Remembering Helen

Being the junk junkie that I am, I often watch the online listings for estate sales, hoping there might be something close by. A few weeks ago I came across an listing for a sale to be held in my little town. I was excited to see something so close to home...little did I know.

The night before, while talking with a friend, I mentioned my plans for the next day, which included attending this particular estate sale. She was interested in going along, and so we rounded up a few more friends and decided to meet there bright and early in the morning. But...just where was 'there'? Because addresses are not typically announced until the night before a sale, I had no idea. Upon checking, I was shocked to find that the estate sale was being held on the farm of my closest neighbor. 

 Early Sewing Roll

Helen passed last fall, leaving a big old house filled with wonderful things she had collected in her 95 years. I'd like to say I knew Helen well. I didn't. For instance, I didn't know Helen had a degree in Home Economics...or that she was an accomplished seamstress and weaver. I didn't know Helen had once been interested in fashion design and had notebooks filled with fashion sketches. I wish I had known. It makes me sad that I didn't "stop by" more...talk with her more. I think Helen and I would have been friends. 

Helen was born right down the road and lived in the same house most of her life. And even in her nineties, she was sharp..and funny. We did have some amusing exchanges during the time I've lived in her neighborhood.

In nice weather Helen sat on the screen porch...she always waved when I passed by on foot or bicycle. We commiserated over our predicament with the skunks who had taken up residence under our respective porches...and plotted how we could be rid of them, once and for all. 

When our orange tabby came up missing I walked to Helen's searching for him. She was in her familiar spot on the back porch, and inquired if my cat would come if she called his name. "What IS his name?", Helen asked. When I replied, "Fido, his name is Fido.", Helen chuckled, and with a mischievous smile quipped, "No wonder he ran away!"

So when I found out the sale was at Helen's house, it felt a little strange. In the end, I'm glad I went though...

Several of Helen's family member's were there, selling coffee to ward off the morning chill and benefit the Three Creeks Historical Association, of which Helen was a lifelong member. They had already been inside and taken the things that meant the most to them. And it was fun to see the things Helen had saved and collected...and to imagine her coming down the wide stairway as a young girl. The same young girl who went off to college and who designed and sewed the dresses hanging in the closets upstairs. 

 I was thrilled to find this very early sewing roll among the doll clothes in an upstairs bedroom. Just look at the wonderful fabrics.

I came home with some wonderful things...I couldn't help myself. I love knowing the history behind these things. I love knowing they belonged to Helen, and in some small way I think she would like it too. 

Painting Upholstered Furniture

We recently decided to change up our living space by swapping out several rooms. While trying to decide which furniture would work best in which rooms, I realized that I was in need of a sewing chair in my studio. I wanted something pretty, pink and comfortable. I watched Craigslist for over a month with no luck. Finally, I spotted a listing for this chair, just a short distance from my home. In the listing it looked pink, but when I went to see it in person, it was definitely a peachy orange. Still, it was a great style, clean, comfortable, and in good condition. And the price was right...$50. I convinced myself that I could make it work.

After

When I got home, I moved the chair upstairs next to the window and looked at it. I let it sit there for a few days, hoping it would grow on me. It didn't. It looked awful in my pale pink world. This is when I decided I'd change the color. After an extensive internet search, I determined that there was no colorfast way to dye the chair...then I came across Kristy Swain's blog, hyphen interiors. Kristy posted a tutorial that showed how to paint upholstery. I was intrigued. After reading and rereading her instructions many times, I thought, "I can do this!" 

I gathered my materials. 

1. One quart of  Behr indoor, satin latex paint.  (There's enough left over to do 30 more chairs-you could probably get away with a sample size paint)

2. A large bottle of Delta Textile Medium (I used 2/3 of the bottle)

3. Six Foam Brushes (I used one brush)

I already had a spray bottle for water, painters tape, and a pint jar. And although this project was surprisingly not messy, you'll probably want some sort of drop cloth under your project...just in case.

Getting started was the hardest part. I had to tell myself that if I ruined the chair, it wasn't the end of the world...so I took a deep breath and jumped in.

