My Vintage Soul

Week 6: The German Box and a Giveaway

I was starting to have doubts about my weekly hunts for Spring Cleanup junk. Weeks one (a set of silver!) and three (a pair of scalloped window screens!) were fantastic. But since then not so much.  

But then this week, the final week of the annual curbside extravaganza, my faith was restored.

 

Because there was this -- a box from Germany. Actually, a box from Neckermann, which I had never heard of before, but turns out to be a German mail-order company. No indication of how old the box is but I would guess at least four or five  decades. It was sent from Frankfurt to Syracuse.

 

I saw the box, standing on one end, with a little bit of what looked like a homemade Styrofoam Christmas decoration poking out. I also saw a few ugly plastic holiday picks, but I decided to take a chance and brought it home.

 

Here's a look at that Styrofoam thing and an even closer look at

 

the very scary pipe cleaner Santa at the head of the sleigh. Luckily, under the tacky stuff and a few layers of tissue paper, there were some treasures.

 

An angel tree topper that is in perfect shape, other than being really dirty. Actually, it's filthy.

And then this, which actually made me just a little bit giddy.

 

It was a collection of pressed metal Christmas decorations.

 

Besides, a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year banner, which is just like the one that I hang in my kitchen at the holidays, were some styles I had never seen before.



Plus two kinds of Santa Clauses:



Two smaller and shorter Santas with presents.

 

And four much bigger skipping Santas with sacks of goodies. Because there are four of those, I'm going to give one away. To be eligible, leave a comment between now and midnight Friday.

It's kind of funny how 2011's Spring Cleanup came full circle, from finding silver in week one to finding something with silver on it in week six. By the way, I've been hard at work cleaning that silver and it hasn't been easy. I've got one more method to try and I'm hoping to reveal the "after" soon.

Lil' Bit of Christmas: Part II

In between my weekly hunts for Spring Cleanup treasures, I've managed to get to a rummage sale or two (or three or four). And, fortunately, my time standing in line has paid off with a little vintage Christmas. Here's some of the haul:

 

Classic winking Santa mugs that only got better because with them, I found five smaller versions ...

 

And speaking of Santas ... 

 

Giant Santa doll and little Santa doll (Mini-Me?) displayed before a poinsettia apron background.

And of course Santa needs his elves, right? From the same rummage sale, I found these extra large elves. When I paid for them, the lady at the cash box told me how she had displayed them every year on her stairs. I didn't have the heart to tell her that they're probably destined for Etsy. 

 

And, finally, a good start on this year's ornament collection.

 

A little bit of everything -- icicles, bells, metallic star bursts and bulbs.

 

An assortment of pink and

 

aqua!

But wait, it gets even better. How about pink and aqua and spunhead snowmen?

 

And, yes, I'm hoping that somewhere in my ornament stash that I have a cap for the aqua ornament. Why wouldn't I?

As for last week's giveaway -- the Ohio Art globe minus its stand -- the winner is Jenny G., who I don't believe has a blog.

And there is no giveaway for this week because it was too soggy for junking. Next week is the last week of 2011's Spring Cleanup so let's hope that the sun does truly come out tomorrow.

  

 

'Lil Bit of Christmas: Part I

 

I'm sure there was a day when this Christmas tree looked wonderful, when some 1950s housewife hung it on her front door and congratulated herself on craftiness. But given its sad shape, I think that was many years ago. Still, it charmed me in a strange way at a recent rummage sale, purely for its parts.

 

There was this strand of vintage glass beads, and you know how I can't walk away from a strand of vintage glass beads.

 

And these old package tie-ons that remind me of tiny starbursts.

In the end, I managed to pluck these treasures from that homely little tree. Not too bad for something that at first glance seemed destined for the garbage can.

Week 5: Friday Night Junk

 

I guess I can stop hitting the panic button because it looks like my junkin' gene is still intact. This is what I found in week five of Spring Cleanup. I decided to junk early on Friday night, and I was rewarded. (Yes, I know, it is a sad commentary on my life that this is what is fun on a Friday night.)

 

I was excited to find two pairs of old ice skates because lately, I'm obsessed with old skates, thanks to Heidi. I'm trying to figure out how make my own vintage blue ice skates, and if I do, I tell you how I did it.

 
 
There were also these kitschy Christmas wreaths, which are a wonder in plastic but might have been stored a little too close to the mothballs in someone's attic. I'll see if a good soaking can take care of that.

 

My favorite find was this little shelf, which oozes cottage charm, Or at least it will when I paint it some charming cottage color.

 

And finally, this week's giveaway item: an Ohio Art Co. metal globe. Full disclosure here: It's a globe without a base that definitely shows its age, which I'm guessing is circa 1960 or so.

 

But, hey, you're a creative bunk of bloggers, aren't you? I'm sure that someone out there can make a slightly dented metal globe without a base look like something that you might see in Country Living. If you want to give it a shot, leave me a comment before midnight Friday. 

P.S. The winner of the manger and the children's books is Betty of DayDreamingWorld.

Week 4: Divine Intervention

There wasn't much that was special about week four of Spring Cleanup. Either I'm losing my touch, or my timing is off, or there's a lot more trash than treasure this year. And, it's still raining a lot, which certainly doesn't help either.

Still in Week 4, the rains stopped just long enough for this find. I also think that I might have heard a heavenly choir of angels singing.

 

And, later, this. (Full disclosure on this item: There is some mustiness to these books but nothing that a little kitty litter won't cure.)

  

So that's what I have for this week's giveaway, thanks to a little divine inspiration.

 

If you want to win the manger and the vintage children's books, leave a comment before midnight Friday.