Vintage Spring Decorating...Inside and Out!

I've been inspired by the sunshine, flowers, and yard sale finds.  Time to decorate!

Oh how I love this Lilac!  We planted it when my daughter was born 14 years ago. 

This portion is hanging over the front porch.  The smell is intoxicating!  It inspired this...

A quiet place on the porch

 

I just planted a whole flat of these!  I think they will add a color pop to the perennials.

I couldn't find a place to clamp the cheese grater, so I stuck it in one of my herb planter pots.

And I added a pansy to the top!

 

There was a yard sale at the local museum.  I got these unused vintage cards for 25 cents

And this towel for 50 cents

And I love this milk glass dish...I will use it for tea bags

The utility cart

 

Inside:

 

 

 

Estate Sale on the Way

My husband and I took an "off-day off" together since he's been gone for a week.  It's not our normal day to hang out together.  With temperatures in the 70's we decided to go to Edmonds and hang out by the beach and have lunch.  On the way there, what did we stumble on but an Estate Sale.  It was a beautiful, quaint old house that was meticulously kept and the sale was so organized.  My husband found a brand new cordless drill for $7 and was thrilled.  I found a whole bunch of "old stuff" that all together totalled only $12 and I was thrilled!

I adore this table cloth!  I went home and washed it and put it on my table right away...(see bottom of post)

Vintage gardening books from the 50's.  One to keep...one to sell.

I love old books.  This is an old school book with illustrations in it from the 1800's.  I will use it in my "back to school" display in the Fall!

 

This was the writing inside the book...isn't it beautiful?  I wish we still wrote like that.

Ahh....I am a HUGE Kate Greenaway fan.  I have been wanting this book for the longest time.  I squealed when I found it at the bottom of a box.  This is the 1978 edition.

 

A darling hankie

I found these patriotic objects and can't wait to put them out for the 4th of July.  I've been inspired by Erica at www.Pyrexthriftersisters.blogspot.com to create a red. white and blue collection for the holiday!

 

 

This old cheese grater attaches to a counter top or other area.  I want to find a place outside to put it and plant a flower in the top.

More vintage goodness for my laundry room.  This has a little block of  still slightly scented starch covered in a cheese cloth type material on the back.  LOVE IT!

Two adorable postcards.  For some reason pics aren't always turning...sorry about that.

 

This little hen fits in the palm of my hand.  So cute!

 

 

Here's the new table cloth on the table

And of course I had to change up the displays to match.

 Happy Estate Saling!

Vintage Finds for April

I haven't done alot of thrifting.  What I've seen has been spendy and I've got two kids going to camp and so there's not alot extra.  The cool thing - I found a 1970's illustrated story book at a thrift for $2.  I should have taken a pic before I sold it.  Anyway, it was one of those thing were I just knew it was special and worth money.  I got home and checked online....sure enough, it's gone for as high as $50!  I sold it for a profit of $35 which went toward my kids camp!  I love finding things to sell.

So...here's what I kept!

I found some adorable vintage cookbooks at a small thrift near my daughter's school  This one is from the 30's and had a homemade book cover of vintage wallpaper.  How cute can you get?  Only $1

Here's the inside.

I was going to sell the Modern Family Cookbook since it's worth $10, but it's too cute.  $1

Vintage canister from Goodwill $1.99

What is my vintage juice glass obsession?  I love them and we use them all the time! Value Village .69 cents

Federal Glass bowl...love this!  $3.99

Look at the detailed stitching on this vintage apron.  And only .99 cents!

 

Just for fun...I stacked my large Pyrex fridgies in a display.  Oh how I love fridgies!

 

 

My Grandma was Rosie The Riveter

How did I go all these years without knowing that my 93 year old grandma was "Rosie The Riveter"?  My parents recently took a trip to Richmond, CA where my Mom lived as a little girl.  They came across an article in the paper about Richmond Park's "Rosie Fridays" at the Rosie the Riveter World War II/Home Front Visitor Education Center.  I was fascinated with the article which features four women who worked at the Kaiser shipyards during World War II.  These darling ladies are my grandmother's age, and give tours on Friday's and talk about what it was like to be "Rosie".

