Look what I found

Let me first say thanks to everyone for all of your kind posts and supportive emails about my recovery as I work my PT sessions with my new knee.  I'm making progress but it will be a good 6-8 months before I have total recovery.  The PT can be tough, but each time I do a session, I have a little more mobility.  Between the ice packs and an occasional percocet, I'm making my way through the post PT pain and swelling.  It's important that I get out and walk  during the day so I made a trip to a favorite haunt to walk around and see what I could find.  It was quiet as so many folks around this area take off for the Easter weekend to visit family.  Not having to work my way through tiny aisles and large crowds made it a walk I could manage without issue.

I spied this lovely little Victorian chromalithograph in original frame on one of the sales tables.  Colors are a little faded but she is a sweet face as she kneels in prayer.  Bubbled glass and gilt frame and measures 12 x 18.  

 I adore red on white embroidery and have a few nice personal pieces.  This looks like it was cut away from a frame as it is close to the stitching.  Not sure if I want to place it between two pieces of glass to retain the ragged edges or just hang it from a small line with vintage clothespins. A good size piece, she would be welcome in a large kitchen.  Loosely translated from German, "The economy is like an automobile, you have to drive it to understand.  The woman is the chauffeur because they have to think of everything"  Sounds like a late Victorian witticism regarding women having to manage the house hold economy.

Another personal favorite...nice medium size antique stoneware platter with pretty transferware flowers.  This was well used and does have an interior crack.  Still, it is an unusual shape and perfectly usable to serve your best chops or desserts.  Circa 1890s.

 Set of four milk glass servers marked Patent date October 29, 1897.  Not sure what these we be used for but they have small little handle and are fluted like a scallop saucer.

 Gorgeous, Victorian slip for under a christianing dress. Very, very long, nearly 48 inches of skirt length has beautifully, hand sewn gathers and buttonholes.  Lovely french seams and hand stitched tone on tone embroidery.  Pretty mother of pearl buttons with stars incised on front with a lovely tea stained shade of the palest tan.  This underslip is part of a christianing set and the original dress must have been as decorative as this slip is. Circa 1880s.

Pretty Baroque pattern, Wallace silverplated serving tray and a pair of transferware bone dishes.

 

Mercury glass topper is a petty decorative element. 

 Nice, Vaseline stretch glass plate.  Very heavy and in lovely condition.  Put it under a black light and it glows a brilliant lime green.

Pretty little hooked chair mat is hand hooked with rayon strips.  Colors are now a soft tone on tone of whites and browns.  Circa 1900s.

 A gorgeous Victorian, toasting goblet with heavy quadruple plate silver with etched initials.  In lovely condition. Circa 1890s

 Finally, a delightful family portrait taken in the early 1900s.  Vintage photos always make me smile.  I wander how long it took to get them to sit all together and then stop talking and laughing and be serious for that sitting.  You know the ladies had made terrific and tasty food items and the men sat around and talked shop and politics. Children played and babies were passed from hands to other loving hands. I will put this pretty photo in a vintage frame and smile when I bring it to the store.

It was so nice to be able to hunt for treasure again.  I have to watch that I don't over do it as I go through this healing process.  Taking it easy is not something I do well but I am following my doctor's orders.  I hope everyone is having a lovely Easter and I wish blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch

SeaWitch went solo

Hello everyone.  Had my first solo flight or walkabout this weekend.  Now that I'm off the pain killers I am free to drive so I took my first outing on Saturday.  Went and had my nails done as they were a wreck since it had been 6 weeks since I was at the salon.  Was able to sit comfortably for the hour it took for them remove the broken acrylic tips off and replace them with the new ones.  Since my knee still felt good, I made a road trip to Vintage Village to check out the treasure that was coming in and say hello to friends.  It was a marvelous little trip and just seeing everyone and walking around the pretty booths filled with spring goodies was very "healing" for me.  Found a few great pieces to keep and to sell but then I always do when I stop by.  

 How about this faboosh, Mr. Charles, big navy straw hat with two sassy satin bows and lighter than air ostrich feathers.  This is sooooooooo Audrey Hepburn and this beauty is in fantastic condition.  I almost squealed with delight when I saw this marvelous hat.

