Magpie Ethel

Estate Sale Friday. Mr. Peanuts and The Presidents.

I hit four sales today.  Three out of four had me making a purchase.

A polka dot hat box, an old dart board and a great old metal chippy stool.

Vintage playing cards featuring fall acorns.  This is a close up on the leg and details of the metal footstool.  I am going to sand it down some and change the top (vinyl and badly paint splattered)

Fourth of July potholder that needs a good wash and a couple of flower frogs.

A trio of old nativity scenes.

Token Christmas for the day.  Pink glass garland and two very tiny cardboard mica birds.

A couple of Santa figures

For the Fourth of July.  An old pledge signed and dated 1942.  The signer promises to continue to buy US War Savings Stamps and Bonds to the limit of my ability throughout my summer vacation and until our Victory is won.

A pair of plastic gumdrop trees, a blue jewelery box and a tiny pressed cardboard turkey marked Japan on bottom.

A old sieve holds a zoo of plastic animals.

My favorite find of the day was an old Presidents of the United States Paint book put out by the Planters Peanuts Company.

It was put out as a promotional piece that was sent to you after you mailed in wrappers or bags from various Planters Peanuts products.

The pamphlet has a brief history of each president through Eisenhower.  One side of each page is in color and the other page in black and white.  You are supposed to use the colored side as an example when you paint the black and white side.

It a a great little piece to add to my Fourth of July collection.  Fun day. Fun finds.  Nice to be out in estate sale land.

Collection Challenge #111 - Vintage Coffee Cans (and a project)

My post today was inspired by a project that my husband did for me over the weekend. 

I collect vintage coffee cans.  I like the graphics and they are easy to find.  I usually find the coffee tins in the garages at estate sales full of nails or bolts and such...a good re-purposed container for the family handyman.

I have put this collection to use as planters in my backyard.

I love the graphics and don't mind the weathered with time look.

I used to have them displayed on this tiered plant stand.  But then I got too many. They needed a new home and I wanted them displayed as a group outdoors.

Here in Portland, Oregon we have a recycling and yard debris program.  We have a big green bin (yard debris), a big blue bin (paper), plus a trash can and a bin for glass recycles. The blue and green bins are huge.  If I ever need a good spot for hide and go seek I could fit inside.  For lack of a better spot they live on our driveway and are an eyesore.

We don't park in our garage so I have a mixture of galvanized containers with plants in front of them to hide them a bit. This weekend I found an old screen door and Tom whipped up a project to hide them a bit more.  I decided this was a good spot to display my coffee can collection.

Tom cut the screen door in half as it was too tall.  We took out the tattered screen and replaced it with a bit of wire fencing that we attached to the back.  Tom drilled a hole in the rear of each coffee container towards the top and we hung the cans with S hooks.

The whole project only took a couple of hours and the screen door set me back $5. I love that my coffee cans have a new home and I have room to add a couple of more if I want.  They are planted with hens and chicks.  The coffee cans have drainage holes in the bottom. He also added feet to the screen door frame.

This is a good place to show off my collection and is perfect to hide my ugly garbage cans.

If you have and idea for a future collection challenge, leave me a comment and finish the sentence "Show me your collection of ___."  Always happy to share.

p.s. Thank you honey for doing this project!

 

 

 

Estate Sale Friday. One Big Box.

Two lousy sales.  Fortunately I did stumble on one BIG BOX.  One BIG BOX that held all of the above ornaments.  I had no idea how many boxes were in the BIG BOX until I got it home and unpacked it. 

One box of 12 ornaments and 20 sleeve boxes of 6 ornaments per box.  All in the same shade of pink.  I am glad I like pink.  I am also glad I found that BIG BOX!

happy day!

 

It Is In My Genes

I often wonder why I love to collect and am so attracted to vintage items.  In my family I am the "keeper" of family things.  I don't mind that much, I like items that have a history or story behind them.  I wonder why I have this trait so instilled in me, as my siblings don't share the attraction to vintage.

I think it can be explained with one family album that I am the "keeper" of.  My paternal grandmother Ethel (picture on header of blog and the inspiration for my blog name) created a photo album when my dad and his brother were born in 1937.  They were twins and that only adds to the charm of her album.  She kept everything.  I think I get it from Ethel or as I referred to her, Grammy.

This is the album. Even the cover is darling.

Grammy saved cards that she received when the twins were born.  She kept the original envelopes on almost every card as well.

