I Do What I Love

I got Lola Talleya friend. She's from a 1944 child's sewing kit, the kind that come with tiny patterns and little pieces of fabric to teach young girls how to sew. I love her, she reminds me of a store counter display so she's living on the counter of my store.

Speaking of the store, last month was its one year anniversary. I was sick and didn't do anything special, but it felt really good to reach that milestone. Here's to many more...

Persistence

This dress is a lesson in persistence when thrifting. I found it at a store I usually have no luck at, and I had been there just a few days prior, again with no luck. I stopped by this time to find 50s hats for a dollar, 50s hostess aprons for a dollar (the really fancy kind, not the basic cotton), a 50s purse for four dollars (keeping), train cases (can't keep them in stock at the store), a 50s Lefton Halloween figurine and this amazing dress. It's made of the softest silk velvet and closes up the side with a ridiculous amount of snaps. It's well loved, some pearls are missing and a side seam needs to restitched.

I adore it and it will stay in my collection until I'm having an estate sale of my own (which will be one of the coolest estate sales EVER, by the way.)

In a cage

This is probably my new favorite thing in the store...I may have to take it out and put it in our apartment...I don't think I can part with her.

Cat Laundry Bag = Amazing

Belcano Sweet

I'm finding that another perk of having the store is that nice people find out what you collect and then bring it straight to your door from their 92 year old mother's estate...

The Best Thing I've Found This Year

I paid $20 but there is no amount of money that could part me from them!

Dress Perfection

Antique Pink Quilt

I could have included this in my last post, as it was a 2010 thrift store find and yet another thing I got for pennies because they just looked at it as a rag. It is falling apart, full of thread rot and stains of who knows what. The darker pink fabric just disintegrates at the slightest touch.

And I love every hand stitched inch of it.

Top Thrifted Items of 2010

Here are what I consider to be the top items I thrifted in 2010, and when I say thrifted I mean only things that were found in thrift stores. I also found many fantastic items at estate sales and antique stores but for this I'm only counting thrift stores. Also I'm only counting things I'm keeping in my own collection, there were also many other fantastic things found that I passed on to new homes.

Victorian Blouse

I have always wanted one and I still can't believe I ended up finding one in a bin of complete junk. It has a few tears so they considered it a rag and I ended up buying it for pennies.

Souvenir Photo

Nothing spectacular, but again, I had always wanted one of these with the paper frame. At 19 cents it had to come home with me.

1950s Patent Leather Purses

Kelly purses are hard to find around here without paying a ridiculous amount. I use one everyday and I like to have a number to choose from and rotate them so they don't get too much wear. I like them fairly plain, but with a little bit of detail that make them stand out from the rest. These were found at two different Goodwills at about $5.00 each.

1950s Lamp

So the shade wasn't found with the lamp (I got it on eBay), but the lamp itself was a $1.00 thrift store find. It's in perfect condition and could not match my living room any better. Please excuse the cell phone photo, I took it right after I got the shade and was really excited!

1950s I. Magnin Grey Lace Dress

This dress was completely mint until I spilled some refried beans on it...luckily I got it mostly out. It fits like a dream and has the most amazing tiers of lace. I call it my cake dress because for some reason anything with tiers makes me think of cake.

1950s Park Avenue Mink Collar Cardigan

I suppose this should only get an honorable mention because although it was from a thrift store, they knew what the had and priced it at what it would have been in a high end vintage store. Still, I happily paid it because, well, it's AMAZING. I've lighted the photo for the details to show but in person it's not faded. It was new with tags. The mink collar is removable with Velcro and I would have thought someone did it themselves if not for the tags mentioning the "New! Velcro Technology!" The rhinestone buckle is attached and the sleeves have little rhinestone buttons too. I love this sweater to bits and I wear it...um...often.

These are only my best thrift store finds off the top of my head, there were many more! 2010 was a great year for vintage hunting.

I'm Excited About a Heating Pad.

(Photo courtesy Etsy seller TreasureIsle)
I had been looking for this vintage heating pad for a few years after seeing one online and falling in love (Pink! Roses! The little starbursts on the dial!). Yesterday my freezing toes reminded me to look and I found this one still in the box on Etsy. Mine now!

