This is a great example of what a little makover can do for the usefulness of a vintage item.  My rusty jug/thermos is lined with 1/4" ceramic inside, has a thick glass stopper, and a metal cap to insulate its contents well.  It was used in the old days to transport hot and cold beverages in a large quantity.  With all the rust, it was no longer useable, so after sanding, wire brushing, and sealing—it is now in great shape to be used for liquids or as a fun accessory for your home. 


Jug BEFORE


Me with the jug AFTER


Close-up of the jug AFTER

I have a new project that is going to keep me busy for awhile.  This 1900's loveseat comes with a good deal of work and a lot of history.  From "Great Aunt Lucy's sitting room in San Leandro, CA"...used only for formal entertaining, I purchased this sentimental treasure from a woman today only after promising to restore it beautifully with only love and care and attention to detail. 

The wood frame is not sound and is currently clamped with glue drying as I type.  Next step will be reinforcing the frame more and adding braces to a few of the supports.  Then I'll need to hand sand the entire frame, stain and seal it...and of course the upholstery.  I need to retie the coils, add more batting to the cushion and then add new base fabric and top fabric and trim.  I look forward to revealing the final product.  I hope to do the former owner proud, and transform this historic seat into one that can be enjoyed for generations to come.


Shows split wood frame.  This will take more than some strong wood glue to cure.  I am on the case.


Underneath the seat—layers of batting, and fabric that will need redoing.


The overall chair—before I began work. 

At my last show, set on the former Alameda Point Naval Air Station in Alameda, California—I was warned that it can get pretty hot since there is nothing there but open air.  I came prepared, so I thought with my 12' x 8' sunshade recently purchased at Big Lots for 30 bucks.  Here's how it unfolded.

Upon the advice of others to get an Easy Up, I confer with my Dad who informs me about a $29 sun shade special at Menard's.  Well being in Livermore, Ca, and checking out google maps, there just wasn't a Menard's close by.  The neighboring Lowe's only had Easy Ups starting at $110.  But I was hooked on the cheap price of that sun shade, so I set out to find it.  My sister-in-law is an avid bargain hunter and convinced me Big Lots would have it! This is a store I have heard of, but never actually visited.  There was one about 20 minutes away, and in a direction I frequent, so it was in the running.  I give them a call and am pleased by the slow rambling salesman confirming that they not only have sunshades, but they were only 30 bucks.  Sweet.  They also had 10' x 10' Easy Ups (just the right size for my booth) for 60 bucks—a good price, since my parents paid about $200 for theirs.

At the surprisingly small "BIG" lots, I peruse the aisles to finally come across lawn furniture set up in a small aisle. I ask a worker about about the desired items and he points behind me.  A bundle of boxes all looking the same save for their descriptions and pictures.  The 60 dollar Easy Up is nowhere to be seen, even when a manager is brought in. I opt for the cheaper, but much harder to put up sunshade and hope it will work.  

The weather predicted for the show is 87 degrees and unrelenting sun.  So I slip on shorts, a tank top, sun block everywhere, and a light sweatshirt for the morning.  I get to the one day show at about 5am, driving all the way through dark clouds and spitting rain, just hoping the wetness ceases so my antiques don't suffer the damage. I can picture a few weeks worth of refinishing repair in the wings if I have to put things out in rain.  The rain has let up upon my arrival and I set everything up. 

I pull out the numerous poles and connectors and finally a tarp that strings over the whole thing and hope there are some kind of instructions.  Nothing on the box, and oh, wait, one small sheet of paper inside with hardly anything to go on.  After a bit of struggling to put connectors into place and fit the poles in the right order, I realize this is not a one woman show.  I think I am scaring the shoppers passing by with all the poles and mess splayed out in front of my booth. 

With the help of my next door booth mate, I manage to get the canopy together.  Her and I laugh that our brothers are engineers, and here we are attempting to create this unified structure and move it into place, and taking a few attempts to get it right.  She took over and I sense some of her families' background rubbed off.  I on the other hand was not so fortunate. 

