Where Toy Train Parts & Sewing Books Combine

For any of you that follow my Instagram, this may look sorta familiar to you, I found another one. 

Last Saturday, while rummaging through the dollar box, I found this model train transformer. Simple black & cream with a neat art deco font.

It weighs a ton & has sharp edges that easily tear through bags to smash unsuspecting toes. The two of us did that dance four times before I learned my lesson.

After the final pain rage subsided, I thought "Why in the world...?!" 

Then the vintage sewing books started to act drunk & all fall down. 

Problem solved! 

***

I was pretty terrified to "upcycle" but it turned out well...how about you? 

Have you had good luck with repurposing?

Wordless Wednesday...Freckles in a Raincoat

Thrifted Thursday ...

Today may be Halloween for some of you, but for these two Acorns that live on Elms, this Thrifted Thursday means the 8th anniversary of "us"! 

There was a bonfire, spiked apple cider, and good friends to tell (not so) spooky stories. It was the perfect Halloween.

Now, those 8 years have gone by in a strange way that seems to have both taken forever & flown by...

For this Thrifted Thursday I thought I'd show you my favorite piece of jewelry; a cameo that my sweet guy surprised me with.

At the time we found it, we were broke, like spaghetti every meal broke, & Even though it broke my heart to walk by, I couldn't justify the $40.

...but guess who could? 

How are you spending this Halloween? 

What are you dressed as?

Wordless Wednesday... Boo!

Thrifted Thursday. The Pair of Purple Rugs

I started working at the Antique store when I was 15. Being a teenager I didn't care a bit about the old dusty things I was selling...

but cared a whole lot about my boss' sons

So I treated it as a job & measured a good weekend by smiles & flirts instead of old things with stories to tell. Needless to say, I didn't buy much

These two purple area rugs were something I couldn't pass up though.

These sisters, seem to have nothing in common but their colors.

(and here is where my adult historian storytelling heart is mad at my teenage self) There was a third full sized rug, that combined the two of these different themes, that I passed on. 

At antique stores, flea markets & yard sales I always keep an eye out, but I've yet to find it. I can only imagine where that gem ended up

Dreamy window. Curlicues. Window box full of colorful blooms. 

Vases filled with colorful blooms. A chandelier. Magic flower filled smoke billows.

The cats (at home) were hellbent on shredding these two, so instead of letting them sit in the closet for another 3 years, why not make my work cubicle (...ahem mansion) a bit less work-y!

And now! 

Puppy in a cubicle...tail wagging

Which one do you like better Victorian Scenes or Arabian Dreams?

Cleopatra Bones is having trouble deciding

Wordless Wednesday...The Perfect Crunch

This morning, as I walked to the mailbox to drop in some packages, I came to the end of the sidewalk and stopped for the leaves. Which is an unremarkable thing really, they're dead leaves. But I had this urge to pick up a handful, crush them into confetti & run under them as they fell.  

It was awesome! It smelled like someone took a zester to autumn and it felt like being six. 

And that impulsive moment I'd forgotten what every little girl with long hair knows...

leaves are a bitch to comb out.

Move In Ready

Hello there, Dolls! I hope your weekend was great & that transitioning into Monday wasn't nearly as "Ugh" as it was for me! Although, last week at work we got a delivery of cubicles so I get to move into mine today. 

Normally, people don't get too jazzed about moving from a desk by a window with a glorious view of trees & a river...buuut these cubicles are nearly mansion sized & I'm increasing my storage by about 3 times.

Little victories in the workplace. 

Anyways, weekends are for hunting, here's a little snippet

Some treasures from the weekend. Autumn floral scene brooch. Hunter green gloves. Leaf shaped seed pearl brooch. Rin Tin Tin German Shepherd game.

& a Mary Houghton's religious birthday book from Christmas 1880.