Thrift Store Inspiration

I decided to take some advice from Vintage Sue and do some thrift shopping. My a$$ needs to be home filling some custom mosaic orders, but a quick stop at one place on the way home from work couldn't hurt, right? It was worth the trip!

This was the first thing I picked up. It looks like it may have been a coaster at one time and is all rusty on the bottom. I love the way the material is stained along the outside.

I can't get enough of silver plated anything! Love these pieces, especially the dark one.

And I have one banged up ice bucket I love to use, but needed to borrow another from my mom last weekend for a large party. now I have two and won't need to bug mom. It has a few good dents in it. If you ask me, they add character, but I do have one of Sharon's original Cracked-in-the-Head nightlights, so judge for yourself!

The guy checking me out said, "Wow, this silver thing will be really cool once you clean it up!" Umm . . . okay. I don't even disagree anymore. I still get strange looks when I buy dishes and tell them not to wrap them because I'm just going to go home and break them. Maybe they think my husband is just very unlucky! I love the primitive looking bowl. I hesitate a little, because it is so neat, but I think it will be getting a mosaic make over and heading to Iowa in the next shipment. The chippy chicken came from DAV on Wornall a few days ago. Okay, this wasn't my first thrift store trip this week, I admit!

This candle holder was really funky. Looks like it was put together with a mig welder! It actually reminded me of something Sweet Pea might have. Check out Shelley's blog for inspiring and frankly jaw-dropping designs using creams and chocolate. LOVE IT!

I needed some place mats and thought these were so sweet with their simple cross-stitched design. How long will they last with the four year old's mac-n-cheese and fruit gusher snacks? Better stick with black for every day use.

This table cloth isn't quite big enough, but it works. I say again and again on my blog that it is such a relief not to be striving for perfection. It works fine on this table and will be even better on a smaller one I have for the patio. Jason and I are planning a party for February, but I am already looking forward to the Spring!

And I loved the vintage 70's look of this table runner. I am so attracted to anything black and white, just like a bee to a flower. I can spot it a mile away. Now I am off to the studio to get those custom orders knocked out!

This and That

I just love this holiday shot of the boys and had to share it. I'm not the kind of mother who's gonna put my kids in matching outfits in front of a glamorous backdrop. Boy, would Brendan appreciate that. At least I wiped the pizza sauce off Dash's face before taking the picture.

I LOVE my new scale -- check it OUT!!! A very special someone who knows how much I love The Curious Sofa took a special trip there just for me to find it!!

It's just the perfect shade of light turquoise and looks really cool with the greenery.

I like to display things on top of these little scales, but for now, I just wanted to enjoy it for it's own special detail, the needle, the wavy base -- these old food scales make me happy.

I made some Santa boots and stuck one in with the wreath and the duck decoy. I got the old washtub at a flea market in Paola, KS.

I got an order this week from Sharon at Sweet Repose and she included some of her wonderful soaps, milk n' honey and lavender.

And I needed a couple more candles from Friend's Candle Shed. I got chestnuts n' brown sugar and pumpkin crunch cake. These candles fill the whole house with the greatest smells, you'd think I was actually baking something, but no.

And here I am with one of Sharon's great necklaces that I admit was supposed to be for someone else until I decided to keep it for myself. I am 40 years old today and I deserve it!

Ready for Iowa

I have my first shipment to Iowa packed up and will venture to the post office tomorrow. Thanks again to Sharon of Sweet Repose and The Junk Asylum for chiseling my stuff out of the many layers of bubble wrap and for spinning her wonderful merchandising magic to display it all. The switch plate above is made with a great brass tag I got at a show last year.

This is a tiny keepsake box. Tintypes are one of my many favorite things.



Just enough room for some tiny treasures.

And I had a baby shower for my fabulous sister-in-law today and made her this plaque that simply says "baby". The brass roses are a drawer pull. I drilled a hole in the wooden plaque and glued it in place.

And the back of the plaque done in some fun scrap booking paper. I'm working on a bird house that will be part of the next shipment but for now, a nap is the most constructive thing I will be working on.

More Art

I've been very busy again tonight making stuff like crazy in preparation for my first shipment to Iowa. Whew. This is a miniature garden flower. My others are about twice as large. This one would be fun stuck in with a house plant.

