Vintage Junk in My Trunk

Getting My Vintage Craft On

Last month one of my co-workers left for greener pastures. Much greener, Texan pastures. Land of 90-minutes-to-Round-Top pastures.

Sigh. Hoping to shop visit one day.

Although we hadn't been co-workers for very long, and she is about half my age (there, I said it!), we connected on a deep thrifty level. We discovered a shared love of yard sales, vintage treasures, Etsy, warm artichoke cheese dip, and this vintage camper. We even managed to get to this church rummage sale together.

So when she left I felt I had to make her something special -- vintage-y and handmade.

As you know, although I have puh-lenty of supplies, I have yet to make any wearable art except for repurposed vintage earring rings (you can see one here). I thought I might try to make a lace cuff bracelet, one that maybe wouldn't take much time or skill.

I had this vintage crocheted bit that sort of had a bracelet shape. 

I sewed a vintage button to one end to act as a closure base, since the other end had that looped part that could be used as a closure hook.

I also had a crocheted flower piece and a sparkly vintage earring.

This is what it would have looked like after I used some good old industrial-strength glue to adhere them.

Only this wasn't what the final version looked like. E had purchased a vintage earring ring at my last junk party home show, and I had the remaining matching earring. I gave her the option of choosing which bauble she wanted on the lace cuff bracelet, and she did indeed choose the matching earring.

I'm not sure how well you can see it, but the earring was a celluloid flower-shaped piece surrounded with little rhinestones. I also used a vintage piece of brass hardware to separate the two, since they were similar in color and needed something to set them apart.

She's modeling it here. I love the way it turned out!

I had an extra little burst of creative energy and even got out my old (dusty) scrapbooking supplies to make a card to go with the bracelet. 

This was a vintage Easter postcard image that I scanned, printed, and cut out with a scallop punch. It was adhered to a piece of scrapbook paper, then edged with glass glitter. (I {heart} glass glitter!)

Could this be the start of a new Etsy shop? ;)

Ebay, Round Two

I haven't done much selling on ebay; it doesn't seem nearly as friendly (or artsy, or equitable, or trendy) to me as Etsy does. However, there are those items for which you may get a better price, in a quicker timeframe, if a bidding war ensues.

In the past sixty days, I've only listed (and sold) 4 items. Two of which you saw in my last post.

The third was this 1968 Annalee Rabbit Doll, but I'd rather not discuss it. Mainly because the Annalee line scares the bejeezus out of me.

I found this beautifully illustrated hardback on a table full of books at a small church rummage sale.

Then I found another, and another. 

I used my iphone ebay app to see how many were in the set, and how much they were selling for on ebay.

I discovered they are a Time Life series called The Enchanted World, published in the 1980s. The complete set of 21 books was selling for around $200, so I limbered up my hoisting muscles and started to stack.

I wound up finding 19 books in mint condition (some still in their original packaging) and full of fabulous illustrations.

This set wound up being the fourth ebay item I sold last month, netting me $100 plus shipping (I purchased them for $15). Maybe I should sell on ebay more often!

A Fitting Fortune

My “Year of the Dragon” fortune, hyphenated one-syllable word and all.

Creepy Estate Sale Scores

“Shivers. Only shopper at creepy estate sale. Glad my body wasn't found in pieces in the basement. More importantly, I bought something.”

This was my tweet (@vintagejunkgirl) from a November estate sale. A creepy estate sale that on this particular Sunday, had no other customers and was situated on a dreary, desolate street.

I held my iphone in my hand as I hastily searched for treasures. I even told the guy running it that I was meeting “a friend” there and was waiting for her call. I stuck my head down the basement steps but decided the risk wasn't worth it. Plus there wasn't anything down there.

But, as I tweeted, I did buy something.

Two pieces of Little Red Riding Hood pottery manufactured by Hull from 1943 to 1957. Each in perfect condition, with no chips or cracks.

They were $2 each.

After a couple of failed ebay attempts, they sold Sunday night for over $50 each! Glad I risked life and limb!

For more thrilling ebay flips, check out The Ebay Thrifter and Late Night Coffee.

Discovering Columbus #3

Last week, we couldn't resist a rare sixty degree January day, so we headed out to the "new to us" flea market.

I was a little scared when I saw these. And the tube socks.

But then I saw all this! Most of it is already listed in my Etsy shop.

Now you know I wouldn't normally be buying an Annalee doll.

Or two. But I know they're pretty collectible, and I've already sold a big one on ebay, so…

I know this doll is pretty creepy -- it's missing an arm, and the other is horribly disfigured.

But I didn't hesitate to buy it! Is there something wrong with me that I'm fine with creepy vintage dolls, but Annalee scares the bejeezus out of me?

This winky santa is almost as disturbingly creepy, but is a nice addition to Mr. VJIMT's Santa collection. Which I think I forgot to take a photo of before I took down the holiday decor.

Now this I think is pretty cute. The "kangaroo keeper" is from 1956 and holds a man's dresser items. Change goes in the front pouch, wallet on the side, rings and watches on the tail. You can see a vintage advertisement featuring it here. Its brown and cream cousin was also a prop in the movie Pulp Fiction.

This vintage marching band hat almost got trampled on the ground before we rescued it.

I bought these crocheted things (curtain tiebacks?) to make some sort of jewelry item.

Foil leaf & mercury glass ball holiday picks and glittery velvet birds, because what's a flea market adventure without some vintage Christmas purchases?

Or dishes? Here's a set of five lovely blue transferware toile plates…

…and even better green ones!

Hope there are some unseasonable balmy days in February!

