Hot and Cold and Hot and Cold

I don't know about the rest of the country, but here in Atlanta, we had a day of 70 degrees and then the next brought snow flurries and freezing temps.  Oh, wait another day and it's back in the high 50s with blue skies...don't turn around, the temps just dropped to the 30s again and the wind chill leaves you with frost on everything.  Forget about planning on how to dress because the weather changes as fast as your clothing choices.  The only thing that take the chill of for me is a little treasure hunting.  So grabbed sis and headed out to a few favorite haunts for treasure.

 

Sweet little Dragonware lithophane teacup and saucer.  Don't usually come across these often in this area so I was delighted to find one.

Lift the teacup to the light and you will find the pretty face of a Geisha looking back at you.  This is a 1950s teacup that was a popular souvenir to bring back from Japan.

 A am fond of treenware for its simple beauty and utilitarian functions.  This was a marvelous find as it is a good size butter mold with hand carved ivy and a pretty beaded edge.  The handle makes it easy to "whack" the cold molded butter out of the mold.  Circa 1880s

 Purchased this adorable Vintage print from a friend of mine.  She always has the prettiest things in her booths at Vintage Village.  Found this pretty frame to put it in.

 A Goodwill find. Yup, couldn't believe it when I saw it hanging there.  Like new, barely worn Persian curly lamb coat with silver mink collar.  Very 1950s. 

Another great find at my local Goodwill.  Somebody must have cleaned out their grandmother's curio cabinet because this set of six, 8oz. juice size glasses and a matching sent of smaller juice glasses is in excellent condition.  Only one glass has a minor flea bite on it.  Pretty etching of grapes are on all glasses.

 Amazing what you can find at your local Goodwill's.

 Love this bouquet of velvet roses.  Perfect for Valentines Day or for any day.

 Love this ruby, cut crystal decanter.  It is missing its stopper and I couldn't find one that fit it from my box of spare stoppers.  LOL  I really do have a box of spare stoppers.  You never know when you will need one.   I put a white candle in it instead and it make a pretty candlestick.

 Pretty frosted glass chandelier has handpainted grapes.  Vintage S. Swain piece.

 Neat, vintage wicker chair had layers of paint in different colors.  I gave it an aqua blue coat and really like the way it looks.  Circa 1930s.

Had a great day with sis and even though we started out with a cold morning, by noon, we had shed our jackets and gloves and were dealing with warmers temps.  Took a detour through our local Chick Fil A for a few of their chocolate chip chunk cookies.  O M G.  I you have not had these yet, you must try them.  Like homemade, thick and chewie and oh so good.  My honey and I love to end the evening meal with a hot cup of Keruig coffee and a cookie.  Yea, our lives are simple but we enjoy the heck out it.  

Blessings to you and those you love. Sea Witch

and the winner is?

The Grow Your Own Blog was a lot of fun.  Discovered new blogs and new friends and had new visitors and new followers.  So many lovely giveaways were offered and although I didn't win any of the giveaways, I did win lots of new blogging friends.

 

 My giveaway was a necklace and two pairs of earrings set from my silk cord line. Faceted crystals, metal beads, glass beads on the palest pink silk cord.

Using a "random thing" picker, I entered the 36 post commenter's blog name and the winner randomly selected is:

Elisabet

 Yes, Elisabet of Mossberry Cottage is my Grow Your Own Blog, giveaway winner.  Congratulations Elisabet.  A special thank you also to Vicki at Two Bags Full for coming up with this fun event and of course, to everyone who stopped by to say hello and those who stayed to follow.  Blessings to all and those you love. Sea Witch

Facebook me!

Greetings everyone.  I am delighted to announce that I have finally launched a facebook page for showcasing my antique business - I Need This, Antiques.  I've been trying to get a website launched for years, but like the cobbler who never has shoes for his own kids, I design and build them for others but never quite finish a site for myself.  I decided to go the shortcut route and utilize Facebook as the platform for now.  More and more business' are using the Facebook platform with success and selling directly from their page and I hope to be part of their growing numbers.

