Valentine wreath ~

Yesterday I had a sneezy headache stuffy head kind of day.  Around 2:30, I laid down for a nap which ended up being a looooooong nap.  As a result, I could not get to sleep last night!  So I stayed up late and did some crafting and pricing of inventory.

I decided to make another wreath for Valentine's Day using vintage red velveteen ribbon, a big chunky wreath form and old book pages.

I wrapped and wrapped and wrapped the red ribbon around the wreath form securing it with hot glue here and there as I went.  This is not difficult, but does take a little while.  I made a bunch of spiral rosettes out of antique dictionary pages and attached with hot glue to the ribbon wrapped wreath form.

 

Here's the final product.....

To create a wreath hanger on the back,  I looped a small length of ribbon and secured it to the wreath from with two T pins.

The whole project probably took a good hour and a half.  The rosettes are very time consuming!

Linking up to the Be Mine Bonanza with At Home with K.

You will find tons of inspiration and fun crafts for Valentine's Day there!

~ keep dreaming ~

Polly

the story of my paperwhites ~

Christmas of 2010. 

I get up at the crack of dawn on December 26 to do my annual day-after-Christmas clearance shopping.

First stop.

Target.

Oh how I love Target the day after Christmas!

I spy paperwhite bulb kits for 50% off.

I buy two kits.

I've always wanted to force paperwhites inside in January.

They are so pretty.

And will certainly liven up the house during the grey dreary months of winter.

I have a conversation with my friend Beth who proceeds to tell me they stink.

What?

Paperwhites stink?

I've never heard that before, I say.

She insists they stink.

I grow my paperwhites anyway.

In a nice galvanized bucket.

Even though I have a black thumb, I decide to try.

They grow and grow.

I have to tie them up because they get so big and tall.

And then they bloom.

Oh the sweet petite white blooms!

And then one day it happens.

I'm walking through the kitchen and there it is.

Some sort of strange smell.

Kind of like trash.

Or something rotten in the garbage disposal.

Yep, it was my pretty, sweet paperwhites stinking up my house!

Who knew?

I call my mother-in-law who is a Master Gardener.

She says, oh yes, paperwhites have a very distinct smell about them.

I would definitely describe that smell as distinct!

Poor paperwhites, they had to go!

I just couldn't take the smell.

But Keely rescued them and took them home to enjoy the remainder of their prettiness.

Maybe my nose is just sensitive?

My husband didn't mind it and Keely didn't seem to notice it either.

What's your take?

Do you think paperwhites stink?

Just curious!

~ keep dreaming ~

Polly

vintage chair ~

The mister and I ventured out on Sunday for a day of junking in unchartered territory.  We love those days.......we sort of have an idea where we're headed, and of course, we use the internet to print off a list of possible junking sites, but once we get going we never know where we'll actually end up!

We got a late start and only had time to browse a few "new to us" antique stores before it got dark and foggy and it was time to head on home.  We found a few neat things and it felt good to spend money at a mom and pop shop.  The small businesses out there really need all of our support!

I found this vintage chair on one of our stops.  I loved the lines and original paint and thought I could spruce it up with a new seat cover.  Here it as after its makeover.....

 I chose this fresh fun emerald green and white damask fabric to modernize it a little bit

I'm planning on taking it to the booth tomorrow, so it will soon be available for sale!

~ keep dreaming ~

Polly

more dollar store roses ~

Just popping in to show you what I did with the remainder of the soap roses I picked up at the dollar store.  You may recall, I used all the white roses to fill my new trencher. 

I also bought 10 packages of the pink ones and used them in my IKEA lanterns that are sitting on my coffee table....

 I just love that shade of pink!  It's not too too bubble gummy and not too peachy either.  It's just right!  I think it should be called "farmhouse pink"!  

 

 Just for giggles, I uploaded this shot from my camera.....

 As I was taking pictures of the lanterns, I backed up and fell backwards over the ottoman!  I guess I forgot it was there!  This picture must have snapped as I was tumbling over!  Ha!  Made me laugh when I was loading the photos onto my computer!!  No worries.....no injuries!!

I filled one of my kitchen jars with some roses too.........

some heart shaped marshmallows and Trader Joe meringues are filling the other two jars.

and I just love my #3 cow tag I purchased at Factory and Farmhouse Furnishings in Clintonville....

Thanks for visiting!  Hope you had a good start to your week!

~ keep dreaming ~

Polly

vintage linens ~

 On Wednesday, Mickey and I went to an auction and got our hands on a TON of vintage linens!  I was excited because they are just so hard to find anymore.  Yesterday I washed, starched and pressed a total of 66 vintage hankies.....they are all available at my booth now ranging in price from .25 cents to $5 each.    Here is a photo of them all piled up waiting to be laundered.....

These are all the colorful ones.  I have two drying racks currently loaded with all the white and cream ones.  Hoping to get them all ironed and ready to go tomorrow!

Today I worked on this stack of vintage cuties.....

 

I have them all sorted and priced and plan to drop them off at the mall tomorrow.   In the meantime, I thought a little sneak peak might be nice!

 

A few of them are in mint condition and appear to have never been used.  But many of them show their history and wear with stains and discolorations.  The prices reflect their condition.

 I'm on the fence about the poodle one......it's definitely funky, but maybe a little creepy too.  I love the bones wrapped in bows, but those doggy eyes are just a little too intense!!

These last two are quite unique with their fun little images.....

The prices range anywhere from $2 up to $8 a piece.  Again, I'll drop them off at the mall tomorrow, Booth C004

Aren't they fun?  Vintage linens are an affordable way to add that little touch of vintage whimsy to your kitchen, bath, or laundry room.  They are also a very fun thing to collect!  Some of these make me want to start a new collection, but I think I'll stick with my collection obsession with vintage pillowcases!!

Any questions, send me a comment or email!

~ keep dreaming ~

Polly

 

shop local at Lolaleigh ~

 There is a fun shop in its third year of business in Lancaster, Ohio called Lolaleigh.  Here is a glimpse of the sweet cozy space and shop owner, Terice.

 

Lolaleigh specializes in children's clothing, most of which is handmade by Terice.  The colors, the ruffles and the prints and design combinations are all so playful and whimsical!  When you walk in, you just feel enveloped in sweetness!

 

I met Terice about 6 years ago when I first started my booth.  She and I were set up in the same antique mall, and I was always oogling over her stuff!  In addition to being an excellent and creative seamstress, she also knows how to reupholster furniture, as evident on the damask settee above!  I bought my favorite custom drapes from her that you can see in this old post of mine. 

She and her daughter started their business a few years ago in a perfect little storefront in the quaint historic district of downtown Lancaster.  Isn't it wonderful to see a successful entrepreneurial woman realizing her dream and doing what she loves every day?!?!

I walked around her shop and snapped photos of her creations and wares.....

 

Vintage suitcases overflow with cute things for your little girls and boys....

 I purchased two of these handmade satin rosette pins that were crafted by a local artisan....

 

I picked this one in the prettiest muted mustard color and another one in grey and white.  love.

Lola Leigh also sells fabric by the yard.  Cute, sweet, sassy fabric designs!

I picked out this one for a chair seat I'm working on currently.

If you find yourself in the Lancaster area, plan on stopping by Terice's shop, Lolaleigh.  You won't miss it....her storefront is painted with bright cheerful oranges and yellows and just draws you in!  If you have babies, you will be in love with everything inside!  Or pick up a gift for an expectant mama.  Or you might just find a little something for yourself!

For store hours and address, visit Lolaleigh on-line here.

~ keep dreaming ~

Polly

rose filled trencher ~

 Good morning!  I thought I would pop in today to share one of my favorite Christmas gifts!  I have been on the hunt for the "perfect" dough bowl / trencher forever!  I see them all the time when we're out antiquing, but generally, they are well out of my price range, and I had never found "the one".  My criteria included it's size - it had to be big in scale, it's patina - it had to be weathered and worn and authentically old, it's condition - it did not have to be perfect, it's color - it had to be raw wood not stained or painted, and of course it's price - it had to be affordable!

