It's Pickin' Season!

Finally! Warmer weather and my first garage sale find. Once you find that first thing, there's no stopping the pickin! Of course I am not talking about strawberry or vegetable pickin'. I'm talking about pickin' for rusty, dusty, beautiful vintage stuff!

This is a lime green vinyl sewing box from the 1950's. It is in great condition.

From the garage sale I went to a church rummage sale. They are usually great for vintage items. The older congregations donate some of the best treasures. Not so much on this day. The reasoning is that the still cold weather is not putting people into the spring cleaning mode. I did find this French style wine basket though....

The next day I went thrifting with my Mom Jane to another church rummage sale and it was the same story. This church is known for their great sale twice a year. What is usually a fabulous pickin' time was not so much. Not many donations this time around. I did pick up some vintage wood hangers.....couldn't leave empty handed!

Our next stop was the Salvation Army, a flea market and a new vintage store, Rustique, located all in a row on a side street in the next town over from me. I am thrilled to find new places to pick so close to home. I survived my need to pick all winter by going to local VOA's, Goodwills and Saver's. I can still visit them all summer when it's raining!

I found this great turquoise watering can. It has such a unique handle and it is all scraped up and rusty. So perfect!

I also found this pretty wood carved vanity mirror. I have my grandmother's mirror on my dresser surrounded by her antique vanity items. I couldn't help dressing this one up with some of the things I inherited from her. I wore that necklace and matching earrings on my wedding day.

This pretty Victorian vanity box was such a great find at the Salvation Army Thrift store. It has an Edwardian style picture of what looks like a garden party.

It opens up to a mirror and places to put trinkets and jewelry.

So many great things so far but the best is yet to come!

My decorator, thrifty, garage saler friend Susan goes to way more sales than I ever could manage. She has one of those fancy phones with a Yard Sale app on it, something I need to look into for my summer pickin'.

She offered to pick some things up for me if she saw something I might like. I gave her my "rules", like she needs to let me pay her for what she finds, and a run down of what I want for my shop. Wow, did she see stuff! Great stuff!

She found this Hall's Royal Rose cadet blue ball pitcher. It is such a pretty blue and in pristine condition.

Gorgeous white handle with pink roses.

She also found this great moustache cup. I recently read a blog about how moustache cups are not for shaving! It was invented by a British potter for men with waxed, groomed moustaches so that they could drink their tea or coffee without wetting or staining their 'stache.

I guess the hot tea would melt the wax which would then go into their tea. Yuck! They drank out of the side with the holes to avoid this. The lip held the moustache out of the liquid and they could still get some hot coffee or tea through the holes!

It was all the rage for men to have a fabulous looking moustache in the Victorian era. 

This guy has been growing his since the Victorian era!

And finally, Susan found these like new Damask linen napkins in blue and white with a leaf design. I love these! But I'm the type that could never use them and dirty them so they would have to be for display only!

Those are my latest and greatest finds.....until next weekend! I am working on listing them in my Etsy shop. Stop by to see them there where I have a special going on till April 21st. Save $5 on any purchase of $20 or more using the coupon code SPRINGCLEANING at checkout. You can click on my Etsy shop in my sidebar.

Have you hit any garage sales yet?

AnnMarie xoxo

I am linking up with these fun parties this week:

Etsy Cottage Style Vintage Party
Amaze Me Monday
Make It Pretty Monday
Treasure Box Tuesday
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
You're Gonna Love It Tuesday
What's It Wednesday
Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop
Showcase Your Talent Thursday
Home and Garden Thursday
Thrifty Life Thursday
Share Your Cup Thursday
Feathered Nest Friday
Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
Anything Blue Friday
Be Inspired

Five On Friday

It's Five on Friday time!

For the first time I am linking up to this fun blog party. I am a day late but the party is still going on! The hosts are Darci, April, Christina and Natasha. Just write 5 things on your mind today and post at the party!

