Mitzi's Miscellany

Finding Pieces with Potential

Do you ever wonder how some people come up with such clever projects?  I do.  But on the other hand,  occasionally I come up with some rather clever things myself, and I'd like to give you the inside scoop on my thought processes so you can become one of the clever people too!

Some thought is required here.....

First and foremost, you must think of what something could become, not get stuck on what it is right now.  If your mind has a hard time working that way, maybe it just needs a little push.  Perhaps keeping a little composition book filled with pictures of things you like with you at all times would be a good idea.  That way you could leaf through it when you are waiting in line at an estate sale, or when your friend is driving you around to garage sales.  With inspiring images fresh in your mind, it might be easier to visualize transforming "blah" things into something fabulous.  Now that we have Pinterest, a quick view of some of your Pinterest boards might give you a reminder of looks you are striving for.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about.  I saw this headboard in an estate sale ad.  I like the shape, the flowing lines, and really think it would look great painted with my Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.  Maybe Old White with French Blue trim.

 

 

 

To give you an idea of the colors, here's a project I completed last summer.  I still have enough of the paint left over to paint the bed.  In fact, the bottom shelf almost looks like the headboard, doesn't it?

 

Not only would the bed look good painted, but I remember seeing ads for "Do It Yourself Chic" wood appliques in several of my favorite magazines.  I always wanted to try them, and this headboard would be perfect for one of them, perhaps the wreath of roses in the center of the headboard would be nice.  Now I'm putting two things together in my mind and I can visualize the finished project.  Can you?

 

Photo Credit:  doityourselfChic.com

I'd love to show you the finished project, but I never purchased the bed.  Oh, well.  It was a good idea, anyway!

One of the easiest ways to transform something is with paint.  Walk through a flea market or estate sale with an invisible can of spray paint in hand and imagine what various things would look like in your favorite colors.

This grouping of classic iron patio furniture could be any colors you wish.  What colors would you paint it?

 

 

I often use decoupage or stencils on various items as part of my "up-cycling" projects.  What I'm looking for is a blank canvas for my work.  Suitcases make great blank canvases.  So do hat boxes, white ironstone platters, and on a smaller scale, bottles and jars.  All of these items are inexpensive, too!

Here's a dreary looking suitcase that's destined for dumpster doom:

 

But I rescued it and transformed it into this with some old sheet music, spray paint, and Mod Podge:

 

I bought this three panel screen for a future project, and it was cheap because it had water damage.  You'll see it again soon in an upcoming post as I transform it into something much more interesting.  Can you visualize something you would do with it?

 

 

There are many wooden butter bowls in the world.  Unless they are burl wood, it's OK to enhance them with paint, which is what I did with the group below.  They look pretty dried out in the first picture:

 

 

These sold quickly in my antique mall booths after being painted and waxed:

 

The common garage sale lamp is always a good bet for a makeover.  One coat of primer and a couple coats of spray paint and you'll have a great looking lamp base:

 

 

These lamp bases have been transformed from "Early American Garage Sale" to "Modern Chic":

 

 

Lampshades are another blank canvas.  So many possibilities!  This one isn't finished, but you get the idea....

 

 

Books and paper ephemera are finally getting the attention they deserve.  Large books like dictionaries and encyclopedias with embossed covers and marbleized paper ends add vintage style to vignettes in just about any room in the house.   Even books without covers can be tied together and used in displays:

 

Have you ever wondered where people are finding so much sheet music?  I think most of it comes from old paper covered books like "Favorite Christmas Songs for the Piano" and similar compilation books rather than the beautiful sheet music with colorful cover pages like "Let Me Call You Sweetheart".  Those should be left alone, in my opinion, or the innards copied on a copy machine for use in craft projects.

 

Changing the color of something doesn't always have to involve paint.  Take the common crocheted doily, for example.  I have been dying them with Rit fabric dye to give them a new twist:

 

 

This rather sad grouping of garage sale finds got the royal treatment with some vintage wallpaper, which you will see in the second picture:

 

 

The gold framed piece ended up in my living room and isn't pictured below, but you can see how fun the other pieces look with the addition of some patterned paper.  They can be hung on a wall, or just leaned against the wall as a cool and colorful focal point:

 

 

Maybe it's a fad, but I think "framing" prints inside jars is unique and fun:

 

 

So there you go, a few ideas for finding "pieces with potential".  Always think how something would look with a color change, which is pretty easy to do, or a purpose change, like the bottle "frames", which requires a little more imagination.  But I know you can do it, if I can!

