Small Projects Can Add Alot

This has been a quiet garage sale weekend.  Everyone is probably enjoying the last days of summer.  Even though it poured here this morning.

So, what better way to enjoy the day then to reinvent.  I finally bought a vintage shopping cart in a wonderful green cast from my friend Joyce at her garage sale.  I had a wonderful Lion Brand yarn bag that I put inside of it to hold my yarn.  My friend Mary had given me a delightful button and it worked so nicely with the cart that I had to hang it on the front.  It is such a fun look.  It makes me smile and think of 2 really neat women.

I am still working with Austin in cleaning up his room.  Only a few more things to go through.  Some of his items that I put up on Ebay have bids.  He's super excited about the sales and the money he'll be getting.  We had taken down a memo board since it was holding too much dust and he had outgrown the need for it.  In its place was just an empty wall.  So, for the time being until he figures out what to hang there, I hung a vintage bicycle basket.  I stuck in one of his Pokémon posters but he can put anything he wants into it.  I'm sure he'll change it when he gets home from school today.

I just love how one small change can really change a look.  I love how his room is coming along.  It's time to start making it look like a teenager lives in there and we are succeeding.  It's fun to see how my past treasures are starting to work out.  I only need to go through my finds to find the right items to complete the look that I'm after.

Matthew Mead is having a contest book giveaway on his blog at www.holidaywithmatthewmead.com
Make sure to check it out.  His blog always has good tips and wonderful pictures.

Happy treasure hunting!  Enjoy the last few days of the summer fun.

Milk Glass

I just love milk glass.  I know that others think that it is no longer popular, but I don't care.  I love how it looks.  I do have so say that my collection is huge and I'm outgrowing space for it.  But.......

Today I stopped in Second Chances Antiques & Resale at 421 N. Randall Rd in Lake in the Hills and found a great collection of milk glass at the back of the store.  My heart started thumping.....

I picked out 4 pieces that I didn't have.  It's getting harder to find pieces that I don't have.  I especially love the piece with milk glass sea shells all over it.  So, when I got home, I rearranged some of the milk glass pieces that I have in the dining room on the window ledge.  I also decided to box up a few milk glass pieces that I will sell in the future.  I want to make room for a new look.  I'll be parting with a few of the milk glass baskets. 

So, while I was in the mood to rearrange, I went through my dining room and kitchen areas and boxed up other vintage pieces that I will be selling in the future.  My tastes are changing and I want my home to reflect that.  I always come across new pieces for my collections which is the reason for treasure hunting.

I'll be garage saleing this weekend.  Can't wait to add treasures to my collections.  Don't forget, the Cedarburg WI flea market is on Sunday.

Happy treasure hunting! 

Finished Nutcracker Cabinet

I spent Friday night organizing Austin's nutcracker collection.  Actually, dusting it was more like it.  It's amazing how things get so dusty when left out.  I'm so glad that this cabinet has doors.  It's what I was looking for.  He offered to help, but when I'm in a cleaning mood, I like to do it alone.  The only thing left to find was a knob.  (I decided not to paint it white since I liked how it looked by just staining it.)

So, on Sunday we went treasure hunting to the Wilmot Flea Market in Wilmot WI at the ski resort.  It is held on Sunday in the warmer months.  We hadn't been there in a while.  It was a steamy day but the boys didn't seem to mind since they found lots of video games.  Caldwell even came away with tools.  My only find was a KNOB.  I thought it would look fine until I found one I liked more.  The man was so nice and told me to just take it.  He even found a screw to use with it.  How nice was that!  Well, it IS perfect and I love how it looks.  Austin and I found a hanging nutcracker in his collection and hung it on the outside of the cabinet on the knob.  It looks great!  He is happy with it and I'm happy that his room looks more organized.  (We even spent a few hours cleaning out his closet.  What a garage sale of toys I will be having this fall).

I can't wait for Cedarburg on Sunday.  The boys are super excited too.  With so many soccer games coming up, we won't be having lots of time for treasure hunting so we need to squeeze it in when we can.

Happy treasure hunting!

