Vintage Junk in My Trunk

Christmas in October, The Sequel

Evidently, it's still Christmas where I live. This is what I found on Saturday, at three different yard sales.

Spun cotton head angels -- some were attached to a light set, which doesn't work, but I was more interested in the angels.

Candle-climbing elves, new in plastic sleeves.

Lots of tiny balls and bells, some wrapped in tinsel netting.

“Unbreakable” diorama ornaments from the 1960s in their original boxes.

Three small bottle brush wreaths.

Bunches of plastic reindeer on chenille stems, with their “Hong Kong” paper label still attached.

Really old German chenille ornaments with paper heads. They're in pretty bad shape; some of the appendages were scotch-taped together! I'm hoping I can rewire them a little better. That little guy on the left has a spun cotton head.

Vintage holiday linen tablecloths.

And, oh yeah, Shiny Bastards Brites. 

Ho-Ho-Ho!

Poppies, Pinecone Birds, and Pony Show Ribbons

So I missed last Saturday's yard sales since I was selling at our local Fall Fest, but I think I more than made up for it the previous weekend. Remember Vintage Christmas Heaven? That was Friday.

This was Saturday:

The amount of stuff I got was outrageous!

Even more astonishing, I found all of these treasures at a community-wide yard sale event. Which I'm not a big fan of, since the stuff for sale is usually baby- or kid-oriented. Or, “let's-drag-a-table-out-and-put-5-things-on-it” oriented.

But look at these gorgeous linens! I am a sucker for red and aqua, or red and green. Ok, so, RED.

This tablecloth of red poppies (?) is my very favorite. I was pawing through the pile looking for linens to sell in my Etsy shop.

I wasn't looking for myself. Honest. (Keep).

These two are pillow covers with a complimentary pattern on the reverse (keep, keep).

Love this sweet little girl photo, and the mirror heart with photo insert.

Here's a charming little suitcase with travel stickers.

And another (little toy) suitcase.

A vintage Heidi doll, made in Poland.

A yard sale day wouldn't be a (good) yard sale day (to me) without some vintage Christmas. Even if he is a dirty old Santa.

At first I wasn't sure WHAT this thing was, but it looked for sure like something that should go on Etsy as vintage folk art.

Two of something weird is always better.

So what do I THINK they are? How about weather forecasting pinecone birds? As seen in the September, 1931 issue of Modern Mechanix.

Ok, so maybe they're not circa 1931, but vintage folk art, nonetheless.

Finally, this giant box of horse show ribbons from the 1960s. They are pretty fabulous, and not a bit weird!

Fall Fest Fragments

You would think that a local Fall Fest event that starts off with 40 mph winds and three plates broken by your neighbor's tent flap wouldn't turn out to be such a good day.

I was simply relieved that those same plates didn't land on the three largest and heaviest ones I had just set aside and marked SOLD.

Now THAT would have been disastrous.

Fortunately, the winds died down and my own tent ceased its shaking.

Big crowds, sunshine, and only 68 shopping days until Christmas made for a vintage repurposer's dream.

The only bad part? I missed the Saturday yard sales!

Let's Get Ready to Rummage!

Ah, church rummage sales -- is there anything better for a thrifty gal? I know they are prevalent in other areas of the country, but here in the southern part of the Garden State not so much. I probably find two or three a year if I'm lucky.

And lucky I was. Lucky I didn't get barreled over by the large group that decided two minutes before showtime to rise up en masse from their cushy seats on the couches at the other end of the room to the stairwell that headed down into the sale.

Which is where I happened to be standing when I walked in. Until that massive group informed me that the line started behind them. Because I guess the couches were the waiting area?

Whatever. I don't like to mess around with vintage karma, so I stepped back and allowed them to elbow their way past me. I figure if it's meant to be, it's meant to be.

And it was.

Because Christmas balls! In cool original boxes!

And a bag of vintage baby shoes!

And this antique box, with sliding lid and dovetailed sides!

And this bunch of brass napkin rings, which are screaming “project” to me but I haven't figured out which kind yet.

