Monday, January 30, 2012

Buying In Bulk - Vintage Style

Wouldn't it be great if there was a giant warehouse type store full of vintage goodness?  Like one of those membership stores where you buy 5000 rolls of TP at once.  Only this would be full of treasures.
Auctions seem to come closest to providing the above.  Check out my bulk buys this weekend.
Vintage spring water bottles with a fabulous optic mold design.
If one is good surely SEVEN are better!
With graphics like this I don't even mind soaking off the crusty residue that is part and parcel of the action experience.
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Saturday, January 28, 2012

Weekend Wishes

This view of the bookcase in the family room has me wishing.  Travel is very much on my mind these days!
Happily I am planning a trip to TN this weekend with my best girl ( the almost 7 year old variety!).  We are having a "girls weekend" junking at the Vintage Marketplace show in Hendersonville.
Hoping to find places to stop and junque along the way and very excited to see the wonderful eye candy that is sure to be on display from this talented group of vendors.
Crossing fingers we stay well (sickness has been rampant the past two months) and the weather cooperates!  I do wish my partner could help in the driving department though!
Travels await...

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Valentine Wreath

I was going to skip the whole Valentine's Day decorating thing.  My heart wasn't in it (ha ha I crack myself up.  Yes, I know I am the only one laughing).
Then I bought a couple of lots of vintage valentines and the guilt over letting them sit around kicked in.  Why buy these things for crafts and then not craft with them?!
So yesterday I laid some of them out:
I love the vintage flocking on several of them!
So many cute images and amusing verses.
All those fun graphics and in the end I went with:
Monochromatic?!!!!!
These vintage paper doilies have just the right amount of yellowing and the whole thing came together pretty quickly.
I've had that twig form for...let's not go there shall we? Just put it in the category of "someday I'll make an awesome project with that".  Which of course is the story with much of my junque.
The clothes pins I got just the other day so this might be a world record for buying something for a project and then ACTUALLY USING IT!!!
And this week I actually moved my junque around enough to get the car in the garage.  FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE MAY!!!!  Possibly the 1/4 inch rain/sleet/ice storm which took forever to get off the car on Saturday was just the kick in the rump I needed.
Maybe I'm on a roll...
Junque on peeps!
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Sunday, January 22, 2012

Weekend Crafting

A quick weekend craft of altered kitchen utensils:
The unfinished utensils were an IKEA find.  That store is like a cornucopia of ideas!  So many projects, so little time...
Once home I used a bit of paint, stamps and vintage jewelry bits to "bling them up"!
Not too bad considering I had most of the items on hand.
What did you junque this weekend?

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Thursday, January 19, 2012

Moo Marriage

I am, for the most part, not a big fan of brass.  While I love shiny (as you well know) for some reason brass does not really speak to me.  Usually I cover it in paint and glitter (see - more shiny).  Then I met this beauty in an auction:
I said "moo" and it was all over.  A somewhat frenzied bidding war ensued (blast you unnamed bidder 1083).  In the end I was victorious.
Of course it didn't come ready to hang.  It was just a brass cow hook plaque.  Cool but in need of something else.  Thought about setting it inside a frame to give it a bit more presence and then inspiration hit (I believe the record will show that the hubs actually came up with the final solution - he certainly did all the work).
Enter one old cigar box lid.  Purchased as part of a box lot at some other auction the box lid hinge was broken.  Couldn't throw it away (seriously peeps, I'm a JUNQUE MAGNET).  Really could not throw it away seeing as it a)came from Cuba (my husband's family is Cuban) and b) was made for the USS New Mexico (NM being one of my most favorite places and currently holds pride of place as where I want to live).
A couple of drilled holes (possibly one drilled in the wrong place...), a couple of brass nuts and bolts (possibly SEVERAL wrong sizes were purchased), and a marriage was made.
I do so love it when a plan comes together!
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Sunday, January 15, 2012

Lovely Indeed!

A bit back I was lucky enough to win a giveaway over at Lovely, etc.
Look at the fabulous magnetic chalkboard calendar she packaged up and sent to me.
I am completely in LOVE with the color.
The glass gem numbers add a bit of sparkle (and y'all know how I love me some sparkle...)!
Lucky me and lovely indeed!
Do take a moment and head over to Carrie's blog (how funny that we both have the same first name) and take a peek at her awesome creations.
Thanks again Ms. Lovely.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

A Little Dreaming

A happy find at the thrift the other day:
Has me dreaming and remembering.  Naturally also wishing for a return trip soon.  Immediately.  Five minutes ago?!!
How fun would it be to go around using a guide book from 1960.  Some sights are timeless while others will be long gone.
Of course the last time I went I was still being called Mademoiselle.  I think the sting of Madame will be a bit painful...


Sunday, January 8, 2012

Postmarking Along...

A quick weekend craft:
My peeps got me several cool postmark stamps for Xmas (Boy Wonder even found one with my birth month and day on it!)  They spoiled me with few StazOn stamps pads as well.
So this afternoon I took a big stack of vintage ironstone I had lying around (you all have those too right?  Right?!  Anyone, anyone...Bueller?!) and got to postmarking.
These little decorated saucers will be great for keys or jewelry.  Or for just a little French flair when needed (and I really do need some!)
Like me on facebook for even more junque fun!
What did you junque this weekend?
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Friday, January 6, 2012

Winter Porch

I'd like to say I'm done putting Xmas away.  I really would. 
Sadly, that would be a lie.
I am in full on slacker mode.
I did manage to switch over one small area of the porch.
Instant collections continue.  At last week's auction my son ever so accurately announced that we were on a "thermos quest".  There were three box lots of them and I was on pins and needles for each one.
Proud to say we were winners on all three.
Now if only I could find the two I already had...  Naturally they are lost somewhere in the pile of junque that resides where my car STILL does not fit.
See, slacking all the way!

Having fun with my new Junque Magnet facebook page.  So easy to post tidbits on a regular basis.  Click the like button and keep junquing with me over on FB.

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Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Sparkle On

Monday afternoon was spent pruning my hands in a kitchen sink full of water, vinegar and these...
As far as instant collecting goes,  Sunday's auction was a success.  A giant flat full of gorgeous glass prisms.
Loved the gray ones in particular.  Don't see those as often.  Did not love the creepy old guy bidding against me.  Really sir, what are YOU going to do with them?  I lost out on a flat of Free Order membership correspondance from the 1800s to him (oh the handwriting was divine!).  Grr... 

2012 remains the same as 2011 in some respects. 
Folks are STILL paying WAY too much for stuff at auction. 
If dealers would refrain from spending too much on the front end they wouldn't need to mark up so much in their booths.
And their inventory would sell MUCH more quickly!
It gets harder and harder for me to buy things reasonably. 
But the thrill remains!
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Thrifty Thursday