Showing posts with label picking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label picking. Show all posts

Monday, June 29, 2015

Meet and Greet ME!

Jann at Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson is having a meet and greet through the blog world. She invited those of us that couldn't make it to her in-person meet and greet in her home in the Midwest to write a blog about ourselves, what we love and what makes us happy, so we could get to know each other better.

I decided to do mine in a pictorial view of what I love most. There is my faith and family and friends and then there are those things that are just ME...

First in my life....

Couldn't make it through a day without Him
 
My family...

My husband Frank, me, son Michael, daughter Jena
 
Daughter Candice
 
Grandson JC and Granddaughter Chloe

Granddaughter Cassidy




And friends....


Bonnie and I knit, chat and drink decaf together!
 
All 6 of us celebrate each others birthday together. We always
have the best time.
I love....

I have to have a container of my homemade snack around at all times!
Banana chips, mini chocolate chips, wasabi peas, coconut, raisins, peanuts
 
 
I love being by the water.
 
The Forsythia blooming in June makes my heart sing!

 

And the lilacs bring back happy thoughts of my
farmhouse in the apple orchard
 

This Orange Blossom in full bloom makes me happy
 

I love waking up to this view every summer morning....

 
And this in the winter.....
 
I am a true picker, junker, antique hunter


 
I buy it, sell it and decorate with it.
Decorating is a passion of mine.


I love coming home with a huge haul of goodies.
 
 
Baking is another passion of mine and I am not afraid to try
unique things. These are chocolate avocado cookies.
 
 
I used to craft in my 20's and am now just trying my hand at
DIY again.
 
 
I am currently focused on stenciling.
 
 
Fall is my favorite season and I love traveling to Naples, NY
to smell the concord grapes on the vine.
 
 
I love decorating for Christmas.
 

There is so much more but I will end with this last picture. You will just have to sign-up by email to get all my posts which include a little bit about me in each one! And click over to Jann's party where you might find other bloggers you know that you can get to know better.
 
 
I just love cats and this is my beautiful Maine Coon kitty
Miss Kitty.
She passed away in February and so I am looking forward
to this Fall when I will get another kitty.
 
 
AnnMarie xoxo
 
 
I am linking up with this fun blog party:
 


Sunday, February 8, 2015

My Best Thrifting Week Ever!

I had the best thrifting week of my picking career! And, it happened to be my birthday week. Who knew, in the middle of winter?!

As promised on my Birthday post, here are all the fabulous finds from the whole week.

That week included lunch with my girlfriend Bonnie and we had just enough time to stop in at Craft Bits and Pieces, which is a craft supply and home décor resale shop. All of the items to buy are donated and the sales benefit the Fairport/Perinton Senior Living Council.

I always find great vintage stuff there and it supports the older community of Fairport so it is a feel good place to go!

I'll start with those treasures since they are the ones I don't know if I can part with!

 
The framed cross stitch with the fabric house is so precious! Bonnie found it first and then realized she had no where to hang it. I don't know if it is old enough to put in my Etsy shop, but I bought it anyways. Until I figure it out, it is hanging in my dining room in a spot I didn't know I had!! It looks great. It may be a while before I figure out how old it is! ;-) It says "Peace to all that we hold dear and all that enter here". It also includes all the letters of the alphabet hand stitched.
 
 

The rooster bread board is quite the find too. It is thick and heavy, gouged and scratched up. Perfect! Someone stained and then painted it with a colorful, whimsical rooster.



The chamber candlestick has been painted at least 4 times that I can tell and I just loved the design of it. And that tree! It is a large ceramic tree from 1976 in perfect condition. I will probably wait till Christmas in July to list it. For a buck I had to grab the large piece of canvas. It is so versatile and there are so many possibilities for crafting with it, but I will figure that out later!

On the way to the main destination on my birthday, Rochester Greenovation, we just happened to see a VOA (Volunteers of America). We had to stop.

 
I found a great industrial metal file box, an atlas jar and a milk glass Tom and Jerry eggnog bowl and cups. Never heard of such a thing as an eggnog bowl, let alone with Tom and Jerry on it (not the cat and mouse in the cartoons, but two Uncle Sam looking guys). I got on Google on my smartphone while in the store (that is the main reason I finally went for the phone and it comes in handy!) and I found that it is from the 1950's and was used during the holidays. Another listing for Christmas in July!
 
