Treasures From My Father

My father was a NYC sanitation worker for 25 years.  He always said that he loved garbage ... And he did.  In those years he came across so many things.  Some were useful like maybe a working radio or piece of furniture, some was really what it was intended to be - garbage but some were things you might see at antique stores - vintage lamps, antique radios and cameras, furniture, old irons, vintage fans, clocks, jewelry just to name a few.  My father liked to collect things and there was no convincing him otherwise.  Now that he's gone, the task is ours to sift through everything.  It's a big job, but occasionally, we have come across some interesting things.  Here are a few ...

Addams Family books - not in the best condition, but with their dust jackets.  One is from 1947, and the other is from 1950.

 A cigarette case and matching lighter.  Both are in very good condition.  It's funny because I searched for a cigarette case to use as a business card holder for a while and eventually gave up because they can be quite pricey.  Who knew he had one the whole time.

 Christmas sheet music.

 I'm not sure what I can do with this, but I know they might come in handy for crafts so I thought I'd keep it.

 This last piece is something I've admired for years.  An old typewriter that's been around forever.  I'm not sure of the year, but it's somewhere in the early 1900s.

There's also an old vintage phone that I forgot to take.  Next time.

It's been a trying task going through an entire home of memories.  We laugh at times, we remember him at others and we miss him always.  

Spring Fever

I've been busy waking my sleepy home up from winter and transitioning to spring.  A while back, I'd seen these cloches from Wisteria and passed on them.

I just went back to them and they are now deeply discounted.  With a coupon code, I got two for less than the price of one at original price.  I can't wait to get them!  I thought I'd pass along the great deal to any other cloche lovers out there who might be interested.

Now back to decorating ...



Shopping in Leesburg

On Sunday, I was in Leesburg, VA with my friend, Jeni.  I'd heard that its great out there but I'd never been.  Jeni shares my enthusiasm for all things shabby and vintage so when she invited me, I jumped at the opportunity. 

Jeni snapped a rare photo of me with the caption, "Melanie done snapping pix. Guy with his hand on his head, realizes he can't fit all this stuff in his car."  Pretty funny. 

Rather than traditional antique stores that are entirely antique and vintage items, the stores we visited were a mix of antiques in addition to new items and refinished items so there was a little of everything.

The first shop we visited was called On a Whim. 

Monogrammed guest towels ...

Not the best photo, but I loved this moss wreath.

These chairs had me thinking of my own chair that still needs reupholstering.

I almost bought this wire cloche.  Since it was the first store we stopped at, I passed on it.

Next stop was Lucketts.  I got my tea towel here.

 

I absolutely loved this chandelier!

Had to take a photo of this hobnail milk glass lamp.  I like that they combined it with a modern shade, but the shade seems a little short.  In any case, I wish I could have added it to my collection, but the last thing I need is another lamp. 

Pretty blue hardware ...

I saw quite a few green displays ...

I'd love to do something like this for Spring.

How awesome is this room?  The chandelier, rustic table, blue walls ... beautiful!

Another beautiful room in The Design House that is only open one weekend a month.  I can't believe they actually redesign the entire house - 3 floors - every month.  That mantle is incredible.

Another "almost purchase" was the tiny cloche.  Unfortunately, both had cracks. While I don't mind imperfections, these seemed like they could have gotten worse and broken the pieces completely.

The blue sideboard (console?) and owl prints caught my eye here.

We passed these chairs to and from the Design House and I thought the shape was so unique. 

I don't think my camera captured how beautiful the fabric was.

That was about it.  We didn't have nearly enough time to explore and as it was I had to race to make it to my dance rehearsal.  I loved it and can't wait to do it again ... hopefully, when we have a lot more time!

A Gardener's Cottage

One of my favorite stops when we were in Asheville was a litte shop called A Gardener's Cottage.  Its located just outside the Biltmore entrance and when we arrived in Asheville, it was closed but I just had to make time to stop in.  The inside was just so perfect I wished I could live there.

I picked up the little crown below and I fell in love with a birdfeeder that was there. It was a little bird on the edge of a shell-shaped bowl. I didn't get it because I think the squirrels would have a field day with it, but I wish I had because I'd love to have it even if it was empty.

The angel water gauge above came from A Gardener's Place which was a shop on the Biltmore grounds.  I could have gone backrupt in that store.  I loved this acorn birdhouse but I already have several birdhouses.

There were birdcages galore ...

I can't believe I didn't buy one of these crown jars.  Temporary insanity I guess ...

I've never been a fan of gazing balls but there were so many beautiful ones here.  I really love the green one on the lower left side.

There were quite a few of these miniature conservatories too.

That was pretty much it for shopping.  Like the rest of my trip, I wish I had more time.  I got one more thing but didn't get a chance to take a picture yet.

I've been pretty busy lately between settling back in from our trip, my daughter finishing up school and a belly dance show coming up that I've been preparing for for weeks.  At some point I'm hoping to get back to my partially finished shed.

