Thrift Haul: Truck Be a Lady

Let's get to it, shall we?

Gorgeous amber Bakelite beads from the 1930's, for sale here.

Vintage cotton orange and green stripe throw/tablecloth, for sale here

Metal recipe box

Got another pillow for Blixa and I found another Opening Ceremony make up bag in a different style and print!

I think Queen Blixa likes her new pillows

Knock Knock personal library kit, for sale here

Acrylic "J" picture holder, for hubby to make beads out of

Cutler cherry blossom tray

To go with the highball glasses I got awhile back.

Vintage Eaton floral scarf

It's polyester but I loved the print. I found a very functional use for this guy.

I have no idea what this is but I thought it was neat. Anyone have any clue?

Striped cork board and a wood frame

"Earth's Treasures" by Susan B. Schumacher. Original. I love when a stranger and I have the same affinity for a theme, this one being the Southwest. 

I always collect ceramics made by people vacationing in Mexico or anything Navajo, for instance, and this painting is a perfect encapsulation of the Southwest: cacti, Navajo ceramics, chili peppers, and a sombrero with a thunderbird on it.

Chair for hubby. Wood w/ mud green leather seat.

Reproduction Greek ceramic plaque.

Vintage Conway carafe

Vintage Fieldcrest muslin sheet set, for sale here.

Wood frames

Marble bookends made in Mexico

Wood coat rack

Finally got The Orchard Keeper by Cormac McCarthy, the last book I needed in my collection of Vintage editions of early McCarthy novels. Vintage only did 5 books and The Orchard Keeper was the rarest of them so I'm pretty glad my set's complete.

Got this dresser at an estate sale for a steal. 

I love the USA color scheme and I almost wanna leave it the way it is and keep it for myself but I've been looking for a dresser recently so I could do this...

Hand-painted Otomi print

I definitely have my work cut out for me, what with this dresser project and finishing my shelf project but painting for me is the best part, I actually find it fun.

Some pieces I saw at Bibles for Missions that I didn't purchase but liked.

Wood nightstand for $12

An Art Deco waterfall dresser for $89. This guy's a good price and if I hadn't purchased my current Art Deco dresser recently, this would be sitting in my bedroom right now.

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

-J

Thrift Haul: Catch-Up

Do you ever notice that once you get a little behind on doing something one day, it snowballs, and then a week later, you're incredibly behind?

I mean, I don't have a schedule to meet or anything but I've missed a couple Thrift Haul posts and shit's been piling up in my office. I also solved the mystery of the missing pitcher. It showed up on my sales report today with a vendor's discount so I'm guessing another vendor in the mall saw it and then hid it so they could buy it today. Makes no difference to me, as long as it was bought.

Kind of ironic that these are up in my work space. Anyway, I hope to get rid of these soon because they just remind me of a child's bedroom and you know, I hate kids. They're made of fabric, have padding, and grosgrain trim. For sale here, $30.

Vintage Durwood John Walter and Sons wood sconces that I picked up at an estate sale. I showed up early and the best items were already sold. Made in Canada. For sale here, $25.

Sam Edelman black suede "Petty" ankle boot. Size 5. For sale on Ebay here, $49, or on Kijiji, here, $40

I liked these a lot but they were a tad too small for me.

 I also loved these but they were way too big. Can't remember the designer either, but they reminded me of Roger Vivier. 

Two carboys, the one on the right is made in Mexico. The left one is for sale here, $12.

And while I'm here, some things I've newly listed. 

Metal tree jewelry holder. Bracelets not included. For sale here, $15 each.

PC bamboo tray. For sale here, $5

You can see the tray in action, although the contrast is awful.

Vibrant orange enamel-coated cast iron cooking pot made in Poland. For sale here, $35

Jacksons of Piccadilly tea tins, for sale on eBay here, $45

Set of 6 Federal Atomic Amoeba sherry glasses. For sale on eBay here, $55

Vintage Lyle & Scott 100% lambswool tartan scarf. For sale on eBay here, $25

Vintage Ayers 100% wool blanket. For sale on eBay here, $40.

As always, I'm willing to ship.

- J

Made in Mexico: Segunda Parte (Part 2)

Here's part one, where I talk about all the things I love about Mexican decor and all the things I hate about bloggers.

One time I was in a Goodwill in Toronto and I came across a large hand-carved wood mirror made in Mexico for $10; it was very rough and crude but I loved it. My boyfriend at the time hated it, said it looked like a child made it, and we left empty-handed. On the drive home, he saw how bummed I was so we went back, but it was gone. Only 8 minutes had passed but 8 minutes was enough time for another woman to snap it up. I saw it in her cart and I stalked her through the store in hopes that she would put the mirror back but she never did. I've always regretted that decision because I have yet to see another piece like it since, even on the internet.

I also highly regret not buying a box of Amate paintings at a swap meet when I lived in Joshua Tree.

They were $4-$20 per sheet, depending on the size. I didn't have a lot of money on me so I bought a small one for $4. They are, of course, worth more than that. The next weekend I decided I was going to purchase more but the vendor was no longer there. I have bad luck with Mexican home furnishings.

But then I found this piece at the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store the other day.

Stamped Hecho en Mexico, which means Made in Mexico. $100.

It was hubby's and my first time going to one of their retail stores and we couldn't believe our luck finding something so great on the first go. When I got hom, I did a quick google search of Mexican coffee tables and a whole bunch of contemporary stuff popped up that looked identical to it, which made me nervous.

La Fuente Imports, US$395

Rustic Sierras Furniture

San Carlos Imports, US$359.99

Even though all of the above pieces were handmade, I was beginning to feel like maybe what I'd found wasn't as unique of a find as I thought. But then hubby, who was an experimental blacksmith as a youth (he made knives and armor for fun) and still dabbles in metallurgy, told me that the hardware was solid iron, old, and organically aged. He also said that the pine was legitimately aged too, so phew.

Mine definitely had more in common with older pieces. Perhaps not antique, but still older.

This guy's going on Kijiji in Guelph for $100.

There are also a lot of new pieces that used naturally aged hardware so I was on the hunt for more unique pieces and older wood.

Pine patina

Off-centered metal band and medallion latch

Much older oak piece but similar round latch

I should've known myself, everything speaks to me of handmade: it has non-symmetrically forged handles, the hinges aren't lined up, the latches are also asymmetrical and kind of wonky, the wood is incredibly thick and there's build-up and scunge in between the grain, and the patina of the metal is substantial and solid - petrified - the way organic substances are when nature and time erodes it over the ages.

It lacks a uniformity of newer pieces.

I'm having a Rachel in Friends moment, when she believes that hers and Phoebe's apothecary table is the original piece of furniture on which the Pottery Barn repros are based. "Ours is the real one."

I can only hope that mine's legit.

- J