Hoity Toity Doily

So when you are an avid thrifter (as I am) you see some of the same vintage items over and over at just about every second hand shop. Things or pieces that used to have real value but we just don't tend to use in modern society anymore. One of these items are doilies. I see doilies everywhere - little, big, round, square, blue, pink, floral, multicolored...you name it. I picture a bunch of little old blue hairs getting together every week to partake in their favorite hobby of tatting while gossiping about the 30 year old neighbor's tattoo, complaining about their arthritis, all over a hot cup of tea and a few slices of spam. I had a Great Aunt Ruth who I really adored and she tatted me the most intricately beautiful crisp white tablecloth for my first official dining room table.  But alas I don't know anybody my age who tats. I have friends who knit and crochet, but taking up those teeny tiny crochet needles seems to be a lost art.

So every once in awhile, through the years, I would see a doily I couldn't pass up. I had no real use for it  - but the craftsmanship and the beauty of it just didn't belong in a thrift shop. So I would lovingly take it home and throw it in a drawer (ha). Until one day I realized I had 20-30 something doilies all just hanging out in a dark linen drawer with nothing to do.

So I brainstormed. I wanted to figure out a way I could use them. And below is what I came up with:

A new tablecloth for my dining room table using my lovely hoity toity doilies.

I placed them on the table in a pattern that I liked and attached them together at the corners with small strips of yarn. Easy peazy.

Then I added a centerpiece! I had the green/gold vintage candy holder in my closet and I filled it with a bunch of 60s floral pins.

 

I'm happy. The doilies are happy. And I bet my great aunt Ruth is looking down from heaven pleased as punch that I'm putting these lovely labors of love to good use.

Thrift Store Mania

So I haven't blogged in 2-3 weeks because I have been busy getting my new Etsy store up and rolling! I've always had 2 life long career dreams and thanks to modern technology and the world wide web I can achieve both without having to invest in brick and mortar! 

My first love is designing invitations and I have been diligently working on adding new party themes to my 1st Etsy store every week.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/sarahtacoma

Here's a sampling of what I have been working on:

My 2nd love is finding goodies at the thrift store and I have finally rolled out my SweetPickinsShop.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SweetPickinsShop

And here's a lookie lou of what's in that store!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/SweetPickinsShop

In honor of my son Gideon who has Down syndrome - 

I donate 10% of all sales to Reese's Rainbow (www.reesesrainbow.org). In most of Eastern Europe children with DS upon birth are immediately institutionalized. Reese's Rainbow helps fund adoptions so that these AWESOME KIDS can be given loving homes and families!

Thrift Store Thursdays!

I love a good thrift store! And there's a few that I haunt on Thursday mornings while my boys are in school. This week I've been trying to find storage solutions for my bathroom counter. I wanted to find something for my toothbrushes, hair accessories and various toiletries. Check out below and see what items I scored and then "revamped" to fit my needs.

 

I already had the shabby looking soap holder - but was excited to find this matching gold ceramic swan! It had the perfect patina with bits of pink and green paint showing through (matching the colors of my art deco bathroom). The swan was originally used as a planter with fake flowers, but I took out the green floral foam and gave it a good scrub. It fit my face lotions and toners exactly. I also found the vintage Avon pink powder puff. Exactly what I needed for a pop of color. The little clothespin doll my son Quinn gave me for Christmas last year. He personally picked it out at his school's Christmas fair.

Now to solve the storage problem of my toothbrushes and hair accessories! There was this little piece of sparkly something shoved behind a bunch of ceramic cups. I made a grab for it and was thrilled when I found it was a 1950s lipstick holder! We have four people in our family and the toothbrushes fit snugly into this beautiful piece covered in jewels and rhinestones.

Last but not least I found this very colorful tin that was large enough to store my hair accessories.

I can't wait to see what I find next Thursday!