Merry Christmas To All

A Bit of Xmas and By Way of Explanation

I realize I've been a bit silent of late. Since I like to talk this is rather amusing and possibly worrisome.
I confess I have lost my blogging mojo. After Friday's events in CT I have rather lost my mojo all together. Soul crushing. Those are the only words I have and it did not even happen to me. My thoughts are confused and muddied. I have nothing to offer except sadness. For everyone affected I send my strongest thoughts and a wish for healing (which in truth I think is impossible). I want my world before Friday back. The one where children were sacred and I believed that once my kids got to school they were safe. I want that world back for every victim and I'm struggling with accepting its loss.
Blogging has lost its allure as well. For a while I have felt inundated with "Pin me", "vote for my post", boost my follower numbers. Parties seem to be about which post was most liked, who will be featured. I succumbed to the siren song of popularity. I did not love (or succeed) at high school politics the first time. I assure you I do not wish to do it again!
Shows have been similar. I've spoken of "the cool kids" before. I am not one of them. They don't even see me when I'm right in front of them. I want to say I don't care but keeping it real? Yes, it hurts. Yes, I want to be seen. Yes, I want to be picked for the team.
Well the only way to win the game is to play on your own terms. So I'm trying harder to create my own game where I play by my rules. The ones where I share information. The ones where I tell you about opportunities even when it might mean you get picked and I don't. And I share my stuff knowing full well it will be copied and knocked off.
This week at school my daughter had three "friends" play the "I'm not your friend anymore game" at her expense. She is bewildered. She is scared to go to school because she feels certain another one will leave her. We all know this feeling. It absolutely has happened to each of us. I don't want it for her. I didn't want to imagine that at almost 40 (yes almost - because I STILL have three months in my 30's) I would still be facing it. Blogging/shows sort of feel like that. So I need to step back until I can face things on my terms.
If you would like you can still find me on My Facebook page. I post there daily. It's fast. It's still fun and I feel less pressure to be them and instead have a good time just being me. Warts and all. Weird Junque. Get me or don't. Less than picture perfect pictures. Me. Just me. The only way I can teach my daughter to love herself as she is, is to model the same. I'm working on it...
I'll be back when my head is clearer. When I am stronger in who I am. Thanks for visiting!
Making every day a little bit vintage,
Carrie

VINTAGE CHRISTMAS POSTCARD GIVEAWAY

The Christmas spirit has hit.
I'm gifting a dozen vintage holiday postcards to two winners on my FB page.

So head on over and get your entry in.
Soon enough Santa just might be stopping at your door.
Making every day a little bit vintage,
Carrie
 

It's A Small World...

Did the title get you singing? Come on, you know the one. Imagine you are back on the Disney ride. Go on. Flash back to it. I'll wait...



I've spent the last several days creating one small world after another. It's been grand!



It all started with two lovely village sets from an auction box lot. I scooped it up with glee when I saw them peeking out. I clearly remember setting up villages like this under the Xmas tree. I may have also done a happy dance...



So I've been snowing up landscapes and making wee towns in jars all over the house.



I'm off to find a "just right" ribbon for that jar lid and seek out another candidate for colonization. And if you find that song stuck in your head after reading this, my apologies in advance!
Making every day a little bit vintage,
Carrie

Thanks To You

Thanks to all who visit and join in the junk journey with me. May your day be full of good things and wishing you much to be thankful for.
Making every day a little bit vintage,
Carrie

Recent Junque

Catching you up with some happy new(ish) finds:



I have a long standing love affair with Scandinavian design. Makes my heart beat a little faster every time I come across it. This mug had the added bonus of being horse themed. A lovely addition for the horse mad princess in residence!



As if I needed another vintage thermos. But I think I sold nine of them in September and October so my inner hoarder was worried I might be running low! Those little tip trays have the silliest roosters that look like cross stitch. Restaurant ware. Getting closer to my goal of giving up our Fiesta ware. If I could just find some decent bowls I would be ready for the big switch.



Another irresistible English tin. Worthy of a close up don't you think? I am physically incapable of leaving them behind! Really. I mean it. I've tried to walk away. But I always go back for the rescue.

