Why I have been missing in action..

 Hi guys! Wow..I stink at blogging. Not something I should announce but..oh well..I HAVE been gone for a couple weeks! I have not been gone literally..I have been here working my patootie off (also not literally). That huge pile of stuff from my last post has been wrangled into our new storage shed, my booth and is covering up part of my family room sorted into boxes of things to list. This huge canister is one thing I have to list yet. I added a vintage enamel lid that fit perfectly..actually I think this is the small one..I have a bigger one just like it to list too. Perfection for laundry soap,to house a collection or terrarium or even as a fish tank! I used one like this as a fish tank until 2 of out 3 fish suffered mysterious deaths..one just completely vanished. We eyed the remaining fish suspiciously and renamed him "Highlander" ..there can be only one! I downsized his tank as punishment and now it is just him hiding in his plastic pineapple under the sea..old cranky pants...

 I like this old grocery store advertising poster..just fab.

 This lovely piece I shipped out today to its new home.

 I got 3 pairs of vintage "roper" boots. These remind me of my Dad..he wears ones like this..farmer boots. We have had a week and a half of heart scare with him in which he spent a few days in the hospital having a heart procedure to regulate his heart rate. Scary for all of us! He is back home recuperating now..praise the Lord! I would have kept these boots if they would have fit me!

 I listed a lot of vintage enamelware from spoons and dippers..

 to coffeepots and more. I love this color of blue..so cheery!

 I found this unusual Mid Century pottery vase at an estate sale..no maker's mark. I have it on EBay right now. So fabulous..I almost kept it!

 This antique doll bed came from our Indiana trip.

 So did 2 of these vintage china glove molds. These were used to make latex gloves..so sculptural and fun!

 This set of Swedish enamelware is already at its new home in California!

 This cute washboard lasted a day in my shop..also in a new home now. I like the Busy Bee graphic.These make cool magnet boards!

 This is a fav of mine, it is some sort of chicken feeder but look how perfect it is as a votive candle (or vase) holder!

 These old Authors cards shipped out today too...I love old paper game pieces and ephemera. I used to play Authors with my Grandpa. His cards were circa 1950's..I think these were older.

 These were fab too..heart shaped old locks! These were pretty big and have also went to a new home. I thought these would be cool wedding decor linked together. I love old rusty things!

 I listed a few sets of old locks. I liked these because they have a perfect area for adding a photo or art.

 Rusty crusty scissors..these actually still cut paper..cute for decor in a sewing room or studio.

 I listed a couple of these enamelware trays..great to corral vintage barware or bottles and even better as a magnet board!

 The coolest old bottle I've had in awhile. This is an antique apothecary bottle of chloroform. It had some in it but I had to dump it out..you can't ship it. I was trying to not breathe it myself and keeping curious cats away with my foot so none of us ended up stretched out knocked out in the back yard! Such an odd life I have!

 I listed a few sets of these in my husband's shop..vintage and antique wrenches. These have such a cool sculptural element..they'd look great framed. I've been trying to figure out how to turn them into drawer handles (I need a welder though). I actually did take welding class in high school..because that's where all the boys were..I did get A's and B's though!

 Some vintage or antique oak veneered sewing machine drawers. I have upcycled some of these previously, but I like these as is.

Last pic and my latest story. This is an antique camera..I love these just as decor..so cool.

My story?? So this Saturday my husband and I went estate "sale-ing" (the only  sale-ing I do) and we pulled up to a sale where the parking spots were all full. My husband is great about dropping me off at the door and going and parking the van..such a gentleman...except as I was exiting the van I was pulling on my sweater and accidentally slammed part of it in the van door..and he drove off! Luckily I only had one arm in it thus sparing myself from being drug alongside the van! I was yelling and running and peeled out of it pretty quickly and watched him drive off with it flapping in the door until he ran over the sash or sleeve and it jerked free. I went and collected it and he kept on his merry way. He got an earful when he got in the sale! LOL Of course he spun it as MY fault since I shut it in the door..whatEVER! Ah well..estate sales aren't for the faint hearted!   In my future blog posts, I hope to do some tutorials of some of the things I have been making or made in the past..so do check back! 'Til next time! Julia