I made it out of a tin that once held cinnamon black tea and the metal is still intensely scented, even after the coat of clear gloss. I also got three Santa boots and a bunch of candy canes cut out of aluminum flashing. These will also be riveted onto copper tubing and used as stakes. It was so cold in the garage, the spray paint wasn't drying, so I moved them indoors and will have to finish them later.

Above is a table plaque adequately describing me, anyway, "Junk Addict". Tired junk addict is more like it right now.

I got the Victorian woman at the Jessie James Antique Mall in St. Joe, MO, I believe. After awhile, you accumulate so much junk it all runs together. Not sure where I picked up the ink bottle and ointment tin.

The letters are from a game that predated Scrabble called Anagram. I found some at the River Market Antique Mall and then picked up a large stash at a show in Lee's Summit last year.

The cherry was from a plate my friend Becky in Wisconsin sent down for me. I met her on Etsy and she has family in town. Every time one of them comes back from seeing her, she sends them with lots of great junk for me. Thanks, Becky!!!

This switch plate features a cool clip. I think clips like these were once worn on collars. I got it at the Rusty Chandelier in St. Joe.

And here's a recipe box, "Good Eats", I've been working on for awhile. Fun vintage fruit magnets on top.



I always finish off my boxes and chose a nice scrapbook paper for this one.

And as I was searching madly for my glitter that I never found, I came across these polymer clay ornaments I made in 2007. A burlesque gingerbread girl and a thigh high. Christmas doesn't get much better than this.

New Creations for Iowa

I'm finishing up some custom orders and this is the latest. I made the frame in my blog header for my friend, Kara. Her aunt's dog's name is Cagney and won't the frame be cute with a pic of her pup. She wanted me to make the frame below for her grandparents, Clyde and Lois. She has a pic of them from the 40's and wants to put it in the frame -- yes, that's the 1940's!! Gives a whole new meaning to "together forever"!

Her grandmother loves her rose garden and I think the multi-colors and typewriter keys set off the blooms just right.

"Now I will tell you buster, that I ain't a fan of Custer." This frame and the switchplates are going to the Junk Asylum. My buddy, Sharon from Sweet Repose is starting up a retail space north of Davenport, Iowa and I am so excited that she's carrying my art work!!!

I'm going to put together some garden flowers (my creations made of old tin) to send up there soon. Who couldn't use some color with all this cold weather! Garden flowers will not wilt!

And I'll be busy making switch plates, too. I hope these will be popular since they are so much fun!

I also started what I call a "table plaque". It's a mosaic I'm doing on a wooden plaque that's not made to hang, but to sit on a table, get it?! My first one will be grouted tonight with pics to follow. I will make a few more things before packing it all up and sending it to the Great White North! (Iowa, that is). Stay warm!

BINGO, Baby!!

My friend Laura interviewed me at a place called Aquila Energy back in 2000. I walked out of that interview thinking, "I might not get this job, but I will always be friends with that girl." Seriously. And Saturday night, I attended the 10th annual Girl's BINGO Bash at Laura's house. I didn't know her for the first one, but I haven't missed one, since!

Laura went all night with no BINGO and then won the cash for the blackout round!

Diana, Elise, and Angela having fun. Everybody loves that microphone.

Laura and Angela.

Terry and I sit together most every year so we can ham it up. She only looks like she's sleeping quietly.

Laura's mom, Deb, always helps her deck her house out for the holidays. I love it all!

Deb took some antique tin out of her garden for this display. I do believe she likes antique tin almost as much as I do.

And a wide shot of the mantel. Before heading to Laura's, I stopped at Gina and Suzie's open house. Here's Gina looking so cute in an apron (tutu) that her friend, Mary, brought her. So cute!

Suzie and Jeanie having fun. Jeanie and her husband like to watch House Hunters International and we had so much fun talking about our favorite episodes!!! We decided we'd have to be millionaires many times over to live in Paris so we could afford something larger than the 450 square feet, 7 figure apartments in the Sixth District!!

What a spread Gina and Suzie had. Everything was wonderful!

Fabulous art.

And the features and architecture in this house are amazing. Great vintage sink.

This little building in the backyard is right up my alley. I wouldn't change a thing!

What newer home has these kinds of details?

Unbelievable mantel.

I am really fortunate to have so many wonderful friends. Happy holidays!