Building which is full of fun foodie spots.

I bought some goodies from Miette in the Ferry Building.

While I munched my goodies I gazed out on the bay and did some people watching.

I walked to the downtown Anthropologie. They never like you to take pictures, so I was sneaky and took this shot of the Golden Gate bridge that hung over the staircase.  It was made with rope and boxes of "Rice A Roni"...you know...that San Francisco treat!

We drove over to Berkely one day so I could hit one of my favorite stores Castle in the Air. It is full of wonderful craft supplies and amazing displays.

It was hard to get a picture of this little kewpie in the window.  He is perched in a very ornate carraige and is wearing a golden crown.

I stocked up on my supply of spun mushrooms.

The have lots of glitter, dresden trims, crepe paper and other wonderful supplies.  It really is a slice of crafting heaven.

My other favorite shop in Berkeley is Tail of the Yak.  It is full of unusual finds and the displays are just wonderful. Lots of honeycomb paper and garlands...my kind of spot.

I bought one of these swans. They are filled with trinkets.

I love their garland..so much color and fun.

I spent the last afternoon in San Francisco shopping and walking.  After these stairs I think I could eat whatever I wanted for dinner!

Was really a nice trip.  I had fun with my girlfriend Sally and her daughter.  Nothing like a trip to San Fran to brighten your day!

Welcome Ethel

My friend Kim from Camp Whimsy emailed me a couple months ago and told me she had found an old sign in an alley that was perfect for me.  On my way to San Francisco I was able to pop into the small town of Maxwell and pick up the sign from her hubby.

It is better than I could have ever wished for!

Awesome huh?

I had been thinking of adding some shelves in my studio, but have not gotten around to it.  This sign is going to speed up the redo.  I'll be flipping one wall and adding this sign and a couple of much needed storage shelves. I think it may be a weekend project...post to come!

Thanks again Kim...this sign is so ME!

Collection Challenge #54 - Fish

I had a wonderful trip to San Francisco and am still playing catch-up.  My daughter's pet fish (a beta, named Piper who had been her pet for over two years) headed to fish heaven this weekend.  While I was cleaning out her bowl this morning, I decided that I would dedicate this week's collection challenge in memory of Piper....thus we have vintage fish.

A pair of vintage pottery fish.  The larger fish is japanese and lived in Piper's fish bowl..it is hollow and Piper could swim in and out of it. The other smaller fish is vintage, but not marked.

A vintage print of swimming fish.

Vintage cards that depict fish from the "Wonders of the Animal Kingdom" series.

A vintage felt fish pin cushion.

A page from a wonderful children's book.  Each page has a cutout in the illustration that a googly eye peers out through.

One of my favorite fish.  I love the honeycomb!

Thanks for the memories Piper...yours will be a hard bowl to fill.

If you have an idea for a future collection challenge, leave me a comment and finish the sentence "Show me your collection of _____."  I promise next weeks post will have a cheery side to it!

 

 

 

Red, White and Blue Inspiration

I am in San Francisco right now, but thought I would share what was waiting for me in my studio when I return.  As I collect through the year I put like holiday craft items in certain bins.  This bin contains my items destined for the Fourth of July.  It is time to get to crafting for that holiday.

I always enjoy pulling out a holiday bin and seeing what inspiration I have collected throughout the year.  Bring on the red, white and blue!

Collection Challenge #53 - Vintage Wedding Toppers

This is a collection that I don't add to often (not much room left on that shelf). Lisa challenged me to show mine, and of course I had some...they live in my dining room built-in.

This happy couple was found at Goodwill a couple of years ago.  They are only about three inches tall and I loved their small size.

If the price is right...I can't pass by a chalkware couple.

Estate sale found Tavern Candle couple.  I love that the original box came with them (it says Bride and Groom set on the label).

This is a spun head couple I made a couple of years ago.  I recently made a topper for a blogland friend and I think I may do another to show up on Etsy.

Cue in the Wedding March here...vintage couple after vintage couple.

Even birds get married.

Teeny tiny wedding couple

You know that I am always in love with vintage pipe cleaners and things made with them.  I love how the dress was made for this bride.

This bride (or bridesmaid?) has no groom, but she does have an awesome skirt.

This couple has the whole enchanted world to live in...flowers, arch and sugary bells.
They are cute to boot

On my wedding shelf I also have tucked this old sugar wedding topper that was my mom and dads (50 years of marriage in December!). The grooms-cake favors that were handed out are wrapped in the netting near the topper.

Also on the shelf are these tiny floral headpieces...with original price tags. I like to think perhaps they were sold to tiny flower girls for the occasion.

And for all those single friends out there. An army of groomsmen...with not a bride in sight!

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 see what I can dig up.

Road Trip Time

I have plotted out the route I'm driving to San Francisco later this week. A friend invited me to tag along when she goes to pick up her daughter from college.  I get a couple of days to play and shop in the city. I love San Francisco.  I am hoping to hit a few of my favorite spots like Castle in the Air, Tail of the Yak, Bellocchio and Crown and Crumpet. I hit San Fran last year for the Alameda Flea market, so am a little familiar with the city.

If you have a favorite San Fran shop or place to eat that you would like to share, please leave me a comment.  I know there are spots that are just begging to be visited by me!

San Francisco here I come....