Florida Harvest

I adore living in Florida but I must share that I do miss the color explosion of fall.  There is something magical about leaves changing their colors, pumpkins in funny shapes and sizes  and in a range of pastel colors, crisp apples fresh from the trees and hot cider donuts fresh from the fat to the plate.  The best that I can do is make the cider donuts and decorate with faux pumpkins and then enjoy a Florida harvest of finds at my local haunts.

These vintage stacked pumpkins with the lights inside were 1980s decorating favorites.  This one still has the bright florescent orange paint.

Everyone loves the popular, Lefton turkeys that were salt and pepper shakers, planters and napkin holders.  I now have my mother's set and use at Thanksgiving, but I love it when I find these Lefton pieces to share in my booth space.  This Tom actually looks pretty happy sitting in a mid century pedestal compote.

This late Victorian, wool jacket with tails is a great steampunk for costumes and cosplay.  

Whenever I find quality silverplate or pewter I always think of my Atlanta, antique gal pal, Rose, who always finds/sells the prettiest silver for her space called Silver Glory.  I do miss her lovely spaces as I always found a treasure or two.  I acquired this set of four, Woodbury Pewter plates at my local thrift store.  Made in the USA, they are known for their high quality.  Perfect for setting your Thanksgiving table.   

This Victorian smelling salts/vinaigrette is the first I have ever found.  Sterling cap, it is missing the screw cap at the other end.  Lovely cut crystal, this is a marvelous find and I will keep if for a while.  I would love to find a cap for the other end so that hunt now begins.  The p of smelling salts are to around consciousness and are centuries old with found documentation as early as the Romans using them.  They are meant to help revive those that are faint of nerves or those that need some extra oxygen flow to help with breathing.

Haven't come across a vintage Halloween noisemaker in many, many years and this happy pumpkin is a sweetheart.  Vintage Halloween items still bring in high dollars.  

Found a charming quad plate creamer and three, mid century sequined Santa boot ornaments for the tree. 

I have a weak spot for early Windsor chairs and this is beautifully stenciled with bronzing powders and has its original red paint.  Definitely a keeper for me.

In no particular order, these were Goodwill finds, a teeny tiny vintage, oil can and a charming, souvenir cup and saucer in a Scottish thistle design.  Most likely imported from Germany.

and  finally, I actually harvested a pumpkin....well, not a pumpkin but a huge, dried gourd shaped like a pumpkin.  This is the only decorative pumpkin I can use in our hot and humid weather without the pumpkin imploding in three days. LOL.  

So to my friends who are enjoying the Indian Summer and stepping into fall, I wish you good harvest in your treasure hunts and to all, blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch

Weekend Spin

Saturday I got to spend a few hours doing something that brings pure joy to my soul.  But let me take you back a few months...while doing a little treasure hunting in Lilburn, I stopped in at Antiques in Old Towne, where there is a lovely space dedicated to American Primitives.

 The dealer, Linda Napier, was working her space so I asked if she had any spinning wheel parts.  That conversation turned to spinning wheels and she asked if I knew anyone who could show her how to spin on her wheel.  A serendipitous meeting because "SeaWitch" not only spins but demonstrates spinning fibers and also teaches one on one.  We set up a date and time for me to come to Antiques in Old Towne to teach Linda how to spin and also spend a few hours demonstrating this to visitors to the shop.

I demo using a Scottish Castle Wheel as it is easy to travel with. Although it looks like an antique, it is actually a contemporary wheel that I acquired in 1976.  

Antique baskets filled with raw, natural and painted fleeces, my pair of carders and a swift and it was a marvelous afternoon of spinning and teaching another how to do this as well.  I am always interested in hearing what viewers of this craft have to say but my favorite was from a stunning woman who stopped to watch and then asked me where I purchased my raw fleece.    When I mentioned that I purchase much from wool farms in Wisconsin, her face lit up and she shared that she grew up on a wool farm in Wisconsin where lambs were welcome in the home and that it had been many, many years since she had seen anyone spin on a wheel.  Watching the fleece draw through my fingers and twist into fiber as it wound into the bobbin brought lovely memories of her childhood and we both got a little misty eyed as she shared her history.  It is moments like this that make this very simple craft such a powerful one for me.

