Happy Anniversary

To my favorite partner in crime.  We did it!  1 year down- 60 to go. 

What I Found- July 21

We are taking a trip back east for 10 days early next week, so we didn't plan to go to that many sales.   We are already sitting on too much inventory that I'm waiting to list once we get back, so I really shouldn't have gone out today.  But I did, and brought home a few treasures to add to the queue.   These are the things I found.

I love this Blendo Glass set.  I spent more than I should, but man oh man if that orange isn't fantastic!

Orange Blendo Pitcher and Glasses

One of the better aspects of getting up at an early hour on the weekends is that my husband is gleefully right by my side, ready to go.  He loves searching out the vinyl at sales while I'm scouring for what I look for, and he usually comes home with a few gems.  These records are his, but that fantastic mid-century LP rack is all mine.

A few pieces of Mexican pottery.  A fun Stoneware decanter and and Tonala bird.

I love this! I don't have a clue what you would properly call it, so I'm sticking with a squat pitcher.

This was my favorite favorite favorite find of today.  It is a Mexican Folk Art Tree of Life. Look closely and you will see Eve tempting Adam with an apple and the snake wrapping itself around the tree.  It is so bright and colorful and I am going to work overtime to find it a home in my house- much to the dismay of my husband.

A beautifully crewel embroidered tablecloth.  The stitching on it is flawless, but there are a few minor age stains I'll need to work on and try to lift out.   Any suggestions on spot stain removal for old linens?

So that's it!  How'd you do this week?

Love learning about what others "find?"
Hop on over to Her Library Adventures, cap creations,  Southern Hospitality   & Apron Thrift Girl to get your weekly fix. :)

Oh Hey! (wood Wakefield)

And the other things I found (July 14th edition)

I might have mentioned something in my last post along the lines of bring home less...I also might have forgotten that I had mentioned that.   Summer sales are in full swing and the plethora of sales means less competition to find that hidden treasure.   The sale I had the best luck at I arrived 2 hours after the posted start time!

This particular one peaked my interest because it was that of a retired electrician.  I was hoping to restock my supply of wood and metal boxes- and I did.

A few other surprises were waiting for me after I piled up all my boxes.  My husband and I kept walking over to this table.  He really loved it and I was on the fence, not sure about the mass appeal of ducks.   The owner came by and told me about how, as a child he remembered helping his parents make the table in the 50s and his job was to smash all the tiles.  Sold.  Sometimes it just takes those little personal details to make a good item feel extra special.

Next to the table was a folded up wood chair- I loved the age and character is had, but need another chair like I need a hole in my head.  Old habits die hard, so I gave the chair a quick flip and that's when I saw the tag on the back.

Heywood Wakefield folding chair- tag reads C5 795 - Walnut

Truth be told this Heywood Wakefield folding chair has seen better days, but for $3.00 I couldn't leave it behind.  I have not spent too much time looking up the origins, I'd love to hear your opinions if you have them.

But wait- that's not all.  I also picked up a ton of smalls.  I might have screamed "STOP THE CAR!" when I saw the globe at a yard sale we were driving right by.  It's made of metal- I do not apologize.

Call me crazy, but this might be my favorite find of the day.  A large square black ashtray with a horse head in the middle.  It is beautiful!

Or this relish? set marked Brock of California.

It's complete with the original wood lazy susan.

Love learning about what others "find?"
Hop on over to Her Library Adventures, cap creations , Southern Hospitality & Apron Thrift Girl to get your weekly fix. :)

Back on the Horse: What I found, July 7th

After taking a few weeks off to get a handle on some excess inventory, it was time to get back on the horse and visit a few sales this weekend.  I am trying trying trying to go for quality over quantity moving forward.  That sounds simple enough but is hard for me, as I tend to grab large piles to get large discounts.  These are the things I brought home.

I found 2 Red phones- from 2 different sales.   

Red Rotary Telephone

Red Princess Telephone

This large yellow Descoware pot makes me want to learn how to make soup!

Large- either 5 quart or 6 quart Descoware. 