It's only 24 hours old so not a lot to look at...YET!  But I do hope that you will visit and "like me"...I want you to really like me. LOL

Blessings to you and those you love. Sea Witch

Before & After -- Gone

Had two Before and After projects I worked on this weekend.  Found a sweet little end table a week ago and had this old oak cabinet with lots of drawers that I purchased about 5 years ago at a local antique store.  It was really beat up and covered with layers of oil base paint in ugly colors from a dark teal blue, orange and several shades of primary gray.  The cabinet was from a country hardware store or a garage.  Lots of "man type" make do's throughout, I just loved the look, the weight of it and the size. 

One of the drawers was broken and one  of the doors needed to be re-glued.  I was going to strip it but it had so many oil-based layers that I decided to just do a repaint.  Blues of the sea are always my favorites but this time I decided on a more subtle color, more of a french aqua.  Very pale in its color.  I had two shades mixed at my local Hope Depot.

Repairs made and the cabinet painted and then antiqued with a chocolate glaze. I love the way this turned out and almost kept it but it was time for it to live in a new home.

Love all of these tiny drawers and two shelf areas.  This really holds a lot of stuff and is perfect for the artisan or collector.

Used the same colors on the end table.

 How cool are these carpet samples?  The gradation of colors is lovely and I thought they would make great wall art.

 Found this lovely Art Nouveau compote with heavy repousse flowers along the rims.   Great quad plate with lots of silver. 

 Sweet set of stove top shakers from the 1940s.  When every housewife had shakers with salt, pepper and flour to prepare those gravies and sauces. 

  Picked this cutie up while meandering with my honey in the North Georgia mountains.  A drop bottom underwear "onesie" for a young boy.  Circa 1930s

As I drove home, this big, bowling ball head of a dog popped out to say hello at the red light.  He was such a happy baby that I had to take a pic from my iPhone.  Hope everyone has a lovely week and as I end this post, I just got a call from Queen of Hearts and my cabinet just sold.  Wow, I think that is the fastest I have ever sold a piece of furniture so I think my new color choice is a winner.   Let's see if the table I'm going to paint up next moves as fast.  Blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch

Sweet pics, sweet finds.

It has been a busy week between work, restocking my booths and the Grow Your Own Blog Party.  I have met new bloggers and said hello to old friends.  My giveaway is still going on with the winner announced on February 1st.  All you have to do is visit the Grow Your Own Blog Party link and leave a comment and you are entered in the drawing.

Using pretty frames from my local Goodwill, I fill them with digital reproductions of Victorian photos and valentines.  These are so popular over Halloween and Christmas that I wanted to do a valentine theme as well.  I have a low price point on them so they move very quickly.

 

How adorable are these little cupids?

Another sweet face.

I really like this frame, it is velvet in the softest shade of sage and it off sets this Valentine rather nicely.

Found some "sweet" pieces last weekend.  Heavy white and navy blue enamel colander is perfect for so many uses.  I like the wooden bird on a ball and thought it look sweet in the colander. 

I have found a few of these vintage Homer Laughlin mixing bowls in the very small sizes but never the one.  Love this pale aqua color.

 Found this nifty serving bowl for pasta with the aqua bowl.  Vintage, early 20th century Italian piece has great transfer ware pictures from the Barber of Seville.  What a great way to serve your best noodle dishes.

 This lovely antique, flow blue "Willow Pattern"  serving plate was found at my local Goodwill.  What I love about this piece is the wide floral band around the plate's edge.  There is a flake on the back and it is marked England.

 Pretty vintage cut lead crystal with ruby flashing covered dish and a medium size perfume decanter with cut crystal ball stopper.

 Don't find these often and they always sell when I do find them.  

The definitive souvenir from a trip across the border.  All wool serape from Mexico, circa  1950s.

 Wedgwood is always popular and this pretty little Chariots pin dish is a keeper.

 Picked this cool industrial chandelier at my local Goodwill as well. Love the cylindrical globes and the long, long black industrial plug in cord.

 A sweet, sweet little hand inlay wooden frame with the tiniest Scottie dog at the top holds a lovely vintage grandma and grandson photo inside.  Circa 1920s as grandma's Marcel wave is a giveaway.

