Magpie Ethel

Collection Challenge #167 - Vintage Christmas Ornament Hook Boxes

If you have read my blog for any amount of time you know that I seek out vintage Christmas. Often tucked in the boxes or bins that I find are old boxes of Christmas ornament hooks.  The boxes have great graphics, and I always tuck the boxes away...I have quite a collection of them now!

It always baffles me how a simple item like an ornament hook can have such a variety of manufacturers.
It makes sense that Shiny Brite would get on with the hook action.
Same size box. Different quantities. They must have figured out how to stuff an additional 25 in.

Ho, Ho, Ho..
This is my favorite box.  I love the HAPPITIME name and the clock face as part of the logo.  I think this is an earlier box, perhaps from the 1940s.

Another favorite.

Santa Land hooks. I like the striped box the best.
This box is marked made in Italy and features a different style in plastic. Another box from a foreign land. I believe this one is Dutch? The hook is also a different shape.

A couple more modern boxes So many of these old boxes featured a price of 10 cents. The wire used in the old hangers was also often much heavier than what is used today in hooks.
Long size and standard size.  Have you learned a few new things with this post?

Another one of those collections that surprised me with how many I had and the variety.

As a side note look at all the different hooks. Certainly an array of them!

If you have an idea for a future collection challenge leave me a comment and finish the sentence "Show me your collection of ____".  I do collect some crazy things.

Etsy Reminder

Mermaids are swimming to Etsy tonight at 5:30 p.m. (pacific time).

Splish, splash..beachy fun!

Beachy Time

I mentioned in my last post that I was having a little vacation at the beach.   After the Fourth of July, my decorations come down and a beachy theme goes up for the summer. I had fun with it this year and it got me in the mood to pack my bags and head to the surf and sand.

Most of what I use to decorate is vintage.  This is my small collection of vintage sand buckets and shovels.

I switched up my mantle this year and really like it. The large paper mache anchor was estate sale found years ago.

China hutch top holds glass canisters with assorted shells and beachy fun. (please ignore the glass glare)

I have a couple of vintage native style figures. They both have pipe cleaner trees.

Vintage ceramic fish

This fish is a lone salt or pepper shaker that I got. I had fun with my coffee table this year.

I don't think I could ever give up my TINY flip flops that are hard as a rock from time. I have some in the original packaging.

The perfect spot for some fish baby rattles to live.

I am still trying to find the right spot for this tin pump with fish motif.  It has moved around some in my living room.  It will find the perfect spot at some point.

Fun beachy stuff. Looking forward to some cooler weather on the Oregon coast...clam chowder, beach walks and hitting a low tide.  If you want to see one of my favorite beach experiences you can find it here. 

Someday, if I ever get a beach house I hope to decorate year round with some of these finds.  Someday.

 

Seven Mermaids Swimming

That title sounds like it could be a line from the Twelve Days of Christmas!

I am on a little vacation right now to the beach.  Perhaps I will see some mermaids while I am there!

Swimming along in the cold Oregon ocean.

I do know that this little group of mermaids will be swimming to Etsy on Monday, July 29th at 5:30 p.m. (pacific time). 

Splish, splash goes that mermaid tail. Ready to make some waves on Etsy.

Collection Challenge #166 - Vintage Child's Shoe Boxes

This is one of those collections that I really love.  Something as simple as a shoe box.  I limit this collection to children's shoe boxes as I love the smaller size and graphics on the boxes.  They live in my studio and I use them for storage.

They MUST all live together as they have more impact in a group.

These two boxes are super similar, but the manufacturers have different names..Wellco and Welkins.

I don't think you can go wrong with polka dot letters. The Tinkertots box has seen better days.  With a name like Tinkertots it has to be saved.
I think this box is from the 1940s. The graphics look to be of that era. Ten Little Toes..again, how can I resist a name like that? This box for Buntees moccasins still has the original printed tissue inside.
When you flip the box lid over to the inside, it offers a spot to measure your child's foot. Box is dated 1949.

Stepmaster brand box.  No lid.

