Magpie Ethel

Estate Sale Saturday...Sizzling in Holiday

I hit three sales this morning. The first one I hit was a digger sale and was the perfect way to start my morning.  There were only 4 of us there when the sale opened, so it was nice to dig at my leisure.

It was another hot day today, and today my holiday radar was sizzling hot along with the temperatures.

A pair of blow mold Santas and a sea of holiday sparkle.

At my second sale I bought one bag of holiday. It had NINE strands of mercury glass garland in it as well as a good amount of smaller ornaments.

A box of vintage ornaments with quite a few having printed graphics. This tray of goodies was all dug from various boxes at the first sale. Pine-cone elves yelled at me from the boxes to be rescued.

A package of glittery tinsel tape, a plastic snowman, mercury picks and some small indented ornaments on original pipe cleaner stems.  The indented stemmed ornaments were my favorite find of the day.

I found non-Christmas items as well.  An assortment of birthday candle holders and pipe cleaners.

A Shawnee wishing well piece of pottery.

A good assortment of chickens for my collection.

A nice pair of pinking shears.

I also had a comment the other day about someone asking if I purchase household or newer items in estate sale land. I don't often buy much beyond my vintage finds. Today I did though.  A garden hose for $2 to replace the one I currently have that leaks like crazy despite the duct tape patch job.

I think I may just go cool off my toes with that garden hose today!  Another good day in estate sale land!

 

Estate Sale Friday...Sizzle.

I hit one sale today.  It was 91 and I don't do heat well. I was #63 to get in the sale and it started at noon.  It was hot.  I spent most of my time in the basement of the house where it was cooler.

I did well on vintage Christmas.

That always makes me happy.

Two tiny Santa mugs and a pair of over the door towel racks.

My daughter Kate wanted vintage maps for her dorm room decor this next year. I found two for her today. I also have plans for the drinking glass in the original sanitized cellophane sleeve.

An old school keepsake book for Leandra C. Fox, age 13. Dated 1959-1960.Here are her teachers at Saint Cecilia.

Here are her fellow students. I like the cartoon bodies beneath their photos.

Evidently Leandra must have been quite the brain as many of the autographs complimented her on her smarts.

My favorite find of the day is a quirky one.  An unopened box of Dixie containers.  I love the red and green fruit and vegetable graphics on these. 

I can't tell you how many dixie cups I have picked up over the years because of their graphics...but hey, they make me happy!

4 more days of 90 temp in store for us. I know some of you have much hotter temperatures, but this is a hot streak for us.  Still plan on venturing out tomorrow for a couple more sales...I can't let that heat keep me out of estate sale land.

My Laundry Plunger

Remember when I went to Round Top and I dragged home a cool old laundry plunger?  It is there on the right with the wood handle.

I was attracted to this chippy rubber red and blue base. I had plans for this plunger.

Given a new life.

One of a kind and dang, dang cute!

Red White and Blue This Year

I switch up my Fourth of July decorations each year.  Now that my garage sale piles are out of my living room, I am ready to share.

Here is my front window. I found a red, white and blue striped child's life-jacket this past year.  I have it hanging from a stand with a vintage Uncle Sam hat perched on top. Honeycomb balls round out the fun.

View from inside looking out.

Front porch.

Vintage cardboard patriotic hats are tucked in a glass cloche.

My pink star lights up at night.
Fireplace mantle.

Lots of patriotic friends.

My coffee table

I really love this trio of sailors.

An assortment of patriotic paper.

Top of china hutch

Vintage inspired patriotic decorations.

Happy day!

 

Collection Challenge #162 - Vintage Needle Books

Beatriz sent me an email last week.

Lately I've been finding vintage packages of sewing needles with the cutest graphics! (All the ones I've found say "Made in Japan" . Got me to thinking you must have a collection of these and if you do, could you share it?

I don't actively collect needle-books. Sometimes when I buy a bundle or box of something they are included.  I always put them in the same spot in my studio. I was not sure how many I had and if I had enough for a collection.  Beatriz, I have enough for a collection! I have 7!

