Magpie Ethel

Galvanized Window Box Love

You may remember last summer I talked about switching out my terra cotta pots in the backyard for an assortment of vintage galvanized containers.

This year my window box which Tom made a few years ago decided to rot out.  This is the third window box that has rotted out in our soggy climate in our 16 years in our house. It needed to be repainted and the right end of it was definitely ragged looking.

It fell apart when we lifted it off the supports. It was time for a new one.

I was going to have Tom build me another, but then I got the idea to see if I could have a galvanized one fabricated for me.  I had bought galvanized metal for table tops locally in the past, so I went to the same place, Montavilla Sheet Metal to see if they could do the project.

They could, and I love, love the results.

The top is folded over so no sharp edges and the corners are riveted.

I could not wait to replant it.  Now plants just need to grow and fill in.

A wonderful new addition.

I'll do another post later on the yard as plants fill in and grow with the season.  I love this time of year...and I love that window box!

All Plucked Out

A big show weekend for me.  Fun to see all my vintage friends and fellow bloggers.  Our booth ended up being one big jigsaw puzzle. THREE of us shared our space and we all had quite a bit of stuff to cram in.  It was crazy full.  

Please ignore the lovely overhead lighting.  I also have realized how superior my new camera is in picture taking.  I had my old pocket sized one with me and the photos just did not come out great.

This was pre-show and we had not tucked everything under the tables yet!

This little chalkware fellow was a favorite.  I had an old honeycomb lantern that hung above him as part of the display.  (Both sold.)

I really like all the plaid patterns of old thermoses displayed together.

I had a good supply of goody bags after a studio clean-out.

I was sad to see my donkey cart go.  I had no spot for it in my yard.  I was happy he sold as I did not want to haul heavy concrete home. I also sold two concrete deer, so I returned home concrete free.
A bit of sorting today and putting props away.  Am plucked out...thank you everyone who came and shopped.

Happy day.

Swimming to Plucky Maidens

You may remember the plastic swan that I got the other day. I know some of you questioned that purchase, but I thought it would make a fun display at Plucky Maidens.

Swans look swell with rosy cheeks.  I also added a big pink bow and a tag I made.

The swan is now proudly showing off some of my swan items.  Just something unusual to catch ones eye.

And speaking of Plucky Maidens.  I am more than ready for it. My garage is ready to be emptied out.  The pile is mostly props, but there is stuff for sale in the stack as well.

Since Ben is away at college his room  becomes storage after things are priced and bagged and ready to go.  I hope he does not decide to make an unexpected visit home!

I am sure glad I borrowed my dad's truck as there is absolutely no way I could fit it in my Subaru.  The truck is stuffed to the gills.

If you live in the Portland area come by and get Plucky and shop.  Be sure to introduce yourself too! 

Friday, April 27 5-8 $10 admission

Saturday, April 28 10-4 $5 admission

Columbia Conference Center

8521 NE Columbia Blvd, Portland, Oregon 97220

Looking forward to a Plucky weekend..come be Plucky too!

 

Collection Challenge #102 - Vintage Wallpaper

After my post last week on re-purposing vintage trays with wallpaper, I had a few people comment on my nifty wallpaper designs. Amy and Heather challenged me to show my collection...so here we go.

First off, I recently purged this collection.  I had acquired quite a stash and sold off some to a fellow crafter. I kept my favorites. All of these are estate sale found over the years.

I stuck a penny in each photo near a frame, so you could see the scale of the pattern.  I love the graphic simple quality of these patterns...the first three are quite similar, just in different color schemes.

Love, love this animal pattern.

Complete with a pink pecking bird,

and kittens playing "Ring Around the Rosie".

A barnyard scene.

Another all time favorite, a double border print.

Cute huh?

And last but not least, another favorite. I have a good sized roll of this one and recently used it for a project that will be at Plucky Maidens this weekend.

Closer flower detail.
Was happy to USE some of my stash and not just hoard it away. Vintage wallpaper definitely adds a nice touch.
Thanks for the suggestion girls.  Happy to share my stash.  If you have an idea for a future collection challenge, leave me a comment and finish the sentence "Show me your collection of _____."

Happy day!

 

 

Vintage Tin Pedestal

I do quite a bit of blog hopping and often bookmark projects or ideas. Georgia Peachez had a tutorial for a project that I loved. Suzy made a display stand using vintage tins and such.  It was awesome.  I was completely inspired by it and knew I needed to try one myself. This is the one that Suzy made.

This was my version.

I loved the DRIPS can that I got at an estate sale a few weeks ago and decided to use it in this project.  I added a finial of a tiny metal cup.

The tin on the bottom had a great basket weave pattern to it.  The lid was domed and it worked to put it on the bottom to give it an elevated look.

With the domed lid, it gave room for a nut and bolt to be screwed underneath.

I thought about leaving the threaded metal rod exposed through the center, but I remembered I had some cool old polka dot cardboard thread spools.

I could just thread the spools over the metal rod.  The spools are marked "American Paper Tube Co".  I got a few of them in red and green at a sale.

If you are inspired by this project, like I was with Suzy's, she has directions on her post here.  I loved how different our takes were on the same project and according to what materials we had on hand.  I may just have to make another one....

happy day!

