Some Lamps And A New Market Season - And Clearing Out A Bit

Well you must think I’m a terrible blogger! It’s been months again. Now I’ve got some time left as my friend canceled our market plans for today. With two boys moving out she’s got other things on her mind. I wonder what her house is going to look like when they take out all the 'trash' she's collected for them over the years. I hope to clear out a bit more too. Sales are a bit slow as I've been lazy with listing, but I haul in selectively now and less than goes out. 

Here are some lamps I was happy to sell recently and earlier on:

A while ago I woke up to a message about this little lamp foot. Less than two hours later it was picked up. I like it when things go smoothly like that!

But it took almost a year, and not being very big I stored it on a shelf in my lounge where it really started to get in my way.

I had even more trouble getting rid of this retro ceiling lamp.

The oil lamp model is popular with vintage lovers, but I’m afraid the Seventies colours just didn’t appeal to anybody. Listed October 2015, sold June 2017… That was one big box out of my storage.

On the other hand this chandelier was out, early last year, within two months. To my surprise because it wasn’t in great condition. First, it was really left for trash, covered in dust and cobwebs with broken bulbs still in the sockets. I took it home because the model is sought after.

After cleaning it I found rusty bits, the yellowed plastic candles were crumbling at the edges and most of the gold plate shine was off the brass. Somehow it appealed to a young lady who paid a very decent price. Thank god, as the clumsy shape didn't fit anywhere and I had to keep it in my bedroom!

Talking markets again here are some items that didn’t go out on line over winter but sold in April at our first event this year:

A diet recipe book in Dutch translation.

Incomplete set of wooden bricks. Practically gave them away to a six-year old who paid from her pocket money for her three-year old brother.

One straw party hat in our flag's colours. Days before the national Holiday I thought it would be a good idea to bring them along.

A dull French Seventies salad bowl.

Plus all the things I never deemed worthy of photographing. 

So though it was sad we couldn't go today, I filled the one nearly empty market bag with random picks from shelves, cupboards, the yard and even my floor. Restored away I'm ready for the next market and the mess alreay out of sight. Then I had time to list a recent find, and to make an appointment for a sale at the door:

As I woke up to the message I could pull this large candle tray straight out of the market bag, then after my friend's call I made the appointment and it was gone before noon. Not a bad day after all!

Vintage In IKEA Out

I found this little table a week ago across the street. Almost left it due to lack of storage place but I went back for it.

I listed it then changed my mind about that too. Looking at this old IKEA rack or side table that I picked up at the exact same spot two years ago, I decided I wanted the newfound in its place. I'll do something about the bad paint job when Spring comes. 

I can’t really place it in time, but I remember seeing the style in country houses where I played as a kid. No before pictures available, but I guess you can imagine the improvement this is. I hope the IKEA will sell soon!

My Recycled Christmas Tree

If you buy a small fir tree in a pot,  you can easily keep it outdoors through the year and use it again the next and possibly even a third Christmas.  Especially if you plant it over in a larger pot with fresh compost. But due to the initial root damage - even if planted over in full ground - they eventually have a limited life.

This is my little tree - that I found after Christmas in 2013 - in 2014. Unfortunately at repotting the Man cut off the lower branches a bit too rigorously, which didn’t help to keep its shape. But still I had a real live tree for free.

It’s now still alive, but during summer it lost a lot of needles on the inside. Dunging helped growing new branches so it still looks ok from a distance, but I haven’t put it in yet. Will decide after writing this post.

It was perfect for photographing my crochet decorations though.

I hope to find a new little firm one this year, then I will plant the old one somewhere to give it as many more years as possible.

Merry Christmas all!

My Favourite Spot

Though I still don’t go out far to look for stuff since a couple of months I don’t fail to pass by whenever I can a special spot across from the end of my street. 

In the past it has produced my easy chair that I still love.

This is a very old photo and now there is a large plastic collection bin next to the tree which somehow invites people to dump bulk trash next to it any day of the week as the items will be kind of hidden between it and the underground kitchen waste bins.

More recently I spotted this bicycle rack that is now in my back yard serving its purpose. Very handy, especially since my bike does not have a kick stand.

