book'em danno

Last Saturday I attended an auction in the rain...
What goes better with a rainy day than a bunch of books?

I was very excited when I saw such large amounts of great looking vintage books sitting there just waiting for a new home.
I was even more excited that the crowd had dwindled down and I was one of the few remaining bidders.

I had not heard of many of these novels and I have to warn, they are not in pristine condition. I absolutely love the color and graphic layouts on the spines,especially when they are stacked together.

I especially love how some of the graphics on the covers look.

(hmmm I wonder what this book is all about? A doctor named Tom. But what does it have to do with riffles?)

Another great cover

This is one of my favorites! I really liked the pattern on the cover but to top it off,this is one of my favorite books.This will be a great addition to my personal collection.

This was one of the greatest finds.

I purchased two boxes of books and this one happened to be tucked into one of the boxes. I am not from Michigan.But I really love this book.

I am "round on the ends" and "hi" in the middle.(That is Ohio if you don't know that one)

For some reason a lot of people in Ohio seem to have something against Michigan. I personally don't understand why one would discriminate against an entire state just because of a football team. But I digress

This Book is titled My Michigan the author and illustrator is Gwen Frostic.

My hubby did a little research and found that this author was a poet and that she did her own block print illustrations. The prints were my favorite part of the book.

Take a peek below.

to learn more about the author or purchase reprints of her books you might wan to check out this website

http://www.gwenfrostic.com/

I really do love to decorate with vintage books. I think they warm up a space and create a great way to layer your decor.

Very "text"ural

Another tip about vintage novels used as decor :they might entice your children's curiosity to read them.

When I was little my mother had quite a collection of books that belonged to my grand father displayed on some shelves in the living room. I was always strangely attracted to the covers and titles and thought that they must be something really special if they were being prominently displayed. My curiosity got the better of my and I read quite a few of them. They weren't all as interesting as Wuthering Heights but it got me reading.

Some more books I have displayed that my hubby bought for me when we were in college. These books were a bit more exciting and more affordable than my Pattern making textbooks
in college.

I also wanted tho share my latest framing with you.

I finally framed up a piece of the crazy quilt that I had purchased at my first auction.

I think it turned out really well, especially in the the modern frame. It looks a little less "country" and more like abstract artwork.

I never thought I was such a quilt girl but I have become very drawn to them. I don't know if it is the combinations of colors & textures,or if it is because they are hand made (so much work!) ,or if it is the history found in the items.

I just discovered this very faint writing on this section of the quilt. (I don't know if you can see it in the photo)

it lists two names (which are hard to make out) were married, December 1891

so lovely

Rockin' Auction

Hi everyone,

I attended an amazing auction today and picked up quite a few lovely things that I would love to share with you.

Take a look at the sweet little green house transfer on this plate. I think that is a place that I would like to visit on a beautiful summer day. I hadn't planned on bringing this plate home but was pleasantly surprised when I purchased another lot at the auction and they brought this over to me as well.

My hubby is always commenting that he would love to get a rocking chair someday. I saw this chair and thought it would be a perfect gift for him on a Wednesday. (and also butter him up a bit to get him to grill out) The chair is from the 40's or the 50's. It is in amazing shape and it looks really smart as well!

The best part
Now you see it...

Now you don't!!!

Imagine my glee upon finding out that this great chair conveniently folds away

This is a really great metal tray. it is vintage but I think that it still has a bit of a modern feel to it.

I think it would look really great layered with some other pieces as a center piece on a dining room table.

Kitsch!

I know that all of you out there have a secret soft spot in you heart for little pieces of kitsch! Just imagine the conversations that could be started from each one of these pieces.

I am not really sure of the date on these but I think they are hand made chair covers. I really loved the muted colors and the patterns on each one of them. They look very Anthropologie to me.I wonder if I can make little area rug out of them?

I also found this beautiful quilt from the 1930's. It is in fantastic condition. I don't think it has ever been used.

It is a quirky composition of different feedsack fabrics. The patterns don't really "go" together but somehow they all work together and definitely make a statement!

"I have personality!"


I don't know if you recognize this mirror from a previous blog?

I had purchased this on a recent trip to a flea market over the 4th of July holiday.

All it took was a little TLC and this mirror looked great hanging in my spare room!


I am really proud of this find. I have been looking for an end table for my living room for the longest time. Our couch has really tall arms so it had been quite difficult to find something that measured up.

There it was sitting at a garage sale for $2. It might not be the highest quality antique but It has really great lines and all it took was a coat of paint to make it look new again. (well it might have taken a few nails and wood filler too)

I will be attending an auction in Cincinnati tomorrow at Cowan's

The auction is called the discovery sale. They usually deal in very high end,expensive antiques and collectibles but at this particular sale the offer a selection of items that are still considered antique & collectible but tend to sell for more affordable prices.

