Happy Spring!

Happy spring!

Time to catch up on what's been happening......

The Elgin High School Flea Market was a lot of work but also very rewarding.  I sold quite a bit so I was happy.  I really admire those of you who sell at flea markets on a regular basis.  I'm gearing up for my twice yearly garage sale which hopefully will be in April.

I thought I would share some pictures of some finds I bought recently.

A whole roll of beautiful (new) toile fabric. I love the figures depicted on it.

A simple topiary that accents my Wendell August Forge hammered aluminum.

An estate sale filled my car with garden related treasures.  A white wicker table, a rusted ball sculpture and a small white chippy table.

Black iron pieces.  The funny thing is that this person must have shopped my space at Carriage House Antiques because so many of the garden items were bought from me.  I didn't buy back any of my items though.  I wanted someone else to enjoy them.

I hope you can see this large birdcage surrounded by other things in my garage.  I found the birdcage at another estate sale later in the afternoon.  What a great find!  I was super excited!

Another thing I'm super excited about is that sale season has begun!  Slowly garage sales are popping up.  Estate sales are becoming more regular too.

So, in between spring cleaning (I broke my son's floor lamp while moving his mattress.  Good thing he was back in college so I had time to find another one), I had a few minutes to craft.

I saw something similar at TJMaxx and knew that I could make the same thing.  I found these really neat glass tealight holders at Kirklands and attached a vintage earring to each and topped them with a silk rose.  I didn't attach the rose since there is a tealight inside.  You can display it two ways.  Really simple but so darling.  I found the roses at Savers thrift store.  I like to stock pile flowers just for this reason.  You never know when a creative idea will strike.

My friend Cecilia found this adorable needlework pillow while at the Hunt and Gather market in Woodstock during the Vintage Shop Hop.  She couldn't part with its partner, so she gifted me with the other one.  I love it!  It has a nice spring theme with the birds and flowers. (It blends in nicely with my other pillow).

Well, I'm all caught up for now.  Yard work begins soon since the flowers are popping up all over.  I decided this year to hire someone to remove the leaves from the flower beds so that I can focus on other areas in the yard.  (or maybe I'm just getting older and can't do all of that work anymore). Which gives me time for going to more sales!

Happy treasure hunting!

Succulents

Succulents are the hottest thing right now....at least in my area.  Everywhere I go, succulents are potted in some of the cutest items.  Even TJMaxx has succulents even if they aren't real.

So, I decided to pot up some succulents that I bought at Home Depot.  My first idea was to use an aluminum ferris wheel that has three containers on it.  I am going to take it to the Elgin High School Flea Market https://www.facebook.com/Elgin-High-School-Flea-Market-199348126756768/ on Sunday.  (I'm in booth 195)

I also had a few other containers that would be perfect to hold the succulents.  One was a silver plated cup and the other was a silver type trophy.  The finishing touches were some pebbles from the dollar store.  Simple containers that really make a statement.

One thing that I have been wanting to decorate with is a galvanized chicken feeder.  The one I have has "feet" on it.  I wanted to do something that Joanna Gaines from Fixer Upper would love. Something that she might have thought of.

The chicken feeder is resting on a table in my space in front of a fabulous metal container holding a rose bush and gardening tools.  The chicken feeder has two small pots of succulents and three votive candles.  It would look so nice on a farm table.  I have another one right now in my sunroom decorated the same way.  I just love chicken feeders.  They scream farmhouse decor!

I still have more succulents to pot up so now I'm on the hunt in my house for that perfect container. Maybe I'll use the rusty tool box that I drilled holes in to copy the planter in the newest issue of Flea Market Style magazine.

Happy treasure hunting!

Feeling Crafty

Last night I was inspired!  I had a great idea and had to get started right away.  I remembered that I had some really nice shiny votives that would make great spring/Easter baskets.  Last year I made something similar with terra cotta pots.  This year I wanted more bling.

I attached vintage pins/earrings and used wood letter pieces from the game Boggle.  A few of the rabbits were vintage but a few were just cute.  I collect these fillers all year long waiting for when that inspiration hits.

In my space at the Carriage House, I have a yellow end table for sale.  (Yellow seems to be the "in"color right now as it was shown in Country Living magazine.)  The votives look so cute on top of the yellow table.  Three of them are sitting on top of a small vintage glass tray.  They really are cute!

 
Happy treasure hunting!

Milk Glass

Milk glass is still one of my favorite collectibles.  I'm more selective now since I have a huge collection, but I can't pass it by when I see it at a sale.

I spent some time recently rearranging and condensing my collection.

In one of my china cabinets, I group milk glass with some crystal pieces, colored glass, hammered aluminum and a few pink/blue milk glass pieces.  I like to use lace doilies in the china cabinets.  To me it looks more complete and decorated.

I have a "small" obsession with white enamel pitchers which you can see mixed in on the top with milk glass pieces.

After cleaning out my books, I used some of that space for my milk glass collection so that my rooms didn't look too cluttered.  I didn't use doilies on the book shelves.  I like the look here without them.

I love how it looks with ironstone and cream colored pottery vases and hammered aluminum. There's always a place for hammered aluminum.  (This piece I found last year at the Wendell August Forge showroom in Grove City PA). https://www.wendellaugust.com/location/flagship_grove_city_pa

Since there was a small open space next to my china cabinet, I decided not to waste it.  I love how the bone china flowers look inside the milk glass piece.  They are sitting on a small wooden chair that is a perfect fit for the space.

Hope you find some treasures this weekend. Happy treasure hunting!

Can It Be March Already?

I can't believe that it is March 1st today.  Time is really getting away from me.

It felt like spring last week, but today I'm watching the snow flakes on and off in my yard.  At least the weather will get warmer in the next few days so that everyone enjoying the Vintage Shop Hop won't have to deal with the cold.

I have been so busy preparing my space at the Carriage House for this Friday and Saturday and in preparing for the Elgin High School Flea Market on March 12th that things have been a little crazed around here.  But fun!

I couldn't resist two estate sales last weekend.  I brought home two pieces of small furniture.

The bookshelf is really tall and had wobbly feet on it which I took off.  It looks better without them but if I find small feet I just may put those on.  It has such a nice look to it.

I also found time to switch out the Valentine decorations for spring/Easter items.  I love bringing out my vintage Easter treasures and mixing them with newer ones.  At least its spring inside my home.

and out.....

Make sure to check my 2017 list of my favorite flea markets.  I have been adding dates as I find them.  March 12 is the Elgin High School flea market starting at 9am with early bird entry for an additional fee at 8am.  I'm at booth 195 in the gym to the left as you enter the school.  I'm bringing a mix of items, including vintage Christmas!

The first rummage sale on my calendar is on March 9 at the Church in Prairie Grove on Route 176 starting at 9am.  The season is starting!

In addition to the Vintage Shop Hop on March 3-4, the Woodstock Farmers Market is open on Saturday (March 4) at the Fairgrounds.  You will find the best soap vendor there from Whitewater WI.  My favorite is the lavender soap which I use in every closet and drawer in my house.

On April 8 will be Gardenfest at McHenry County College run by the college and by the University of Illinois Extension McHenry County Master Gardeners.  It's a fun filled day of gardening classes and a few hands on classes.  The keynote is Melinda Myers. http://www.melindamyers.com/  Registration is open until the end of March but the hands on classes are filling up fast. http://www.mchenry.edu/gardenfest/

Happy treasure hunting!