Some Thrift Store Days are Just Better than Others

I don't usually come home from thrift stores really happy - either I'm not very good at finding treasures or things are already picked over! But last week was a good week for me!

I actually found this horse at an antique shop, but it was only $8 and is about 5" tall. It is a vintage Swedish Dala Horse and I am so excited because during a move I lost a very similar one that my Papa gave me when I was a little girl (his parents immigrated from Sweden). It is quite worn, but fits in perfectly with all of my other vintage decor. I think it is fairly old, but I don't know enough about the designs to be sure.

I LOVE rose prints and this one is so sweet! A print in perfect condition from 1969 and a sturdy wooden frame. $1!!!!

A delicate silver (most likely plated since there are no marks at all) heart bracelet with just enough wear to make it look nice and vintage-y! I love silver and hearts and bracelets!! Oh, for only $2!

I know that y'all will think I've flipped, but I found 2 of these ($2 each) and they will be perfect for all of the football games I will be going to now that my daughter is a cheerleader. No, they're not the right color, but I'm really not that picky (and orange is never a bad color in TX) and since I have been keeping an eye out for them (really!) I couldn't believe my luck in finding 2 just a week after I started looking.

I also found an American Girl-sized salon chair (target brand) for my little ones dolls and animals - it even has a lever on the bottom to raise and lower the seat just like at a real salon - too cute! A bit pricey at $4, but new ones are $25...

And a skinny leather bracelet with silver heart medallions for my oldest. ($2)

Another Painting . . . By Me!

Obviously not perfect, but I am quite happy with my Eiffel Tower painting I did at my local painting parlor. This is the 4th painting I've done - I've also managed a chicken (I posted about her here), a rooster, and a cat! I knew the tiny lines would be a challenge since I do not have very steady hands, but I really wanted to do it and it turned out better than I expected!

The instructor paints the picture also (on his own canvas) as you go, so you get to see actual technique as it's happening. We did the background first - which is always so much harder for me than it should be - then the dots. Next, we traced the Tower and the floral design at the top and then used the tiniest brush ever to fill everything in.
It was my late birthday present to myself (I even used my first ever groupon) and I had tons of fun!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day . . . again . . . from Petals!
Petals first wished some lucky mom happy mother's day in 1957 (according to the inscription on the back of this cutting board).

I am so glad that I was able to rescue her from the thrift store and give her a new beginning just in time for mother's day 2011!

I just finished placing the last mosaic piece. Hopefully I will be able to add the grout soon and Petals will be complete! (My daughter named her Petals since it starts with a P and the plate pieces are floral.)

I have been planning Petals for a while and had the lavender and green plates since last year, my mom just found the berry colored one at a yard sale last weekend so I couldn't wait to get started!

She is handmade and about 14" by 9". The lavender and berry colors are both reproduction Spode; the green was unmarked and vintage.

Cheerleader Pillowcase Update

I finally finished my daughter's pillowcase!
(I started in this post.)

This is the front side all pieced together . . .

(I love my new cutting mat - even if it does smell awful and I have to store it in the garage - and rotary cutter! I still can't sew straight, but at least straight cuts make it a bit more possible!)


. . . And this is the whole case - done!


I used the "hotdog method" to sew it all together - I found really easy instructions on sewhooked's blog.
I need to find a new pillow just a bit bigger and it will be perfect!

I did line the pieced front side with muslin (thanks for the advice YippeeVintage!) and did a bit of stitching on the front just to hold it together