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!

Christmas time!

 Here is our Christmas tree for this year. Actually it probably looks like this every year. We are very traditional and buy the same type of fresh tree every year and use the same ornaments, though adding a few, each year. Remember to click on each picture for a better look!

 Frazier firs are wonderful to decorate. They are not too full with lots of branches and nooks and crannies to put my ornaments. I particularly like old, vintage, antique glass ornaments with some newer ones scattered about.

 I am especially fond of mercury glass ornaments in the shapes of fruits and veggies. Some appear to be sliced open and others are the whole piece. I also LOVE antique mercury glass beaded garlands. The finishing touch on our tree is when I am completely done putting on the ornaments I apply the garlands like icing, draping each garland in swags across the tree. Please note the large bead garland, my favorite, and very hard to find in this size.

 I also love pink and this box of pink goodness I found recently at a local thrift shop for 69 cents!

 Here is a display of vintage and antique Christmas themed china pieces that I got from my Mom. Please notice underneath it all is an assortment of holly and poinsettia silk embroidered antique linens. Both of these collections took years to find.

 I have it displayed on an antique cupboard in my entry. The floor lamps on each side are vintage Mexico which were the standard black color and now creamy white. Hanging above are 2 vintage holiday themed brass wreaths and an antique architectural piece decorated in what appears to be a lyre covered in roses....awesome.

 This picture does not do the rose covered piece justice as it is just gorgeous in person. I hate to admit this but I have probably owned this piece, bought at an estate sale, for maybe 20 years and only recently got it out from under our bed and hung it up.

 I think domes are it! This antique one I bought at a customer's garage sale a few years ago for $35.00 and I like to leave it out year round. On eBay they are several hundred dollars so I am very careful with it. I treasure antique marble lamps and probably have 7 in several sizes scattered about my house.

 More vintage pink ornaments overflowing out of an antique pressed glass punch bowl. Another collection is old silver and these victorian silver plated pieces are some of my favorites. The spool cabinet  that all this is sitting on is a family piece. Many years ago a relative let us go thru his mother's house to see if we wanted anything. It was in horrible shape and was going to be razed. My mom spotted this cabinet but it had no drawers. Once she started poking around she found all the drawers scattered about the garage, yard and elsewhere. She had it refinished and displayed in her home. It is now used as an end table in my living room.

 We bought about 8 pink trees in two sizes at a local shop probably 8 or 9 years ago and we would use them at Christmas in our antiques shop. Everybody wanted to buy them but we enjoyed them so and couldn't part with them. Now that the shop is closed they are used in my home and my parents. I have a nice collection of vintage pink ornaments that just look wonderful on this tree. Check out the antique angel hair decorated angel tree topper.

And if you have followed my blog you know that I also collect MacKenzie-Childs pottery. These canisters are the originals from the 1980's. I decorate with alot of my pieces and also use them for dinnerware. My husband likes it too so he has spoiled me plenty with some of my bigger pieces. This setting is in my dining room on a small buffet...more antique mercury glass beaded garlands in old glass jars, vintage Christmas trees and reindeer and another holiday themed brass wreath above.
  I hope you have enjoyed seeing my version of Christmas decor! Merry Christmas everybody and have a blessed New Year!

My vintage dishes creation!

 I have seen several gals who have been making garden totems, stands and flowers out of vintage dishes on some of my favorite sites and blogs recently. Well that sent me into a buying frenzy I can tell you. Look at the stacks of plates, saucers, bowls, cups and stuff! And this is just a part of them!

 Here's more! I can't wait to use the red glass in one and that sweet paisley pot is going to look great, too!  Oh yes.....my husband thinks I have lost my mind, again!

 Here is my first garden stand/totem or it could be used for a party! I love stacked antique cake stands and this is similar to that. It took me a few hours, I kid you not, to finally put together what I liked together. I arranged and rearranged many many times with multiple dishes. Now I know that is a little crazy but I am a picky person. I want it to look just right, not slapped together!

 That sweet cup with beautiful colored flowers was a recent find. And check out the dog bottle...it is a vintage candy container missing the lid-perfect! I couldn't have used it if it still had the lid. I am funny like that! The MacKenzie-Childs saucer went perfect with the vintage dinner plate below.

 I found this candelabra base at a resale shop......it is vintage signed Baccarat crystal, lovely and very heavy, perfect for the base!

For now this first attempt is a keeper. However I am so inspired I have to do more!!! Since they are so delicate they will probably end up at my booths. If I get real brave and think I can pack them well enough for shipping I may list some on my Etsy or eBay sites.  Stay tuned! P.S. Remember you can click on my pictures to get a closer looksie!!

