Mainstream "Vintage"

We all know that "vintage" is becoming ever more popular and mainstream.  I had not realized the extent of the trickle down until I viewed this yesterday:

These photos are from my local Target.  Yes, Target. (No, I am not in any way affiliated with Target.  This will become readily apparent should you choose to keep reading.)

Hold it now folks.  I expect this in PB, RH (by the way have you gotten their new catalog - the biggest thing EVER.  A veritable tome!) and my beloved Anthro.

I should be excited.  I know that I should.

Yet

I

Am

Unable.

Why?

It's just so generic.  It loses all its soul. 

Mostly, it's made in CHINA.

It further confuses the notion of vintage.  There is vintage style and there is true vintage.

People are losing sight of that.  I have customers telling me that when my tags say vintage it means the item is new (more than once have I heard this).

It is a flimsy knock off of the tried and true.  Pieces have no heft.  Their "signs of life" are fake from start to finish.  There is no story to tell - only the one of mass consumerism/commercialism.

I like my junque rusty and crusty and saved from the trash.  I like the green aspect of really re-using vintage.  I love to pretty up the discarded and cast off.

I don't want to see more junk made in an environmentally unfriendly manner.  I don't like more items made "just because".  I'm not looking forward to another year of hearing folks say, "I can just get that at _________ (fill in the blank)" (which is tied with my other favorite statement, "I can make that myself").

You cannot purchase true vintage as a complete set/look.  You cannot complete your house in a day.  I've never completed a room in a day (of course my house is NEVER complete - it will always change and evolve). 

Preserving the past is infinitely more interesting than filling up the cart in aisle three.

So as junque season approaches in full this is my plea:

Elevate the ordinary!

Rescue and re-use!

Buy real vintage (it is very often MADE IN USA)!

Challenge the big box establishment and create your own vintage style!



Whosit, Whatsit, Huh?

Lest you fine folks get the wrong idea and think I actually know what I am doing, I offer the following:

What is it?

Search me.  Sometimes you buy a box lot because it is ridiculously low and there was one item in it that you wanted and in order to get anyone to bid the auctioneer put three box lots together.

You do so do it.  I know you do (and if you do not, let's just not talk about it)!

So now you've bid and you bring the junk home (and it is junk - not yet Junque) and you sort.

Some stuff you pitched at the auction to avoid another layer of dirt making its way to your abode.  The flotsam is gone and you are left with the jetsam.

Often there is a piece or two that seems to have potential but isn't in your wheel house (can you tell I'm a GLEEk?).  I'm not a primitives kind of girl.  Don't do country.  But I'm not opposed to selling "anything I think I can make a buck on" (can you now tell that I am a faithful Pickers devotee).

Which brings us here:

Don't know what it is.  It was in with a bunch of old cake molds so I'm thinking kitchen.  I've guessed it might be for shaving butter into those pretty curls (proving I've never done such a thing or I'd know what one looked like.  I slap my butter on a plate and have at it.  But that's just me...). 

I'm stumped.  I'm out of ideas and I find it hard to make one of those descriptive price tags for it when I do not know of that which I speak.

Fine junque friends this is a shout out.  What is it?  Help a lost girl out or it's going to a show with a tag that says, "Old thingie".

Speaking of lost girl let me take a moment to mourn the passing of Picnik which fell away yesterday.  Just when I got the hang of it.  I am plugging away with iPiccy.

And look, Blogger has a new format because I might have actually known what I was doing there until this morning.  I will not complain.  It's a free service and free is good.  I just feel like I'm on a perpetual hamster wheel of technology - NEVER getting ahead much less caught up.

Get your thinking caps on and drop me a line with an answer. 

Much obliged thank you very much.





Shine One Up

Like many of you, I've got a bit of a thing for silver plate.  When the lots come up at auction I find my hand going up.

These were a few rescues from two lots I won a few weeks back.  I was trying to get the double handle champagne bucket but failed.

I love how this ENORMOUS footed bowl is trophy-like.  Not kidding about the size.  She's a centerpiece in her own right!

Beautiful detail on the edge.

