Thriftshare Monday...

I had to take a break over the weekend

just not feeling too good

If the weather would stop rising and falling 30 degrees

every other day....

However

before I started feeling crummy

My husband and I managed to squeeze in an Estate sale or two

Estate Sale 1

The one I went to on Friday had been advertised for over a week

Huge listing with all the right stuff!

I figured it would be pricey but stopped anyway.

The home looked as if it was frozen in time in during 1776

that may sound amazing to some of you

but living in this area it can be common

These people had great taste

and you could tell spent years accumulating their collection

It is a shame no one in their family shared their love of colonial America

because it was a pretty valuable collection and a large one

Needless to say it was waaay out of my range

but it was fun to see

$700 Colonial Willaimsburg Craft House farm table

$600 Windsor chairs

$300 Thomas Jefferson Oil painting

I would love to see what the house itself goes for

being that it was only a mile away from mine

I would never take a photo at an Estate sale

this interior is pretty close other than the table could seat 6-8

Same dark wood, beams, pie safe and cupboard

Estate sale #2

Only 3 blocks from my house

I think the owner must have been the original

all the homes one that block were built in the 1930's

I just love seeing original wallpaper,etc.

I went first thing Saturday and bought a few small items

my husband and I went back Sunday because everything was supposed to be 1/2 price

I don't have a photo yet

but we got a beautiful Empire dresser for $100

We have been looking for a large dresser for some time

I just didn't want to pay $700-$900 for a new one

when I knew one would come along eventually.

I can't wait till' next weekend when we can clean it up!

Here are my other finds

Paper box beautifully worn $1.00

Enamel frame with adorable girl $2.00

I wonder who she was

and I wonder if the photo was taken at this house

Sweater clips $1.25

Address book $1.00

never used and again beautifully aged

perfect for an art project

This needle case was my favorite find

It is so lovely and smooth

.50 cents!

They sell similar reproduction ones at Colonial Williamsburg

I don't think this one is that old

but it definitely isn't new

Playing cards $1.00

I plan on using these for ATC's

Business cards and backings for jewelry ,etc. since there are so many

Needlepoint case $1.25

I wouldn't have bought this but the sweater clips came in it.

Other than feeling lousy

this weekend was a good makeup for my bust last weekend.

What did you find?

Todays post is dedicated to my little sister Erin

A Fashionista from birth....

Even at one month old

she could rock a onesie and the dark hair

Erin decided to go to a lighter shade of brown

after a few months with her hair

and made rubber training pants all the rage...

Pajama chic and the bed head look...

Deciding blondes have more fun...

Erin goes with the Strawberry Shortcake Pinafore look

for Santa..

Hoping to start a new trend...

Erin sported the

"Upside down jacket - Hoodie on your Booty" look at age 2

She single handedly made Cabbage Patch cutie all the rage

For Halloween the sad clown with fashionable cape

The original Toddler in Tiara

Erin loaned me this right out of

Breakfast Club hat

while putting the "Kitty Kat" turtleneck on the map...

At Easter

this fashion prodigy could whip up

a dress from a pair of drapes and some satin ribbon

In middle school

she revived the "Anne of Green Gables" look

proving smart is sexy

with her oh, so ,classic glasses

And in High School

she brought back in the romantic look

of "Emma"

by Jane Austen with a modern twist...

Fashion sense spread to her college friends

The "Laverne and Shirley"

Silly and Sensible wardrobe was in!

She also proved

accessories are not just glasses and earrings

So are Men...

She was never without this one for a good few years...

Always by her side like an I-Phone...

Here is her latest must have....

Happy Birthday

to a classic...

From the sister who taught you everything!

Love you Girl!

Book and scrap collage....

In the past month

I have shared a lot of my creative thoughts

and a lot of my photos

A few pieces of my original artwork

Today I wanted to share

a collage

Last spring I took a book collage class

at Art and Soul

by Cathy Taylor

It was wonderful

Very inspiring and some new techniques for me

I used bindings from books

pieces of the spine

threads from the binding

pages , the cover

anything salvageable

with texture and imagery

I even stenciled the gold work onto the cover

since there was no decoration on it

This charming lady has been in a drawer for a few years

now she sees the light of day again

Vintage wallpaper patterned scrapbook page

Brass upholstery tack and sparrow jewelry finding

I found five cards of these vintage tacks for .25 a piece

I knew they would be useful

I forgot what the exact term for those pieces of the binding are called

(yes there is a technical term)

Gift card that I dirtied up a bit

behind it I placed the old worn page from the inside of a book

Why spend hours making things "look" worn

when you can go to yard sales and get yellowed books for .25?

Binding from a tiny German ?book

This tiny background page had this beautiful signature

I pasted the Vintage card on top

Tiny handmade paper flower at the top

Gesso and Modge Podge are your friend!

I discovered at this class that heavy gauge watercolor paper

is a key item

Even though it can be expensive your pieces will last

Just use some of those 40% off coupons at Michael's!

Check out some of my instructors work here

Cathy Taylor Art

She is such a down to earth , funny and vivacious person

very patient and has the enthusiasm / energy of a 3 year old!

I wish I could bottle her energy!

Happy Wednesday!

Surprise!

I got giddy when my first one of these came in the mail...

So imagine my surprise when another showed up this week!

Mainly because I hadn't ordered anything..

I thought maybe it was a gift

(my husband tried to take credit)

Once I opened it I realised it was part of my Christmas order

I guess one item had been back ordered and I totally forgot!

It was a great surprise though.

Super cute sewing box with threads and needle case

from Cath Kidston

one of my faaaavorite girlie designers

You couldn't be grumpy in a room like this!

Cath herself

Too much cuteness

Had any great surprises lately?

Presidents Day Thrifting? .....

Happy Monday!

Hope you're having a great President's Day!

Funny - is there really any ritual for President's Day

here in the U.S.?

Most all other major holidays have them...

Prez day though?

Other than some excuses for retailers to have a sale...Hmmmm.

Let me know if you have any...

Maybe we should start some...

Wouldn't that be fun..

Today is Thriftshare Monday over at ApronThriftGirl
I had absolutely zip zero luck this weekend!
I must say it is rare for me to not be able to fins SOMETHING!
I purchased quite a few books because our local Borders is closing
even though they were 20-40% off I won't call them Thrift
So I thought I'd share some things I got a bit before I started my blog
Mainly because the money spent went to a great charity...
Dream Catchers of Williamsburg
They provide therapy through Horseback Riding
or
simply through visits to their facilities
to be with the animals...

Here is what I found

Handsome man .25 cents
Medicine bottles $4.00

Vintage Hankies $3.00

Embroidered tablecloth $4.00

Wreath and tiny duckie pin $1.25

This was a great sale

They didn't try to overprice things so they sold lots of items and sold them fast

I also donated some extra money for their cause...

If you are interested in what they do check them out.

So,

did you find anything this weekend?

Let me know about those Presidents Day traditions we should start...

Sunday Funday....

A little fun at the park...

Amazing how a slide canbring so much joy!

(He had to carry his lunch with him)

You're going the wrong way...

Sunday was a Funday!

What did you do this weekend?

Love Yourself....

Week Three

Love Yourself...

I think there are several components to be able to love yourself

Know yourself

Where you come from and

Respect the past

Yet...

Don't be afraid to be yourself

an Individual...

Have your own thoughts...

Be by yourself

I think you can really find out

who you are when you aren't relying on

other people for validation

When you can sit alone

in a park, at a movie, in a cafe'

and be totally comfortable with being alone

Take the time...

to indulge yourself...

(my favorite Iced Coffee)

There is absolutely nothing wrong with pampering yourself

even in the smallest of ways

You are worth it

Do the things that make you happy

Never stop learning

about yourself

Give of yourself to others

Let me know how you have learned how to love yourself.
Take a peek at Jeanne Olivers page for the link up to others in the challenge!

Feeling a bit under the weather

I'm not sure if I'm sick or just exhausted...

Tomorrow

Part Three

 in the All Four Love photo challenge

Love Yourself..

Happy Thursday!

Wednesdays child...

I'd like to feature another one of my Etsy favorites

Rebecca3030

Upcycled jewelry with flair

You have to be very brave to wear pieces like hers

I don't think just anyone could pull them off

But they are divine pieces of art in my book

Charming...

Jesse James

wouldn't this be awesome with cowboy boots

and some Prairie Chic?

Remember these?

Those charms we collected in the 80's?

This is so playful and brings back memories.

The funny thing is when I look at her pieces

I can think of individual people and the personality I think they would go with

Check out Rebeccas store for more

great wearable works of art!

Happy Wednesday!