1)  Monday I got to spend time with my 5 favorite girlfriends at lunch for Colleen's birthday. We celebrate each others birthdays every year. It is a great excuse to get together. This time it was at a Thai restaurant. Colleen is a blast to be around and we all have a great time together.

From the left is Kim, Colleen, me, Lora and Tree

2) I finally have started cleaning out some old clothes that I've had since the last time I worked full time.....1996! They are pretty nice so I thought I'd take them to some consignment shops. There are three near where I live so off I went with an arm load of coats, skirts, blouses and purses. I became so discouraged at the whole process of consigning and I really don't care about making money from these clothes anyways. In my heart I wanted to donate the clothes to an organization where I knew they were given to truly needy people in my area....not sold to them. I found it! The Open Door Mission Caring Center in Rochester, NY takes clothes for homeless woman so they can have things to wear to church and to get back in the workforce. And there is a drop off two streets over from me! Win, win.

3) My husband sent me a link to a song he had given me early in our marriage, that he had just found again. It is called Beautiful in My Eyes by Joshua Kadison. I had the CD and cassette tape with that song on it but they were somewhere unknown in my house! My husband searched and found a box full of CD's from 15 years ago. There were so many great music artists in there I had forgotten about. It was like reuniting with old friends.  And it reminded me of how romantic my husband is!

4) Been thinking about this Sunday all week and anticipating my time with my two daughters Candice and Jena and their girls Cassidy, 8 and Chloe, 2. We are all going to the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, NY, a free admission day courtesy of the company my husband works for. It is a great place for kids and adults to spend the day. Afterwards, NaNa (that's me) is treating them all to pizza at a 'new to me' pizza place. Just the girls for the day!

Cassidy and Chloe
 

5) The end of the week always means garage and yard sales to me. The weather was gorgeous and my daughter Jena, knowing what a vintage junkie with a passion for picking I have, told me about a yard sale just down the street from me when she dropped Chloe off for the day. Off in the little umbrella stroller we went. The first thing I found was a vintage suitcase....love it! It was so nice out

 

that I decided to keep walking and found another great yard sale with all vintage items from the estate of a 94 year old woman. I found so many great things that I could barely carry them all home, and push the stroller too! Chloe and I had a nice walk on a gorgeous late summer day and I got some great things to list in my Etsy shop! Chloe got a new toy too....of course!

 

 

Have a great weekend!

 

AnnMarie  :)

 

Unbridled Passion

 I just can't help myself.

I have over 300 vintage items in my Etsy shop, (not to mention the collection I have in my drafts, expired and inactive files) plus the hundreds of items around my home that I decorate with and am not parting with!

But when Friday and Saturday come around this time of year, I just have to see what is out there. I have to decide whether to go to the garage sales, or thrift stores, or both? Yard sales or flea markets?

Today I went to the most unlikely place you'd ever find myself and especially my husband, ever on a Saturday afternoon.......

The Pioneer Gas Engine 48th Annual Show in Marion, NY.

You see, I recently joined the Rusty Dusty Treasury Team on Etsy which is all about vintage and rusty, recycled and upcycled and just plain fabulous items. It has helped increase my passion for all of that and more!

So when my daughter called me saying "Mom, you gotta get here, there is a lot of rusty, old stuff", I had to go. I was going to hit just a few garage sales anyways.....wink, wink.

As soon as we got there my husband felt out of his element. He joined me because I didn't want to go alone not knowing what I was walking into, and then we ran into an old friend, Dean.

That's my husband Frank on the left near Dean's booth with all the mammoth chain saws. Frank is from Spanish Harlem in New York City. There were tractors and engines and rusty farm tools, long beards, John Deere shirts and a few missing teeth! Yeah, out of his element!

I had a great time! There was a lot of old, rusty, greasy, oily stuff around to buy. Most too high priced for me but I did get some things.

