MICHIGAN PICKERS--OR "SHABBY AND YOU DECIDE IF IT'S CHIC"

I've repeatedly been saying this has been the best auction, garage sale, thrift store year ever! I decided to share some more "finds" with you. This week was half price day at my local Goodwill. I had been there Thursday and decided to snatch up a bunch of items and not take a chance on them being there today--those wonderful finds are for another post! But I went back today and shopped some more and got these bracelets. They are pearlized stones set in bronzey looking metal. All for $2! Not normally my style, but the "pearly" look appealed to me.

This little gem--a sheep picture,I love sheep pictures--dear to my heart for obvious reasons, was covered with thick dust and the frame was in pieces, piled together with another rotting picture and old frame at an auction last week. I paid three dollars, brought it home and cleaned it up. My mom glued the frame and I thought it was nice, but the frame had some bad spots so I decided to try something. I saw some internet posts about using Vaseline to "distress" wood. So I tried it! Literally probably took me less than a half hour start to finish. I wiped Vaseline on the frame in intermittent places using a Qtip. Then I used some sample paint I had (yellow tinted off white) and brushed on the gold frame. I wiped most of the paint off the brush before painting. Let it dry all afternoon and here are the results! An antique looking antique!

Got this gorgeous square plate today for 50cents. I found the champagne glass a shelf away and will glue them with special craft glue to make "footed plates" for Christmas gifts. I couldn't believe how well this glassware matched--also 50cents! Footed plates for $1!!!!

Another of the pretty plates I got for 50cents. I bought the little dessert dishes for the "feet" on these. I will have three identical--cost, $1.

Got this on Thursday and decided not to wait for the half price sale. I had a 20% off coupon and so decided I'd pay the extra--about $20-- and be sure this came home with me. It's a wonderful little kitchen, an item we had been talking about getting for the kids to have while here. Yes, that's our car behind the kitchen!--sorry.We had spoken of what to get just that morning before I went to the thrift store. I almost missed this gem. I was looking at the curtains--department right next to toys--when I spotted this. I also bought a ton of gorgeous curtains for the fabric and to use in Christmas décor. That's for another post!

 

God has blessed me with some very specific answers to prayer as far as obtaining needed and wanted items that I have been searching for. I'm convinced that our Heavenly Father just wants to lavishly bless us! Hallelujah!

SOME DETAILED VICTORIAN DOLLS

I decided to make Victorian rag dolls for the girls for Christmas. This is Betsy, Sophie's doll. I hope to picture Emma's doll on a future post. I was able to construct these dolls from scraps I had laying around. I don't think I purchased one single thing in the process. I always love to create bargain items.

I was really impressed with how these dolls turned out. I hadn't made dolls for years. Decided to alter the pattern just a bit and so I used black velvet to make the legs appear to have old fashioned high top shoes on and still left the main part of the legs in muslin color. Here's a close up of Betsy's feet. Hopefully more details to follow when we get some pictures of Emma's doll, Charlotte! Blessings, LORI

ANTIQUE CHICKEN BUTTER DISH AND SPINNING WHEEL

I had a great Saturday last week! A large old business builidng in our town had a giant antiques auction! My great, great, grandmothers at one time worked for the business from their homes. It was the Lamb Knit Company. They manufactured gloves at the turn of the last century--go figure! And now I'm a knitter--finished a pair of gloves just last week. Anyway, each day the company sent out stacks of gloves to area housewives who sewed up the fingers. My grandma left this info in her diary and that was the exact same historical overview given before the auction. I wanted some memorabilia from the factory and ended up getting this wonderful little spinning wheel. I can't be sure it was original to the Lamb Knit Company, but might have been since the building also housed a school, I believe, according to historical information. The school trained teachers and a tabletop loom was sold that same day, said to be original to the school. I paid more than I would normally pay for any auction item, but I'm pleased with my purchase. I have cleaned it up and will give it several coats of oil to nourish the wood. I believe all parts are there, with a minor exception of eyelets, and it is in working condition.

After the sale, I went to a local Goodwill and purchased this wonderful chicken butter dish. I LOVE this new acquisition. Our old modern butter dish was cumbersome and had no handle, making it difficult to use. This one is way, way better and cute as well! Since I'm a chicken lover, this will be just great. I almost didn't buy it, but for $4.50, how could I go wrong? The spinning wheel price was a different story. Let's just say at least two other bidders thought it was worth what I paid because I sort of had to keep diligent to get this wheel! Blessings, LORI