2017 - Let the Spring Season Begin

Not sure if these are our style, but had fun trying them on at the Green Attic Sale.  Great way to start the Flea Market Fiend/Garage Sale Guru season.

We stopped at our favorite shabby chic shop, Serendipity, and bought a marble Easter Egg.  One makes a statement.

We put vintage books on display celebrating St. Patrick's Day as well as our ancestors... McCarthys and Rooneys.

We popped in to  a new cottage garden center and bought some eggs and shamrock plants.  We like to shop locally and support our community.

The clay pots were from a moving sale.  They were left out in the yard with a "free" sign.  So... we bought a succulent at Serendipity and it's a perfect marriage.  Can you believe the succulent is not real? That's the kind of plant we need for our short growing season.

A few great items from our local, occasional estate sale company.  I can picture pussy willows in the silver pitcher.

This copper pot was a steal at the moving sale.  It was stuck in a snowbank with a very dead rosemary plant, some rocks, and a garden fairy. I think it will have a new life holding kindling.

Hanging on to Christmas

Of course, Christmas is our favorite season.  For years we've hung up artificial green garland, but all of a sudden, it seemed so 1980's and the hassle of putting it up was more work than it was worth.  So... this year we had a brainstorm to wire real branches together, wrap with copper wire/tiny LED lights, and adorn with vintage bulbs. 

We put it along our 15' living room window as well as the kitchen window.  Next year it will shine brightly on the fireplace as well.  

This photo does not do the effect justice.  It's a whimsical way to chase the winter darkness away.  We won't be taking it down too soon.  We could take the bulbs down and put up pretty little snowflakes, but for now, it's just fine.

A Beautiful Morning for Christmas Tea

I couldn't wait to get to Sherry's house this morning to share tea and cookies.  (And to see her Christmas decorations!)  Some of these Santas are from Sherry's collection and some from her mom's collection.  The silver tray, glassware, and boughs really set them off.  

This is my favorite display.  Sherry calls it her "tree theme".  Her toy cupboard is the perfect way to display the vintage finds she's found over the years.  The photo is of Sherry, her brother, and Dad out chopping down the Christmas tree.  What a treasure!

The dining room table looks lovely with greenery and a variety of candles and votives.  Sherry and Mark used vintage glassware for their daughter's wedding.  Most recently they took 40+ votives to a friend's wedding in Texas.

More festive decorations!

Sherry's dad's sturdy rocking horse looks over all the decorations and celebrations in the living room.

One of Sherry's prized Christmas decorations is a red mercury glass reindeer.  She has a set of about 6 other clear ones that her mom had collected as well.  They are German made and very delicate.  No wonder she puts them up high when the neighbor kids are visiting!

The morning was relaxing and inspirational.  I can't wait for the new year to start treasure hunting again!

Halloween Season's Grand Finale!

Here are photos from Cindy's collection, gathered from craft fairs, estate sales, garage sales, and second-hand shops.  The thrill is in the hunt, but also in digging out that Halloween bin full of stuff after a year and then setting them up around the house.

(My favorite display!)

The repurposed candle stand gives the jack-o a little height.

Some Spo-o-o-ky Fun

As I unpacked my Halloween bin, I recalled how much of it came from garage sales, craft fairs, and estate sales.  Evenings are getting darker, but the glowing lights brighten the mood.  Our taste for items has moved away from the "cutsie" items to those with a vintage, earthy look.  I'll post photos of Cindy's collection soon.  

This early five gallon Red Wing jug is the perfect spot to add some Halloween bells.

An old oak pedestal plant stand holds garage sale finds. 

All these were garage sale finds with the exception of the Trick or Treat collage.  That was an etsy find.  We really like the old book, The Ghost Hunters.  The masked fairy is marked "Goebel".

This Fairy King assemblage is comprised of vintage parts... old door hardware, vintage dice, well-used measuring tape, a vintage typewriter key, a fairy figurine, and a salt shaker cap.  

A favorite display piece here is the antique light fixture that is inverted and holds friendly jack-o-lanterns.

Who doesn't love an old library copy of Georgie's Halloween?

Witch socks from a local artist.

This is a rack for all seasons.  It was probably originally used for cups, but these little beauties are much more fun.  The rack is from a garage sale and the figures were purchased on Etsy.

Mom's old cookie cutter dressed up with some fun ribbons for the fridge.

Don't Give Up

We had been garage-saling all morning and had just about given up.  We stopped at a sale not too far from home.  I wish we had gone there first!  In any case, the prices were slashed and we were happy!

The woman who sold these said the doorknobs had been left in a box in the basement of an old apartment building that she owns.  We can't wait to find something to do with these beauties!

This vintage sign is a local treasure.  It's from our main street.

A Lot of Laughs

A fine-feathered friend.  

We bumped into Elvis and his buddy a few weekends ago!

I guess knights used to be somewhat shorter in the old days.