The large bucket is a cardboard and metal candy bucket from the Bunte Brothers of Chicago. It was once filled with 15 pounds of Extra Fine Early American Chocolate Drops. It is a great vintage advertising piece for display, from the early 1950's.

I have a thing for oil cans. Especially the small, cute ones with the long spout. I actually sold one once suggesting to use it as a ring holder. Very cute idea!

These would fall into the rusty, oily category of vintage!

 

 

I am not totally sure of what this next item is, but it is so unique and rusty that I had to have it. It must be some kind of percussion instrument. It has a cow bell sound, each side having a different tone.

 

 

There was so much more I wanted to buy, but the last item I got was this coal shovel, probably from the 1930's. Very unique decoration for near a wood stove or fireplace.

 

 

So I did really good, right? I must mention that my husband didn't get anything! He likes to go thrifting for props for the community theatre we run. No luck here!

I really wanted to hit at least one of the garage sales on my list so we went. It was a memorable time because of the cute elderly couple that was holding the sale.

 

The husband was sitting outside the garage with a friend and the wife was inside the garage with her grandson. I asked him about the age of the cow jar and he said "You have to ask my wife, that's her department".

 

 

Then I was looking at the old tool box and he cut the price in half without me even asking!

 

I asked her for the price on the framed picture and she said "You have to ask my husband, it's his". He told me the price and then mentioned that it was a relative of his. I asked him if he was sure he wanted to sell it to me and he said, no problem, he had others! Relatives or pictures?!

 

I almost walked away from the prize item of the day. I was halfway down the driveway when I just had to go back for the big, red, chippy, rusty gas can. The husband ran over to make sure he told me that it didn't leak and showed me the bottom. I asked him how old it was and he said he bought it in 1968. The wife was giggling that I came back and her grandson looked at me like I was crazy for wanting all this stuff!

 

Days like these make thrifting all the more fun. Sometimes it is just in and out of the car, from garage sale to garage sale with no luck and no fun included.

Now I get to photograph and list all these great items in my NaNa's Things shop. Which is part of the fun too!

What did you do on this beautiful Saturday afternoon?

AnnMarie  :)

P.S. I have this same unbridled passion for that guy on the left in the picture too!!

 I'm linking up to these great blog parties!
Freedom Fridays Blog Hop
Weekend Wonders
Strut Your Stuff Saturday Link Party
I Love My Post Blog Hop
Let's Get Social Sunday
Raising Imperfection Sunday Link Party
Amaze Me Monday
Marvelous Mondays
Monday Mingling Blog Hop
You're Gonna Love It Tuesday
Tuesday Trivia
What's It Wednesday
Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop
Grow Your Blog Networking Party
Bloglovin' and Google+ Blog Hop
Weekend Wonders
Freedom Fridays
Be Inspired

Thrifting Does the Heart Good

I decided that I couldn't wait any longer. It was Friday and my husband was home and there were garage sales, barn sales and thrift stores just waiting for me to hunt and pick through their things. It has been awhile.

I am still recovering from the hip surgery I had on May 1st. I cannot drive yet because it is my right side and getting in and out of a vehicle is a little trying.

No matter. I was on a mission.

Tucked away in my little town are some of the most fabulous places for vintage finds. The barn sale on Miner Rd. is one of them. It is just outside of town and if I could only go to one sale, that would be it.

It is a huge barn and it is full of stuff. I am so excited about the things I found there. The choices are as eclectic as my taste.

After a wonderful time of thrifting there, it revived my love of the hunt so much that I had enough energy left to stop by the VOA in town for a few more fabulous finds!

I have grown to love all kinds of vintage as you will see in what I chose to take home with me.


For the kiddies, or collectors of toys, I found a 1965 Fisher Price Milk Wagon Pull Toy, a Mattel wooden truck with two drivers marked 1971, a 1965 book collection called The Wonderful Worlds of Disney, and a set of three baby Pluto wooden hangers and a set of two Donald Duck baby wooden hangers from the 1970's.

