I will slap you

There was only one estate sale in the area last weekend, so I ran into local bloggers/dealers Dona & Connie while I was there. They packed Dona's truck to the brim. I walked away with just a few things, but then noticed that the house across the street was having a sale, too. While I was paying for my pile of stuff, the homeowner's son walked into the garage, looked at my pile and asked, "Is someone really buying this stuff? Why would someone buy this?".  In my mind, I told him that someone would buy it because his mother is a sucker and was selling it all for a pittance. And then I slapped him in the face (in my mind).

Here's a white matte pottery planter, five apple green shutters, a pink apron, set of six floral-painted tin coasters, and a daisy throw. Does anyone know if that type of flowery knitting or crocheting has a name?

I found these at a thrift store. The heavy mother/baby statue appears to be a garden ornament. It is made from cement (or plaster?), and then painted to look like wood.

I have a feeling that the lovely ladies at the thrift store thought this pitcher was a Made-in-China castoff from HomeGoods. God, I love when people are wrong.  I think this one's an oldie.

 

And for something vintage-inspired, but not quite vintage...here is the new lamp over our kitchen table: the Porter Pendant from Pottery Barn. It has an adjustable cord and weighted pulley that let you adjust the height.

And the part that I am most proud of? Chris and I actually installed it ourselves. My whole family just pooped their pants from the shock of it all. I don't do electricity...ever since I stood in my brother's bedroom with a flashlight while my dad asked me to "keep an eye on that broken outlet while I go to the basement and flip the breaker". He wanted to see what would happen. Well, I'll tell you what effing happened. The outlet exploded in my face and my brother's bed caught on fire. I took my fried bangs, hauled ass out of the room, and ended up in the fetal position next to the front door. Thankfully, I was just far enough away from the explosion that I wasn't burned.  And there wasn't too much damage to the house because my dad ran upstairs with a fire extinguisher. My dad, the accountant: not the handiest of men, but at least he was prepared.

Comments

[Andrea]

Ok, the reason you don't "do electricity" is like a 9 on my humor scale. My worst memory was just my kid brother stuffing a damp mitten into the empty socket while taking down the Christmas lights with our dad one year. He was on a metal ladder at the time. But nothing caught fire or exploded.

[Christine]

I love that Daisy throw. I was just going nuts over a afghan with roses on it in "Stranger than Fiction."

[erin]

as colleen's sister, I can assure that she is telling the truth about the fire... so scary... so funny... all rolled into one. Love the "in my mind" comment too!

[Wendy]

I dont know if there is a name for it or not, but I have one my grandmother made for me. I do remember some contraption that made those shapes, but I cant remember what it was called.

[tammyCA]

I remember an electrical hazard when my husband was trying to install a ceiling fan. He turned off the breakers got up on the ladder, fiddled with a srewdriver & suddenly I saw/heard fireworks as he yelped & jumped off the ladder. Turns out that the house was wired weird (and it was his parents house so they hadn't told him). Very scary.

[Mom]

Of course, you left out the biggest part of the story. The part where the mommy, driving down the street, spots 4 fire engines with their lights a-blazing, and a fireman climbing up a ladder to the second floor window with a hose in his hand. The part of the story where the mommy almost has a heart attack. The part of the story where the mommy spends the rest of the weekend cleaning stupid white foam out of every nook and cranny in her son's bedroom.
But, as you can tell, the MOMMY is over it now.

[Kate F.]

HA, I love your no-electricity story. And poor Mom! That's every person's nightmare, isn't it, driving up and seeing firemen at your house? (I have a feeling the incident wouldn't have happened if Mom had been home?)

How do you like the light from the pendant? I've been eying those for over the counter in our kitchen, but I wasn't sure if the exposed bulb would give just as bleak of light as the current....exposed bulbs in ceiling sockets. Does the shade help? Thank you!

[Sarah]

I get all holier than thou when people don't appreciate vintage items. It's usually people with various animal prints in their homes and fiber optic lights (and not kitschy cool old ones either). UGHHH (this is me rolling my eyes and slapping the guy in my mind right there with you).

Glad you didn't fry your bangs this time (if you have bangs, ha). xo

[Barbara]

I'd have slapped him, too (mentally). And I don't buy vintage lights since my own stop-drop-and-roll incident when I plugged in a set of old Christmas lights from an auction. But actually I was writing to say that those daisies were made on little plastic looms one at a time and then joined together. God knows I've probably got one somewhere.

[Jessica K.]

the "fried bangs" comment was friggin' hilarious!!

[Kathleen]

The daisies are made with a knitwit www.knitwit.com and are called 'pop a daisy' Iremember the ads on tv back in the early 80's maybe late 70's.

[Elspeth]

Those daisies aren't crocheted or knitted. The daisy looms aren't really either, even though you can make entire afghans with them. They are definitely an "As Seen on TV" product. My guess is--although I have never made them myself--is that this particular pattern took a while took make, because the two colors are distinct shapes within the flower.

[Diana]

I LOVE the lamp. I have seen them before and think they are so neat.

[Diane]

Oh man, I have one of those daisy afghans up in my attic somewhere. I began it, but of course never finished it. I think I will have to dig it out and see how much more work it needs. I remember I BEGGED my mom to get this for me, it was a kit that you ordered from Family Circle, and it had a little plastic flower "loom" that you made the daisies with, and then the hard part, was where the daisies had to all be sewn/crocheted together. By the time I had all the daisies finished, I had lost my interest in it - ha ha! But I would have said the sixties (maybe late sixties) for the year. Thanks for reminding me!

Diane from Michigan

[Cambria]

I just wanted you to know how much I love your blog. I really like anything vintage eventhough I am only 12. I have a jewelry business. I just started a site on ETSY and a blog about my work. I really enjoy checking out your blog. I'll be back for more inspiration. Cambria

[Lisa/The Apron Queen]

I've been lurking around your blog recently. I absolutely love all the vintage goodness here! So, I thought it was time to leave a comment, introduce myself & say Hello.

I also collect vintage items & I love sharing them with everyone! I have started hosting a weekly blog carnival called Vintage Thingies Thursdays. I think you'll really enjoy it. Come on over. I'll fix you a glass of iced tea & you can put your feet up!

Confessions of an Apron Queen: http://anapronaday.blogspot.com

[Lee W.]

ROFLMAO about the electric thing- you tell the FUNNIEST stories. Loved meeting you the other day, still hoarding my paper and cards!! Have a good weekend!

[Jeanette]

Love your light fixture, and all your other finds!

Have similar electricity stories, thank heavens we have never burned the house down LOL

[Joy]

Frig you make me laugh!

[Rosemary]

You are so entertaining!!
I always love reading about your antics.
Rosemary

[Paula]

Hi!
I'm from Portugal but i've lived in Miami for 2 years.
I loved to see all the antiques and garage sales!
We don´t have that here, in Portugal but we have lot's of stores that sell antiques and collectibles.
I loved all your findings, especially the lamp!

[Kari]

Great finds, as always. I am really loving that daisy throw, it's so pretty.

[robin~thrifty miss priss]

Hilarious! I actually DID LOL!

[colleen]

Hi Everyone! Thanks for the info on the daisy throw. It is good to know how it was made (not that I'll ever make one).

~~~To Kate F. ~~~
Yes, the exposed bulb in my new lamp is very bright. I love the look of the lamp so much, that I will suffer blindness in order to have style. I'm on the lookout for a bulb that is a little softer. If anyone knows of any less-harsh bulbs, please let me know!

[Amber]

Just happened upon your blog tonight. You are delightful!