Valentine's Day Mini Displays

Hi Everybody, Hanna here.  First can I just say what a proud Aunt I am after reading miss Maddie's first blog!  It's so fun to include her in our hobby and hopefully she doesn't grow out of it.  I wanted to share with all of you how I incorporated all my goodies from the Valentine's day swap into my first 2 Valentine's displays I've ever had.  I don't have a lot of space so I had to be creative.  This resulted in one display on my dining room table and the other on top of our entertainment center.  I also couldn't put parts of my display accessible to Marley my kitty because she loves chewing on plastic and I was convinced she would eat my Valentine's day box if she could get to it.  I apologize ahead of the time for the photos, lighting is terrible at my house by the time I'm home for work.

 Here is a view of one of the full displays.

 I tried to incorporate Pyrex where ever I could.  I also thrifted this red American Tourister suitcase the other day and wanted to include it.  Any good techniques on cleaning the outside of these suitcases?  This one is still pretty dirty after a lot of scrubbing on my behalf.

 I stuck vintage Valentine's any place I could and used some other random glassware.

My favorite valentine is the one in the little cup that says, "Hi Teacher." I'm so lucky Sandy sent me all these goodies!

Here is my other jumbled madness of a display on my dining room table.  Once again, squeezing in any Valentines that will fit and Pyrex of course.  Anything pink or red I pulled from my collections.  It is a little chaotic, but totally my style.  It's nice to have some festive things around the house and every time I look at them I just smile.

You know what day it is, so I'm headed over to Rednesday!  

And I always love to party over at Thriftasaurus!

Have a great week!

Hanna

I'm A Lucky Girl!

Hi Blog Friends!  It's me, Maddie!
 
Erica at Golden Egg Vintage recently hosted a Valentines Day Candy Box Swap and I was lucky enough to be chosen as her partner!  Unfortunately, after we made the boxes, I got sick.  One day when I was feeling really horrible, my mom walked into the bedroom and brightened my day!  She came in holding a big box with my name on it.  It was a package from Erica!  My mom also got her box the same day from her swap partner, Deb.  To add suspense, I made her open her box first.  After she was done, I grabbed my box and ripped it open!
 
Not only was the candy box that Erica made for me inside the box, there was also a little white box with a note on it.  The note said "here are some things to help you start off your Easter collection.  You can share them with your aunt and your mom if you want."
 
Inside were these...
 

 
Three spun head rabbits!  No way was I gonna share these!!
 
Erica hadn't been feeling well lately either so she sent me the amazing box that she blogged about a few weeks ago.
 

 

 

 

 
I hadn't seen her blog post, so the box was still a surprise for me.
 
Do you want to see what was inside?
 

 
When I took the lid off, I was very surprised because she had sent me so many things (which she didn't have to do!)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Can you believe that she fit so much stuff into one box?
 
I've already used the stickers in a craft project! 
 
Then last week I got ANOTHER box from Erica in the mail.  But you will have to wait until next time to see all of it!
 
Love,

Maddie

**Note from Erica the Mom:  Maddie really did write this post.  The only help she got from me was the picture taking and blog formatting.  I am raising a pretty good little blogger, don't you think?
 

The Back Up Files & A Puppy Update

So I know that I promised that my next post would showcase the amazing box that Erica made for Maddie for the Golden Egg Vintage Candy Box Swap.  But evidently Erica isn't done yet and asked that I wait to post about it until Maddie gets her second box!  Two boxes?  I told you Maddie was lucky!

I haven't found anything exciting out thrifting lately so I am going to resort to some of my back up files to share with you finds that you haven't seen yet. I know you won't mind:-)

 
I collect these Cat Studio state glasses.  A few year ago, Brian bought me one from a local boutique for Arizona.  Since then I have thrifted Oregon and Alaska.  Then a few weeks ago, I found Washington & Florida.  Someday these will be considered collectible like the vintage souvenir glasses that I covet now.  They retail for $12.00 apiece so to find them at Goodwill for a dollar or less is always super exciting.

Over the Summer, I found a set of little appetizer forks at a garage sale.  My blog buddy Jill from A Little Bit of Everything found the matching spoon set and was sweet enough to send them to me (along with the cutest Pyrex Space Saver note card).

And being the sweetheart that she is, Jill also included a vintage Golden Book and bear embroidered hankie for Miss Maddie. 

I found the syrup dispenser, sugar shaker, and Lustro Ware napkin holder at a recent garage sale.  The Lustro Ware was only 50 cents and we all know how expensive it can be!

I also picked up the sugar, creamer and shaker set from the same sale.  It's not marked but I think it is also Lustro Ware.

