Playing with vintage paper. Collage and Card making at Found!
We're looking forward to another evening of vintage paper play, with local artist Laurie Longo on Thursday, Oct. 13th from 6:30-8:30 at FOUND.. For this event, Laurie will bring her voluminous stash of vintage papers...
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There are some fresh vintage china pieces at FOUND this week. This sweet child's tea set features a different playful illustration on each piece. There are also a half dozen Austrian fish plates with transfer designs....What we have at the shop changes all the time, so if you see something in these photos that you're interested in, stop by soon or call for details.
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It's hard to imagine on this snowy February day, but Spring flowers will soon be blooming. It's a good time to gather some vases so you'll be ready when the daffodils wake up.This month, you'll find dozens of vintage milk glass bud vases (and lovely bouquets of fabric tulips)...
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Over 60 vintage European grain sacks and 6 large rolls of linen arrived last week. Our biggest collection of textiles ever. Perfect for making pillows, covering chairs...read more.
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The new FOUND shop is beginning to take shape. We're excited about the vintage finds that will go into our space. Things are pretty much a jumble right now, with paint cans and ladders and piles of boxes. We've covered the windows so that our mess is not visible, but here's a little peek. Read more...
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When I picked my latest batches of bottles and jars at the antique show, weddings were on my mind. Old jars and vintage bottles can be casually elegant when decorating for events at party barns or outdoor venues. Canning jars are sweet as vases, but the jars with metal bail handles are also great to hang from branches, trellis' or trees with a tiny votive candle nestled inside each one. For safety, you might use the small battery candles or even tiny rice lights which have the effect of fireflies twinkling in the jars. The more the better for a summertime celebration!
Antique "cures" bottles look lovely with a simple, single stem in each bottle. Try tying them together with a wrapping of twine or ribbon in groups of three bottles of varying heights for a unique table decoration.
Jars can be filled with many things, including wishes. Here's a link to our artist friend Lynn Whipple's video on painting messages on bottles. She makes everything easy and FuN!
We also have old milk bottles by the dozens right now. Almost a hundred vintage canning jars. Large brown bottles. And tiny little watch part vials. If you like old bottles and jars, this July is a good time to visit FOUND!
Web friend Bonus: Stop by FOUND and let us know you read this post and what you think about Lynn's video, and we'll give you a FREE milk bottle like those pictured above or a clear bailed pint canning jar - while supplies last.
Here's one final picture. Don't you just love the way blue and aqua bottles and canning jars look with light shining through them?
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When you mix old and new and handmade the way we do at FOUND, figuring out how to fit it all into the shop and not have it look like a big messy mess is tricky. Especially during the holidays! Right now the big messy mess is where I live. My home has become preparation central this week as the final push to clean and price the fun vintage finds that will be incorporated into our holiday displays goes into high gear.
Seasonal merchandise from our vendors and artists starting arriving a couple months ago. We have that stowed away boxes at my house and in my son's basement. Now it's time to get the vintage things ready. Decided to give you a sneak peak with photos.
Above is what's on my kitchen table today. And below is my dining room table. I generally try to keep both kitchen and dining room tables for their intended purpose. But not this week...
The breakfast bar is filled with vintage silver. It'll be great with the antique mercury glass I found. And the wonderful new platinum trees and ornaments in natural colors. And of course, all the wonderful candles and holiday decor that we will put out.
Even the ledge by my stairway is filled with Christmas to come, like these 2 unused rolls of cotton batting "snow".
Most of the action has been taking place in my garage. It's filled with display pieces that I picked up at an antique shows over the last couple months. Things have been pretty crazy as I scurry to get everything cleaned and priced to incorporate into displays. Earlier this week, I spent half a day Briwaxing seven vintage sleds, a green stool, 2 1930's tricycle, a tripod, 2 old crates and a surveyors tripod.
Today, the weather was wonderful, so I pulled the truck up in the drive, loaded a junky old porch swing on the tailgate and worked some magic on that peeling paint and crumbling wood.
This swing will be hanging high in the store, filled with packages and other goodies by this time next week. Lots of elbow grease, brushes, rags and heavy duty gloves are my helpers.
I still need to clean out a cubby desktop cabinet, use the chalkboard paint on some shelves, clean and do something about Santa's workbench (which has been in the back of my van for over a week). But that's on tomorrow's list.
Remember, we'll be closed Monday and Tuesday (November 4, 5). Can't wait to show you how these vintage pieces accentuate all the other wonderful things in our holiday collection this year!
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I found over a hundred pairs of vintage sleepeye sets of doll eyeballs at the Alameda Antiques Market when I was in San Francisco in August. The counterweight mechanism and piece that would attach into the nose makes it so they stand upright. Reminds me of something out of A Bugs Life or Toy Story. Fun to have on a shelf or play with.
At the Allegan, Michigan antique show, I found a huge lot of drawer pulls. Only have about 8 left, but they would be wonderful on kitchen cabinets.
Like old photographs? I added lots of new snapshots to the fifty cent box this week. And we have hundreds of loose cabinet cards and this wonderful old album filled with antique photographs. I also bought a collection of over 250 postcards, mostly addressed to young Nellie Jones. Some of my favorite Halloween postcards sold already, but the rests are all at FOUND now.
Remember - if it's old - it's on sale this month at FOUND!
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Here's a uique photo frame for the cottage - handcrafted from vintage water skis The bindings are left on the back side to hold the frame upright. How awesome is that for that photos at the lake?
If you're more into sailing than water skiing, then we have a couple vintage books with yachting instructions!
This toy lithographed tin blue & white tea set is in rough condition, but we still love it.
I first saw these special little notebooks at Detroit Mercantile in the Eastern Market area. Now we have them at FOUND, too (thanks, Robert, for sharing your source). Perfect for laying out your big ideas - and to note all the little steps to fulfill those schemes and dreams.
Speaking of Detroit, Urban Ashes has a new "Detroit DeNailed" line of frames in which they collaborate with a non-profit group that deconstructs homes that were slated for demolition. On Friday, June 21st at 6:30, come to Kerrytown to hear Paul M. Hickman tell the Urban Ashes story, including how Detroit DeNailed evolved. The talk will be part of the first Art Showcase Art Walk Ann Arbor event.
If you have a dog, you might get a chuckle out of this magnet:
Here's a little vintage dog that you never need to let in and out.
Lots more to show you, but need to go.... more later!
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Below are some things we have in the shop this week that may give you a bit of inspiration.
A vintage salmon pink trowel! This is the first one I've found. Have some other nice sturdy green ones. These old trowels don't bend when you dig into a bit of clay soil like a lot of the new ones. And we have a few vintage McCoy pots. I'll be out searching for more vintage pots and garden tools this weekend.
Also took in a bunch of old fashioned bushel baskets this week - an inexpensive big planting container - just line it with garden cloth before adding dirt. And how about using a mop pail to plant a big geranium?
Antique tool boxes are the right size to plop a couple of big pots of flowers in - or to use as a coffee table on the porch! Bert's tool box is painted orange inside and has the original liner tray.
FOUND has some plant holders made with rulers. These are manufactured, but we also have yardsticks for those who prefer DIY!
Enjoy these beautiful Spring days!
p.s. the Ann Arbor Farmers Market had a wonderful selection of annuals and perennials yesterday. check them out on Saturday or Wednesday...
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