Just as lovely as the heating pad is the sellers description: Imagine you're feeling achy - so you go to your hairdresser and get a massive bee hive (being sure to wear a button down shirt - NOT a pullover)- you come home and change into your prettiest ruffled bathrobe, push your chaise lounge under the chandelier and plug in your elegantly floral fashion quilted heating pad and wah lah! you're feeling better already. All you need now is a tray of vintage tonics, a cup of tea and a box of bon bons.

Love at First Sight

New (to me) Bakelite

I coveted this necklace at the antique mall I used to work at for probably a year but it was pretty pricey. When the dealer knocked $30 off the price, had a 20% off sale in her booth on top of that and with my mall discount on top of that I couldn't say no!

Lola Talley

I found this paper doll at the antique mall I used to work at, in the space of a dealer that is notorious for under pricing things. At first I thought it was a store display because she's so tall. Then I noticed the name - Lola Talley. Never heard of her. With a quick Google search (I love you, Google) I learned that it was actually supposed to be Lana Turner but the doll didn't meet with the approval of her studio so was named Lola Talley instead.

She was sold in 1942 at Saks 5th Avenue stores. She came with her clothes in a paper trunk tied to her arm by a cord. Many people didn't like buying paper dolls that way plus she wasn't really a celebrity so not many sold. This paper doll is quite rare! Unfortunately I don't have the clothes but I do have the paper trunk. I originally bought her to resell but I've become quite fond of Miss Talley and I think I will hang on to her for a bit.

A Math Problem and a Jackpot

What does the first sale of the year on a gorgeous Saturday plus the only estate sale in the area for 60 miles plus the fact that it's a sale of a long time dealer/collector equal? Just a little bit of chaos. Despite a rough start I still managed a haul that I'm very happy with:

A pink metal bathroom shelf, victorian box, antique rosary (resale), 1950s NOS bra (resale), lots of patterns (resale), a cheetah? pillbox hat (resale), a black and teal fascinator (resale), 1930s face power, a little black cat, an amazing burgundy leather with needlepoint compact, a white and black enamel compact, some jewelry, a 1950s clear vinyl rhinestone clutch (resale) and a black patent leather purse with lucite handle. I would have bought much more but I ran out of money!

These purses were the first thing I grabbed and set the tone after the shaky start. I adore them both but I know I would never use the clear one so it's in the shop. The black one however will live a long and happy life with me and see lots of use this summer. It has PINK lining!


These are my two other favorite finds for myself.

The patterns are pretty great and actually in decent sizes (14 through 18). One contained the original reciept from August 1, 1955. A few are cut but it appears all pieces are there. The original owner made notes on some like "perfect size but shrink material first" and "good gored skirt but make top large." I have no idea what to ask for them.

This hat (fascinator? I'm not a hat person) doesn't photograph well. It is in near mint condition with a Union tag. I will probably wait to list it until i get some better photos. The sun was going down by the time I got home.

So that was my day. If the sales this year continue this way I will be a very happy girl!

Things I Forced My Husband To Buy Me

Two of my favorite things were found on Etsy!

Sunday Morning Finds

I really liked the way the colors went together. Looking at this post at Everyday Beauty a little too much maybe?

The amazing blue wicker purse is for sale. I paid way too much for it but had to save it from my evil competitor that was at the sale and eying it!

With Love

Yet another random thing I collect...

Oh how I love vintage bobby pin cards. Well, vintage anything still on the card really. Okay, vintage anything period! I found two of these today and didn't even notice the brand is Pin-up Girl until I got home. I'm keeping one for myself, the other one is is in my Etsy shop!

Unsuccessful

I really wanted to come on and write about all of the grand things I found with the $80 I allowed myself but my haul was tiny. Despite saying there would be more antique vendors than ever there were actually less than ever. All I got was:

1 unused vintage pink powder puff (a quarter!)
Yet another floral hat I will never wear
1950s black lacey underwear (unused)
1 little frozen charlotte doll
Toy Greyhound bus with the original tag
Mourning cabinet card with funeral flowers that spell out "Mother"
A little black cat for my collection which isn't old at all
Rose souvenir postcard
A sunburn

Kitties!

I've spent the past four years wanting this exact set and visiting it at the antique mall I worked at. They were extremely overpriced but finally they went on sale and I bought them last week. They're pretty common to find without the holder but I wanted a set with the holder and I couldn't find another one anywhere, not even on eBay.