 Saw this pretty lace fan while perusing the Vintage Village facebook page.  The "hag" is always posting photos of new items that come in and I saw this the week after I got out of surgery and asked them to hold it for me.   Perfect for St. Patrick's day celebrations.

 My lovely daughter in law, Kerry, turned me on to these marvelous stoneware pieces for their rich cobalt blues but they are the definitive bakeware for perfect results.  These are small oven dishes but I don't care.  I adore them for their beauty and quality. 

 I like vintage celluloid pieces and was delighted to find this pretty little picture frame with velvet backing and stand was intact and in great condition.  Known as French Ivory because it looks like ivory, this early plastic is often stained from oils and perfumes or often melted from heat.  There is such a natural vintage look to these pieces.  While at Goodwill, earlier this week, I found the powder dish and the hairpin container as well.

 Now this is not old, but a pretty reproduction of the Victorian sewing bird.  Pins were placed in the velvet cushion and the fabric piece that was being worked on is placed in the bird's mouth and held in place like an extra hand.  Such a marvelous little tool that is so indicative of Victorian fussiness and excess.

 Great little late Victorian wicker sewing box in the shape of a chair.  Original red velvet has lost most of its "velvet" but the color is still bright.  I will fill with vintage needle packs and wooden spool threads. 

 This was a find at my local Goodwill earlier this week. I had dropped off a bags of hard bound books and as my honey was running errands, I asked that he let me walk around Goodwill for about 20 minutes.  I was delighted to find this pretty little pink necklace and matching earrings.  Very 1950s

 Another Goodwill find.  Can we get any more 1960s than beaded fruit?  Actual size pieces are heavy with plastic beads and straight pin and some have plastic greenery.  Grapes, lemons, limes, apple, pear, orange, banana and a pear of pink peaches make these a lot of fun. 

 

I was looking for my box of silk flowers when I came across a box of quad plate that I had stashed away after the holidays.  I had forgotten about it and was so pleased to come across it as I had sold nearly all of what was in my Victorian booth.  This is a unique piece as it is a large, quad plate jardiniere.  Never saw one before and it is a showpiece.  Circa 1890s.

 Spent the afternoon polishing up the quad plate and it looks fantastic.  Water pitchers, teapots, serving bowl and creamer and sugar bowl are such pretty decorative elements.

It was so neat to do a little treasure hunting as it seems like it's been forever since I could do this.  Of course, by the end of the day, I was exhausted and fell asleep before supper time.  That fine line of knowing when I have overdone it or not is still elusive to me.  I suspect I should have just done one or the other.  More healing lessons learned.  Have a marvelous week all and wishing blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch

 

A SeaWitch Space

Hello everyone.  I just had to come up for air and say hello.  My physical therapy is going well and am now walking with my mother's antique shillelagh. I know she is smiling down at me as I walk with it.   This entire healing process has been interesting, tough and with little successes.  I am amazed when I look at my knee and realize that 20 days ago I had a total knee replacement and am now walking around and will start off site PT next week.  Just waiting for my doc to give me the "all clear" to get in the pool again.   So let me thank everyone for their prayers of healing and the good energies that keep me moving.  You have been marvelous.  

While visiting facebook pages, I come across this faboosh seawitchy space.  I love everything about it.  

A pair of galvanized laundry tubs with wood table applied and then filled with shells, shells and more shells.  Don't you just love the vision of this designer?  Wishing many blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch

Spring Ahead

Whoooo hooooooo!  It's the weekend when we move our clocks ahead one hour welcoming spring and more daylight into our lives.

 So looking forward to more daylight.  That will be me leapfrogging over the pasture's sheep once my PT is over. Have a marvelous weekend and blessings to you and those you love. Sea Witch

Sea Witch is on the move!

Hello everyone!  Wanted to share a photo of my new knee.  

I have been blessed with an amazing surgeon and terrific follow up care.  Moving a little slow as I begin my recuperation and the PT can be a little tough, but I have a new outlook on life with mobility.  Funny, the pain I had with the arthritis is gone, capute, fini!!!  The pain I'm dealing with now is close to none thanks to pain management and when I do have it, it is post surgery pain. 

If I follow my PT and post surgery instructions, I should be back in the antiquing saddle before I know it.  This Seawitch has just got swim and check out what is out there.  Thank you all for our emails, comments and prayers.  Blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch