Creepy Vintage Cat & A Rocking Chair Makeover

I picked up this old concrete kitty at an antique shop about a month ago.

It's all chippy and kind of creepy looking.

Great for Halloween.

This old rocking chair belonged to my mother.

She bought it when I was born and passed it on to me when my daughter was born.

It was an ugly red with gold cushions.

I had thought about donating it to Goodwill, but changed my mind and gave it a fresh coat of paint and made some new cushions and a slip cover for it.

I recycled some old muslin drapes for the slipcover and made a pillow from an antique egg mash bag.

Now it's good as new.

See ya soon.

Karen



Back To School

Happy Labor Day Weekend Everyone!

This summer has gone by so quickly.

Hubby and I have been treasure hunting almost every weekend and it's time to share some photos of our fabulous finds.

I thought I'd start with a few old things that remind me of back to school.

Old school.

Antique books tied up with some twine.

This sweet photo of children dressed in their finest.

Colored pencils made of sticks.

An old wooden pencil box and a wooden apple too.

I will be traveling around New England this week and hope to have lots of photos to share when I get back.

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a nice week all!

Karen



Sunday's Flea Market Finds

This summer has been filled with flea market adventures for me.

My sweet husband has found a passion for pocket watches which means we now go treasure hunting together almost every weekend.

I've been gathering junk (treasures) for my art projects and home decor, and stock piling them for the long winter months ahead (like a squirrel gathering nuts).

Yesterday I hit the mother load!

Here are just a few of the amazing things I found.

This huge pile of wire baskets will be used for holding lace, ribbon and bits of fabric.

I like to be able to see what I have to work with and these baskets are great for that purpose.

The red wooden box will be for holding tools in my studio and the large wicker basket will be for yarn.

This deer skull has just the right amount of creepiness for one of my art projects.

The sectioned wooden box in the first photo will be for displaying some of my small treasures.

This sweet French sign is going in my kitchen today.

I found so many fabulous trinkets yesterday and will be posting photos of the rest of my finds soon.

I found some wonderful things to share with friends as well.

Have you been treasure hunting lately?

I'd love to see your finds.

Have a wonderful week everyone.

Karen



Antique Pincushions

They're not actually antique pincushions, but are repurposed bits of antique and vintage items used to create new pincushions. Pedestals and silver spoons. Linen, lace, velvet and notions. Hatpins and pearls.

Even an old Victorian child's shoe.

You can purchase these HERE.

Thanks for looking.

Karen

Empty

The pain of her shattered heart has not been healed by time.

The ache remains and she is empty now.

Locked away in her world of sadness.

 Tormented by her memories.

"Nothing is forever"

"Always is a lie"

"I can only love you til the day I die"

A wooden box of feelings.

A collage of repurposed antiques.

Thanks for looking!

Let me know what you think.

I appreciate your comments.

Karen



Thrifted Treasures & Antique Finds

Since my birthday is this week, my hubby took me treasure hunting over the weekend.

He knows it's my favorite thing to do.

I picked out some things for myself and a few things for my Etsy shop.

I love my new ironstone vase.

These pretty blue canister jars are for sale.

I love the way the sun shines through the glass.

Aren't they pretty?

This pretty bottle was another gift to me.

It looks like an old perfume bottle, but it's quite large.

I love these green chippy utensils.

I found this entire lot of farmhouse looking ironstone at my local thrift store.

They're exactly what I've been wanting.

It was so much fun to get out for a while on Saturday, even if it was pouring rain.

Sunday it snowed again.

Today the sun is shining, the snow is melting, and Spring is in the air.

Happy Monday everyone!

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Making My Own Spring

I've heard so many of you mention this week that you are tired of winter and I'm right there with you.

It's cold and snowy outside my window and I'm just not going out there.

Instead, I'm playing with my plants indoors and trying to create a sort of Spring garden look in my dining room.

Of course it's still a mess as I sort through tons of stuff, trying to decide what to keep, what to get rid of, and what I can use in another room to change up the look a bit.

Here are some of the keepers.

 The bell jar was a Christmas gift from my daughter and I just love it. There's a little pot of ivy in there, a clay bunny and a little birds nest. It is sitting on a beautiful silver tray that was a thrifted find from a few years ago.

The mercury glass candle holder was a remarkable thrift find from last week. It was a 50 cent item and I just love it too.

The silver leaf was a gift from an old friend and the wool acorns are something I made after purchasing a few from Lisa at http://www.lilfishstudios.etsy.com/.

 I've had this old stick wreath for years and just can't part with it. The little ceramic bird hanging in the center was something I picked up at an art show a few years back.

 This antique print was a thrifted find too. It reminds me of spring. Can you see the little bird at the bottom of the print?

This old cherub statue has a place at the top for a plant. Now I just need to get a small plant to put there. 

 Another bird nest under glass. You can never have too many bird nests!

 Another thrifted antique print. It has the most beautiful frame.

This little garden girl was a gift from my mom a long time ago. She's a little chipped and weathered, but I love her just the same.

Wow! After writing this I realized that most of the things I love enough to keep are thrifted finds and gifts from people that I love.

Well, I'm not finished cleaning and decorating the dining room yet, so I better get back to it.

Keep thinking Spring.

It will be here before you know it.

Hugs,

Karen

Art Junk

 For some reason I find myself being addicted to junk lately. Instead of my usual trips to the craft store for supplies, I've been gathering junk to use in my art projects and to decorate my home. When I found these old wire shoes, they were filled with dusty dirty silk flowers. My daughter said she wouldn't have seen the potetial in these when I bought them. I'm thinking of doing something with moss and antique lace. It's funny how somebody's dirty, old junk makes me happy.

 I love this primitive old drawer too. I'm thinking it would make a good shadowbox.

I took down several paintings and hung these old printers drawers in their place. I'm pretty sure my husband thinks I'm losing my mind. All I know is, I'm having fun collecting junk and thinking of ways to use them as art.

In Love With Old Books

I've always loved collecting old books and thought I might share with you a few of my latest finds. The one with the pretty lady on the front was a freebie from my local thrift shop. I was in there browsing and they announced that each customer was welcome to three free books. How nice was that? The children's book called "Ameliar-Anne and the Green Umbrella" was a flea market find from this past summer. It has the most lovely illustrations. The tiny "French Self Taught" was a free gift from an Etsy purchase I made of an old wooden bowl. Don't you just love old books?