 Are you as big of fan of Downton Abby as I am?  Love the costuming for this show and the saucy hats all of the men wear.  This bowler (derby) is a smaller size but perfect for the DA lover.

 Score!!! I was over the moon when I found this lovely pair of soft, kid leather high top shoes from the Victorian era. In like new condition and very wearable.  I rarely come across white so this is a great find.

 From my personal collection.  The hat that won the American West.  

Big, floppy brushed cashmere hat with sassy black ostrich feather is large enough for the biggest up swept do's worn by late Victorian and Edwardian women.  And it still kept the harsh suns rays off of her face while riding the Conestoga Wagons out west.

 I have a fondness for needlework and this antique hooked rug is terrific.  Love the double heart theme. The rug is faded but has a nice hue to it.  Some damage but still so highly collectible.

 Last, but not least, the last find at my local Goodwill this week was this fantastic vintage mohair boucle swing jacket with mink collar.  In excellent condition and very wearable.  

Hoping to find more treasure this weekend, get over my laryngitis and do a little spinning on my spinning wheel.  There never seems to be enough time in the day for all things that I want to do.  Blessings to you and those you love.

Grow Your Own Blog Party

Welcome to a "Grow Your Own Blog Party" courtesy of Vicki at 2 Bags Full.  Vicki had the marvelous idea of giving back to the blogging community by helping other bloggers grow their blog following by hosting a party.

Her idea was shared on a post back in October and she has already received over 400 comments to that single post.  Amazing.  This party is about opening our blogs to other readers and hoping they will become followers.  Of course, the best thing about blogging is the people you meet.  I began my journey with:

 Musings of a Sea Witch - on April 24, 2009. 

...and she blogs. 

I'm here. I offer my first blog. I ask myself, what brought me to this venue as I have visited blogs on and off for years with never a desire to offer my own. I blame "one vintage hag," although blame is not the proper word, I thank, yes I thank "one vintage hag" for introducing me to a cyber world of friends, new and old, quirky personalities hidden behind interesting headers, joyful photographs, heartfelt words, laugh out loud snippets of their daily activities and a few tears that we all share in common. These unique men and women who have a common (or perhaps, uncommon) need to share pieces of themselves through their blogs.  

To read more of my first blog post, you may click on the above link.

It is the people, the hearts and souls of blog owners, blog followers, blog commentators that have made my journey a marvelous one.   Many share my love of antique, vintage pieces, repurposing old and broken into something new and functional, knitting and spinner, creating jewelry and the joy of travel...but my passion is the sea.  Everything about the water fulfills me and I adore diving whenever I can get away with my honey.

I have learned much from this world wide community of talented individuals, they have all so willingly shared their talents, their adventures, their joys and sometimes their personal pain.  They have become family.

So to make this party fun, I am offering a giveaway to a lucky commenter. You do not have to own a blog to participate.  If you visit my blog and leave a comment about today's post, you will be entered in a drawing to win a Sea Witch necklace and earring set.

 Pale pink silk cord with faceted crystal beads, metal and glass beads necklace.  Two pairs of matching earrings.  A small pair for day or work and then a larger pair for after 5 fun!

 Closeup of earrings and necklace beads.

So thank you for stopping by and saying hello.  I hope to hear from you often.  Don't forget to leave a comment to enter into my Grow Your Own Blog giveaway and a huge thank you to 2 Bags Full for getting this party started.  I will announce the winner on February 1st.  
Blessings to you and those you love. Sea Witch

Bad Lifetime Movie or

if you are closer to my age, a setting for a Mannix murder.   This weekend, on our way back to Lawrenceville, my honey and I stopped at Smith Station Antiques in Ellijay.   

We have gone by this place before but it was always closed, but as luck would have it as we were driving home from our getaway weekend, we noticed the owner was out and about and the sign said OPEN.

 Located off the main highway, this location just begs for the antiquer/collector to stop by as every square inch of property and house is filled with, no, overloaded with items.

 Rusty, chippy, glassy pieces are lined up and sitting on the walkway into the house.  I wondered what treasure I would come home with and couldn't wait to get inside that house.

