File Me ORGANIZED!

Ha!ha! Not really. I have my own style of organizing and, to the outsider, it probably looks quite UNorganized. BUT! I do usually know where to find what I need. So, I guess whatever system I have come up with works for me.

I have a love for all things vintage, especially metal vintage things. Recently, I found a couple old metal files that I have not been able to put to good use...until today!

First up is a vintage card catalog file found at Re-Store for a couple bucks. It has been sitting in my office, under a pile of stuff, being neglected. Today, I started walking around the house and looking at things that needed to be changed [to make life a little easier AND more organized]. I was in the kitchen and noticed that Mr. NeverBored had, for the umpteenth time, hidden away my messy, disorganized menu holder. I admit, the cute wire basket didn't look very nice sitting on the counter, stuffed to the brim with tattered menus, but I always knew where to find the menus when I wanted them. I dug it out of the pantry and the idea hit....I could use that old card catalog file to NEATLY store all the menus! But what to put in the 2nd drawer? Another glance into the pantry and a glimpse at my messy recipe books provided the answer. I could transfer our recipes to index cards (yeah...just what I need...another project) and keep them all NEATLY in one place! So I made a couple labels for the drawers, dragged the file up to the kitchen, and decided on just the right place...

Now I know right where to find that awesome Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe so we can fill up the cookie jar!

New project to add to the ever-growing To Do List...fun recipe card templates AND then transfer all the recipes to cards.

Next up, I found a vintage metal slide organizer for about $3 at Goodwill. Again, it had been sitting in my office waiting for inspiration to hit. This morning, I was in the bathroom getting dressed and trying to find something in my drawer. I have one drawer in the bathroom counter and it's stuffed full. I organized it very nicely a couple months ago, but somehow it just didn't stay that way. I will not take all the blame. I did try very hard to keep things neat, but with two little girls who love to rummage through my stuff...well, I don't think I need to spell it out. So, the lightbulb went off (the one over my head ;) and I decided to thin out, organize and re-home my makeup collection into the All-Metal Slide File and keep it out on the counter....

Inside view...

 

Each drawer was divided into two sections and I found that some of the makeup wouldn't fit. In the top drawer, I bent down the middle divider and managed to make everything fit.

I LOVE finding new uses for old things!

Bailey's Face Cups

I've been collecting the Bailey's Irish Creme Cups since they were first introduced sometime in the 90s. Well, I only had 4 (before yesterday, but I consider them a little collection because I love them and display them and am always looking for more at a good price. I got the Helen Hunt Limited Edition Cups with a bottle of Bailey's back in the 90s, then found a set of the man and lady cups at a thrift store a while back. I don't know how many cups were released in all, but I will find out and I will have them ALL some day ;)

Yesterday, while fluffing up my Antique Mall Booth, I found another set to add to my little collection...a Sugar & Creamer set! So cute and only $5 for the set!  They match the man and lady cups I already have and now my collection has 6...

Vintage Ever-Ready Razor

I am starting to understand the Vintage Razor Obsession...ha!ha! There are so many awesome old razors out there and the Shaving Community is so helpful and interesting. So, I went to add some things to my Antique Mall Booth yesterday, and the lady across the way had a lovely old flip-top Ever-Ready Razor (PAT'D 1912) just sitting there waiting for me. It was marked down with an additional 25% off, so I got a new specimen for my little collection for about $5!

This razor uses single-edge blades, which I haven't had a reason to purchase...until now. As soon as I can get some, I'll give this one a try.

Now, what to do with this little collection that will probably grow? I had a small cabinet out in the garage awaiting it's turn to be painted black, but I decided it would work nicely in the bathroom, as is, to house the razor stuff collection.

Great, just what I need...another hobby ;)

Teapot Pansies

I found a couple antique metal teapots the other day while on my thrift store rounds. I was thinking about offering them for sale in my antique mall booth, but then had a vision of them filled with beautiful little pansies. So, now they are filled with pansies and perking up my back porch....

When I was a little girl, tulips were my favorite flowers. Over the years, pansies have moved to the top of list. I love their little flower "faces" and can't help feeling a bit more cheerful each time I look at them.

Pansies.

O give me not red roses,
That early dews have wet!
They speak to me of kisses
That are remembered yet.
O bring me not white roses,
That summer winds have drest!
For once I placed white roses
Upon a quiet breast.
But bring me purple pansies
If so you wish to please,
For them I have affection;
For pansies are "heart's ease".

^__Louisa Cooke Don-Carlos.

Dear Things And Queer Things
Louisa Cooke Don-Carlos
(Lawrence: The World Company. 1934)

Fun Finds!

Here are a few of the fun things I've found during my thrift store rounds this week....

