Light metal, and more needlework

Hey guys!  Just wanted to share a few nifty bits I picked up recently.

First, how about some mid-century metal?:

Cool little regency-esque vanity stool

Dontcha love the harlequin-diamond pattern?

Another great pierced-metal-patterned magazine rack

Speaking of racks - this heavy bronzey-brassy rack with soft fuzzy coverings
on the little rungs all along is meant for holding your vinyl at the ready,
possibly on a mod-sexy mid-century console stereo?  

It's a Lyric record holder.  So cool!

The stool and the magazine rack came from the Goodwill near my work.  I'm always shocked by the good stuff I find on my lunch break - and the prices were still reasonable.  The record holder was more than reasonable!  I got it from St Vincent de Paul in North County, where they've started doing a thing where they put things on sale a little more for each week they've been there.  Great deal!

But if all that cold metal isn't your thing, here's some warm and fuzzy for you (as in yarn!):

Pretty crewelwork apple tree with a bluebird on a gold background.

The wording on this one is printed on the fabric,
but the crewelwork and cross-stitching is real.

This has the look of an old Dutch style pattern in pretty colors
that aren't coming through that well on camera - too overcast today.
Well, and I was in an underground parking garage!

I believe two of these came from the Salvation Army on North Lindbergh, and the third from the St Vincent de Paul I mentioned before.  So pretty!

Here are all three, to show the relative size of them.  I really love the apple tree!

Check out these link-ups and see what great things other folks have picked up or fixed up or made up!:

Cap Creations Thrifty Love (big thanks for featuring my awesome dining set find from last week!) and The Thrifty Groove's Thrifty Things Friday

Making up for last week

So you guys?  It's amazing how much stuff you can fit in an 8x8 space.  I have thought my booth was too full to really add much several times now, but every time I try, I find I was mistaken.  This week I added a bunch more clothing and accessories for my 20% off sale, and a ton of other stuff too.  The booth is crammed almost full enough for the big flea market day on May 19th!

Hopefully a bunch of stuff will sell this week and I'll have to add even more next week to be ready for it.  I'm ready for May to be my biggest month ever (I totally just typed 'biggest moth ever', which is not at all what I want in my antique mall booth full of vintage clothing - eek!).  Of course, my biggest month ever in terms of profit would be easy to achieve.  All I'd have to do is actually make a profit of more than ten bucks, but still!  May is going to pay, right?  I mean, cause it rhymes and stuff?  Right?  Anyway, here are some phone-photos of some of the new stuff that went into the booth.  I kind of forgot to take pics of most of the newest clothing, but I promise, it's there, along with:

Small old red/white enamel double-boiler, set of 2 strawberry print enamel nesting bowls, and a large Dansk Kobenstyle paella pan.

I wish I knew who it was that bought the small blue Kobenstyle pot from me a month or so ago, because I subsequently found the above huge matching Jens Quistgaard paella pan they might like to go with it.

Quite a collection of plastic drinkware

 You might be able to tell by the great lot of it I've accumulated above, that I quite like these insulated mugs and tumblers with the rattan (wicker?) under clear plastic.  I have 3 different sets plus one odd mug for sale in the booth now, along with the pair of cute aqua-handled cups on the right.

Small white hard-sided Samsonite suitcase. 

The little suitcase is nice - the interior is in great shape and the keys are in their original little envelope inside.  So cute!  And seriously, how creepy is the little girl with the ravens, or whatever is going on in that picture?  She's looking down at the flowers, but sometimes it looks like she's just got blank eyeballs!

A small Treasure Craft planter, 6 Fire King peach lustre soup bowls,
a cool pink and gray Pro-Tex trivet and a golf-
themed valet tray - mid-century goodness, all!

Fun old Pringles duffel. 

Wicker-woven frame purse - cute!

Lotsa hats, and a couple umbrellas!

More hats, purses, blouses, men's shirts, dresses, etc.

A new hat for the awesomest cardigan.

Cool graphic thermos.

One of the new dresses I added.  Snap-front
"Model Coat".  Love the appliqué!

Pretty pink doll trunk with gold starburst "wallpaper".