Bistro Chairs

If you get Country Living, you might have read the article in the most recent issue about folding metal bistro chairs. The article caught my eye because I though, "Hey, I have those!" I pulled them out of my shed and just put them on my patio. (And, don't worry, I won't be lighting the chiminea with that mass of sticks hanging out of there.)


I just liked the chairs and they've followed me all over the place over the years. According to Country Living, the original chairs were made in 1889 but a French furniture company that became popular with Parisian street vendors and outdoor cafe owners. I had no idea. I just loved the cheery yellow color.


The article showed a few available for purchase including these chairs from Ballard that look identical to mine. I really like the red ones.


I've had these chairs for years (another find of my dad's the now-retired sanitation worker) and only now is the finish starting to rust in a couple of spots so they're destined for some Rustoleum sometime soon but I think I'm going to try to stick with the original yellow. This was a fun discovery!

What a Deal!

A few weeks ago when I visited my parents, we went to my favorite thrift store and this shell was among the things I picked up. When I saw it, I didn't hesitate for a second. I commented to my mom who was with me that shells that size are so expensive. The price tag on this? $1.

Today, I went to Michaels and as I was passing the shell aisle, I decided to take a peek to see what a shell like this might be retail. Wouldn't you know I found the EXACT same shell ... for $13!!

Needless to say, I'm pretty happy with my $1 purchase.

Chairs, chairs, chairs ...

When I walked into my parents house over the weekend, I saw these chairs. We had come upon these chairs while shopping in one my favorite stores in Delaware and I mentioned how great the turquoise fabric on them was. We took a look at the price and it was on the high side, so we left. At some point, my parents went back for them and they had dropped the price so they bought them. This isn't my house, but I picked out the curtains, sea picture (another "junk" find), wall color, and even the hardwood color! Its fun decorating someone else's house. And, check out that incredible jade plant. My dad has probably had that plant for over 25 years. I kill indoor plants including several jade babies that came from this plant.

Speaking of chairs, I picked this one up last year and its been in my parents house ever since. Its not exactly the color I want but I have plans for that.

I love all the wood carving detail and the nailhead trim ...

I haven't brought it home because I'm sure it will cost half as much to reupholster where my parents live.

So, when I saw this chair in the thrift store, I snatched it up because colors like this were what I had in mind ..

(Photo: Layla Grace)

I was thinking of painting the frame blue, but I might go pale grey instead since its more neutral. I didn't think the white fabric was a good idea, but I came across a blog post (can't remember where!) of someone using outdoor fabric to reupholster a chair to make it stain resistant. Great idea!

Hopefully, I can get this done sometime soon!

Pretty Lady

I had a great weekend in Delaware. My mom took me to a little shop she found a few months ago called Something Special in Milford, DE. I picked up a couple of things including this little pretty little lady ...

It was a beautiful day and after arriving home, I spent several hours in my garden doing some spring cleaning. Its was so exciting to prune my roses and see new growth, rake leaves and see tulips, irises, and hyacinths already pushing their way through the soil. I know I can't be the only one who loves seeing signs of spring. I still have at least one more day of work preparing my garden for spring and tomorrow promises to be another beautiful day.

After such a busy day driving, then working in the garden, I was exhausted and I'm just popping on before my belly dance class, but I'll post more of what I picked up over the weekend this week. Hope you had a fun weekend!

Who goes there?

Check out my newly painted door ...


Here's how it looked a few days ago ...

Its really amazing how just painting that door added brightness to the space, but what I really wanted to share was what is on the door ... (Sorry the pic is blurry. I need to follow my cousin's advice and invest in a tripod.)

Check out what happens when you hang something on the hook ...

My dad (the retired sanitation worker) found him and somehow I ended up with him. I've had the little guy for years and always thought, "Maybe I should get rid of it." but there was something about him. I kinda liked him. Of course, I also considered painting him but I just can't bring myself to do it. So he moved all over the mess. See him here among the disaster?

I was curious about it and started checking him out and found writing in another language on the back. Turns out that its Polish. The owl was handmade in Poland in 1977 but that's all I can make out with Google translator. Maybe he was someones souvenir from a trip? I can't imagine its worth anything, but we joked that we really need to take him to Antiques Roadshow to find out more about him. At least he has a new home now.

We've taken down the cabinets in the first picture so I'll be painting, painting, painting again today. We're expecting 10-18" of snow starting Friday night, so there will most likely be a snow delay in my project since I probably won't be able to shop for new cabinets. Luckily, I have a lot of other things to do here anyway.

My $10 Drawing

Have you ever seen the $10 drawings blog? The blog is written by Alicia Lynn Carrier who is an artist that will draw anything you ask for onto a 5x7" piece of brown paper bag for just $10. She does this in order to be able to draw every day. I've wanted a drawing for a while. She's done some beautiful drawings ... a bee, a bird, mermaids, bugs, an octopus, a cuckoo clock, a typewriter ... the list goes on and on.

But, what could I ask for?

I thought about it for months but could never come up with anything I thought was worthy. Then, my New Years hobby became the answer. A belly dancer. I ordered the drawing and completely forgot about it. Today, I received an envelope and couldn't imagine what it could possibly and when I opened it, there she was ...


