Checkers

Tonight I thought I would show you the antique store where I have my little booth.

If you are ever in Magnolia, AR make sure you stop by this fun little corner of our town.

Do you need a carriage? I know where you can find one!

My booth is constantly changing. I think it helps to change and move things around.

I have some fun vintage office items in there right now.

There is a little bit of everything....from a bed pan to pretty china.

I took these pictures last week. Now the two top suitcases are gone. The basket on the floor is gone. Silver tray....gone. Sales were pretty good this past weekend.

I wish I had this big of space. This belongs to the shop owner, Kathy.

Dave always has fun stuff.

So does his mom, Jan. I love this glass hand and the numbered beaker/vase. Both of these items tempt me each time I go into the store.

I am not making big bucks with my booth, but I am making money each month. I love it! I love shopping for bargains. I love repurposing some of those bargains. I love displaying the items. I love the friendships that I have made. I just love it!

{Clear my name, God; I've kept an honest shop. I've thrown in my lot with you, God, and I'm not budging. Psalm 26:1}

Seeing Red

We live in a fairly small town. So, when I needed some red spray shortly after we moved here I had two choices - WalMart and Ace Hardware. I didn't want bright red and I didn't want burgandy. I was having trouble finding just the right shade of red.

Then I found "International Red" (as in International tractors). Yes, this paint is meant for farm implements, but it has become my favorite spray paint. I've been through three cans now.

Last weekend I spent some time doing some "trash to treasure" projects for my antique booth. This little chalkboard was my favorite project. It was actually a mirror (in fact I just turned the mirror around and painted the chalkboard paint on the back). The wood basically had no finish left. I just got my spray paint and painted away. I love how it turned out and wish I would have kept it. Too late. It sold a couple days after I put it in the booth.

Here are some other projects. Sorry about the bad lighting. There is a very large picture-turned bulletin board, a picture-turned chalkboard, a metal tray-turned chalkboard....

....a little red camp stool and this mini message board with cute little red clothespins. I don't know what it is supposed to be. I just thought it would be fun to clip pictures, recipe cards, etc. to. When I bought the camp stool it was dirty and the seat was torn. I painted it and then used this fun webbing from WalMart for the seat. Love that webbing! It is like 62 cents/yard and I have seen some really fun projects with it here in blogland.

Garage sale season is starting to pick back up here. Yeah! On Friday afternoon I stopped by one and found some great (and much needed) clothes for the boys. Like-new Levi Silvertabs for the 11 yr old - $1, American Eagle cargo shorts - $1, like-new Old Navy dress pants for the 8 yr. old - 50 cents! I was excited about those purchases, but this is what really made my heart skip a beat....

Seven sheets of vintage valentines! Aren't they incredible?! I will keep some and sell some. Love 'em!

Well, I've got to get off the computer. Laundry to do. House to clean. Soup to get in the crockpot. Busy, busy!

{"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." Isaiah 1:18}

{ReNew}

I decided that my antique booth needed a name instead of just a silly number. I used old dictionary pages to put the name on an old mirror. I like the way it turned out. I am also stamping the name on all of my price tags.

Isn't this plastic shelving pitiful? I just didn't have anything else to use - especially at the last minute. It will have to do for now. I'm on the lookout for a wooden bookshelf or cabinet. But you know me - it's got to be cheap! So far, no luck.

Here is the stadium chair being used as a shelf. After I took the picture I added a boy scout book. Looks kind of bare as it is. The blocks spell out "Live. Laugh. Love." I've already sold a set that spelled "Dream."
This is an old silver scoop. It was not in great shape, so I decided to decorate it. I used shredded music for the "nest" and then added some little eggs, a tag and some antique lace.
Here is a plate I dressed up. I have no idea if these things will sell, but I enjoy making them.
I also made up some "embellishment packs." Again, fun to put together and not sure if they will sell. I've actually accumulated quite a lot of vintage lace, ribbon and trims lately. Much more than I can use anytime soon. I love it and hope others will, too.

Webster's defines renew this way: 1. Revive. 2. Begin anew. I love that. With a little care an antique can be revived. With some imagination an object can begin anew; perhaps with a new purpose. Here is an example of renewal from this week.

I'm calling it my flea market bag. It is quite large - great for holding newfound treasures! Can you guess what it was before I "renewed" it?

A chair slipcover! Not this one exactly, but you get the idea, right? It is a linen fabric. I cut it off just above the ties. So, what would have gone over the back of the chair became the bag. I also removed the ties and used them as the straps. So easy because I didn't have to do any hemming. The small pocket with the embroidery was cut from the bottom of the slipcover. The large floral pocket is from a vintage handmade valance.

I used the same fabric as a band along the top, inside of the bag. I didnt want to line the bag, but wanted the top to be neat. I sandwich the straps between the right sides of the two fabrics, stiched around the whole thing, turned the floral print to the inside and pressed it. I should have taken pictures, because I'm not sure what I just typed makes any sense to anyone but me. Sorry.

Enough for tonight. I have laundry that is waiting to be folded. I'd rather keep blogging.

{"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10}

Back in Business

There is a fun little antique mall in town and I called last Thursday to see about booth fees, etc. The owner informed me that she just had an opening and I could "move in" on Monday. I felt the rent was quite reasonable and so I decided to go for it. I really had to get busy getting things ready, but by Monday evening I was back in business! I took a few pictures but they didn't turn out well - it is pretty dark in there. I'll try again this next week.

Since I am selling again (already made over half my rent!) I figured I might need to step up the buying just a bit also. You know, I have to make sure to keep that booth full. The garage sales and thrift stores were pretty good to me this week. I found some things to sell and, of course, some things to keep.

My son and I were talking about how nice it would be to take a nap on the porch with these cool temperatures we've been having. This cot will make that possible.
Some linens are drying on the drying rack I got this morning.
Some pictures, a camp stool (that needs the canvas replaced) and some badmitton racquets....This stuff was all super-cheap. The pictures are nothing special, but the frames were worth it. I think the large one would make a great chalk board or inspiration board.
This is just a small sampling of the trims and laces I bought. There is actually a whole box full. Some really fun stuff!

You might want to enlarge this picture. Here is what you are looking at: little metal feeders, vintage fabric, a lunch pail with owls on it, shoe forms, a peg rack and a wooden stadium chair. I am thinking that the feeders might make fun fall decorations - maybe add some mini pumpkins, leaves, etc.
I wish I would have taken a better picture of this stadium chair. It is really neat. I might hang it in my booth and use it as a shelf.
Here is a better look at the fabric.
Isn't this a sweet little sewing rocker? It is going to the booth. I don't have room for more furniture here.
This silver tiered stand is very tarnished but I will probably leave it that way for now. On it are some of those little candle holder clips for Christmas trees. There are more of those and the candles to go with them. I will put them in my booth later on. I have a project planned for the silver shoe forms. I'll show you when I complete it.

Some of the things I bought Friday morning I have already priced and taken in to the booth. I forgot to take pictures. There is the sweetest little vintage child's pinafore apron. I wanted to keep it, but I don't need it.

We got several inches of rain last week, but the winds never got too bad. We have been enjoying the wonderful temperatures. It is so nice to open up the house and let the cool breezes blow through.

Are you having a good weekend? I sure hope so!