Treasure Hunting Report: My Recent Vintage Scores

It feels like I haven't done a Treasure Hunting Report in ages!

My treasure hunting really slowed down this year because I've been increasingly picky about what I buy - plus the deals have been few and far between - so I haven't shared treasure hunting reports like I used to in years prior.  But as I was cleaning over the weekend, I realized that I have scored a few gems so I wanted to share.  (I can't be the only person who lovingly admires my treasures while I dust...?) 

Here are the vintage finds that made the cut and found their way into the lakehouse recently.

First up: I enjoyed a major win at the Salvation Army auction - which is something I rarely muster up the motivation to do, because you need to sit through the ENTIRE thing to pay and it can take hours and hours.  This time the bidding went crazy high (I'm talking $500+) on some items, so it was an intensely entertaining evening, plus my Mom came with me which makes everything way more fun!  We could not believe the bizarre things that elicited a bidding war. 

Anyway, you're probably thinking, "get to the goods - what did you BUY?" 

Okay - but first I need to share a back story, so you realize why I was so excited about this particular auction and why I was willing to let my butt go numb on a grubby chair for hours on a beautiful summer evening.  Ten years ago I found an ice cube shaped Iittala crystal votive candle holder at a yard sale for a buck.  Hubby and I had just moved 1500km and were living in a strange city so we loved to yard sale with friends on the weekend to explore.  Plus we were all broke and looking for deals!  I've treasured this little candle holder ever since because it always reminds me of our life in Kingston.  I'd always wished I had a pair, but I could never find one online because I had no idea what it was called or when it was produced.  I even asked around at the local Finnish boutiques, to no avail.  So imagine my surprise when I spot one in the Sally Anne auction case, in a lot with other Iittala.  After a decade of searching! 

The lot was a real hodgepodge: the ice cube votive holder I wanted (which is simply referred to as the Ice Cube and was produced in the 1980s), three Ultima Thule shot glasses, a pair of two ring Festivo candle holders, another Ultima Thule candle holder and an Ultima Thule plate - which was, sadly, chipped.  I ended up winning the bid for only $41 CAD - the Festivo candle holders alone are worth $60-100!  Plus my Mom had an uneven set of Ultima Thule shot glasses so I happily gave her the trio (although I wish they'd been a more practical size, like the Highball Glass or the Old Fashioned glass).  But I suspect this is the universe telling me I need to go to my Mom's place more often and drink liquor.

;) 

I planned to sell the Ultima Thule candle holder but it's so pretty that I might just keep it.

Iittala is my weakness.  All told, that's a lot of $$$ worth of Finnish crystal - but I would have paid that just for the pair to my mystery cube.  I'm so happy!

Plus my Festivo collection grew that tiny bit more... I often get asked where to buy those gleaming crystal candle holders but most of my collection was gifted to me and the rest I have bought through the classifieds or thrifted.  You can find them on Etsy, Chairish - this is a GREAT deal on a massive 6-ring pair that would make a gorgeous statement - or eBay.  Local Finnish boutiques sell them but I think Bed Bath & Beyond does too.

I just love adding to this collection, it's just a thrill when I can scoop up another one (or two).  Is it greedy to hope that one day I can find a pair for my Iittala bird?  He gets lonely, I'm sure... I'm obsessed with this dusty blue one but this dreamy white one is a favorite too.  They're SO expensive though, I can't even imagine what a Sally Anne auction on one of those would be like.  Madness, pure madness.

Anyway, that's my most recent score.  But there have been a few other lucky breaks.

Way back on my birthday in June, my Mom and I went for a little day trip to celebrate because I feel like my birthday is as much a special day for her as it is for me.  So we went to Grand Marais, a little Minnesotan town nearby, for lunch and some shopping and we hit up my favorite antique shops, thrifts, and flea markets.  At the flea market, I scored another Krenit bowl (here's the same one - I think - on Etsy) for a cool $7.  A bit more than the $2 I paid for my bigger one, but still a ridiculously good price.  It's funny because I had JUST said to Hubby, maybe two days earlier, that I wished I had a pair because sometimes we have so much fruit the one bowl isn't enough.  Plus I think by now you've realized I like pairs of things... 

It's in nice condition with some light scuffs that pop up way more on camera, but no chips or staining - plus it still has a "Made in Denmark" label!  I'm so happy with this birthday score.  If you're pining for one, this Etsy listing seems like a sweet deal, although if you happen to have $500 lying around this turquoise one needs a home, lol.  The new ones are a bit spendy too, but I have loved my Krenit bowl for years and years so even if I had splurged, the cost per use would be so low.  For a similar look, this Project 62 enamel tray is a steal at $10! 

I love that I have two now and the different in shape/height is perfect.  Plus I can always use this one for salad (its intended purpose I believe - I just need the matching salad tongs).  I really enjoy the special memory attached to it as well.  My Mom and I had such a lovely, peaceful day together so I am really glad to having this little memento.

That same day, I also picked up a pair of petite Cathrineholm bowls which I had planned to sell but just keep hanging on to!  I hadn't ever seen a design (in person) that wasn't the classic lotus pattern.  They're too cute and their blue/white and black/white combo is begging for some kind of Halloween treat, no?