I love the assortment of graphics on these books.

Flip side of above book with an advertisement for Wizard Freezers.

For those of you unfamiliar with needle books, they are basically a folder with an assortment of needles inside stuck into foil. They often contain a needle threader as well. They come in an assortment of styles.

Dogs and cats threading needles (made in Western Germany).

This is a common book that I see often.  I have two.

This is probably the most unusual one that I have.It contains some needles that most of the others don't..canvas needles, packing needles and saddlers needle.  A bit more heavy duty in the needle department.

One of those unexpected collections that I don't seek out. They just multiply over time in my drawer! Thanks for the suggestion Beatriz.

If you have and idea for a collection challenge, leave me a comment and finish the sentence "Show me your collection of ___."  Perhaps I have another unexpected collection!

I Did My Chores

I had my garage sale yesterday. It was a long and successful day.  I was on my driveway at 6 a.m. setting the sale up and the first car started driving by about 6:10. (The sale started at 8) I was going to take some photos, but the morning got away from me. There were 142 houses officially participating this year. At times during the day I bet I had at least 40 people in my driveway.  The flow of customers was constant.  It was sunny.  I saw lots of friends.  I got rid of a ton of stuff and made $.

My plan on Sunday was to get organized. Sort what was left.  Tidy the garage and the house.  I did all that and was doing that when the phone rang about 3 p.m. My friend Elizabeth called to alert me to an estate sale in my neighborhood that had a room of Christmas.  I decided I needed a break.

They had most of the ornaments sorted and individually priced by size. (I think that is why there were so many left) It was late in the day on the last day of the sale, so the family running the sale was ready to bargain.

I love the little red Santa. He has chenille legs and little wax like boots. I also dug through some boxes of random ornaments and discovered some gems. A mica bird, reindeer, sequin felted animals and twisted metal icicles.

Wooden and spun cotton mushrooms.
Elves.
Wooden Angels

I love these little wooden angels. They all carry lanterns on wires. I have never seen them before and their painted expressions are adorable.
A good amount of fabric strawberries.


I got my chores done. I have a nice friend.  I was rewarded with a Christmas bounty.  It was a good day.

Estate Sale Thursday/Friday

I hit two sales on Thursday and a church rummage sale today.  For Thursday's sales I was #ONE for one sale and #32 for the other.  I must admit being number one for a sale gives you a sense of power and glee. The sale was mediocre, but still great to head in the door in the lead of the pack!

An old paint box (with cute graphics for my collection) and a pair of old shoe inserts. A Halloween blow mold and some old tin molds for baking.

A trio of adorable deer, a great ribbed jar, some gold ornaments and a good sized bottlebrush tree. The bottlebrush tree was the ONLY thing I bought from the sale where I was #32 on the list.  For those of you who think I get lucky at each and every sale...sometimes there is only one lone treasure for me.
An old graham cracker box that was full of wooden spoons and forks (utensils will be used for crafting). The box is nifty with the old graphics...I just wish it was in better shape.

My favorite find of the day hands down, was an old clothespin bag. The person that embroidered two clothespin girls complete with skirts and bows, ON A TEETER TOTTER was brilliant. How can a scene like that not make you smile?

This blow-mold snowman is no indication of the weather forecast for tomorrow. He was just a good find.  High 70s and a sunny day will find me in my driveway chock full of goodies for our neighborhood garage sale.  Wish me luck..it is time to purge my house!

Happy weekend!

 

Collection Challenge #161 - Vintage Vacation Pennants

Janie challenged me to show my collection of college pennants. I don't have college pennants but I do have state and vacation spot pennants. 

My daughter Kate came home from college this year requesting vintage Oregon stuff to decorate her room next year at college. I  just happened to have a good stash of old Oregon items.

The Sea Lion Caves, Oregon, Depoe Bay, Seaside (our summer vacation spot), Crater Lake and Timberline Lodge.  I have been to each of these locations.

