3.31.2011

Flea Finds

I love elephants.  
I have a few elephant items around the house.  
Not a full blown tchotchke collection, just a print, paperweight, 
{and a huge poster from the kids department, I couldn't help it!}
I grabbed this 12" square wrapped canvas painting off the wall at Goodwill
It's signed and numbered but I haven't been able to find anything on it yet.


My Mom found these salt & pepper shakers.

  
I get my love of blue and white from her, 
AND 
she has 
Courier & Ives-adar
They're missing the stoppers, I wonder where I can buy some...

I love these little dishes, a set of 8, perfect condition

Lastly we went to two estate sales.  
We probably should have stayed home as there was a terrible storm going on and they were about 30 miles away.  
I personally think estate sales when raining STINK.  
They are crowded to begin with but when it rains everyone is crammed inside with wet jackets, umbrellas, etc. and parking is just a nightmare.  
But as a die hard thrifter I end up thinking, why not, lets just pop in real quick.  
Two estate sales, two hours (plus getting lost), later.  
I bought ONE thing. 
a vintage scale.



It was worth it.



3.22.2011

Paint or Stain? Both!!

A few months ago my Mom gave me this maple night stand.  
She already stripped and sanded it (yay!).  
I've been diggin the white furniture with the wood stain tops so thought I would give it a shot.
  
[You can see a backside before picture of my owl lamp!]

.
Hey do you like this metal stand? 
SUPER for painting, it rolls around.
I talked the guy at the thrift store into selling it to me for $15.  
He didn't want to sell it, he was using it for shelving, 
but his Mom who runs the place 
was standing there and said 
"Oh, just sell it"
Lucky me he still listens to his mother.

Taping

Priming

all done





  

There are few spots that showed up after the stain dried that are white.  
I'm thinking glue?  
Also, some really dark spots but it was sanded really well.  
 Any ideas??


3.16.2011

Lampshade { a very unpleasant one } Restyle

If you know me, you know that I've never met a milk glass lamp I didn't like.  
I can't resist them and they are usually pretty inexpensive. 
Needless to say I've got a "small" collection {minus the lampshades}

  

You also know that I usually leave used lampshades behind if they are in bad shape.  
Never again people!
  

I recently found some old Martha Stewart Living magazines and came across this project where  
she used yarn to restyle old lamp shade frames.  
I wasn't so sure I wanted to use yarn but definitely liked the concept. 

At last weeks estate sale where I purchased the owl lamp I also grabbed four spindles of 
pearl color beaded trim.  
Each spindle is 33 yards and I got them for $2. 
Score!

So I picked up a lampshade at Goodwill for $.99.
The texture of the material skeeved me out 
but I was going to rip it off anyway so didn't think too much about it.

Then I got home and started tearing it off.
It was the color of skin and it was soft, leather-y, plastic.  
All I could think of was 
"it puts the lotion on the skin
{if you don't know what I mean Google it, I don't want to talk about it anymore}
ewwwww!

So I ripped it off as fast as I could and threw it away.  
I put it in my office trash can but then thought one of the dogs would get it and I would just about have a heart attack if I saw that skin hanging out of their mouth so took it to the outside trash.

I went to work, hot gluing one end and started wrapping.  
The key is to wrap an extra time around the bottom circle of the lampshade to make up for the smaller circle on top.  Otherwise, you will be off kilter after about 3 inches.

So here it is!  Now I just need to find a place for it, hopefully not back in the closet.



 


3.14.2011

Whooose do you like better?!?

Have you ever restyled something and then come across a similar item in 
a magazine, on tv, or in a store?  
Swearing someone stole your idea, 
convincing yourself you are a prophetic design guru?  
Well that happened to me today.

I am always on the look out for large ceramic animal or figurine lamps.  
Preferably some obnoxious color that would make people walk right on by.  
My thought is to spray paint the piece high gloss white like those 
animal heads and antlers everyone is crazy about. Plus I just love white decor.

We went to an estate sale on Saturday and part of it was this huge owl collection.  
We're talking serious owl obsession,
everything from dishes to jewelry and 
it covered two long tables plus a display cabinet.  
Cassie are you reading this? :))
I came across this large owl lamp [it's 14"H x 10"W] 
and thought, 
this is perfect for the white out!

So I snagged him 
and received a few huh? looks
 from other shoppers, but I don't care.
No shame in my game.
the lamp shade was in really bad shape so I left it there

Before I primed I forgot to get a before picture {I'M SORRY}  
I was working on two projects at once and completely spaced.  


It was green, orange, yellow, and brown. 


You know,
 all those cool Brady Bunch colors.  

And here he is with a shiny new white coat.  



I want to list him in my Etsy shop and went to researching online pricing for similar items, 
[because of course there wouldn't be anything practically identical to this one of a kind lamp]
But, guess what came up...  


West Elm... 
White...
Owl... 
Lamp... 

BUT 
it's not vintage!!



3.08.2011

Flea Finds ~ C'mon Spring!!!!

Spring is starting to show here in Tennessee so I decided to go out and pick a few flowers from my front yard for this week's photo shoot of flea finds.


And wouldn't you know most of my finds are flower/Spring themed!
First up, these two adorable small white vases 

Next 
 this awesome sunflower canister.  
I will sell it in my Etsy shop
but I've been considering using it for tea, 
since I've recently become addicted....


I can't resist these stopper bottles.


This bottle caught my eye with it's unique teardrop pattern.


I found this water color picture, 
looked right past the 
80's mauve matting and oak frame, 
and how cute is it?  
{Lady in Waiting}

I know it's not flower themed 
but 
here is a nod to my peeps 
stuck up in the arctic tundra of the Northeast.   

It's a Courier & Ives tile fashioned into a hot plate with cast iron.  
The back is covered in pencil scribbles.  
I suppose junior got a hold of it at some point, 
had his way, 
and Mom decided to chuck it in the Goodwill bag.  
Who cares, it's blue & white (yum) and no one sees the back anyway!  

Last but not least,
some awesome candles for .99



My email ~~ fleawith@gmail.com ~~