 As you enter the house, this is what you see at the threshold.  Please note that the flash from the camera makes everything look brighter and cleaner...Trust me, it wasn't.   From top to bottom, side to side, almost every walkable space had items everywhere. Had a bit of a "Hoarders" appearance; dark and musty with a radio playing dust bowl, evangelist music which blared in every room.  I'm normally attracted to the weird but there was just something about this place that started to creep the SeaWitch out and it is very, very hard to creep me out.  I began to ask myself would I just disappear among the dusty, rusty items never to be seen again?  Too many bad, Lifetime movies were running through my head the deeper I tried to walk around this place.  You know the bad, made for television type movie that tells the story of a nondescript, 58 year old woman who is interested in antiques, stops by a small town shop in search of treasure.  Queue the weird music and then you see the woman fall to the floor, not really seeing the crazed hatchet murderer that took her out.   Thirty years go by and a young couple walks through looking for a collectible and they find a masticated lifesize doll sitting amongst copper still and machine parts wearing a floppy hat.  How interesting they say, not realizing that it's a dried up Seawitch they think is a scary movie prop.

Stuffed wildcat was hiding around a corner. I wondered if I would end up, stuffed, next to this cat.

 

 Shelves of face jugs and other crockery were pretty cool but sadly, all appeared to be chipped or deeply cracked.

 Lots of little notes are posted in and around.  This was one that was not as angry as a few of the others. Apparently, the owner did not like being compared to some of the locations seen on American Pickers. LOL

There is money in the jar so I guess a few folks were scared enough to drop in cash rather than deal with confrontation.

 The side yard of iron beds and hub caps ran up to the wood line.  There was so much to find in this shop but I have to share that most of it was rusted out badly, chipped or just plain "beat to snot."  None of this would be bad except that the prices on the items were so obscene that it was laughable.  All items and I mean all were priced like they were high end, pristine condition, book value which explains why very little seems to have moved out of the place.  The only thing I walked away with was this story for the blog.

Still, my honey and I had a wonderful time driving around the North Georgia Mountains this weekend.  We checked out the Noontoola Creek Farms Sporting Clay Range in Blue Ridge, GA.  Lovely location and we couldn't ask for nicer weather which was 71 degrees...hard to believe that we are in the middle of January. 

 The twelve shooting stations were in nestled in the North Georgia woods.  Beautiful scenery, the sounds of nature around us and the air was filled with the sweet scent of cedar.

 It was station ten that we declared the best as it was at the top of mountain and you could see for miles when you approached the stand.  Breathtaking.

The sky was a lovely, overcast french blue against the backdrop of the Georgia mountaintops which gave us a magnificent view. 

Loved the way these three hardwoods were so close together.  Just had to look up and see how they framed the sky.

Every shot was interesting, I could have taken so many more. 

 My honey in his glory.  He is a happy shooter...and very handsome too!

Our Sunday morning drive took us through the mountains and as we climbed we truly were in the heavens.  A very dense fog seemed to appear out of nowhere and forced our switchback drive to about 3-5 miles per hour.  Didn't mind at all as the fog provided a veiled screen to snap photos as we drove through the mountains.

I shot these as we slowly drove down the mountain.  The dense fog was just beginning to  open up and I really like this particular shot.  Thinking about blowing it up and framing it.

 

Took this from the moon roof.  Love the angle of the trees.

Another moon roof shot.  Reminds me so of being up north with the black trees against the gray sky.  It looks cold but the temps were in the high 60s as we drove down the mountain.

 The fog is beginning to disappear as we get to the base of the mountains.

 

At the base, the fog was gone, the sun was shining and the temps were back at 71 degrees once we left the mountain road.  Hard to believe that within 15 minutes we disappear into fog only to appear into clear, sunny views.  We saw deer in many of these fields nibbling on field corn that missed the harvest.

I leave you with these words stitched on this down filled pillow that sits on the pretty red iron settee as you enter the Woodbridge Inn.  Once I have them translated I will revise this post. So until I have the translation, "Blessings to you and those you love."  Sea Witch