Magpie Ethel

Kitchen Snippets

I just hung the box that I got last week and decided to show a few snippets of my favorite things in my kitchen.  We just reworked the kitchen last year and added new marble counter tops, sink, faucet, subway tile backsplash and dishwasher.  I repainted the cabinets as well (original to the house).  The kitchen is very vintage inspired...take a peek.

Here is the box I commissioned that I got last week.  I love how it fit into the look of my kitchen.  The little shelf to the left I got at an estate sale a couple of weeks ago - purchased with no plan in mind, and quickly put to good use.

This is my prize O'Keefe and Merritt vintage stove. It has been refurbished and really sets the tone for the kitchen.  My dad and Tom made the microwave cabinet (to my specs).  I also collect green metal - thus the old recipe boxes as well as my birthday candle collection (in the jar).  The floor is blue Pergo.  We had it installed a number of years ago and I still love it.

My spice shelf which is actually an old ironing board cabinet (ironing board removed and shelves inserted).  The spices are alphabetized and someday I hope to have them in pretty jars.

A shelf above a door holds estate sale finds of pottery and vases in various hues of greens.

Always fresh flowers on the windowsill.  Always.

I'm a sucker for old tins with great graphics - especially if they are green.

I am lucky to have a great built-in in the kitchen nook.

Collection of old swanky swig glasses.  I only collect the ones intended for children that have various animals.

I like old stuff in the original packaging.

Old tin plates and vintage metal floral curtain tie backs. The tie backs are basically just push pins with a floral decoration.  I like them scattered along the wall (and yes, they all leave a hole!)

 

More old green metal. This is our telephone stand/newspaper container.

Two old children's metal irons are attached to the wall.  I have hooks thru the handles so they can hold my kitchen towels.

Metal floral clips decorate the top of my curtain rod over my sink.  An old curtain tie back with a bird decoration sing me a morning hello.

A very battered green metal cabinet with original floral decals.  Old glass creamers are displayed on top.  I store cupcake papers and tea balls in the drawers - I have a small kitchen so I really utilize all the space I can.

Thanks for taking a peek..it is definitely a kitchen that makes me happy.

Harriet and Flo

I often fall in love with the little spun head friends I make in my studio.  I have fallen hard for this duo...Harriet and Flo.

These are the only two chick heads I have and I love how they turned out.  Harriet is on the left, Flo on the right.  They initially had little paper party type hats on their heads.  The hats didn't do it for me.  I was inspired by some pipe cleaner hats that some birds were wearing at Oodles and Oodles.I knew these two gals needed some sort of pipe cleaner Easter bonnet.  I went to work...and voila, a wonderful Easter bonnet.

As much as I love the pair...I am letting one go.  Flo is flying the coop and heading off to Etsy land.  Harriet is staying with me and joining my collection of Easter chicks.

I am sure that Harriet will find a good home.  Flo will be sure to stay in touch.

 

Four Eyes

Recently I was cleaning out a drawer and realized how many pairs of vintage eyeglasses I have collected.

Wow!  I often find them for 50 cents or in the free box.  I love the frames and how cool they look. Often they have a nasty prescription glass that I can't even see clearly thru when I put them on.  (I wear contacts by the way).  When I was in college I picked up a pair of vintage glasses somewhere. They had cool frames.  I took the lenses out and wore them out alot - to class, football games, etc. No lenses, just the frames.  Weird huh? But I loved how they looked...they gave me a whole new studios persona.  The minute I put on a vintage pair of frames I just become a different person!

 

Call me four eyes, but man oh man, am I styling with these frames!

Happy Tuesday!

Studio Tour

After all these months of blogging I have not fully shared my studio with you. There has been a photo here or there, but for the most part it has been a GIANT MESS.  I have been ashamed.  I spent the past few days clearing stuff out and organizing.  I know I have a ton of stuff...but I like organized clutter....so here it is, in all its colorful, glittery glory.

 

Here we are about to enter.  The studio is attached to my garage.  The family before us used it as a storage area.  I didn't see the potential when we first moved in...but eventually as my crafting evolved I realized the possibilities the space had and took over.

 

 

GASP! 

