BACK IN THE GROOVE

As summer has now officially ended, and the weather is cooler, with the leaves starting to fall, I am reminded that I haven't blogged for some time.  I am hereby "turning over a new leaf" and attempting to post more often. BACK IN THE GROOVE, so to speak. 

This past week has been busy with finishing up pending projects and getting them to the shop. This has been a wonderfully warm and sunny summer here in the Pacific Northwest, so there were lots of days of painting, repairing and prepping, as well as gathering treasures.  I think it is always important to have a fresh look in my space, and particularly important as furniture and smalls are sold, creating  bare spots! I've been fortunate that this summer has brought lots of buyers and bare spots. 

Here are some of the fruits of my labor. 

 This wonderful OIL PAINTING on canvas of a primitive style girl and her kitty is sure to make a statement on your wall.  I have always loved folk art, and this piece really spoke to me. 

I found this great wicker desk and chair, and it is in such good condition.  I think it would make a perfect VANITY as well, with a pretty mirror hung above it!  So feminine looking!  

And, I have the PERFECT MIRROR as well.  This white lacquered framed mirror will really add a touch of elegance to any space!

New to the space too, is this cute little lidded bin STORAGE BOX.  It is painted black with distressing on it. It has ventilation holes in the bottom, so it could be used as a clothes hamper, a vegetable bin, waste receptacle etc.  When I found it, a large box of laundry detergent was housed inside.  I love it when items are used so creatively!  Oh, I just thought of another display possibility- how about filling it with tall grasses or branches, surrounding it with pumpkins and placing it by your front door as a pretty Fall welcome?

We can all use more options for storage, and this CUTE DRESSER with the pretty detail fits the bill!  Such a versatile piece this is.  It could be used as a night stand, an end table, as a dropping off spot in your entry way for keys and mail and a number of other places in your home.  The three drawers offer a lot of storage space.  It's painted with chalk paint in a blue and creamy white and distressed to show off the carving detail.  I'll bet you can find a spot for it. 

Up next, lots of  vintage hand crocheted trims.  I am always awestruck at the time and patience that went into creating these works of art many decades ago.  There is also a so precious child's dress, that dates to the 1880's.  These will be pictured in the next blog and going to the shop soon!.  Stay tuned....

I so appreciate your visit and hope that if you are in the area, you will stop by to see these treasures in person. If I'm in the booth (usually a couple of times a week) stop and say hello.  I love to chat!

Charlotte 

RED, WHITE AND BLUE REDO

As the 4th of July is rapidly approaching, I thought it was high time to bring out the patriotic colors for one of my spaces at Splendid, and to redo the other space with some of the new treasures I've found this past week-end.

First off, I added some spots of the red,white and blue to my normally black and white booth.  I think the red really looks nice with the black.  I don't normally buy a lot of red, so I was surprised when I started gathering things from my stash, to discover that I had quite a bit.   There are lots of  flags, some red candles, a lamp with a red shade, along with an abundance of blue and white plates.

A black table gets a new display treatment too, with a tiered server holding plates, some blue glassware, a pretty vintage blue and white tablecloth, old cobalt blue bottles and more red candles

A white display table and shelves are full of more flags, spools from an old textile mill, a ruffled red and white check round cloth in a nice old basket, and a cute little red spice rack to use with milk glass jars or any other fun items.

Over in the lighter colored booth, there are lots of changes.  First off, you'll notice a boat shaped display shelf that was a store display and held Widmer Brothers Drifter Pale Ale.  Wouldn't this be great in a Man 

Cave?  It has the Widmer logo on both sides and at the top of the boat.  This could easily be painted over if you wanted it another color. It would be a fun addition to a little boy's bedroom, filled with games and toys.  I'm showing it here with some more masculine items.....some antlers, a souvenir mug from the old Portland Meadows race track, some game boards.  I think this would make a terrific bar too, with plenty of room for glassware, bottles of favorite beverages etc.  Do you see that cute little aqua colored canister vacuum on the floor?  This vintage gem still works! 

A newly acquired treasure is an old seltzer bottle with the wire covering.  This bottle, from New York, is very heavy- the glass was made in Czechoslovakia.  It's a handsome piece to add to a collection, or as a stand alone piece.

Lots of blues and pinks have been added in dishes, some pieces of wicker and pictures. 

And speaking of pictures, one wall boasts a bevy of plain picture frames, within frames.  I love to create this look; it is so much fun to layer and put a small plate or wall vase or other interesting piece inside a frame.

On a large frame, a treasured baby dress or baby shoes would be a fun addition, or pin up some pretty sheet music within a frame.  You get the idea!  I'll bet you can think of all kinds of ideas. I thought I had a photo of the wall with the frames, but guess not.  

I hope you'll have a chance to come by and see all of the new additions.  The other dealers have been busy in their spaces too, so you are bound to find inspiration as well as some fun vintage and antique treasures.  There truly is something for everybody at the Stars and Splendid Malls and the newest addition, Stars Too, all within the same block!  

Thanks for stopping by for a visit! 

Charlotte

NEW TREASURES AT MY SPLENDID BOOTHS!!

I love this old cupboard that is a recent addition to my offerings at Splendid.  The contrast of the black body with the white knobs makes it a perfect piece to display white ironstone.  It is such a classic style, that anything would be lovely in it.

I can also see this piece being used in a living room or great room holding a plant, some books, favorite pictures or other treasures of your own.  It has great storage, with 2 drawers, and shelves behind the 2 doors below.  This could be a perfect piece in a child's room to hold toys and games. 

Also new are some soft green pieces that could be used in multiple ways...as end tables, nightstands, also giving you storage space. 