Darling Little Teacher box with alphabet graphics.  This brand was from J.C. Penney. Another darling J.C. Penney box. This box I found during my Round Top trip.
This box is a favorite. Little Kickers shoes.  I love the name spelled out with the rope and the little cowboy in full cowboy attire. Notice the smiling moon peeking out near the cactus.
Busy Toes Brand. The box is in rough shape, but the graphics are charming. I think this box is for socks.  It lives with my shoe boxes since shoes and socks go together. I love these little boxes for storage.  They are darn cute.  If shoe stores still carried boxes this adorable, I may want to work at one!

If you have an idea for a future collection challenge, leave me a comment and finish the sentence, "Show me your collection of _____".  You never know what collection will walk this way next.

Happy Day!

Estate Sale Friday. More Finds And A Free Bin...Part Two

I posted part one yesterday of my estate sale Friday...just the plastic bin full of goodies.  Today is the remainder of my finds.

A vintage birdcage top, a slide viewer in original box and lots of Christmas light bulbs. LOTS of Christams light bulbs.

In assorted sizes and packaging. Game board with map of the US.  I don't know the game. (challenge #150)

A pair of owl salt and pepper shakers, a pair of seal salt and pepper shakers and an old barometer/weather station.
McCoy vase. I have another one is this dogwood pattern.

I got a bunch of these metal pieces in a good chippy green. I was told it was a hammock frame.  I bought it thinking I would use it as a trellis frame or something.  I half hearted-ly tried to put it together and the pieces seem random for a hammock.

A couple of children's books. An old bingo set.

Some groovy flowers in original packaging.

A framed floral print and a ceramic elephant. The elephant has the original Wales, Made in Japan sticker.
If you add the contents from the plastic bin to my finds above I did pretty well!  The bonus of the day was the FREE bin at the second sale I hit.

Vintage valentines.  It amazes me what I find in free bins. Nothing cuter than vintage Valentines.

Assorted paper items including some paper puzzles, football schedules from the 1940's and a giveaway calendar from the Eugene Concrete Pipe Company dated 1940.A great old ring box and a squeaky toy. (challenge #73 and #121)

A very good day in estate sale land.  A two part post equals good finds!

Happy day!

Estate Sale Friday. One Plastic Bin...Part One.

I hit a total of four sales today.  The first one was a COMPLETE dud. Number two was decent and I got some good stuff there. Number three was pretty much a dud except for running into a friend there. She asked if I had been to the sale A BLOCK from my house that had a room with Christmas.  I did not even know about it and hightailed it over there. It was family run and a digger. I dug for over an hour.

One of the rooms was a craft and Christmas room. I got a big plastic bin and just kept throwing stuff into the bin.  Nothing was priced so you just gathered and they tossed a price at you.  This was my plastic bin full of stuff.  I am just going to post the contents of the bin today since I tend to ramble on with finds and the bin held quite a bit.

This is what it contained. 2 panels of old floral ticking fabric and an unopened roll of foil pink wrapping paper.

A strand of mercury glass garland and some old Christmas package tie ons.

Small Christmas ornaments, turquoise small reflectors, jingle bells, Christmas light bulbs, velvet leaves and two spun heads.  I smile whenever I dig spun heads out of random boxes as I know my radar is still on.

I dug out lots of buttons. I also found a card of thumbtacks (challenge #123) and a curtain tie back. (tie back is in center of photo with green scalloped edges)

Sewing needle books (challenge #162). Four of the books are new designs for me. I like this one that evidently was sold by a deaf mute to earn an honest living.

An oversize matchbook. I have a couple more of these larger size (challenge #30) matchbooks.  I don't find them often.What makes these matchbooks interesting (besides the size) is the matches inside.  They always have a message or some graphic printed on them.

A bunch of vintage Christmas tags. Lots of glitter, sequins, thimbles, a cloth measuring tape (in pink) and other smalls. I love the HAZEL'S glitter labels. I was happy to find the Shell Craft package as I am workig on spun head mermaids that will be listed on the 29th.

Two boxes of Christmas ornaments and an old baby rattle in original packaging. (challenge #72 for rattles)
The plastic bin had a good assortment of old paintbrushes. I use paintbrushes all the time and never have enough.

