Before and After...

I'm so glad I looked on the garage floor, under a table at a sale yesterday!  I'm also glad I didn't let myself get scared by the condition they were originally in(because 6 months ago I would have)! I'd say this was a very good find-especially at $3 for the set!

I can't wait for the built in cases to be built for our sunroom! They will look wonderful next to all of my vintage Fiesta!

Oh, My!!

Kevin and I took off this morning on our usual Saturday morning date (treasure hunting). I found 2 sales that sounded really good from their ads in the newspaper. They both were frogs! Prices waaaayyy too ridiculously high at both. One was at the home of an antiques dealer and they still had their dealer tags on the items and were trying to sell them at store prices.

We decided to stop at some unadvertised sales along the route home and we hit the Pyrex jackpot! All of this came from 2 sales! I even got some zucchini for dinner! :) At the last sale, I was admiring the huge hedge of Rose of  Sharon that ran the length of the driveway and the lady who lived there pulled up some shoots of them for me to take home and plant in my yard! They are purple too! Can't wait for them to grow up and bloom!

With the other shoots Auntie got me earlier this summer and these, I'm going to have some gorgeous trees in the coming years!

Here is what I got today...how did you do this weekend?

 I still haven't found a cushion for this chaise, or even any really cool vintage barkcloth to make a cushion with. That is tops on my treasure seeking list for the rest of the summer!

Can't wait to catch up on your blogs! I've missed seeing what you've all been up to!! I just got a new power cord for my laptop, so no more sharing Kevin's pokey old machine. Hope you are having a great weekend-I'm on my way to stop by and visit your blogs! :)

Whew!

I got up bright and early today and loaded a ton of junk beautiful treasures into my car and took them to the booth. I spent about 5 hours loading stuff in and helping Auntie move the rest of her stuff out. I was very nervous about how it would all fit and how it would all look once it was just my stuff in the booth.

Once I got going, it really went together pretty quickly and I think it turned out pretty O.K.. I got almost everything I took with me in, and it made a huge dent in our basement-so I'm sure Kevin will be happy. Adam (the son who is always in the basement family room) didn't even notice that a huge chunk of stuff was missing! He told me that would be like me noticing if he had more of less Xbox games.

While I was there, I even sold a few things-woo hoo! I'm kicking myself though because I walked around and saw some awesome vintage shakers in Mitzi's booth and I wish I would have bought them!!! The were glass and very small, with a clear criss cross pattern. What made them so cool was the lids! Plastic lids in Fiesta colors!! I hope, hope, hope they are still there when I go back!!!

Here is what the booth looked like when I left...

Sorry about the last picture. I was trying to hurry and take it because the mall was really crowded today and there were not very many chances when someone wasn't walking by-which is an excellent problem to have-right?!?!?!?

I just got invited to go to a friend's house to play some sand volleyball, so I am off to change and have some mindless fun for a couple of hours-maybe it will help me to think about something else for a while other than all the bad stuff my family members are going through right now.

Thanks again for all of your prayers, thoughts and well wishes-and especially the words of encouragement!
That is what has been keeping me going when I just feel like sitting in my room and crying it all out.

Family Update...

Yesterday my Mom met with hospice for my grandma. Since she has congestive heart failure and kidney failure and is refusing dialysis, there is nothing that can be done for her, and it is just a matter of time.

My Aunt had another MRI yesterday and she is going in tomorrow for more radiation in a different spot.


My friend Ellen's Dad went to be with the Lord last Friday and his funeral was today.

Thanks so much for the kind words, thoughts and prayers everyone!! They really meant a LOT!!!!

Sorry-I don't have time for a post of vintage goodies, I am taking over the booth solo as of Friday, so every spare minute is being spent on getting stuff ready to go! After Friday, I'll finally have some free time.

I miss all of your blogs and can't wait to catch up!!

Saturday Finds...