The clouds remain for another four hours, and I wonder if I will even need the sun shade, but stay the course and keep it in place.  It is quite cold and my gloppy sunscreen is feeling thick and unnecessary.   After a nice turn to match the predicted forecast, sun is streaming down, warming the flat air space.  About midway through the show, the wind has picked up, I am standing in my booth rearranging the table space and talking to a customer while the gusts wail upon us.  Time freezes, as do i, watching in stop motion frames as my sunshade is lifted, second by second, twenty feet into the air, floating, drifting.  The shouts of neighboring vendors screaming for people to watch out, WATCH OUT, are barely audible in my frozen state.  I remember thinking to myself, I would love to take a picture of this" and my usual lighting quick trigger finger is frozen with the rest of me.  It is all unfolding before me and the canopy soars like a kite happy on the breeze.  Then the dissent begins and the yelling picks up around me.  My moth does not open, but I am now awake to the noise and pressing shouts.  I see the potential touch down point as a heard of people or a corner booth two rows up  filled with small, breakable china pieces.  Neither good places for the canopy to crash. 

With some stroke of sheer luck, because I know I wasn't doing anything to deter the path and fate of my happy flying shade, it hits in tact,just on the corner of the delicate booth, and manages not to flatten any people or breakables.  Now my trance is fully broken and I rush over there with others still yelling and collect my canopy with some pride of its journey.   It takes three others to walk it back with me.  One on each corner.  The helpers swoop in and assist without me asking.  The flight has stirred up the crowd, but done nothing to the canopy—still fully in tact.  We flip it back over and keep it in front of my booth, instead of resettling it back over my items.  And then with other's instructions, we go about tying each leg to my car, vintage hairdryer, a borrowed projector, and my neighbor's door handle.  giving some weight to each to help it stay put. 

This works for an hour, but with each brisk wind climax, my primary job has gone from selling my goods, to literally, holding down the fort.  With an hour left of the show, the sun streaming down, and a few near attempts for my gallivanting canopy to free itself from its tied bonds and my own grip, I receive many concerned remarks from my neighbors that I should give it up and put it down.  I even had to have a client hold it down while I released my grasp to give change to his wife for her purchase.  After they walked away, I decided to throw in the towel, and let it come down.  Tears from the initial construction are visible, and I am sure that this will be my shade's last flight and last visit with me.  I will be returning it to Big Lots.   In my car it remains, with the receipt, waiting for me to end it's journeys. 

The rest of the show goes well even without the shade though I ended up burnt, even with my sunscreen.  I think it was my penance for dismissing my sun shade and giving up on taming the beast. 

Setting up:


In full glory—nicely set up (pre-flight):


And after, tied down:

There is nothing better than envisioning a piece transformed in your mind upon discovery, and then making it happen and bringing that idea to fruition.  My latest refinishing project was a 1950's Cosco step stool.  Perhaps the kind most Grandmother's kept in their kitchens, and not uncommon in many households.  But this one was different.  the second one I would work on.  The first just sold at the Alameda show, and was truly unique.  This new one, started off yellow, and rusty, a piece I picked up in Kansas on my first drive across the country west.  And with some sanding, and rotary wire-brushing (and luckily no injuries this time) it is complete.  One of my favorite pieces now.  Hope it goes to a good home.

The Stool BEFORE:
  


In Progress:


Finished Product:


With the Rainbow Stool:

My best show ever, that's how I'll start this entry.  Just fantastic! I have been waiting for a place to sell that captured not only my vision and purpose, but left a little of my heart and work with my audience.  What an exchange—just felt like there were hoards of really artsy and cool, hip people walking around and coming to see my things.  I talked with a lot of interesting people, and enjoyed the day so much.  I sold some large pieces that have been weighing me down, and will make room for more buying and new pieces to come to life. 

This show, in Alameda, Ca is right near Oakland and across from San Francisco.  It is on the old Alameda Point Naval Air Station. And is the largest antique show in Northern California.  People came out just for the show, and it was a good showing.  They are the first Sunday of every month and run all year.  I definitely look forward to doing my next one.  In the meantime, it is out buying for me, then transforming my finds into the fun pieces I like to sell.  Each one having my touch and bringing something new to the old treasures.

For more info and to see when the next show is check out: www.antiquesbythebay.net.

