Piano Bench Recover

 I recently found a piece of furniture I wanted for my house.  This wasn't it, but this came WITH it.  Both the piece and this were 15 total.  The original over was really faded and ripped, so I bought 2/3 of a yard (still too much) at Joann's.  It was on sale ANDI have a teacher discount, so it was 8.50.  I used left over quilt batting for the middle and some staples.

I filmed the whole process here.  

Thrifting 101

Maybe I should say, the remedial course for thrifting, but....I got this crock bowl for less than 4 dollars.  I want to say it was somewhere in the two dollar range.  It was on the top of a rack with a bunch of sparkly skirts.  It was out of place, and therefore...overlooked.  I've learned a few things over the last few years, and in case I hit my head tomorrow, here are few things that have really helped me out.
1.  I've found the less put together the thrift store, the better the deals.  The same goes for antique malls-if there are booths of 'new' items-flea market type booths, the booth rental rates are usually cheaper, so the people who are selling antiques usually sell them for less.
2.  I've found a few stores that I frequent.  I strike out most days, but every fourth time or so....success!
3.  I also know if I find old things, really old things, someone probably just made a large donation, and I look even harder.  I dig deeper, and I come back the next day in case all the 'things' that were donated aren't out yet.
4.  When I go to antique stores, I usually pick up some items I generally know the price of (Mason Jars used to be my thing, during Christmas, knee hugger elves).  I know about what they run, and so I know when I've found a deal....and if I've found a deal-there are probably more deals in that booth to be had.
5.  I google search things I'm not sure of the value when I pick them up, and I've found out that I've discovered some real treasures, or...duds by searching what the items are selling for, BUT the price listed doesn't mean the value, just what people think they can get.
6.  The smaller the town, the harder I search out the Salvation Armies and antique stores b/c the further you are from the big city, the less competition.
7.  Sometimes, when I want something really specific, it's worth letting go of the search and paying a little more at more expensive antique stores or online, or I'll spend three times that 'hunting' for that item and finding a bunch of other stuff.

Bathroom Redo in the Works....Still

 It has been a really busy summer.  I had so many house projects I was going to do and I did none of them.  I went back to work full time today and I'm feeling really overwhelmed by this fact.  One thing I thought was going to be finished last spring was my bathroom remodel.  The sink I wanted (the only one I wanted) was back ordered for over 6 months on Wayfair, and I couldn't begin b/c it sits up off the floor, which means I needed to wait to do tiles (my current sink is on the floor).  Then the floor waits on the tub, the tub on the tile etc.  The sink finally came in, but then I had visitors headed to the house.  So, it all still sits in waiting in my garage or my closet.  To keep my sanity, I've put a few new things into the bathroom so I didn't feel quite so stunted.  One thing I love is the old crock I found at an antique store I'm using to house towels.  I used to have a stand that held them, but I'm replacing that with something else, so this is my new solution.  I bought a new shower curtain on Etsy.

 I've already shared some of the pictures I bought/made (the above natatorium page from an old French dictionary), the below sign I made with my cricut and an old window that was currently in my bathroom.

 ...and these old French phrase cards I sandwiched in a frame from Target.

As soon as my guest head back home I'm going to contact a guy I've used for past projects, and I'm going to get a quote.  I'm trying to convince myself I can install my own tile floor, but after watching a bunch of youtube videos I might be lying to myself, but I'll decide if it's worth the therapy based on the quote I get.  Above all, I don't want debt, but I do want to remodel this bathroom.  Stay tuned.  Here's hoping I have more updates soon!

Ephemera: Dance Cards

 I love all things ephemera.  As a crafter, I know when I'm working with 'vintage' scraps of paper like this, they won't last the length a 'fresh' piece would, but I just am in love with antiques.  I recently found this little set of dance cards at an antique store in Galveston.

 I have some of these from my great grandmother that are one of my favorite things b/c my great grandfather's name is scrolled across a line or 4.  I just love the idea of the ladies wearing these little cards on their wrist and etching in the names of gentlemen.

 I'm not sure what I'll do with these dance cards....something scrapbook-ish eventually....or maybe just some fun decor under a bell jar.

 But in the meantime....I'm going to let them tell me stories.