I love that she captioned items, so I knew this cab stub was for the trip to the hospital.

The twins were called Bob and Dick.  Evidently someone thought The Little Rangers would be a good nickname for them.

Grammy saved the labels from the baby food jars she used as well as other items that she must have fed them. Bacon?

I think the liver soup is a mark of the time.

The charm of having twins was evident in these cards.  Evidently they got matching cards quite often.  Grammy also added a note what the gift was.

A label from an enamelware item. I wish THAT would have been saved in the album!

One for Bob. One for Dick.  Vintage valentine cards that came with lollipops.

Again, two cards that were the same.

Handwritten notes that accompanied gift.  Hope you like my ma's cookies!
A growth chart sent out by Pyrex Nursing Bottles.  Original envelope with stamp still attached.

At one point in his childhood my dad swallowed a small key.  That made it into the album!

You may remember I like to collect vintage napkins.  This is where I get it!  First birthday napkin.  Horoscope from that day also included.

Second birthday napkin.

3rd birthday napkin.

4th birthday napkin is pretty plain.  But look...EASTER GRASS! Remember who love vintage Easter grass?

This card threw me off as the album only goes till their 4th birthday.  Then I realized twins...4 plus 4 equals 8.  This was one thrifty person!

Napkins and invites from a friend's party.

I think this album is ample proof of the hereditary factor with loving vintage items.  Grammy definitely passed it onto me.  No complaints, but I think the connection is plain as day.

I had no choice.  It was in my genes.  I am not thrilled with my hereditary flat feet or the need for glasses.  I will take the love of vintage any day tho...thank you Grammy!

Happy day!

 

 

Collection Challenge #110 - Vintage Party Books

Summer is the season for parties.  I thought it fitting that I share my collection of vintage party books to get us in the mood.

Parties with Purpose, Published by Dennison in 1937.  This little gem features ideas for parties with titles such as "Kitchen Candy Pull" or Texas Hoe-Down".

With the Fourth of July around the corner I thought I we could use some table-scape inspiration. Giant firecrackers made from ice cream containers and crepe paper.

Party Book (with darling cover illustration) published by the Saalfield Pub. Co. in 1937

Perhaps I should make some Fourth of July hats using this pattern.

Let's Give a Party, Wonder Books, 1960

The Campbell Kids Have a Party, Rand McNally Books, 1954

This is one of my favorite party books.  Children's Party Book, which was published by the Staley's Cream Corn Starch Company.

The illustrations are magical.  Here are the pages for the Fourth of July festivities. It suggests serving "Cannon Cracker Sandwiches", which are white bread, white cream cheese and red jelly.  Roll them up and tie with a ribobn.

Easy to Make Centerpieces and Favors Using Odds and Ends.

Another idea for the Fourth.  They make their giant firecracker centerpiece from an oatmeal box and construction paper.

Gay Decorations with Dennison Crepe Paper, published by Dennison in 1953.

This book is the go-to book with crepe paper decorations.  Here we have some ideas for a patriotic occasion.
Last but not least, Party Favors and Decorations, Published by Oregon State College in 1956.

I love the section on the CORRECT way to cover a nutcup...I did not know there was a right or wrong way.

Party time and hope you are inspired to throw an amazing one this summer!  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!

Estate Sale Saturday. 3 Sales and a Darn Long Post.

I did not hit any sales yesterday, but hit three today.  Was number 24 to get in the first one and the other two I hit after they had been opened for a bit. They all opened at 10 a.m. and I have not figured out how to be in three places at once.    I did well at each sale I hit. 

I have been wishing for a good estate sale day, and Santa delivered today. No sleigh..just a galvanized mop bucket.

Dang good day.

Vintage light up Santa head, pink pig, a tiny celluloid jack-o-lantern that was once part of something and a wooden german Erzgebirge figure for my collection.

A box of chalk I did not have, a vintage Fuller brush letter opener and three figural lightbulbs.
The oval light bulb is designed to look light a pocketwatch.  I got a whole box of random Christmas for $2 and much of the Christmas that is pictured is from this bin. (There was a bunch of junk in it that got tossed too)

I did find spun heads ($2 bin).

Tiny ornaments ($2 bin) and Christmas light reflectors.

4 vintage nativity scenese in original boxes.

I collect these tiny Christmas stockings, but have never found one in the original packaging with the 20 cent price tag.