Here  is a wonderful old piano chair with a lyre back and green leather seat.  This is a nice elegant addition to your piano, of course, but also could be used in a corner with a plant stand and fern next to it!.  I love the graceful lines of it. 

And a nice piece for your patio!  This half round plant stand will hold lots of potted plants, and gardening accessories.  The wonderful old motel chairs are sold, but the plant stand is still available. 

As always, I have stocked both spaces with lots of small items, so you have much to choose from.  I restock weekly, so there is always something new and fresh.  I hope these offerings will whet your appetite for some shopping!  Furniture and smalls have been going out pretty quickly, so hurry in for the best selection. 

Thanks for stopping by. 

Charlotte 

SNUFF BOTTLES

I just took some old dark amber tobacco snuff bottles to the shop.  I think these are quite a conversation
starter.  They look rather mundane, but have an interesting story to tell.  Their shape, a fairly wide mouth
with no neck, on a rather square bottle, easily identifies these as snuff bottles.  They were made this way to make it easy to reach in for a dip of snuff!  They are marked on the bottom with various raised dots, which
are an indicator of the strength of the snuff inside.  The more dots, the stronger the snuff.  This helped the workers who were filling the bottles before labels were attached, to know which strength to put in which bottle,  as well as the consumer, who might have been illiterate and unable to read the label to determine the strength.  I'm told that bottles with 5 or 6 dots (I've not found any of these) indicated the strongest strength and would only have been chewed, whereas the lesser strengths were "sniffed".   I understand that elderly women used the snuff as well as men! Doesn't this conjure up quite an image of a little old lady  in her rocker, sitting on her porch,  "chawin and  spittin" ?  I'm told that these bottles and their contents were most prevalent in the Southern part of the United States.

Now we aren't likely to  buy or carry our snuff in these today, but I think they make a fun little vase filled with flowers marching down the table.  You could also store spices in them and cork them, use them for altered art, storing beads, buttons etc.   All in all, I think they are a unique little item to perhaps pair with other amber bottles or glassware.  And think of the dinner table conversation you could have!!!  You'll find these at Splendid Antique Mall on Milwaukie Avenue in the Sellwood/Westmoreland area.  I'm in space #62.

Bottle with 2 dots on bottom.

Bottle with 3 dots on bottom

Bottle with 4 dots

Used as vases

I hope you've enjoyed looking at these.  Thanks for stopping by for a visit.

Charlotte

NEW FINDS (WELL, ALMOST)

While cleaning out drawers and closets recently, (this is the time of year for that, isn't it?) I came across a lot of small things that would tend to get lost in my booths, so I decided to package them and hang on a spinner rack.  There are all kinds of things, from miniatures to display in a printer's tray or collector's box.....

 
jewelry pieces to wear or to create something wonderful.......

and other baubles and bits......

Come on in and check out the new spinner and all of its goodies!  Check back often, because I will be
adding ephemera and lots of pieces to use for altered art.

Thanks for stopping by!

Charlotte

PUMPKIN MARTINI-PURE HEAVEN!

I had a recipe for DIY Pumpkin Liqueur that my daughter has passed on to me,  so I decided after cleaning house all day (ugh) it was time for a little TREAT.  So I gathered my supplies and got right to it.

Some sugar, water, spices, canned pumpkin puree .  Magically, this turns into a wonderful syrup after cooking for a bit.  Add the VODKA and then into the fridge for a couple of days or in my case, a COUPLE OF HOURS (tee hee)  Then you simply mix equal parts of the pumpkin liqueur, half and half (I used fat free Half & Half) and Vanilla Vodka. Shake with ice, strain and top with freshly grated nutmeg.  OHMYGOSH!  It is so good!

I had canned pumpkin leftover, so not one to waste, I made PUMPKIN COOKIES and frosted them with a browned butter glaze....these are pretty darn tasty too!  Now I just need to get them out of the house so that I'm not tempted to eat many MORE of them.  I'm sure my grandson will welcome a treat.

 

 



I'm thinking I might give some of that PUMPKIN LIQUEUR for little Christmas gifts.  Wouldn't it be cute to put some in pretty bottles with a tag and recipe attached....maybe put it in a basket with a couple of martini glasses.  Oh, no, I'll have to make more, and TASTE TEST it too;)

READY FOR BLACK FRIDAY

You can enjoy Black Friday coupon discounts in my booths at Stars & Splendid through Sunday November 25th.  Pick up a coupon in either of my booths (#62) or print off a coupon from the Stars Antique Malls website. 

A major booth overhaul brought lots of fresh merchandise, including items shown below.

You can enjoy a fantasy cruise circa 1938 and experience the on board dining experience, with these old menu cards.

Or, how about some after dinner ship board entertainment.  A bit of wagering on races, or taking in a concert. 

 

 

You would have been served on beautiful dinnerware.  These vintage consomme cups and saucers are



filled with new boxes of holiday flavored teas, ready for gift giving. 

 

There are lovely matching plates, perhaps to hold cookies for gift giving?

 

 

 

 

Santa is ready to greet the holidays, though much more Christmas items are yet to be stocked.

 



 

 

You'll even find a lovely vintage gown to wear for the holiday season!

 



 

 

 

 

A bit of an overview.....

 



 

 

 

And at my booth across the aisle, a lighter, more pastel feel.

 



 

 

 

 

 

Sorry, but a couple of these pictures are out of sequence and duplicates.  Blogger giving me problems today.  I do hope that you will stop by and take a look in person.  I will be adding more holiday inventory in the days to come.  Stay tuned! 

 

As always, I appreciate your visit, and your comments!  

 

Charlotte