Eklhart Lake Wisconsin

We spent a lovely weekend in Elkhart Lake Wisconsin.  (Caldwell raced in Road America).  We always stay at the Osthoff Resort.  Love it!  It is a wonderful place.  We always look forward to making smores on the beach on Saturday night.  This year, we just finished making one when the rain came down.  We were soaked.  I haven't gotten that soaked in years.  Our clothes were plastered on us.  At least we all had one smores before we had to make a run for it.  Austin was lucky that he made his second one just in time.

Saturday morning by the train station is the farmers market.  We love visiting it and buying fresh vegetables, baked goods and other fun treasures.  A good place for breakfast/coffee is at Off the Rails right across the way.

My favorite shop, Rhine Street General, moved to Plymouth which is only about 6 minutes down the road.  It is now RSG located at 429 E. Mill Street in Plymouth.  I found some cute treasures even though they downsized.  Fibber McGee's located at 108 Caroline St, just down the street from RSG, is another favorite.  Always fun things to find there.  I stumbled across Maggie's Closet at 127 E. Mill Street.  It is a fashion and home décor consignment store.  I found a great pair of brand new shoes.  There are lots of neat stores along this street and is worth the stop if you are in the area.  Lots of antique stores also. 

Fun Fabric Day

Today was the day of fabric treasures.  I found great deals at almost every sale.  I'm loving floral patterns right now and found a bolt of blue floral fabric for $3 along with a vintage rose tablecloth for $1.  One fabric piece is put together like a crazy quilt and I just loved its $2 price tag.  I'm not sure yet what I'll do with it, but just had to have it.

Next week I'm going to make over a china cabinet that I found today for $25.  I'm hoping to paint it white and use it in Austin's room to hold his nutcracker collection.  I'll post pictures then.

I spray painted green that little gold stand that I found last week.  It turned out great!  I'm using it outside for a table next to a green metal swinging bench.  I thought that it really stood out with the angel on the bottom of it.

If you are on Oak Street in Crystal Lake tomorrow, stop by to see my friend Joyce who is having a garage sale.  She'll be there on Saturday also.

Happy treasure hunting!

Elkhorn Flea Market

It was a perfect day for the Elkhorn Flea Market.  Others must have thought so too, because it was crowded.  We got there early, as usual and had a great time.  I bought some costume jewelry, a Statue of Liberty statue and another seashell box.  Ever since we visited the Statue of Liberty this summer, I'm on the lookout for the older statues.  They sell really cheap ones now at the store on the island.  Out of about 500 vendors today, I only found 1.  I really thought I would find more. I was also on the lookout for an Eiffel Tower and didn't find any. 

This past week I found some really cute turtle items and more seashell pottery.  I've updated the display in my sunroom and it looks really nice.

Ethan didn't get to go with us today since he had some high school training to attend.  He's going to be a mentor for some freshman students.  It was his first time driving alone.  I was probably more nervous than he was.  He did fine and I'm sure that he will never be the same again.  Confidence is a good thing and I'm really proud of him.

At 8am, Joyful Harvest Church in Johnsburg is having a rummage sale on Friday and then in Richmond at 9am is a rummage sale at Community Church.  My friend Joyce is having a garage sale in Crystal Lake so I'll be going there also.  She always has vintage linens for me to buy.  Mukwonago Wisconsin flea market is Aug 16-17 and Cedarburg flea market in WI is Aug 31st. 

I've cleaned out my vintage linens and am selling some of them on Ebay right now.  You can find them under my seller name:  milena2000

Happy treasure hunting!

McHenry County Fair

The McHenry County Fair goes on until Sunday.  We had lots of fun on Wednesday when we met our friends for a day of rides and food.  We have been meeting them every year since the kids were little.  It's a shame that the "kids" are getting bigger and this may have been our last year of rides.  Hopefully we can still meet for the food and fun. 

My pillow and felted handbag entries won blue ribbons.  I am so excited.  Our vegetable and flower entries did well but this was not the best year for them.


The boys and I managed to sneak in a rummage sale at Calvary Church in Crystal Lake.  It is always a big sale and this one didn't disappoint.  Its always a fun one.  Lots of friends to catch up with also.


I also got to some garage and estate sales this week.  Today Caring Transitions had an estate sale in Woodstock and I found 2 vintage Christmas tablecloths and a few other vintage linens.  I still need to organize my linen collection.  I'm hoping to get to them soon.

Joyful Harvest Church in Johnsburg is having a rummage sale on August 15th.

Happy treasure hunting!