 I will never not buy a globe- especially if it lights up and has an awesome plastic stand!

1980 Scan-globe

I love the color of this canister!
It's marked on the bottom USA and with another mark I can't identify.  

So there you have it.  Instead of bringing home a carload, I just grabbed a few things.   In an effort to beat the summer sales slump and get some of the older goods moved out both shops are on sale for the entire month of July.  See the details, HERE.

Love learning about what others "find?"
Hop on over to Her Library Adventures, cap creations & Apron Thrift Girl to get your weekly fix. :)

Christmas in July

Every July 100's, no 1000's of Etsy sellers participate in a little something called Christmas in July.  It's not an original idea to Etsy, but a fun promotional opportunity none the less. I will be running sales in both of my shops are on sale for the entire month of July!  Save 15% on anything. 

AVintageMan  - no coupon needed, discount on all items already applied.

NellsVintageHouse - use coupon code CIJ15 at checkout to save 15%.

Check out this linky party HERE, to see lots of other great Etsy Shops participating in Christmas in July. So many great deals to be had!

Do you have an Etsy shop participating in Christmas in July this year?   

If so, leave a comment with you coupon code :) 

Whomp Whomp Whomp

That is not the sound of dancing.

Yesterday, I posted about a community sale we were participating in 40 minutes from home and while we sold some stuff, we still managed to come home with 2 carloads of items.  Our own items.  :(

Below is a picture of Eric in our space.  The sun was in a really bad spot by the time I got my camera out so I'm sorry it looks so dark- but you get the idea.

Still early on in the morning.  We weren't standing so proud by the end of the day.

My initial thoughts on the day...
The Good
*As we were setting up a nice old man came by and bought a handful of items.  His sale covered our "participation" fee.

*There was a restaurant next door and they had really good burgers

*We also made enough money to cover the cost of the burgers

The Bad
* It was hot out.   Not as hot as some of you East Coasters are dealing with, but 6 hours in a parking lot with no pop-up tent made for one over heated seller.

*Descanso is faaaaar!  And apparently not just for me...also for all of the buyers.

*Someone asked me if I would accept a check for $2.00, from Wyoming.  sorry lady, no can do.

The Ugly
*The parking lot was not paved, just lots of loose dirt and gravel and every time a car drove by it kicked up a little tornado of dust and dirt.  we were covered in a thick layer of grime within 20 minutes of being there.

*2 carloads of items left home with us and 2 carloads of items came home with us.

The lower parking lot- where we were stationed

Overall I'm glad we participated today.  We did get rid of a few box loads and learned some good tips for the next time we do something like this.   1. shade is important.  2. we need better tables...more things need to be lifted off the ground.  3. keep the books in boxes.  4. cheap clothing racks stink!

Have you ever participated in a swap market/ flea market type event?  

Any tips you'd like to share.  

The Descanso DeClutter

The Descanso Declutter - What's that you ask?

Hopefully it is the dance I am doing tomorrow at oh say 2:01 PM.  Somehow (actually I know how) we have ended up with way too much "stuff."  At different times I thought my Etsy shop was going in a different direction, so that's what I bought for, but now  I've finally got a grasp on what I want to see and it does not include vintage clothing, books, buttons, jewelry, large bulky items or silver-plate flatware.

I signed up for a community flea market held in an antique mall parking lot about 30 miles away and tomorrow is the day of reckoning.  Honestly I have no idea what to expect, I am hoping (and pricing for 1 step above garage sale, 1 step below flea market/swap meet.)  What I do know is that the hubs and I have to drive in separate cars because we have so much stuff, and even then I'm not certain how it is all going to fit, or how we are going to fit it all into our 10x10 space.

If you happen to be East of East County San Diego tomorrow (Saturday June 30th), stop by and say hello.  We will be the husband and wife duo sweating it out- because we don't have a pop-up tent.

Sale starts at 9 AM, although I hope to be set up much earlier...
Descanso Mercantile
8306 A Hwy.79 Descanso, CA 
located on the historic road to Julian, ½ mile                              
from I- 8, just 5 minutes from Viejas Outlets

A Mid Century Miracle

No really- it is.

