Magpie Ethel

Estate Sale Saturday. College Errands

My daughter Kate, is home for a few days before she heads back to school for her senior year of college.  Estate sale land did not have any sales that looked great, so I decided to spend time with her on Friday and Saturday and get some college shopping done.  Saturday on the way home from errands, we decided to take one detour to an estate sale on the way home.

It was a super full hoarder type sale with lots of crazy stuff...pez containers, plastic toys and wood figures. In amongst a crazy amount of stuff, I found some treasures (and so did Kate).

The head vase is perfect except for a chip in the bottom. I may give her a little holiday corsage makeover.  I can always use more poker chips for crafting and the sailor is actually a reproduction (which I did not know till I saw the MIDWEST tag on his base when I got home...he is still darn cute and will fit in with my sailor collection.)

This mouse may get a little holiday makeover as well. She was left outside last night at the estate sale and it rained HORRENDOUSLY...she needs a little TLC. The estate had some good ceramic figures mixed in with all of the plastic toys and such.  
It is always a good day to find little elves.
It was a good sale for small Christmas ornaments and kewpie dolls.

I have a collection of candy tins.  Some of them have a British design and this one will fit right in.

This squirt gun fish was one of my favorite finds of the sale. It will head to the someday beach house. The polka dot hat will be fun for some Valentine crafting.

Last but not least this metal car. It may end up with a tiny Christmas tree for the holiday season. It was a rare treat to shop an estate sale with Kate.  Good finds and even better company.  

 

 

Collection Challenge #268 - Vintage Squirrels

I found a cardboard cutout squirrel this past weekend. 

It was at the digger sale and I threw it in my box as I thought it would be a fun friend for my other squirrel die cut and the squirrel nut cups.

I got the nut cups at Farm Chicks this past year. The die cut squirrel was found in estate sale land and is the same image.

I have been picking up ceramic squirrels this year as well. I will use them for holiday crafting.  

  This fellow seems to be perplexed by the JAPAN sticker that is on his tail.

This cardboard squirrel is from a game.

This pair is one of the cutest squirrels I have ever found in estate sale land. I gifted them to a friend who decorates her mountain cabin with them.

I have had squirrels on my brain lately because of a daily visitor.  Every afternoon when I am crafting away I have a squirrel friend in my backyard about 3 p.m.  Tom picks up acorns when we go on an evening walk and the squirrel stops by for a snack and to say hello.

If you have an idea for a future collection challenge, leave me a comment and finish the sentence "Show me your collection of _____."  A collection each Tuesday.

 

Estate Sale Friday. I Drove The Right Route.

I was heading to one estate sale on Friday. There wasn't much out there, so I was going to hit one and then head to the studio.  On the way there I saw a sign for an estate sale.  Of COURSE, I had to detour to it.  It was a good stop.  It was a digger.

I dug for about half and hour and then rushed to the sale I was originally heading to.  It was a total DUD.  I drove back to the first sale and dug some more.  It was good to make another round and find more.

I found lots of this and that Christmas which is great for crafting. I got lucky with three strands of mercury glass garland. My spun head radar was also on.

I found a box of old Easter stuff.  It included a cotton chick with WIRE feet.

The old candy box had stuff in it, so it was a bonus box.
Norcrest bluebirds are always a happy find.  The ham steak tin will become a three tiered stand.
 

I found lots of swissstraw for crafting.It is always a good day to find bump chenille...especially in pink.  I found a swim cap in a great lavender shade.  I also found some old berry baskets. (they will head to Etsy)
I found Christmas corsages and Christmas reflectors.

I have never seen these candy cane glasses before and I found 15 of them.  
Every time I go to an estate sale and there are juice glasses I hunt for one of these seahorse glasses (they used to be sold with shrimp cocktails in them).  I will use them at my someday beach house.
Super glad I took the route I did today.  Meant to be to hit this estate sale.
Happy Weekend.

Collection Challenge #267 - Vintage Diaper Pins

Last weekend in estate sale land I found some diaper pins with the original display card.

