Because it’s my week (end).

For my birthday this year, I gave myself the gift of junking.

An entire weekend spent puttering around thrift shops, antique malls and junk shops on the Oregon coast (and a little on the Washington coast as well).

(I think she accidentally left the price tag on it – 50? Fifty? Must be her lucky number ... or something.)

It all began at Monticello Antique Marketplace with some foofing of my space there and coffee with Laurie who brought me this lovely bit of Springtime-in-January, a la Magpie Ethel (her alter ego).

Friended, fortified and foofed, off I went!

A vendor at an antique mall had hundreds of these for sale!

I made it through 4 huge antique malls, 7 8 thrift stores, 3 charming vintage shops and one *awesome* junk stop and saw lots of inspiration along the way.

in the basement at Phog Bounders Antique Mall, Astoria OR

Inspiring antique mall displays 

(I think I need to pack in more in my mall space – I really like this full-to-the-brim look. What do you think? Too much?)

Astoria Vintage Hardware, Astoria OR

Inspiring painted furniture. (Love the black)

Sewing inspiration. 

Bright ideas. (sorry)

Hobo Junction, 105 SW 13th St., Long Beach WA (click photo to enlarge and go nuts!)

And some good old-fashioned junking. This was my last stop and the most fun.

The owner was more than happy to climb over his mountains of treasures and pull out rusty, chippy things he thought I might be interested in while I pretty much wandered around in a daze and tried to take it all in.

The inside of his shop is as fascinating as the outside.

And his prices were more than fair.

You can see more photos of his shop here.

Happy Tuesday to you!

A case for paint

Lately, there’s been a shortage of paint-able furniture around these parts and because of that I’ve been forced to lavish my painterly attentions on other items, their only criteria being that they’re holding still and have not been painted in the past seven days.

And that’s negotiable.

I present to you, my sidekick, The Kit.

The Kit holds all the behind-the-scenes ‘stuff’ that keeps the magic alive (not to mention things from falling over, off and generally going to pieces) in my antique mall space: a hammer, pliers, nails, tape, extra price tags, a magic eight ball, scissors, candy, a Swiffer duster, safety pins, elbow grease, glue, several thousand Sharpie markers and some loose change.

It’s like a vintage tool belt. A cute yet dirty, scruffy, rough-around-the-edges tool belt…

… that needs a makeover.

And thanks to more magic via blue painters tape and my bottomless cans of paint, The Kit is now sporting a set of imperfect & imprecise racing stripes.

 The stripes were sanded a skoch (is there really a correct way to spell ‘skoch’?) in an attempt to help camouflage their imperfect-ness and provide that lived-in look.

Of course, now the inside of The Kit looks more tired than ever so a full remodel is imminent. Please stay tuned. 

Sew there.

Happy New Year!

(2010)  sachets

The month of January always has me pondering what I hope to accomplish in the coming twelve months and after several rough drafts, I’ve finalized my official Annual Crafty/Vintage To-Do List for 2013.

(2008)  barkcloth pillow

It’s sew very short.

(2009)  banner

Just one little word, in fact.

(2010)  yo-yos & feedsack quilt pillow

You’ve heard it here before but this year …

(2010)  sachets

I.

Mean.

It.

(2008)  vintage tablecloth pillow

I really do.

(2010) appliqued tea towels

(2009) tatting & doily towel

Sew there you have it.

(2007) vintage tablecloth pillow

PS Did you watch Downton Abbey last night?! Sew good!