First things first. Even though it was in great condition, the chair had a wee bit of what I like to call, "old lady smell". I am a bit of a germophobe, so I decided that before I painted it, the chair must be shampooed. This is a photo of the clean, damp chair, before. The fabric on this chair was a beautiful nubby silk with a flame stitch pattern in the weave. Because the color I envisioned was an old fashioned dark pink, I chose a bright pink paint, hoping the combination of colors would be exactly what I had in mind. 

Before

Before getting started, be sure your piece is clean with no lint, dust or dirty spots. This will ensure that the paint goes on evenly as possible.

I used the upholstery attachment on my Bissel Rug Shampooer to clean my chair, making sure I didn't leave it too wet. While the chair was damp, you could see lines where the various types of stuffing begin & end...which was a little worrisome at first. But by that point I was already too far in to fret over it.

Next, I mixed equal parts paint, textile medium, and water in a pint jar. If your paint is really thick you might need to add more water until it's about the consistency of a glaze. I refilled my jar only once, using about 1.75 pints of my paint concoction altogether.

I began by taping off the wood with painters tape. Since I planned to replace the faded gimp trim on the chair, I left it in place and painted right up to it. The trim acted as a natural barrier between the wood and the painted areas. 

 My chair was already pretty damp from cleaning. If you are starting with dry upholstery, you will want to get it damp before beginning. As Kristy said, don't be shy...you want the fabric damp. Keep your spray bottle handy, the upholstery dries out as you are painting. 

To begin, I took the seat cushion off and painted the inside arm of the chair. I painted slowly and deliberately, blending the paint as I went.

I worked my way around the chair, spritzing with water and blending the paint. On the deep sculpted back, I used the foam brush to paint between the tufted folds of the chair. I finished the seat of the chair last, then tackled the cushion.

After I finished painting, I used a fan to dry the chair. I painted it late at night and it was completely dry by morning.

I'm sure different fabrics will react differently to the process. I found that one coat of paint was all I needed on my chair. The color is perfect and the fabric remains soft & pliable. In Kristy's tutorial she used several coat of paint to achieve a darker richer color. She also recommended sanding areas that might be too stiff. 

I finished my chair by pulling off the old gimp trim and using a hot glue gun to attach the new trim. I had a hard time finding trim to match so I did what I always do...I checked Etsy.com. I found Peggy's Shop there...she was offering 6 yards of  (new) vintage trim in the exact shade I needed. In retrospect, I think I'd buy my trim first and match the paint to it.

After

I think you'll have to experiment with your own upholstered piece to see what works for you. Kristy's tutorial is a must read...and be sure to read through her tips at the bottom. It's also a great place to see more painted upholstery projects done by her readers. Some of them are really incredible.

What I Did On My Summer Vactation (OR where the heck have you been?)

Some of you might be wondering just what happened to me over the summer...I've really missed being part of the blogging community these last few months. I've missed seeing what you've been up to, your projects, your photos, your offerings...I've missed YOU. I really appreciate my faithful readers...THANK YOU for sticking with me, I hope you'll return again and again.

I can't believe it's fall! Seriously, summer flew by so quickly that I almost feel like it never happened. We were just incredibly, incredibly busy here. It seems like we went from one project to the next... 

There was a lot of painting, remodeling, and exchanging of spaces. My studio moved from a small crowded room on the main floor of the house, to two large rooms on the second floor. My old studio became a cozy little sitting room just off the master bedroom. 

This may not sound like much to some of you, but with the exception of moving the heavy furniture, I did most of the work myself.  The moving, sorting and organizing of supplies was probably the biggest part of the project. I made myself go through every button and spool and was relieved that my family didn't call the producers of "Hoarders" when they saw what was packed into my tiny studio. Mr. Kattywhompus said it reminded him of a clown car...where no matter how many clowns emerge-there's always one (or two) more. *sigh*

The changes have been a dream. I not only inherited a bigger space, but three more closets and room for an office, packaging area and permanent spot to take product photos. I was able to move most of the inventory for my vintage shop into one space, and still have a pretty and functional area to create. Of course during the move, I wasn't able to get a bit of work done...but I feel like I will be able to be much more productive now that everything is in one space and more organized.  I also have plenty of room to host gatherings with friends, which has happened a couple of times already. :)

As the mother of three sons, I've lived in a world flooded with testosterone for over twenty years. Now that the two oldest have their own place, I lost no time in creating what they refer to as "The Pink Room".