At the end of my demo, I did a little hunting and found this delightful pair of vintage stockings and garter belt from the 1930s.

Picked up a box of linens that I won at a local auction.  Love it when you can leave an absentee bid and find out you won.

The box was filled with these stunning antique French tambour, net lace dresser linens.  I kept the huge chaise lounge piece and have the smaller ones in my Victorian space at the Buford Queen of Hearts.  

The box was filled with linens from the 1950s as well and these are priced to move quickly in my main space.

Customers are already asking for Halloween decor and decorative elements so I have begun bringing them in.

Beautiful candelabra with a Victorian print of witches in a window frame.

Vintage Stairway to Heaven shelf unit from the 1920-30s.  

1900s Victorian witch print in silver frame.

A happy coven and jewelry caskets.  

 Ticking cats and pumpkin bowl fillers.

 Steins for Octoberfest, pumpkins and of course, that favorite holiday server, the vintage Amber hobnail deviled egg tray.

Summer is nearly at an end with Labor Day fast upon us.  I can honestly say that we are all looking forward to cooler weather as this has been a brutal summer of heat for the nation.  Wishing you blessings to you and those you love.  SeaWitch

And I still haven't found what I'm looking for....

sing it to me sweetly, Bono.  Still haven't found that cupboard that I am looking for.   So I made a cupboard hunting pilgrimage to Monroe, GA where there are many "HUGE" antique malls.  Thought I would find it there, but no such luck.  I have to stop looking for that elusive cupboard and let it find me instead.  Still, it was a lovely day to be out and about and the first day I have felt half human as I get over this bout of stomach virus.   Started off at Hodge Podge Art, Antiques and Interiors where a lot of new dealers have taken up residence.  You can tell that everyone is looking forward to the cool nights of fall as they begin changing out their spaces from summer fun to cozy autumn.

Beautiful drieds, a cute nanny goat and vegies everywhere.

This space is so joyful with its rich, riot of jeweltone rugs.  

It's always the case, I was interested in this table top cupboard but the tag said NFS.

These warm copper pieces suggest cooler days ahead where kettles filled with water heating upon the stove will soon bear cozy teas or hot chocolates.

What a sweet face, lovely acrylic painting.  One of my lovely daughters in law would be ga ga over this.

On to one of my favorite dealers in Monroe, James at Davis Street Antiques.  Still no cupboard but there is always treasure at Davis Street Antiques.  

Marvelous retro 1950s coat of black satin with huge buttons.  This is too cha cha for words.

Love Victorian/Edwardian whites and I found several there. 

From Davis Street I headed to Ian Henderson's Antique Mall.  Open 7 days a week, in the former Walton Mill, they live up to their tag line, 100,000 square feet of awesome.   Would I find my elusive cupboard?  Nope, but I found Neptune's triton, I found treasure. 

 Love this Edwardian net skirt with bustle room to boot.  This is a piece that I will keep and wear.

Be still my heart.  I am head over tea kettle with this find.  A Civil War era Chantilly lace shawl.  These are so delicate and gorgeous and I have lusted after one for years but their price is often way out of my budget.  This one was priced to move as it had a few lace tears along each end but it was so worth it to me.  

The fun at Ian Henderson's Antique Mall are the finds.  So many booths to explore and always a unique item to be found.  Great old celluloid dolly with hair that looks like mine when I first wake up.  An adorable little jointed hand made bear will find it's way to a Christmas display come December.  As I checked out at the register, Ian Henderson himself not only waited me out but actually remembered me from a visit last September and the blog post I wrote about my visit.  WOW, with the hundreds of thousands of people that walk this spacious antique mall, Ian remembered the Sea Witch.  Now that is amazing customer service.

Sheffield  knives in what looks like never used condition in their original presentation boxes.    Bakelite handles on the carving set and celluloid handles on the small butter knives.  These were an auction win from last week but I was sick with the stomach virus and I had forgotten to pull them from the car.  Found them this weekend.

A local thrift store find, gorgeous EAPG covered compote. Huge and acid etched uranium glass of feeding swans.  Circa 1880s.

