Vintage Books

I've always had a soft spot for old books. The older the better. I started collecting vintage and antique books back in highschool and I'm still collecting today. Now I collect them for myself, to sell in my ETSY shop and the old ones that are in really bad shape, I turn into paper flowers. Here are a few I found the other day.

 

I like them, but they don't hold anything special for me. So I'll give them a new home where they'll be loved. I also found these:

I love that they all have an outdoorsy theme, which fits my husband and I...I LOVE LOVE LOVE the color combination! I had intended on listing these in my shop, but I've fallen in love with them and am having a hard time letting them go. The books are big (over 10 inches tall) and thick and bright and beautiful...in great shape...Don't you just love my little  ceramic bird next to the Songbirds in Your Garden ?? Here are some more pics, in case you didn't get enough.

For now, I think I'll just let them sit on my shelf and hope that I get time to read them. OK, here are a few of my favorites from my real collection.

From left to right the copyright dates are: 1899, 1940, 1927 I believe the Ernest Hemingway is a first edition second printing...but I'm not an expert so, I'm not sure.

Copyright dates from left to right: Spelling book 1857, History book 1878, Dictionary of facts 1919

Don't you just love the picture on the front of the spelling book? To give you an idea of how old the history book is...the last picture is a list  of all the states added after the original 13...38 total! How cool is that?

Another little piece of history I have is a 1913 Small Arms Firing Manual. It's full of notes and underlines and what I love most of all is the signature in the front. What beautiful handwriting. To me it represents a time when people took their time and pride in everything  they did right down to their handwriting.

I bought this one the other day. It's in descent shape, but what I bought it for was it's pages. For only being 69 years old, the pages have a beautiful rich patina. The pages are also nice and thick and textured. I just had to have it for paper flowers.

Ok, I've saved the best for last! This one my wonderful Sister bought me a few years ago. It has a special place in my studio and in my heart.

It's a 1943 7th and 8th grade Home Ec book.

AND..it shows me how to use my new-to-me sewing machine I bought a few months ago! Here are a few more pics from the book.

I hope I have enjoyed my little treasures...who knows maybe, the next time you're at a used book store, you'll venture over to the old book section and take a look.

xo
Krista

When Your Looking for Buttons, Think Out of The Box

Every once in a great while you find a deal that puts a permanent smile on your face all day long...You may be the only one who understands the joy it brings...but it's a great deal all the same.

I found 2 the other day. A pink embroidered linen table cloth for $0.50 and 8 teal buttons for $1.50

The lady at the counter said..."what a pretty sweater!" and I said..."actually, I'm just getting it for the buttons. I plan on cutting them off." You should have seen the look on her face!

8 - 1 inch buttons for $1.50..what a steal!!

But seriously, have you seen the price of buttons lately? If you're looking to stock up on buttons, check out your local thrift store. Preferably when their clothing is on sale.

The tablecloth will be used for our tea parties. 

xo
Krista

Antique 1907 Singer Sewing Machine

This is what I got (myself) for an early Birthday present.

My girlfriend and I were out thrifting and stopped at a little roadside fleamarket. That's where I found her. She not perfect and she's been used A LOT. I've always dreamed of having an antique sewing machine. Although the one in my dreams was shinny and new and in perfect condition. I brought her home and gently cleaned her up...she's missing her front drawer and needs a new belt. Other than that, she's in working order....

... Her name is Shirley, after the woman who taught me to sew... she's worn because someone loved her...and now, I love her.

xo

Krista

Reversible Table Runner Tutorial

I wanted to make a table runner for the buffet I had in my living room. I had some home decor weight fabric that would go perfectly, but I only had a piece that was about 42 - 43" wide. My buffet is 52" long. I really wanted the runner to go the whole length of my buffet but, the fabric is about $35/yard so, I figured I'd try to make it work.

Tools:

Fabric A

Fabric B

Fabric C

Stick Pins

Rotory Cutter (optional)

Scissors

Sewing Machine

Matching Thread

Needle

Binding Clips (optional)

Thimble

Cut Fabric A and B to desired width and length PLUS 3/8" seam allowance.

Cut Fabric C in 3" strips. The number of strips will depend on the size of your table runner. To figure the required length you calculate  2xwidth +2xLength + 10 inches.

Sew your 3" strips together with a 3/8" seam allowance. Press seam open.

Press strip in half, lengthwise.

Press one side in 1/4" as shown in picture above.

Pin fabric A and B wrong sides together.

Place the unfolded edge of your 3" strip along the edge of your runner, being very careful to align all three layers together.

Leave 3 to 4" at the beginning as show in picture above.

Sew together using a 3/8" seam allowance.

Stop 3/8" from the corner and back stitch

Flip your strip up at a 45 degree.

Fold your strip back down folding it at the upper edge of your corner as shown in the pictures above.

Continue around the rest of the runner.

Stop 6 to 8" from where you started.

Fold raw edges in so they line up as shown in pictures above.

Cut excess fabric off your strip.

Press folds.

Pin together making sure to line up the pressed folds.

Sew along fold.

Press seam open.

Finish sewing strip to runner.

Fold strip (binding) over to the under side of runner. 

Press in place (except for the corners) and secure with binding clips or stick pins.

Don't worry that the corners aren't perfect. We'll press them again later. 

Hand stitch binding in place with matching thread using a ladder stitch.

Be sure to catch ONLY the under side of the fabric with your needle. 

It should not go all the way through the other side.

Be careful to place stitches so as not to let thread show on the outside.

Continue hand stitching binding all the way around.

When you reach the corners, sew binding all the way to the edge, fold fabric to make corner and continue along the next edge.

This may take some time and patience to get it just right. 

When you are finished, press the entire table runner.

I LOVE the fabric and the way it looks with the black buffet. It ended up being too small for what I had in mind. I think I knew this all along, but I had to give it a shot. 

It's now available in my ETSY shop. The reverse side and binding fabric are linen and the french script is a heavy weight decor blended fabric. I've listed it for cost. I'll be making a new runner...after the holidays.

xo

Krista

My Thrift Store Lamp

I went thrifting yesterday. It's been a while and sad to say I was disappointed. I didn't find anything that swept me off my feet, but I did find a few treasures.

First was this shelf. My girls have a billion handmade blankets that I just can't part with, but I don't have a good place to store them so that they're out of the way, but within reach. Their room is the FROG. So, they also have two ugly attic storage access doors in their room. Eventually we're putting up bead board and my wonderful husband is going to make pretty little doors. In the meantime, I need a solution. I've been thinking of hanging the blankets there and this shelf is the perfect solution. All I need is some dowel rods a little bit of white paint and we're done!

$3.99

The second item I found yesterday was this old lamp. I'm not sure how old it is. It looks like it once used to be an oil lamp and was converted into an electric lamp...not sure. Maybe it was just made to look like an oil lamp. The shade is Milk Glass (which I love). I don't think the wood in the middle is original. I still like it a lot. It reminds me of my grandmother. Although her glass lamps were much nicer, it's the same style she had. It will go perfect in my master bedroom....once I have THAT project finished....eventually. Here's her before pics:

I would have bought her just for that turn key!

$8.49

And here she is all cleaned up and in her place. Like I said, I'm not in love with the wood, but at least she matches the gun rack my husband insisted on hanging in our bedroom...right?

Maybe I can wrap some satin ribbon around her and hide that wood!

I think she'll look even better once I paint my wall gray. Let me know what you think!

xo
Krista


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