My Do Not Disturb Saturday Turned To Thrifting Heaven!

What a great thrifting day I ended up having last weekend! Sleeping in Saturday morning didn't go exactly as planned since my Daddy woke me up bright and early to tell me about some yard sales he saw on his way into town. I tried to go back to sleep, really I did, but those yard sales just kept calling my name. And I had seen on the news Friday night that one of the local Catholic churches was having a rummage sale, so that was on my mind too. So what's a girl to do? Get up and head out to hunt for treasures, of course!

I didn't find much at the two yard sales, an old copy of Les Miserables and some tacky plastic owls. I DO have a plan for the tacky owls, trust me. I'll post about the final owl creations later when I get them done. But the rummage sale at St. Leo's, now that was a different story! They were winding down by the time I got there and were offering boxes for $5. You could get a box of clothes for $5 or a box of books for $5 or a box of household goods for $5, but not a mixture of things. Except for me, that is! You see, I was wearing a Saints t-shirt as usual and one of the older gentlemen from the church came up to me and asked about my shirt. His son is the GM for the minor league baseball team in New Orleans, the Zephyrs. We talked for a while about how much we both love New Orleans and just had a good talk and a few laughs. Then he tells me I can have a box of any combination of things I want for $4 just because I'm such a sweet girl! **Blush** He wasn't flirty or creepy or anything, just a really lovely man. So I loaded up a medium sized box of stuff and you'll never believe what all I got for $4...

This is an old New Testament from WWII, an old book of poetry from 1913, and a beautiful metal scrollwork bowl that I thought was pretty.

I picked up this box of odd ornaments mainly because the gold ones are really old and have a great vintage patina. I might sell them or I might use them in my own Christmas display at home.

This is a gen-u-ine Coach purse that I got in my $4 box. It's nothing very special, but a nice dressy purse to carry when wearing a black dress or outfit. I like classic designs anyway and this one will never go out of style.

I love this old crate. It was filthy, but a little vacuuming and cleaning fixed it right up. The colors on the label look great in my living room and I can use it to store my overabundance of decorating magazines!

This flag is so old, it's almost dry rotted, but I love the dingy color. The books are over 100 yeas old and they are Polish Catholic hymnals, published in Krakow in 1908. I'm not Catholic, but I thought they were beautiful and I'm sure the hymns are similar in meaning from religion to religion and language to language. And the measuring cups, I just thought they were cute!

Another fork and spoon set! I painted them this pretty blue and will have them in my booth at the next craft show I do. They have tiki monster-looking faces on them, but the paint softens them and they look super cute hanging in a kitchen.

The Bub loves this globe. It's so old, some of the countries either don't exist anymore or they're named something entirely different now. I have a feeling it may end up in his room!

This little treasure is a handmade toy dresser. It's old and dirty, but I couldn't resist it. I think I'll put some cute little knobs on it and paint it pink to sell.

This frame was bright, shiny red with a purple outline. That had to go! I've painted it ivory and will distress it a little so some of the red shows through and make a Christmas tray out of it to sell. It will be nice and festive!

I'm going to put a vintage silver bottle brush tree in this urn with some spanish moss around the base of the tree. I know I'm going to love it and want to keep it for myself!

And now, for the tacky owls...they're so ugly, they're cute aren't they??!! And they're plastic too! I'm going to paint them and make something cool for Fall with them. One for me and one to sell! I hope they turn out as cute as I think they will!

Well, now it's the weekend again already and I'm sure I'll do a little hunting for treasures again somewhere over the holiday. Or maybe I should just stay home and work on things I already have so I can have some Fall and Christmas stuff to sell at upcoming shows...yes, that sounds like a better idea. Whatever you choose to do this weekend, I hope it's lovely. Happy Labor Day!

Toodles,
Marie

A Sweet Birthday Suprise

Howdy folks. Hope everybody had a great weekend! I know I did. Just a friendly reminder, there's only one shopping day left until my birthday. Seriously, I'm just kidding! I'm never one to make a big deal out of my birthday. I've really only wanted a party once and that was for my 40th. I wanted a roller skating party because it's something I loved to do so much when I was a kid and I thought it would be a lot of fun. However, I had to have shoulder surgery about a week before my birthday, so that plan was out of the question per my doctor's orders. He's a real party pooper.

Anyhow, when I got to work this morning, I had a cute little balloon on my desk...it was just a hint of what was to come!

