Musings of a Vintage Junkie: August 2014

I have been thrifting and picking for a LONG time. At first it was to decorate a 100 year old farmhouse and I filled it with primitives and charming country items.

Now I thrift mainly for items to sell in my Etsy shop.

I realized after accumulating some really fabulous pieces to sell, that I had lost that zeal for decorating my own home with newly picked items because my focus was all on my shop. I live in an 1870's Victorian now and it is a mix of primitive, country, Victorian and shabby chic!

I had been reading lots of decorating blogs and was so drawn to the ones showcasing all white rooms and chippy painted items. I looked at my home with new eyes (us pickers have eagle eyes!), and as my decorating taste changed, so did the items I began offering in my shop.

I have evolved from loving the primitive and country reproduction kind of look to not being able to get enough of the rusty, shabby, chippy painted look that comes naturally with age.

This stool and planter is a keeper!

So, this post is about the great vintage finds I am keeping for myself (sorry!), some I WANT to keep but have no room to put, AND about the duplicate items I found so that there is one for you and one for me.

I cannot resist most things red, so when I saw the larger red metal 1960's lawn chair I couldn't resist. The $8 price helped too! I thought about selling it but when I put it in my garden behind the Hostas', well, there it stayed. It was too big to ship anyways!

So, don't I find a child's size metal chair very similar....in red! I paid the same price but I totally intended to sell this one. Not too big to ship, desirable, great condition. Until I put it in the garden next to the Mama chair. Yeah, these fall under the "keeping" category!

I used to cross stitch samplers so I know the work involved in one this size, 11 x 14. This one is gorgeous! It would go so perfect in my cobalt blue and white kitchen. I found a chippy wood frame in turquoise that just frames the other colors perfectly. How cute is the saying? I have to part with it though, so for a closer look, it is available here.

If you're a thrifter, maybe you can relate to this. You know how when you walk up to a yard sale and the owners are elderly? You figure they don't know much of the value of their old things these days. Well, I got this particular spunky little lady wrong! I tried talking her down for this fabulous white and cobalt blue colander. She knew her stuff and wouldn't budge. She told me that it is pretty rare to find that color combination in a colander, and she's right! I paid her price and knew I was keeping it. Did I tell you my kitchen is cobalt blue and white?!

When I saw this tulip light in a thrift store I immediately thought "yuck, gaudy" and passed by. On my second trip around the store (I always take a second look while picking) I looked at it with renewed interest and saw how unique and really fabulous it is. It is in great condition and although it would go great in my cranberry and pink parlor, I have to part with it. For that retro, 70's look, it can be all yours here!

Before my head was totally wrapped around my Etsy shop and buying goodies for it, I found this fabulous hand painted Ransburg cookie jar at a barn sale. I grabbed it not knowing, or caring, where I would use it in my house. I used it for awhile on the front porch for a plant but then, because of it's Fall color palette, decided to make it a permanent part of my dining room, which is decorated in Fall colors. I thought about selling it but, NAH!

Then, at another barn sale I found another cookie jar almost identical. Same maker, age and pretty hand painted look.The colors are a little different. Since I am trying not to be a hoarder, I knew I had to sell it. Find this beauty here.

I never intended to keep this cute, 1950's rooster metal tray. Until I set it up on the top of my cupboard while looking for a box to ship it in (it's 19" in diameter!). I loved it there and there it stayed. I really like how the gold trim and accents go with my cupboard and how the red just makes it pop off the wall.

I kinda stopped looking for a large enough box for it until I found another tray exactly like it recently. I grabbed it for my shop and now there is one for you and one for me! As of this posting I have not found a box so it is not listed YET, but it will be there for you soon I hope!

This final item is a keeper for me although I really did intend to sell it when I found it. It is already hung in my kitchen!

I actually took all the photos for the listing and set up the page to fill in the description. I went into the kitchen for something, looked at the glass curio cabinet hanging between the two doors and that is when my mind started to work. "Hmmm, I wonder how that fabulous, old kitchen cupboard drawer would look hung on my wall filled with the same things that are in my cabinet?" I thought. I shared my thoughts with my husband and asked if he would help me find out. Within a few minutes, it was hanging and I love it!! It is helping to create the look of that all white, vintage clean look for my kitchen. Well, cobalt blue and white since I won't be changing the tiles anytime soon!

It is getting harder and harder to resist keeping things that I find but space and common sense helps with that! I have over 430 items in my shop and the space to keep them alone is running short! I can't help it though, I've got the bug and I can't stop myself from hunting for that next perfect vintage item.

Will I keep it or sell it? Or will I find two so that I can share....one for you and one for me!

AnnMarie xoxo

I am linking up to these great blog parties:

Adorned from Above
Wake Up Wednesday Linky Party
Vintage Inspiration Party
Anything Blue Friday
Freedom Fridays with all my Bloggy Friends
Pink Saturday
Vintage Inspiration Party
Make It Pretty Monday
Treasure Box Tuesday
You're Gonna Love It Tuesday
A Return to Lovliness

In the Finger Lakes area of Upstate New York, as I am sure is true in your part of the world, there are telltale signs that a season has arrived or is winding down.

The beginning of August is the best part of summer here. The local vegetables are ready, the garden is in full bloom and the warm, sunny days are more abundant.

Here is a pictorial view of August in my part of the world.

This is the "new" view of my garden from the side porch. I will always remember that it was this August when we got our new Victorian style screen door. It is a slammer. You know, no catch or turning knob, just push it open and let it slam shut. Brings back memories of the cottage I visited summers growing up.

Sunflowers are abundant and in bloom. These are the pollen-free variety from a local farmer at the public market. So happy my daughter Jena found these for me....usually I can't have them in my house because of the pollen.

Fresh picked tomatoes from the garden sitting on the window sill to finish ripening.

Local gardens, like my daughter Candice's are overflowing with zucchini, cucumbers green peppers and jalapeno peppers. The zucchini in this picture are considered small and the cucumbers are extra large!

Fading flowers (day lilies and bee balm) and newly bloomed flowers. August is the time for black-eyed Susans.

Fresh local raspberries to pick. Another round of picking happens in late August, early September.

A second blooming of my Marguerite daisies. If I am diligent and get out there to deadhead this patch, I am blessed with another pretty show.

This August has been very rainy and chilly at night. I actually saw a tree where the top leaves have already turned orange from the cold. My poor hens and chickens are living in mud. The lawn is doing great though, almost needing to be mowed twice a week!

August is also the time for camp. This will be my son's 7th year at Camp Onseyawa. In a few more years he can go back as a counselor. The camp is sponsored by a local Rotary Club that uses a campground on Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes.

It's going to be a cold one this year sleeping in these!

It just wouldn't be August without fresh corn. There are cornfields everywhere but not many roadside stands in my town. This one is in an odd place.....a future construction site, just all by itself, no cornfields in sight! It has the best sweet corn, large tomatoes and other local veggies. Best part is that it is about 2 minutes from my house!

I haven't been in a few years to pick blueberries but it is addicting! It is peak season here right now. My son and I went to get a few pints one day and found rows of blueberry bushes with an abundance of large berries on them. We couldn't stop picking (or eating them while we were picking!) and went home with enough to eat in a bowl with honey for breakfast and make blueberry pie.

And, one of my most favorite signs of August is the blooming of the Hosta. I just love Hosta and have several varieties around my garden and house. These are my favorite for the trumpet style white flowers that bloom. They are very fragrant too. They run along the front porch by the driveway. I will have to move those someday closer to where we can smell them more!