Making every day a little bit vintage,
Carrie

Tea for Two

I could do with a cuppa or twelve right about now.
Care to join me?



Making every day a little bit vintage,
Carrie

To Do Today

The one thing we all agree on? The importance of having your say. Today is our day. Go out and exercise your privilege. Be grateful for the responsibility.
And for those of us stuck in Swing State blitz? Tomorrow will be gloriously quiet!!!!!
Making every day a little bit vintage,
Carrie

Book Bundling

Crafty goings on abound these days. One show left this year and in between chewing my nails off with nerves I've been working on a bunch of different items to bring.
Last week I hauled out the books and set to work.



A bit of upholstery webbing and a velvet belt. A little bling brightened things up!



I took my wallpaper covered stack and tied them up with a lace belt.



Belts are incredibly reasonably priced at thrift stores with the added bonus of such a large selection. I used pliers to get the belt loop prong off and then cut off the excess sections of the belt to accommodate my bundles.


Making every day a little bit vintage,
Carrie

Weekend Wishes

Making every day a little bit vintage,
Carrie

BOO!

Making every day a little bit vintage,
Carrie

Checking In or Junque Updates

Dropping in to share some recent Junque finds. Life gets In the way of blogging. More importantly I'm trying to keep blogging from getting In the way of life! I do post regularly on my FB page so head over there for the day to day Junque!
Boy Wonder had a soccer tournament this past weekend. Let's just say it was cold. Yes. Let us merely say that. In an attempt to get the blood flowing to toes and the like, between matches we thrifted.



A bit of vintage restaurant ware was a good start.



A vintage desk organizer got things smoking. This brought back fond (and not so fond) memories of school. I clearly remember these on the desks in the office of my elementary school.



Yesterday the thrift gave me these Japan mugs and some lovely goblets which will one day be turned into cool cloches. One day. Not necessarily soon. More likely to be buried in the someday project pile/hoard but perhaps I will surprise myself.



Oh. Um. Yes. Damn you Goodwill for making these so reasonably priced that i had no choice but to rescue them. Xmas ban STILL not working. Must stop getting these. Must stop...



And with vintage shows over for the year I've been busily crafting for an upcoming show. Vintage bling makes me ever so happy. Repurposed bling for sale is meant to make my wallet happy!
To those in the path of Sandy I wish you power and safety!
Making every day a little bit vintage,
Carrie

Wordless Wednesday

Making every day a little bit vintage,
Carrie

Paint By Number Love

I've mentioned before my love for thrifted and yard sale art. The ever present dream of one day hitting the jackpot. Mostly an inability to refrain from rescuing art that was created by a real person!
Many, many (as in over a decade many) years ago we started collecting paint by numbers. Back before it was cool or trendy. Back before big name magazines highlighted them.
The result?




That's a portion of our bedroom wall. Most of them moved from MD with us. Yes, that did raise some eyebrows with the movers! We are just about out of room so rarely pick them up anymore (and finding them for a few dollars each is pretty hard these days!). I do find it hard to resist them when we do stumble upon them. After this many years, rescuing every PBN I see is practically a must and I do have to stop myself from automatically grabbing any PBN that crosses my path.




Yesterday I had an "a-ha" moment as I came across this easel in the garage. A quick grab of this auction painting which has been waiting for a frame for...ummm...longer than I care to admit and up the stairs we went.




Yeah. One less thing in the garage. One less painting waiting for a home (because it is obviously still waiting for a frame). Want to see it closer? Yeah. You do. Do let me oblige.




Isn't it fab?
Best of all? The hubs and I agree that the only thing better on that easel would be a big 'ole PBN to tie in to the rest of the wall. So I'm hunting again! Yippee.
Making every day a little bit vintage,
Carrie
Linking to:
Be Inspired
Wow Us Wednesday

Stamping Up

Contrary to the title, this is NOT a plug for a certain company. I didn't even use their product. I am however, busy stamping lots of wee (and not so wee) things around the house.




Just two shows left this year. Two more chances to move this Junque into some new digs.
A lot of what I do is about seeing things differently. Helping/hoping others to do the same. Those candy canisters? A stamped image and some rolled music makes them into cool displays. A covered cloche of sorts.