Thrifting in Oklahoma

 One of my favorite things to do on the weekend is take a day trip.  I usually only do this on three day weekends...if then....but....with every mile headed out I feel free.  One of my favorite routes is north to Oklahoma.  I like to scour antique stores and thrift stores.  Over Labor Day I headed north across the Red River.  I've been collecting a few odds and ends for my upcoming craft room.  Mostly, I need functional pieces to organize my materials, but I wanted a few vintage items from OTHER people's craft supplies. I ran into one of my all time favorite stores and found a few finds.  Usually I just share the 'end' result of projects, but...I decided to share a piece to the journey this go 'round.  Anytime I decide to redo something the journey starts months in advance.  I start looking for deals and throwing around ideas in my head.  When it's time to put it all together I usually have most of the pieces I needed, and then I can just add to it over time.  One thing I know I want to store things in are cigar boxes.  I found a few over Labor Day, including one with unicorns inside...what?  Yes.  I also found this little pin cushion with vintage pins...which will go nicely with my pin cushion tomatoes I collected.  I also bought a little stack of books (4) for a buck, including one I'm sure I had as a child (The Night Before Christmas).  These I took up to work where I have a collection of vintage books.  I also found some seed packets from the 80's I took to work...our district's theme this year is growth for all, so....these will probably come in handy.  Again, it was a dollar for about 8 of these.

 OK, the hat pins....those I just couldn't resist.  All but one is from the original packaging...made in America?  What?  I'll probably put these in my craft room somewhere.  The irony of my hat pin obsession is that I never wear any sort of hats, so I would have been the gal without my hat once upon a time, but I just love them....I wavered on this one b/c I knew I didn't 'need' it, but in the end I've learned when I'll regret something I didn't get....and if the money is there I'll go ahead and get it and promise myself "I could sell that..." if I decide it's frivolous.  Trust me, I won't be selling these anytime soon.

 I also bought this antique pink bread box.  It reminds me of some of the color pallets I'm going for and I thought it might be a fun place to store some supplies.  The bird decals?  Those beauties are staying fo' sho'.  Random is my favorite decor pallet!

 Last up from the antique store was this ball jar.  It wa 3.50, but I had a bag of buttons I wanted to put inside from my pal Amber's little gal Charlotte.  Amber knows hat pins are second in my heart because buttons on number one.  I do love a good button.  When I was little they had these bins of vintage buttons you could get bags of at the old MJDesigns and I spent hours sweeping my hand through those buttons and making them click and clatter.

 As soon as I got home I headed down to Home Depot.  They had a deal on paints and I went ahead and stocked up for my craft room and a few other jobs around the house that need to get done sooner than later.

I usually buy one can of paint at a time.  I usually buy one antique at a time, but....it turns out Labor Day was a gold mine for me.  ...and it's Ramen Noodles for October because even at the right price, it sure does add up quick....which is why I need a year to redo any room in the house!

My Great Grandmother's Sister's Desk

 I'll eventually post a picture of this desk sitting in it's new home...I'm just taking my time finding the perfect items for the innards.  I do a lot of crafts....thus the blog, but this one was really personal.  I loved this desk when it sat in my Mom's room.  It had been her desk when she was a little girl.  At that time it was already 50 years old.  Now....it's working on more than 100 years of surviving and thriving in our family.

 Before it was her desk, it was her Mom's, and before that it was her Mom's mother's sister's desk.  Her sister died when she was just 24 years old.  Once upon a time this desk was red.  At some point it was stained white and antiqued.  It's had several hinges, and was down to one hinge....that then broke, and the outside shelf fell off...and split in two.  Age wasn't kind to the coloring.  I found little pieces of tape that petrified to the wood....I have a feeling I was responsible for that.

 I enlisted my brother to fix the desk portion and I then I made my first foray into chalk paint.  I realize, I'm late to the party.  I was told by my friend that I missed the party completely and chalk paint was 'out.'  I don't believe that-I still see chalk painted items-real and fake in every store I visit.  I also found some for sale at JoAnne's.  I used a coupon to make it even cheaper.  I bought some the color of 'sheepskin' and some brown and clear wax.

