gym locker baskets, office baskets, wire trees, metal metal metal...

I use to have a large collection of vintage gym baskets...but now I only let myself keep them if the #1 is on it...

I am trying so hard to purge my studio of unwanted or unneeded objects...

but I find that I just can't let go of the really old wirey things...


the really, really old office wire baskets, a really, really old tall flower frog...and a wire tree that I use at Christmas for the very special ornaments...
so...
as I purge more and more, lots of items are ending up at STARS and SPLENDID antique malls...

happy hunting out there this weekend...
I am on the hunt for that square wash tub...
wish me luck!

what happened to commenting on blogs? I am to blame...

as I read my favorite blogs, and I do read you all, I do...
I find that I am in a hurry to rush to the next one...
so even though I loved what you pictured or what you have said,
I find that I do not comment any more.
so...
I am sorry.
I am making it my new, New Year's Resolution to comment, to take a breath and tell the blogger that YES, I do really like what they just posted...
it usually takes me this long to get my resolutions working...so I may as well start a resolution in June/July.
so...
we will see how well I can keep this resolution.

by the way, Annie, Fannie and Abigail...
I would keep the vials with the sequins and beads.
And I am on my way back to leave that comment.
cuz I was thinking it before I headed to another blog...

you see...I CAN do this!

I NEED A SQUARE WASH TUB...

you know the kind I am talking about...not the round wash tubs that you see everywhere...planted and stunning...
I need a square one...
I have one,
I have a stand for two...
and now...
I NEED ONE MORE!!!
I want to use them in my greenhouse for dirt and mulch...
so...
if you live close...
Portland, Salem, Vancouver...Camas...Battleground...
LET me know...
I will come and buy yours...


thanks!

vintage bulk buying...I love to buy junk in bulk!

there is nothing that makes me happier when I see a bunch of one thing at a garage or estate sale...



whether huge rusty saw blades that will look awesome on a wall...

to a gob of recipe booklets from the early 1900"s...


to what becomes a "bulk" buy when you find white and natural woods everywhere...

some days my junking is very color coordinated...

and I end up looking at the back of my car and it all blends together...

with a little bit of clean up these pieces will all end up in STARS...

but not the saw blades...they will be at STARS with all their rust intact!

hope you all have a happy week!

garage sale Friday...the people you meet...and beer for breakfast?

Always makes me feel a bit weird and awkward when someone remembers me from "somewhere"...and I have NO clue who they are...
went to garage sales today...did about a 12 block square around my house...
got a late start...
first garage sale...
nothing...
second garage sale...
nothing...(wondering why the heck I couldn't get out of bed sooner!)

about the 4th sale, I drive up and park next to a 10 foot tall cowboy Santa...yep, I said 10 foot tall cowboy Santa...made of wood...
and dang, forgot the camera...
as I walk up the driveway, I am greeted with a friendly hello...then asked what I ended up buying at the estate sale that I went to last weekend...
Who is this guy and why does he remember me?
so...
we chat for a bit as I start a pile...
cool suitcase, fabulous large shelf, absolutely to die for 3 tiered metal cart on wheels...a type shelf that I plan on using for found object art...and about 10 old racks (the kind you put pool balls in)....
as I load up my car...he is still chatting about all the times he has run in to me...at Value Village, estate sales...sees me around the neighborhood...and his wife is there chatting me up too...
And I am just not remembering anything about either of them...
I feel bad.
and I look over to the porch...and I see they are drinking beers...at 10:30 am...
after all ...it is 5 pm somewhere...
not judging...
just getting a kick out of their great memories...and wondering...
maybe I should drink more beer?
they were super nice...and one of these days I will get photos of some of the fun stuff I bought from them...
but not the shelf- it sold already in STARS...
gotta go-
got a beer waiting for me...

garage sale heaven...the adventure...

ok...last Saturday I took my son to work...he works at a mall about 10 miles from my house...
and I really wanted to garage sale somewhere...well...somewhere away from my usual stomping grounds.
So...I head out to Happy Valley- a town (area) that is not far from where my son worked. And I started just following signs. And they were EVERYWHERE...really...not just a couple - but DOZENS of signs...
so, finally, after finding not too much stuff...I asked a nice lady..."are there always this many garage sales in Happy Valley?"
her reply...NO...this is the annual garage sale event...
ahhhhh....
so...
not wanting quite so much competition (there were shoppers everywhere...)--- I start heading out further...and further...
and I follow an itty bitty sign that says garage sale...
so...
of course by now it is raining...
I get out, waddle through the puddles ( in my flip flops...)
and walk in to this garage...
Did I mention I was pretty far from civilization?

I am greeted by a nice man with a friendly hello...
and I stop breathing...just for a second...
when I realize that I am the only one here.......
and the place is PACKED full of old stuff!!!!
did I mention I was the only one there?

I had no idea where I was...

but I just started gathering things up...

and pretty soon my pile was very very big...

I haven't even gone through all the boxes yet...
so more pictures will be coming as I unpack them...some of the items are already at STARS...

and the old, old books that I bought will be a blog of its own...

but once I was done at this sale?

I had to use the map ap on my phone to get home...
and my car was soooo full, I didn't even stop at any other signs...
I did feel a bit like the pickers on TV when they score!!!
so very happy...
so...
here's hoping this Saturday will be a grand adventure as well!