Estate Sale Friday and Saturday.

I hit one sale yesterday and one today.  Yesterdays was much better, but I still found a few things at the sale today.

A cute little green wooden stool.

I did quite well in the Christmas area this weekend with lots of assorted Christmas ornaments in all shapes and sizes.  I also got a couple of old Christmas children's books.

Smaller ornaments and some mercury glass garland strands.


Including a couple of cute pixies for holiday crafting.

Handmade corsages with satin ribbon flowers, a rooster, 2 pink honeycomb eggs and a tiny cotton duck.

One of my favorite finds was this awesome turkey. It looks to be made out of paper mache with metal feet.  The head comes off.  It is marked Germany on the bottom.  Any tidbits on it blogland?

I got this great old style folding child's webbed chair. I love the old webbing, but is is disintegrating so I will replace it. (This is a super easy project and I have a stash of old webbing to choose from). I also got a black honeycomb cat, which I think is missing the face that you add, but will look fine tucked in with all my other black cats.  I also got orange pipe-cleaners...don't judge me on that purchase.

Ribbon spools including some of the gift ribbon with foil bands that I collect.

A old milk bottle from our local dairy Alpenrose and a box of old drinking straws.

A whole bunch of flocked red apple patches.  At least I think they are patches.

A great old tin jack o'lantern.

It is marked U.S. Metal Toy Company on the bottom.

A tiny Halloween noise maker.

Happy to have sales pick back up with the season finally.  Also happy to find a couple of spun heads tucked in with some Christmas items from Friday's sale...including the cutest little gal head.

How can they not make you have a happy day?

Vintage Tray Project

I got four really cute wooden trays awhile ago at an antique shop. I loved the colors and the shapes. The decal on the inside of the tray was fine, but it did not thrill me.

I decided to play around with them. I cut a pattern to fit the recessed interior of the tray.

I got out my stash of vintage wallpaper and matched up wallpaper patterns and colors with the trays. I then used my paper pattern to cut out a shape from the wallpaper. I spray mounted the wallpaper and then adhered it to the tray.

It was pretty easy to do.

I then took some old magnetic bulldog style clips that I had. I liked the magnetic kind as it had a flat surface (the magnet) which I could use for glue. I glued a clip on each tray.

Now I can use them as mini clipboards or frames.

I really like the finished project. It was really easy and a fun use of vintage materials.

 

 

Collection Challenge #101 - Vintage Advertising Label and Ribbon Spools

After last week where collections numbered over 100, I thought it fitting to jump to my most recent collection.  I finally got three of them, and three is the magic number that makes a collection.

Vintage advertising labels and ribbons.  You may remember I got a roll of advertising labels at a sale a couple of weeks ago. The label is for Osmund and Company,(laundry and cleaner supplies).  It is a whole roll of unused labels for the company and the roll is about 3 inches tall.  I love the typography.

I added this roll to the roll of labels I had from Earl's Super Food Market in Madras, Oregon. I imagine these labels were added to the meat after it was packaged up.

My third roll of advertising, is actually raffia twine for Albany Laundry.  They probably wrapped a package with freshly laundered shirts with this twine.

When you get a few of these and stack them up, they become an interesting way to add height to a display.  I also like that all three of these spools are from local companies in the state of Oregon.

One, Two, Three....a newly emerged collection.  See how easily they happen?

If you have an idea for a future collection challenge, leave me a comment and finish the sentence, "Show me your collection of ____." 

Happy day!

Etsy Spring

Spring is definitely here. The trees are leafing out and daffodils and tulips are smiling at the sky.  In my studio I have been busy crafting a wee bit of spring myself.

Thimble flowers are sprouting.

Gals are dancing around the garden.

And Mother's Day is approaching (May 13th).

A small assortment of spring time goodies will be headed to Etsy on Thursday, April 19th at 5 p.m. (pacific time.)

Even the birds are singing a sunny tune.

Happy Day!

Estate Sale Friday and Saturday

Two estate sales and one retirement home sale were on the docket this weekend.

I signed up for today's estate sale yesterday and was number seven on the list. It was family run and I showed up about 15 minutes early and was standing on the porch with a few other people waiting for it to start.  The woman came out early and asked if we were on the list.  I said I was number seven, and she invited us all to come in - thus I became number one as no one ahead of me was there.  It was a family run sale where they had cleaned out a bit too much and the pickings were slim...but I still did okay.

The great red step stool and the barkcloth curtains came from the sale today.  So did the two drawer wooden cabinet and the tablecloth.

I picked up the rolling pin and tin molds yesterday.

Christmas also arrived at Friday's sale.  I got two statues and a box of ornaments with tiny scenes.

  You may be wondering why I bought a plastic swan.  I have been attracted to swans lately and thought it would make a fun display for Plucky Maidens. I have a bunch of the birthday swans I make and a few swan ornaments to bring to the show.

And last but not least, at today's sale.  A tiny cream colored flowerpot and a glass dish.  I use those shallow glass dishes to organize my jewelery.

Decent weekend in estate sale land and so nice to be the first in the door today! Double bonus is that it is a glorious sunny day!