Gross!

So today I broke down and soaked the yo-yo partial quilt. Before I even got the sink filled with water, the water turned a nasty brown color and the smells coming from the water were just awful! I filled the sink 4 times and each time it was less and less nasty. Now it's hanging out on the line, soaking up some sunshine-and hopefully better smells!

I really love Biz for soaking my linens! I just wish it wasn't so hard on my hands-I always forget to put on some gloves when I'm soaking linens.

Looks like a couple of threads came loose...it looks 100% brighter

All Set for August!

Today had to have been a new record. I only took 5 things to the booth! I've taken 5 bins full of stuff before, but never so few items-especially not on dealer day! The things I took filled up the back of my car and the booth though.

I tidied everything up, rearranged and organized. I counted 32 half aprons!! I only brought home a couple of items. I think I will put them on Craig's list because they have been in the booth for a long time and no one has bought them. I guess there isn't a market for black Fiesta coffee pots, tea pots and vegetable bowls.  I never dreamed they wouldn't sell-I guess the right buyer just hasn't come along yet.

Here's the booth all set up for the month of August...

Did you notice something that didn't belong in the first few shots? Look on the black table on the right front corner...my plate of food! Every Dealer Day, our antique mall owners put out a buffet for the dealers who come to fill and organize their booths. I grabbed a plate and took a couple bites and set it down and forgot about it!

I finished up the whole booth, vacuumed, packed up my stuff to go home, took pictures, took my stuff to my car and came back in to walk through to see what everyone had added, and when we walked by my booth, Kevin saw the plate before I did. OOPS!!!

Hey, Hey, Hey!

What do you think of when you think of your childhood school days? One of the first things I think of is elementary school and my Partridge Family lunch box! I LOVED that lunch box!! I've been trying for a good 5 or more years to find one and they are pretty scarce.

Kevin had a Fat Albert lunch box when he was little. Do you remember Fat Albert? If you are too young or don't remember, click on the You Tube link below to see the opening theme to the Fat Albert how. I watched it every Saturday while I was growing up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WT-fxBNKs8

Today, after we were done setting up the booth for Dealer Day, we wandered around the mall for a bit to see all the new stuff the dealers brought in and Kevin found a Fat Albert thermos! He practically ran to find me in a different section of the mall.

He forgot where he found it, so it took a while to locate it again, but when he did, it brought a HUGE smile to his face, so you know, we had to buy it. Most of the time when you find something from your childhood, just the memory of the item makes you smile, right?

How about if you turned the item over and your name was written on the back? How about if you  took off the lid/cup and on the screw on stopper your first initial was there?  How about if the hand writing looked a lot like how you remember your mom's handwriting, and it was exactly how you remember it on your thermos?

Yep! That's what he found! He thinks it could very well be his old thermos from 40 years ago!! How fun is that!?!?!?

 

Junk Therapy...

What do you do when you are stressed? Worn out? Need to rejuvenate? My favorite thing to do is hit the road to either go to some sales, or wander mindlessly through an antique mall or shop. I can't explain why it does the trick, I just know it helps to slow down my spinning mind, and helps me to take a deep breath and it also takes my mind off of whatever is going on that has caused the stress or frustration. Now, if I could just have a piece of sourdough toast while I am junking, it would be pure heaven!

Do you have a favorite comfort food? Mine is sourdough toast! My guys all laugh at me-they can't understand how hard toast can be a comfort. I don't really get it myself, I just know that after a long, tough day at work, a warm, buttery piece of sourdough toast makes everything alright again! Weird-huh? I know!

Yesterday after work, and this morning- after a late start, I went out to a few sales and just wandered around and soaked in everything there was to see. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm not looking for plates or silverware anymore for the wedding, because right away my mind starts into the mode of looking for them.

I saw all kinds of fun things. I even bought a few things. I am noticing that I am having a hard time getting rid of some things that I have bought to sell!! Do you have that problem? Or is it just me? If it is run of the mill, easy to find stuff, it goes off to the booth right away. If it is something different, rare, hard to find...I've been setting it aside and pondering whether or not to keep it. Is this how hoarding starts?

Some things I think I'd like to get rid of, but when I think about how I've only ever found one in all the years, I've been treasure hunting at sales, it makes me pause and reconsider that I might not ever find another one and that I might regret getting rid of it. Do you do this too? Or am I losing it?

Here is what I picked up the past two days...what do you think I am having the hardest time getting rid of?

 Hand stitched older quilt. 

 Glove form size 7.

 Free box ornament-normally I wouldn't have grabbed it, but it reminded me of my grandma. With my Uncle's memorial service on Wednesday, I've been in a remembering mode...remembering all the loved ones we've lost in the last two years.

-

 I hope to use the old knives for hooks, and I do plan to use the mini muffin tins.

 These were both calling me, and both pretty cheap.

 Church rummage sale, fabric bundle-if the pieces were bigger, I could have seen valances for the sunroom!

 A quarter for the basket!

 The widest piece is 16 inches the rest between 15 and 8 inches by 45 inches.

 Fifteen plates and 17 cups.

 Paint by number-it was in a frame with glass, but bringing it in from the car to the house it cracked!

 Glasbake sauce cups-twenty cents each!

 Glass odds and ends.

