Isn't she lovely....Isn't she wonderful.

My special treasure of the week. Acquired at the thrift store after a boring estate sale.

Stunning scroll design, gilt bronze or brass, with incredible punched details in the metal. 

Topaz colored gemstones, she's missing one chaton on the lid, which I think I can easily remedy with a search on Etsy.

Still has the chain attached for latch.

She's a precious, petite jewelry casket, measuring only 3" long by 2-1/4" wide, and has a sticker on the bottom "Made in Western Germany".

I really bought this with the intention of selling it, but I am admiring it more and more every day. It doesn't help that I can't find anything like it in my research so far, to establish a value. So until that day, she will mingle with my antique German alarm clocks, where she looks very much at home. :)

Lucky Unicorn

UPDATE: She sold on Ebay for $51. Yay me! Open those nondescript boxes Peeps. You never know what's hiding inside! 


I didn't hit any estate sales this weekend, but I was fortunate enough to acquire a nice little collectible from the thrift store. It truly pays to be inquisitive, since this item was inside its nondescript original box. 

Made by Corday, a company no longer in business, it is a solid perfume encased inside a wax seal stamp. Labeled as Fame, Signet de Corday, it also has the wax included.

The stamp design is a Unicorn, fenced in near a tree, and was never used, as evidenced by its original sticker still covering the stamp.

The very elegant handle has an amber gemstone on both sides. Isn't she beautiful?


Apparently, this particular Corday item is somewhat hard to find, making it quite sought after. I was unaware of its demand when I purchased it. I just thought it was cool-looking, so I bought it. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised when I got it home and researched it. I currently have it listed on Ebay, and it has amassed several watchers in just one day. Let the games begin!

Truffles and Acorns

This past weekend, while many lucky treasure-hunters in the PNW were experiencing eyegasms at the junking Nirvana that is Farm Chicks, I resorted to so-called estate sales close to home.

And while they were feasting in a forest teeming with truffles, I was subsisting on meager acorns. Out of four sales, this is what I came home with: 

If Barbara were grading this day using her apron score, she would grade it -4 aprons, for time spent in construction en route to sale, wayward child riding his scooter around me while I tried to shop, and the seller's lack of preparation (hardly had anything on display yet for me to look at, and was still carrying things out to price). And finally, while I waited for her to bring out more items, she would stop what she was doing every time her 8-ish son wanted to talk about whatever was on his mind at any given moment. Needless to say, waiting around yielded nothing else, and that is a half-hour of my life, and half a gallon of gas I will never get back.

Thankfully, my good ol' standby GW came through with a Hail Mary to save my low-scoring day. Though nothing to brag about, a few acorns is better than nothing.......

 

Hopefully next year I can make a pilgrimage to the Mecca in Spokane, 

so I can dine on truffles too..........

In Memoriam

We cherish too, the Poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led,

It seems to signal to the skies

That blood of heroes never dies.

Moina Michael




Photo: C.Steinberg

Poulet la Poste

More Estate sale fabulosity! Bought this from a chicken owner this weekend. Ain't she sweet!

I adore rich and vivid lithos, especially on metal.....

I scooped up these measuring cups in delicious Aqua.

Though this sale didn't yield a yitload (Sue's word), this was only Phase 1 of her liquidating. I'll be getting an email for Phase 2 and possibly a preview before the actual sale. She is an avid junker and mixed-media artist, so I'm looking forward to it!

Cooking in History

How abfab are these recipe books! I spied these at an estate sale today, and scooped them up for Etsy or Ebay.  

The silver one is an aluminum binder that closes up like a box. Recipes are from Pillsbury Flour Mills, dated 1933. 

This appears to be an early example of those cookbooks you add recipes to as you get them.  

 Each recipe is removable, cut the size of index cards, but made from thin paper. Remarkably good condition for its age.

Lots of history within this book. The cover was designed by a commercial artist, founder of a very successful graphic sign company, still in existence today.

Clearly a labor of love, it was originally assembled by the Ladies of St John's Guild of Wisconsin in 1949. This book was obviously a very successful fundraiser, as this copy is from their 8th printing. 

They had a Milwaukee designer create these beautiful category sketches, depicting local landmarks.

I find it thoroughly charming that it was published using each guild member's hand-written recipe and name, rather than typed to look the same. Really gives it that small town feel, like a community of women who exchanged recipes over the years.

The charming cartoons throughout the book were drawn by a young lady who is a descendant of a prominent artist from the 1800's. She is now a board member of the Museum of Wisconsin Art.

These two culinary treasures appearing on Etsy and Ebay tonight!

Chloe, My Spiritual Teacher

This post is dedicated to Beethoven the Cat, who traveled his life journey with Donna of Funky Junk Interiors. She recently had to say Goodbye to her beloved feline teacher, and decided to host a link party in his honor, with the theme, Pets In Our Home. So here's to you, Beethoven. My Chloe gets extra love, each and every day, with you in mind.

Beethoven & Donna

We can learn a lot from our furry companions............

The best home accent is a Kindred Spirit.

There are beautiful views everywhere, no matter how small.

You can turn any spot into a photo op.

You don't need a mansion to be happy.

And to quote one of my favorite ads.........

Home......is the most important place in the World.

Link to Funky Junk Interiors