This morning Kevin and I headed out for 4 sales that looked promising. Two were total frogs, and one turned into a sub sale with 4 houses in the sub having sales! We also stopped at one along the way that had a big sign that said "1/2 off Saturday-with Many Free Things".

This is what I came home with...

The blanket and the popcorn popper came from 1/2 off sale, except when we got there, we were greeted in the driveway by the lady running the sale and she informed us everything was FREE-except a Formica table and a couple of 80's chandeliers.

The Formica table was wonderful-except it had black spray paint on it in an area of about 2'x1' and on the chrome trim. She wanted $50 for it and I had to pass. If it was free, I'd give it a try with removing the paint, even if it was $10 I probably would have tried, but not $50.

I didn't think I got this much stuff! It was all packaged in a couple of small bags (except the magazines), and I kept unwrapping and digging stuff out that I forgot I bought!

I ended up with 5 tablecloths, 3-60's Girl Scout berets, a Girl Scout sash, hanky, neckerchief, socks and handbook, two sets of salty/peppy shakers, a chintz plate and tea cup, an androck nut chopper, a 401 blue and 403 crazy daisy Pyrex mixing bowls (from S/A), a piece of vintage material, a bunch of Good Houskeeping, Life, Better Homes and Gardens, Screenland, Photoplay, and other magazines and booklets from the 30's-60's-as well as a couple Little Golden books-whew!

Kevin picked up 2 free garden hoses, a hedge trimmer and leaf blower-all at the FREE sale! He wasn't even going to get out of the car when we pulled up, but saw the guy stuff and the 1/2 off sign and decided to look around.

It's a hot and muggy day again, about 10 degrees cooler than earlier in the week-so that is a big relief! I'm off to work on those old vanity pieces I got last weekend (if I can tear myself away from all these fantastic magazines!!)-I hope they turn out nice! I was really shocked by the comments about the little white cabinet (that I posted yesterday)!

I was really feeling like I made a bad purchase when I bought it, so thanks for cheering me up about it!

Cute White Cabinet...maybe??

I've been having so much fun the past couple of weeks with "Would You Buy it Wednesday" over at Junker Newbie! I LOVE looking at all of the fun and interesting things everyone has been finding. I've also enjoyed showing some of my finds!

This week, I have a little cabinet that I picked up at an estate sale. It was in rough shape and needed to have a chunk of wood replaced at the hinge on one of the doors. I'm lucky to have a husband with woodworking as his hobby! I've cleaned it all up, and painted it, but now I'm wondering if it was worth all of the work...

What do you think? Would you buy it? I want to put it in the booth, but...A) I'm not sure anyone would want to buy it, and B) I have no idea what to price it at!

See the repair on the the left side? It was originally off white with green trim along the bottom, the trim between the doors and drawers and along the top of the scallop back. I just added a hint of turquoise on the hearts to make them stand out because they are so cute! Should I have left them white? Should I have painted all of the green areas in the turquoise? This whole furniture thing is new to me so your advice would be GREATLY appreciated!! THANKS!!!!!

Don't forget to head over to Junker Newbie!!!

On My Own? YIKES!

Last week, my friend, and booth partner the Chicken's Auntie (or just Auntie, or now Kitschy Vintage-check out her new blog!), came to work and we talked about our booth at the antique mall. Auntie has expanded and opened a second booth all on her own and was feeling stressed out with maintaining and paying for a booth and a half. So, she asked if I thought I could handle our booth on my own.

YIKES!! I'm gonna give it a try. I'm glad I didn't sign a year long contract, I just pay month by month, so if I ever can't make my rent for a few months in a row, I will just pull out and have a giant garage sale at my house and be done with the antique business.

We'll probably have to sign papers getting everything transferred to my name only as of August 1st, and I have a LOT of work to do in a short amount of time to get stuff ready to fill up the second half of the booth! Auntie has already started taking stuff out and adding it to her new booth-which is wayyy cool! I'm sure she will be super successful on her own---me? I'm not so sure, but I'm willing to give it a try. Who knows, I could be all done by the end of October, or I could be gearing up for Christmas. We'll see what happens-it'll be an adventure either way!

