I had such a great weekend. A dear friend was in town visiting, and we spent Saturday doing something we used to do together when she lived in Nashville: went yard saling! It’s been a long time since I’ve spent a dedicated morning trolling for sales – I usually just hit a random estate sale if I am driving through a neighborhood on the way to a decorating job. I had to take a quick photo of this gorgeous interior door we saw at one of the estate sales we attended.
I am always more interested in accessories with a history than I am with new items from a chain store. These are the treasures I found on our hunt:
My Haul
I have collected vintage children’s books for many years. I was excited to find a few vintage mysteries for my daughters, as well as this blast-from-the-past, “White Gloves and Party Manners.” As a child, I remember my older sister taking a manners class at a local Castner-Knott store. This was the book that went with the class, and I remembering pouring over this circa-1965 tome about proper table settings and lovely manners for proper young ladies. The young lady that owned this particular copy must have had perfect manners, because it is in perfect condition!
Vintage Children’s Books – $1 each
Yard sales and estate sales are great places to find seasonal decorations. I was excited to find these Williams-Sonoma Easter cookie cutters. Bunnies, butterflies, chicks, and butterflies – so cute! I also found this vintage hatching chick candle.
Cookie Cutters – All for $2, Vintage Candle – $1
I’m a sucker for anything with an enchanted vibe, so I snatched up these hand-painted fairies at a church rummage sale.
Vintage Fairies – 50 cents for the pair!
This woodcutter’s cottage is just the right kind of enchanted to fit into my Christmas decor:
Vintage Woodcutter’s Cottage – $1
This set of reproduction Parisian postcards were a real find! I love using postcards as interesting elements in my decor – I tuck them in mirrors and under glass-topped tables.
Parisian Postcards – set of 18 for $2
I collect vintage jewelry, especially brooches and pins. This little silver butterfly was too pretty to pass up.
Butterfly Brooch – $1
This vintage faux bois metal box appealed to me both decoratively and functionally. I love the avocado color, the retro office vibe, and the fact that I can use it to stash paint color swatches! And I also grabbed up this little wooden ruler.
Vintage Metal File Box – $3, Wood Ruler – 50 cents
I’ve never seen these kind of candles – they drip different colors when burned. They have never been used and look to be from about 30 years ago. I love the graphics on the box!
Vintage Candles – 50 cents
I grabbed this cute bed tray as soon as I saw it! It was only $6. It’s got huge potential – what color should I paint it????
Yard Sale Booty
My friend found some fun treasures, as well. We finished off the day with a group of mutual friends and good Mexican food.
Day Spent with a Dear Friend: Priceless
my mom sent both my girls to that “Manners” class at Castners. I guess she thought I could not teach them the “proper” manners…ha
i’m sure that wasn’t the case, dianne! i think it was the thing to do back in the day 🙂
Looks like you scored some great finds! Thanks for sharing. 🙂 I made it to the used bookstore this weekend, but haven’t hit up the estate sales since the move. Glad I can live vicariously through your treasure hunting!
Love, love, LOVE! So much fun… my favorites are the vintage post cards and the little table. I see turquoise on that table, but that’s without context. Can’t wait to see what you decide 🙂
funny you should mention turquoise, sheila – that was the FIRST color to pop into my mind. i’ll have to think on that one a bit . . .
The candles are from the 70s when they were put in empty basket-half-wrapped (obviously the exact correct term for these bottles) *Italian* wine bottles, placed on red checked tablecloths.
My paternal grandmother had boxes of those candles, I remember a chianti bottle on her back porch in Sarasota that had lots of those great colorful drips all down the sides! This had to have been in the mid to late 70s.
What a perfectly timed post. I went yard saling this Saturday too! My haul included a mirror, cake stand, some minor kitchen things, a fleur de lis to paint and hang, a vintage record for framing, and few other things! I had a pretty good day. The post cards you picked up look awesome!
P.S. I recently found your blog and adore it.
How fun! I keep saying I am going to spend a Saturday morning doing this . . . but then I never do! And I love that door. WOW!
Warmly, Michelle
We had a fun weekend too. We hit the thrift stores and found wonderful things to use in my daughter’s new house. Two bookcases, two dressers, a darling retro kitchen table and chairs so she can eat on her screened porch, lots of vases, a little bit of artwork. It was so much fun and now we are learning to sand and paint furniture!!!
good for you, martha! so wonderful seeing you again last week – you look even better than you did 10 years ago!
I love yard sales! So much fun although I have not done in awhile. I would have bought the Nancy Drew for memory time. I read each one cover to cover. Loved them. I think a light turquoise would be beautiful. Sorry- I would have not bought the fairies! haha Creepy!!
I love thrifty treasures! Books are so fun! Oh, and, I think the tray would be great yellow with a yellow chevron pattern on top. 😉
Love the tray and the books! I have a little cottage like that — it’s a music box from Germany, and plays Edelweiss when you open the top. Love it! Is yours a music box as well?
No, MarySue, mine isn’t a music box – but I love it.