I live within 3 miles of about 10 Mid Century Furniture and Decor Shops.   Each one of these shops is run/owned by extremely diligent and very busy proprietors.  It doesn't matter how early I get to an Estate Sale or what number in line I am - without fail every piece of Mid Century furniture has a sold sign on it.  Every. Single. Piece.

Imagine my surprise when on the 3rd day of a yard sale I came across this!

Lane Rhythm Collection- Dresser and Mirror

The dresser, mirror and 2 night stands were hidden in the garage, with their faces turned to the wall.  They were marked Lane on the inside, so I knew they were of good quality.   The price was good and home with me they came.  A little online investigation pulled up that these pieces came from the Lane Rhythm Collection, which was produced in the mid 1960s.  I am in love.

This shot shows the tone of the Walnut the best- It's not as red as the other pictures make it out to be

The dresser has already found it's way to our bedroom- but we still need to make some room for the nightstands.  I'm not quite sure yet where they will end up.

1 of 2 Lane Rhythm nightstands

We weren't even in the market for a new bedroom set- it was just one of those moments where I couldn't walk away.   Has that ever happened to you before?

It's A Plate Party

I'm still sorting and cleaning up the last haul, mentioned HERE.   In an effort to make good and useful space for everything I've been doing a major reorganization of the storage office...and re-discovering lots of hidden finds that really should have been listed long ago.

Apparently I used to have a bit of a dinnerware problem.   I love it when I find it, but it just never seems to sell quickly for me.  I must have hit a listing "wall" a while back because I found a whole box of plates and bowls that should have been listed.  So that's what I did this weekend.  Maybe you're looking for a piece or 2 to complete your collection??  I might just have what you need :)

Blue Heaven By Royal China 

I have a lot of random pieces of this pattern, including the harder to find ashtray.  

Available HERE

 Caribe Casual- Pink Fancy, Designed by Carlos Montez

Available HERE

Swiss Alpine/ Swiss Chalet Dinner Plates (6)

Available HERE

 Santa Anita Ware - California Modern Pink

Available HERE

Pyrex Restaurant Ware, Green Band Dinner Plates (6)

Available HERE

Lusterware Saucers and Tea Cup 

Available HERE

 Acsons Corona, Large Platter

Available HERE

 Termacrista Bowls (3)

Available HERE

 Vernon Rose Dinner Plates (8)

Available HERE

Whew!!  Sorry for the picture heavy post.   I think I might need to hold off on buying any more plates for a while- at least until I can move some of these.

Do you have any items you gravitate towards- 

Even though you should probably keep on walking?

Love learning about what others "find?"
Hop on over to Her Library Adventures, cap creations & Apron Thrift Girl to get your weekly fix. :)

Rusty- The Shop Mascot

Today we have our Favorite Guest Poster Back-  Eric, from Eric's Vintage Corner.  

See his first post and learn a bit more about him here. 

One of the best evolutions of our family business so far has been me being put in charge of selling records. I have always been naturally drawn to the music collections at the sales we go to and now I have (almost) almost free reign to take home massive amounts of vinyl. I’ve been putting in the time and effort to get good at selling records and have high hopes for myself, our business and my own personal record collection. 

I now have my own Etsy shop called VinylStandard, complete with a banner ad and 12 records for sale. I gets hardly any views and I’ve sold nothing. Additionally I have another 12 or so records on eBay at any given time. I have sold many of these and am told that I ship with care. I’m hoping to work my way up to getting around 100-200 records online at once and to do this I’ll need inventory. 

When the door opens to a sale, I’m going straight for the music and some of the time I feel like I know what I’m doing. Sometimes I buy a ton of records that I just can’t sell, but I’ll chalk that up to growing pains and learning experiences. I feel like my potential to excel in this position is great. Record hunting is tough, but if we’re going to sale’ing every weekend, I’m going to make the most of it. Not to mention, it’s nice to have a more defined role in this thing; whereas I used to consider myself the custodian, driver, delivery man, motivational speaker of Nell’s Vintage House, etc. now I’m playing a big role in the real action. 