 

It is full....I know, I know, but full of cool, vintage stuff.

 

 

There is even a sink for when I am messy and need to clean-up. The cabinets were here too, but were stained oak.  It did have the cool turquoise countertop (I pulled up carpet and painted the concrete floor to match the counters.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I traded a Christmas wreath I made with my neighbor for the cabinet on the left.  It sat in her garage for years.  I wanted it bad and she knew it.  She finally decided to part with it and we did a trade.  The bottom drawers are file cabinet drawers.

This is a spot that friends sit when the come to chat. It is an old crib that I just left one of the side rails off of.  The skirt on the bottom hides bins of supplies.

My work table. It was already painted pink when I got it from my sister in law.  I added the galvanized top.  It always has clutter on top of it.

 

 

 

I love this pink cabinet.  It was sitting in someones front yard with a big "For sale $50" sign.  I didn't waste anytime scooping it up.  It holds my collection of turquoise pottery and vintage linens.  I also have a collection of vintage floral trays that decorate the walls.  I have over 100 of them and the only bare space left is the ceiling!

 

Well that is about the end of my photo tour. Hope you enjoy my space as much as I do!

Flip that House...Flip the Neighborhood!

My studio was littered with all the remnants of yesterdays holiday house flips.  I have found that it easier to create a bunch of similar items production line style.  Thus the title of today's post...flip the neighborhood.  Flipped an additional four houses today!  Voila....

All my houses are flipped and the glitter and doodads have been put away till the next project.

I'm taking the evening off....

Let's Make a Deal

When I was a kid we used to watch this game show called Let's Make a Deal.  At the end of the show, the host Monty Hall would come down into the audience and ask an audience member for some quirky item.  Like "I'll give you $50 for every can of tuna you have in your purse."  The woman would search the depths of her purse for the desired item.  I always enjoyed seeing what oddball item Monty asked for.

Today when I was cleaning/organizing my studio I so wished that Monty Hall would have shown up at the door.  He could have asked "I'll give you $50 for every Davy Crockett head you have."  I would have answered "I have 4 dozen in the original box!"

Monty could have asked for a chicken.  I have a fabulous crepe paper honeycomb one.

Or Monty could have said "I'll give you $50 for every letter A that you have."  I have a lot of A's in my collection of letters.

"I'll give you $10 for every bell you have."  Monty would shout.  Monty would be a poor man after I pulled out this bin of bells.

Monty probably thought he would have stumped me when he asked for mushrooms.  NOPE, I have a whole collection in assorted colors! (and does anyone know what the note means that came with some of the mushrooms that if I hang them up they will keep the flies away....huh?)

So my studio is tidier and Monty never showed.  I had fun showing off my quirky craft supplies tho!

Have a great weekend.

Died and went to plastic heaven

Friday today.  Designated estate sale day in my life.  I went to the estate of a 80 year old woman and was number 18 to get in. (so got in quick!)  Got some big bottlebrush trees and some other fun stuff.  But there under the table was a box of plastic that made my heart swoon.

 

I think it is old.  But it is made of plastic and is made to resemble pressed glass. The colors are what got me.  A great pink and a greeny/yellow.  I got two cake plates, a footed bowl, a bowl, a elongated piece (a shallow type vase which will look great this summer with pink dahlias), and a container with a lid.  I can only imagine a summer party with all these yummy pieces put to good use.  I paid $12 for all of it.  It make me happy just looking at it!

I Have a Bird Addiction

It started with one and has multiplied to over 40.  Vintage birds.  In the bathroom.

I have a problem with collections.  I love them.  I probably have 30 collections displayed in my house.  Vintage advertising spoons, floral trays, figural cream vases, wedding toppers, metal floral curtain tacks...the list goes on and on.  One of my favorite collections is the birds that have taken over the main bathroom in our house.

Time to share...

Aren't they great?  I usually pick them up at estate sales for a few dollars.  The little yellow birds with the hats are my favorite.  The two bluebirds hang on the frame of the mirror over the sink (there are actually three of the bluebirds).  I even have a little lamp with birds that my friend Lori insisted that I have.   My mom says I don't have any more room for birds...but I can always find a spot for my next little feathered friend!