You may remember one of my crazier finds from Junk Bonanza was this roll of toilet paper, dated 1941. For the past year I have been collecting vintage bathroom/medicine cabinet items. I have had a project in mind. It addition to the toilet paper it involved items like this.
A metal chippy box that I found last year at Farm Chicks.
An assortment of medicine cabinet items.
Vintage curlers in my favorite colors.
I finally got the project done this week. I wanted to make a shadow box and was inspired by the kitchen one that I had made for me.
Collecting was the hurdle. It was fun putting it all together in the box. I think it looks like a disorganized medicine cabinet.
A few of the items I used had special meaning as well. Some of the shaving items came from my hoarder neighbor, John (RIP). I decided to tuck my kids retainers in the box as well. The retainers were from when Ben and Kate were in middle school as they each endured braces. If I save an oddball item like that I need to do something with it! They are sprouting from the denture cup. 
I was tickled to find the old Noxzema jar as I have washed my face with Noxzema since my teen years. The curlers tucked in nicely as a vintage filler.
I wasn't totally sure how I was going to add the glass over the top of the box. Tom had the bright idea to use magnets..genius..metal box! One trip to the hardware store.
I just added a magnet and the L bracket holds the glass in place. Easy peasy! I liked the cutout circle since it looks a little industrial. 
Tada! The glass finishes the box off.
I also found the greatest hairdryer on our recent Alameda trip. It was the perfect shade of green and I love the Handy Hanna Hair Dryer wording. Tom did not even bat an eye when I asked him to hang it on the wall above the box.
This funny old cowboy/holster child's toothbrush also found a home with this project.
Finished project.
Nice to cross it off my to do list. No more hunting for vintage bathroom items. 
Done.
LOVE IT!!
What a great idea! Trying to figure out what you were going to do with that roll of toilet paper kept me going. I've been collecting vintage bobby pins, clips etc....and they've been stacking up lately. Got a great idea from you (again). Love the color of the hair dryer too.
Thanks for the little walk down memory lane. I noticed a lot of things either my mom used or I did. Those colorful curlers brought back memories along with the Noxema.
Have a great day!
Made my morning :-)
Posted by: Doreen | April 28, 2014 at 06:26 AM
This is wonderful!!! So much to look at you could gaze at it for a long time and keep finding new treasures. I have collected a number of old wooden medicine cabinets and used them for a few of my thrifted gatherings" lady's toiletries and beauty items, mens toiletries and shaving brushes, old medicine bottles, and containers.
It's so much fun bringing everything together and then being able to display it. Love your work!!!!
Posted by: Jennifer | April 28, 2014 at 07:10 AM
I love this! I have a bunch of these items and I JUST put them in a box to sell at my booth but now...I am making one of these! I knew I didn't really want to sell them! Thanks, AGAIN, for the inspiration! Love it!
Posted by: Patti McCarthy | April 28, 2014 at 07:15 AM
Pure genius! I love the idea of a shadowbox for your vintage bathroom collections. It turned out so cool.
Posted by: Musings from Kim K. | April 28, 2014 at 08:09 AM
Wow, these are all so awesome and that hair dryer is such a perfect green! Love that gun toothbrush! xo Heather
Posted by: vintage grey | April 28, 2014 at 08:51 AM
Such fun!! Love that idea, your shadow box is sooo cute! And love love that hair dryer and its fabulous color!! :) xo Holly
Posted by: Holly | April 28, 2014 at 08:55 AM
What a great project! It looks terrific in your bathroom, too. I can't say that I kept my kids' retainers....but I do have their baby teeth in a box. I never felt right throwing them out - ewww, I know!
Posted by: JoyceG | April 28, 2014 at 09:14 AM
Well done! The green shelves on top really set it off.
Posted by: Diane | April 28, 2014 at 09:23 AM
Love it! Your projects always make me smile. I love that Tom is on board with your creativity and helps make your visions a reality. What a great pair you two make. ♥
Posted by: Alison | April 28, 2014 at 09:47 AM
Absolutely amazeballs!! You never disappoint. I have been collecting small vintage items from my mom's past and I want to do a homage type box. You just opened up my box choices tenfold with that genius use of magnets and glass.
Posted by: Krista | April 28, 2014 at 11:51 AM
When I saw the first couple of pics of the box, I was hoping that there was glass in front because it looked like everything would fall out! Whew! I'm relieved and amazed at all the things you collected!
Posted by: Sherry@Back2Vintage | April 28, 2014 at 01:40 PM
That came out cute. I have a friend that collects stuff like that and has a similar shadowbox in her bathroom with the same sort of items. I don't believe you when you say that it's finished because if you find something else that would look good in that shadowbox I can bet you are going to buy it anyway to add it in.
xo Danielle
Posted by: Danielle @ Blessed Serendipity | April 28, 2014 at 02:31 PM
Finally! Now I can get some sleep. I've been up night after night trying to figure out what that Magpie mind was up to involving a vintage roll of toilet paper! You sure didn't disappoint.
Loving the hair dryer so much! Must have something to do with the name...
Erica
Posted by: Erica | April 28, 2014 at 04:09 PM
It's the perfect adornment for the vintage bath! How you got it all to stay put is gravity defying!
Posted by: Tammy | April 28, 2014 at 05:55 PM
Oh Ethel, I love this SO much! You are a vintage visionary!!
Posted by: Into Vintage | April 28, 2014 at 06:03 PM
Love, love, love it. So awesome in your new "vintage" bathroom! The glass trick was so smart and I will definitely be trying this!
Posted by: Marci | April 28, 2014 at 07:57 PM
Only YOU could make a display using old retainers look adorable! Love it all!
Erica :)
Posted by: Erica | April 28, 2014 at 09:49 PM
So creative. A time capsule for sure. Great job on display.
Sheryl
Posted by: Sheryl Remy | April 29, 2014 at 05:12 AM
What a cool display!
Posted by: Eddie Mitchell | April 29, 2014 at 05:36 AM
Brillant! So satisfying when an idea actually falls out of our brain into something so cool~yes? I so get it!
Posted by: joy | April 29, 2014 at 05:51 AM
Love everything about this project. Every item is perfect. You are a creative genius!
Posted by: Carol Tootalian | April 29, 2014 at 08:17 AM
Absolutely love it, love nostalgia! Did you glue any of of those items down or just arrange them in a way to hold them in place. I have the same hair dryer--it is so cute.
Posted by: Su Gardner | April 29, 2014 at 12:29 PM
OMG! I could not love it more! What a great assortment...and I have that EXACT green Handy Hannah (without the stand, though)in my bathroom (I have a green, aqua and pink dryer arranged together...wish I could attach a pic for you!) Love your creativity, and I just knew that you weren't done decorating that adorable pink bathroom!
Posted by: LaurenT | April 29, 2014 at 07:23 PM
Not many could upcycle a 73 yr old roll of toilet paper, quite an achievement in a perfectly set vignette. Love the dryer.
Posted by: Kristi | May 02, 2014 at 07:36 AM
OMG you find some of the most brilliant things! And do brilliant things with them.
Posted by: Kim Campbell | May 04, 2014 at 08:07 AM
So incredibly cool... it's like a museum in your own home.
Posted by: Maureen | May 25, 2014 at 06:07 PM
the box is fabulous!
Posted by: rosemary | July 04, 2014 at 10:16 AM