Tiny little blue enamel kettle-thing.
Nice little catchall, or pen-holder for your desk!

There's more, too.  Mugs and purses, dresses and an adorable child-sized pair of green-lensed cat-eye glasses... the booth is hoppin', I'm telling you!  Here are a few wider shots (I can't get the whole booth with my phone the way I usually do with my camera):

Far left.

Center left.

Center right.

Far right.

New painting/some of my "art collection"

I saw a cool mid-century looking abstract oil painting at the thrift store the other day.  It was in really bad shape - the backing is in tatters, the paint is cracked all over, and there's even a spot where it appears that the paint flaked completely off and some insane person scribbled in the paint-less area with a ball-point pen.  I don't know anything about repair or restoration of oil paintings, but you know what I did, right?  Obviously I brought it home.  I like the dark but colorful sort of flowers/fireworks look of it.  Here's a shot of it propped up on my (very busy) mantle:

Abstract oil painting signed ARAY or A RAY, 61.  Did I mention it's in terrible condition?

I could argue that thematically it looks kinda cool between my star burst clock (a couple of 'rays' partially visible on the left) and the photocopied hands on the right...  sort of.  Anyway, it's in entirely too bad of shape to sell as is, but for $5.00, I couldn't let the poor thing go unloved just because it aged poorly, could I?  Anybody got advice on at least cleaning an oil painting?  I've never tried, but at least that is definitely in order here.

Since I had this poor old guy on my mind today, I thought I'd share with you some more of the art work I've thrifted over the years, from super cool mid-century stuff to tourist purchases to art-school self absorption to  outsider art in a gilded frame.  Here you go!

Signed and numbered print,  #3 of 5 called "White Zinnia by Beej Nierengarten-Smith

I love the colors and energy of this print, and Google actually knows of this artist's existence, which is nice.  Apparently she's the former director of the most excellently awesome Laumeier Sculpture Park here in the Lou.  If you've never been, I recommend it highly.  As a teenager I enjoyed some clandestine sculpture-climbing there (shh, don't tell!), and more recently I love the trails in the woods where sculptures pop out around any given corner and there's an old concrete swimming pool there that was part of a country club many decades ago.  I like to sit there and imagine fast-talking posh Thin Man type couples sipping cocktails while ladies in Esther Williams costumes dive into the water one by one.  Anyway, from the Google entries on the artist, she was apparently pretty controversial when she was here, but this print is a feel-good image for me, so I don't mind at all!

Nice doubtlessly tourist-purchased oil painting of Montmartre street scene signed Brasso.

I really like the colors and movement going on in this picture, no matter how mass-produced it might be.  Unfortunately when I bought this I put it in my trunk and drove around for awhile, and the heat of the day in question along with my bad planning means I got a dent in the canvas.  The paint hasn't cracked or anything, but there's a sort of bullseye-shaped dent in the painting.  Oops!  So if anyone knows how to un-dent an oil-on-canvas, I'd love some advice!

Bold, unsophisticated, ornately framed, and I love the giant ball of hair! 

So sorry about the blurriness of this one.  I didn't notice it until I already had all the pics downloaded and re-sized and I'm too lazy to re-shoot it, but I think it's clear enough for you to see the bare feet, the bold colors and the regal neck of this lovely lady!  This one is unsigned, but clearly someone liked it enough to get a fancy frame made for it!

Mid-Century horse painting signed C. Russell - gorgeous colors!

This one's an extra bit of mystery to me, because it's really lovely, but the only sign Google seems to find of an artist called C Russell is of a "Cowboy Artist" from the 1880s.  So subject matter matches, but style and time frame are way off.  Perhaps it was some sort of mid-century homage to the original artist?  I don't know, but either way, I love the luminous color of this one, and I get a certain mood from it that's somehow quietly unsettling.  

This is St. Francis, contemplating a skull.

I know this because this barefoot monk is someone's rendition of a painting I've obsessed over since I was a teenager.  The original is at the St Louis Art Museum, here: 

As you can see, the version I have is a sort of graphic novel styled version of the original, by Francisco de Zurbaran, a Spanish painter from the 1600s.  I'm not sure who did the remake, but while I love having it since I've visited the original dozens of times over the years, it doesn't give off the same quiet mystery as its inspiration. 