If you are in the area I recommend you check it out.

http://www.cowanauctions.com/
This is one of the items that I have my eye on

wish me luck!

spring into fall

I LOVE TEEN VOGUE
just like whitney says "the children are our future..."

when i was growing up i always used to get depressed when the 4th of july was over and all the back to school clothes would start to set in the stores...
i knew that school was just around the corner...

so when I got the august issue of Teen Vogue in the mail BEFORE the 4th of july i can't say i was surprised that they were already talking about back to school fashion

but hey, i guess you can say that I am already getting my stock together for the upcoming season

i found this purse at an auction and i really think it would be a great compliment to the little ensemble featured on the cover of of Teen Vogue...and just think if you bought this you might very well own a one of a kind...kinda like couture. oh la la...i think that is one of the reasons i like vintage so much.

another lovely little look from the article Emma Enchanted in this issue of Teen Vogue
see more pics from this article on http://www.teenvogue.com/
i thought the colors & textures were very inspiring



kinda like this fabric that i framed. the colors are really bright & cheerful making this slightly formal print a bit more playful and it also is a little glam with touches of metallic in the print

another fabric that i have recently acquired is a lovely brocade (or is it a jacquard...it's been a long time since i took that "intro to fabrics" class) it's not too serious and in fact the colors in the flowers make this typically formal fabric feel a bit younger

call me crazy but when i saw this crazy quilt at an auction i knew i HAD to have it

talk about fall fabulous.the top part of the quilt is composed entirely of vintage menswear fabrics.and the underside of the quilt is a beautiful black grounded floral. i loved how this quilt felt very sophisticated through the colors & textures of the squares and naive at the same time with the quilt construction.

this was another love from the the All that jazz article. there was so much plaid in this issue of Teen Vogue (i know that is pretty typical for back to school trends).

i thought that plaids looked great because they had great POP colors that made the usual hum drum plaids bold and beautiful

this is a selection of plaids & textures that my little sis picked up for me and i think that these plaids had some of those great pops

feeling the need to play around some of the latest fashion pieces? mix up some colors, textures and patterns yourself on the absolutely awesome website that I read about in the august issue of Lucky

http://www.looklet.com/

it's like paper dolls for grown ups. (on most of the clothing pieces it lets you know where you can purchase the items for yourself)

playing around on looklet is a bit more sophisticated than playing around with this life size set of paper dolls that I recently saw at a flea market. (i kinda regret not getting her because i am not exactly the most sophisticated gal you have ever met)

but enough of the fall talk!!! as far as i am concerned summer is just getting started and i am going to enjoy these bright beautiful summer hues!

these little duckies quack me up!

another little summer treat...

i just recently framed up some of the fabrics that i had picked up a few weeks ago at a garage sale (don't know if you might recognize them from a previous blog...if not maybe you should check it out to see the transformation from quilted scraps to bright, fun & fresh looking art.)

and for my last topic of the day...

another summer tradition that this garage sale girly enjoys with the hubby is attending a classic car show.

if you like vintage cars...this is the place to be!!!

i really loved the metallic shade of this larger than life convertible

the car color reminded me of this slightly disturbing gold painted doll that i had seen last week at a tag sale. (YIKES!!) she was all painted except for her eyes (watch out chucky)

don't you love this car??? i really think that is is my new dream car.

the next flea mobile???
now go enjoy the sunshine!!!!

it's an order!!

happy belated 4th of july

sorry for the break in the action but i have been away on a fourth of july vaca!!!

pack up the flea mobile aka the silver flea (pet names my hubby has for my car)

for a fabulous trip to the cottage with the fam!!!

this is a painting of the cottage that i had made when i was younger

i think my rendering was pretty accurate

god bless america!! aren't these great! i picked them up at the springfield flea market. they were cigar box liners. i thought the colors were great and loved the subject matter... so i bought the whole lot.

my family & i always celebrate the forth of july at our little cottage in western new york where my father grew up. (now this isn't the house my father grew up in...that was up the road & was slightly larger and was some what insulated)


but never fear garage sale girly was still on the case...on the morning of the 4th we all attended the famous dart field flea market. don't know if you can see the helicopter parked at the end of the row...it was pretty packed!


searching for treasures...i even caught my mom getting into the action

haha! don't you love this little cowboy? if you press his belt he drops his drawers. (i know i totally should have bought it) you never know what you will find!

i picked up this little dairy box. i was told by a few of my family members the these little boxes sat outside your front door for your milk man to put the milk delivery into...hmmmmm

i thought it would make a really cool storage box in my living room!

i found this really great mirror w/ shelf


ohhhh...and i also picked up this awesome selection of holiday greeting cards

please forgive me if i romanticise the cottage & the lake but come on it really is BEAUTIFUL!!!

a few fireworks and a great bonfire to celebrate the 4th

and don't forget to light the flares all around the lake at 10

NO CHEATING!

this little number is something i framed up for the cottage. it is an illustration and poem from a children's book about the 4th that i felt suited our shabby chic vintage decor

"pride of place"

talk about retaining original details...how about these fuse boxes

now here is a picture of my dream kitchen shiny red ikea cabinets (i think they have a bit of a vintage vibe)...i might have been slightly inspired by the white metal cabinets at the cottage

they might not be shiny but they are vintage cool!


WALLPAPER!!!!!


yes it looks a little rough around the edges (just like the cottage) but this claw foot tub keeps us clean.

i love the door knob to the bathroom...a little bit of bling. the chic part of shabby

speaking of bling...my lil sister got engaged while we were up at the lake.

...i wonder if her fiance was inspired by the door knob at the cottage when he purchased the ring for her

i am one of the luckiest people in the world because i get to go there and spend time with my family...

i miss it already

and my mom making me breakfast

i know. i am spoiled