Guess How Much?

I almost died when I saw this at the salvage yard yesterday!

It was sold, but what truly amazed me was how much it sold for.
 

 
$6000!

I guess you don't need to have a gorgeous shop to get these kinds of prices anymore.

Spring Fever

I've been playing around on my mantle again...

It seems whenever I find some new goodies they find their way onto my mantle.

 

An old Chinese basket,

  

and a covey of pheasants.

 

The porcelain seashell basket is now on its way to Lake Huron where the new owner is anxiously awaiting its arrival.

 

I find the more I practice "mantlescaping" the more confident I become.

 

I used to avoid mantles and bookshelves like the plague but with a plethora of inspiration to be found on blogs and sites like Pinterest  accessorizing is now an activity I relish!

 

I just bought some flowering branches today at Trader Joe's to add to one of the ginger jars.

It is a luxury to have such a deep mantle to work with!

These recent finds did not make it to the mantle however and are displayed on my kitchen counter where my hubby keeps asking me what they are doing there.

 

Please tell me I'm not the only one who brings home random bottles.

 

They charm me to no end...

 

He does approve of the set of vintage green dinner plates I found for $1 apiece though!

 

 So tell me, what's on your mantle at the moment?

 

Make-Dos

I was thrilled to find my first piece of "make-do" porcelain the other day!  I was even more fortunate to find this amazing blog, Past Imperfect, The Art of Inventive Repair, by Andrew Baseman, who is one of the premier collector's of this art form.

"Make-do's" are antiques with inventive repairs.

 

They are unique examples of necessity and thrift made during a time before Krazy Glue was invented.

Unlike today where we discard anything chipped or cracked, broken household items were repaired at home or taken to a metalsmith to be brought back to life, often with whimsical results.

Once regarded merely as damaged goods by antiques dealers and collectors alike, antiques with inventive repairs are justly receiving the respect they deserve!"

The term "make-do" is associated with items featuring, most commonly, folksy or crude home made repairs.

A dictionary definition of "make-do" states:

"something that serves as a substitute, especially of an inferior or expedient nature: We had to get along with make-dos during the war."

The origin is from 1890-95.

 I find it beyond charming,

and couldn't wait to find the perfect spot to display it!

My mom rolled her eyes at me when I proudly showed off my new find, thinking I was crazy.

 

My hubby loved it though and thought it looked Frankensteinian.

 

 He also loved that the repairs resembled a Peace Sign.

 I think it might just be the start of a new obsession!

 

 Have you ever run across a "make-do?"

 

 *Text and history here 
and here

Weekends & Estate Sales