My booth:


Close ups of my booth:




On Lookers:


The show grounds:

After a three week trek from southern Florida to northern California, carrying almost exclusively antiques, I find myself at my first show.  And my first outdoor show.  Set in the quaint town of Pleasanton, Ca—right on Main Street—I'm parked in front of the local bicycle shop.  I unload with the sun just breaking the horizon at a chilly 46 degrees.  By mid day it has reached 85, quite a shift in weather.  But it remains dry, beautiful and people filled, so I am happy as streams of patrons line the streets.  This one day show is a joy—lots of onlookers, and questions, though less buyers than I would like.  The sales I did make were all small items.  Even the table purchased was one that folded completely up.  It was a bit disheartening packing up afterward, having to fit all the big items back in.  They only have two shows a year, so this will not be a major part of my show routine.  It was a good start and geared me up for my next show which is the following Sunday in Alameda, Ca.

Details for the Pleasanton show: www.pleasantonantiquefaire.com.  alt="" height="493" width="658" style="border: 0px solid;" src="http://images.quickblogcast.com/8/8/1/0/6/170444-160188/P1110413.JPG?a=6" />

Through six layers of old paint I sanded, scraped and rotary wire-brushed this piece back to it's original sheen.  I went through the light green to a gold to dark brown to dark green to white and gray.  Underneath lay copper, brilliant, shiny, beautiful copper.  I decided to keep some of the old paint on near the edges to show it's history and maintain its old look.
 

The top view at the start of my refinishing.  You can see the layers of paint showing through. 


A work in progress.  Shows one panel nearly completed.


All complete!

The routine is the same—a delightful one for me.  I get to see the transformation of a rusty unworkable item into a dull metallic shiny usable one.  The turn from trash to useful in the spin of a brush, or scrape of my sandpaper.  Under my hand, they transform. 

I love refinishing stools.  They are useful, small, and something people can enjoy. Practical pieces.  Here's one I recently picked up, and the process of turning it around. 


Getting off the first layer of rust.  Makes a big difference.

 
Using my rotary wire brush to de-rust the edges of the top.

This one began a few years ago, when I found this cabinet, gosh, don't know where now.  Massachusetts, yes, that was it.  I immediately saw it's potential and fell in love.  I think I'm better at picking antiques than mates by the way.  They (the antiques) usually do what I want, and turn out how I like, where the men, well...they just stay rusty and dusty and dirty—just the way they are.


Here's the cabinet way back at the beginning, right after I brought it home. 

After carting this piece around, fully refinished, touching it up after it got drizzled with paint from being in a Manhattan work-in-progress show room, I brought it with me to Florida and to my recent show.  The West Palm Beach Antiques Festival: www.festivalofantiques.com/ (a plug for it. Come! I'll be in the Feb show too).

Well I am happy to say that this piece received a new owner and the show and is going to stop being carted around (by me anyway).  It will be part of a wonderful historic home's decor.  The couple who purchased this bin also bought one of my refinished typing tables to be the base for the cabinet to make it into a desk.  How clever.  I always saw this cabinet as a table top—one with great built in storage and a very cool look for the right nook. 


The finished product.  Lookin good metal cabinet! Enjoy your new home.

I brought in the new year, 2010, with a busy weekend of pushing and hustling my goods.  Set-up in West Palm Beach, Fl (I escaped for the winter) the crowd was pretty good.   I have tons of new stuff and was excited to start selling.  The set-up was new years eve and happened to take me till 6:30pm to unload three van loads and set-up.  Needless to say, knowing I had to be there at 8am new years day, put a halt to any crazy celebration plans I was going to have.  I still managed to have fun, and make it to the there plenty early. 

The warm weather in West Palm Beach turned chilly and brought the beach-goers inside and to the show.  I didn't mind a bit.  At the end of the weekend though I still had two van fulls to take home.  I may be investing in a separate trailer to pull all my stuff to shows. It is not fun to load and unload twice just to finish up.  But I am still fairly new to shows and will learn and adapt as I go along. 


Here I am in my booth, day one of the three-day show. 


A closer look at my new collection of vintage blenders.