In the meantime, lots of health issues for my mom, grandma and aunt this past week. Mom got rushed to the hospital with a possible detached retina-which turned out to be an issue with her vitreous fluid, and not as serious as a detached retina. Grandma got rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery for blood clots in her arm, and my aunt went in for radiation for a cancer spot on her brain. They found two more spots that weren't there a week ago. Also, a dear friend's dad is in his final few days-so all of this has my heart heavy today.

It has really gotten me thinking on how quickly life as we know it can change, or be taken from us or our loved ones. I know God is in control and He has a plan in each and every one of the health issues that are heavy on my heart. I find hope and peace in that, but I also (am human) feel sad knowing people I love are hurting and going through so much! So, dear friends, if you are a praying person, please lift up my mom (Becky), my aunt (Brenda) my grandma (Dorothy) and my friend (Ellen)-THANKS!!!

A LOT of Work...a Little Rest...Soon More Work!

If you've been reading my blog for a while, I'm sure you've seen all the posts I've been doing on our sun room addition. Kevin and I are very tired from all of the work we've put into it, and we've decided to take a break for the rest of the summer.

All that is left to do is the built in book/display cases, and maybe some blinds or curtains. We cleaned out all of the trim, wood scraps, ladders and tools yesterday and I swept and mopped the floor. It is a really big room, and I just love it! I can't wait for the cabinets!! Those will come probably early fall, when the weather cools down.

This is what it looks like for right now.

I am really bummed that the french doors didn't come with any type of screens! I thought we were very specific that we had to have screens, but for some reason the ones that we got don't have them! I guess we must have zoned out when we ordered them or something! I am hoping that my handy husband can make a wooden frame and that we can get some wooden screen doors on there. Otherwise the black flies and the mosquitoes will eat us up-and it is too hot to not have them open for the breeze!

A variation of this cabinet is what I'd like to have on both sides where the blue foam board is...

Stay tuned...the saga continues!

How Many Trips to the Car Can We Make??

It killed me to have to run to the car to drop stuff off today! I was sooo unprepared! I was afraid I'd miss out on other great deals while I was gone!

Our local high school was having its annual garage sale/flea market and I've been going since they started-but it was NEVER like this before!!! Most years I either spend only a couple bucks or nothing at all. Some years it has been all kid stuff and baby stuff. Not this year! YAY! This year, they advertised 70 vendors. I'm not sure there really was 70, but I do know that this year is the biggest its ever been!

As we were walking in, Kevin asked me why I didn't bring my cart, and I told him because I never really find anything here, but it always has potential, so I keep going. Boy do  I wish I had brought the cart! I'm sure Kevin does too, because he made a few trips to the car for me as well.

We filled the car! Here is a shot of what I got. Most of it will go in the booth, but I will keep a couple of things-any ideas on what I'll keep?

I bought the Fiesta the Egg Nog set, the hankies, runner and hankie box all at one booth. I went back 4 times because they were still unloading stuff. When I first walked up, all they had on their table was the Fiesta. I got the vintage Pyrex and the canister set at the one right next door, and the glass rolling pin and sifter was right across from that!

I've been wanting a wicker chaise forever! Auntie always sees me drooling over them when I see them, but I am never willing to pay the $100+ dollars that I see them for. This one was only $10! The hard part will be finding cushions for it! Now to just get the sun room done so we can use the chaise!

The blue Pyrex and the Meadow Green casseroles were in a box that said "Make Offers". I held one up and the lady said "How about a quarter each?" The fish decal is for Eric for the back of his new (old) truck. It was a quarter too.

