Quirky Confident Poodles

While doing some thrifting in Denver I happened across these guys:

I was laughing so much they had to come home with me! The boy poodle is my favorite with his confident hello and pink fur.

At first I thought they were homemade but upon further inspection we discovered what I can only assume is the remains of a May's Department store tag on the back.

So now I really want to go back in time and see how these were displayed at the fancy department store and I'm also curious about the buyer. Husband: "So honey, what did you find at May's today?" Wife: "Oh, I found these hilarious poodles AND they were on clearance!" Well, that is what MY conversation would have sounded like.
I am now inspired to do some kitschy felt art. I just need the time, oh, and real windows in my room too would help inspire me!

Misspent Toilet Money

If you can consider spending a considerable amount of time digging in the back of closets a vacation then I have returned from vacation!
We did get to do some sight seeing stuff though it was cold and rainy/snowy most of the time.

I did go to Denver with a goal in mind to scrounge the salvage stores to find an antique toilet. I did get to one next to an antique shop which had no toilets older than 1985. My next mistake was to go into the antique shop as I "accidentally" spent the money I had set aside for said antique toilet. 

Oops! But it's cat approved! 

I took a fancy to these chairs a few years ago. Everyone knows I am no stranger to antique stores, thrift stores, garage sales etc. around here and I have been looking for one of these chairs for probably 2+ years. I have never even seen an overpriced knock-off. Did any of these ever get to Nebraska?? 

The day before we had gone into a retro furniture store and they had a Plycraft one for $325 with dirty, ugly 90's, tweedy pink and white upholstery and another knock-off done in new black upholstery with no price tag. So this day I was excited to see this one still with its original upholstery at a price I could consider without being afraid to actually use the chair. It is, of course, a knock-off. I am not sure who made it as there is only a small corner of the label intact. I am sure I will never see a real Eames one, much less at a price I want to spend so this one makes me happy. I know it's currently the trendy thing to own but I like it and it is comfortable.

As for the record stand. I can't take my grandparent's awesome pink bathroom with my grandpa's custom cabinets but I did manage to get a piece from his TV salvage era. This was their console television which could be conveniently hidden behind the roller doors. The television went out so he tossed out the TV (or used the parts), built some drawers, an insert and it became their record and photo album cabinet. I haven't decided if it will house my records or it might get a shelf insert and become our entertainment cabinet. The hot pink is staying either way!

What is a Dolly Gram??

I wasn't expecting to find any new "treasures" this weekend as my mom and I were planning on attending a doll auction where, apart from maybe a troll or 2, the items don't really fit my taste. They did have a box with a few trolls but I had all of them and they went for over $60 soo that is a little out of my allotted troll doll budget. But wait, what on earth are these guys!?

 They are marked Dolly-Gram by Western Union on their rear ends.

I will have to guess they are from the mid-late 1960's and were a gimmick by Western Union to try and regain some interest into the dying art of a Telegram. 

The one on the left is a paper mache bank.

Obviously these guys caught my eye and they were tossed into a box with several other boxes near the end of the auction so I was crossing my fingers all day no one else was itching to buy them. 

Surprise? No other interest whatsoever in them so they came home with me!!

We also managed to squeeze in a fun estate sale which had a basement packed FULL of various holiday decorations. It was mostly cutesy stuff from the past 10 years but I managed to find some festive Halloween and Christmas things. I also found this neat World's Fair book from 1893 for $2 and a 1933 World's Fair plate for $1.

Super cute mini Tupperware which came with the auction lot

Darn it Cara! Is that another piece of Pyrex!? Yes, but it was only .50 and look how lovely it looks on my orange counter! 

I thought it was $1 but it turns out everything was 1/2 price the second day of the sale. The metal stand is too big but I think it will fit my snowflake casserole. 

And I couldn't go the weekend without adding to my troll family. This guy, er, gal is ceramic with very poorly painted eyes for some nice character?

"New" Porch Door

On to the previous week's project.This was the front screen door which was the first thing to greet a visitor or what people could see when they walked or drove past. It opens into the screened in porch where the real front door is but as you can see from the photos it is crooked, dented and shiny aluminum.This is from inside the porch. I swear I had outdoor views but I don't know where they went and I'm too lazy to take another one right now.

 

 

 This is my "new" $30 door from the salvage store.  

I am looking forward to not having snow blow through the bottom, being able to lock it, not having the bottom panel snapping back and forth in the wind and the list could go on but I'll stop now. 

The door basically was the correct size. A little short, as seen by the new boards on the top and it was about 1/4" too wide so a little shaving was necessary.