Antique sale booty

 Hi guys!My husband has this week off work for "vacation" and he is trying to work me to death! We left in the minivan on Friday afternoon for an antique sale in Indiana. We picked up a 16 foot truck in Lexington and spent the night in Louisville. Saturday morning we hit the road at 6am. He had the truck and I followed in the minivan. It was dark..and snowing.. and the road was covered with frozen slush and packed snow. I forgot what the joys of driving on icy snowy roads actually were, but I was soon reminded! His truck kept throwing football sized chunks of snow at me as we crept along. Uphill wasn't bad but sliding downhill on a curve was no fun! I remembered to tap tap tap the brakes and at one point I think I may have yelled "Jesus take the wheel!"  I was so tense and my face kept getting closer to the wheel, my shoulders closer to my ears as I white knuckled it to our destination. Praise the Lord we made it without a trip to the ditch!

 The sale we went to is an annual one where a man buys all year for this sale. You never know what he will find but we have been there several times. It was run indoors and outdoors. I was a bit rusty in my bidding skills and too slow and cheap at first. But after I got a few buys under my belt, I was right back in the groove. It was in the 20's and there was snow on the ground. I had realized the night before that my Southern coat was woefully thin and made Ed take me to Walmart for some longjohns a hat, scarf and gloves! I was layered up! Standing on ice/snow is never fun..the cold seeps through your shoes until your feet ache. So I bought a short stepladder to sit on whilst I bid. I didn't notice that there was only an old piece of bale-ing twine holding the front legs to the back and finally, while I was sitting on it bidding away..it broke! The legs went 2 directions and I went one ..straight down! If I had only hit the ground it would have been merely embarrassing..but I landed ON the ladder and now I am sporting a bruise the size of an orange on the back of my leg! Ouch! The embarrassment was pretty painful too but I mostly tried not to make eye contact with anyone! My husband was coming up to talk to me just as I fell and I missed grabbing his hand by an inch. The auctioneer accused HIM of kicking the ladder out from under me and after a good laugh we carried on.

 We filled the truck to the gills, the truck's front seat and the entire back of my minivan! It was a good day. We spent Saturday night and Sunday visiting our daughter at IU in Bloomington. She is a first year Optometry student there. Also got  to see and spoil the grand-dog Sarge. Monday bright and early it was back on the road home. We spent Tuesday morning unloading the truck onto pallets on our carport. We are in the middle of having a new storage shed put up but it won't be done for a day or 2. So we stacked and after these pics, tarped. I got lots of industrial wire baskets,crates,lighting, galvanized buckets and tubs, rusty tin and metal, 2 trashcans full of vintage wooden banister pieces, corbels, windows,  shutters,and enough scythes for an army of grim reapers!

You can see a couple of the primitive painted pieces peeking out here. There was also a 1840's grain painted mantel from a stagecoach stop. Lots of farm bits and rusty this and thats. I think there are 2 treadle sewing machines and 2 extra bases.

 These were some tin drawers..love these! (I have a very junky taste level)

 Anyone need a cow milking stanchion, a shovel or a hay grapple? I have truly forgotten a lot of what we bought and as we were both buying from 2 different buying rings, I probably haven't seen it all! What I have mentioned is the tip of the iceberg.

There was a mid century dining room cabinet with chrome legs that is already in my local booth (before I latched onto it myself!) I liked this little industrial cart. It has a glass top that I took off for safe keeping. I will be working on listing these items for quite awhile! I will be popping back in now and again to keep you up to speed on my latest shenanigans! (Unless Ed DOES work me to death..everytime I take a break with a cup of coffee he comes in and catches me and he gives me the stink eye! When is he going back to work anyways?) Til then! Julia

I'm still here!

 Hi guys! I am still alive! 20 days since my last post..sheesh..I've been busy! So now you are going to get a mega post. I have been making, and cleaning, and listing like mad. This lampshade above is one of my new "makes: I call these tutu lampshades. I used to do similar lace ones in my old vintage shop over vintage shade frames.