They are manufactured by Reddy..hence the R on the outfit of the squirrel on the flip side of the card. Seriously cute.

I went to add these pins to my collection and it dawned on me I had not done a challenge on these since challenge #4 (5 years ago).

My collection has grown a bit over time. There seem to be a few styles of pins and they mostly differ by color.  Dark Blue...some of the animals I can tell what they are and some I can't.

Pale Yellow.   These pins are the cutest.  The details on the little animal heads are quite charming.

Bright pink.  White

Light Blue.
I really like the plain ones too without an animal head. The colors are great.
I even have a necklace that includes a diaper pin!

For the record I am not of the generation that used diaper pins. My kids were either velcro diaper covers with cloth diapers or disposable diapers.  I pretty much used disposable after an attempt with cloth.  

Another oddball collection.  If you have an idea for a future collection challenge, leave me a comment and finish the sentence "Show me your collection of ____."  Collection challenge...each Tuesday.

Estate Sale Friday and Saturday. Good Junk.

I hit a couple of sales on Friday which were pretty dismal. Saturday made up for the slim Friday pickings.  I hit three sales on Saturday, each of which were pretty good.  One was a digger which are my favorite kind.

This darling dry erase board and the ride along turtle were from the same digger sale.

I think the mushroom used to be a nightlight. I got lots and lots of littles. Perfect for crafting.
I was lucky with snowmen and Christmas corsages.

At the digger sale it was basically the garage with tons of boxes. I just dug from box to box and added stuff to my basket.  My basket was overflowing by the end of my digging. I like that.

This pair of silly anthropomorphic fruit are holiday ornaments.

For my someday beach house.

It was a spun head day. I found two bunny heads at one sale and a Santa one at the digger.
Vintage stockings. The mesh stockings will fit right in with my collection.
The digger sale had a box of saved used wrapping paper. I rescued some of the better scraps for projects.

This funny toy watch has both a clock face and a compass. I think it will fit right in with my collection.
Vintage crepe paper.

This is a "crossing the line" certificate regarding sailors and boats and crossing the equator. It is issued by Davey Jones and Neptune, Ruler of the Raging Main. It is dated 1929.
One always needs waltzing vegetables.
The rooster and chick are water decals.

This chalkware head plaque was at the digger sale. I loved the sweet face and it was huge and in good condition. Not my usual style, but I thought it would be fun to add a party hat or crazy crown and give her a little Magpie Ethel look.

A good weekend of junk. No complaints from me.

 

Collection Challenge #266 - Vintage Disposable Tablecloths

There is something about old disposal tablecloths.  They came in paper or a lightweight plastic with darling graphics.  I think they were intended for one party use, but often they were used and then folded and tucked away. Or they were purchased and never used.  Whichever the case I am always happy to find them.

The two plain pink tablecloths are paper. The one with fruit is a really lightweight plastic. 

I bought the pink ones because of the wonderful label on the original packaging. They have never been opened.

This darling baby shower tablecloth was used and then folded away. I could not resist the cute stork and baby.

Happy Birthday. Never opened.

Great assortment of floral designs. You can tell the time period from the soft florals to the groovier colors of the 70s or so.

This is a great vinyl tablecloth intended for card games. The napkins were found at a different time, but go well with the tablecloth.

These were found at different times, but I am set for a party if I ever want to have one.  Tablecloth, divided paper plates and napkins.

Another unopened tablecloth that never saw party time. This paper tablecloth has been used and refolded, but I love, love the dainty pattern. Notice the pea pods.
Most of the paper tablecloths I have for holidays are put away in the appropriate holiday bins.  This St. Patty's day tablecloth has not made it into the bin yet.
The simplicity and timelessness of this pattern is wonderful. I use it as a backdrop sometimes in some of my photos.
This bar-b-q tablecloth is another one that never got used. The graphics on it are darling.

Look at this...Food and Happy Fun Out-of-Doors.  ADORABLE.

