Because one is not enough

Thanks for all of the happy birthday wishes / camera sympathy notes on my last post. I have a new camera now and we're slowly getting to know each other. I'm not sure yet if we're a match made in heaven but since we've just met, I'll see where this goes.

For now, it looks like it's going on a roadtrip!

New Camera and I are hitting the road in a few weeks for ten days of antiquing, thrifting, junking and flea market-ing and I'm pretty darn excited! I plan on attending the Sacramento Antique Fair and the Candlestick Park Antiques & Collectibles Faire and the rest of the time I'll be 'free-styling'. 

(When did I start speaking American Picker?)

My upcoming roadtrip and recent conversations with other vintage-loving bloggers made me realize with the 2011 vintage markets, shows & sales upon us, there are vintage events popping up all over the place that I was unaware of. How did that happen?! And more importantly, how can I prevent it from happening again?

So I had an idea...

What if the information about vintage markets, sales & shows all around the U.S. was available in one place online? Wouldn't that make it easier for us buyers and sellers to be aware of upcoming vintage events?

I hope the answer is YES! because I've created a new blog just for this purpose and it's called Vintage Market Guide.

It's a piece of cake to use because all blog posts will be sorted by state or month/year, making it easy to locate vintage sales & events near you. There's also a google search bar in case you want to search for something more specific such as posts with the word 'barn' or 'junk' or Iowa' in them.

As often as possible, I'd like to include links to bloggers who may be selling at these shows in addition to information about nearby antique malls, thrift stores and architectural salvage shops in case you want to make a day of it. Or a week of it.

I can definitely use your help too, please.

I'll be adding vintage market listings as I come across them but if you know of a can't-miss vintage sale, large or small, and would like it to appear on Vintage Market Guide, email me or leave a comment with any information you might have (show name, dates, address, website, etc) and I'll post it and link to your blog if you like.

And I'll still be blogging away here at Into Vintage. It's because of the many vintage-minded folks I've met through Into Vintage that I was inspired to start Vintage Market Guide. Thank you!

Now let's get out there and do some vintage treasure hunting!

A Tale of Two Birthdays

A little something made by Laurie (aka Magpie Ethel)

Disclaimer: I am another year older today. I disclose this information as it's the only plausible explanation available for what you're about to read.

Act One.

Late one night, Detective Magpie was prowling around the internet with one thing, and one thing only, on her mind.

She had some vintage crafting to do.

She came across this pincushion and realized what was ahead of her: A long night surrounded by spun heads and a hot glue gun. She made some coffee and got to work.

The next morning she emerged from her studio, satisfied. She had done it.

She had created a tiny yet perfectly formed vintage birthday gift, bearing an uncanny resemblance to its recipient (with the exception of the fabulous ensemble worn by this little figure who is clearly a much snappier dresser), right down to the giant needle in her hand.

{  Thank you Laurie, for making this incredible, one-of-a-kind birthday gift for me. I **love** this happy little gal! }

Act Two.

This year I was ahead of the game. The gift for her was made and wrapped. All I had left to do was wait for the birthday luncheon to roll around.

And then I saw her blog post about collecting vintage Oregon state souvenirs. Everything changed after that.

I headed to the Doily Factory.

I had never felt so alive.

I cut and chopped, avoided holes, skipped around stains and was left with just enough 'good parts.'

 

Then a little sewing and before you could say "All done," I dropped my camera. On concrete.

Because I don't do things halfheartedly.

The camera is no longer with us.

But you can see the finished birthday pillow over here. 

The End.

Junk Drunk

 

 Please pardon me while I decorate this post with some unrelated photos of my thrifted finds.

American Pickers are here! Well, sort of.

(Wouldn't that be nice? They could pick out in the Garage Where Cars Can't Park)

 The American Pickers Season One DVD is here because I won it (so very excited to have won something!) from Sonya at Dime Store Thrift. Thank you, Sonya!

{ If you're not familiar with American Pickers, please check them out. I'll wait here. }

I confess -- I've been watching American Pickers since the very first episode and I think what I love most about this show is that it exists. Mike Wolfe has such a passion for what he does that he knew other people would be interested enough to watch an hour long TV show about two guys climbing over heaps of rusty, old stuff that many would walk right by on their way to the antique store...

Thanks Frank and Mike! You make junking fun. And I think the non-junkers out there are starting to understand the rest of us a little better now. 

Another one of my gratuitous photos of old stuff I found.

Here's a link to a funny story + interesting interview* with Mike Wolfe. I've never met him but he seems like a charismatic & funny guy. Goofy too. 

OMG. If I didn't know better, I might think I have a junkin' crush going on here.

Move over, David Cassidy. 

 Last one, I promise.

And if you're feeling lucky, here are a couple of giveaways for you:

Kathy at A Spectacular Mess has a spectacular bunch of prizes!

Jen at {the cottage nest) is giving away something especially for us fabric collectors :-)

Good luck to you!

*(I can't recall where I originally saw the link for the interview but I think it was over at Vintage Rescue Squad. That's where the pic of Mike & Frank came from. Thank you, Sue)

The pitter-platter of vintage dishes

I've been dabbling in some of my first vintage treasure hunting of the new year, trying to stay focused on buying only things I plan to resell in my etsy shop.

You know how that goes.

It's especially difficult for me because I have an untreated condition that flares up without warning.

I have a serious case of Vintage-Dish-itis.

That's right. My name is Amy and I'm hooked on dishes.

I found this platter at an estate sale on Saturday.

On the left, Vernon Kilns 'Dolores' and on the right, Spode 'Wicker Dale'

It's in perfect condition and was only a dollar on half-price day. That's my Grandmother's china on the right -- two completely different patterns but I love how they look together.

Johnson Bros. / England

This gently worn platter was also only a dollar and it came from the same estate sale. I was completely prepared to sell it on etsy but then those cupcakes appeared. Fortunately they won't be here long. 

I give them until dinnertime. Then I can re-evaluate the situation.

Pyrex.

I think I can part with this one because it doesn't go with any of the dishes I already have although it definitely works with several of the vintage tablecloths around here. Maybe I can start a new collection with it! Also found at the estate sale.

 

Alfred Meakin / England

 And lastly, this pink rose platter which is covered with crazing. Fifty cents.

I like a little crazing.

Small Talk

As you may recall, late last year I bared my soul and revealed that I don't own a glue gun.

It turns out I do. I just can't remember why. I must have bought it years ago for some specific project and then never used it again. It resurfaced recently while I was 'organizing.'

My comprehensive organizational efforts eventually dwindled down to more of a micro-organization in which I managed to incorporate a little sewing + hot gluing project too.

This photo is unrelated to this post but I found these little hand-painted shell pansy cards yesterday while out thrifting and this seemed as good a time as any to share.

For someone who sews, I am sorely lacking in the pincushion department and that can get downright hazardous as I use some very large and somewhat dull needles for my etsy shop packaging. I'm constantly dropping them and they quietly roll away, biding their time until they decide to reappear somewhere ... unexpected.

(I always look before sitting down in the Doily Factory.)

Now those needles have a home of their own. I made the world's tiniest pincushion (tutorial here), added a teeny vintage mother-of-pearl button and hot-glued the whole thing to a vintage spool of thread.

Hope 2011 is going smoothly for you so far.