Mitzi

Show and Tell Wednesday Post #18

Last weekend I was all giddy about going to an auction that had a great selection of old stuff.  Well, a lot of other people had the same idea, and the prices were quite high.  I see signs of an economic recovery, which is great for the auctioneer in this scenario, but not so good for the wholesale buyer (me).  So I took some pictures and left!

"Stick spatter ware" is something that you don't come across every day, and there were a couple plates decorated with this method at the auction I'd like you to see for today's "Show and Tell":

 

 

The three examples I'm showing you here are similar in terms of their decorative motifs, which are simple floral designs.  Other common stick spatter ware motifs include a bow tie, smoke rings, and  diamonds.  Often there will be a hand painted focal design such as a guinea hen or pea fowl, a rabbit or even a frog in the center of the plate or on a pitcher or other functional piece.  Often made in England, pieces won't be marked "Stick Spatter Ware".  They could, however, have the name of the company that made it, such as Adams, one of the long time pottery factories of the Staffordshire area, or might have a mark that simply says "Staffordshire England".

 

 

Stick spatter ware is an earthenware pottery, not ironstone.  Besides England, it was produced in Scotland and other European countries, often for export to America.  Not originally intended as a decorative art, but rather as everyday functional pieces, stick spatter ware was produced from the 1820's until the end of the 19th century.  The actual design wasn't made by a stick, but a sponge cut into a specific shape then tied to the end of a stick.  The sponge was then dipped into the glaze pigment, and carefully applied to the vessel before firing.  Other details were added by using a brush.

 This wonderful stick spatter ware teapot made by Adams of England recently sold on eBay for $325:

 

 

The charming stick spatter ware plate (below) with rabbits as a focal point sold at Cowan's Auctions for $575:

Photo Credit:  Cowan's Auctions

Although I don't typically deal in high end antiques, I've sold a couple pieces of stick spatter ware over the years.  In fact, I have a bowl in one of my booths right now that has been sitting around for quite some time. I'm thinking I should give it to Cowan's Auctions!

You might come across a lone stick spatter ware plate in a pile at a flea market or other selling venue some time, so I think it's definitely good to know what stick spatter ware looks like.  The one plate you find and sell on eBay will pay for the gas to all your flea market trips for the rest of the year!

Mitzi

Let's Review What We've Learned

Since I've started my Wednesday "Expand Your Vintage Vocabulary" and "Show and Tell" educational posts, I've been getting great positive feedback from readers about how much you've been learning.  That's exactly what I've been hoping for!  My devious scheme has been successful.

As I went about my normal antique-related chores this past week, I was surprised how I happened upon some of the topics of the educational bits in real life, so I thought we'd do a mini-review of sorts.

Just yesterday I attended an auction and as I combing through a box full of advertising trade cards, one of Palmer Cox's Brownies popped up!  This fellow is named "Plain Brownie".  I wonder if there's a "Brownie with Walnuts"?

 

 

One of the two antique malls where I sell goods, the Antiques Market of Williamston, held their yearly March Madness Sale on Saturday.  The sale was a huge success, breaking all records (I see an economic recovery on the horizon)!  I did a little shopping while I was there and did my part to help the economic recovery, purchasing these wonderful escutcheons. Don't they look like something out of a fairy tale?  These will be re-purposed into pendants:

 

 

When a dealer goes out of business, the vultures swoop in and take advantage of the discounts.  That's how I ended up purchasing this beautiful copper lustre pitcher with enamel decoration:

 

 

Well look what we have here:  a celery vase and two spooners!  I'm sure you know which one is the celery vase, don't you?

 

 

Besides the educational posts, other topics that I've covered have recently popped up in "real life", including beautiful spring-like millinery blossoms:

 

 

 

I noticed paper ephemera such as framed diplomas is predicted to be a hot collectible by one of the magazines I read.  Well, we didn't just fall off the turnip truck here in Michigan!  My picker came up with this beautifully framed diploma the other day:

 

 

Some celebrities like Andy Warhol are famous for their collections.  Andy had a massive collection of cookie jars, and so does Billy Dee Williams.  I imagine they have these examples, which aren't uncommon:

 

 

The cookie jar on the right is rather valuable because the bear's face has a "flasher", which makes the eyes blink.  The jar itself is shaped to fit into a corner.  It's worth about $175-225. 

