Busy, busy, busy!

 My year has been blowing by so far, how about yours? Can you believe it is almost April? Wow! I for one have been very busy! I am in the middle of my third estate sale for the year and start my fourth tomorrow. Plus I have 2-3 more coming up. The Lord is good! In between working on these sales I sneak a little time to take care of my antique mall booths. I was there Monday sprucing up and adding more merchandise. In one of my booths I added some vintage watercolor paintings by Alberto Meza, all with south Texas wildlife and so detailed. There are also three vintage cactus paintings which used to hang in the Casa De Palmas hotel years ago. The Casa De Palmas still sits in the middle of downtown McAllen but is now called The Renaissance. My husband and I spent our wedding night there in one of the towers back in 1981. The towers are no longer open, boo! It is a beautiful old place! My mother used to be friends with the manager's daughter back in the 1940's or 50's and would swim in the pool.

 Here is a view of my second booth at Mimi's Attic. I completely rearranged it Monday and brought new things here, too! It is barely in the picture but in the top right corner is a vintage retro orange hanging light fixture covered in orange prisms, so cool!!! I found it at an estate sale years ago and my daughter used it in her room. It is so unique!!! You can always click on my photos to get a closer look!

 I have been rearranging/purging at my house too! I had my brother refinish my old hall tree which turned out really nice and brought it to the shop. It is so beautiful with a heart shaped bevelled mirror. Love it! I also tried my hand at Annie Sloan paint and book page wreath making! I painted this table and then accented it with gold trim. My two book page wreaths are hanging on the heart hall tree! I loved the Annie Sloan paint AND making the book page wreaths!

 Here is Mimi the owner of Mimi's Attic. She has recently changed everything around at the mall and it is looking wonderful and so inviting! She has some great antique showcases and counters at and around her checkout area just full of wonderful things to tempt you with! She works so hard and it is a pleasure to rent my booths from her! If you are local and haven't been to downtown Weslaco in awhile you are missing out! There are now seven shops selling antiques, collectible and vintage merchandise all within three blocks plus other stores and the Weslaco Museum. It is not that far either. I can get to her mall in about 20 minutes from my driveway in McAllen!

 We have had a glorious winter and spring with summer coming quickly. I stepped outside this morning and the weather is just beautiful! It was a bit windy and cool and just perfect! This pot of lobelia and petunias is just bursting with blooms. That petunia was barely alive when I bought it for 75 cents at Lowe's back in October. Amazing what a little tender loving care will do, huh? The purplish blue lobelia blooms are awesome but will be gone once our summer heat shows up around May.

 Since the weather was so awesome I decided to do some pruning and trimming. I have several piles now so I guess I went a bit trim happy but it was needed. I had put seed out for the birds right before I started trimming and they patiently waited in the trees and bushes for me to get finished so they could eat! My cat was right there helping me and she came to see where I went when I went inside for the camera.

Here is another pot of lobelia, geranium ivy, ornamental cabbage and lantana, so lush and overflowing!! Well, I enjoyed my morning but look forward to working my newest estate sale tomorrow! Stay tuned!!!

Really?? I haven't posted since AUGUST????

If you know me you know I LOVE antiquing, junking, picking....whatever you want to call it! I LOVE the thrill of the hunt, seizing upon that special find and hoping I don't gasp loudly when I do....I'm trying to get better about that part but it's hard! To support this ummm habit/addicition I sell in three antiques malls, on ebay and etsy! Whew! I don't sell EVERYTHING I find of course. It is only for the things I find that I don't want but can't pass up OR if I am tired of looking at it at home! Case in point....the lovely tray pictured below! I have had this for years. I have used it in the kitchen as the holder for the salt & pepper shakers, napkins and toothpicks. Then it held a part of my sterling topped vanity jars.....notice I said PART! I have also used it for perfume bottles. So it has been fun but adios sweet tray!

 This photo shows some of my pickin' finds from last week! Lots of jewelry, some good, some bad, for selling, crafting and keeping! Please note the AWESOME antique purse frame underneath it all!