I really wanted a pretty (and comfortable) chair to sit in by the window and stitch. It's pretty now, but it certainly wasn't when I found it. I'll tell you in my next post how I PAINTED the upholstery and transformed this Craigslist find. You might be as amazed as I was at how easy it was!

In my new space, I even have room to to create vignettes with all the little pretties I've collected over the years.

Surrounding myself with things I love inspires me.

Fabric at my fingertips.

 

Pretty storage all in a row.

The "Hoosier" makes great storage (but was a booger going up the stairs).

Needfuls near the sewing machine.

On the tabletop, a sweet stemmed dish, a gift from my mother-in-love. Each time I made her a grandma, she brought me a pretty piece of glassware. One day I hope to gift them to my daughter-in-loves. The little kitten was a Mother's Day gift. I can still picture four year old Nash, standing by my bedside at 5 am, with a tiny gift wrapped box. :)

Favorite things...vintage rabbits, Tasha Tudor storybooks and shiny dragees unearthed at an estate sale by my friend Joan.

More Inspiration...

Everyone needs a helper...

Supplies...

Another corner...

A turn of the century, white cotton day dress and antique ladies pocket watch, gifts from my Momma.

I have one last project to finish in this room. I want to paint my worktable a creamy white. It's a big round claw-foot table that we've had since we were first married. Right now the finish looks like this...it really needs a makeover.

 

Well...I hope you've enjoyed the tour. I look forward to sharing the rest of my summer with you...including a tutorial on how to paint upholstered furniture, a special outing with friends, my first big feature story in Mercantile Gatherings Magazine and what I am looking forward to for fall. Until next time...Rhonda

(Please forgive my crazy spacing...blogger seems to be buggy tonight.)

Dog Days of Summer

It's hot here...and humid. And I don't know about you, but I'd rather stay inside and play on days like this.

~Patches, an early cloth dog, found looking sad at a garage sale...($6)~

  

I've always been a dog person. When I was a small child I wanted a dog so badly that I traded our cat for one. The problem was, we didn't have a cat. It was a hot, sticky summer day (much like this one) and my brother and I were outside playing together...he was ten and I was about six years old. We spent the morning plotting ways we could become dog owners without any money. While walking around the neighborhood we came across a house with a sign that said "Free Cat". We figured having a cat was almost as good as having a dog, right?

"Bone Eater", found lonely and scared at an antique mall~

On the way home with "our" new cat, we happened upon a woman with a large dog. Being the friendly and adventurous types, we stopped to inquire about her dog. Was it friendly? Could we pet it? And more importantly...would she be interested in a trade?

~Puppy, found abandoned and unloved at an antique shop~

Our Mother looked up from scrubbing the kitchen floor to see Bone Eater's scruffy face peering in the back door. We stood beaming, one on each side of his massive Irish Wolfhound body, while Mother asked a perfectly silly question..."Who does this dog belong to?" With a look of absolute pride on our dirty little faces...we answered, "He's ours." I'm sure Mother's, "NOOOOOOOO, he most certainly is NOT ours!", could be heard three blocks away. Much to our dismay, we were not allowed to keep Bone Eater...or the cat.

Eventually our Mother relented and we found a sweet little dog at the pound. Wendy adored me and the feeling was mutual. She slept in a baby cradle in my room and allowed me to dress her in doll's clothes and push her in a stroller. Wendy was very corgi-esque and is most likely responsible for my infatuation with corgis today. She was twenty-two years old, and I was a married lady of four years, when she crossed the bridge.

 Wendy, found sleeping on a pile of rags.

 I'll always be a dog person. And I've always had a soft spot for strays and rescue pups.

~A few of my strays~

And a few more...

~Maggie~ (Over the Rainbow Bridge, Summer 2007)

~Edith and Walter 
(Walter, Over the Rainbow Bridge, Summer 2009)~

~Murray and Edith~
(At home, Spring 2011)

Until next time...