 

 

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you've gotten the message loud and clear that I adore vintage wallpaper, and that I'm constantly trying to figure out new ways to use it in craft projects.  Here are some of my cuff bracelets that I've been making and selling for over a year.  These are available in my Etsy shop.  I have several wholesale accounts with boutique shops around the country too:

 

So that's it for the review!  I don't want to overwhelm anyone on a Monday morning.  But learning is fun, especially when it's about vintage goodies, isn't it?

Mitzi

Meet Palmer Cox and His Brownies

Move over, Smurfs!  Take a hike, Keebler Elves!  Hit the road, California Raisins!  The Brownies created by Palmer Cox are much higher on the cuteness scale, at least in my opinion.  Created by Canadian artist Palmer Cox around the 1880's, the Brownies were a comical group of little elfin characters, all male, that depicted ethnic types such as a Chinese fellow or an Indian; various occupations such as a policeman, sailor, or jockey; and other little characters such as band-members and their instruments. 

 Here's Palmer Cox, looking like so many other gentlemen you find on cabinet cards of the era:

 

 

The story goes that Palmer Cox was inspired by his mother's Scottish fairy tales she told him as a child, full of fairies, goblins and other magical creatures.  He began writing about his own little band of merry mischief makers, who would spring into action while mortals slept, often doing good deeds but sometimes getting themselves into trouble along the way.

One of many Brownie books:

 

 

Unbelievably cute!  A lineup of Brownie figures:

 

 

Palmer Cox's Brownies  appeared in humorous books with titles such as "The Brownies Abroad", "The Brownies in Fairyland" and even "The Brownies in the Philippines".  They also appeared in comic strip form in magazines, most notably in the Ladies' Home Journal beginning in the 1880's, when their popularity grew and grew.

 This Brownie, named the Volunteer, was made into a wooden toy:

 

 

Now you know how the Kodak Brownie Camera got its name:

 

Brownies were used for advertising purposes besides the popular Brownie Cameras.  Palmer Cox was considered a pioneer in the area of licensed merchandise.  The Brownies endorsed many products, and made Mr. Cox a fortune.

 

 

Hand painted Brownie salt and pepper shakers:

 

 

From my collection, a small plate:

 

 

Also from my collection, a cute little creamer:

 

 

And the back of the creamer, a charming Brownie motto:

 

 

The Brownies were so popular that one of their books sold over a million copies, which was unheard of at the time.  There was even a stage play about the Brownies that ran for five years!

Although Palmer Cox moved to the United States for some time, living in both San Fransisco and New York, he built a 17 room mansion he named "Brownie Castle" in Grandby, Quebec, with the fortune he made from his illustrations.  He lived till the ripe old age of 84, and even had a Brownie on his tombstone!

Keep your eyes open for Palmer Cox's Brownies.  They pop up in the strangest places.  Wouldn't you like to have a little Brownie or two in your life?

Mitzi

Expand Your Vintage Vocabulary Post #17

Have you ever heard the word "escutcheon" (ih-skuhch-uhn)?  Whether you have or have not, I can guarantee you've seen thousands of escutcheons in your lifetime.  An escutcheon is a decorative plate that surrounds a keyhole to protect it from wear.  Most often made of metal but sometimes porcelain or wood, you will find these on furniture, doors and other places where a lock and key would be used.

I took this beautifully made brass escutcheon and turned it into a pendant:

 

 

This is a porcelain example, also a pendant.  I thought it would be fun to sell an escutcheon with a skeleton key, and the owner could give the key to someone special.  Very symbolic, no?

 

 

A classic bat-wing shaped brass escutcheon:

 

 

To learn more about escutcheons and other furniture and house hardware, visit Robinson's Antiques, an online catalog of replacement hardware that's extensive and a great resource if you are ever in need of a knob for your Hoosier cupboard, spool cabinet, or something specific.  It's nice to know you can replace missing knobs, handles and even escutcheons on many old pieces.  Don't give up on replacing a missing piece of hardware until you've checked Robinson's!