So far my best record, as far as my profit, has been an old Ray Charles 45 that I got about $65 for. I paid nothing for that one. The woman who sold it to me assumed that 45’s were worthless and at the time and just gave it to me. I really had no idea if they had value, at that time I was just picking up records for myself. That was a while ago and at this point there are a handful of similar occasions which will make for good guest posts in the future. For now, this post, in my own long-winded way, will be about where our new shop mascot Rusty came from.  

J and I had a decent record grab from an estate sale a few mornings ago. At least we left with a lot of records. Out of a pile of 50 records there were one or two gems that will at the very least make up for what I spent (I hope) and there were a few keepers in there (Nina Simone, Ray Charles.)

Last Weekends Record Score

After we went home and sorted everything out I decided my time would be best spent surfing (actual surfing, not internet surfing). On my way out the door, I remembered that there was another sale that was towards the ocean so I mapped it out and headed over there in my boardshorts. A solo run… Turns out they had a sizeable record collection for sale that belonged to a former DJ. I picked out some pretty cool records including a bunch of Hawaiian LPs (I can never leave a Hawaiian record behind; Hawaiian records and Surf-rock, I need them all.)

The man running the sale noticed my selection and offered me a sneak peak at the mother lode: a garage full of records that the family hadn’t sorted through. As wonderful as this sounds, it’s also a little nerve-wracking. I don’t want to keep overloading the house with records that I’m really just not sure of. But when someone says I can look through the private collection, who am I to say no. 

Surprisingly, I didn’t really find anything fantastic in there, or any time I did I was told it wasn’t for sale (Beatles, Pink Floyd). A new problem started to develop; I had about 20 records for myself and nothing for J. I know better than to go to a sale and not come home without something for J.

I scoured the entire house, inside and out and there was nothing. I even sent her photo’s of everything I could find there, but was nothing any good. This is when stress and panic starts to set in. I knew there had to be something, just one thing, any sort of vintage object, but there was really nothing. Nothing until….

As I was paying for my records after giving up on finding a non-record object, the seller pulled out Rusty from god-knows-where. Rusty has springs for legs, a fan for a body and rusty mesh for ears. His motion is lifelike and I can’t wait for the next small earthquake just to see him dance. He is always happy and his rust color matches our actual pitbull’s red tones. 

Thanks for reading my guest post and now, for your enjoyment, here is Rusty;

Away Game- June 17th

Last weekend the Hubs and I drove about an hour outside of San Diego  to check out a sale.  "Old Ranch Estate," three words that can get me up at 5 AM!  I was hoping to restock some old, rusty, chippy, metal type inventory and this sale did not disappoint.  We left with an entire car load of goods- albeit our car is rather small, but it was full none-the-less.

Just a small sampling of some inventory I still need to clean and sort. 

I love this giant buffalo print!

a truly beautiful Butchers cutting board.  

I'm slowly adding items into both shops, but the amount we brought home has me a bit overwhelmed.  So much so that we didn't even go treasure hunting this weekend.

 

Mid Century Modern Clock available in NellsVintageHouse

8 like new condtion Vernon Rose dinner plates, available in NVH

Old brass weights in wood box, Available in AVintageMan

1936 Lions Club Award/Paperweight, available in AVM

Have you ever had a haul so large you didn't know where to start?  

Any tips on how to tackle to pile?

Love learning about what others "find?"
Hop on over to Her Library Adventures & Apron Thrift Girl to get your weekly fix. :)

Identification Help. Please & Thank You :)

Any idea what these lovely glass decorative hanging disks are?? 

I have 4 lengths total.  Each Chain measures about 6 feet long

And each disk measures about 4 inches across

2 of the lengths are made up of decorative peach colored glass flowers and the other 2 are made up of amber and clear glass suns.

EDIT/UPDATE:  Thank you to all the very helpful friends who have commented or messaged me.  It looks like we found rain chains :)