Teeny, Tiny Secondhand Treasures: Keys and Keyholes

It's no secret that I have an affinity for skeleton keys, and  have accumulated a small collection of them over the years. So when I saw that one of the many junkers at the Columbus Flea Market had a few keys, keyholes, and locks in their heaps of rusted tools and trinkets, I snatched them up. I admittedly paid a little more than what I usually would---but immediately fell in in love with the rust and patina, and forked over the cash without hesitation. 

And due to a funny little exchange at work the other day, I may come to inherit a few more keys for my beloved collection. I was chatting with a delightful older woman the other day---a woman with Revlon red cat eye frames and an arm-full of jangling costume jewelry. Her bright colors and sassy demeanor reminded me of a younger Iris Apfel. So when she inquired about the tattoo on my wrist/forearm, I was obliged to tell her all about it. 

This was the first skeleton key I purchased secondhand and I loved it so, that I brought to the tattoo parlor and asked for the closest rendering the artist could give me. The result was breathtaking. I would like to get a matching keyhole for the other wrist, eventually. 

My sassy septuagenarian  customer then turned to her daughter who was shopping with her and asked that she reminds her to bring her old keys next time she comes in. She would like to give them to me. How sweet is that? Before she left she said that she always wanted to get a tattoo. I told her she should go get one. This brief exchange was the highlight of my day/week/month. I didn't even catch her name. 

I find it funny that I'm frequently complimented for being "a nice young lady." And I'm saddened to think that being nice really may be an attribute in a cruel world. That a please and thank you, or a simple greeting and a smile, when genuine, is really noticeable and maybe even appreciated for something special. But I think the key is this...you just never know what hidden grief a stranger carries with them. Maybe a simple exchange of pleasantries is all they really needed, and maybe you just made their day a little brighter. 

And THAT is a real treasure. 

Teeny, Tiny Secondhand Treasures: Our $5 Christmas Tree

Small in stature, but quite festive!

I'm not going to lie. This year, I've found it really difficult to get into the Christmas spirit. I'm not being a Scrooge, or at least I'm not trying to be one. You can just chalk it up to poor timing I guess. As the the temperatures in the Philadelphia area are fluctuating between 40-70 degree temperatures, my body is responding in a chaotic fashion. I'm just beginning to feel better following a nasty bout of Bronchitis. But I'm still contending with the muscle spasms and nerve pain from the Fibromyalgia, all the while averaging 3-4 hours of sleep a night. In short, my mind might want to fa-la-la-la-la right up to the 25th of December. But my body is saying bah humbug.

But I'm trying to keep spirits bright. All of the gifts have been purchased---and most of them have been wrapped. I even decided on getting a tree, despite the tight budget from lost time at work when I was sick. During one of my infamous Target trips---an ordeal which my boyfriend, James, can attest is an aimless cart filling of everything from jars of olives and cleaning products, to socks and craft supplies---I found just what I needed. A perfectly sized tree for two people, with no kids, and just a little money to spend. 

At first glance the tree was far too skinny, and rather limp looking. But that was until I realized the branches were bendable. Perfect! And just look at the rustic burlap-wrapped base. 

Who doesn't love garland?

Finding the perfect ornaments was crucial. I got lucky in finding a roll of slender gold colored garland at Five Below, which was the perfect size to wrap around our little Charlie Brown tree. 

And at first I tried using the smallest of the standard-sized ornaments that I could find. But it just wasn't right. So imagine my surprise and delight when I found an unopened box of vintage gift box ornaments at the thrift! Not only are they in perfect proportion to our tree, but the gold ribbon on the gift wrap matches the gold garland I already had. Score!

Vintage gift ornaments = adorable. 

Tree: $3, Target.

Garland: $1, Five Below

Vintage Gift Ornaments: $1, Goodwill 

So what if I spent more on the poinsettia for the kitchen wall cutout than the tree? I'm trying to be festive damn it!

I can't wait until Christmas Eve, when James and I will leave our gifts for each other under the tree. And by "under the tree," I mean we will literally stack the gifts on the dining room table and put the tree on top. Technically, that's under the tree, right?

Teeny Tiny Secondhand Treasures: A Pair of Toadstool Planters

Vintage ceramic toadstool planters. Thrifted for $1.50 each. 

It's here! It's finally here! It's time to welcome flea markets and carnivals, garage sales, lemonade stands and the sweet, sweet smell of freshly tended gardens. Happy Spring, everyone! 

To properly introduce the first full day of spring, I thought what better than a post about my latest pair of Teeny Tiny Secondhand Treasures. I found this set of vintage toadstool planters for $3.00 and I'm absolutely smitten with with them. 

The green hues and faded golden spots on the toadstool cap, the detailed beige toadstool stump. And of course, the sweetest little details of all...

Awwww. Little kids with flowers. 

Aren't these pudgy little kids just the cutest? I sure think so. Now I just need to stop in Home Depot for some clay pebbles to prevent my miniature plants from getting root rot. That's the only drawback of vintage planters: no drainage. But... hey! We're talking about a pair of toadstools with pudgy little kids under them. Adorable! 

I'm linking up with Sir Thrift-A-Lot. Go check it out! 

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Teeny Tiny Secondhand Treasures: Made in Occupied Japan

Greeting and salutations, vintage enthusiasts.  And welcome to my new series, Teeny Tiny Secondhand Treasures. In this new Let's Go Thrifting addition, I'd like to introduce all of you to my growing collection of smalls. In this debut entry, I'm featuring a teeny tiny rotary phone.  Isn't it charming?

It's also a part of the collectable market of Occupied Japan figurines. Manufactured and exported from Japan between 1945 and 1952, this cheaply but sweetly made figurine found its way to me by way of a high school flea market in Philadelphia. 

Made in Occupied Japan rotary phone figurine,  $1.00

Just look at the size comparison between this antique rotary phone figurine and my faux-vintage rotary reproduction. It's a Teeny Tiny Secondhand Treasure, indeed! 

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