This long post is just the plastic bin I filled.  I will have part two of this post for you in the morning.  It was a good day in estate sale land...I have more to share.

p.s. I asked the family running sale number four if they had advertised it. They had put it on Craigslist late Thursday night.  I had checked CL earlier in the day when figuring out my Friday route, so completely missed the listing.  Thank goodness for my girlfriend who told me about it!

Backyard Party Time

This past weekend we celebrated a bunch of summer birthdays on my side of the family. I hosted it here and took some pre-party shots of my yard.  It gets to crazy once guests arrive to take photos.

This brick wall is the garage wall for the house behind me. It is a charming backdrop for a backyard.

The big galvanized tub behind the pink hydrangeas will hold ice and drinks.
I love the underside of this big vintage umbrella.  I want a  couple more floral umbrellas in maybe pinks and yellow.

I used my vintage jug style thermoses for flowers. I also love my bright colored chairs. The green chairs are vintage. The hot pink were an IKEA purchase a few years ago.

I blogged about this window box when I had it made it in last year.  It has held up well and filled in nicely.

I also used my favorite collection of patterned utensils.

I have hosted lots of outdoor parties over the years. I always am picking up items in certain color themes/patterns so I have lots of trays and such to pull out to use. I also use tablecloths from my vintage stash. It makes getting ready for a party easier.

A fun backyard to have a party in and I love it when it flowers are in full summer bloom.

A good day for a summer party.

 

Collection Challenge #165 - Vintage Chenille Stem Flowers

I did a post on my pipe cleaner obsession on challenge #58.  At that point in time (2 years ago) I did not own my nifty floral pipe cleaner collection. 

All that I have are marked Made in Japan on the bottom of the wooden pot.  I believe they were once used at place settings.

They are all about 6 or 7 inches tall and vary in the blooms that have been crafted from pipe cleaners/chenille stems.  They are well made and have good details.  I love the colors of the blooms as well.

These daisy style flowers are a favorite.  The center of each flower is just a twirling circle of pipe cleaner.I like the stamen detail that has been added.
Bump chenille crafted tulips.

These flower buds are just a couple of different color pipe cleaners twisted together.
I mentioned that the pots are labeled JAPAN.

My head conjures up an image of a factory with workers knee deep in pipe cleaners bending and assembling.  What a place that would be to work!

I find it quite fascinating that some of the leaf details are so intricate. Look how the outside of this leave is curlicued about.

An assortment of leaf designs.

I really like these little bouquets. I display them in one spot in my living room.  I also like to group some of them together and pop them into old creamware pots.

This collection combines two of my favorite things..pipe cleaners and flowers!  Love them! 

If you have an idea for a future collection challenge leave me a comment and finish the sentence "Show me your collection of ___." You never know what collection will sprout up next!

Expo Sale...Good Finds and A Goodie Bag

Today I went to a big antique show at our Expo center.  It advertised over 1600 booths and I always find things when I go.  I also always run into lots of people that I know from shows or estate sale land.  I love the social part of my vintage world.

Today I found good stuff.  I was happy to buy an entire village of Putz style houses.  I got 23 of them.  They will be flipped for the holidays.

I also got some reindeer and some metal candle clips.

I have seen A TON of reindeer as I craft with them. I found four rubber reindeer today that I had never seen before.  I have seen similar deer, but never any with a red collar.

I ran into a vendor/friend who I see at most of the larger shows that I hit. She and I have different looks and she was cleaning out her stash at home and set some items aside for me.  She brought the bag with her hoping that she would see me and she could pass it off. She totally made my day with her goodie bag.

First I pulled out EASTER GOODIES.

Six larger cotton chicks. I already have a pair that I dug out of dumpster. Now I have six more to add to my collection. I don't find this larger size super often.

Spun cotton bunny heads, a vintage candy box and vintage millinery flowers.

Tiny easter eggs on chenille stems with chicks inside.

I then pulled out some CHRISTMAS goodies.

Totally kitschy Christmas elf scene that lights up.

Misc crafting goodies.

I love these old plastic snowflake ornaments.  Some are broken but I can still use them.  I have a stash of pink and clear ones already. The turquoise ones are super!

I love days like this. 

Happy day!