Mitzi

Some Sad News and Something That Inspired Me

When I began blogging, I thought I'd keep personal stuff out of my writing.  Well, that's a little hard to do when my blog has a category titled "All In The Family", which includes posts about my parents, grandparents, and brother, all of whom have inspired me with their various entrepreneurial efforts.  Besides that, my readers have become my friends and an unexpected support group, much to my delight.  I still haven't had one negative comment left after any of my blog posts, and I've met so many wonderful folks from all over the world!  I have a desire to share what's going on in my life with you, and care very much about the tidbits you share with me about your lives too.

So the line I drew between my personal life and blog life has been erased and moved way, way over.  That's why I'm sharing some sad news today about my dad, who I've written about before.  Tony Maran, six weeks shy of his 89th birthday, passed away March 5.  I just returned from Florida where we dealt with the necessary legal and financial tasks.    He was my biggest blog fan and cheerleader, dutifully visiting the library to read my blog every couple days because my parents don't have a home computer.  His encouragement will be missed, although I'm sure in some way it will still be felt.

 

While in Naples we had time to walk around town, and I took a few pictures of a new restaurant on Third Street that really inspired me and I thought you'd like to see.  The restaurant is called Barbatella, an Italian "trattoria", which serves traditional Italian dishes, pizza from a wood burning oven, gelato and Italian ices, and a large selection of wine:

 

Photo Credit:  Barbatella Naples

 

 

I just love the bright green painted plaster medallions and the chandeliers inside the birdcages!  Do you think you could replicate this in your home?

 

 

 

Here's someone that rarely pops up on my blog:  my husband Joe!  We were people-watching in Naples and the nicest couple offered to take our picture:

 

 

A while back I said there would be a "big announcement" coming soon.  Well, that's still coming!  I have a history of jumping the gun with such things, and real life has a way of interfering with my plans.  Rest assured, I still have something exciting up my sleeve, to be unveiled any day now....

Your Friend,

Mitzi

Vintage Ephemera Decoupaged Clipboards

I often pick up clipboards at estate sales and garage sales when I see them.  They are plentiful and inexpensive whether you search for them or buy them from a store, and make excellent little blank canvases for a decoupage project.  When not in use, they can be hung on the wall of your office or craft room as wall art.

 I've made several here that have a neutral background with a colorful accent that "pops" from it:

 

 

 

Besides the clipboards, you'll need the following materials:

Brayer

Scissors

Mod Podge (matte or satin)

Neutral background image and smaller colorful images.

Distress Ink and Walnut Ink for aging the images.

Buttons for embellishment.

 

For the background image you can click on my examples or pay a visit to The Graphics Fairy.  Or perhaps you have your own piece of sheet music or other paper ephemera you'd like to use.  Make sure the item has been printed or copied on a laser copier rather than an ink jet pinter, otherwise the ink will smear when you coat it with glue.  You can take the printed out images to Staples and use their color copier, which is what I do quite frequently.

Next, I like to age the background image a bit by spraying Walnut ink here and there.  Try it out on a piece of newspaper first to see what it will look like.  I also use Tim Holtz's Distress Ink in Antique Linen and Vintage Photo around the edges to further age the paper and make sure there aren't any bright white edges showing.

 

 

This is the type of image I like for the background.  Neutral and not too busy.  But you might prefer sheet music, book pages, or beautiful handwriting.  It's all up to you!

 

 

 

I coat the back of the background paper with Mod Podge, place it on the clipboard, and smooth it out with the brayer.

 

 

Next I cut out some selected colorful images.  I like the florals against the neutral background, but you might want something else.  Once again, The Graphics Fairy will help you out with free images!

From my collection of images I've selected some pretty roses from postcards to share with you.  The pink bow is very pretty too:

 

 

Click on these images, print them out, and copy them on a laser printer:

 

 

Cut out the parts you want and apply them to your clipboard by coating the back of the image with Mod Podge:

 

Teacup Images:  The Graphics Fairy

 

Once you have everything where you want it, a topcoat of Mod Podge is necessary.  I like to coat the entire clipboard surface for continuity, so I prop open the clip mechanism with a popsicle stick so I can coat underneath it.

 

 

Don't the colorful butterlies seem to fly off the background?  They came from a roll of wrapping paper!