 Grungy old Santa -quarter!

 Flo blue plates!!!

 Milk glass hat/vase/dish.

 Reproduction map from the Alamo-it was a quarter-gonna try to make a lampshade out of it.

 Fifty cent oil lamp.

 Last insulator-the shelf is full!

A pair of glass, girly lamps-one has a dirty ruffle.

I think I need to keep the flo blue plates-but I have no where to put them! They don't match anything in my house...but I LOVE them!!!

I'm heading over to see what you've been finding!! See you soon!!

Sunday finds...and a couple other treasures

After church on Sunday, Kevin decided he wanted to go to Harbor Freight. The closest one is over half an hour away. As he thought about it, he decided he wanted to go to Menard's too. The closest one is almost an hour away, but there happens to be both a Menard's AND a Harbor Freight in that area, only a few miles apart. So, off to Lansing we went.

As we were driving, I went on Craigslist to see if there were any leftover garage sales or estate sales we could visit while we were out that way. I found an estate sale and a flea market and couldn't wait to get through with the guy stores to get to the junk treasures.

As we were getting closer to HF, I started perking up in my seat, noticing that things were starting to look familiar...When we got there, we both laughed because we forgot that the Little Red Schoolhouse antique shop was across the street!

I told Kevin to take all the time he wanted looking for tools I'd be content wandering through looking at all the lovelies. I found a couple of things that I couldn't live without, and then we headed to the estate sale.

 I already had one of these, I'd like to get one more for a set of 4.

Now I have a pair of yellow and a pair of ivory!

It was the last day, and the garage was still packed with stuff. Not much in the house, but I don't think very much was in there to start with. I think it was mostly in the garage. The prices seemed really high to me, and I guess with all the stuff still left, they must have seemed high to everyone else too. Just as I was about to give up and walk to my car, I caught a glimpse of a table full of sheets. I dug through and found 3 vintage tablecloths marked either fifty cents or a dollar each!!

Kevin bought a toolbox full of tools junk according to the woman running the sale. When we got to the car, we both commented on how one man's junk is another man's treasure. It was obvious she didn't value the tablecloths or the toolbox full of tools, but we did, and we're happy to have them-especially at the prices we got them for!

The flea market was next and it was not good at all! It was a big parking lot with a hot dog truck and maybe a dozen stand alone items and one table. I was disappointed, but glad we went, so I wouldn't always be wondering what it was like.

Menard's was our last stop and we wandered and shopped and wandered some more before heading home with our treasures. I hope someday to have a Menard's a lot closer! I've found some great things there!

Yesterday, I got a package in the mail. It was something I bid on and won on Ebay. My very first Yo-yo quilt. I was so thrilled and beside myself with excitement as I waited for it to arrive! I got it super, super cheap (insanely cheap), and almost hyper-ventilated when I opened the box-that's how excited I was!

When I opened the box, the smell was the first thing to hit me like it had been around a smoker at one time-probably not recent. It wasn't super strong, but it was there. Then as I unfolded the quilt, I thought "where's the rest of it?"It was advertised at 86x60 and when I measured it, it was only 48x60!

I sent the seller a quick message asking if there was another piece that might have not made it into the box. She replied just a little while ago, she made an honest mistake. She measured it folded and multiplied it by 4 rather than stretch it all out. I believe her. She seemed really distraught over it,and it didn't just seem like just words to get out of a sticky situation.

I'm still happy with it, although I wish it were bigger. Folded up it looks bigger than it really is, so since it isn't even a twin size, I guess it will live folded up with my other quilts. What would you have done? Would you keep it? She offered a discount of almost 1/3 off, but I declined. I'm not trying to rip her off, I was just hoping for the size that was advertised.

I doubt I'll ever find any vintage material to expand it, since the material is very distinctive, and I think adding more yo-yo's in different material would look too weird. Oh well...one day I will find one that is big enough and in my price range-I just have to keep looking!

I got this quilt a few weeks ago, but I don't think I posted a picture of it. It too was ridiculously cheap (my price range), and I love it because it is purple!!!

How are you doing on your summer wishlist? Did you make one? Are you finding things? I'm still looking for the Federal Mod Daisy mixing bowls and the 2 side inserts for my Fiesta relish tray, and the center insert. I'm also looking for 2 small turquoise Pyrex fridgies to finish off my set. I found an amethyst glass rolling pin on Ebay, but didn't pay attention and lost out on it for just one more bid--doh!

No luck with the Fiesta syrup or the red divided plate, or the red Harlequin pitcher. I did get a pink and white stripe Pyrex 403 bowl that should be here any day, but none in the blue so far. I guess that just means more searching!! I LOVE the treasure hunt, so that won't be a problem!!

The Wedding...

Saturday was the day!! The much anticipated, highly looked forward to day! The wedding of Meghan and Tyler. It was held at an historic church in a local community. Had we not been running late due to construction traffic, I would have taken some pictures of the outside of the building as well as what I got from the inside.

It was a beautiful setting for a beautiful bride and groom and their beautiful ceremony. Take a look at some pictures...

One man sitting at my table was touched by the plate that his dessert came on. It was the same pattern his grandma had while he was growing up and he has never seen that pattern anywhere since. It really touched his heart and brought back memories! I love that!!!