 

At one of the last sales of the Summer, I got this amazing vintage Mixablend mixer with the Pyrex pitcher.  As you can see, it still has the original sticker.  The lady I bought it from was so worried that I was actually going to use it.  She thought it might blow up and start a fire!  So Brian replaced the cord for me.  I haven't used it but it does work perfectly if I ever need to.

So Sarah over at The Adventures of Sarah Lee basically threatened me with bodily harm (just kidding!) if I didn't share new photos of baby Bullet.  I try to get a new picture of him every few days which can be difficult because he just won't hold still!  He recently learned to jump on the couch and go up an down the stairs.  He freaks me out because when he comes down the stairs, he sprints. 
He is also obsessed with his tail.  He barks at it and chases it constantly. I think he is convinced that it is not supposed to be attached to him.

Sometimes I can get him to calm down if I let him lay up on my bed.

Can you believe those ears?

And those giant feet? 

This is my other German Shepherd, 2 year old Brewski.  Ah man I hope Bullet isn't this big!  Brewski got to go with Alex in his truck the other day for a ride.  It was the first time he hasn't thrown up in the car.  Maybe he has outgrown it. 

I'm heading over to my usual link parties: Sir Thrift-A-Lot, It's A Very Cherry World, & A Living Space.

See you all there!

Erica

Valentine's Swap Spoils a Thrifter Sister

Hello Everyone!

Hanna here.  I've been squirming since Saturday to share my Valentine's Day Swap gift from Sandy over at 521 Lake Street.  I will admit I was really nervous for this swap, being my first.  I still feel like I didn't do enough for my partner and was intimidated by all the craftiness but I still had a blast.  I'm pretty sure Sandy still doesn't realize how spoiled I felt when I opened my package.  The attention to detail, all the crafty goodness, I am still grinning ear to ear.  Here is the beautiful box she created and all the goodies she put inside.

This was everything inside the box.  The details were just too sweet.  Everything was so thoughtfully packaged.

 Here is my beautiful candy box.

 A peek inside.  You have no idea how exciting this was to open.

Some of the goodies inside the box.  Vintage buttons, a hanky, trim and string, paper straws, a jar of pink beads, cupcake toppers, the list goes on and on.

Cocoa and chocolates.  There was also a mini box of chocolates but the husband got to it when I wasn't looking.

 Doilies, vintage stickers, a note book.

The cutest clothespin holding a sweet Valentine.  What a cute idea.

 I'm pretty sure I've never received something as adorably packaged as this.  It is actually a gift bag, love it!

Now do you believe me?  So, so spoiled!  Sandy, you have started my vintage Valentine's day collection, I'm so lucky.  I will share with you guys soon how I incorporated some of my gifts to create two Valentine's day displays in my house.  So what have I learned?  I love swaps and need to work on being as crafty as my Blog world friends.  Sandy is so talented and I'm one spoiled Thrifter Sister.

Until Next Time,
Sister Hanna

Thrifter Sisters First Swap!

Happy Sunday, Everyone!

 

Recently, Hanna, Maddie & I participated in our very first swap.  We joined Erica and lots of our other blog friends for The Golden Egg Vintage Annual Candy Box Swap.  I will admit, Sister and I were a little nervous about making these boxes.  What if they didn't turn out how we hoped and our swap partners didn't like them?  The fearless Miss Maddie wasn't worried at all, though!  She had enough confidence for all of us.

 

Well needless to say, all three of our boxes turned out amazing if I do say so myself.  I will admit that I had a hard time letting go of the one that I made for Deb from Garage Sale Gal!  I loved it that much but it couldn't have gone to a nicer person.  Plus, now that I know that I can make them, I can always put one together for myself.

 

We only got a couple of photos from our crafting day last weekend.  Maddie was hard at work while Sister and I were enjoying our Mimosa's.

 

Lucky Maddie got Erica from Golden Egg Vintage as her swap partner.  She was super excited!

 

 

 

  Here is Hanna helping Maddie hot glue some vintage buttons onto her box. 

 

 

She focused really hard on making sure that everything was placed just right.

 

 

She knew exactly what she wanted to do and didn't want our help at all!  I will let Erica show you all the finished product.  I am pretty proud of my girl!

 

As I told you all before, my partner was Deb from Garage Sale Gal.  She created to sweetest box for me with amazing vintage touches.

 

 

 

 

 

My favorite part are the little lovebirds.  They are so sweet!

 

And of course it was chock full of little treats

 

 

Lots of crafting goodies

 

 

A little card and my first hankie!

 

 

More cute cards

 

 

Yummy treats!  I am definitely making the Mocha today.  It's really cold outside and it will be the perfect pick me up.

 

 

Deb also sent me this cute ornament, some recipe cards, and a pink glittery E for Erica. Pink glitter? The perfect combo!

 

Next time Miss Maddie and I will show you all of the goodies and the amazing box that Erica sent her.

 

Until then,

 

Erica