I love her! Go take a peek at Alicia's blog. I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Now, where can I put my belly dancer?

A little something for my trip ...

Yesterday, I went looking for something small so that I can avoid carrying a purse everywhere. I found plenty of black, brown, logo, blah. I turned around and inside the case was this little beauty standing out among all the neutral colors and in an instant it was mine ... and on sale to boot!

I am leaving for NY in a bit and still have a bazillion things to do. Next stop NY!

Local Treasure Hunting

This is something I've been meaning to post for a while. Every once in a while I'm asked where I find my treasures. Its probably only going to be of interest to a few locals, but I figured I'd post it here so that I can point those who are interested to it.

In Virginia:
Treasure Trove in Springfield, VA - Its a really small place in a shopping center - actually a consignment store rather than a thrift shop. They sell a few decent things like milk glass, crystal, china, and furniture and they're generally on the higher side of what I like to pay, but its really close to where I live so I go there due to the convenience. This is actually where I bought the china cabinet that I used for a potting bench.



Unique Thrift Store, Falls Church, VA - That place is incredible. Its HUGE, like the size of a Wal-mart huge. They have a ridiculous amount of clothes and housewares. They have a lot of weird stuff (half empty shampoo bottles/toilet seats) and junk, but if you look past that, you can find great stuff. Sometimes they have really great furniture for next to nothing. The jewelery selection there is huge too. Items often move fast here. They also have stores in Wheaton and Silver Spring, MD but I've never been there so I can't say how they are in comparison. Some of the items I've gotten there include a handcrafted lamp made in France ...


A soup tureen and a covered dish ...


.... this tiny cloche ...


... and these vintage jewelry boxes just to name a few.


AmVets Thrift Store, Alexandria, VA - This place is hit or miss. I got a really nice glass bottle for $1 that I use for my dish soap. They have furniture, but the section is small. I actually found one of the white lace pillowcase in my living room there. They have jewelry too, but those items are pricy. It is a very popular place and its good if you're in the area, but I wouldn't make an effort otherwise.


The silver plated tray under this cloche was also acquire at this thrift store.


Those are places near me but Delaware is so much better. I pretty much stay away from the busy, touristy areas like Rehoboth because they're expensive especially on the main roads like Rt. 1. Its better to find the off-the-beaten-path places in smaller towns. Here is a list of places I shop in Delaware.

MLH Treasures, Harrington, DE - This is an antique store with the traditional booths for each seller. They have a lot of good stuff but it can be expensive. It depends on the booth and just plain luck. If you like good antiques rather than having to sift through thrift stores, this is a better place.

My favorite finds from MLH Treasures ... This lace edge milk glass cake plate ...



And, a set of shell dishes you can see here ...

The Clutter Box, Harrington, DE - Its a little shop in the middle of the tiny town. Very quaint. TONS of housewares and jewelry. I got all the milk glass chickens in my kitchen there. They have great stuff like old bottles, tins, etc. very reasonably priced.

God's Way Thrift Store, Milford, DE - This place is a little treasure. Its a thrift store, but they have so many vintage items. Lots of milk glass and crystal. They have a lot of dishes from the 50s. The linen apron on the dress form in my dining room, was an aquisition for $3.50. I also got some beautiful silver plated serving pieces for $2 each. Their furniture selection is limited but I actually got this great, huge, old chair with beautiful carved wood details. I need to have it professionally reupholstered, but it was only $30. A few more items ...
Tea pot ($3.50 if I remember right).


Punch bowl with 12 glasses ($6).

All the milk glass bowls, mugs and the egg dish - very inexpensive.


Bean Furniture, Milford, DE - This place has a lot of furniture and a country shop on one side, but the impressive part is the second floor attic area. TONS of vintage housewares items on the second floor. I got a white pitcher and bowl made by Homer Laughlin from the early 1900s for $30 (below). I really like going to this place to look, but the stock doesn't change much. Its definitely worth a look if you've never been there though.

Canterbury Used Furniture, Felton, DE - Furniture, furniture, furniture! They have some vintage items but this place is fantastic for used furniture. The corner cabinet from my half-bath came from here and it needed a paint job, but it was only $75. I also got my mannequin and french desk (below) here. This is the place to go if you want to look at a lot of furniture.


As far as flea markets, I highly recommend the D.C. Big Flea in Chantilly, VA. Its held at the Dulles Expo Center several times a year. They have 2 huge buildings and I've been there during times when both buildings are full of vendors. The last time I went a couple of months ago, there was only 1 full building but I still got a lot of great stuff and I saw Eddie Ross there so it must be good, right? On my last visit in October, I got the old Edgar Allen Poe books and the birdcage in my living room among other things.


I also have quite a few of these crown jars from the flea.

If you live in the area, try the Eastern Shore sometime if you haven't already. Just go and have a fun day exploring the towns off the beaten path. I know everyone hates crossing the bridge, but you can probably find better deals there and you don't have to fight crowds to do it.

Happy Hunting!