vintage metal suitcases & my butterfly cabinet

I'm continuing to downsize my vintage suitcases (see post HERE) and today I have a vintage metal suitcase to show you.  I don't have a 'before' pic but it was previously painted royal blue.  I DO however have a picture of the interior before I took a paint brush to it.  Someone had creatively glued fabric over the original papered interior which is unfortunate...

It was my first attempt at painting fabric (I used chalk paint) but I wasn't risking very much!  It looks great now that it's white inside and out, and I love the dents which reflect a lifetime of use and abuse - so much character.  I have a hard time letting go of metal suitcases.  They're more difficult to find and there's just something about them that makes them extra appealing.  If you're interested in purchasing it visit my For Sale page HERE for measurements and pricing.

Here's a look at my two remaining metal goodies...a trunk and a suitcase in my dining room on top of my 'butterfly cabinet'...which I'm giving you a peak at...even though it's still not painted after 10 years! Hopefully sooner rather than later you'll see this beast in one of my 'the cobbler's children...' entries (see HERE for my first post and HERE for my second)...

The unpainted butterfly cabinet.  Consider this a 'before' shot!...

There's a ladder to the left which our little orange kitty cat Yasha uses to get on top of the trunk and suitcase...one of her favorite napping spots (yes, I put it there specifically for her, I'm not gonna lie!)...

Here's Yasha when there was a different set of suitcases (ick!) on the cabinet...

My driftwood log is on the right.  To give you an idea of scale...it comes up to my nose.  I'm only 5'1" but still, it's pretty big!  An ex of mine lugged this thing from the beach for me at my request.  Ah, the things people do for love ;)...

That's it for today.  Have a great one!

xo Tanya

shelves and hooks

Here are some fun shelves and hooks that I've owned for quite some time and recently decided to paint up and let go of.  If you're interested in purchasing any of these goodies visit my For Sale page HERE for measurements and pricing.  *Carved shelf and accordion hooks have sold*

This first one I've had forever.  It was a favorite of mine for a long time and hung in more than one of my apartments over the years.  It was originally stained a dark ebony but I feel like it's true calling was white... (sold)

This little pegged shelf would be adorable hanging in a little girl's room.  Can't you just see a white christening dress hanging from it on a pretty little hanger?  Or a cute little pair of jeans hanging from a belt loop?

Here's another little guy...

I love these vintage accordion hooks.  I have one in my bathroom that I use for hanging my necklaces.  I like how the pegs on this one are nice and chunky...(sold)

My necklaces:

 

These hooks are attached to an old board with lots of character.  This was our coat rack for the first few years that we lived in this house (where we have no entry closet).  It got ousted when we bought a beautiful old wardrobe to hang our coats in.  I haven't been able to find a new home for the hooks so I painted it and am letting it go...

Here's our current wardrobe which I love!  Note our small entry hall sans closet - hence all of the baskets (btw my plan is to paint the moldings and door white at some point).  There's also a big basket on the floor to the left of the wardrobe, a crate full of my shoes under the bench, and Matt's shoes lined up by the far side of the bench and in a basket under the wardrobe!  Oh yes - and runners in the tote under the stool!  I just realized that the ceramic urn in the corner is empty...haha not for long!

We've had to get creative with storage that's for sure.  It's all worth it though for the charm and character that comes with an oldie ;)

xo Tanya

folding side table

Today I have a nifty little vintage side table to show you.  It folds up to tuck neatly away when not in use.  It use to be a really ugly rusty brown colour on the base and a muddy brown on the top.  I sadly don't have a before picture so you'll have to take my word for it, it was u-gly!  I painted it in creamy 'Old White' Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and sealed it with clear wax.

*SOLD*

xo Tanya

fun finds!

Matt and I went on a little excursion to the States yesterday.  We hit our usual spots:  parcel pick-up, Trader Joe's, Value Village (I go to V.V. while Matt goes to Trader Joe's - perfect!) and to the fabulous Grandiflora where I buy my Annie Sloan Chalk Paint...and sometimes a few other goodies (furniture knobs for one).  It's such a tempting shop - they have fantastic stuff...both new and vintage, home and garden.  I highly recommend you stop in if you're ever in the Lynden, Washington area!

Matt usually digs most of my purchases (after all, he hand picks things for me at garage sales, V.V. etc...!).  However, the milk glass collecting he has grown a bit tired of.  Not because he doesn't appreciate the look of it (I think?), but as many of you out there are sure to 'get' first hand, it is an addiction!  A very pretty drug.  A cheap drug.  A very useful drug (for food, for candles etc - we will be using almost all of my collection for both at our wedding...so there!  haha). 

Because Matt doesn't share my excitement at finding these beautiful milky white goodies, I wanted to start sharing my 'fun finds' with you!  Milk glass...etc!  Here are yesterday's goodies - all from V.V.: 

Super excited about this milk glass urn...it's quite large: 

Milk glass beer steins!  Man is beer gonna taste good in these bad boys (Matt has already advised me he won't be using them!):

One day I'll take pics of the buffet in our kitchen...it is full of these guys which hold all of our dry goods:

A little wrinkly but adorable and even has pockets in the sides (pockets are a fav of mine on dresses):

  

So, the journey was a success!  And no big bucks spent (haha except at Trader Joe's!...gotta stock up!).  Although, for only the 2nd time out of many, many trips, Matt and I were asked at the border to go in and pay tax and duties :(  There's no personal exemption for trips under 24 hours but usually the border guards are very forgiving and allow a certain amount of goods and bevies in tax-free.  Ah well, ya can't win 'em all!  ;)

xo Tanya

how many vintage suitcases are reasonable for a girl to own?

Fewer than I have that's for sure!  Ahem...13 trunks and suitcases to be exact...time to sell off some of these goodies?  I think so!  For sale:  1 trunk and 4 suitcases (a girl's gotta start off slowly right?...they're just so darn great for storage which our 1908 house is desperately lacking).  The trunk and 3 suitcase set were due for a face lift so I recently painted them with Pure White Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and sealed them with clear wax.  The set of 3 even has the keys!  Visit my For Sale page HERE for pricing if you're interested in purchasing them.  *3 suitcase set and trunk have SOLD...blue suitcase still available*  Here they are (before pics at the bottom):

 

 

Trunk before:

3 suitcase set before:

xo Tanya