I got it in my head that I wanted an old Hymn book. It didn't take long to find one there. Lots of crafts to do with those old pages, but I will figure that out later too!



 
Rochester Greenovation! This place was crazy! The final destination for all your picking, thrifting and junking needs! We hit the $5 a box area first and I am finding out that I made out pretty good! As I am slowly researching and listing some of the stuff I  picked and put in that box, I am realizing that they are not too shabby!
 
 
One of my blogging friends did a post on vintage trophies and I was so intrigued that I decided to keep an eye out for them while picking. Well, there was a whole table of them here! The ones I picked range in age from 1962 to 1974. Sweet!
 
 
The sweet pillow with the cherry sprig turns out to be a French Aubusson tapestry pillow with silk and wool tassels. The Bride book is from 1949 and is a how-to spiral bound book on planning your wedding, offered by Edwards, a popular department store that used to be in downtown Rochester, New York.
 
 
I thought the eagle whiskey bottle was so neat and I just had to have the Jacquin's Forbidden Fruit liqueur bottle. It has a crown on the top and since I dubbed myself the Queen eight years ago when I turned 50, I have a thing for crowns. It was not part of the $5 box. I paid $8 for it. I'm keeping it....for now!
 
 
More treasures in the box include this 11 1/2" diameter tin tart pan made in Germany and four seashell or clam shell dishes marked WP USA. Can't find what WP is for yet....anyone know?
 
 
Two more shell dishes, a little different than the set of four, are ovenproof and made in Japan. They are weighty and very nice! The aqua shell dish is from Catalina Pottery, made in the late 1930's - early 1940's. I think I have to keep that one too!
 

 
Some vintage kitchen items including a salt and pepper shaker set that look like whiskey jugs and are hand painted with Little Brown Jug on them. The trivets are tiles that have cooking measurements on one and a roasting timetable on the other. The sweet little rose colored crock is already sold!
 

 
How sweet are the bunnies coming out of the head of lettuce? It is a covered ceramic bowl. The bunnies are textured and have pink noses and ears. The 8 ounce glasses have white daisy graphics on them. The yellow centers are a little faded. I had to put them in the box since my favorite flower is the daisy.
 


 
These items did not fit in my box so my sweet husband let me put them in his $5 box.  The basket is so nostalgic for me since it is just like the one I hunted for on Easter morning as a kid. The cracker tin is a Blue Magic Krispy Kan. When it is new you have to take the knob and put it in the oven to activate the crystals inside. Once you do that your Krispy Kan is supposed to keep crackers, pretzels, chips and popcorn fresh, fresh, fresh! I just like the graphics.....flowers made out of the things that are crisp!
 

I paid separately for the hangers because I know they will sell in my shop. Customers buy them to display cross stitch and artwork. It is a really cute way to show off your handiwork!

 
Is that it? Yes, for now. I am overwhelmed researching, cleaning and listing all this stuff. But don't worry. Once it is all listed I will have to go out and get more. My junkin' friend Susan and I have a date to go to Rochester Greenovation when the weather gets nicer!

AnnMarie xoxo

I am linking up with these great blog parties:
Masterpiece Monday
Amaze Me Monday
Show and Share
Vintage Bliss Tuesdays Linky Party
Let's Talk Vintage
Roses of Inspiration
Wake Up Wednesday Linky Party
Vintage Inspiration Party
Together on Tuesdays
Treasure Hunt Thursday
Home and Garden Thursday
Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop
Share Your Cup Thursday
The Chain Linky Climb Party

Friday, March 7, 2014

Bunny Musings

My love of bunnies goes back to the 1980's when I started decorating my farmhouse. I love vintage or new....whichever one tugs at my heart when I see it. 


I treat myself when I see one I just have to have. I never purposely started a collection, it just kinda happened.

Some have a special spot in my home year round and others come out to play in the Spring. These floppy eared stuffed bunnies have been sitting on my oak wash stand since the 80's, first in my farmhouse bathroom and now in my spare bedroom of my Victorian home. They are faded and probably a little dusty but they bring back memories that I want to savor for a while.


