Dear readers, happy November! In case you hadn't noticed, this girl has been on shopping hiatus for most of 2019. In fact, I've pretty much been on a blogging hiatus for most of 2019. Instead, I was on a mission of purging. In case you missed all that, you can view these posts,
here and
here.
However.....there's a part of me that was longing to get back to doing what I love doing, and that's shopping, both new and vintage! Today I'm sharing most of my new and vintage finds gathered since the downsize.
With entering our new phase of living smaller, I'm settling into a better than ever sense of the things I enjoy and prefer living with. Whether it's a matter of trying to remain disciplined about 'stuff' (clutter) or just refining my tastes, the truth is I still love sourcing vintage or antique (and sometimes new) things. It's a conflicting scenario, but I try to keep a healthy balance in managing it all, both for our home and for the antique mall booth spaces. Bring something in, let something else go.
New Finds
This time of year is particularly conflicting, when everything from pumpkins, turkeys and Christmas trees can be found all over social media, retail and email solicitations. It's not always easy striking the balance! I've purchased very few New Finds for home, but those you see pictured below are a few: a pumpkin pillow cover (I purged duplicative pillow forms), rug mat inserts for fall and winter, and a new, tabletop Christmas tree. I felt compelled to pull the tree from the box last week, simply to see if the lights all worked. Why? Because I had gotten an email for a sale, and wanted to make sure I could get another one if this one was damaged.
I went to a craft fair recently and purchased a few items, all handmade from woods native to West Virginia. As shown in the photo below (clockwise, L to R): a wine/glass caddy of maple & walnut; a cutting board of walnut, maple and cherry, lasered with "Country Roads" lyrics in the shape of our state; a wood bowl designed and hand-turned of maple and cherry woods; two wooden toy tops cut from the centers of the bowl designs like the one I purchased (genius use of scraps, right?); some really nice faux magnolia. Since I no longer have a go-to magnolia that I can go outside and cut branches from, I wanted some quality branches to be able to have for home decor. These fill the bill!
Speaking of craft, West Virginia has been home to glassmakers for over 200 years, and Blenko, a family run business, for over 120 years. In October 2018, Blenko landed a new design team in Emma Walters and Andrew Shaffer, breathing new life into Blenko's offerings. I attended a private opening wherein they were showing new designs and prototypes. The piece you see me holding below was made by Emma and Andrew. It is titled, "Arches", inspired by a trip they made to Arches National Park in Utah.
The piece (it's the second from right in the display image from their show), made in an ombre of cobalt blue and one of their latest colors - pawpaw - immediately struck a chord with me. Mr. P. & I had
just returned from a fall trip in Utah the day before. This piece is sure to now become part of our story in our home.
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| Tunnel Arch in Arches National Park, Utah |
Vintage Finds
My Panoply sisters and I have kept our booths running smoothly all year in spite of (or maybe because of ) my purge and other life events with each of us, but we all wanted to keep shopping! It wasn't until September that we had our spree, so I'm capturing my Vintage Finds from that and a few other estate sales in this post too.
My love of Art Deco continues, both at home and in our vintage offerings. Below, a figural lamp and reference book on Maxfield Parrish (both keepers, for now, and the lamp is pictured above with the pumpkin pillow cover).
Seasonal items already placed in the booths (and some already gone): cast iron squirrel nutcracker; sitting on plaid placemats; a turkey carving board (with helpful tips!); a carrying tray with needlepoint duck under glass; a ceramic turkey platter.
Metals: a miner's lamp; brass squirrel nutcracker (next to my new wooden bowl mentioned earlier); a turtle magnifier; various O Haus apothecary weights; set of brass eagle hooks.
An architectural salvage piece of wood, framing a cherub and floral scrolled cast iron design.
The little winter scene painting below, only 4" x 4", is hand painted on vellum, another keeper. The hand carved nativity is already in the booth space.
Glass: teardrop cake pedestal (in the booth, styled with Christmas items); a small footed floral bowl with opaque and vaseline glass; two small blue bottles.
Books! Le Louvre Tomes I and II, fifty color plates each of masterpieces from the Paris museum, printed in France circa 1940s, when the private seller's aunt visited and purchased them; [Winston] Churchill's "My African Journey"; "The Shorter Poems of Robert Browning"; "Ellis Island" and "The Old West"; The Official Tartan Map (Scotland) and Robert Bain's "The Clans and Tartans of Scotland".
The cutest resin Airedale puppy; set of 9 vintage 1930s trade skills textbooks and Lufkin folding ruler; a nicely weighted copper colander; vintage 1970s Betty Crocker and Mountain Measures cookbooks; Hanson kitchen scale; Pyrex 2C glass measure.
Looking ahead toward spring already: a vintage Johnson Brothers Heritage plate with rabbit transfer; "Violets to Greet You" antique book of poetry; sheep mug; "Scottish Teatime Recipes", Toby cup and saucer; pewter and glass honeypot.
Two very sweet (6" x 6") framed rabbits, reproductions of Old World paintings.
A nice variety of English and US horse tack, brass fobs. I am particularly fond of the two lovebirds (From R, 2nd row, top) and the entire third row.
I still have collections in boxes stacked in one closet in the condo, and also in my storage unit that I haven't touched since moving in April. Even with sourcing additional things, I find there are still plenty of things I'd feel comfortable purging, so I've become a little more selective in buying. I'll be the first to admit, though, that being more selective in buying (consumption) is a change in mindset, a good practice in self-discipline. I rather like it though, and it's a blessing knowing it's a choice rather than a necessity.
So, has downsizing, aging or Marie Kondo's "Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up" impacted your shopping habits in 2019?
As always, I appreciate your readership, and invite your comments!
(A special thanks to Barb at French Ethereal's Share Your Style # 232 for featuring this post!)
Rita C. at Panoply
Sharing: Pieced Pastimes, Best of the Weekend, Happiness is Homemade, Love Your Creativity, BNOTP, All About Home Common Ground, All About Home Follow the Yellow Brick Home, Inspire Me, Tuesday Turn About,
Make it Pretty, Celebrate Your Story,SYS, Delightsome Life H&G, TFT, Grace at Home,
Vintage Charm
