Tokyo Milk packaging

While perusing the bath section of goods at Anthropologie, I spotted these beautifully packaged bubble baths and soaps from Tokyo Milk. What a lovely and sophisticated use of ephemera ~ I think that the images on the bubble bath are actually printed on the back side of the bottle so that they are slightly tinted by the color of the bubble bath. Just looking at these makes me feel relaxed and less stressed!

{bottles of bubble bath}{paper wrapped soaps}

Walnut 2009 ~ The Spoils ~ Part 2!

{beautiful title page}

I know I mentioned in my last post that the McCracken files were my favorite find from Walnut this year, but on second thought, I should have said ONE of my favorite finds. I hate to admit it, but I have shopped so many shows, seen so many things and bought quite a bit, that I had forgotten much of what I acquired ~ until I started rediscovering things as I was cleaning off my dining room table. The dining room table is where I put things until I am ready to photograph them ~ sometimes I get quite a pile ~ obviously I don't use my dining room table for dining!

So, here is a lovely little autograph book with a theme of sealife from around 1881. There are few entries and those that there are are very faint ~ there is one though that gives some interesting information. The book was a gift from Ella Crawford, aged 6 years to her Aunt Minnie ~ she wishes her a long happy life. The entry is dated Sept. 21, 1881 in Crawfordsville, Iowa. Makes me wonder whether Ella's family had something to do with the start of the town she lived in. Quite a beautiful book ~ the cover is decadent and the inside illustrations in color lithography ~ I especially like the "Album" title page.

{embossed, foiled cover}

{one of several vignettes}

Files, files, more files!

As promised, thanks to a day of good weather, here are the cabinet files I mentioned yesterday ~ black and white Hercules prescription files. I bought these several years ago ~ for some reason I actually remember where I got them too ~ sometimes it amazes me that I can remember where I have gotten most of my treasures, given that I go out so often! The white files came from Curious Sofa, the black files from no-longer-in-existence, State Line Antique Mall. I love these files ~ they stack nicely on top of each other and are great for holding all of my backup CDs ~ fabulous looking AND functional!

Below are yet some other prescription files ~ Phillips brand. Now that I have committed to the black and white versions, I have decided I will probably sell these ~ after all, I don't have room for everything! I'd bought these years ago as well at another now defunct antique mall ~ thinking I would repaint them and make my own label ~ instead they have been used as is to hold videos next to the tv ~ I guess the rather rough labels kind of grew on me.

Walnut 2009 ~ The Spoils!

McCracken prescription files ~ eight of them ~ filled with vintage prescriptions! These were my favorite find at Walnut this year ~ they will now replace the army green Phillips files I have been using for my video tapes near my tv ~ the black and white works better with my decor! I just love these ~ their graphics, the handles/knobs and their size ~ they serve as great organizers as a CD or video tapes fit perfectly. These are all separate files ~ I have some others that are a cabinet of 6 ~ I'll see if I can get a photo taken tomorrow to share with you.

Although the prescription papers aren't as old as I had hoped, they are still pretty neat ~ some of the papers are nicely patterned so I think they may work out well as collage papers. Anybody out there have any other ideas as to what to use them for?

Walnut 2009 ~ The Sights ~ She Saw

Below are some things I saw at Walnut that I was drawn to ~ I guess if I had more space and more money, some of these would have made their way home with me ~ as it was, I did manage to purchase a few treats ~ I will share them with you later. For now, here are some pieces I really liked:

{hand hooked scottie rug}

{collection of frogs ~ flower frogs, that is}

{tin containers and primitive painted wood furniture in whites}

{threads and strings in whites}

{handmade rooster sewing caddy}

{McCoy vases}

{handmade sewn paper frames}

{old crafts kits}

{cabinets with lots of drawers}

Walnut 2009 ~ The Sights ~ He Saw

Several years ago my brother and his wife came to visit me ~ as it was a flea market weekend, I had that on our list of things to do even though I wasn't sure they would like it as much as I do. Initially, my brother only went along to make sure his wife didn't spend too much, his wife went out of curiosity, and I went because I just couldn't NOT go!

After an hour or two, my sister inlaw and I had finished and were showing each other our exciting finds of the day ~ my brother (who wasn't that interested in going at all) was still poking around. I found it interesting that based on what each of us was interested in, it was like we had been to different shows ~ my sister inlaw found some good bargains on some newer items (those are the booths I just walk by) while my brother ended up finding a collection of signed baseballs he was interested in. I, of course was digging for old stuff ~ things I know my brother and his wife think I am crazy to be buying! At any rate, we all had a good time ~ everyone sees things differently ~ which leads me to today's postings ~ while we were at Walnut, I had D point out things he was drawn to ~ I did the same. While we oftentimes like the same things, there are many times when we are worlds apart, but still manage to find things we like at the same show! So, below are some of D's favorites from Walnut this year:

{handmade wooden medicine cabinet with metal details}

{old fashioned portable shaving station}

{camping outfit ~ D loves to camp!}

{crocks, crocks and more crocks}

{handmade wooden tractor}

{great graphics and shape of this gambling machine}

{The Sno-ler ~ stroller for the snow}

{crude wooden bin}

{Bacon boy ~ D loves bacon!}

Walnut 2009 ~ The Sights.2

Now that I carry a camera with me when I shop, I THINK I am spending less ~ but I haven't actually done the math, so I'll bet I am just doing some extra impressive rationalization! For those of you who like to window shop and for me as a photo album of stuff I like or find interesting, here are some more sights from Walnut 2009 ~ again, something for everyone!

{pretty transferware}

{embossed old tin}

{old tins everywhere!}

{handsome man}

{boys' hobby book}

{scary almost life size naked display figures}

{band of brothers}

{cast iron shoes ~ wondered what these were used for?}

{enough yardsticks for a lifetime ~ or two}

{wonderful painted wooden window frame}

{ice cream sign with Elsie the cow!}

{what better spokesman for nut products than a squirrel?}

{ancient box of alphabet blocks}

Then there are the cabinets and drawers ~ I guess it is a good thing I had no way to transport any of these since I have absolutely no room in my house or budget! Some day ~ I dream of rooms filled with organized and labeled drawers filled with all of my collections and miscellaneous stuff!

{lovely brass card holder detail}

{any of these would be great for a studio!}

{cigar box shelves}

The last, a one of a kind shelving unit with cigar box drawers ~ this was useable from both sides! So it could be used as shown or one could change out the boxes so that all of the cigar labels showed - or all of the hardware showed ~ just ingenious! I have some cigar boxes I am going to try something like this with ~ uh oh, another project!