Black cat black cat looking for a Witch

I know it's no where near Halloween but I just listed these AMAZING antique Halloween costumes on eBay and I wanted to share them with you.

I bought these quite a while ago and have decided it's time to let them go.

I hope someone with enjoy them as much as I have.  These are quite rare!

 

You can buy Hearts Costume here.

 

Buy the Clown Costume here.



Buy the Witch Costume here

It's That 70's Show around here

I have been feeling under the weather lately so this post will be short and sweet with a lot of pictures.

I tend to stay away from vintage clothing newer than the early 60's.  It doesn't sell well and that stuff I find is always that nasty cheap polyester. 

Of course in high school I remember shopping at this cool vintage store in Boardman OH called Wild Styles.  We used to have a blast there trying on clothing that mom would say "I remember wearing something like that when I was your age".  I loved rocking the bell bottoms and funky sweaters!

For the past few weeks I have come across a lot of 70's items.  Including these vintage Vogue Pattern magazines. 

 

These are just a handful, I bought about 40 issues

 

 

Oriental Inspired

 

Vivid Fabrics

 

I love this purple bikini!

 

The lovely Victorian inspired 70's bride.

 

Can't go wrong with a Dior coat.

 

 

 

I love the hippie, gypsy, boho look!

 

 

 

Some 70's styles weren't so bad, of course it's better if the designer is well know and quality.

 

Here are some of the articles of clothing I bought.

 

 

 

Lilly Pulitzer, The Vested Gentress, Jantzen, JohnnyE, just to name a few.

 

 

February's Favorite Find

February is the month of romance.  It is the month I met my husband.  Actually I met him on the very day of romance, February 14th 2005. 

February's favorite find was a tie and both are very romantic items.  Coincidence?  Maybe, maybe not.

At an estate sale that I stopped by late in the afternoon just because it was close to home, I found a beautiful set of French bed linens.  And I practically grabbed them out of someone else's hands.  Practically but they rightfully became mine.

Toujours Unis means "Always United"

 

The set consisted of three pillow covers and a bed runner.  The pillow covers are the very old ones that just laid over your pillows for decoration.  The bed runner lays at the bottom of the bed.  All pieces match with there dainty embroidery.

Buon Riposo means "Good Rest"

 

I think these are so romantic, they were probably a wedding present.

My other favorite find of February came from the awesome estate sale I already talked about 

here

 

 

 

 

This is an exquisite antique piano shawl.  Cream silk with fringe, delicately embroidered in pastel silk with French knot tassels on the back and tie at the neck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just look at the romantic details on this piece.

I'm keeping this one for myself!

 



 

 



 

A Doll Auction

This past weekend I attended an auction with my mom.  I like auctions just as much as estate sales.  They are different but just as fun.  I like the fact that I have the option to get whatever I want.  I just need to be prepared to pay more for it if someone else wants it as bad as me.  Sometimes I get lucky and can be the only bidder or get something for a really good price.  And then there are times when the prices go sky high.  I always go to an auction with a plan.  I strategize days or weeks in advance what I am willing to spend.  I'm pretty good at staying with my plan too. 

This doll auction was one that I knew I wouldn't end up with much but I was excited to go for the learning experience.  I don't really know a great deal about dolls.  There were also antique bears there and I want a old Steiff bear very much.  It was also nice spending time with my mom.  On the way home she thanked me for taking her, she used to go with my dad all the time.  That was their thing.  I was and will always be happy to go to an auction with her. 

So I got to see and touch Steiff bears and a rare closed mouth French Jumeau doll (closed mouth are hard to find and worth a lot more, that is one thing I learned).

 

Antique French Jumeau Doll - she sold for $2,900.

 

 Little Antique Steiff Bear - I wasn't too sad to not win him I want a bigger one:)

 

 

Some overview shots - There was a lot of other great stuff there like pull toys and furniture.

 

 

 

 Look at those bright blue eyes.

 

 

Mom took these two little cuties home.

 

 

I took home a tiny antique kid leather bull dog purse!  I paid a little more than I wanted to for him but since I wasn't winning anything else I intended to get I justified paying more.  And have you ever seen anything like this before?  I also won an old mohair bear that I will be keeping.  I have been wanting to start a new collection so maybe it will be antique bears.  

 





 



 

 Next post will be February's Favorite Find.  And it's a tie!

 

Maybe a top 10 and....

There are good estate sales.  Ones where you find good items at good prices.  Where you walk out of the house with items in your hand and money left in your wallet.

There are bad estate sales.  Ones that you get excited about when you read the ad and then you arrive an hour early to wait in line and then once you get in you realize the person writing the ad needs, new glasses, a better education or a punch in the face.  For many reasons.  I'll get into my pet peeves on another post though.

Then there are epic sales.  I can count on my fingers the epic sales I have been to.  At least by my standards.  And I'm thinking maybe I'll do another post on that at another time. 

This weekend I attended a sale that may be in my top 10.  Vintage clothing, antique lace trim, millinery flowers.  Need I say more?

 

Vintage hat box full to the brim with millinery flowers...love!

 

 

Loads of antique lace trim and an old wooden picture frame.

 

These are just some of my finds from this weekend.  I need to get busy, just look at my spare room!My husband is being very patient.  I am getting ready to do a massive organization project so this is my before picture.  And it is really only showing a portion of my stock/collection, whatever you want to call it.

 



 

 I'm so embarrassed!

 



 

 

 



Favorite Find of January 2013

I am completely amazing by the amount of estate sales there have been already this year.  And ones that are worth, or sound worth, getting up for at 6am and waiting in line out in the winter freezing cold.  I think I went to 6 sales in January, there has been at least 6 almost every weekend.

It's a sickness, I think, the excitement I get leading up to the sale.  Days before, hours before, and minutes before walking into a real live treasure hunt. 

Finding items like this beautiful art nouveau brass jeweled picture frame in the basement of a home, stuffed in a box with 20 other frames no where near the age and condition of this one, makes the next sale worth waiting for.  You just never know what you will find.  It was also only a mere $2.00.

This is my favorite find of January's sales.

It is a brass picture frame encrusted with green jewels.  It is marked E&J.B.  I did some research and found E&J. Bass or Empire Art Co. was in business during the late 1800's up till the Great Depression.  This piece dates to the 1920's.  Just look at the details.

 

 

Watch out for February's Favorite Find

Let's Try This Again...

A little over two years but better late than never I guess.  I always have ideas and plans in my head that seem so good but often never happen and if they do they are short lived. 

I'm taking another crack at this blog.  I enjoy so much reading others maybe someone will enjoy mine too.

Two years since my last post. That Halloween auction I was at with my parents.  My mom and dad met me there.  My dad has passed since then.  I miss him every day.  Even though he isn't here I still feel him around, giving me luck and guidance and the motivation to make my life the best I can.  I guess I'm hoping I am still making him proud.  So I'll dedicate this blog to him.  I think he would enjoy reading it. 

I'll leave you with a photo, just because the sunlight was shining today.

Tiny vintage glass powder jar by Yardley.