Wandering around an antique mall in town one day, I found a mug that looked awfully familiar.  Hubby's Aunt and Uncle are both talented potters (you might remember these beautiful mugs his Aunt mailed us, on which will forever remain my happiest mail day).

For awhile his Uncle made these East Coast island mugs.  We had one already so imagine my surprise to see his very distinctive mug at an antique shop 2000+ km away from where he made and sold them!  Seriously, what ARE the odds that it ended up here, for me to find?  Of course I bought it!  I can't link to them because I'm fairly certain there are none in production anymore but here's a handmade turquoise pottery mug I love on Etsy, in case you're now needing a blue mug after seeing my pair (the struggle is real, I totally understand). 

These scores stretched out over four months so it's really not a lot, but I'm so happy with these finds because they're each special in their own way.  And looking back, I feel kinda lucky! 

Have you found any sweet treasures?  I'd love to know!  Or tag me on Instagram so I can come snoop - I just really enjoy seeing the neat things people find.     

Wintry Tablescape + DIY Dyed Doily

Although I love my framed Hungarian embroidery, I can't say I'm a huge doily fan.  I never thought they'd pique my interest until one day my Mom mused, "I wonder how easily we could dye doilies..."  Excuse me, did someone say teal?  I'd never thought about dyeing doilies!!  Lucky for me, my Mummu had a stash of about 100 - every size and shade you could imagine - so I tried a little doily dyeing experiment.

I earmarked five doilies for dyeing and dyed them along with some napkins in my washing machine.  It was so easy!



Supplies:

• White or cream doilies (thrift stores, yard sales, etsy, Amazon)
• Rit Dye (Teal)
• 1 cup of table salt
• Washing machine
• Bleach (for cleaning the machine)  

Choosing Doilies to Dye in the Machine:

If you're machine dyeing, as opposed to hand dyeing, there's a risk that the doilies could become a bit stretched or mangled in the machine.  My machine is fairly gentle, but I've used washers that really whip the clothes around - even on a gentle cycle.  Choose doilies with a more dense, less frilly pattern, because they will hold up to washing better.  If you have a sentimental doily, use a hand dyeing method, just in case.  Cotton will take the dye better than synthetic doilies.

How to Machine Wash Doilies:
  
Set the machine to a small load and fill with hot water.  Add the cup of salt and dissolve.  While the machine is filling, soak the doilies in hot water and set aside.  When the washing machine is full, add 1 bottle of Rit Dye, close the lid, and let it agitate for a minute.  Then toss in the wet doilies, making sure they aren't folded or bunched - I also added some napkins.  In total, the weight of my fabric was a pound, so a half bottle of dye would be sufficient, but for bright/dark colours, doubling the dye is recommended.

I let the machine agitate for seven minutes, then removed a doily, rinsed it with cold water until the water ran clear, and then hung it up to dry.  I re-set the machine and again, after seven minutes, removed another doily and repeated the rinsing process.  I wanted subtle colour differences, but you could leave them all in there for the duration of the dye bath.  I kept re-setting the machine so the dye bath was always agitating and in total, it took about  30-45 minutes.  I then let the machine finish the cycle and hung up the doilies and napkins to dry.  Then I ran an empty load through the machine with bleach to clean it out.

After dyeing, the doilies felt a bitter stiffer but I was surprised how well they held up in the machine!  Either the agitation or the very hot water caused some to pucker ever so slightly, but that was easily remedied by misting the doilies with water and then steaming them flat with my iron.  No dye was released during this process and by coaxing them back into shape, they once again returned to their normal, flat selves - and they softened too.  Here's a look at the same doily pictured on the left, above, once it was ironed:

I layered the teal doilies on my teak dining table, along with a collection of white ones - I chose patterns that reminded me of snowflakes.  If you're really committed to a doily runner, you could easily stitch them together, or sew them on to a contrasting table cloth.  I just laid them down on top of each other - so simple!

I added some vintage plates, my matching napkins, a part of my Iittala Festivo candle holder collection, Iittala Kastehelmi mulled wine cups, my glittering Christmas balls, and - to warm up this wintry palette - my vintage bronze flatware.  Now I'm totally smitten with doilies and want to try dyeing a batch a brighter aqua or maybe mint or coral...

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Shop Talk: What's New

Speaking of our ambitious shop goals, I'm pleased to report that we've had the shop stocked non-stop (say that ten times fast), since re-opening last September!  I joked on Monday about what a feat that is.  When we first opened, about three years ago, we got into this terrible habit of running it for a few months, making a few sales, then shutting down for a year or more, then re-opening and running it for a few months, then shuttering it again.  We've been closed more than we've been open!  It wasn't lack of interest - when we closed corresponded with time I spent in Budapest for my PhD research, first a month long language course, then a four month research stint.  Then Hubs and I moved across the province, so the shop was put on the back burner again.  It's made it decidedly less fun because getting started is usually the hardest part of any task, so this system was really terrible.  But we've now been open steadily eight months or so.  Yay!  I know we should be embarrassed by celebrating this incredibly small feat, but for us - me especially - it feels like a really big deal.

