New Header for October

Hello everyone.  Hard to believe that it is October already.  It seems like it was just July and I was playing in water. The shorter days and darker nights beckoned me to change out my header again.  This is the first header I have put up that does not share a photo I have taken of the world under the water.  Instead, this is of an exquisite sunset that I watched in its entirety while on Green Turtle Cay, in the Bahamas.  Spectacular colors and I love the play of the fire orange against the steel grey blues.   I shot the photo from the deck entrance to the room we had on Green Turtle Cay.  Three lovely days and two spectacular nights of sunsets.  So I will share those with you.  All photos enlarge with a double click, they are large so you will see nice details.  If you like them, you may copy them for personal use or print them if you like.   Who can own a sunset?  It just seems silly to copyright it so enjoy.

First night on Green Turtle Cay and the sun was just beginning to lower itself in the sky.  The air had a marvelous silver and black look about it and the water resembled molten silver.

There was some light cloud cover that acted like a veil that covered the sun which caused the brilliant orange colors making the sky look like it was on fire and reflected in the water below.

 By now the sun had gone down and the look of molten silver earlier in the evening had taken on a "Midas" touch and was now a molten gold.

Minimal cloud cover on the second evening and the sun barely peeking out before it sets for the night.

The photo I used in the header.  Glorious colors and I love the details in the palms.  This is the beauty that would draw a sea witch from her watery home.    Blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch

Joy's Vintage has moved into Vintage Village

When I was visiting Vintage Village on Sunday, I stopped into the shop behind the main store to visit with Joy of Joy's Vintage.  Joy always has the neatest kitschy items and always fantastic prices. She was going to move into Vintage Village upstairs (there are two floors of treasure) this week.  Will miss the 1950s fridge filled with old time soda's and Yoo Hoo but her moving into the village will be a great move for her.  So while she was packing things to take over, I found some items I had to come home with.

Always love these 1940s shoe stretchers.  Mostly because they are such a wonderful pale pink and pale blue.

Pretty little lace and ribbon dress collar.  This is boat neck size so it has lots of lace that can be used for repurposing in other projects.

My favorite find at Joy's.   A lovely carnival glass, stretch vase.  So keeping with the kitschy mood, I brought a few great, vintage school pieces into my main booth.

Heavy red wool and stadium blanket with letter and name stitched on it.  A pair of gold fur tall band hats, a band shield with the letter "N", a marvelous band/majorette hat with plume, and a pair of vintage letters for an athletic sweater.

I love this hat with the bright orange feathered plume.  What fun it would be to wear this to your local high school football game. 

Make it a his and hers night when you wear matching band hats.  Vintage wool letters for your school sweaters.

I'm knee deep in fabrics as I begin working on my NY raviolis Halloween costumes.  Hope to have these finished by this weekend.  Found some novelty fabric that I couldn't resist so I will have a surprise outfit for Kit Kat on top of her Strawberry Shortcake request.  Will post photos when I finish them.  Have a wonderful week and blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch

Fall at Vintage Village

Finally got back to Vintage Village to check out the fall booths. Always full of nifty things, I knew I couldn't just window shop...treasure would be found and purchased.

This both had a marvelous avocado theme.  Don't you love the large framed photo of the lovely older woman?

White elements are always a favorite.

How about this fantastic antique hoop skirt crinoline?  Had to have it so it came home with me.  I adore antique clothing and finding pieces like this are a joy.

Lovely florals for your fall decor.

American Primitives are among my favorite.  This favorite dealer of mine always has such fantastic pieces. 

So many wonderful things to choose from.

Wonderful tapestry fabric on this pretty little settee.

Love this display of Halloween items.

Pretty little Victorian parlor table.  Perfect for a huge Boston fern.

More wonderful treasure at Vintage Village.  Always a great place to shop. 

Pretty hats, a piano baby, needlepoint and a sweet black table. 

Now for more goodies that I found at Vintage Village.  Had to have them.  A wonderful CDV photo, pretty little quad plate clothing brush and a marvelous sterling handled Victorian shoe horn.

A terrific mid-Victorian print, bubble glass and deep frame.  I am a sucker for old pieces like this.

The print is in terrific condition, colors are true.

Tomorrow I will post on other items I found at a little shop called Joy's Vintage Flea.  She will be moving into Vintage Village this week.  She has marvelous kitschy pieces and I can't wait to see her new space.  Have a wonderful Monday everyone.  Sea Witch

Joyful dogs and a cameo by a goat

I love the videos by OK Go.  They are innovative, fun to watch and you never have to censor them.  Known for their one taping, start to finish pieces. this is another feel good video of theirs using lots of man's and woman's best friends...all but one are rescue dogs, one belongs to one of the band members and look for a cameo by a goat as well. 

