MY WEEKEND FINDS

Thanks for tuning in to another episode of My Weekend Finds, the continuing saga of one girl's quest for more junk!
Well I must say that it's been very hard finding junk recently, because I haven't really been looking! Normally, I would stop at every single thrift store when I'd pass them, but I guess I got burned out doing that at Christmastime. However, that break was very short-lived, and now I'm ready to track down junk with gusto!
I've been looking at this little Crown bird cage for a few months now, and finally decided to bring it home and trap some pottery deer in there!
Vintage seed packets, some with seeds still in them. They're like little works of art, aren't they?
I couldn't pass up that tray. It's just goes too perfectly with the green and yellow pottery!
Nor could I pass up this cute record to go with my old record player. SING & BE HAPPY!
I finally found this issue of Coronet magazine, after years of searching. I LOVE anything Halloween-y!
I also had to have these cute little school books.
The illustrations are just adorable!
I'm always looking for additions to my holiday collections, so I was quite pleased to find that old valentine planter. And on my front porch, I found a package with that elf inside. Geez, he's cute! Maureen, of Nest 'n Feathers, sent him to me. She said that when she found him, she thought of me. Isn't that one of the nicest things a person can ever hear? Thank you Maureen, for thinking of me!
Well, there seems to be some red in every single picture, so I'll be linking up to REDNESDAY over at It's A Very Cherry World too!

PAINTED HUTCH

About two weeks ago, I did some painting!
You might remember a while back when I brought the lid from this vintage picnic tin to the hardware store so that they could color match it and whip up a gallon of custom paint for me. It's my favorite jadeite green color, and I used the paint......
to transform this cabinet......
to this! I absolutely love it, and I've never regretted painting it.
But across the room, there lurked this thing. This secretary hutch, which I've hated almost from the moment I brought it home. It serves it's purpose, which is to hold lots of junk, but I've never been crazy about the way it looks. So I got that paint can out again....
and now I love this piece too! It feels like I can see everything behind the glass doors so much better, although I'm thinking about painting the inside a cream color, to make it all stand out even more.
Aren't the polka dotty knobs fun?! They're from Hobby Lobby, and when they have their knobs 50% off, I could just go nuts!
The bottom drawer holds placemats for every holiday.
And sometimes it's a cat bed! Not really though. That would be gross to eat off of place mats full of cat hair!
The middle drawer holds part of the vintage tablecloth collection.
Which takes some of the burden off of the other green cabinet. Yikes, what a mess! You've just seen one of my dirty little secrets. All of my tablecloths in a jumble!
And while I was in the painting mood, I tackled this ugly lamp.
Spraypaint is our friend! I used Rustoleum Moss Green, and now I like this lamp. But I'm not real sure about the shade yet.....
So which do you prefer....the BEFORE or the AFTER? And should I distress it a little? I'm no expert, but I have to recommend painting a piece of furniture, especially if you hate it. And if it's not valuable or a family heirloom. Oh, and do it without telling your husband. That would be my number one recommendation!

REDNESDAY!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!! I've got all kinds of reds to share on this day of love, including some gifts from bloggy friends. That valentine above is my absolute favorite, because it was given to me by my parents when I was little!

I found these canisters at a thrift store a while ago, and after realizing that I had no room for them, I always meant to sell them. Now they hold pet food, and it's the official Pet Feeding Station! There's cat food in the big one, birdseed and millet in the other two for the parakeets. The trash can underneath holds more cat food. The pretty crocheted potholders are from a giveaway that I won from Nancy Jo. More on her in a minute!
I'm pretty sure that these paper dolls were originally my sister's. I loved spending hours playing with them! I wonder why, when I had tons of Barbies as well. Maybe because it was easier to put clothes on them? Anyway, there's a bunch of other paper dolls in that box too, that I'll share another time. Isn't the box itself the cutest?!
My sweet pal Jackie, of Once Upon A Fairyland, sent me these. Just because! I especially love that tray on the left, with all the deer....