Vintage Birdcage Project Update & My Colorful Antique Daybed

 I posted this picture the other day and told about finding it. I absolutely love this sweet birdcage but the blue had to go!!! I dislike most blues, not AQUA & TURQUOISE which I LOVE, but do not HATE blue like my grandma did. Oh how she hated blue, anything and everything blue and she wasn't afraid to tell you about it either. In the early 70's my Dad had a Satellite Sebring, sooooo cool, as his work vehicle-he loved teeny-bopper cars. Anyway, you guessed it....it was electric blue-again, sooooo cool- and Grandma hated it and she let us know!!! Secretly I wondered if my Dad picked blue just to get her goat, ha! Just to clarify (if you are not my family) this grandma is my Texas grandma. My Missouri grandma couldn't hate anything, at least that is how I remember her!

 Look at my birdcage now after several coats of Krylon "Ballet Slipper Pink"-isn't the name even sweet? It is perfection!

 To top it off I found this perfect green depression glass bird feeder/waterer at a local shop! Of course I jumped right on it, while mildly gasping 'cuz I was so excited, AND it was half price! I hope nobody heard me! And this green is just my color, too. A lot of colors are "just my color"!

 Obviously, I LOVE color, just look at my refurbished antique daybed! (Click the picture for a closer look) I am 53 years old and I slept on this as a young teen when we would visit my grandparents home. They lived in Independence, MO and had awesome garage/estate sales there. My grandma actually bought this at a garage sale for fifty cents!!! It had a pull out bed inside and was covered in a torn faded velvety fabric. When they passed away years ago we stored this at our warehouse. Well, a couple of years ago I finally got inspired and had it fixed up. I found the fabric on eBay and painted the wood black and my local upholsterer finished it up. Then I just started adding throws and pillows-check out the hot pink crushed velvet 1960's bedspread! This is actually in my dining room right now but I have used it in the living room, too! What do you think? Wild, right??? Gotta go now......have a colorful day!

My antiquing junking shopping extravaganza..................

 Here is my faithful shopping companion. I fell in love with this truck on a used car lot 7 years ago and she has been wonderful. We have been on many trips, antiquing expeditions, 4 years of college move ins and move outs, across the country and in between. She can pull into an antiques shop without being told, ha!

 This week I have had extremely successful shopping for antiques, crafts supplies, projects, etc. My cup, or, truck, runneth over! I am particularly excited about that woven purse/bag. It is like new, very nicely made and is going to be transformed into a MacKenzie-Childs knock off, or at least my version! I can't wait!

 I made a house call to a former customer's house. She was downsizing and needed to get rid of a few things. Oh yes, that is music to my ears! I bought this antique wicker rocker and a small collection of milk glass items. My grandma collected milk glass for many years and I now have some of her pieces so I add a few things when I find some I like. Of course, some of these , I "like"! Duh!

 This customer helped me pack them into a box and here is a sampling of the goods. In over 30 years in the antiques business I can honestly say I have never seen milk glass medicine bottles like these. Jars, yes, bottles, no! Some of these items will be added to my booth, some on eBay and Etsy and some are MINE! That antique black milk glass bottle with the stopper, OMG! I LOVE that!

 I kinda opened up some of the paper to show some of the other pieces....more bottles, jars, shakers, vases, etc. That oval flask could be a goodie, we shall see. I think I will list it on eBay and see how it goes.

And because my truck is FULL I took my son's truck out this morning to a sale way out in the country. The ad sounded so good I HAD to go! I'm so glad I did. This wonderful antique oak dining table said "take me home" and I did! It will be at the antiques mall later today hopefully! Well I had to show what I have been up to this week. I hope I am not so bad-good-next week. I will post again soon to show off my great shabby peeling paint corner cabinet and all the neat things in it. Don't miss it!

Summer is almost over & other things!

 Is this an angel or what? My husband is holding Miley, the third daughter of some sweet church friends of ours. She also just happens to be my daughter and her husband's godchild. Isn't she precious and LOVE that outfit! She is about 5 weeks old here and this was just taken Sunday. I just had to share!

 I am also sharing this pic of my daughter Charlotte at her Texas A&M University, WHOOP, graduation this past December. This leads up to her just getting her first teaching job.....TODAY! She is a newlywed (she and Tim married Jan. 14th) and is in beautiful Monterey, CA with her Air Force husband. They are living there for his training and now she will be teaching also! Praise God!

 This picture is from her birthday in May at a restaurant on Cannery Row in Monterey. They are so happy!!! Tim had been in a parade the day before and was sunburned, poor thing!

 Now I thought I would show some more things around my house! If you don't already know.....I LOVE stuff! I also love little stuff in little cabinets! This is a vintage tin and glass showcase chock full of goodies! Please note the mercury glass elephant on the bottom shelf which I adore. I also am fascinated with the moveable wooden hand. We had that in our shop to display with and after years of telling folks NO it is not for sale, I finally brought it home. I LOVE it! I also like stands of all kinds and clear jars with things inside.