Little ornate brass hook for .25 that I promptly glued a magnet on and stuck on my ~new~ magnet board (more on this later!)...

 

I've been trying to get better about recycling and reusing, so I've been turning all the kid's school papers (the ones we don't need to keep) into note paper. Trouble is, it looks messy. I found this gorgeous silver plated notepad holder for $1.00 at The Elizabeth Guild yesterday! It looks so nice on my desk. Now, to find a pretty pen to go with it ;)

Italian kid's shoes for $1.00! May keep for Thing 2 OR sell. Not sure yet...

Next, I stopped in Canyon Collectibles Antique Mall to have a look around and got all this great stuff for only $3.00! Vintage canning jar, hot stone for bread, vintage brass powder puff container, and a tiny vintage brass basket (probably for my dollhouse)...

But! The best part of the trip to Canyon Collectibles was that I walked out with my own booth! Well, actually, a few shelves, but it's a start. I wanted to see how it goes and, hopefully, move into a bigger space soon if things are selling.

And, saving the BEST for last, I now have my very own Vintage McCall's TINY BETSY doll! I stopped in a new thrift store during my visit to Estes Park yesterday. I found those cool shoes there, but not much else. I was at the register to pay and noticed another room that I hadn't explored yet. It was the "boutique" room where they put nicer stuff and charge higher prices. I took a quick peek in and immediately noticed a precious tiny doll that I could not resist. The $10.00 price tag put me off a bit, but I had a feeling she was worth more than that, so I snatched her up. When I got home, I stripped off her homemade frock and noticed she had on a sweet, delicate chemise underneath. Under that, I noticed the McCall Corp stamp on her back and realized who I had found! After a quick search on the Interweb, I discovered that, indeed, she is worth quite a bit more than what I paid. Please meet the newest addition to Dollphinium Manor....

She is in pretty good shape for her age (born in the late 50s, I believe). Her wig is loose and the glue has turned a nasty brown, but the wig is still useable. The homemade dress she was wearing (shown in the lower right of the photo) has stained her torso a light pink. Not sure if I can remove that, but it will be covered with the new clothes I plan on making for her since I already have some Tiny Betsy patterns! Her original chemise, socks and tiny shoes are all in excellent condition. I did find some good repair tips for Vintage Tiny Betsy dolls, so I may get brave and try a few. This is my best find in a long time! I wasn't planning on getting any dolls any time soon, so this was a big bonus all around.

Here is what I found about this version of Tiny Betsy McCall: She is an 8" American Character Betsy McCall produced in 1958...

This isn't the exact version I have, but close enough. I'm still researching.

I <3 her and she looks so cute sitting on my desk keeping me company while I work ;)

Miss Lollypop & a Cubby Re-Do

I made a trip to Re-Store (the Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store) yesterday and found this adorable vintage Avon Miss Lollypop Cologne Mist for only $1.00! I had to have her and she is now residing in my office.

 

I did a quick search to see what I could find out about her. I believe she was produced in the late '60s. I found an advertisement from 1967...

I'm pleased with my office redecoration project so far, but there is still lots to do! I decided it was about time to tackle this messy corner...

That cubby is just a big old junk magnet. I keep shoving stuff in there and it really makes the corner look awful. I was inspired to do something with it after seeing photos of Cathe Holden's awesome bins.

I started the project, a few weeks ago, by searching for bins that would fit in the cubby. I didn't have any luck finding bins the right size and I was anxious to get this project started (and finished!), so I decided to try and make my own. I trotted out to the garage and found a bunch of matching cardboard boxes. With a few cuts and folds and some spray paint, I ended up with perfect bins and they only cost me the price of a couple cans of spray paint!

 

After spraying them completely black, I decorated them with scrapbook paper and then went on a hunt for just the right labels for the fronts. I've been searching for just the right labels for a couple days now, but nothing was tickling my fancy. I'm trying to do this project super cheap and use supplies already on hand, but the labels were stumping me. I made a trip to the scrapbook section at Hobby Lobby to see if I could get some inspiration. I did! I found some lovely die cut cardstock labels that were beautiful....BUT....the wrong colors. I went ahead and got them anyway, picked out my favorite and slapped it on the scanner. Next, I converted it to gray scale and then added some pale pink to match my walls. I chose one of my favorite fonts, typed up the descriptions, printed on parchment paper and VIOLA!...I had labels that I was very pleased with :) Next, I cut out each one and glued to the appropriate bins. Something was missing. I decided to add tiny black brads and then I was done. 

Here is the cubby corner now...

I think it still needs some decorating and I might do some more bins for those bigger cubbies in the center, but it really is a whole lot better than it was! It's amazing how much easier it is to stay organized when everything has it's own little home ;)