Have a wonderful weekend all.  Sea Witch

Mantle & other treasure

Oh how I wish I had another day to play.  Lovely weekend spent finding treasure, dinner with my honey and sis, then Sunday at the Queen adding items to my booths and stripping this marvelous oak mantle.  I purchased this several weeks ago and finally got around to beginning the stripping process.  It had the original shellac finish so I knew it would not be too difficult to remove. Still, always a messy process.  Someone had tried to strip it earlier,  but they did not use a strong product so it was left with lots of darkened clumps on the original finish. (all photos enlarge...double click and they really get large)

 

How I found it with clumps of stripper on original finish.

Wide boards, 9 inches in diameter and pretty oak elements of a wreath on each side.  Solid oak construction, this dates back to the middle 1800s.  Lots of thick spots of shellac as well as the original finish were hard and thick.  I couldn't wait to begin stripping it.

Used a spray on stripper from Home Depot. It began to work immediately and within 5 minutes the finish had risen off the oak.  The above is the first pass of removal.  Already, the wood is showing that lovely rich, golden patina from this marvelous American oak.

I will work on this throughout the week to get it ready for the store next weekend.

From the treasure hunt, I found this lovely pair of late Victorian milk glass vases with hand painted roses on them.  Circa 1890s.

Sold the last fur piece I had with this dress, so I brought in this marvelous minks collar/stole.  Lovely golden fur in excellent condition.  Circa 1920-40s.

I don't usually repaint antiques when they are in good condition but these "stairways to heaven" are almost always white pine with darkened shellac.  So I decided to paint this one black and sand the edges to give it a shabby look.  Dropped in the print of my favorite Victorian pinup witch and this nifty "Stairway to Heaven just took on a whole different look that I really, really like. Add a few candles, some sage and feathers and you have a lovely Wiccan alter or a great Halloween display.

Added an ornate and gilt frame with a Victorian CDV card (print) of a little witch.

As you can tell, I'm slowly Halloweening up my Victorian booth.

Replaced all of the cabbage roses china pieces with rich marigold vintage/antique carnival glass.  It looks wonderful in this cabinet.

Found this marvelous and heavy copper mold book ends.  I think they would make lovely door stops too, especially in a mountain/lake home or cabin.

Nothing like a big and bold and oh so soft raccoon collar to wear with your favorite dress or coat.  Now that is the way to make an entrance.

Also found another pair of pretty holiday Wedgwood plates.

A yard sale stop found these faux apples. They look real enough to eat.

Another find was this pretty pair of occupied japan figurines. 

And another favorite of mine, old shoe lasts.  I usually decorate these up with a candle and fall leaves.

But my last treasure was this faboosh vintage girl scout uniform from the 1950s.  Patches on the sleeves and in wonderful condition.  Will wash it tonight and then press and starch.

Am looking forward to reading your posts this week as well. Have a lovely week and blessings to you and those you love.  Sea Witch

Design - unfinished

greige - Design as intended - unfinished as it's header proclaims. 

 I just discovered this magnificent blog through French Blue, one of my favorite blogs to visit for lovely items and design.  Greige, even the header speaks of simplicity of design.  The few photos below do not need words, just enjoy their beauty and visit greige .

It is this photo of the unfinished staircase that captured my visual soul.  I just love it. The rawness of the wood against the finished pieces is visually powerful. I could live in any of these rooms...just need to scatter my sea shells around and I'm home.   Sea Witch

Goodwill redo

Found a glass dome and wood base at my local goodwill about a month ago.  A nasty looking chenille flower arrangement was sitting under it.  I tossed that out when I got home and put the dome on my garage shelf. 

Knew I wanted to use it for a Halloween display and was waiting for the right look.  Found this great plastic skull at my local Walgreens over the weekend and knew it was exactly what I wanted for this piece.  Spray painted the wood base black.

Then hot glued some tea stained muslim to the base and then glued this nifty looking skull that I picked up at Walgreens.  I am crazy about the way this turned out. 

Looks so mad scientist. 

Side view.  This looks like a real skull.

Can't wait to put this in my Victorian booth as I have plans for a Victorian Halloween theme.  Goodwill always has some great items that can be repurposed into fun pieces like this.  Have a wonderful week. Sea Witch