For your man and/or just in time for Father's Day I found a 1940's - 50's galvanized kerosene can, a 1940's socket set in a rusty green metal box, a red tool or utility box and a tan corduroy magnetic travel Backgammon set.

For the ladies, because it is, after all, our home to decorate....I found a wonderful floral tray with indentations for glasses, a cute pair of porcelain owl bookends, a plate for hanging in the kitchen which says "Kitchen Closed Due to Illness....I Am Sick of Cooking", a deer with a baby fawn porcelain figurine, a pretty enamel floral teapot by M.Kamenstein, and a heavy, green glass bottle.

 

Here is a close up of that beautiful teapot...

 



 

That's not all ladies! I got two hand carved wooden molds, a marble and solid brass stand or compote, and a trinket box and coaster set handset with vintage mini tiles.

 

 

One of the most unique items I have found in all my days of thrifting is this next item. It is a collection of Cracker Jack box prizes and gumball machine toys. I'm not sure what I will do with them but I HAD to have them!

 



 

I will be cleaning, organizing, researching and listing all of these items in my Etsy shop NaNa's Things over the next week or so. The guys things are already listed since Father's Day is next week!

It feels good to be somewhat back into the swing of things.....doing what I love and having so much fun doing by myself. It is always fun to go with my husband or a girlfriend or two also!

I have my own way of looking for things, and deciding what to buy. I also just go with my instinct sometimes and grab something that looks great. Other times I pass by something great only to go home, research it and have to go back for it, hoping it is still there!

Do you have any tips for thrifting? I am always interested in ways to perfect the hunt!

AnnMarie :)

I am linking up with these great parties:

My Favorite Posts Show Off Weekend Blog
A Bouquet of Talent
Say G'day Saturday Linky Party
No Rules Weekend Blog Party
Raising Imperfection
Let's Get Social Sunday
Marvelous Mondays
Amaze Me Monday
You're Gonna Love It Tuesday
The Scoop
Flusters Creative Muster
Tuesday Trivia
 Adorned from Above Blog Hop
Meet & Greet Blog Hop
Dandelion Wishes
Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop

Anxious for the Hunt

It's getting close but not quite here yet! Garage sale time! Antique shows! Community Thrift Sales!

I am getting anxious to get out there and see what everyone has been cleaning out of their basements and attics all winter. I am anxious to walk around collecting my vintage finds without layers of clothes, a winter jacket and scarf and heavy boots on.

I have been cleaning out a lot of my own stuff but not anything I can sell in my Etsy shop NaNa's Things. You see, Etsy has a guideline that anything labeled vintage has to be 20 or more years old. I do have ALOT that qualify for that too but I am not ready to part with them yet. I want something new that's old! I want to pick, thrift, hunt. I want to shop!

Over the long winter, thankfully, I have found some local places to pick through every now and then. There are at least three VOA's (Volunteers of America) nearby, a Goodwill and a Savers. Every now and then I get the bug to go see what they have and I usually find something worthy!

Last week on my birthday trip to Yolickity Frozen Yogurt we were right in the same plaza as Savers. So glad we went in because I found this really great retro daisy enamelware pan. It is on my kitchen counter and I will be sad if it sells!

 

 



 

I also found this great apple shaped pitcher

 

I have found so many great vintage items in the shape of an apple that I added a section to my shop call Vintage Apple Items. Just stopped in at the East Rochester VOA today and found this great ceramic apple cookie jar to add to the rest!

 

A cute owl bank, a solid brass mardi gras mask, some embroidered dish towels, a rooster tablecloth, some 70's faux woodgrain plastic boxes.....these are a few of my favorite things.........this week! Like the thrift stores, my shop is changing constantly as I add my new treasures. Stop by and visit sometime!

 

Can't wait to see what I'll find next week!

AnnMarie :)