Rhonda

Looking for your new BFF? Petfinder.com

~Thrifty Thursday~

If you hang around here long enough you will come to realize that almost everything I own has had a previous owner. We don't have priceless antiques and almost everything is patched or remade from someone's castoffs. Nothing here is museum quality...and I'm good with that. I am a thrifty person by nature and go by the old adage, "use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”. My old granny taught me well how to use up every bit of something, be it food or fabric. 

Like many of you, I frequent thrift shops and garage sales looking for buried treasure. I like the challenge of stretching a dollar or finding something at a rock bottom price. And since we are kindred spirits, I thought you might enjoy seeing a few of my finds from the last week. 

 ~When I came around the corner and saw this little cupboard in the shop I was immediately drawn to all the little drawers & knobs...then I saw the $15 price tag! It is missing one knob, and I might paint it (black?) , but I think I did pretty well for my money.~

The same shop always has a great selection of vintage glassware and jewelry. This week was no exception... 

  ~I found three pretty transferware plates in a springy green floral, a triple strand pearl necklace and a wonderful old tarnished cream & sugar-perfect for make-do pincushions...

...and this long strand of vintage glass beads in peaches and pinks...I have the perfect blouse to go with these.~

Some of you might remember my recent post about Picking. My overall best junkin' advice was to treat people the way you'd like to be treated. I tried my best to convince everyone that kindness matters...

There is a lovely older woman who tends one of the local church resales in my area...she is always especially gracious to me. Through conversation we have discovered that we both have an appreciation for many of the same things. She was an avid seamstress in her day and really knows her stuff. From time to time, I bring dolls and other projects into the shop to show her what I'm working on. I really just love talking with her. Last week when I was in the shop she said the words any die-hard, thrift store junkie loves to hear..."Come in the back. I have something special for you."

~As I unpacked everything she explained to me that she had brought this box from home...especially for me. The laces were freshly laundered and she had attached little notes telling who made each piece. She told me she wanted me to have these things.  Her generosity was truly overwhelming.~

~She had even rolled some of the lace into pretty little rosettes.~

And then there was this...

Someone had donated a beautiful quilt kit, enough fabric to make a queen size bed. Can you imagine? 

My generous friend said, "I thought of you when I saw it."

~Just look at all those adorable prints!~

So as you travel on your thrifty adventures this week, smile, and remember to practice the golden rule. Because kindness still matters.

Until next time...

Hello, my name is Rhonda...

...and I'm a picker. As you saw in my last post, I love treasure hunting. And finding vintage treasure usually involves lots of time spent digging through thrift stores and garage & estate sales.

I bought this transferware, luncheon service for six, from a sweet lady on Craigslist this week. Red "isn't her thing"...fortunately, it's mine.

A few of you asked where I find so much good stuff...I thought I'd share some of my best pickin' tips.

1. Go often. You will have to devote some time to treasure hunting if you want to find the good stuff. You might get lucky on your first trip to Goodwill, but it's unlikely. As Ben Franklin once said, "Diligence is the mother of good luck." The harder I work at finding treasure, the luckier I seem to get. Eventually you will learn which days to stop in which shops, what neighborhoods to shop, and you will even develop an "eye" for the things you like. Speaking of Goodwill...their stores are OK, but personally I love the little church thrift shops. Better pickin', better prices, and the proceeds usually support local mission projects.

2. The early worm gets the yellowware/hutch/firkin/etc. If you aren't a morning person, become one. I am not naturally gifted in this area, but I have been known to be on the doorstep of an estate sale at 5:30am with a cup of coffee and a book. Behave yourself and no one will mind. 

3. Which brings me to...be polite. You don't need to grab, push or be obnoxious to get the goods. I'd rather leave empty handed than engage in rude behavior.

4. Be genuine and friendly. People like to talk and tell their stories...listen and be sincere. Don't try to get one over on people. It's icky and most people can sense it.

5. Don't be squeamish. Sometimes you will have to touch some grimy or unpleasant things...it's inevitable. Take along some hand wipes or carry a pair of work gloves with you.

6. Utilize the local newspapers for sales information.  I like to get the newspapers and plan my garage sale route based on time, what is offered and location. Also note the time sales begin and end.  Please respect people who say "no early birds"...they have probably been working for days to get ready for the sale and would like to sleep until 7 am.  

