Wreath #5 - Small Wreath in Blue (a delayed post)

I drafted this post weeks ago.  I promised our friend that I wouldn't post until after she had the opportunity to receive and open it--she didn't want to see it before hand.  I'm so happy it made it safely without getting damaged.  Here's the post I wrote at the time.

I found an 8 inch foam ring and decided to make the wreath with this little ring as I figured I could pack it well enough to safely make the trip across the country.  It was a challenge, no doubt!  This is 4" smaller than #4, which was a 12" ring and #3 was a 14".  Finished it measures 13" inches.  The recipient got to choose a color they liked so blue was the choice.  I couldn't use many larger ornaments on this small wreath, so it limited my choices.  All and all I am happy with the outcome.  I learned from this this one.

In process...

 

I had this Jewelbrite ornament in the plan, but ended up prying it back out.  It simply wasn't going to work in the design.  It took patience and perseverance, but if it was going to take a whole day to get it out--then that was what was going to have to happen! 

Finally Changing up the Pyrex Display

With all the holiday related things I needed to get done before Christmas, I didn't get around to changing my Pyrex to something new for Christmas time.  Since I finally parted with some of my pottery dishes, I was able to move the Franciscan Oasis into the upper cabinets.   I freed up the tambour door cabinet and moved the Pyrex off the peninsula counter into that cabinet.  That space is 24" deep and 36" wide and with a bamboo shelf set in there, it holds a lot!

Christmas Eve I just had to change it up!  I couldn't keep myself from doing it.  I was ready to see something different and snowflakes popped into my head so I pulled in all the turquoise.

It is so easy for both of us to access.  I can leave the door open or close it depending on my mood.  There is a light in back to illuminate it a night.  I'm glad I moved it to this spot.  And I'm glad I changed it out--how refreshing!

Christmas Eve - And One Special Thrifty Find!

Those last minute errands never escape us!  We had to get rolls for Christmas dinner tomorrow and well, since we were out and about, we stopped at some thrifts.  My sweet hubby thought just maybe there was a nutcracker out there for him, but instead he found me this lovely angel.  It couldn't have been a more perfect find!  She's perfect for our tree! So sweet! I couldn't get a good picture without the flash, but I didn't want to blast her with light and wash out her beautiful blue gown and hair.

Hubby and I have the rest of the evening to relax.  Tomorrow the cooking will begin and company will arrive! 

Thrifty Vintage Christmas Finds - December 23rd

Wow!  What a day!  We hit the thrifts both locally and in our neighboring town.  Traffic wasn't so bad considering it is the day before Christmas Eve.  It was a lot of fun, we both found stuff we were excited about.  I had to take a number of pictures to share!

Hubby has found another German nutcracker to add to his collection, he was sooo happy!  Got a box of ornaments, the box wasn't taped and in pretty good shape.  There were two stenciled West Germany ornaments in it.  I also got these blue icicle ornaments and a new in package poly/cotton tree skirt! Oh and a new unopened bag of those colored pegs for the ceramic tree.

The graphic on the bag is so cute and the lettering on the bottom is so 70s!

 

I think these glass icicle ornaments are mercury glass--I have to check into it more.

I got a bag of crafted items and it included these tuna can dioramas--one is missing it's contents.  I'm not into the wood figures, but I love the little chenille wreath on this guy.  The satin ball will be disassembled for materials.

This red ornament is made up of a lot of really neat things.  Fancy gimp, these metal pieces with glass rhinestones, there are a number of them and also green glass garland beads!  Cant wait to take it apart!

A bunch more crafting goodies!!!! I had to buy a couple decorated wreaths and tree to get some of these.  Since it was 50% off day at one thrift chain, it made getting those a good deal.  The bundle of multicolored glass ball stems came off a tree, the picks of red glass balls with Japan stickers on each came from a wreath and all the gold (flowers, leaves and foil off an other wreath).

 

Aren't these beauties?!  There are four pieces each with 'made in Japan' labels.  The wreath cost $1.50, there is also the gold foil and a couple of large plastic white poinsettias that came on the wreath.

And then there were birds...

Another moment I couldn't believe my luck!  Three new in package, made in Japan flocked birds!!!  They were 45 cents a piece!  I also got a foam ring that had fabric wrapped around it for 89 cents which beats $4 for a new one and also a Bucilla tree skirt kit which someone cut out one color of the felt and then quit.  I may just make them into ornaments as I don't want a green tree skirt...we'll see.  What a great day!  Now I need to start thinking about what to make for supper!

Thrifty Vintage Christmas Finds - December 22nd

Counting down to Christmas!  Went out today to run some last minute errands and hit a few thrifts!  Many are already shifting the Christmas stuff out off the regular stocking areas, that was a bummer--it's not even Christmas yet.  Anyway, here is what we found!

I didn't take a very good picture, too much in a hurry.  There is a decorated wicker bell with a neat Mrs. Claus on it,  Ceramic Santa marked Japan, one stenciled bulb, a Christmas snowflake ornament kit, the foam balls are missing but the instructions and beads and bangles are there and I got this wreath as I saw this deer peeking at me!