 

 

I wish I could share them with you, but I fear copyright issues with the manufacturer.  If you do a little fishing around on The Graphics Fairy, you should come up with some other images that are just as lovely.

 

 

My last touch was embellishing the silver clip with a couple colorful buttons using E-6000 glue.  You might think of another way to decorate your clipboard.  I'd love to see what you come up with!

 

Mitzi

Show and Tell Wednesday Post #17

Today I'd like to show you some "yardlongs" or "yard-longs".  Yard-longs are 36" framed prints that were popular around the end of the 1800's, when beautiful chromolithography became affordable and found its way into middle class homes.

 Adorable chicks for sale at the Antiques Market of Williamston:

 

Yard-longs can be a little awkward to photograph!

 

 

This yard-long of children with butterflies by artist Maud Humphrey is for sale on Etsy:

 

 

 A close view of a floral yard-long:

 

 

Yard-longs may be created to hang either horizontally or vertically.  The yard-longs of flowers seem to be the most common.  I've sold quite a few over the years, including a yard-long of kittens and puppies having a tug of war; a yard-long of just puppies; a yard-long of roses; and on and on.  Less common yard-longs such as a yard-long of U.S. presidents will be valued quite high, perhaps several hundred dollars.  Common yard-longs in a simple frame can be purchased for around $200 here in Michigan.

The "Pompeiian Beauties" were inserts in Sunday newspapers like the Chicago Tribune that subscribers could frame.  This one is being sold for $375:

 

Image Credit:  West Spirit Antiques

No article about yard-longs would be complete without mention Paul deLongpre, who is famous for his beautiful, lush paintings of roses and still life paintings of other flowers (and the occasional bee). 

 

Although not a yard-long, here is an example of Paul deLongpre's work:

 

His famous signature:

 

There are collector books/price guides available for those of you that want to know more about yard-longs:

 

Walk in to any antique mall and you should be able to spot a yard long before you leave.  There are some prints that are being reproduced, so be careful and buy from a reputable dealer.  If the frame is new, be suspicious of the print as well.  

Mitzi

Majolica: My Mom is Your Biggest Fan

I've written about majolica before, and noted that my mom and I have collected the colorful pottery for many years.  When I photographed pieces of our collections recently, I noticed how frequently fans were used as a decorative theme.  Today I'd like to share these pretty pieces with you.

This tiny butter pat has a little fan motif in the center, along with some cherry blossoms for an Asian feel:

 

 

A pretty hummingbird adds whimsy to this teapot with a fan and blossoms:

 

 

Pretty pastel fans on a sugar bowl:

 

 

A grasshopper and butterfly with fans as a backdrop:

 

 

 

 

This lovely lavender trimmed piece is a sardine box: 

 

 

Another sugar bowl:

 

 

I love these ice cream dishes that are actually shaped like fans:

 

 

A creamer and sugar bowl with a matching tray,  with a distinctly Asian fan and cherry blossom motif:

 

 

I'm sure you're picking up on the similarities here, aren't you?

 

 

 

I hope you enjoyed the little tour of our majolica collection.  Next time I'll show off our "shell and seaweed" pattern!

Mitzi

Expand Your Vintage Vocabulary Lesson #16

Today's term isn't a pretty one, but it's one we should know.  It's "dry rot".  Dry rot is a bit of a misnomer, because it's actually a fungus that requires a certain amount of humidity/moisture to grow.  The piece of furniture below is the victim of dry rot:

 

Image Credit:  Wikipedia

Many times you will find furniture where the feet have been attacked by dry rot.  This is because the feet serve as wicks for moisture in a damp basement or garage, and that's where the dry rot will begin its growth.

When you are out shopping for vintage furniture, pay attention to the feet of chairs, cupboards, and other pieces.  If something looks oddly stubby, it might be because the feet have been sawed off at some point because of dry rot. 

The handsome pie safe below has definitely not been tampered with, but can you visualize how it might be altered if the feet were damaged?  If the piece was sitting flat on the floor, I would be rather suspicious. 

 

 

I've also heard the term "dry rot" used when describing crumbling textiles, although I'm not certain  the same fungus is responsible.  The effect is the same, though.  The textile will  lose it's structure and fall apart.

Mitzi