And these made-in-West-Germany Christmas tree candle holders. I think.

And this super dusty vintage globe!

And this unused vintage needlepoint kit -- the bag was torn but had never been opened. I had recently read this post from Goodwill Haunting so I was on the lookout for my own $600 scores!

The best part about church rummage sales? My total cost for all of these items, plus a milk glass candlestick and a purple denim jacket and embellished jean skirt for little Miss VJIMT came to a grand total of $9.25! Gotta love 'em!

Vintage Christmas Heaven

That estate sale where I got the Shiny Brites was certainly a little slice of vintage Christmas heaven! Look at what else I found -- 

These foil ornaments may look good on a certain kitschy silver tree. Or in my Etsy shop!

Plastic icicle ornaments, with poinsettias built right in

More, more, more!

Multi-colored icicles and some sputnik-style retro aluminum ornaments.

Sweet velvety made-in-Japan red reindeer.

And look at these elf and santa tinsel ornaments / tree toppers. I haven't seen the likes of these before -- have you?

Other festive things as well…

Love this little bluebird planter…

A nice bride and groom figurine.

Other miscellaneous things.

Vintage sifter with apple decals.

Very cool Eastman Kodak photography timer.

What a great morning! And although I THOUGHT I hit the mother lode, did you see what Magpie Ethel found? Looks like Christmas heaven from coast to coast!

---

Linking up with Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday.

Did Someone Say Shiny Brites?

The only thing I can say is that you all must have been fervently wishing for me to find some ornaments with which to decorate my kitschy aluminum Christmas tree… ‘cause I found all these TODAY at an estate sale I very nearly missed. The universe is listening!

Although Mr. VJIMT uses another not so nice “B” word to describe them, I humbly bow before the vintage Shiny Brite gods and thank them for their bounty.

And this is not even everything I got this morning -- more photos to come after I catch my breath!

The Dilemma

So, the day I found the aluminum Christmas tree? I was also lucky enough to score this!

The accompanying electric rotating color wheel. Which is selling for upwards of $99 on ebay and other online sites.

But I sort of have to keep it, right? Right?

'Cause what's a kitschy silver tree without some garish revolving lights shining on it? 

image pulled from various internet sites

That's like peanut butter without jelly. Rhythm and no blues. Lenny without Squiggy. 

Only 79 days left. I need more Shiny Brites!

Finding the One

Sometimes you know right away when you've found THE ONE.

Sometimes what you can see from the outside does not tell you everything you need to know about what's on the inside.

Sometimes you have to take a shot, and go with your gut. Especially if that shot only costs you five bucks.

Sometimes what's on the inside is silver, shiny, and sparkly. And flocked on the ends.

Sometimes you find at a yard sale what you searched for on ebay at the end of last season and could only find listed for hundreds of dollars.

Sometimes you get lucky and find THE ONE. But then you get tired of putting all the sticks into the little holes and your hands are starting to get cut up from the aluminum pieces and your lungs are becoming irritated from the flocking that's flying off the ends of the branches, and where is my inhaler?

So you stop, and take a photo, and proceed to undo what you've spent the last 20 minutes doing.

Because you've found THE ONE, and it's kitschy and kool and maybe {gasp} you can forego the real tree this year. Which is a mere 82 days away, if you'd like to start panicking.

Which I'm not. Because I found THE ONE. And we're in love.

---

Linking up with Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday.

How Am I Getting that *%$# Thing Home?

I believe that was Mr. VJIMT's exact quote this morning when I found this (featured earlier today on my Facebook fan page) and bought it on the spot!

The photos aren't doing it justice, but it's a lovely pale aqua color, and a good five feet wide.

I'm envisioning it as another vanity makeover in our master bathroom, but for it to be EXACTLY the right dimensions for the existing plumbing would be a major miracle.

Maybe I'll just use it as a dresser if that doesn't happen.

Either way, I'll be sure to post the makeover shots and let you know what we did with it.

We found great treasures today so I'll be posting more photos soon!