 The deal is you aren't supposed to have to sand old paint off-it's supposed to cover it up completely.  I'm not so sure if it's this particular paint, but mine did not dry smooth.  It crackled a little.  In the end-that was the look I was going for-so it saved me some sanding etc to make it look more aged.  All that to say-if you want a smooth coat-don't paint over fifty year old paint...if you wanted crackle-use this.

 I then took some of the brown paint and rubbed it along the edges and made some streaks across the white panels.

 I took a wet paper towel and started streaking the paint around so that it looked more 'aged' and uneven.

 Once the brown wax dried I covered the whole thing with a thin coat of clear wax.

 I let is rest for 6 days-per the instructions.

 There were a few things I bought new-one were these little glass handles (from Hobby Lobby-half off-so 4 bucks total).  The original handles were long gone.

 The old hinges were missing pieces...I decided to leave the indention b/c I kind of like the stories they tell.  The priciest part of these projects were these new old hinges I bought on ebay.  I wanted them to be authentic to the time.  I found two antique 'butterfly' hinges.

I decided the arms were just not worth finding antique-since I'm keeping it-I think it's fine.  I had my brother attach these pieces.  I love that it folds out to become a desk you can write on.  My FAVORITE part are the little cubbies at the top.  The little drawer in the middles pull is actually a little nail.  I spent hours messing with these cubbies when I was little....and I have the crayon remnants to prove it on the bottom of the drawer.  

I also repainted the chair.  These have now found a home in my room.

"Rusting" Things

 I recently wanted to rust a few things.  I looked online for ideas and found a few, but they were pretty time intensive.  I had glittered up a skeleton key and figured the same strategy might work in this case.  I had seen several times that adding a little cinnamon can make things look rusty, so...
I took some bells for Christmas projects, and some skeleton keys I got for a buck at the hardward store.
I covered all of these with a layer of mod podge and then...

...sprinkled.  

 After it was covered and the glue dried I sprayed it down with a layer of adhesive spray to hold the cinnamon in place.

 I love old rusty things, but for little projects...I like the price of 'rusting' new things a lot better than what some of those old finds can cost!

The Antiques Roadshow in Tulsa

 I do believe this post will be high on the list of strange things I've blogged about.....more on that in a moment.  Last year I took up Antique Roadshow on my list of weekly TV programs.  I'm completely addicted.  I now hunt through stores looking for something that must be worth a million dollars that some grandkid tossed out, the store tagged, and I can take home.  My Mom signed up for tickets (they open up the lottery system in January, and contact you in the late spring if you are drawn.  There are six locations (six days of filming) a year, and 2000 tickets given out for each filming).  We were drawn!  Now, I'm double hooked.  We drove to Tulsa (a four hour drive) on Friday morning, one of this year's 6 locations.  First, there is a great antique store called J's around Exit 1 in Oklahoma when you leave Texas on highway 75.  He has great prices.  Down the road in  Atoka is an Amish store we also stopped at on the drive. 

 They had some pretty incredible looking items.  I purchased gummy bears because I'm  a dare devil like that, but I recommend everything I sampled....which was everything they offered.

 This is my first time to spot the Tulsa skyline. 

 We checked into our room, and then went out to see what the city had to offer.  My Mom had surveyed some experts on the subject.  We visited Cherry Street with some fun stores and restaurants. 

 There is a lot of art deco style buildings (apparently 3rd only to NYC and Miami.   I didn't have the camera I usually use with me, but you get the idea). 

 I also found Route 66.  I'm in L+O+V+E with everything Route 66.  I can't even start on this subject, but there's an old sign commemorating the route and what once was....
 We then headed out to Jenks (more advice), a suburb along the Arkansas River (that runs throughout Tulsa).  We ate at Los Cabos.  The queso was muy beauno.  There were also more antique stores along old main street leading up to these river front restaurants, but most were closing at this time we arrived. 

The next morning we drove to the convention center for our slotted time, 9:00 am.  Something I learned is that you can bring carts to wheel your stuff around.  I'd do this next time.  You can also bring chairs to sit in, but we didn't have to do too much standing around.  You also can't take pictures once you enter the appraisal area (behind one of those large TV screens).  These are the lines.  Each person can bring a guest, and both you and your guest can bring two items each for a total of four objects. 

