Magpie Ethel

Collection Challenge #131 - Vintage Party Invites

Gretchen challenged me to show my collection of vintage party invites.  I have a good little assortment of them.  The graphics are charming.

The majority of what I have are for children's birthday parties.

See what I mean about charming?  Look how darling this little pair are!
Poodles invite you to parties.
Mice with party hats invite you too.

I love that some of these invites have the details of the parties written inside. A souvenir from a long ago party. Child's handwriting with the details.  The invite on the right states the location as Stan's yard.

I found this one the other day.
I love how the barn door open up to see the specifics of the party.

A lone baby shower invite.

A few for bridal showers.

I love the wording on these old cards.  Wouldn't you like this party to be thrown for you and be described as "Nice as nice can be". That would make anyone feel good.
Great idea for a challenge Gretchen!  If you have an idea for a future collection challenge, leave me comment and finish the sentence "Show me your collection of _____." Always happy to share.

I hope you have a nice as nice can be day!

Estate Sale Friday...Had To Do Some Digging

I hit one late opening sale on Friday. I hit it an hour and a half after it opened.

An old rabbit rattle and three tiny ceramic swans.  They are sitting on an old child's ironing board.  I will add the ironing board to my collection.  I now have about 8 and use them for display at my shows.

A bunch of old Bucilla kits.  A tree skirt, a couple of Humpty Dumpty Items, a cat pillow and a Santa pillow.  The packages are all unopened and are already in my E is for Ethel shop.

I think the cat has crazy sequin eyes. A crazy assortment of button covers and some vintage alphabet flash cards. An old witch candy container.  I have two similar ones that are a witch head, but this one is a witch flying on a broom.  Will add it to my Halloween that I just put away.

And now for the digging.  Everything else that I found I had to dig around in a couple of bins of Christmas to find.  The majority of the stuff in the bins were modern Christmas ornaments.  I found one vintage item, then another, then another...until I had this nice assortment...including a tiny Santa mug and a box of mini ornaments.
A couple of angels.  A vintage candle and a wooden candle holder.

The cutest little Santa pin with jingle bell feet.

More mica birds and a pinecone fellow too. Some mica houses amd some assorted Christmas doo-dads.

Did you notice the tiny Santa mercury glass pick above?  The head is about the size of a penny.

A pair of spun heads tucked into mica slippers.

I dug out this item and just saw that it was old tinsel wire.  I threw it in my box.  When I got home and looked at it closer, I realized it was a little chandelier with tiny candles.  It is about 3 inches long.

I was surprised to find so many fun little treasures hidden in the bin of modern Christmas.

And a spun head to top it off.  Happy to Dig.

5 Little Heads

5 simple spun cotton snowman heads.

I am alwasys amazed at how they can all be crafted into a different personality.

A sure snowgal smile.

Also a heads up on my Holiday Etsy.  I should have Christmas ready to go on Tuesday, November 13th at 5 p.m. (pacific time).  A huge assortment of crafted vintage holiday fun...I have been quite busy!

Collection Challenge #130 - Vintage Mica Figures

You have heard me talk about my love for vintage cardboard mica birds.  I did a collection challenge on them here.  I went to a big antique show locally a couple of weekends ago and bought a cardboard mica creature that I had never seen before.  It dawned on me after this purchase that I have a small collection of unusual mica figures.

Here we are again with those cardboard mica birds.

They really are cute.

This mica seal was estate sale found a few years ago.

I have these three silly old gnomes. 

Last but not least, the latest addition, a wonderful mica reindeer. Marked made in Japan.

I like the variety of items in this collection.  I have never seen another deer or seal.  Who knows what other creatures lurk out there to be found?

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

An Unfamiliar Gurley

I have seen quite a few Gurley candles in my estate sale days.  For every occasion and holiday.  Yesterday I found a box I had not seen before.

A Night Before Christmas.

I was happy to find the box with the candles as I don't think I would have realized the little boy in his pajamas is peering up the chimney looking for Santa.

The children and dog are in fairly good shape.  The fireplace has melted from the bottom.  The wick is on top, so there must have been some heat source that caused the damage.  I am glad the mantle and stocking are still intact.

It is still quite the cute little scene and if I tuck a small bottle brush tree or some tiny presents on the damaged side you won't really notice.  I am sure I have some sort of Magpie Ethel trick up my sleeve that will work.

Just when I think I have seen them all....a new to me Gurley.

Holiday Show. One Down, Three to Go.

I had my first show today.  It is my smallest and earliest show of the season and serves the purpose of getting my act together in regards to having things priced, gatherng props and crafting inventory.  I think of it as a wake-up call that the season is approaching.

It was a good day.  I love when all my crafts come together in one colorful, glittery world. (Please ignore the bulletin boards in the background.  The show is held in a school cafeteria)

This was a new item this year. I intended them to be ornaments or package tie ons. They are made from old slide frames.  I collect old "Do Not Open Before Christmas" stickers and used those images. I also did a smaller size with vintage Santa heads.

I always enjoy it when people introduce themselves and tell me they read and enjoy my blog.  Hello Lori C.

Teeny tiny vintage nests with birds. The nests were manufacured in Japan.   

Two weeks to prep for my next show.  I hope to have holiday Etsy up next week.  Tis the season....

 

Smitten By The Strangest Things

I went to an estate sale the other day and picked up some of those old netting folding covers meant to keep the bugs out of your food when eating outdoors. I found three of them.

I don't think they have been used and they are the most perfectly faded pastel colors. (polka dot dinner plate is for scale)

They have the most wonderful bump chenille trim and tiny chenille bumble bees and butterflies attached to the netting.

One of them still has the original price tag from Meier and Frank pinned to it.

Bonus was one of the netting covers is huge! It would cover a large portion of the table.

Two small, one big.

They are super delicate and really fun.  I think they would be swell hanging from a bedroom ceiling or perhaps repurposed as some light shade.

Or perhaps just swinging from the trees at a summer party.

Totally in love with them.  Smitten.

Working Long Hours

This time of the year is crazy for me.  I have four shows coming up, plus Etsy and spend a few hours each day in the studio.  I love what I do and am feel blessed to find something that I enjoy spending time at.

I go through waves of crafting concentrating on one item. Lately I have been flipping houses.  Remember the cardboard houses I found the other day? I have been collecting them all year.  Often they need repair like the one in the foreground of the picture.

After hours in the studio, I now have quite the little glittery neighborhood.

It is fun to put all the little doo-dads that I find each year to good use. 

I think I am done with house flipping.  It is time to move onto wreaths.  Another day, another craft..tis the season.

And speaking of season.  If you live in the Portland area my shows and dates are listed on my sidebar.  My first show is this Saturday.