Vintage Black Friday: From the Male Perspective

Vintage Black Friday ...

is here once again, and lest anyone think I am alone

in my vintage obsessions in this family,

 I will show you evidence

that it's a "couple's thing" going on around here.

We have two levels in our house. The main level is the Living Room, Dining Room, Kitchen, the Master Bedroom, my "studio", and an extra bedroom that we will not discuss at this time.(Let's just say it contains exercise equiment and an abnormal amount of dust) The lower level or "walkout basement", as we call it here in the Midwest, is for all of us people who live in "tornado alley". It is a place for "family areas", the bar, a "John Deere" room (drive your mower in, storage, and workshop). And we have a guest bedroom for our St. Louis crew, bath, and my husband's office. Yes, he has one too, top to bottom, vintage guy fun! 

My husband is a collector as well, he started selling on ebay about five years ago after my Dad and Brother had both passed away. Mom had a lot of books from my Brother's interest in the history of the Civil War. Springfield, is home to a lot of rich history, as the Battle of Wilson's Creek was fought just a few miles from town.

My husband, who had not previously been interested in historical items, began finding he enjoyed the hunt with me. This is a desk in our family room that has ended up as a catch all place for a "few" of his "collectibles". (sorry, I don't dust this stuff!)

Below is a case that holds my Father-in-Law's WWII medals and dog tags. My husband treasures this, and rightly so. His Dad was in the Air Force at 20, and was a POW in Yugoslavia and Germany.

I have a few vintage cameras in a bookcase in this area; also vintage Bible Expositories, clocks, photos and memorabilia from the family.

This is a photo of my husband's maternal grandfather,

who was born at the turn of the century.

This camera from the turn of the century is in really poor condition, but I love the thought of what it might have been used for...family photos, newspaper photos...what the lens must have captured.

And this is an "Enrollment Book" for an early Ford payment plan. Cars on credit, it was a new and novel idea. It is also a bank. Ironic in today's thinking.

My husband loves antique photo frames from the late 1800's; also engravings, cabinet cards, tin types, daguerreotypes, and historical photos. At one point I was on overload and started stashing them in various places throughout our basement's many cubbies, drawers and closets. Be careful what you open. This is another subject that I won't go into detail over. Let's just say he'll be a hundred before he figures out what to do with them all.

So now I have proof to show that I'm not alone.

I have a partner in crime.

Hope you enjoyed a peek at the masculine view.

More vintage goods are available for your perusal

over at Jill's Place, Gyspy Brocante.

Have a great weekend,
 and embrace your masculine side.

Debra

Vintage Black Friday, Indulge me... AND a Blogaversary!

Vintage Black Friday is here again hosted by Jill at Gypsy Brocante, and before fall slips away into a sea of Wonderful White Christmas, I thought I'd share a little impromptu vignette, that I pulled together on my coffee table in the sitting area of my lower level family area.

My favorite part of having booth space at a flea market is the ability to satisfy the urge to create vignettes. My house looks like a "store" at times, so I have to try to tone it down...hard, very hard! These are a few pictures of things I grabbed from around the house and "staged" here for some fun.

Here's a little black wagon with some fall produce, and a black gothic stand holding my big chippy chalk squirrel bank.

A great little vintage black floral tray holding nesting boxes, a black teapot "for one", and a fruit print that is usually in my kitchen.

Don't you just love the cut-outs

on this little gothic hexagonal stand?!!

Kind of has a Moroccan feel to it.

This is one of a set of very small "pocket books" that I found at a flea market this summer. It is collected poems of Edgar Allen Poe.

And an UPDATE: My inspiration, Theresa of Garden Antiques Vintage is having her 3 Year Blogaversary Party. Run on over and check out her great post. She's planning a great PAR-TAY and give-away to celebrate! Happy Anniversary "Sweet T"!!!

Now, I've got to get busy with some last minute
things since I have the kids coming from St. Louis and

 my husband's brother and his wife coming from Texas.

I'll see you in a few days.

Gots to love on my kids!!