I was treated to a hot dog lunch with homemade slaw and chili. So yummy!

And my cake...what can I say about my Fleur-de-lis cake...except that I LOVE IT!! It was beautiful AND so delicious! For those who might not know, I am a HUGE New Orleans Saints fan and I collect fleur-de-lis because it's the Saints' team emblem and because they remind me of my honeymoon in Paris. They couldn't have chosen a more perfect cake for me.

The girls at work made me feel really special today and I owe them a million thanks! But you can rest assured, there will be NO roller skating this year either - I am waaaaay to old for that!!

Toodles,
Marie

P.S. Stay tuned - I got seriously lucky junkin' this weekend and got some great stuff and an amazing deal just because I was wearing a Saints t-shirt! I'll tell you all about it in a post tomorrow or Wednesday. See you then!

World's Longest Yard Sale!!!

This year was my second time going to the World's Longest Yard Sale with friends. I love it and have looked forward to it all year. If you haven't heard of it, it's hundreds of miles of yard sales and tent sales from Alabama to Michigan. Lots of junk, of course, but also lots of great antiques and vintage items to choose from and to get new ideas for projects. This year, we stayed in my friend's camper instead of a hotel. I called it "roughing it", but it wasn't rough at all - it was quite luxurious actually and I really enjoyed it. We stayed in Crossville, Tennessee and went south from there one day and north the next day. Last year I had a list of things that I wanted to find, such as a giant wooden fork and spoon - you know, like people had back in the 70's? This year I didn't have anything too specific I was looking for, so I just decided to only buy things that "spoke" to me and that I knew I would really enjoy having in my home. I only bought a few small things to use for making things that I sell at craft shows. The weather was great and we had a great time. My friend's husband went with us this time and he was good for a lot of laughs! But trust me, you would never catch my Hub at the World's Longest Yard Sale -it is NOT his thing!

I was in such a rush to get packed and get on the road that I forgot my camera! Don't tell my Dad - he'd be ashamed. So, I don't have any pictures of us on the hunt for our treasures, but I did take pictures of everything I bought after I got home. Oh, and don't tell the Hub, but I didn't even spend all the money I took!

This metal tray will look beautiful somewhere in my bedroom. Maybe as part of a mirror/plate display? What do y'all think?

I picked up these two cute cookie cutters - the pumpkin for fall and the moose for winter or Christmas. Cookies are not my baking specialty, so these are for looks y'all!

I loved this cute little flying pig, so he flew right into my bag!

More books!! I collect French books and found a few good ones. One is in English, but it contains the plays of Moliere. Then there's my favorite - the Emily Post etiquette book. Now I can finally learn how to act like I've got some sense! And, last but not least is the Pay Toilet sign. I know - it's not a book. But lots of people like to read while they're on the toilet, so if you stretch, it does kind of fit into this category. Anyway, I thought it would be cute framed and hanging on the bathroom door. Maybe I'll even leave a jar on the counter for all the nickels!

The Hub and I went to Paris on our honeymoon and this tray with Notre Dame cathedral took me back there. It was one of our favorite spots in Paris. Side note - they had lots of pay toilets in Paris, but they cost a quarter for every 5 minutes of use, so the pay toilet at my house will be a real bargain! The tray's in pretty rusty shape, but I like it and it will look great in our French-themed guest room.

This is an "after" picture. This shelf was an ugly, tarnished, goldplated thing and I painted it this bright green and then softened it a little with antiquing wax. Now it hangs over my kitchen sink and I love it!

Here's a close up of the fork. This is a miniature version of what I was looking for last year. Hard to find last year, saw them every time we turned around this year! These were an ugly brown color to start with so they got the same treatment as the shelf. They look cute, don't ya think?

This very old, very heavy lamp was a steal at 50 cents and it works like a charm! The silk on the old lampshade was dry rotted so I tore it off and I kind of like it bare like that. But I might try to fashion something out of the wire frame and some delicate old fabric I have.

I collect mostly old, white ironstone pitchers, but they were not in good supply at the yard sale this year and I only found one. I did, however, find a few other small pitchers in some cute colors to use elsewhere.

I got this pretty little vintage tablecloth to use on the table I got from the barn. It's in great shape and didn't have a single stain on it. That was, until the Hub and the Bub ate spaghetti on it!