 Here are more photos of my booth, lynnesfinds, at New & Again Antique Mall in McAllen, TX. This is such a fun place as they have all types of things, not only antiques. Crafts, collectibles, vintage, you name it! They even have a tearoom for lunch and Karaoke Kafe on select evenings.

 These birds were one of my "collections"! Adios, birds! They are truly beautiful pieces but once I tire of something, bub-bye! Alot of folks love it when I "tire" of something!

 I crafted this standing iron cross by embellishing it with all sorts of vintage jewelry which makes it unique and one of a kind. I also repurpose vintage jewelry by making "new" jewelry out of it. Plus I decorate picture frames and am about to start a new "project" with my vintage jewelry....photos soon! In this picture are also several pieces of vintage and antique sterling items including a gold rimmed sterling thimble, very nice!

 Antique cameos anyone? These are all old or antique, are carved or etched authentic shell and have backings of gold filled, sterling or authentic gold. If they haven't sold since I took this picture last week they would be a great Mother's Day gift which, the way the year is flying by, will be here before you know it!

 Upon entering our local grocery store this past Monday I was hit with an explosion of Valentine's Day offerings! You looked to the left and it was plants, flowers and balloons everywhere!

 If you glanced to the right there were cakes of any color combination you could imagine, some good some not so good, cookies, cupcakes, chocolate covered strawberries, etc.

 I know when I whipped out my camera some folks were thinking, um, weird, and others just smiled fully understanding my awe!

Lastly, these cookies did not come the grocery store. These were made for me by a sweet friend who is the best baker I know! They taste as good as they look! Happy Valentine's Day and more posts to come.....and you won't have to wait 6 months either! :)

Bits & Pieces

 MIA.....missing in action! So much has happened in the last few months that I will just touch on a few things! The above picture was taken at our local grocery store during the few days around Mother's Day. Here in deep South Texas Mother's Day is taken seriously!! Check out the explosion of colors on these cakes. I had gotten in line to pay for some groceries and I was right next to this display. Yes, it was a Kodak moment! Click on the pics for up close and personal! :)

 This picture is of some darling little showcases I found. No this wasn't a flea market, antique shop, thrift store or any other of my usual "junking" haunts......this was at a "Marshall's"! I could not believe my luck! The wooden one is aged to perfection and really does look to be very old. The other one is a tin and glass creation with the lid slanted a bit....very similar to an antique one we had used in our antique shop for years....Mom has that one! I have had these a couple of months now so don't go running to Marshall's, sorry, but I just had to share!

 This is just because I love pink......and mercury glass......and old millinery velvet leaves.......and MacKenzie-Childs pottery......and that great antique pink satin glass lady flower frog.......well, the lady flower frog is my daughter's but I am "storing" it for her till she is ready to take it! That MacKenzie-Childs very large platter was a gift from my kids and husband several years ago and is one of my favorite pieces. I don't think this pattern was made very long as you sure don't see it much! The old vintage jar with a metal lid holds a large ball strand of pink mercury glass beads that are new but I am an equal opportunity mercury glass buyer. And besides, hello, they are pink! By the way I LOVE old glass jars, too, but that will have to be another post! :)

Now the first photo is of what used to be my daughter's room. She grew up on me, darn her, went off to Texas A&M and is now married to her sweetie, lives in California and is an elementary teacher! Soooo her room got transformed into my craft, eBay, Etsy, antique mall preparing room! Whoosh! It does NOT look like this picture anymore as it is somewhat filled up, and a bit messy at the moment, but I will post pictures soon of it's "loveliness"! I am in love with the great black and white floor and I have even more shelving now than what is here. Don't hate me!
The bottom photo is of some items I have listed on eBay right now, lynnesfinds is my seller name, that are from an estate sale I am currently working on. These pieces are sterling and very nice to say the least!!!! Please check them out if they interest you, they are beautiful pieces! So that is a little of what I am, and have been, up to lately. I will try my best to not take so long to update and my finished room pics will be coming soon! Have a great week!

My antique mall booths!