 Hope you are having a "Wonder-Fall" time of the year.

 I know I am! I'm savoring every moment!

Debra

Vintage Black Friday

Vintage Black Friday is Here.

I feel like Boris Karloff when I say that.

Que the creepy organ music.

Don't you just adore this logo for Vintage Black Friday?

Now, don't go yet, but when you're finished here take a look at all the other gypsies over at Gypsy Brocante. Jill is hostessing such a fun party, and with Halloween coming, you can bet it will only get better and better!

image from country living magazine

Several years ago I found this piece; I'm not sure what to call it... a conservatory, mirrored, glass, lantern, sconce. (?) There were two of them, and I sold one. This one has set on my Entry dresser since. It houses whatever the seasonal soup de jour decor may be.

At the moment my favorite squirrel lives happily inside among some fall leaves, a gift from Alyson several years ago. He's a paper mache box.

This 1940's child's rocker was purchased from a neighbor's yard sale. I paid "retail" for it. She had never had a garage sale before. Her husband had just passed away, and she was moving back to Chicago to be with her family. So I just paid the price. I know it was worth it, but, well, we've all been there. You just buy it and don't say a word...just something I needed to do.

It's an original Nichols and Stone Company "Windsor Chair". The company was started in 1857 and they were the original manufacturers of Windsor chairs here in the U.S. It has it's original black stenciled finish.

I have two black benches. This one is in my hallway that goes into the kitchen. It's hard to get a good shot of it because of the stair railing.

I fell in love with the black Country French fruit motif of the material. My husband has complained about it being there because it is in the traffic lane, but sometimes you just have to put up with inconvenience for the sake of decor. Right?

A long time ago a friend had a collection of black tole trays that I was enamored with. I would love to find more. A couple are reproductions from England, but for now these are all I have room for. They are along the backsplash on the counter in my kitchen.

Ohhhh, I just love all this black

that we're getting to see.

 Have a Wonderful Day,

and remember there are two names

for the 200th Follower Give-Away

to be pulled out of the hatbox tonight at Midnight!

Debra

"Vintage Black Friday ", My Love Affair with Black Furniture

What a fabulous idea for a party! I'm so glad that Jill at  Gypsy Brocante is hosting the Vintage Black Friday party this Fall so we can share all our great black vintage finds. I have been finding and painting furniture black for several years. There's a touch of elegance that you can only find in black. Here are a few pieces that are in my Entry and Living Room that are old pieces that I have either found or painted black.

This French Goat Cart is one of my favorite decor pieces. I used it on my front porch for fall for several years, but brought it inside this spring. Here it has a few pumpkins hiding in the large basket with ivy.

This Eastlake dresser was purchased about seven years ago from my longtime friend Colleene who owned a fabulous antique store. It was my first piece of black furniture, and oh, what this got started!

My pretty little garden girl, who is very old and painted black so many years ago. Every time I look at her I wonder about her history.

This is another piece of Eastlake in my Living Room that holds a family clock. The black scales I found this summer at a flea market. I just love kitchen scales and have several spread around the house. It appears I must live on a boat the way it all looks to be slanting. The scale was tipped a little, but my floors really are level... guess it's just me thats a little off!

This Italianate desk is a project my husband and I worked on several years ago. When I found it the back "cubby" was gone which left scars and holes in the top. So we had a piece of MDF board cut to fit which made it usable. I had to pay a high price for it even though it needed work... but I think it turned out well, and I'm so glad I went ahead and didn't let the work keep me from buying it.

I'm so glad that this is a multi-week party because I have a lot of "black" to share. Hope you're having a great week. I'll be off Friday to a great outdoor Fall Craft Fair in Ozark, Missouri. I'll be sharing highlights soon. It's always so much fun, and my sister and I have been going for the last 20 years. It's the only day of the year that I let myself eat a giant corn dog,(or any corn dog) and generally pig out.

 Be sure to check back Saturday because I'll be doing

the post for the...

                    ta ta ta da........                  

100th Follower Giveaway!

Have a great weekend!

Debra