The sea lion caves feature HAPPY sea lions. Quite a few years ago when decorating Ben's room, I made some Oregon themed pennants into pillows.   I added a felt backing and cut a felt fringe.

Seaside (a newer version), Prehistoric Gardens and Multnomah Falls.

I also have quite a few random pennants beyond Oregon.

Texas will have a spot in my heart after hitting the Round Top show this past spring.

Tom and I honeymooned in Victoria, B.C. and visited the Butchart Gardens.  I have been there probably 3 or 4 times..gorgeous.

Have visited Washington many times and also lived in various places in the state.

I can tell by the graphics these are older pennants.  This is the only one that I could find an actual date on, 1975.

Love San Francisco, especially the Alameda Flea Market held each month!

This pennant from my hometown of Portland, Oregon is small.  It has two slits on one side so a stick could be inserted and it could be waved.  Portland, Oregon..the city of roses.

With summer vacations upon us maybe a pennant would be a good souvenir? I am purging some of this collection this weekend in my garage sale.  Keeping the Oregon ones for Kate, but time to let go of some of the rest.

If you have an idea for a future collection challenge, please leave me a comment and finish the sentence, "Show me your collection of _____."  Something new every week!

Estate Sale Saturday

I signed up for today's sale last night at 10:45 at night in my pajamas.  I was number 30 on the list and got in right away today.  It was the third phase of the doll sale that I had good luck with last week. (If you need a reminder, you can find the posts here and here).

Two old floral tablecloths and a framed mirror/drawer meant to hang on the wall.

Old tin noisemakers. Doll shoes in original box, an Easter candy container and a celluloid oval mirror. I heard one more doll yelling at me this week to bring her home.  She encouraged me to bring the chalkware elephant home as well.
A couple of tin child's tea cups and a Little Bo Peep tin pot.

A trio of toy Wolverine tins (Etsy bound).
 I love those old glass towel rods. I used some in my bathroom remodel that were clear glass. The turquoise blue glass is awesome and I had not seen it before. A doll head.  I don't grab these often, but the blue bow and her scultpted hair were just darling.

I saw this doll last weekend and did not get her. I told myself if she was at the sale this week, she could come home with me. I need to repaint one of her eyes, but dang, is she cute!

Vintage doilies (for a project), doll roller skates and a fish salt and pepper shaker.
I tend to buy hankies that have kid graphics.

Robinson Crusoe and Friday

A hankie with the frere et jacques words printed around it. Last but not least...Noah's Ark.

You lift up the lid and all the animals and trees fit inside.

I don't see any markings. There are plenty of charming animals. If blogland has any tidbits about the ark, I would love to hear them. Fun sale. Still lots to dig through at this sale and contemplating one more trip tomorrow....hhhhmmmm.

Rewarded After A Long Day

I did not hit any estate sale on Friday. I had to go pick Ben up from college as he just finished his junior year.  It was a very long day.  A three hour round trip drive in the car. Four hours of packing and cleaning his apartment and hauling boxes down three flights of stairs. Packing a borrowed truck to the gills and then unloading it once we got home. (yes, another pile)  Grumble, grumble, it was a long day. Worth it to have him home, but a day full of hauling and cleaning.

About 9 p.m. my doorbell rang. It was a friend in the neighborhood. He had been cleaning out his dad's Christmas ornament collection and thought of me rather than Goodwill with the leftovers.

So I got my vintage fix delivered to my door.  It made my night.

Some solid balls in good colors with a patina of age.

My favorites from the lot.

My kind of reward!

Let me also add that I sat down at the computer about 10:30 at night.  I had my pajamas on and was checking out the estate sales for Saturday.  Phase III of the doll sale was listed for Saturday morning.  I put on a hoody over my pajamas and headed out at 10:45 p.m. to sign up on the list.  That is estate sale dedication. Dedication that was rewarded on Saturday. (post coming)

happy day.