Here he is after extracting him and cleaning him up! It was sunny and rather warm for a winters day, we had a nice time and also went for sushi!  Oh and, I also found Pyrex, I'll post that on the Collective tomorrow!

Thrifty Christmas Finds - December 21st

Just a little today, which is fine.  I think hubby was a little disappointed that we didn't find more, but I don't expect to or want to--there's only so much room to put vintage kitsch and decorations!  I have been looking the past few days,  for a white artificial Christmas tree to put the Jewelbrite ornaments on that we've found this year.  And I did.

 

I hurriedly put them on in between making lunch, I also threw on some vintage metal garland that I took off a tree skirt that I'll use the felt to make my own tree skirt. 

Hubby found a spaghetti Santa bank...

Got some more crafting goodies too!  The metallic thread/yarn would make good garland for miniature trees!

It's still pretty early in the afternoon, but I feel run down.  Think I'll rest a while and maybe, just maybe do a little crafting later.

Lookie What I Found Today! -- December 20th Christmas Finds

The vintage Christmas search continues!  We only looked locally today, I suspect we'll hit our neighboring town tomorrow before the traffic gets bad.  Here we go!

So much cool crafting stuff! First, let me get this out of the way.  I bought the reindeer at a multi-vendor spot, it cost me 5 bucks!  Ouch!  But hubby said "get it" with the kind of tone like, if  you don't I will.  It's in much better shape than the current one I have on my wreath, so I'm gonna swap it.  More gold picks!  Yay!  I love the unopened package of pastel pine cones, I don't want to open it!  The silver paper with graphic is so neat!  There is glitter on the pine cones too!  The chenille angels, snowman and the sugared bells came in a bag with more stuff in the next picture for $1!  That was a good deal.

Some super awesome stuff that I couldn't believe I found today.  Another red velvet reindeer!  I so wanted another one of these red guys!  This one has antlers!  The 3 candy canes and red chenille angel was in the $1 dollar bag.  The little putz house was $1!  Interestingly it is made in Ghana.  I have to see what I can find out about it.  A great glass Santa ornament and a lantern which I think brings me up to 4 of those.  And lastly, a pixie aka knee hugger!  I have finally found one!  And one the size I wanted, a small one that I can use on the mini wreath I'm planning to make.  He was priced high, $5, fortunately I had a 20% off coupon.

My hubby found this ceramic Santa head with a blinking eye--I don't know what you call the double image on plastic, but when you move him it goes from looking open to closed.  We think he likely had a lid, I will use him as a base for a decorated bottle brush tree.  He has a label, but it's too rubbed off to read, but it is stamped Japan.  Also got these figural glass light bulbs!  I'm sure they aren't old, but they are neato!

Well, better get onto other things before it gets any later.  Just had to come share the latest goodies we found.

My Thrifty Thursday Christmas Finds!

Counting down until Christmas and there is no rest for the thrifty!  I'm not looking for much, just a few gems here and there and that is what I got today!

My favorite find today was the glass bead picks!  They haven't been easy for me to find.  One each Tom and Jerry mugs which I think may be Josef--so cute and nicely painted.  The green bottle brush trees aren't vintage, they have a China sticker on them, but they seem to be more like vintage repros than Lemax style trees.  I'll remove all the plastic balls and put glass ones and mica or vintage glitter on them!  I may have to decorate up a few bottle brush trees tomorrow, I'm itchin' to do that.  I can't pass up a stenciled Shiny Brite or a partial roll of vintage Vel-Stik ribbon.  It's a ribbon with adhesive on it, great stuff for Christmas crafting!!  There is quite a bit on the roll!

Vintage Handmade Foam Core Ornaments

I've been looking for and picking up some handmade ornaments.  I just love all those trims, sequins, beads etc.  I love to try making anything at least once and I can't wait to try my hand at these.  Here is what I have found so far...

 I stumbled across this diorama.  I found a kit a couple years ago with a similar them and construction. 

Pipe cleaner/chenille trees and bushes and a glittered paper star!  This has to be my favorite.  I've got some mini Santa and angels, they'd be great for this kind of thing.

Here are the fabric covered balls with braid trims, sequins and beads.  I got them all at the same time, they are similar in style and I get the feeling they may have been kits--or?

More Christmas Decorating and Vintage at Home

I took a few pictures today, thought I'd post some--I never get tired of vintage Christmas!  I think I've finally got my decorating done.  I don't think the stuffed critters that I usually cram in a basket with white mini lights is going to make it out this year.

I finally got around to putting up my putz which I have to put on my vintage rolling cart.  There is no where else to put it. I'll still fiddle around with it, but it's mainly up.  Here's a glimpse of the top shelf.