GARAGE SALE PREVIEW THIS THURSDAY AT 6 PM

OK...THE BASEMENT AND STUDIO SALE WILL BE THIS SATURDAY...BUT IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SHOPPING IT EARLY, THE PREVIEW WILL BE THIS THURSDAY AT 6 PM...
SO- SHOOT ME AN EMAIL(OR LEAVE A COMMENT HERE- JUST MAKE SURE I CAN FIND YOU!) IF YOU ARE INTERESTED...AND I WILL SEND YOU THE DETAILS...
SHOULD BE LOTS OF STUFF...STILL NOT DONE IN BASEMENT...BUT I AM GOING TO BE!!!
SOME OF THE ITEMS FOR SALE
GARDEN POTS, WHEEL BARRELS, BITS AND PIECES OF FLORAL LINOLEUM (OLD!), WALLPAPER ROLLS(VINTAGE)...VINTAGE LINENS...A RETRO TABLE AND CHAIRS SET, OLD WINDOWS, PARTS OF A STAIR WELL...AND SO MUCH MORE...
LOOKING FORWARD TO PASSING ON TREASURES...
EMAIL ADDRESS IS allmyfavoritethings2@gmail.com
have a great day!

GARAGE SALE FINDS (and this was just Friday!)...the adventure...

I have to admit...the Tooty Frooty people make me smile...I just love them...

and vintage clocks...fun fun


the set of three mixing bowls...I can't tell you how much they were...it's embarrassing how cheap!


am I the only one that likes silver plate tarnished silverware? cuz I scooped up this boxful...

these huge 3 baskets I scored for $10...(all three!)...they are going to help organize all the paper in the studio...

really not sure why I bought this hanger with the clips hanging from it...I am thinking that I could use it to dry roses?

but my favorite find? Has to be this liddle kiddles klub carrier...

and imagine my surprise when I opened it up and it was full of dolls and accessories!!!
oh...the little girl in me was playing with them for about an hour...
the question is? Do I keep them or sell them?


and all of this? Just Fridays haul...
the adventure story will have to wait until tomorrow- I will tell you about getting lost on Saturday...and my biggest score of the year yet!

tiny lampshade...before and after

as I am sorting and pricing and purging...I am finding a project or two is calling out to me...
I have 4 of these mini lampshades that I have always meant to do something with...
so...
I got out the vintage wallpaper and the vintage crepe paper...



I really am sorting as I go...


so I am still having the preview sale a week from today, 6 pm...


but I am thinking that I might have to keep these mini shades...


did the "after" turn out cute? Or am I delusional in thinking that it is adorable? Somehow, I am just not sure...
opinions? be honest...I can take it...the lampshade is about 4" tall...I am thinking I went too over the top...
???

don't use the electric sander in the rain...before and after

I get distracted easily...
while I should be cleaning the basement, I realized that I desperately need furniture in my mall space...
so I dragged this horrid green cabinet out of storage and started sanding...and sanding...
and all of a sudden...I feel tingly...like electricity running up my arm...
in my determination to sand the heck out of this piece, I neglected to realize that it had started drizzling...
hmmm...can you say blonde moment?




so...after pulling the piece back in to the garage, I finished it up under cover, no more tingling...



so...
now that it is done, I guess I will head back down to boxland...

hope you are having a great week!

Basement shame...I swear I am NOT a hoarder!

I have less than 2 weeks to get this room done...
I know I look like a hoarder, but seriously, here is the story...
2 years ago we moved out of a 3200 square foot house to a tiny 1200 foot cottage...
I couldn't purge everything (ok...a little hoarder?)
so...
as we redid each room, things ended up here...in these photos.
then a year ago we closed our brick and mortar store...
I couldn't purge everything (sound familiar?)...
so things ended up...
here...



I have NO idea what is in these boxes...

It could be the missing salad spinner...(bought a new one)

it could be the missing blender...(someone gave me one)...

it could be the boxes with the Roseville and Mccoy pots...


any way you look at it...our garage sale should be a BIG one the last Saturday of this month...
the pressure is ON!

studio purge 2- garage sale-studio preview sale!

did I mention in my last post that I will be purging my studio too?
It is so full of items that I don't use, that I will be cleaning out in there, too...
so...
I am going to try my bestest to be done emptying the basement and studio by JUNE 23...so that I can have a garage sale/studio sale on the last Saturday of the month...but the preview sale for friends would be Thursday night the 23rd
let me know if you are interested in coming to the preview sale...
I will keep you posted on my progress...
and pics to come soon!

the next adventure...it might be embarrassing...

I am working up my courage to take the ever dreaded "before" pictures of the other side of my basement...the SCARY side...
the side that we have not seen the floor in TWO years...
that is my next project...
I have 2 weeks before the Concordia neighborhood garage sales, and I am determined to participate in that...
SO...

hopefully tomorrow I can work up the courage to TAKE the photos...
and maybe post the photos...
and...dive in...

estate sale pictures...

just some of the furniture...
I will post the address on Thursday morning...
the sale is FRIDAY 9-3 and SATURDAY 9-3
we won't be open early for this one...
it really is a sweet sale...