Detail on a few others.  One bowl is a thank you from a Greek fraternity (or sorority - I was NOT a Greek girl but you might have already guessed that about me) in the 60s.

This one?  Mine.  ALL MINE.  Keeper for sure.  This will become my new go-to vase and remain long after I've sold the others.  Best of all it was perfectly tarnished and required no additional work (for which my hubs was quite grateful seeing as he was the "lucky" silver polish recruit)!

What about you?  Found anything shiny and bright recently?!
Linking to:
Wow Us Wednesday

A Little Thrifting

The madness of show preparing continues.  I am the proverbial chicken with head cut off...

Anyhoo.

Here are a few beauties I brought home the other day:

A 1926 Italian to French conversation guide.  Who could possibly leave this behind?

Ce n'est pas possible! (Yes, I do still rock my high school French which took me to Strasbourg for a semester in college.)

Fire King souvenir mugs.  Oh Maryland, my Maryland I do miss you so.  This Philly girl has never been to the Crystal Cave in PA though.

I'm very much wanting to keep these and make them part of a new collection.  I want them to be our every day coffee mugs.  This will not end well.

Hubs will insist on putting them in the dishwasher which will cause them to fade.  I will harrumph around about it and he will remind me that it is stupid to have things which cannot be put in the dishwasher.  I will see his logic in the end so should just avoid the whole thing by letting them go now! Possibly you can tell we've done this dance before?!

They are sitting on a rather Mad Men Formica tray which I found as well.  I simply love the silver plate trim around the edge.  I think it is one of those super cool things that truly shows how items were adapted as new materials became available.

A wee restaurant ware creamer.  The collection continues bit by bit.

Sitting on a rather fabulous piece of floral fabric I found.  I think the fabric was my favorite although there is also a most splendid floral bedspread from the 70s or early 80s on my deck right now.  I'd love to put it in the Princess' room but am not sure if I can get over the bedbug terror.

Yes, I said terror.  FREAKS me out people.  So I've washed it.  Set it in the dryer for a ridiculous quantity of time and am now asking mother nature to bake it.  Then I'll put it in plastic for a couple of weeks in the garage.  Then maybe, just maybe, I'll let it back in.

Yours in junque,

Carrie



On The Porch

Naturally I finally got around to doing a bit of Spring decorating on the porch just in time for the temps to drop.

70+ degrees in March would have been more pleasant.

No, not me.  Why do it then?  Instead I waited for one of those wicked breezy days where the temperatures are dipping a bit and you are left with popsicle fingers as you attempt to tie knots in your jute twine.

This was as far as I got before conceding defeat.  The wind wins!

I think I need to make five million more sewing pattern flowers anyway.  I have a feeling I'm going to cover the porch with them - no water required!

Linking to:

Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

Rural Society Antique & Garden Show

One month from today I will be here:

Lots of new and exciting vendors this time around.

Truly a beautiful setting while you shop.

I continue to stockpile and sort.  So difficult to decide what should come here and what should be set aside for Vintage Marketplace!

Junque joy awaits your shopping pleasure!

Easy as...

1,2,3!

That's how easy this project was.

Remember, this is where I began.  One crusty lamp base that the dealer simply could not believe I wanted to purchase.

I spent some time cleaning out all the nooks and crannies to make her sparkle.

Grabbed a shade from my stash which also required cleaning.

Grabbed my Gorilla Glue and beaded it along the metal socket section.

Easy and pretty.

Elevate the ordinary peeps!  Potential is all around!
Linking to:
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Wow Us Wednesday
Share the Love
What's It Wednesday

Feathered Nest Friday
Knick of Time
Primp Your Stuff

Gorilla Glue Giveaway Winners

A couple of fun junque finds at the Flea Market yesterday.

Boy Wonder has decided that he will now be collecting automotive badges in addition to signs.

That crusty, beyond DIRTY lamp base is about to get a new life with the help of some Gorilla Glue.  Pictures in the next few days.

Speaking of Gorilla Glue, our three lucky winners for that astonishing prize pack are:

svelteSTUFF

keyskids

Marsha Tattered Chick

Winners please drop me a line with your shipping info (no PO boxes, only US).