Flea Market finds: California Girl Edition

It's been so long since I've posted anything at all...

but of course I had to start with my most recent flea market finds! ;)

This vintage "exercise equipment" threw me

for a loop when I first saw it. 

Well, that's after I looked inside first to see what hand grips were.

(Seriously. Had no clue.)

It's so perfectly "retro" looking, I sort of wasn't sure

wether it was truly old, or a modern jokey gag-gift type of thing.

D'you know what I mean?

This skip rope section on the exercise poster 

that was included made me giggle.

Correction.

The drawing of Mr. Studly skipping rope made me giggle.

Hand grips! ;)

Maybe this guy used a pair of those.

I really like this picture--

what a scene!

Awwwwww.

While still being kind of odd...and funny.

A great example of books I would never read,

but bought purely for the covers.

Pretty bad for a one-time English major.

Another find in the book category, 

this one a 1930's book of fairy tales.

Who doesn't love fairytales??

And the illustrations inside are truly gorgeous.

Please pardon slightly excessive photos below.

I always love children's items.

Vintage blankets, toys, clothes...

so much of it is just so charming.

I am beginning to show a bit of a weakness

for old tea set pieces.

Something that I like also are old school-related items--

flashcards, workbooks, that sort of thing.

I love this vintage shabby tray...

 ...and the price was great--$2!

Some Munising bowls, which I had actually never heard of...

but there was something really lovely about them.

I read that they stopped being made in 1955.

 These old doorknobs were too pretty,

and too inexpensive, to pass up.

Even with all the rust and paint on them.

I kind of like them that way :) 

 Case in point:

this very rusty old Ghiradelli chocolate tin.

It didn't deter me!

These shoes I found at the flea aren't old, but they do have 

a vintage flair.

They're my new favorite "dressy-therefore-I-won't-wear-them-much"

pair of shoes.

My other new favorite thing is finding things to 

paint and shabbify.

For example, this wooden notes & keys sign.

I loved the typography, 

but I didn't like the dark wood.

Since it was only a dollar, I figured a stab

at upcycling was worth a shot.

So I painted it white...

and pondered and pondered wether to place this 

metal adornment on...

before deciding I liked it without.

I am not being dramatic when I say my creative/crafty

skills are severely deficient in...talent.

But I liked how it turned out :)

Excluding the sign above, 

all of these vintage items were found in California,

while we were visiting for the holidays.

This is my very favorite find from that trip!

I collect vintage statuettes of the Virgin Mary,

as a nod to my Grandma Rosa, who I was extremely close 

to as a child.  She did the same thing.

Although I am not a traditionally religious person, I find

certain ones really lovely and even fascinating.

This wooden sculpture was originally a dark blonde wood.

I wasn't sure wether to paint it, 

because it had a very 50's/60's look to it,

if that makes any sense.

But being on a shabby-chippy streak lately, I had to try.

I didn't like it at first, not until I added this equally shabby tiara.

For some reason that seemed just the thing she needed.

 Now it is on my nightstand with all of my other statuettes.

For more flea market and thrift store finds visit:
Her Library Adventures

(One of my favorite blogs!)

Reasons I love Thrifting #1: $2 art

Whew!

I feel like I've just now caught my breath and had a minute's time

to sit and post a few of my past thrifting finds.

My kids have been sick, which (blessedly!) hardly ever happens...

but all three being fairly sick recently was a little tough! :)

Luckily everyone is feeling better now!

One of my favorite things to find in terms of vintage

is home decor. I love the unique look that old items bring,

often quirky and beautiful at the same time.

Case in point: this vintage lucite dish.

I love the organic shape, and the butterfly, flowers, and fern

preserved inside.

In the same nature-inspired vein is this shabby-pretty bird cage.

But my favorite home-decor find from the past few 

weeks is this handmade art that I found for $2.

At first, I wasn't too sure about it. 

Although it caught my attention immediately,

I had a long "hmmm...." in which I circled around

the store and pondered it for all of one minute.

Then I told myself, "Are you crazy? It's two dollars!" 

and got it.

It's a great size--18x24--and I have to say, I like it 

just as it is, with the gray frame and all.

What you may not be able to see from the pics too well

is that this is a collage, made with what appears to be tissue paper

and other papers. Up close, you can see all the lovely layers

and little rips and tears and other "artsiness."

I looked up the artist, but couldn't find any info at all.

The more I look at it, the more I find to like :)

I REALLY love vintage linens,

but trying to get a good picture of them is hard.

So, these photos don't show off the beauty of this

soft gray and pink tablecloth all that well,

but maybe you'll get an idea!

I've never found a vintage tablecloth this large

and that is in such good condition.

Not that it is unusually large...I just never seem to 

find tablecloths! 

This vintage kitchen towel is one of the cutest I've ever seen!

Isn't it adorable?

Other finds:

A salt-and-pepper set depicting the RCA dog...

A 70's Goebel figurine...

A tin with fiddling and dancing gnomes...

(hee hee!)

A vintage drinking tray...

An old pincushion...

Christmas stuff! I thought this somewhat odd

pair of pants with the back that opens up

was cute...it was with a box of stockings,

so I'm guessing it's meant to be used as one.

I found this one at the same place.

I always love vintage baby keepsake books.

So so so sweet.

It's hard to see the cover in this pic,

but it has a silvery tree with a baby sitting under it,

and the words "Wee Me."

Weren't the illustrations the cutest?

A cute trivet.

Even though I don't know how to sew/crochet myself,

I loved these old books.

Such sweet little sweaters!

I like this one with the scotty dogs.

Although some of the items do cross the line from cute

to slightly creepy.

Like these.

The outfit on little man is definitely a little odd from

a modern perspective.

And the little girl's coat seems so short!

This little carriage set, however, is precious all around.

I can imagine how proud a mama felt back then,

pushing her new baby in one of those cute old prams

with baby dressed in all this finery!

A set of vintage baby bibs...

And some old books.

First is this one by Judson Jerome, 

a children's book titled "I Never Saw..."

It turned out to be signed by the author!

The story itself is very poetic, 

with really neat illustrations--

The other book was this one, "The Wonder Book of the Air."

Neat photographs, and I love that it includes a "Women in Aviation" section.

Looking forward to seeing what everyone else found

at Her Library Adventures!