Discovering Columbus #2

So last post I started to fill you in on the long-lost flea market we rediscovered. November's trip was a pleasant surprise; December's foray was a test to see if the last month had been an aberration or the real thing.

I scored this pretty chippy Blessed Mother statue right off the bat. They've been a good seller for me in my Etsy shop, so that's where she went.

And then, my prayers were truly answered, because I happened upon this gigantic stash of vintage jewelry. The guy selling it had no idea what to do with it, and was obviously way out of his comfort zone. He told me I could fill a small box with whatever I wanted for ten bucks!

Can you believe how much I got? There were 32 pairs of vintage clip earrings, about 15 orphan earrings, a bunch of broken rosaries, 11 rhinestone and enamel pins, a few rusty keys, and a lone sweater clip.

Mr. VJIMT found some things too. Like this yard-long photo to add to his collection.

It's so long I can't get the whole thing in the shot.

Other miscellanea, including vintage jingle bell cards you saw me use here, the red truck you saw here, and red bakelite-topped salt & pepper shakers I forgot to put out for the holidays.

You also got a brief glimpse of this cardboard advertising before, but it's double-sided.

I'm thinking this flea market is a keeper.

Discovering Columbus

Way back in November, an old college (and junking) pal and I got together and went to an outdoor flea market. We hadn't been to this particular flea market in many, many years, and were hoping to find more than the standard tube sock and fake designer handbag fare.

She got a vintage artillery shell (?) and a giant agate basin (and a breakfast shish kebab, but our friendship prevents me from showing that photo).

I'm not sure if anyone's interested in seeing any more vintage Christmas stuff, but this is what I got.

Three small holiday blow molds, from three separate vendors. The small snowman is a container; his head comes off!

A bunch of bottle brush wreaths, embellished with shiny reflectors, mercury ball ornaments, and glittered deer.

Shiny Brites and cookie cutters. I thought I might try to glitter them like I saw Heidi do here, but I wasn't crazy about my results.

A bumpy chenille holiday corsage, featuring sweet Baby Jesus.

And this cherubic bumpy chenille angel… thing.

A bunch of lovely reflectors in spectacular pink and aqua.

A miniature santa, pixie, and tiny wreath.

Blue plastic tree topper.

I did find a few items that weren't Christmas-themed, like these gorgeous floral tin plates, made in England.

All in all, it was a really fun day and a pleasant surprise. Mr. VJIMT and I have gone twice more since -- posts coming up!

Welcome 2012; Are You Here Already?

Happy New Year!

Wait, I'm a week behind ALREADY? How did that happen?

Well, best-laid plans and all that. I don't really have an excuse, other than I ain't as young as I used to be, and it takes me a little longer to accomplish things than originally anticipated. I'm still not back in the swing of things, but the Christmas decor is stored away, so I'm looking on that as a step in the right direction.

Our holidays were relatively uneventful, except for our toilet overflowing and the sewer line backing up.

On CHRISTMAS EVE.

At 5pm, as we were preparing to go out to some festivities. At least no one got a concussion.

Mr. VJIMT ran to Home Depot^® for some de-clogging supplies. He did his best Dustin Hoffman pounding on the glass…

…as they had already closed, but the employees took pity on him and let him in. A regular Christmas miracle, I'll tell ya.

He was able to temporarily resolve the situation, but we held our breath as we prepared Christmas dinner the next day, and hoped we would have enough water with which to shower and cook. (We did.)

I have a stockpile of vintage treasures and events to show you from the last month or so, which may make a frosty January and February a little easier to bear. In the meantime, here's a little collage of some of my favorite finds of 2011.

Click on the corresponding number below the photos to read each post…

1  •  2  •  3  •  4  •  5  •  6  •  7  •  8  •  9  •  10  •  11  •  12  •  13  •  14  •  15  •  16  •  17

It was a very good (junking) year. Sewage systems, not so much.

Holiday Happenings

Whew! We're winding down to the last minutes of this frantic season, and I'm almost afraid to say I think I may be done.

But I think I may be done.

Well, except for the second tree to decorate, a few more gifts to buy, some more to wrap, parts of the house still uncleaned, laundry that's backed up all week, and food to prepare.

So almost.

But while I had a minute, I thought I'd share a few vignettes of some of the vintage Christmas items around here.

I found these little packages of Shiny Brites at a spectacular yard sale last year. I originally bought them to sell but the boxes are just too darn cute, so here they stay.

I've been seeing these little toy cars and trucks carrying bottle brush trees all over the blogosphere, so I made a few of my own.

Also, red and green books tied up with twine.

I've always bought these cute illustrated Christmas-themed postcards, mainly to transform into our own holiday greetings. I tend to gravitate towards the same style, which I think is the work of the artist Ellen Clapsaddle. Unless you have another name for me?

This year they got displayed in vintage green flower frogs.

This sparkly white bottle brush tree is not old, but I like its vintage aspirations.

Well, I'd better get a move on. Hope you're "almost" done with all your preparations as well!

Calendar Giveaway Winner

Like everything else this season, I am even behind on the calendar giveaway! But wait no more -- the lucky winner is:

Vintage Coconut, please email me your address and I will send the calendar out to you right away.

Or as soon as I dig myself out from under this pile of Shiny Brites!

And if you didn't win, you can still own your very own vintage calendar -- just go to the Vintage Rescue Squad Etsy shop.

Gratuitous image of recent vintage Christmas find, because this post seemed naked without one

I have a bunch more finds from this month still to show you, but it may be 2012 before they actually get posted. Hope you're enjoying your holiday frenzy!