But next to it I saw a strangely shaped wooden box. At closer look it turned out to be a primitive handmade shoe shiner’s bench. Most likely from North Africa, as the people often travel by road and boat to bring goods back and forth.

Lucky I was on foot and it was easy to carry the two things home at once.

I was pretty excited about the thing but it has failed to sell yet. I’m not surprised nobody is looking for a shoe shiner’s bench, but it would make a great decorative storage chest in a shabby chic interior. Therefore I listed it in such a category and also put that in the description hoping someone may just get the idea hitting on it by accident. Or does anyone have a better suggestion?

More success with this hand carved table top from about a month ago. Passing by with my bike loaded with groceries I managed to lay it flat on the back carrier and walked the last meters home. I had a buyer within a week and got a very nice amount for it.

Early 20th Century Enamel Kitchen Ware

Here’s another find from my neighbour. They are almost really antique, but at the time complete sets in different sizes were found in every kitchen and looking on the local on line market place I found lots of them and they don’t cost much. The only thing is most are dark green and my bright red is a bit harder to find. But I’m not ready to sell these yet at what the market wants to pay for it.

Same counts for my little pale green funnel, which I actually bought for 20 cents euro at a fund raiser flea market.  I saw one for five euros and thought I’m not letting mine go for that.

I’m happy to have the jars and funnel on top of my fridge where they bring a little colour in a dull white corner.

IKEA Mammut Kid's Furniture Plus Free Crochet Basket Pattern

Rectification of my last post:

As you can read in the comments of my last post I dated my little side table incorrectly. My reader’s information greatly helped my further research which learned me it belongs to the IKEA Mammut product line for children which was created in 1993 by Allan Östgaard and Morten Kjelstrup.

What puzzles me is that the IKEA website tells me the furniture is made of plastic to keep it light weight. Now my little table consists of a thick plate of MDF and hollow metal legs. It’s very heavy and does not make you think of a four year old at all. A teenager’s (Seventies) bed side table seemed more likely. Not defending my initial assumption though, I’m just trying to understand how I was mislead.

The question remains when the product material was changed and what value being the original version could add to my possession. I’d love to hear from you if you know.

Other than that it’s fun to find out the little plastic stool I use in my yard to do bike repairs on is a family member of my ‘night table’.

I read the Mammut line was inspired by cartoon drawings and the stool clearly expresses that. It reminds me of the drawing style of The Smurfs though that must not be necessarily the designers’ source.

Thinking about the Smurfs I remembered the felted basket I created years ago. I could see Smurfette carrying it. This would look great in a little girl's bedroom too!

For fun I add a basic description of the crochet pattern.

You need feltable yarn. When you want to felt crochet can be fairly loose. I used a 4.0 mm (US G) hook. When you don’t want to felt use a smaller hook than yarn would normally take so it becomes tight.

Bottom: flat round in sc, row 1: 6 st. row 2: double to 12. row 3 double to 24, then increase 6 each row. In total 11 rows.

Side: 9 rows of dc + 1 row sc.

Ruffled edge: 3 dc in each stitch.

Handle: cast on 6 dc in sc row just under the ruffle (inside). Make as long as you like and stitch to the other side.

Finish: Machine wash hot and tumble dry. Dry with cloth or rags inside to form shape. Sew edges of handle band together with a support inside. I used a twisted plastic covered copper cord. Flowers are pinned on. I still had them lying around. Flower patters can be found all over the web.

Seventies Stuff

Well, we have very bad weather alert so I’m staying inside. Looking through old photo’s that I hadn’t published yet I found this:

I picked it up because it’s in perfect condition and I liked the shape.  As you may know I like a touch of the Seventies here and there in my house, but that colour is somewhat overwhelming and doesn’t fit in my lounge. So it landed beside my bed as a night table.

Not sure if that’s what it was made for! With only one drawer it could be a wall telephone table too.

It was a bit in the way though, so I thought someone might just love it. It wouldn’t sell. After changing things around in my bedroom it’s back by my bed and now actually useful, but not catching the eye too much.

In the same file I found the old ceramic pot. I had it in my bathroom as a décor piece, but it was catching dirt too quickly. Didn’t do anything on line, even with the wineglasses offered for free. I took it to the pop-up indoor market project where on the very last day of the six month period it finally went.