Yeah, the lamp is leaning. I've since straightened it up.  I could have faked it and made the software fix it, but I would have chopped off the cool mini Santa with sleigh and reindeer that are on the rooftop.  The A frame and ranch houses were made from free patterns on retrorenovation.com.  Speaking of which, Pam there supplies an uploader for folks to add their vintage Christmas images here at http://retrorenovation.com/2013/12/14/upload-photos-holiday-decorations/  I've been keeping my browser open and perusing them throughout the day, I think there are 557 images as I speak, lots of cool vintage Christmas stuff!

I got a handful of old glass balls yesterday, here they are, they haven't made it off the kitchen counter.

 

And to end the day, I am sitting in front of my Evergleam tree, but not before I snapped this photo of my corgie napping in my chair.

Tomorrow morning a thrifting we will go!

Vintage Ornament Wreath #8 - Flocked and Felt

I must say I did struggle a bit with this wreath.   I think I've been a bit tired with all this thrifting and scurrying to get my chores and errands done as well.  But it is done!  Yay!

I used only satin balls for the inside and outside of the ring.  I found myself moving the flocked and felt ornaments around quite a bit.  It just wasn't feeling right.  First I had too many, but I eventually settled on the ones I'd use and their placement.
 

It's late, I'm tired--better get some sleep.  Tomorrow is sure to be another busy day!

Thrifty Vintage Christmas Finds Today!

Yep, another day of scouring for vintage Christmas finds!  And it was successful!  My feet are sore, luckily hubby is taking care of supper tonight.  After supper I want to work some more on the wreath I started yesterday!

 

Am I happy? Heck yeah!  Four vintage stuffed reindeer with their made in Japan tags attached.  This Takahasi Santa bank may not be vintage (yet) but it's made in Japan and cute!  Another plastic corsage made in Hong Kong.

Found a number of smaller vintage ornaments. Shiny Brite lanterns, some made in Poland and West Germany as well!  It was another great day at the thrifts!

A Day of Christmas Decorating

The decorating continues over here.  I managed to get the small tree up in the bedroom...

...and I also got the music box display completed.


























I also put a couple blow mold candles out on the front porch and a plastic swag with red bells on the front of the house.  That leaves the putz, I think I'll have to free up the rolling cart in my 'ornament warehouse' for that, that's not happening today.  I'm thinking about going through my flocked ornaments to start working on a wreath--so I better get busy!

Here are a few more pictures of the music boxes.

Swingin' Santa

Rockin' Santa

Santa Circling House in Airplane

Pop up Santa

Another Day of Christmas Thrifting!

It was another hectic morning of getting my house in order before we left for the thrifts!  First I had to stop by my dear friend's house and drop off her kitty wreath and some Pyrex I found in the patterns I'm collecting for her.  Bless her heart, she puts up with my Pyrex addiction! I'm really excited about the vintage goodies I found--let's get started!

Hubby started collecting vintage Christmas music boxes made in Japan last year.  I found one for him today and it is so sweet!  A skating mouse.  We look for ones that have some moving parts, I'll have to post the collection on another day.

So cute isn't he/she!

One of the managers has remembered that I look for vintage ornaments, as I was checking out she asked if I ran into one of the baskets that was put out.  She looked and saw they still had it behind the counter and pulled this out for me!  Twelve beauties for $2.50 (it was 50% off Christmas decorations!)

It was so so sweet of her to have thought about me.  I was more happy about her kindness than the ornaments themselves.

Then there was this cute little flocked mouse that looks like he's in a slipper...

And a Lefton snowman plate...

I got the sleigh full of greenery picks, some with flocking that are really pretty.  It also has a few glass balls and a flocked snowman.  I'll disassemble it and use the pieces in crafting.  I also got this pick that has two tiny half inch gold pine cones on it--too cute!

And if all that wasn't enough (sigh), I got this 'mystery bucket'.

This for me was expensive and a real splurge.  I saw a cute ornament with a Mrs. Santa and a coal stove on it,  some bottle brush wreaths and a couple boxes new mini lights.  That with the container was 5 bucks at thrift prices if purchased separately so I decided to go for it.  Here's what I kept, I put at least half back for donation.

 

New mini lights and an unopened bag of vintage plastic garland made in Hong Kong.  I have some flocked candle lanterns new in package that I think I will put on this garland.

Lots of great vintage crafting goodies (cute little birdie), a silver plated Reed and Barton star tree topper, a few dimensional Christmas cards...I think this mystery bucket turned out pretty good!

Again, I'm pooped out.  Shopping does that to me and it isn't made any easier by the chaos and mess we had to look through at many of the thrift stores.  Tomorrow I am not going anywhere!  Well, we might hit the thrifts after supper if we are feeling antsy, the ones a few minutes from us, but I intend on working on finishing up decorating most of the day!  I was going to put my 4' aluminum tree up in my spare room, but that isn't going happen, because it looks like this!!!!

It has become the ornament warehouse.  The tree will go in the bedroom, it will be the first time we have ever had a tree in the bedroom, but at least we can see it everyday! Hubby knows it's going to be pink balls only and he's like 'bring it on!'  He's my bud!