Let us put by some hour of every day for holy things...

I will not doubt, though all my ships at sea
Come drifting home with broken masts and sails.
I will believe the Hand which never fails,
From seeming evil, worketh good for me.
And though I weep because those sails are tattered,
Still will I cry, while my best hopes lie shattered:
I trust in Thee.
--Ann Kimmel

Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labor of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat, the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Habakkuk 3:17-18

Friday, July 27, 2012

Friday Finds...Sort of

Oh, boy....  If only good intentions were reality!  I apologize for neglecting the blog of late.  Summertime, and the living is busy. I'm sure you can relate.

However, hubby and I did get out long enough this morning to pop in at one garage sale. I didn't see much of interest there, apart from a book I wanted, until I spied this box:





Now, I've promised myself recently to be more selective in bringing home my beloved junk. And I have tons of vintage Christmas stuff already. However, the bottle brush cane that I spied on top of the box was enough to make me bite. I intended to buy just the cane, but the seller pointed out that the whole box was only 50 cents.

A cursory rummaging revealed that there probably wasn't going to be much more of interest to me, but I couldn't see the entire contents. And since I can use a great box shipping, I figured I might as well for out the two quarters.

Let's see what we have...

First, of course, the bottle brush cane that is pretty neat.  I don't know if it's true vintage or a reproduction, but I like it:




Below the cane is a somewhat crushed bottle brush wreath. It's kind of ho-hum.  But I think I might be able to cut it up and incorporate it in an idea I have for a Christmas mixed-media diorama type craft.  Or I may chuck it out!  I'll think about it.

Okay, more layers:

Oh, dear.  A ghastly little Santa Claus door hanger which I abominate. And an equally ugly mini tree skirt in lurid lime. Maybe it can be turned into a doll skirt?  With my track record, I doubt it.

Okay, now some garland of various types...nothing to write home about. Though of course, I just now "wrote blog" about it. Some poinsettia flower picks...I can use them to rev up some packages, maybe.
Another tree skirt...this one of white felt with vintage-looking green holly leaves stamped on it. I'll try handwashing and ironing it and if it survives...  NO!  Toss it out immediately.

Okay, next, a few homemade ornaments--glitter and fake jewels on styrofoam, and some hideous painted ceramic ornaments only a mother could love.  Or maybe she didn't, because she sold them to me.  Also some long styrofoam cylinders decorated to resemble traditional Christmas crackers, but on growth hormones. Not my style at all. A few truly abysmal fake sandstone hearts with quasi-biblical quotes...  Does anyone really want something that looks like a chunk of sidewalk hanging on their Christmas tree?  Well, I suppose it's possible.  Again, though, not for me.

This box is pretty dreary!  Okay, down to the last.  Here are a few things that are kind of/sort of:  a red cardinal, a gold star (vintage style, but I'm pretty sure it's recent), and a glittery red silhouette of a reindeer.
Oh, and some green berry flower picks.  These aren't too bad.




So, on the whole, not a success, this haul. However, for 50 cents I did get the cane, which I would gladly have paid 50 cents for, and I got a terrific cowboy boot box I can use to ship stuff in, so if the rest is rubble, I can live with it.

Okay, that was a DRAG.  So now, let me show you something a bit more interesting.  I thought I might start showing bits of my own collections for those of you who are interested. I'll start with two of them--my vintage purses, and my Mobley rubber squeak toy collection:


This is a shelf in my livingroom that I change around from time to time, depending on what I feel like displaying and how much energy I have. These are just a few of my purses.  On top are two Enid Collins bucket bag knock-offs, made from kits back in the 1960's. I remember admiring these passionately as a kid, but nobody I knew carried this type. They were "gaudy". Naturally, I gravitated toward them then and can fall into a swoon when I encounter them now.  I probably have about six of these.  One really is an Enid Collins bucket bag, but it's only in fair condition.

Now the bag below those, on the second shelf from the top is (so far as I know), one of a kind.  My sister-in-law found it at a garage sale in Las Vegas and gave it to me for my birthday.  It's amazing!  Here's a closer look:





This is SO tacky-cool!  The base layer is a kind of pink loopy upholstery fabric, and the embellishments are all done by hand. There's braided trim, there are fake jewels, there are seed bead and sequins...!  Wow!!  I adore this thing.

Next, we come to the crown jewel of my purse collection, that being a genuine wooden box "For the Birds" purse by Enid Collins:
I was thrilled to find this treasure at an antique shop in Nashville, Tennessee last year. The proprietor didn't know what she had, and had marked it for $8.00. You had better believe I snatched it up pronto! Some of the jewels had come loose and were tucked inside the purse for repair.  A few were missing altogether. A few months later I found a jar of very similar fake jewels at an estate sale, and so I was able to replace the missing bits. I took a bit of liberty and added a crest to the bird in the top right corner. Antiques Road Show would be appalled but it's my purse and I'll do what I want with it!  These things are jolly expensive if you can find one nowadays--I see them on eBay and Etsy for anywhere from $50 to $300 each.

Below this delight is another fun purse--a straw handbag which has been embellished with seashells and covered with a layer of clear vinyl.  Probably it was a souvenir purse bought at some beach resort.  It's a fun idea I hope to duplicate sometime when I find an inexpensive straw or wicker box purse.  Good fabric glue, some clear vinyl, and a bit of trim for the edges...  It should be easy and fun.

Wow, I've been rattling on for quite a while... I had better make quick work of the rubber squeak toys.

I found my first one at a garage sale, and paid--if memory serves--$15.00 for it.  That's high for me on a junking expedition, but I was charmed and intrigued with the little fellow, so home he came. (He's the one on the second shelf, beside the pink pig.)  A few months later I found another one.  Cheaper this time.  Then I started actively hunting them on Etsy and eBay and acquired a few more.  The latest one is the little kitten on the bottom shelf. These Mobley rubber squeak toys apparently come in quite a few varieties.  I'm looking forward to learning more about them.  I'm also jazzed about getting them down for my granddaughter to play with in a year or so when she's old enough to enjoy and appreciate them.

Some quick close-ups, and then I promise to sign off:








Thanks for stopping by!  If you have a fun display collection you'd like to share, let me know and maybe I can post photos.








2 comments :

  1. Cool squeak toy collection I saw the dog squeak toy that you have on the topish shelf for $50.00 at the flea market awhile back.

    Ill have to post the pictures of my squeak toys I bought most of them on etsy I really only have a few.
    Some are from china and then a few of them are from russia..Ive sort of become an addict.
    Along time ago I would have thought that squeak toys were just for dogs...
    I went flea marketing today with my mom...I got some good stuff I got 4 kewpies still in package and a few things that Im going to put in Merrills store :) Im a little worried about her shop right now shes only had one sale. I came up with a list yesterday of charitys to donate to...1.Aspca 2.Tail Waggers 3.Feline Friends 4.Joplin Humane Society. Wow Ive typed a lot...Im glad your shops are back open on etsy :)

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  2. I took pictures of my squeaky toy collection and posted them on facebook.Check them out :)

    ReplyDelete