Oil on canvas.  "Self portrait as an archaic kouros boy."

 I was perhaps a bit harsh to have described this one above as a self-absorbed art school piece, since it's not even signed, but it certainly does sort of cry out in that way to me.  Still, I love the grin on his little Kouros face.

Ink and watercolor street scene, signed Korthals

This is fairly small, franed under glass, and when I first picked it up, the glass was so filthy I couldn't really tell what it was, but I liked the look of it (see the tourist painting above), so I snatched it, unsure whether it was actual watercolor or a print of a watercolor.  When I got home and googled Korthals I pretty well assumed the latter, considering this, where Christie's sold an ink/watercolor by him for over $700 way back in 1995.  I doubt I stumbled across an original at a thrift store in the mid-west!  But I haven't taken it out of the frame for a closer look, largely because it's fun to imagine it still could be.

And then there's this:

This one is signed in pencil and I can't make it out.  It's Dorothy something, I believe, and it says "Opera Interiors" in the center and to the left, Ed. 90.

A close-up of the upper-left-hand corner

This is a signed print, very mid-century awesome, in great green/pink/gold/peach-y colors.  I can't really explain it, but I love it.  Someday I'm going to decipher the signature, but for now, I can't find any information on it at all.  If it looks familiar to anyone, let me know!

I have more in my "art collection", but they will have to wait for another time, because this little procrastination time was brought to you by the "I finally finished my 2011 taxes and I'm scared to death to think about 2012 since I started the booth" foundation, makers of "do I have to work on organizing inventory?"

But the answer is yes, I do.  So thank you all, have a lovely evening, and enjoy perusing Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday.  I know I will, on my next Procrastination Break!

Pondering a decision...

So I know I made a resolution-type-thing to get a dozen items posted to the Etsy shop by the end of January, but I'm pretty sure I also mentioned that I'm not very good at resolutions, generally speaking, so perhaps you won't be surprised to learn that I am currently considering abandoning Etsy altogether, at least for the moment, in favor of another venue entirely:

The Green Shag Market

Immediately upon returning from Chicago, I spotted a sign for an estate sale that miraculously was still going after 4:00 PM on a Sunday.  So you know I couldn't stop myself.  I had to swing by, at least for a minute.  And I'm glad I did, because I learned of this great new antique mall on Manchester, just east of Hampton Avenue, on the North side of the street.

What's so great about it, you ask?  A few things, actually!  First off, It's an antique mall, and it's new.  I realize all I've done there is repeat myself, but obviously a new antique mall in which to treasure hunt is a very good thing.  Also, they have this big consignment area that they obviously (based on how I found them to begin with) sometimes use to host entire estate sales, which is a very cool thing.  More importantly, they have a lot of stuff already that is more vintage modern than stiff-collared formal antiques or "country cottage" stuff, so it will attract people who like the kinds of things I tend to buy.  Along the same lines, there are already a few booths with vintage clothing, too!  There web site is pretty good, too.  It offers an "Items to Look for" section, with pictures of various items and booths, which I assume is changed regularly, and you can fill out a wish list, as well, which is provided to the vendors so they can keep an eye out for such things, and then you can be notified if an item you've requested shows up in the shop - I think that's a very cool feature!  Booths are very reasonably priced and they are only asking for a 3 month commitment, so my theory is that I could treat it as an educational experience.  If I were to look for a course in retail vintage/antiques sales, if I found that such a thing even exists, it would likely cost that much, wouldn't be a science anyway, and wouldn't carry with it the possibility of paying for itself and/or making a profit, like this will.   Oh, also, the place is almost directly next-door to a fire station.  That's good to be good, right?  So I'm praying about it now, and plan to make a decision this week.  Has anyone out there seen the place, have experience in this area, or thoughts or advice on the subject at all?  I'm very open, and would appreciate any comments, prayers or advice and consider it part of the education! 

Saturday of freedom

Saturday was my free day to do as I pleased before skipping back to the 'Lou, and I know, surely everyone's on the edge of their seats wondering what I got up to!