As we were chatting about this, my grandma nonchalantly tells me she was a riveter. 
"What?"  I proclaim
.
"Oh, Yes."  she says.  "I remember working the night shift from 1942-43.  I burned and welded  in shipyard number two at Kaiser, and I also put percussion elements in shells. (Apparantly, that part was kind of dangerous)"

My beautiful 93 year old "Rosie" Grandma Iris

It turns out she took classes to learn how to weld, and then she was on duty.  My great grandmother, (who was very interesting) took care of my mom and her brother who were just toddlers at the time. 

"She used to give us black coffee for breakfast,"  My Mom, Dixie said.  "We were running around going crazy from the caffeine.

"Well no wonder you were so wild when I got home,"  Grandma said.

Grandma talked about her time as "Rosie" very matter-o-factly.  She did what she needed to do to help her country.  It's all just amazing to me, the strength and determination of these women.

If you'd like more info on this check out "Rosie the Riveter World War II Homefront National Historical Park" on Facebook.  It's incredible that these ladies in their 90's and late 80's are there sharing their experiences.

What A Pastor's Wife is...and Isn't

What A Pastor's Wife IS

A person with feelings
A supporter of her husband, first and foremost
A prayer warrior
A peace maker
Fragile
Strong
Cautious
Sometimes overwhelmed
Often acknowledging weakness to God
Trying to be real
Exposed and vulnerable
Often treated differently
Sometimes pleasantly understood
Wounded from the past
Healing from the past
Growing in Christ
Hopeful for the future

What A Pastor's Wife ISN'T

The holder of the keys to the building
The person who knows the times and locations of all the classes and groups
A person of stone
A person who has it all together
Above everyone else
A perfect mother
An untouchable
Beyond Wounding
Unable to relate
Capable of carrying everyone's burdens alone
Fearless
Never alone
Always knows what to do and say
Never feels tired
Always has a good attitude
A constant source of answers to problems
In Control

Amazing Vintage Collector's Sale!

So, I'm driving around in my small town on Friday and I see yard sale signs.  Little did I know it would lead me to a gold mine of vintage goodness at amazing prices.  I was crazy with delight!  Here's what I found.

 

I have never seen a 1950's Holiday by Thermos ice chest before in the turquoise color.  I about jumped on top of it to claim it.  And the price?  $7.  It's all metal and though it has some scratches and dings, it is charming and the inside is perfect!

1950's English metal tray $1

I was drooling all over this...1950's train case - mint condition.  It's perfect inside too!  I'm going to display it, but also use it for my makeup traveling.  $1

1964 Midge Doll Case.  I've always wanted one of these, but have only seen them in antique stores for upwards of $15.  This was $3

 

Wind Up Tin Toys from the 70's - $2

 

Oh how I love Fisher Price Little People!  And the 1968 barn is perfect....the cow even still mooooo's when you open it.  Now I need the animals.  I use this stuff of seasonal displays and plan to have fun stuff for when my grand kids come over (in about 20 years or more...ha ha) $2

 

My daughter is too old to play with Barbies anymore, but this is one area of vintage that she collects.  She was thrilled to find this 1978 Barbie House with all the furniture in it and a 1966 MOD Barbie included...all for $5.  I was thrilled because I had this when I was a kid.  You know that strange feeling when you see something you've totally forgot until that moment?  So fun.

 

So I always like to show you what I do with what I find.  I'm a person who asks myself the question, "What can I do with this?" at yard sales.  If I can't answer I usually pass or buy it to sell.  So, here's what I did!

 

I used the cooler as storage in my favorite room of my house, the laundry room.  Favorite since my husband help me paint and remodel it!

It's gonna hold things that were up on the shelf I left doors on for storage because, I had hubby take the doors off and give me more display space!

I hung the tray here.

And here is the display area now.  Oh how I love to do laundry in here.

 

This I didn't get at the sale...it was at Goodwill.  It's from 1978 but has the 1930's Bisquick ad on it.  I thought it was so cute.  Me and my recipe boxes.

 

And I leave you with beauty you can't buy...Daffodils making their grand appearance in my yard.