The steel chair was my other big splurge. I walked away from it on my first trip around. I kept thinking about it and then I saw a giant white granny cart and thought I had remembered Auntie saying she wanted one-so I called her to see if she wanted me to buy it for her (she's out of town-otherwise, I'm sure she'd be with me!) and I asked about the chair too and she said it was a great price. So, I hemmed and hawed and thought about it, and thankfully it was still there when I went back!

It was a fun morning. Probably more for me than for Kevin. Now we are back to work on trim in the sun room, then cleaning up all the tools and mopping the floor and setting up our chairs! Hopefully in the next month we will have the built ins done and I can share some pictures!

I'm linking up to Blue Eyed Owl for Thrift Score Thursday! Stop by for a visit, and add your latest thrift score!

How is your weekend going? Did you find any great deals? I'm on my way to check out your blogs to see what you found! Can't wait to see!!!

Blueberry Bliss!

This morning my friend Vickie from work came over bright and early and picked me up to go blueberry picking! It had just stopped raining and it looked like it was going to clear up. It rained twice while we were picking-and we got soaked from the bushes that were already wet from the earlier rain. But it was sooo worth it!

We went on line (Thanks Amy for the tip!) and got a Groupon for $10 for $20 worth of berries. If you are in southeastern Michigan-look for the Ann Arbor Groupon for Hazen's Farm in Howell-it's a GREAT deal!

Already all snug in the freezer-YUM! I think we are going back for raspberries and then later in August for peaches! I hope the Groupon will still be available!!!

What was I thinking???

I picked up a few things today at an estate sale...I bought these first.

They were $1 each!

Then I found this...

$2.

Then the owner who was running the sale brought over this...

She had it marked $10, and I asked if she would go any lower and she said, "How about $5?"

Now that I am at home, I am wondering "what was I thinking?" All of the pieces obviously need a LOT of work, and I hate "projects" when I already have a list of them a mile long. What was I thinking???

I guess when I saw that all 4 pieces were only $9 I got carried away. The owner said that the mirror actually goes to the two matching cabinets. It was originally a vanity table, but her son cut up the connecting board (grrr! Why?).

What would you have done? Would you have bought it too? Or would you have walked away? I am linking up to "Would You Buy it Wednesday" over at Junker Newbie. While you are there, check out all of the fun things other treasure seekers have found, and maybe even link up with your own find!

Josie's Posies and Amish Pie!

Yesterday Kevin and Adam came up to my parents house for the weekend. They got here just in time for Kevin to head out with me to an estate sale I found in the paper. It looked really promising. They had all kinds of specific things listed, including woodworking tools, tools, dishes, glassware, and a LOT of other interesting stuff.

When we go there, it was kind of scary. The house was out in the middle of nowhere, it looked really run down, no cars were in the yard (because there really wasn't a driveway). It was a very heavily wooded lot and when we pulled in, an older teenage boy came out of the house. He looked at us like we were from another planet, so I asked if this was where the sale was (since they had an old faded out "Garage Sale: sign by the road). He confirmed that it was, and lead us to a shack of a garage.

It almost looked like something Mike and Frank from the pickers would dig through.It definitely wasn't set up for any type of a sale! It was just a jumble of junk, and nothing was priced. Needless to say, we looked politely, because we committed to the sale by driving in and walking up, but we walked away without any new treasures.

Since we were really close to Curtis, I talked Kevin into a little side trip before we worked our way back home. We went to Josie's Posies, a florist shop/antique shop. Every Friday they have a flea market, where dealers set up in their parking lot, along with an Amish family that sells their baked goods. We didn't buy anything from the flea market or the shop, but we did get a delicious, Amish blueberry pie! YUM!

After that, we headed for home, but stopped at a garage sale on the side of the road. I found some great deals-some to keep, and some for the booth. Kevin doesn't see the potential that I see, he just sees junk-LOL!