These were also in the box. I can't wait to craft with them!
Ok, I don't think that there's any red in this shot, but I had to share it all. She really gets how I love decorating for every holiday!
I also won this pretty beaded purse from Nancy Jo, and I've tucked a couple of vintage valentines in it. It's hanging on the door to the attic, the only glass doorknob in the house. Who decided, when this house was built 85 years ago, that the pretty glass doorknob should go on the door leading to the attic??? Holly, who also has one lone glass doorknob in her house, will appreciate this shot!
I also received this bag from Nancy Jo. Look at the little red hearts on the umbrella!
And inside the bag were all of these gorgeous buttons! Lots of crafting possibilities there. Can we all stop what we're doing for just a moment and thank all of the women in the past who so frugally snipped off every single button from a garment before getting rid of it?!

If you would like to see more reds, please visit Sue at It's A Very Cherry World, where she hosts this red party every week!

REDNESDAY-Valentine Reds

Don't you just love the graphics that Sue makes for her Rednesday party each week? That one above is one of my all-time favorites!
Well, after much procrastination, I finally decided that the safest place for my Valentine's Day collection is on top of the green cabinet. Surely Cupcake can't jump up there!

Our little valentine tree.
I bought these chenille girls a few years ago from Ebay, but I added their little heart wands.
Awwww, lookie who's sitting under the valentine tree! I just had to have this pair, because Mr. Old Glory is a musician and he plays guitar in his band.

Mr. & Mrs. Old Glory
Sittin' Under A Tree......

One of my favorite valentines from my collection. Sue, this one always makes me think of you!
LISTEN FELLER.....!
I think this one is my absolute favorite. Maybe!
This is a cabinet in the kitchen. I would have loved to show more than just the cabinet, but there are groceries all over the kitchen table next to it. The sun came out, so I dropped what I was doing in order to get a decent shot. I've got my priorities straight! That doily decoration that our daughter made in grade school always gets hung on the glass, along with that heart that I made several years ago hanging from the handle, and a new addition is that polka dotty garland that Holly at Cutie Pie Cottage made. It's there ALL the time now!
If you would like to see more reds, please visit Sue at It's A Very Cherry World!

My Sewing Machine Is Finally Fixed!!!

A long long time ago, my husband gifted me with a sewing machine. It was so long ago that I don't remember if it was for Christmas, my birthday or just because! And it feels like it's been broken forever. I was quite stunned at how expensive it is to repair a sewing machine. How expensive? Let's just say that I could have had the oil changed in both of our cars for the same price!
So I was finally able to make this valentine bunting.

You would probably think that sewing hearts is easy. Well, you would be very WRONG! In my excitement at having a working machine again, I accidentally sewed a couple of the hearts shut, so I couldn't turn them right sides out.
And they're like snowflakes......
No two are alike! But that's OK. It still turned out cute, and no one will know except for those of you that are reading this right now!
I even whipped up a little cupcake blankie for Cupcake!
I think she likes it. Nighty night, Cuppy!
Yes, I'm quite thrilled to have my sewing machine working again. Why, the possibilities are endless! Even though I made myself give up quilting because I was horrendous at it, I just might take it up again. Maybe it wasn't ME that was so bad at it, maybe it was THE MACHINE! More projects to come.......

MY WEEKEND FINDS

Thanks for tuning in to another episode of My Weekend Finds, the continuing saga of one girl's quest for more junk!
I found that piece of pottery on the right a week or two ago, but I can't remember where I got it! I used to be able to remember where I got every single thing! Some might say that it's a sign of getting old. I say, I've got way too much junk!
I've been trying to go antiquing once a week, and it's so nice when you see new things in the booths, like these Lefton S&P shakers. I only wish that they changed their merchandise at the same time that we bloggers start decorating for each holiday. There should not still be Christmas stuff on the shelves! Am I right?
After going to three antique malls in one day, these are the only valentine-y things I came home with. Love them, but where is all the valentine stuff???
I saw these bunnies while I was Christmas shopping, and it just didn't feel right to be buying something for myself at the time. What a relief to see that they were still there when I returned for them!
So what's the situation at your antique stores? Did you find anything exciting over the weekend?!