And of course I have to have some vintage Christmas tablecloths.

This Reed's tablecloth and napkin set is the oldest one I have. I think it is from the 1940s.

 

Fun stuff.  Another quirky collection.  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 each week.

Saturday Junk With Amy

Estate sale land was pretty dismal this weekend. I didn't even go out on Friday. Saturday Amy and I decided to road trip to a sale in Washington that some friends were having.  We were going to drive up and junk our way back. It was a good day.

I got that big old patio umbrella for $3.  It needs a lower part of the pole, but that is an easy fix.  It will join the other two vintage ones I have in my backyard.

This old baby stroller has that great green color and I will probably use it in my yard. The hat on the handle is bee keeper hat. The pixie planters are neat old plastic hanging planters that are MIP.

The pixie planters originally came in 6 colors. They were only pink left, but I was fine with that.

An old tin and ANOTHER CHILD'S RECORD!  This one will head to Etsy as it is a duplicate of one I have.

I have a collection of these old photo corners. The graphics are awesome. I love that one of the sets is in red rather than the traditional black. I also found an old globe to add to my collection.
A glass jar (headed to the studio) that is currently full of old cotton birds.  The skirt hem stick will be a good display piece.  Ceramic fish for my someday beach house.

The box is a plastic tiny jewelry box with a great green velvet interior.  I can always put old typewriter keys to use.
These fish shaped SNIPPY scissors are super great...plus they still work!

This little fellow will become a cupid in his next life after a visit to my studio.
 

It was a good day for deer.

It was a good day for littles.  The red silverware box will soon hold some glass garland.I love the original packaging on this find.  Nowadays we basically do the same thing with CDs to scare the birds away.

This was one of my favorite finds.  It was a whole baggie full of state park and tourist spot patches.  We used to collect these for Ben when we travelled and I would sew them on a certain blanket for him.  There are over 80 here (and they usually retail for $2-$6). There are lots of places we have been and never got a patch for here.

One lone darling Easter chick (with wire feet). You know old shelf liner must be pretty spectacular when it uses the name M'LADY!

It was a really good day.  I missed estate sale land, but junking yard sales and such out in the country was a good way to pass the day.  Plus we found good stuff!
Happy day!

 

 

Martha Stewart Inspired Wreath

Last holiday season Martha Stewart had her holiday issue of her magazine with a wonderful wreath that was decorated with putz houses. It was super.

I had a customer ask me last holiday season about doing a similar special order of one, but with a Magpie Ethel touch to it.  I was excited about this project and spent some time this past year gathering things that I knew would work for the wreath.  I finally got it crafted a bit ago.

I really like the way it turned out. People on IG also loved it and showered my photo of it with "likes".

My customer wanted spun head snowman as a feature. I was fine with that.

I really love the colors and I had to include some of my reflector flowers that I enjoy so much for a little sparkle.

What a fun project. 
The wreath is on its way to a new home.  Definitely a craft challenge that I enjoyed so. I might need to make another!

 

Collection Challenge #265 - Vintage Child Records, Part II

I think it interesting how collections grow...sometimes I can add items to a collection pretty quickly and sometimes the search drags on.  Last week I did a collection challenge on vintage children's records.  In less than a week my collection has grown.  It was a good weekend in estate sale for children's records and I just couldn't resist.

I now have a few more Christmas related 45s.

The bottom right record has 4 albums inside and is like a little book of albums

This cutie will be perfect for the Fourth of July.
Some of the records I got were actually just the paper cover jacket.  I found five jackets and she gave them to me for a buck.

This little bunny may join my other Easter records.  For those of you that have kids heading back to school soon.

This Happy Birthday will join the other two I already have.

The Humpty Dumpty illustration on the side of the record is one of the cutest I have ever seen.

Such a wide variety.
I certainly did not expect to update this collection so quickly, but estate sale land was generous with records last weekend.

If you have an idea for a future collection challenge, leave me a comment and finish the sentence "Show me your collection of ____."  For the record, I do like my collections!