 We saw some really bizarre things.  I can't WAIT to see what makes it on the show. 

 Once you weave through the line (it goes quickly once your time arrives) you go to a check in point.  You show your items, and you are given a ticket that describes the category your item will fall under.  This directs you to where you will stand in line to see one of the appraisers (firearms, decorative arts, toys, collections, textile, furniture (people were actually wheeling these in on large dollies etc).  There are volunteers you then show your ticket to, and they direct you to lines.  The appraisers are all in a large circle with backdrops behind them, and they are filming in up to three places in the center with large spotlights.  While we were there they were filming a segment with a blue lamp with a brass base.  Can I pause for just one moment and say the Tiffany Lamp thing....it's overdone.  I'm just sayin'.....seen one seen them....fine, I'm just mad I don't have one to bring and be filmed with on the show because it's pretty much their favorite thing to talk about!  I also saw a guy with a painting in the process of filming. 
You take your item up to the appraiser, they look at it, tell you about it (sometimes, depending on the appraiser) and tell you what it's worth at auction.  Usually appraisers cost money, and they might give you a brief snippet about your item, but then again, they don't have anything they are using for research so you just have to assume they have the info filed in their head.  I saw a lot of ladies arguing with the value of their items.  If the appraiser thinkss your object is interesting, they send you to a seat, and a producer comes to see you.  This didn't happen to me, but I did see some people waiting in line, one had some silent movie reels.  The producers came and they decided to film this lady, but they are just going to feature her online.  "Just"....I know, it's more than I will be featured, but really, I'm already planning what I'll bring next time.  As for this time, I have no regrets, I learned a lot about some items I've had for quite awhile.  I have this painting, my Grandfather got it in Japan.  He served in the Navy clean up efforts after WW2 .  I learned that's Mount Fuji and this is a reverse glass painting (I'm still not sure on this because it looks like it's silk, but two people said it).  The guy told me it's worth 25 dollars....uhhh...OK.  Whatever, I wouldn't have sold it for anything because it's a piece of my Grandfather, but this appraiser and I shop at different places. 

 Next up, a surprise.  I brought this because my brother asked me too.  It's a lighter, also from my grandfather.  He gave this to my brother.  He got it in Japan, it's made out of American Beer cans due to the metal shortages at the time.  Value-$50

 Next up, and this one I didn't argue with, but.....this is my Grandfather's Daisy Red Rider beebee gun from the 1930's.  I'd say at least 20 people asked about this in the short time we were there, but the value (from the 40 year old appraiser who said he had one when he was little....which is interesting because he's at least 40 years younger than my Grandfather would be)....$30.  Again, I'm not selling it, but I'd think sentimental people would place a LITTLE more value on this guy.  I can't even find them on ebay.  One thing about firearms, you have to check them in at the entrance before going (which explains the white tag on this)....hey, it's just something good to know.  I don't have anymore guns to bring for appraisal, but....

 Last up, and this is where things get weird.  My Great, Great, Great Grandmother made the below peicture.  It's about 2x3 feet.  It's a flower wreath with a harp in the middle, well over a hundred year's old, winner of a blue ribbon in the state fair of Texas in the early 1900's, and completely made out of her children's hair.  ...yup...hair art.  I can't say this will ever make my list of projects to try, but I can also say when examinging it very closely, I don't think I could ever do anything this intricate if I wanted to pick it up. 

Here's the harp in the middle, even the strings are hair. 

Apparently this was a popular art form in the late 1800's.  I have been examining how she made those little loops and I can't figure it out. 

OK, seriously, check out those roses.  After 120 years, there are a few hairs that have pulled out of their original hold. 

My great-great grandfather's hair is in there somewhere.  My dark brown hair comes from my dad's side. 

The weird craft projects.....I guess it clearly falls from my Mom's side.  Had I lived a hundred years ago and there were no craft stores I'm sure all my kids would have been bald because I'd be busy weaving their hair into my harp as well.

Apparently, there isn't a big market for family hair pictures. Shock!  The guy who appraised it first called it bead work.  I had to correct him, but I don't think the value changed.  He was impressed by the work, but at auction...only $250.  I guess it's off to my Aunt's house to hang for another hundred years.