One squeaky dog and a vintage coffee tin.

A vintage ceramic turkey and a lantern shaped metal and glass candy container.

A big cluster of vintage velvet yellow leaves and a box of buttons.  I love that the buttons came in a candy box for Buttons and Bows chocolates.

I could not pass up this embroidered dish cloth with a bird with two birthday candles. Esther Lighner - Ravalli, Montana.

A couple of embroidery pattern cloths. The birds I think is a table runner and the dogs are a pillow.

A vintage green toolbox and some old ribbed jars.

I did not realize until I got home and was cleaning up the jars that the original lids were in the bottom of the box. They are old Hoosier jars!

An odd Santa and Rudolph house (in the $2 bin). 

I did not think much of it until I turned it over and read the label.  It is an old weather forecaster (hygrometer).

An old shadowbox frame and a square glass refrigerator box with lid.

A metal bobble head bambi (?) from the $2 box.  Marked japan on bottom.

A box of old canning jars in the desirable blue color in assorted shapes.  Some with zinc lids.

A tin mirrored little cabana. Love the colors.

The bottom is marked "Use with Red Raven Movie Records". I think it fit on the record player and some sort of image was reflected on the mirrors as it played?  Blog readers...childhood memories or information?

Sorry about the long post, but am giddy about finally having a really good day in estate sale land.  Darn good day!

A Bit of Red, White and Blue

I have my holiday decorations up for the fourth and thought I would share.

Living room coffee table.  I really like the old barber shop bottles with fresh flowers.

A small collection of safety pin baskets in patriotic colors. My white patriotic tree.  The base of the tree is an old tin red, white and blue food carrier.

Uncle Sam and a few other red, white and blue items.

I love the pink star I found at Farm Chicks a few years ago.

It has holes drilled in it and Christmas lights are inserted from the rear.  I like it lit up at night.

My display of tiny figures and ordinary found objects that I posted about earlier this week.

Looking out the front window.  This is the stand I bought at Farm Chicks this year.

Top of the china hutch has reflector flowers and flags displayed in old milk bottles.  Some of the bottles have been tucked in an old child's wagon with fun graphics.

Mantle with hat collection.  Uncle Sam top hat and a few found crepe paper hats.

Fun stuff. I love pulling out my decorations each year and tweaking where things go.  Happy Red, White and Blue!

Patriotic Juices Still Flowing

I have been working in the studio and evidently was not quite done with my patriotic crafting.  The red, white and blue turned out these little gems.

A trio of dolls that needed some patriotic updating.

A couple of spun head gals also emerged from the studio.

All these gals have marched off to Etsy. Dang, I love holidays.

Collection Challenge #109 - Vintage Plaster Flower Plaques

I have a huge thing for flowers and they are scattered through my home in various forms...prints, needlework, crepe paper, ceramic and metal.  I really like the small collection I have that are made of plaster (perhaps chalkware).

I only have four.

I included a note on the back of this one to remind me of where I purchased it.  I bought this at an estate sale on King Road. Emily, the elderly owner of the home was turning 100 next week.  The daughter running the sale said her mom had gotten it in the 1930s from her mother.

I think these two may be handmade rather than manufactured.

I like the raised relief with the plaster.

The back is crudely done, which is why I think they are handmade using some sort of plaster form.

They live in a tidy line in my family room.

If you have an idea for a future collection challenge, leave me a comment and finish the sentence "show me your collection of ____."  Collection #109 and still chugging along....

 

Holiday Colors

During the year while I am in estate sale land, I always am keeping my eye out for certain color themes to use for holiday decorating.  Red, white and blue in always in the back of my mind.  Black and orange (Halloween) always is as well.  You may have wondered why I pick up some of the things I do. Ordinary objects.

A vintage marshmallow tin.

An old American brand stamp pad.

A huge roll of vintage red, white and blue straw ribbon.

Two old barber shop bottles.

Old rick rack and trim. Extra bonus with the Betsy Ross Brand.

Red and White brand shortening, an old rubber cement bottle and an old Steno jar.

All that red, white and blue adds a bit of vintage fun to holiday displays.

I also like to collect any sort of party decorations that I can.

I got this Tupperware tiered vase (with built in flower frog)  at a church sale awhile ago. 

I was going to put it on Etsy and then realized it had greater potential.

Fun stuff.  Fun holiday decorating.  More to come.

Happy Day.