This wire basket isn't old, but I liked it anyway. It's now being used to hold bottled water in the kitchen. Weird use for it, I know, but that's where it has ended up for now.

I love vintage Christmas ornaments. One sale had tons of them and the lady said the more we bought, the cheaper they would be. So my friends and I bought several boxes and got a great deal. And I got the vintage dancing Santa too! The vintage Christmas postcard will go in a cloche with some birds and pine cones that I use during the holidays and the Saint Nicholas book from 1849(that I only paid a dime for!)will be used in a display with my old-timey Santa. I can't wait for Christmas!

This little cutie is my most favorite purchase. It's a bluish-green color and it blends perfectly in my living room. Please disregard the patched places on the wall behind the fan - that is project #37 on my list of things to finish! The man I bought it from told me that it still worked, but there was nowhere to plug it in to check. When I got it home and plugged it in, it did work, but just barely. It sounded like a sick cat and got slower and slower until it was hardly moving. Plus, it blew out no air at all. Oh well, I really bought it more for looks anyway. But then, my sweet Daddy came to the rescue! After he stopped laughing at my pitiful fan, he said he thought he might could oil it up and fix it. With a little WD-40 and some other adjustments, it now works like it's brand new and it puts out a pretty good breeze too! Thanks Daddy!!


Do you shop yard sales? I have found that yard sales, estate sales, Goodwill, the Rescue Mission, and the Habitat Restore are the best places for me to find old, vintage stuff that I like for my home and for finding things I use to make all the "treasures" I sell at craft shows. Tell me about your favorite purchase from a yard sale or one of the other places I mentioned - I'd love to hear all about it!

Toodles,
Marie

Finally...I figured it out!!!

Okay, okay, so maybe it's not such a great idea for someone as tech challenged as myself to start a blog, but I finally got it figured out! Baby steps, people, baby steps...

At long last, here are the pictures I've been trying to get posted. Be sure to read my previous post to get the story about the barn!
Here's the view of the barn as we pulled up - already looking bare.

The inside of the barn, showing the ladder up to the loft.

This shows how much the barn has sunken and the reason it's in such bad shape.

The old horse stall.

Vines still clinging to one side of the barn.

Some cool stuff the Bub found in the barn.

I love this old basket. I remember using it to gather corn from the corn crib.

The ladder from the barn is now my quilt rack. My granny made the quilt on top.

Here's a peek at the table I found up in the loft. It's saying "Marie, save me!"

The table being prepped for a coat of white paint.

The table is in my kitchen now. I love to sit here and look at cookbooks, eat breakfast, or just watch the dogs and the birds out the window.

Hope everyone enjoyed this post and the pictures. Tell me about special family heirlooms or pieces that you have in your home in the comments. See you soon!

Toodles,
Marie

Precious Memories

Hi Everybody! I know I promised to post something every day or at least every other day but #1 - I've had trouble geting pictures to load for this post for several days and #2 - I just haven't been able to get around to getting it figured out because sometimes, life just gets the way! I had a list a mile long of things that needed to be done around the house and I've spent the past few days marking things off my list. I am a compulsive list maker - I have lists for everything. It helps me feel accomplished when I can mark something off my list. Anyway, back around Mother's Day, we were visiting family up in Miller's Creek and as we drove past my grandparent's old house I noticed that there was something wrong with the roof on the barn. I asked my Dad if it had been torn off during the recent storms we'd been having and he told me that the barn was being torn down. I can't even describe exactly how I felt at that moment - I guess hurt would be the best word to describe it. I just kept thinking "No, no, no!!!" in my mind - how could this be happening?! I don't know why I have such an attachment to that barn, but I just always have. Out of all of my grandparents, my Papaw was my favorite - I loved him dearly and respected him more than words. He died eight days after the Bub was born and I never got to say goodbye. Seeing that barn being torn down felt to me like he had died all over again. That may sound crazy, but that's just how it felt.

I have so many great memories of that barn from my childhood and it just reminds me of my Papaw so much. I remember helping Granny and Papaw milk cows there, watching calves being born there, watching Papaw work on the tractor, playing in the hay, and trying to catch the wild kittens that lived in the loft. The loft was like a secret playhouse and I had so much fun running back and forth across the board that connected the two sides of the loft. It's a miracle I never fell and broke my neck - the board was only about 8 inches wide and probably 6 feet off the ground! Most of all though, I loved how it smelled like hay and cows and dirt. I hope I never forget that smell.