 Just wanted to do a quick update on my antique mall booths! These two photos are of my booth at Mimi's Attic in downtown Weslaco, TX. I have been rearranging both spaces, bringing in merchandise and freshening up.

 I have two vintage/antique showcases on the aisle and then you can step into my booth. I have a great lighted cabinet full of great stuff-on the right. At the back is a very long old tailor's table, display only, that I will be loading up later with some type of shelving, crates maybe? Not shown is another very large multi shelved lighted display case also chock full of great collectibles and antiques.

 This is my booth at Weslaco Antiques Mall only 2 doors south of Mimi's! I just completely rearranged this booth. It was long overdue and now is so much better! Remember you can click on the photos for a closer look! All the items in this booth are now half price! I am wanting to not only rearrange the booth BUT bring in all new (old) merchandise! Lots of great stuff to pick from so if you are local, come on down!

I have other news, too! As if two booths is not enough I am now at a third antiques mall but this one is in McAllen! My new space is inside New & Again Antique Mall at 1101 Upas, one block off Tenth street and very easy to find! Hours are Wednesday thru Saturday 10:00 until 6:00 and Sunday 12:00 until 6:00. These photos are the "befores", obviously, but my camera quit on me for the "afters"! I am headed over there tomorrow to take some more goodies and updated booth pictures. I have been blessed with great sales here already, thank you God! If you are local check out this nice mall run by some very sweet sisters! Thanks for checking in with me!

My new booth!!!!

 Finally!!!! Yesterday I spent 7 hours working on my new space and I can tell you, I am exhausted!!! Anybody remember that great aqua table from an earlier post??? It is now center stage and covered up with cake stands, garden art, etc. made from vintage ceramics and glass.
  Before I unpacked these though I took everything out of all my locked cases. I dusted and cleaned the glass shelves and then unpacked the new "old" stuff I had priced and brought. Then the fun part! I slowly started arranging my merchandise and I just love how it all turned out!

 In this case I focused on pinks, cranberry, gold, black and pearls with a few other things mixed in! I love mirrors too, and collect them, so see the three I have in this case. Remember to click on my pictures for a closer look! I took these pics just as I was ready to leave so it was quick and not close, sorry. Better pics next time! The mall owner was ready to go so I took them fast!

 I love this cabinet as it is lit, large and locks! I grouped items by color this time and really like how it looks. I find when I am shopping that I am drawn to groupings like this so I decided to give it a try. There's a lot of interesting items in this case.

This is my locking gun cabinet turned showcase. It was at an estate sale that I conducted and had no buyers so I bought it. I am so happy with this case. It could use some extra goods so I will bring more later. Believe me, I have LOTS to bring. It is hard when you are a dealer AND a collector. When I am out "hunting", I can ALWAYS find something to buy. Most of you out there know what I mean. Sometimes I just have to say calf-rope! Enough is enough.
  Just kidding! I can never get enough....................

Middle of the night crafting!!!

 Okay, am I crazy or what?? About 11:00 this evening, after finishing a movie with my hubby I got to thinking about some projects I have been wanting to do. I had to put everything on hold for the last 3 weeks while I finished working on income taxes for us and my folks. Yes....we are some of those folks who wait till the very last possible time to do taxes. Ours was finished yesterday and I took my folks paperwork to the accountant this afternoon!!!

 So I got to thinking....it is bad when I get to thinking!! I started looking at this stack of plates and that stack of glass and what would match with what. I jumped right in and started matching items with other things that look good together. So far so good!

 Oh the possibilities...............I have been buying and buying for this project, and am still always looking for things that would be good go-withs! I don't like to slap things together as I want it to look "just right"! I take my time and try this with that and that with this over and over again until it looks just right...or at least "just right" in my eyes! It is now 3:38 AM and I am wide awake. This is one of those nights that once I get started doing something I can't quit and the time just flies by!

I have several things in the works now like cupcake stands, party displays, garden art, cake stands, etc. and all from vintage and newer china and glass. I just love tinkering with these goodies but I probably should go and try to sleep as I am attending a bridal shower at 10:00 this morning.....but wait, first I want to try this plate with that dish.........................