This resin bunny nibbling on his carrots finds a place somewhere in the house every Spring. This year he will be nibbling at the foot of my just acquired chippy rocker.


This is a pipe cleaner rabbit with a vintage paper face. He likes hanging around my corner cabinet.


I just found this great mini wooden sideboard/dresser today and thought that Mrs. Bunny with her 2 boy bunnies and 4 girl bunnies would look great on top. Her children all fit neatly inside her when they are done playing.


Now, I am not complaining, but the bright sun today made it kinda hard to get the pictures I wanted in my window seat! The hydrangeas are dried from my yard, the pink pumpkin is still in great shape from last Fall and the shiny pink vintage bunny is one I found at a thrift store last year. 


This is one of my most favorite places in my house to create a seasonal vignette. The vintage rose doily stays year round, the lamp is a vintage find I just had to keep for myself and the bunny on a pedestal is one of my favorite in my collection.



Down at their feet is my Victorian bunny that comes out every Spring. I have had her forever. When she appears it means there are brighter days ahead.


This cute Lefton bunny planter is listed in my Etsy shop. I can't resist sometimes decorating with some of the great items I find to sell. They are usually the ones that go the quickest!


Peter Rabbit has a backpack full of dried flowers, "fur" and the cutest face. He hangs out in different places every year. This year he likes the paint splattered, chippy chair I found at a garage sale for $2 with a basket full of veggies from Mr. McGregor's garden! My bunny rabbit rug is out from hiding near my bed for a Spring debut.



This bunny is not vintage but is made to look it using paper mache and a great paint technique.



I am not sure where I got this large, cardboard two piece egg. It is quite old and beat up. It has a new baby and bunny family on both sides.


I found this great ceramic Easter basket dated 1986 at a thrift store and it brought back memories of my 20's when I would go to a nice lady's home to make different things for myself. I have a small basket like this of my own. The bunny is also from the 80's and glazed to look like the chocolate ones.


Here is the same basket with my collection of Jim Shore carved eggs. Love his quilted look items.


A local artist made chalkware bunnies for a limited time so I grabbed two of them.


The ceramic basket bowl is another thrift store find that I filled with Jim Shore eggs. Great to fill with jelly beans or those Cadbury mini eggs I am afraid to buy....I would eat the whole bag! I found the nest in my yard. There are always abandoned nests laying on the ground. I have one that the birds made from the pinata pieces left after my son's birthday party.


The two Peter Rabbit's are collectibles I originally bought to sell. May not happen now! The small one is a salt shaker and the large one is a trinket box.


These three bunnies are off to deliver their eggs. They are paper mache, painted to look vintage and then dusted with clear sparkles.


They have a special place on the parlor table every year with my granddaughters and a very old picture of my daughter and son.


These next set of bunnies are from my farmhouse in the apple orchard and now sit on my dining room windowsill year round in my Victorian house. I couldn't get a good picture with all the bright sunshine so I had them sit in the vintage high chair while I took their picture. The wooden bunny is an actual puzzle. I took it apart once and then never again!


The chocolate mold is a real treasure. The small bunny with the cute smile is a shelf-sitter, or in my case a windowsill sitter.


Some of these treasures are listed in my Etsy shop and some probably will never be! I am not ready to part with them yet.

Another reason to keep thrifting and picking new ones to sell.

Spring is almost here and for me, the official start of picking, garage saleing and antiquing season.

Pickers, get your eagle eyes and dollar bills ready! See you out there!

AnnMarie xo

I am linking up with these fun blog hop parties this week:

The Scoop Mega Spring Linky Party
Be Inspired
Feathered Nest Friday
Freedom Fridays with All My Bloggy Friends
Lets Connect Social Media Round Up Blog Hop
Thrifty Life Thursday
Anything Blue Friday
Pink Saturday
Sincerely Paula's No Rules Weekend Blog Party
Make it Pretty Monday
Amaze Me Monday
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
You're Gonna Love It Tuesday
What's It Wednesday
Thursday Favorite Things
Share Your Cup Thursday
Cottage Style Party
It's a Spring Thing
Strut Your Stuff Saturday Link Party
Sundays at Home