I found these 1958 princess phone key-chains in a tattered old box at a garage sale last summer. They were under a table where some of the less desirable items had been stowed. I had no idea what they were at the time...but when something is so darn cute, how could I go wrong? Let's just say I made a profit. My point? Look closely and look everywhere.

7. Utilize online sites like Craigslist.org, freecycle.org and estatesales.net. Subscribe to these sites and have notifications sent straight to your inbox. Get to know the estate liquidators...which companies have good prices, who does a great job...which companies should you avoid? Whether buying or selling, please keep folks abreast of your intentions...and for heaven's sake, respond to emails. If you make an appointment, please, keep it! I am stunned at the number of people who are no shows on Freecycle. They are being GIVEN something and can't be bothered to show up? Always be safe when making contact with someone you don't know. Meet in a public place or take someone with you...they can even wait in the car, but never go alone. I always let sellers know I have someone with me and that I will need to find an ATM to get cash. If something seems off, it probably is...leave immediately.

I just love the old calico, ringers and stenciled porcelains and have been trying to collect enough of these buttons to make a sampler. Thanks to a sweet Craigslist seller this week, I'm ready to begin. 

8. Talk to people...especially people who you are already buying something from. Tell them what you collect. Ask questions. They might have what you need...but you'll never know if you don't ask. Never be pushy or pressure someone to sell something they aren't ready to sell. If you're pleasant, they'll remember you when they are ready.

A friend of a friend called me when she was ready to sell her mother's button collection. She had heard that I like old buttons. I bought 800 of the loveliest buttons I've ever seen from her...and we both went away happy.

9. Be prepared. Fill up your gas tank the night before your pick. Fold down or take out seats in your vehicle if you need to. Make sure your cell phone is fully charged. Have a GPS or map of the area you're going to. Get up early and dress for success...wear comfy clothes & shoes.  Make a list with dimensions of things you are looking for and bring along a tape measure. Take a snack and plenty of coffee along. Know where the clean bathrooms are. Pack hand wipes.  Head out with a smile and be nice.

10. Be patient and enjoy yourself. Half the thrill is in the hunt. Cross you fingers and rub your rabbit's foot. Today may be your lucky day!

Happy hunting! Until next time...

~Tuesday Display Chain~ Bowls

Each Tuesday Misi, of Gable House Musings, chooses a theme and invites bloggers to play along with her "Tuesday Display Chain". This week we are showing off "bowls". 

I am a collector of bowls...big bowls, little bowls...bowls made of pottery, pewter, wood, china, glass...I love them all.  These are a few of my favorites...

~This tiny yellowware bowl was a garage sale find...just .25 cents. Isn't that great? OK, so here's the not so great part...see the spice box it's sitting on? Also a garage sale find...it was $10 and had the original finish-including stenciled drawer fronts. I thought it was ugly, and not that old...so I gave it a prim finish. Can you say young and stupid? Saw one just like it (before condition) in an antique shop for $150. *sigh* OK, moving on...~

~More garage sale bowls. Are you sensing a theme? My entire house is decorated in early garage sale.~

~I found this set of nesting yellowware bowls at the thrift store, four of them for $20. The two largest ones are pictured here on my $1 corner thingy. I think it might actually be a plant stand, but it works for me.~

~Red hutch full of primitive goodness~

~You guessed it...garage sale. Hutch, $50. Loading it into a minivan by myself, priceless.~

~Rowe pottery bunny, and a piece from my Dad's baby dishes, surround a wooden bowl filled with gourd eggs.~

~A redware bowl from Turtlecreek Pottery, a favorite gift from my Mother in love.~

~Wooden bowls rest on a dry sink.~

~A HUGE yellowware bowl from my grandmother. It measures 14" in diameter and makes a fabulous punch bowl.~

~An old trencher takes center stage in the buttery. The woman I bought it from said it was hand carved by her great-grandfather. I know...how could she sell it?~

~Vintage Pyrex, colorful and fun. And no, this photo isn't staged. I bake outdoors all the time.~

 

Not my style, but still...one of the prettiest bowls I've seen. 

It seems to me that one can never have too many bowls.

See the other Tuesday Display Chain participants at: http://1890gablehousemusings.blogspot.com/

Until next time...