 I added a handmade singed rosette with a smoky vintage rhinestone pin. I like how this one turned out.

 My husband now has a new Etsy shop which I have been helping with. It is The Industrial Farmer www.theindustrialfarmer.etsy.com .He has sneaked a few of my things from my local booth to list. This is a vintage shoe form I painted on one of his rusty crusty rollerskates. This has a cool look!

 Me and the grandbaby Hunter painted several of these in different styles for my handmade shop www.hopeandjoystudios.etsy.com.

 I have been "shopping" my own house and going through the boxes of things that for some reason never got listed. I have been up to my eyeballs in old hardware. I love the look of these (sold) they look like one of those old avian prints of birds eggs.I think that is always my "problem"..I see something and think..Oooh..this would be so cool framed in a vintage frame..and then I never get a chance to DO it!

 This was a batch of vintage hinges. I think they look like a metal quilt..and again..would look fab framed!

 ..just like little wooden mushrooms.....

 Oh...the aqua jars I have been taking pics of..I haven't even got them all listed yet!

 Vintage china casters...

 A ginormous old heavy metal gear ..off to Ed's shop.

 ..crusty keyplates..several bunches..

 A cool old gooseneck lamp..

 This vintage glass ceiling shade is the palest celery green..lovely.

 Even the pedestrian can make an impact in a group!

 These are a couple old trophies I upcycled for my handmade shop..diva..

 and Drama Queen..which should go to my 10 yr old son..everything is a huge deal to that kid!

 A sweet old composition baby doll head..some are creepy but this one is just sweet to me.

 An old fish crate upcycled with vintage casters for my husband's shop/

 The coolest Danish Modern candlestick holders (skinny tapers) by Jens Quistgaard one of the creators of the Dansk company. I have research his things lately..lovely Mid Century Modern and quite a range from furniture to accessories, pottery, cookware..much coolness and a new fav of mine!

 My husband had several old treadle sewing machine foot pedals go into his shop.

 I made a couple of these photo display "shoes" for my handmade shop.

 Another sewing machine pedal..

I listed a bunch of vintage doll clothes. I love these! I had a doll clothes drawer when I was little filled with doll clothes my mom and both my Grammas made me. We used to even force our kittens into them and drive them around in the doll buggy..poor kitties!

 Lacey and white...

 Peachy pink undies, a lovely rosebud covered dress and a shabby tutu.

 Two white eyelet lace dresses and a sheer dress.

 Pink and white sweetness..

 I think this is my fav..aqua AND pink rosebuds!

 An aqua doll jacket.

 Even a Marshall Field vintage baby boy shirt..too darling. These would be cute in a baby room or laundry room pinned to a clothesline or made into a garland.

 Today found me listing giant brass bedknobs on EBay. These would make great finials even for just display.

 These vintage Frye cowboy boots went to EBay but only because they are a 6C and too small for my apparently Sasquatch foot :(  Boo!

 I'm selling these on EBay for a friend. Aren't they cute? One  pair and 6 singles..

This one is very old. These are great for ornaments or for display or upcycled into pincushions..who cares if they are singles!

 The grandbaby started preschool 2 days a week this month. His momma made him his backpack. He is very excited and loves it! It is odd being home alone though!(I do get more done though and don't have to watch cartoons!)

This is a lovely vintage curtain panel I finally got listed and out of the "I can make something with this pile" My husband is on a cleaning/organizing streak and is dragging me along with him. We have cleaned out our storage closet and our storage room and hauled loads to the dump and the thrift store. The process has been painful but the results are going to be worth it...except the shelf he nailed to the wall today. It is so awful I'll have to take some pics to share and tear it out and fix it..bless his heart...

..and this is something I shall be listing shortly..vintage wooden letterpress print blocks..and hopefully DOING soon. Ed wants to go "estate sale-ing" in the morning and Jack has basketball games after dinner. We had an ice storm today so hopefully it is all melted by then! Hopefully I will be back sooner than last time..have  a great weekend! Julia