 Here are some of my "stands". I managed to find a glass cheese dome lid that just fit this old silver plated compote, yum! Inside is a bird's nest that I made and then decorated with old pearls, eggs, christmas ornaments beads, feathers, etc.. The second small dome has a vintage style bird decorated ornament and several tiny vials of old china painting paint powder, so cute! The third stand was a porcelain cake stand from Hobby Lobby that I found the right sized dome for and it is one of my favorites mainly because I love black and white. Inside this one are several really nice vintage bird figurines, a vintage christmas bead strand, an antique bird decorated trade card on a vintage metal spiked flower frog AND a fabulous antique black milk glass vase with white enameled flowers, a favorite. Look also at the little antique walnut chest that the first 2 stands are sitting on. I LOVE little drawers, too! Scary, I LOVE lots of things....and it shows!

 I bought this sweet old cabinet on one of our vacations several years ago. It can hang or sit so I chose "sit"! It is hard to tell but this little cabinet is just that, little. It only measures 11" tall so the items inside are small, too! There is a 1928 tennis trophy, vintage millinery flowers, old small christmas ornaments, old flowery pins and 2 photos on a tiny bench..I also LOVE benches of any size but especially little ones! The photos are of me holding Charlotte when she was tiny and the other is our son Dustin, also known as Bubba. Each of these little antique frames have rhinestone edges and are very collectible. I set the sweet vintage painted metal flower brooch outside the cabinet to show it off! Just my colors!

 I may have already posted about this old washstand. It was in our antiques shop warehouse for years before I finally got inspired with what to do to it. It was plain 'ole pine, and not very pretty pine at that. Now it has a Mackenzie-Childs style to it courtesy of some paint and I added wrapping paper and mod-podge for the corners.

Don't want to overload your senses too much so here is the last photo for today! These old french style chairs originally had smoker's tinged old blue velvet on them and I found this great zebra striped designer fabric on Ebay. Again, I LOVE black & white, Mackenzie-Childs, decorating magazines-see the pile in the basket, the color pink, etc. Okay, enough! More blogging another day.....stay cool!

More of my "collections".............

 Just looking around my house this morning when I should be getting ready for church! See these rabbits? I rescued them from the trash long ago. A man was cleaning out a house and thought they were junk! They are actually antique candy containers and the head comes off to put the candy in! They are wonderful! Also pictured are vintage christmas goodies, old flower seed packet in a rose card holder, vintage yellow painted mexico box, etc.

 Look! MORE mirrors! Hello, my name is Lynne and I'm addicted to mirrors! See the small silver standing one in the corner and I LOVE the very small plateau mirror. This size plateau mirror was used to showcase a fancy bottle of perfume or piece of jewelry in the early 1900's. They are very hard to find and I have 3! Yea me! Please also note the pretty antique porcelain doorknob, small Weller pottery with the bird in nest, tiny baby and chair and old millinery flowers, another passion!

 LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my collection of staffordshire animals. It has taken me years to get this assortment together. I used a vintage Mexico box as a shelf to show off the ones in the back.

 Sweet bird's nest my Mom gave me.

 I have owned this little wreath of pink rosebuds for years. I have used it everywhere but it currently hangs from my cupboard knob! Sweet!

This was my breakfast. It was so incredibly good I had to share! Well, gotta get ready for church. Have a wonderful Mother's Day everybody!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sharing some Mackenzie-Childs love!!!!!!

  I am a Mackenzie-Childs addict! I have a large collection but it didn't happen overnight! I started probably around 20 years ago. These 2 canisters are the older original ones. I also have the short squatty one. I have a thing about black & white check, too, so I had to have these mosaic tiled flower pots!

  This lamp was a gift from my Mom and I believe was what started my addiction. Thanks, Mom! I love domes, too, to put little precious things in. I know, this is a cheese or butter dish, but I don't care. ...repurpose, repurpose, repurpose!

  I don't stick to only pottery. I am an equal opportunity collector! This glass pansy bowl is a hat stand for this fantastic vintage flower covered hat and I have some enamel pieces, too.

  I found this wonderful Mackenzie-Childs shards mosaic frame at an antiques mall in San Antonio a couple of years ago. That's my sweet children in the photo. Please note the zebra print chair, I have 2, and the great italian bowl in front.

 In a corner of my living room is a small oak wardrobe. Any surface in my house is covered with things so I can't let the top of the wardrobe go wasted now can I? One of a pair of sconces on the wall, a tile and enamel platter mixed right in with a very large antique mercury glass vase and 2 antique memoryware crocks.

  On a shelf inside a cupboard is this nice thistle vase. The "wreath" in the background is actually an old flower covered hat! I LOVE that hat and watched it at a shop for weeks until my Mom finally bought it for me!

  Look at my "beloved" tuffet! More black things, majolica, tole flower candleholder and a great black transferware plate.
  This is only a small part of my collection. I will save the rest for later and also show you some of my other favorite things.