I made more changes in my bathroom. Will write an update soon.

A Fruit Bowl Turned Onion Bowl And My Antique Kitchen Table

My creation ‘Fruit Bowl Elstar’ never sold on Etsy, even though it attracted thousands of visitors. Probably it was too expensive to ship overseas because of the weight. I used almost two complete trashed XL T-shirts to make it. But at the Dutch craft shows nobody even looked at it. As I feared the colours would only fade from bringing it outdoors over and over again I decided to keep it for myself and decorate my kitchen table with it.

Because I’m not a fruit eater it now stores onions. Even though the colours don’t match as well as with the apples I’m quite happy with the picture.

My table is another late night pick-up from in front of my own door. It must be very old, at least from before 1940. It’s funny that years ago I put out my dining room table, but I had to have this one. Being quite narrow it just fitted in my kitchen. It’s very practical to have the extra surface there. The stained and scratched top tells me a long story of families and children having sat at it. The wall and the cupboard on the left hide damage on those sides. Though I’m not really a fan of the curly style of the thick legs, that completely matches with my dresser and my coffee table and I think it’s growing on me!

My Antique Dresser And An Ugly Chest Of Drawers Makeover

Have a look at my first trash-to-treasure project ever! The stenciling is a bit simple and not perfect yet, but I’m quite happy about it.

This is what the chest looked like before. The Man dragged it home years ago, and as I can always use extra storage it served to stock my yarn for a long time. Then, replaced by something prettier I decided to get rid of the heavy clumsy thing. But waiting in vain for a buyer I almost re-trashed it.

Glad after all I didn’t. From where I usually sit in my room, my vintage dresser almost disappeared out of sight in its dark corner behind a new chair I picked up recently. As I took it home for the pretty glass door and the lovely woodwork I want to be able to see it! Solved that problem by raising it using the drawers as a support.

Maybe it’s a bit strange to pile up furniture that way but I’ve always done that. Now also the extension socket is off the floor which I find safer and I don’t have to duck down so deep to switch it off. And of course I have again more storage space.

The lamp, for once, was not a curb find. I picked it up at the giveaway shop.

Two Shop Window Doll’s Arms, A Terra Cotta Vase And A Miller’s Collectables Guide

Last year, for six months I had a spot at a pop-up indoor market place where I offered my handmades of course, but added curb found second hand and vintage to my table to help cover the costs. Especially in the beginning when we didn’t have a reputation yet that was necessary.

Looking for something to display my crochet cuffs on, Patrick, a fellow vendor gladly lent me his doll’s arms that I saw sticking out of an old bucket in his corner.

As he wanted to keep his bucket, my black oval terra cotta vase turned out to be a perfect replacement as a base.

One day I was happily surprised as I walked in and found the arty owner of the shop had picked up my display and placed it on a table in the middle of the entrance room. First thing the visitors set their eyes on!

When we all packed up in December Patrick was so kind to leave me his arms. I know he found them in the trash anyway, but as he then showed interest in my collectables guide of course that was my return present to him.

The vase never sold so now the display serves as a fun decoration in my home reminding me of all the sweet people I met at the project and the great time I had. Apart from that I use the arms every now and then as a photo prop for my Etsy shop.

My Hallway

My hallway is a pretty useless space as it measures only one by two meters. Too narrow to even hang up a coat rack as you would rub against the coats all the time while passing.

So it took ages before I did anything about it. This photo that I took when I wrote about my transportation helper is from 2007, two years after the renovation of my flat. 

Then finally in 2010 I found a brand new leftover piece of carpet to replace the old soiled one. So I started looking for paint and found I still had this yellow. I never used it because it’s too strong a colour for my lounge and kitchen, but now decided it was perfect to brighten up my dull entrance. And even though trashed years before and stored outside in my yard it was still in great condition.

Then recently, the just narrow enough chest of drawers, now storing my shoes, was waiting for me late at night at the dump across the street. And done! Only still a bit barren, but the room is too dark for plants and anything placed on top of the chest might be knocked off as well. Usually just piles of junk mail end up on top of it.

So now to finish up this post I thought let's see what we can do and dug up these old finds and voila. The old vase can break and the plastic flowers won’t  wither. Some day the chest may get a paint job to cover the white stains.