A Few Thrifty Finds

Ok, anyone still out there? I have been MIA for only 2 months or so! If you are still reading this, thank you!

I was cleaning/sorting my vintage and thrifty junk finds, and I was struck with the need to capture photos a few of my recent treasures.

I found this sweet little set of 4 pink glass dessert plates for $2.00. The cutie-pie grapefruit pincushion is an etsy find from a year or two ago. The store is SeaPinks and it has the most adorable offerings for handmade felt pin cushions.

This little wall hanging I found so sweet. It has 2 to 4 layers to create a dimensional effect. Even the little bee and flowers have an extra layer. 

This was intended to show the details, but it was difficult to get closer without reflecting off the glass. I also have a thing for velvety ribbon, so this little piece totally charmed me.

This find was at a random stop for an estate sale sign. The ladies running the sale were making great deals on everything because the sale was thrown together very last minute by the homeowners. And, sadly, the house smelled like cats had been living there without people. Yuck! There were lots of diamonds in the rough, but nothing worth bringing home with that smell.

I did pick up a pewter water  pitcher and the ladies through this book in for free when I picked it up (it does not smell, thank goodness - except for that old book smell). It may not look like much to anyone else - other than a vintage children's book. But to me it is a childhood memory. My grandparents had us over every Sunday for dinner. They had remnants of toys and books from my mom and her siblings. Not a lot, but back then we made due with our imaginations and the front yard.

In the old books my grandparents kept was a set of Peanuts books from the early 60's, this one included. The books had very retro covers with bright bold pages inside. In this one, each new page started with "Happiness is...". Similar to our imaginations, the list was all very simple things, like a warm puppy, a thumb and a blanket, and playing with friends. So simple, and so true.

And my last item of the day~ I almost fell over when I saw this beauty. It was working perfectly as a display stand for some vintage gloves, jewelry and odds and ends. A four-tiered silver-plated server. I assumed that it was NFS, but was so pleasantly surprised that it had a price tag - a very reasonable price tag. It could use a good cleaning, but I love it just the way I found it, too, with all its patina. I need to decide what to use it for first. Wouldn't this be great to hold craft supplies on a desk?

I hope to be posting more frequently! But life as a momma bear can be pretty darn unpredictable.

Until then... Happy junking treasure hunting!

My favorite furniture finds

I mentioned in a previous post, that I wanted to take better photos of the little desk I got from Urban Farmgirl last summer at the Kane County Flea Market. Well, I took pics, but never got around to uploading. So here is a post devoted to my lovely desk and bathroom cabinet from Mary, the fabulous urban farmgirl that she is.

Here is my leggy desk in the foyer. She is a pale shade of grey with peeks of white and carefully chosen wood tone showing through on the details. Yes, it's a she - look at those legs! This desk has to be a female, especially with her curvy front. :) 

Here is a view of the cute new knobs on the drawer and a bit of detail. I even adore the little knicks and dents - they add so much character and history to the piece. Oh! And a little surprise inside the drawer...

Mary lined the drawer with pages from a french book, including a photo. "Le pain frais"

Look at the detail on the front of the desk! I can't decide if that or the curvy legs are my favorite part. :)

When I found the desk at Mary's booth, I happened to find the perfect cabinet for my powder room, too. My powder room is an unusual shape. The pocket door is on a diagonal and it has a pedestal sink, leaving very little room for storage. This piece fit the bill in style!

See, with two kids, we go through a LOT of toilet paper {aka, 3 year olds love to unroll it at any given whim. This is how I imagine her train of thought. While in the middle of some serious toy time she stops abruptly and thinks: "Oh, that's right - I forgot to unroll the toilet paper this morning. Better go do that now."}

So I need storage. Lots of storage. We've finished potty training finally, but for the past year it's been a very handy spot for Dr. Seuss and Sandra Boynton board books. One of these days, those will be replaced with pretty hand towels and extra soap, etc.

And I love, LOVE, love the chicken wire painted white. Every time I see it, I am so glad I found it.

I think it looks great with old Ball mason jars and vintage bottles filled with fresh flowers.

Did I mention that Mary also sells "smalls"? This great AutoWate scale is from her etsy shop, as well as the petite ironstone bowl sitting on top. It's from a set of 4. I have purchased many items from her etsy shop over the past year. I'm sure more will be shown in photos in the future. I love her combination of chippy, shabby, industrial style. I need to devote a post solely to the vintage cameras I have been collecting - many from Mary's etsy shop. 

Some of Mary's furniture and other perfectly picked smaller goods can be found at Tattered Tiques in Lake Barrington, IL. They have a great combination of vintage items and painted furniture. It's a good thing they are an hour's drive for me, or I'd be in serious trouble. :)

You can also find Urban Farmgirl {and Mary, of course} at the Kane County Flea Market in St. Charles, IL during the warmer months. The Flea runs on the first Saturday & Sunday of each month. Mary is located in the Arena Building outside. As she has put it, "look for the sea of white furniture." You'll be glad you did!

~All images in this post are my own.~

Sharing with the following fabulous blogs:
Faded Charm, Primp Your Stuff, Common Ground, French Country Cottage, The Vintage Farmhouse, ...

Ombré lovin'

I'm sure plenty of people are sick of hearing about the ombré trend. But...I'm not one of them! I am still loving it.

There is an amazing array of goods for sale from major brand names and stores to Etsy's handcrafted items.

Left to right, top to bottom: Stenciled Sign by quelinda-crafts.blogspot.com, You Better Be-reef It Dress from ModCloth.com, Flamenco Shower Curtain from Anthropologie.com, Ralph Lauren Ombré Romper at Nordstrom.com, Phoebe Teal Chevron Heart Shaped Wedding Programs via Cricket Printing on Etsy, Ombre Ruffle Front Linen Dress - With Tie Straps by bittybambu via Etsy, and Aqua Gradient Necklace silk ribbon embroidery by bstudio on Etsy.

The ombré wedding and party inspirations are endless. I think I want to throw a party just so I can decorate with some of these ideas.

Left to right, top to bottom:  

Pink Ombré Fabric Backdrop via Green Wedding Shoes, Pink Ombré Cake via Call Me Cupcake, Vintage 1950s Dress with Ombré Pink Tulle via Mill Street Vintage on Etsy. Cascading Orchids tiered cake via Bobbette & Belle, Ombré Cake Pops via The Party Wagon, Ombré Tissue Paper Poms via Icing Designs, and Fabric Ombré Hanging Chandelier via
Adaura on Etsy.

So, are you loving this trend? Or are you so over it?

I hope to return soon with an original project inspired by the images above. I'll keep you posted!

~All images can be found on my Pinterest Boards.~