 Pretty, early Carnival Glass of water lilies.   Double handles and in perfect condition.

The season for family entertaining will be here sooner than you think and I scored with this group of serving forks and sterling handled cake server.

Love this old brown transfer ware plate of herons. Still looking up the maker and pattern.  May not part with it as I adore the theme. 

Who doesn't love snow babies and I acquired this group for such a steal that is would have been sinful not to take them.  Come December, they will be in my main space at the Buford Queen of Hearts.

So glad to find this antique crocheted tablecloth.   These items have been selling as fast as I can bring them into my booth space.

Another thrift store find, he's just to cute for words.  

Stopped by Vintage Village and nearly squealed with delight when I found this pair of vintage noisemakers.  

 

 I remember carrying these as a child in New Jersey on Halloween.  

Sweet set of French grammar books from the 1900s.

Yes, another petticoat.  It was a great weekend for finding these gems and at good prices.  

And finally, at a yard sale, picked this beauty up for $1.00.   Sometimes dropping in as they are shutting down is the best time for a great buy.  

So, as I began, I end and I still haven't found what I'm looking for.  However, the hunt continues to be fun.  Blessings to you and those you love. Sea Witch

Halloween is in my booths.

  Had big plans for Sunday afternoon to begin decorating my booths for Halloween, but my vehicle had other ideas.  After filling the back with lots of treasure, I get in the drives seat to take off and I find I am dead in the driveway, the baby would not turn over and all I got was a clicking sound and lots of idiot lights blinking on and off.  A call to triple A and a lot of jumping and testing with a final verdict of call the tow truck folks to get my Honda Pilot to the dealership. Sigh. Long story short, the battery needed to be replaced.  So that is what my Sunday consisted of, however, Monday afternoon, I finally got some Halloween in my booths.  

Pumpkins, skulls and candlesticks...a perfect Halloween combination.

 This 1920s composition doll is lifesize and delightfully creeps out passers by.

 

This great witch is dressed for October right down to her striped stockings and black pumps.

 Spray painted this brilliant orange pumpkins light with a bronze brown.  Love the look and it looks great lit up.

This witch is over three feet tall and is a great gal for an entrance hall. 

Until my Honda decided to stay in bed, I spent Saturday visiting the shops in Monroe, GA.  Hodge Podge and Davis Street Antiques are my favorites and both had lots of new dealers and long time dealers that had moved into new spaces. 

 Found this gorgeous, black transferware buttermilk pitcher.  Early 19th century, this is in my personal collection.

 Hit the Halloween jackpot at Hodge Podge and brought home this nifty witches hat decorated for the season.

 Now this is a sassy, Halloween hat. Lots of black netting, skulls and black feathers.

I can never get enough EAPG and this beauty not only has it's lid but is beautifully etched on both pieces.  This is now part of my personal collection and I can't wait to decorate with it over Christmas.

 

More EAPG but the best little prize is in the center of this photo.  A genuine, antique medicine bottle with french label and a gentle sun purple color.

 

Lovely quadruple plate coffee urn. Tall and with an inscribed dedication and dated 1884.

 Pretty Dugan, opalescent glass, although green is not Vaseline glass even though it does fluoresce under a black light.  Circa 1909.

 Nice quad plated condiment carrier will be a perfect display for antique, mercury ornaments.

 Darling decorative element has three, heavy bird cages that you fill with votives and other seasonal elements.

 How cool is this delightful, vintage embroidered santa on cotton.  This was probably going to be a pillow but it would frame beautifully.

And last, but certainly not least, this magnificent print.  This rarely found poster is entitled, "COLORED MAN IS NO SLACKER". It was published in 1918 by S.G. Renesch of Chicago and is one of only two WWI recruitment posters that were published for the purpose of encouraging the enlistment of male African-Americans. The theme of the two different posters was to offer participation in the first World War as an opportunity for African Americans to demonstrate their patriotism and serve their country.  Large piece and in original frame, this is a terrific piece and is in my Victorian booth.

So other than my car shutting down on Sunday, it was a lovely weekend.  Wishing everyone a marvelous week and blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch