Furniture Find

I recently dragged home this vintage, (possibly antique, because it still has only flat head screws) tea/bar cart. I really didn't need yet another project, and on top of it, the cart is in terrible shape. The pictures do not come close to conveying the extensive damage. The veneer is peeling off everywhere, even on the side of the handle and on the undersides of the shelves. The only way to get it to look good is to remove all the veneer and patch, sand and paint, so a restoration is out of the question, BUT that means I might as well have some fun, and alter it 🙂

I am considering removing the "swirly" moldings and squaring off the top.The interesting wheels should be eye-catching enough.I love the legs. I am considering sanding them and keeping them in a light, raw wood look. 

What do you think?

Newest Thrift Store Find

I came across this antique Jacobean radio cabinet yesterday and almost did not "rescue" it, because I am currently working on way too many projects ( more about all those in another post).

The cabinet was sitting in the corner, and immediately caught my eye. The price was right ($23 after coupon), yet I still hesitated, not wanting to bring yet another piece of furniture, that I definitely do not have room for, into my home.

We'll, guess what? It's in my house, because who could resist a face like that??!!🙂

It definitely needs a lot of work, and it looks like someone has already done some alterations to it. The inside has been fitted with two shelves, where the radio used to be. Those will have to come out, and be replaced with better fitting ones. The back plywood has been replaced, once again, not the quality workmanship I would have liked.

The remainder of the cabinet is in fairly good condition. All veneer is still present, but has a lot of cracks, and definitely needs to be sanded down ( we'll see what happens after that). The wood carvings on the top part of the cabinet need to be glued, and one corner needs to be restored.

As of now, my plans for this cabinet will be to turn it into a bar cabinet, and in all likelihood, paint it, but possibly stripping the legs and leaving them a natural wood color. 

I have not decided on any colors yet, and I am certain that I will change my mind a hundred times, which is what always happens, as the refurbishing process decisions are fluid  (my excuse for not being able to make up my mind). Sometimes I wake up and have a brand new perspective on a project, because I actually dreamed of it and it showed me something I had not thought of. (I'm hoping some of you experience the same, because if not, that would mean I'm crazy?)

So what do you think? Colors? Use? Let me know, I am always open to new ideas.

Stay tuned, this time I will try and document the entire project from beginning to end.

I am back

 It has been almost 6 1/2 years since my last post. A lot has happened since then.

One month after the previous post, I was t-boned by an USPS mail truck, which totaled my Chevy Tahoe, and started the worst, most painful and depressing years of my life. I spent 3 years in agonizing pain, listening to incompetent doctors, until I finally had spine surgery in December 2018, followed by many months of rehab.

Fast forward to today. I am feeling better, the pain was not completely eliminated by the surgery, but I am active and creating again, and it feels great!

I will try and do a weekly update of this blog, and it will include not only my thrifting treasures, but also projects I am taking on around our house and yard.

I am glad to be back :-)

New Baubles added to the Thrift Hoard.

Once again only found two items today, but only went to two stores. The hoard is growing more slowly than when I first started collecting jewelry.

a J.J. brand gold tone or plated? octopus brooch

a J.Crew Navette gold tone bangle

Newest Thrift Store Finds!

Only found two items today, but I only went to one store.
Here is what I found:

Linda Allard for Allen Tracy black Italian alligator calfskin belt, size M

Pair of vintage hoop earrings for pierced ears with dark blue enamel and gold tone metal.

Today's Thrift Store Finds

Here are today's additions to my fast growing hoard; top to bottom:

Barrera for Avon gold tone clip-on earrings, Monet gold tone painter's palette brooch

Joan Rivers Swarovski multi colored rhinestones flower brooch

New Batch of Shaving Soap and Shave Soap Sticks

While making a new batch of Lemongrass, Dandelion Root & Shea Butter shaving soap today, I decided to try and make a couple of  shave sticks.
I simply poured some of the soap into two deodorant tubes I had purchased a while back to make deodorant and sunscreen and lotion sticks. I am curious to see how this works out.  I wonder how long it will take to cure, since it is surrounded by plastic and there is no air getting to it. I guess I should push the soap up after it has hardened a bit to make sure it can dry?
I like the fact that the soap is much more portable and less prone to be left in the shower in a puddle of water, so it turns into a yucky blob.
I have never tried to shave with a shave stick, so it will be a new experience for me.
I will keep you posted on how the project turned out.

Grey Goose Martini Glasses

Found these beauties the other day; Grey Goose martini glasses, in an art nouveau style, with flowing lines and natural forms. I may not drink martinis (neither shaken, nor stirred), but these are very pretty.
They are a limited edition and were issued for the Grey Goose anniversary. I am not sure which one, I will have to do some more research.
Online they are listed as having pewter stems, but the way the patina looks on one of them, I am almost convinced that they are silver plated.

More Thrift Store Finds!

Here is some more jewelry I found recently at thrift stores. Encouraged by the beautiful Milor necklace I found the other day, I have been stopping by the jewelry counters at all my closeby thrift stores.
Here are some pictures of what I have found.

Monet brand vintage jewelry.

3 brooches, and 3 pairs of earrings. 

left to right:

rabbit brooch Museum of American Folk Art

Avon celtic knot clip-on earrings

Trifari faux pearl cabochon clip-on earrings

Rafaelian white flower brooch

Ciner large quilted look clip-on earrings

Avon present-shapes rhinestone earrings

Napier rhinestone swirl brooch

The photograph does not do the pieces with rhinestones any justice, The stones are much shinier in reality.

left to right:

Sarah Coventry Woodland Flower rhinestone clip-on Earrings

925 Sterling Silver bracelet with dark red and clear stones

Sarah Coventry maple leaf clip-on earrings

925 Sterling Silver hammered collar made in Mexico

925 Sterling Silver Rope Bracelet

925 Sterling Silver butterfly brooch with turquoise stones made in Mexico

Once again, the rhinestones on the earrings are much shinier. I may take some closeups to do them justice.

And so my hoard grows, and much faster than anticipated! My inner "Smaug" is rearing its head, telling me to keep all these beautiful shiny baubles instead of selling them. Well, we shall see if I can find my way back to reason! 

Come back for updates and also check My Etsy Store, I may just list some of these items soon.

Most Recent Thrift Store Finds

This week, while thrifting, I concentrated on vintage jewelry. I have dragged home so many vintage china treasures, that is is definitely time to take pictures and start listing items in my Etsy store. According to my husband, we are running out of storage space (a gross exaggeration in my eyes!), but for the sake of peace and tranquility, I am willing to make a compromise and decided to focus on smaller items, which do not take up a lot of space and can be easily stored. So it was a no-brainer for me to look for collectible vintage jewelry. Not only does it take up less space, it is also shipped easily.
Let's hope I won't get carried away, collecting all those beautiful baubles and end up like Smaug in the Hobbit, with an enormous hoard of shiny, glittering treasures,  and not willing to share them with anyone!!

left to right:

Givenchy gold tone, large collar style necklace

Milor, Italy, 925 Sterling silver, two toned necklace

non marked clip-on (corn?) earrings with multi-colored rhinestones

Monet gold colored bangle, Napier gold colored bracelet 

and last a Kenneth Jay Lane dogwood flower brooch.

All of them nice finds!

closeup of earrings with multi-colored stones

closeup of the KJL dogwood flower brooch