The day before Christmas, we popped in to Heritage Square Antique Mall where our booths are located with the in-laws to do some browsing.  I had seen this trencher tucked into the corner of a booth a while back and we decided to pull it out and see if it passed the test.  The vendor happened to come in as we were looking it over and offered a great discount to us.  I loved it so Mickey decided he would get it for me for Christmas!  :-)

 

I have left it empty because I almost could not bear to cover any of that wood.  But I've been gussying up this place for Valentine's Day and I thought I'd fill it with soap roses from the dollar store.

 

 

 The soap roses are available at Dollar Tree and they are perfect for simple sweet romantic {and cheap} Valentine's decor.  I bought twenty packages in white and a soft muted pink.  I used all ten packages of the white to fill my trencher.

 In addition to being pretty, they smell good too!

You can see it's cracked and worm-holed and beat-up but it's raw simplicity is just right.

It's the perfect addition to my dining room.  I look forward to getting creative and filling it with various things for the changing seasons.  

I have used the pink dollar store roses in other parts of the house, and I'll plan on sharing those ideas soon.  Until then....

~ keep dreaming ~

Polly

linking up to White Wednesday at Faded Charm

Valentine's booth

 With joyful hearts, we bring you our Valentine's Day collection at our Motley Junket booth at Heritage Square Antique Mall (B002)!

 Us girls had a fun day starting with a big old Bob Evans breakfast.  We then spent a few hours fluffing the booth with two loads of inventory.  Every nook and cranny of our little booth space got some much needed attention!  

When arriving, you are greeted by a mannequin modeling the CUTEST retro vintage dress straight out of the 1970's!  Keely added a handmade paper  ~love~  banner to her also!

 

Lots of lovely gold and black accessories with vintage valentines mixed in for fun....

Throughout the booth, you will find three amazingly ruffled crinolines tucked in here and there.  Here's the blue one nestled into a basket....

a vintage pink bowl is overflowing with vintage honeycomb hearts...

This ever-so-shabby shelf is new to the booth today.   We set it on top of a fabulous chippy white farm table and layered in the accessories including vintage valentines, petal pink frames, and so much more!  Under the table, there's a laundry basket lined in a Simply Shabby Chic tablecloth and filled with tons of vintage honeycomb  bells!

In this corner, a pink tree (not for sale, sorry, Keely's little girls would kill us!) is filled with sparkly cherub ornaments.  We used another one of those ruffly crinolines as the tree skirt!!  There's a vintage slip in the prettiest blush color, alabaster lamp, chippy old ceiling tiles, ornate frames and tons of smalls!

More creamy chippy pieces stacked and layered....

Great assortment of vintage valentines!!

vintage bridal doll in plastic dome case....

industrial bin, industrial drawers labelled D and E respectively, lovebird, bag of cool plastic letters fill the vintage store display rack....

We are always trying to fill our big branch with something festive!  It adds so much height and interest to our little booth!  This time, I made big pink pom-poms to bring it to life!  We also created a BE MINE heart garland that spans the width of our booth.  The garland is for sale, and I also individually priced the leftover BE MINE heart cards so you can make your own banner or craft project!  You can also see the cool weathered old feed sign hanging Keely found!

Keely found this great old leaded glass window and uber chippy ballot box.  I brought in three old red railroad lanterns....

Our french provincial cabinet moved out front and displays a sweet assortment of floral dishes and other "lovely" accessories for Valentines....

See that other pink ruffly crinoline up there?

Oh the sweet pink ruffles!!

 

Inside the cabinet.....

set of 4 old ironstone transferware plates with pink flowers and tons of crazing

Throughout the booth, we strung this garland I made from old cash register paper tape handstamped with love.....

This collection is as motley as we can get I think!  From big ruffly crinolines to industrial bins to sweet floral plates to massive candy store scales to sweet vintage valentines to old metal feed signs to windows to honeycomb bells!  Love it all!  It all makes me smile!  I hope it makes you smile too!

~ keep dreaming ~

Polly