To be completely honest, I didn't get up to as much as I thought I might, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and left plenty to do and see on some other, possibly slightly warmer Chicago wander someday. I had in my head the whole week that I'd like to get to an estate sale or two while in the Chicago area.  I love treasure hunting at estate sales, but more than that, what a fun way to get to see an unfamiliar city from a strangely intimate point of view.   So I checked online and found a couple that sounded like they might be interesting, and was headed in the direction of one of them.  

On the way, though, I stopped at New to You Upscale Resale.  The world "Upscale" in the name was a turnoff, but when I drove by it looked big, and not too much like a lunching-moms' designer castoffs kind of place, so I had hope it wouldn't be too pricey, and for the most part, it wasn't.  

First, a few of the things I left behind:

An adorably homespun sock-and-broomstick horse.

Cool mid-century table lamp - see closeup of the shades below.

The swirly shades are the best part.

Awesome mid century shadowbox mirror thingy.

I love the mirror piece - I imagine it came from the same home as the lamp, as they share the gold and the swirl and the era.  And look - there are my feet, all toasty and dry in my newly thrifted English sheepskin lined boots!

Now for some of what did come home with me (I picked up a few things not shown; this is all I have shots of so far):

Cute little black frame purse - needs dusting.

Pretty gold brocade clutch.  The little faux-pearl on the clasp has
lost some of it's finish, but the brocade is in great shape.

Sweet caramel-apricot satin lining.

Cool souvenir glass.  Love the colors, the font,
the illustration, and the childhood memories of a
family road trip that took me over that very bridge.

Yes, yet another gold clutch, but this one's lovely-
colored lining is actually plasticy, so it would
make a cutely glam makeup bag!

A pair of what I can only think to describe as lanyard-woven bottles from the 50s or 60s.

Cool 60s Hallmark bridge set.

After a pleasant time at that shop, I wandered a little further North and East to the Oak Park area, where I found no treasures, but had the voyeuristic pleasure of looking through a 11/2 story bungalow with tons of character - mostly original looking, except for the kitchen.  The neighborhood was beautiful under a blanket of snow:

Snow makes everything prettier, doesn't it?

Super cool street lights in this neighborhood, complete with icicles.

After wandering up and down a few streets I suddenly came across a vision of awesomeness in bright orange and turquoise stuck on the front of an old frame house!:

Parky's... I don't even know what to say!

Hot dogs and italian beef , and RC cola - didn't even know they still made that !

Every detail of the place was nifty!

I imagine this little wedge of sunshine in a box gets warm in the summer!

Stool/shadow/snow

Orange and red!

I'm sure it wasn't really true, but it seemed like no two red vinyl and chrome stools were alike; I love that acquired-over-time indication of the history of the place, not to mention that the whole thing seemed so DIY, from the hand-drawn combo-menu signs to the shelf-tables to the whole entire structure just tacked on to the front of a building.  It definitely had the feel of a local institution, so it made me smile to see some of the reviews online when I looked it up later.  Of course I had an Italian beef sandwich to go.  It was tasty!  It was no Adriana's, but then Adriana's is one of a kind.  

I wandered around some inner-suburb areas and a bit of the city for awhile after that, but between the snow and the cold and parking issues, I mostly just drove around looking and making mental notes for a future visit, then I decided to head to the even-more-outer-suburbs than I'd been to thus far, to visit IKEA.  I picked the Boollingbrook location, since it's close to interstate 55.  I thought I might find some organizational inspiration and/or cheap tools for the same.  Instead I found another Goodwill on the way there, where I picked up a few more treasures (pics another time), and at IKEA itself, I picked up some red drawer-pulls that I may or may not use as drawer-pulls, and one of those wire and clip contraptions that I think I will use to hang a couple of vintage aprons on to serve as a treatment for the back window in my kitchen.  I'll also admit to a relaxicating visit to the cafe there for a piece of Swedish apple cake.  After that I decided to hit the road for a bit so the drive home Sunday would be easier.  I ended up spending the night in Bloomington, Il, in a room with a very loud heater.  Pics of the magical world I visited on Sunday in my next installment!