While looking around the barn that day, we did find a few treasures. The Bub collected a bunch of rusty old tools that belonged to Papaw and some really cool old bottles. I found a beautiful old basket and some scrap barn wood along with two very important things: an old table up in the loft and the old ladder to the loft. Nobody remembers the old table, but I like to think that maybe it was Granny and Papaw's first kitchen table from when it was just the two of them. Who knows for sure... Then the old ladder. I must have climbed that ladder at least a million times as a kid. That's where I would sit while Papaw worked on the tractor. I ate watermelon with my cousins on that ladder, and I would stand on it and watch the wild kittens eat the food I brought them. My uncle got the table down for me a few weeks later and gave me the ladder to bring home. The ladder is now a quilt rack in my living room and the little table is in my kitchen. I'm so proud and happy to have these two pieces in my home and they mean the world to me. I will keep trying to post the pictures - maybe I can get them to load in a separate post! Have a great day everybody !!

So frustrating....!!!

I've been trying to post for a couple of days now and am having a terrible time getting pictures to load. Sorry folks...I'll keep trying!

Happy Hump Day!

Southern By The Grace Of God

Today I'd like to share a quote that really speaks to how I feel about being from the South. Despite our sordid past with slavery, I am still proud to be Southern because of all the other wonderful things our region represents - like old fashioned values, down home country cookin', lazy summer days, family farms, sweet tea and sweeter accents, church revivals and vacation bible school, and my absolute favorite - our unique Southern sayings. I've never heard anybody else say this, but one time my Granny told me and my cousin that if we didn't stop laughing so loud she was "gonna paint our back porches red"! That meant we were fixin' to get a whoopin'!

Anyway, this is a beautiful old quote from a Tennessee senator from long ago and I love it. I hope you enjoy it too!

The South

To that land;
every drop of my blood,
every fiber of my being,
every pulsation of my heart,
is consecrated forever.
I was born of her womb;
I was nurtured at her breast;
and when my last hour shall come,
I pray that I may be pillowed upon
her bosom and rocked to sleep
within her tender and encircling arms.

- Edward Carmark

Craiglist Diamond in the Rough

I love Craigslist. I mean I LURV it! I'm on it at least a few times a week just looking at what's for sale. A while back, our Master BR was in desperate need of a facelift and I couldn't decide if I wanted to buy a new headboard or build an upholstered one myself. Well, that decision was made for me as soon as I saw this beauty on Craigslist for $25. Yes, I said $25!! It is HUGE, so my Dad and the Bub had to haul it home for me. It needed a little work, but I knew I could make it gorgeous with a coat of chalk paint and a sanding block. It turned out fantastic and it's my proudest project so far. Take a look at this amazing transformation...

Here's a close up of the detail on the headboard after one coat of paint

The finished product waiting in the garage for the Hub and the Bub to bring it inside

Looking gorgeous in the bedroom

And...Ginger approves!








I could not for the life of me get the before picture of the headboard to load, but it was a dark cherry color. Even the teenage Bub commented on how much he likes it - that's a great compliment coming from a 15 year old boy! The Hub was pretty impressed too. And I a absolutely thrilled with it!

Have you transformed something beautiful for your home? Tell me about it in the comments - I'd love to hear all about it. Thanks for taking a look - see you again soon!

Toodles,

About Me...

Welcome to my blog - I'm so excited you're here!  My name is Marie and I am in constant project mode - always dreaming up new ideas to make our little "Holly Crescent Cottage" feel like home.  I grew up in a small town in North Carolina and still live nearby.  I love anything vintage, antique, or just plain old - the more worn and well-loved the better.  These things remind me of days gone by and are real treasures to me. our home is not large or anything special - very similar to most of the other houses in our neighborhood - but my passion is to make it unique in whatever small ways I can.  I am an avid thrifter, Goodwiller, and yard saler.  I'd say 90% of everything I buy is second-hand and I love it that way!  In our household, the people are outnumbered by pets.  My husband (the Hub), my son (the Bub), and I live with three lazy cats and two very feisty dogs.

My goal is to share some of my decorating projects and ideas, maybe some gardening and cooking on occasion, and a little about life here at Holly Crescent Cottage.  Most importantly, I just hope you have a good time while you're here and maybe get a few ideas to try in your own home.  Enjoy and come back to visit often!