Everything Old is New Again!

I am in a "repurpose" mood. I see all sorts of projects that interest me and involve repurposing old things. I'm constantly looking at the things in my closets and drawers and asking "How can I use that for something else?" Pinterest may be the death of me, but already, I've discovered ideas for making toddler leggings from old t-shirts and sweats.

Now that the holidays are over and I have all my Christmas decorations put away for another year, I've turned my attention to some long-neglected sewing projects. And it's all about the babies! I've been turning antique crochet doilies into jackets and bibs... vintage embroidered table runners into jackets... and vintage bed sheets into dresses and jackets. I even combined pieces of a bed sheet with a pair of seersucker pants my grandmother no longer wanted to create a darling spring ensemble - jacket and dress - for a 12-month-old!

Next on my list?  A pair of old Levis jeans will become a jacket, a beautiful chocolate-brown velour skirt from the thrift store will be a dress for my cousin, Olivia (with possibly a matching vest and bow-tie for her little brother, Owen), and more beautiful dresses and jackets created from vintage linens. 

For Christmas, I fashioned bath robes for my toddler boys (great-nephew and cousin) from fabric remnants and a long ladies skirt that I purchased at a local thrift store.  I think both turned out darling, especially paired with cotton pajama pants in a colorful train motif!  I hope to make more robes out of vintage chenille bedspreads soon.

Several of my items are listed for sale in my Etsy shop, This Reminds Me.  I am even thinking of opening an Etsy shop just to showcase the items for children and babies.  Stay tuned for more details!

Time to Think About Christmas!

It's time to start thinking about Christmas, and hopefully I will have time in the next few weeks to add several nice things to my Etsy and eBay listings, including some beautiful holiday items.  Meanwhile, I have some great stocking stuffers, along with some fabulous gift ideas.  Check my current treasures listed on Etsy, and look for more to come in the next few weeks!

Pass the Pottery!

My goal today was to add a few more interesting pieces to my Etsy store - This Reminds Me...  So far, I've listed three items - all wonderful examples of U.S.A. pottery - a yellow ware/spongeware bowl, a brown drip "bee-hive" bowl that is likely Monmouth pottery, and a Hull pottery brown drip sugar bowl with lid.  All three treasures are in incredibly good condition and would make great additions to a collection of U.S.A. brown pottery.  In fact, if they don't sell, they may find a place on my shelf with the MarCrest I have collected in recent years!

5" Yellow ware/spongeware U.S.A. bowl

Brown drip (Monmouth?) "bee-hive" bowl

Hull Pottery Brown Drip Sugar Bowl with Lid

Did you see the beautiful Westmoreland Wedding Box I listed on Etsy?  It's a beauty - and a rare find, as the low-footed boxes are not nearly as plentiful as their pedestal kin.  This one would make an incredible gift for a new bride - or the mother of the bride.  Why are they called "Wedding Boxes"?  Because they resemble a wedding cake.  This is a true stunner... it even has its original sticker!

Westmoreland Low-footed Wedding Box Candy Dish/Comport

I am still listing items for sale on Etsy - at the current rate, I will probably be listing for the rest of my life!  Hopefully shoppers will like what I have to offer, and soon my shelves will have room for me to buy more treasures to share!

How Many Ways Can You Use a Teacup and Saucer?

I've been listing new items on Etsy.com today in my store at http://ThisRemindsMe.Etsy.com.  Many were vintage teacup sets - beautiful cups and matching saucers.  I also listed some sweet little salt and pepper shakers made in Japan, and a beautiful Royal Derby creamer from England.

As I look at these beautiful vintage pieces, I am amazed at the many uses that come to mind for each of them.  They would make great containers for everything from small flowers and buds to jewelry and cotton balls atop a dressing table.  They could house gifts... chocolates, a piece of jewelry, a couple of bags of gourmet tea... and more!  They would make a unique gift for a bridesmaid or the mother of the groom.  I can see a collection of them individually wrapped as gifts for women in a wedding party... thank-yous to the hostesses for a bridal or baby shower, and unique place markers for a special luncheon (with the guest's names wired to the handles).

Even if you simply use them to adorn a shelf or table top, you have to admit, these are pretty amazing pieces... and treasures worth having in any collection.

Jyoto Occupied Japan Cup and Saucer

Shelley Cup and Saucer in floral motif... Made in England

Derby Posies Creamer by Royal Derby, England

INARCO Cup and Saucer

Lefton Cupids in Bisque - Pitcher and Saucer

Online Selling... A New Adventure Begins!

I've sold a few treasures online for several years now... on both eBay and Etsy.  But recently, I packed up all of my treasures at a booth in a local antique store and moved eveyrthing home to our garage and closets.  Now I am in full-fledged online sales mode!  Over the next few weeks, I will be photographing my wares and listing them on both Etsy and eBay.  I have some beautiful pieces... and some that are quite interesting and unusual.  Look for me on eBay under "songwriter57" and at Etsy in my shop, This Reminds Me...

Here is my latest Etsy listing - a beautiful Belber wardrobe trunk.  It would be great for display of your linens and other treasures, as a storage piece... or most especially as a unique coffee table.  I would prefer to arrange for local delivery, but if you are located across the country and willing to pay for UPS shipping... I'm willing to pack the piece and send it your way!

Keep watching for more treasures and great vintage pieces... I'll keep listing!

Memorial Day Weekend - Summer's Comin'!

With Memorial Day weekend upon us, we turn our thoughts to summer and all of the activites associated with the next few months.  Red/white/blue become the colors of the day for Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day.  In between, we think of weddings, Dad, and light and airy summer fun.

Memorial Day will signal a shift for me from selling my antiques and treasures in local antiques stores to selling individual pieces online via eBay (songwriter57) and Etsy.  Look for some great things for sale there... as well as information about my treasures on this blog.

Here are some of my favorites, currently listed on Etsy.  Keep watching this blog for frequent updates!

Detail of Dresden Plate block - antique quilt - hand stitched!

Antique hand-made Dresden Plate quilt - incredible condition!

Pyrex Homestead Mixing Bowls - set of 4

4 Pyrex Homstead Mixing Bowls

Hand-crocheted ccotton placemats - set of 12 - great shape!

Detail of hand-crocheted placemats

Moriage Japanese footed bowl and underplate - could be Nippon

Fostoria American Water Goblets - set of six - MINT condition!

Fostoria American small plate with handles

Multi-colored rhinestone earrings - could be shoe clips, too!

Bakelite pin with rhinestones

Sears Roebuck Pie Server - Silverplate

Bottle Openers - One is Falstaff

Vintage Timex Day/Date Water-resistant Watch - WORKS!

Destino Sterling Silver/Mother-of-Pearl Cufflinks

Silverplate baby fork/spoon set

Capodimonte Italian Porcelain Urns/Vases - set of 2