Go ahead. Stamp one up. It's a little bit addictive!
Making every day a little bit vintage,
Carrie
Linking to:
More the Merrier

Vintage Marketplace Bound

I'm in the final stages of preparing for the show. Soon I will officially hit the "what's done is done and no more is getting done" phase.
Until then I'm sorting and painting and pricing. And pulling stuff out of my house. Like these:



A great pair of bedside tables. Definitely European, probably German to be exact. We used to know this great dealer who would get cargo loads of European stuff every couple of months. Oh the finds. Of course we were young and penniless so mostly we only looked and drooled. These were a lucky purchase at one of his auctions.
So Friday is the day. Be there or be square!



As a special thank you to my blog and FB friends I'm offering a deal during the show. Mention you are a blog or FB follower and you are welcome to the following:
Silver plate flatware pieces - buy five get one free
Junque Magnet chalkboard tags - buy three get one free
Just a small thank you for the support!
Making every day a little bit vintage,
Carrie

Industrial Gaming

I'm fairly certain that one of the reasons the pursuit of Junque appeals to me so strongly is the fact that I bore easily. I have the attention span of a fruit fly. Possibly a bit longer - say, a gnat. Still, you get my point. I flit from idea to idea. Interest to interest. I read five books at once...
So even with a looming show deadline next week (Vintage Marketplace) I was of course compelled to stop working and fashion a "game" table.




Out of an industrial trash bin and a round glass table top!




The little well is perfect for storing bits and bobs. The small size and easy maneuverability means this can be handy in so many spots. Perfect for entertaining.




And I have the makings for a pair! Because that was so much more important than, I don't know, sorting through all the crap in the garage. The stuff I'm selling next week...
Well, these will be for sale too so I guess I was sort of working. Kind of. A little bit?
Yours in "got a short little span of attention" (points if you get the song reference),
Carrie
Linking to:
Vintage Inspiration

Busy, Busy, Busy Springfield Vintage Marketplace

Busy seems to be the word of the day. Week. Month.
Sorting and sifting. Tagging and cleaning
To market, to market in just one more week.
Finished up these folding camp stools yesterday.




I had a totally different vision for them at the outset but my fabric stash/hoard was not cooperating. Used a coffee dyed bedspread section instead. Quite pleased.
These and so much more await.
The Vintage Marketplace
September 14-16
Clarke County Fairgrounds
Springfield, Ohio

Candy Lights Anyone?!

Exciting times here at Junque Magnet. The fine folks over at Candy Lights are letting yours truly sell their fabulous lights.
I put together a small preliminary order which will be available in my booth during Vintage Marketplace. Can't make it? No problem. The beauty of modern technology means you can place an order with me and I will ever so happily get them out to you. Easy, peasy peeps!
Current colors in stock are as follows (please note these photos are directly from the website):




Bubblegum $14 per strand




Buttercream $14 per strand




Cotton Candy $14 per strand




Candy Cane Scented Holiday Strand $16 per strand




Halloween Holiday Strand $16 per strand




Buttercream Classic 5 watt bulb $3 per bulb




Buttercream Sugar Coated 5 watt bulb $3.50 per bulb
Many other colors are available. Take a peek on the Candy Lights website for the full line. Find one there that you like? Just drop me an e-mail and I can order it for you. I will be taking orders at the show as well.
Candy Lights are so fun. I may, or may not have squealed out loud as I opened the box! Hand dipped in the USA makes them even better.
Light strand are 35 bulbs, 12 feet long. Indoor use only. Connect up to three strands end to end.
Pricing available upon request (JunqueMagnet@fuse.net).
Linking to:
Monday Marketplace

Junque Whispers

Sometimes the Junque speaks to me.
Often times it fairly screams at me.
It has been known to jump at me (as in jump in my cart, my car, my arms, etc.)!
At auction a while back I heard this one calling.



"Help. Help. Somebody help me."
As none of the other auction attendees seemed inclined to help I did the right thing and shot my hand up like a girl whose sister had just been chosen for the Hunger Games.
Home we went. There may have been a long lull in time while the box sat sweltering in the garage. Yet she was patient and the other day her moment arrived. At last.



She does not want to be sold. She told me so. Naturally, I listened!



Yours in Junque whispers,
Carrie