In addition to our shop sales, we've held a few successful Instagram sales, sold some larger vintage items locally, and we took part in a great flea market recently - which was surprisingly lucrative.  We're actually thinking of doing more vintage shows/flea markets, and the pop-up shop I've casually mentioned is looking even better now (we have the perfect venue, but it means performing a Herculean task in 36 hours).  We've even decided to dabble with eBay!  Have any of you listed items on eBay?  It took forever - simply because everything was new to me -  but we put up our first listing the other day.

I have no idea how to eBay, but I'm determined to keep trying.  It's just easier using Etsy, because it's so familiar.  I listed a bunch of new items, actually, and wanted to share my currents favorites...

This gorgeous bowl is West German pottery.   It caught our eyes because it boasts a gleaming green glaze coupled with a brown, faux bois exterior.  Both my Mom and I wanted to keep it, and we might still, but neither of us has the room (if we're being honest).

I had barely reached for these quirky solid wood egg cups when Hubby said, "No."  Wet blanket.  I think they are adorable and they will brighten someone's brunch.  I'm spreading joy, here.

You know me, brass isn't my thing, but that doesn't stop me from loving it in other people's homes!  This brass wall pocket, made in Italy, is a sturdy little guy, ready to hold a small cactus or air plant.  I'm probably going to bite it on the shipping because he's a beast. 

Similarly, "Western," is not how one would describe my style, but when I'm picking for the shop I try to narrow in on things that are unusual, beautiful, or on trend.  Certainly leather is having a moment.  Even if it wasn't, these Western glasses are awesome.

They need to be paired with these bakelite steak knives.  Or this whole bakelite cutlery set.  I have had a number of International folks want to buy them, but I am avoiding shipping to Europe for the time being.  Last time around I spent weeks chasing down a parcel to Italy, although other International shipments went smoothly - now I am a bit nervous.  But I guess this bakelite set speaks to Europeans...

Much more my speed, this Rosenthal vase (designed by Bjørn Wiinblad) has been super difficult to part with, but since moving to a smaller home I've already had to make some tough choices and sell some of my own vintage collection, so I can't really be adding anything new.  Seems counter-productive.  Can't say I'll be bummed if this doesn't sell, though.  This polka dot coffee pot is from Germany, too.  So is this Bareuther Waldsassen vase, which is really striking - like it was sliced from a glacier.  Those Germans have style!

Speaking of vases from my own collection for sale, this teal glass vase was originally for the shop but I scooped it, petted it for a bit, and have decided to set it free.  Hope it finds a loving home, because it's such a substantial piece.  I'm feeling good about it, because my aqua cased glass vase already sold, and so did these aqua shot glasses and these ones. 

Oh, and this teal one is for sale too.  It's identical to a swatch of paint in Bert's painting - but I have one the same size in a more blue teal and, frankly, I'm not much of a gardener so there's no way I'll ever produce multiple vases worth of blooms.

We're in agreement that the "atomic flower" on this Federal Glass luncheon set is a pot leaf, right?

But this is just a puppy.  Well, he's not just a puppy, he's a puppy with a polka dot shoe.  I bought him last summer but I stashed him with the Etsy stuff and only recently listed him.

I WANT these glasses, but I cannot commit to two new colours in the kitchen.  Orange was a big enough step for me.  Baby steps.

Quatrefoil is a fun word.  I've been enjoying typing it again and again.  But the longer I look at it, the more incorrectly it seems spelled.  This pottery piece was made in California - it just feels sunny, doesn't it?

I have reluctantly listed some Iittala - you know my passion for it!  I am still waiting for the right buyer for the whole Kastehelmi set, but I also found a matching ashtray, small plate, and I listed the solid glass polar bear.  I know, he is adorable.  

How could I not buy this milk glass silhouette vase?  It's got everything.  Speaking of milk glass, I love that this Federal Glass set is a full set of six! 

In the wake of my rock casualties, you can understand why I kind of want to keep this hunk of gorgeousness.  But my desk is so littered with junk, you'd never see it, anyway.  Seriously, within reach I've got a pirate pencil sharpener, a camera battery charger, a mason jar, holiday cards (holiday cards) I haven't put away, a book on hat making, a garbage bag tag for the dump, a huge pile or receipts and bills, and a swipe card from when I worked at the University of Ottawa.  Was I supposed to return that?  More importantly, where the heck did it come from?

I have an eerily similar round box on my nightstand, filled with dog treats for Szuka.  Mine is Hungarian Kalocsa, but I think the familiar shape and ethnic handpainted floral design of this sweet box lured me in.  Plus the lacquer is so shiny.

It's been awhile since I shared my shop favorites (February? Where does the time go??), so thanks for indulging me - there are 110 items for sale right now, so it was tough to choose.  Although it's so much more work than I ever imagined, I really enjoy our Etsy shop.  Connecting with people who finally found what they were looking for is the most fun part, and I especially love getting feedback from people who have bought items as gifts.  I've got some fun stories, for sure. 

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