I also made another stop at the "Junk Shop" in Naubinway and rescued the set of Fiesta bowls for an incredibly awesome price! This is the same place I got the set of smaller Fiesta bowls from last Friday, and the enamel top table last summer. If you find yourself in the U.P. at any time during the summer months, make a stop at the Junk Shop-it's crowded chaos inside, but the owner usually is willing to make a deal on anything you find that catches your eye.

After dinner we took a nice boat ride around the lake and had a campfire with s'mores and more fireworks (not anything like the ones we went to see on the 4th though). It is just so relaxing up here! I already am dreading returning home and going back to work!

Today is our last day, and it started off sunny and warm, but the sun has dipped behind some clouds and it is cooling off and starting to look like it might rain-boo! Tomorrow Kevin, Adam and I will head home. It is about a 4 1/2 hour ride, so that isn't too bad.

Hope you're having a great weekend! I'm bummed that I missed the big summer sale at Williamston Antiques! Auntie and I have gone every year for several years and I feel sad to not be going, but I'm glad to be spending the weekend with my whole family! :) I'm hoping that either Auntie or Mitzi will blog about it and post lots of pictures so I can see what I missed!

Sunset on the Mighty Mac...

Sunset shots on the Mackinac Bridge and after the bridge in the Upper Peninsula-my camera didn't do it justice-it was gorgeous!

A Nightmare in Lights...

Last fall you may or may not remember me complaining and commenting about the park next to our house and their plans to add lights to their soccer fields. We tried to fight it, we tried to argue, but since we are the only house on that side of the street and the only ones affected in a negative way-we didn't stand a chance of convincing them that it wasn't a good idea to light up the fields. So, to make a long story short...we lost and we've just been waiting for the lights to go up.

Just a few minutes ago, I got simultaneous picture texts from Adam and from Kevin of our yard at 10pm.  Look what they sent! I feel so sick to my stomach right now!

 This is a shot that looks to be taken from our sun room deck looking out toward our barn-see the barn on the right side of the shot?

This is looking in the opposite direction toward our volleyball court (about 300+ feet from the fence). This is going to be like this now for the rest of the summer until 10 or 11pm EVERY night of the week!

I can't believe that it ended up being much worse than I thought it would be based on how they presented it to us. I also can't believe that the peace and privacy of our yard is totally gone day and night for 7 months out of the year, and the value of our property I'm sure, has just plummeted. It REALLY stinks that we can't do a thing about this...

Fish sticks and Contentment

Here is a shot of the tiny fish sticks we caught yesterday-all fried up and delicious!

See what I mean about tiny fish?!?  After we leave, I am sure my Dad will catch the big ones that got away from us this week.

Maddie had a peaceful day full of contentment as she enjoyed the lake...

 Sitting in the water chillin.

 Rolling around in pure joy.

Fully content to just lay there and watch the lake.

Summer in the Upper Peninsula...

It's been wonderful to spend some time with my parents at their home in the U.P.. I've enjoyed the slow pace, the gorgeous scenery and the clean fresh air. There are people around when you want to hang out with them, and there is plenty of natural beauty when you want to be alone and just soak it all in.

We were treated to a Texas style 4th of July including brisket, ribs and fireworks with friends from all over the lake my parents live on. My parent's friend from the Ukraine made a Ukrainian soup for us and yesterday he made crepes for breakfast.

Last night we went fishing for a little while, but got chased in by lightening. My Dad and his friends always catch big fish on their lake, but every time we fish, we only catch what I call fish sticks-fish so small they wouldn't be bigger than a fish stick! I caught 5, Eric caught 3 and Igor caught 2.

 Later Igor posted on facebook that it was his first time fishing in 30 years! He really seems to be enjoying himself while he is here. I can't imagine what is going through his head though with the culture difference between the United States and Ukraine. He is able to skype with his wife and girls every day, and since my parents have been to Ukraine several times, they know his girls and have talked with them all on skype too!

Adam will be here on Friday for the weekend. Then it is back to work for all of us. Hope your summer is going great so far! Mine has started off on a restful note.