Vintage clothes ROCK!

That's me rockin' a vintage dress I bought from a Denver Gypsy Boys Estate Sale. I have a closet full of them!
This week we have some sweet vintage looks available at the sale. Check them out below.

Vintage clothes = original style & amazing quality

When you buy vintage, you are sure to get a unique item that can't be bought by everyone else at a chain store. As we all know, fashion styles from the past are always being redone and imitated in current trends. Why not own the original? 

Some vintage items are so classic, they will never go out of style. A faux fur trench, or a well tailored dress will be a staple of your wardrobe for years to come. 

And don't worry guys.... you won't be left out! Retro ment's shirts and jackets are coveted items these days... and they are available for anyone who wants to put some swank in their step. 

Visit our website for more pics!

Everything old is new again

Is the paint peeling? Is the wood chipped? Are the crevices dusty? These signs of age are priceless! Items that some people may pass over as junk, can actually be wonderful additions to your decor. When something old is mixed in with your new decor, it adds character, history, and charm! 

Here are some ideas inspired by items available at this weekend's sale.

Use an old chair for storage! Stack towels on it, or use it as a plant stand!

Available at Denver Gypsy Boys

Houzz.com

Old kitchen step stool chairs are great for craft rooms or art studios.

Available at Denver Gypsy Boys 

Houzz.com

Trunks are great to use for coffee tables.

Available at Denver Gypsy Boys

Houzz.com

Old cast iron bases for a plant stand...

Available at Denver Gypsy Boys

Old painted stools are great for bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms.

Available at Denver Gypsy Boys

Houzz.com

So don't pass up those old pieces. Rescue them and give them a new life!

Decorating with Books

Have you seen how many books are at this weekends sale! Tons and tons and tons. Here are just a couple of pics from the sale...

Books are great for  ...ummm  ...reading! But guess what? They are also fabulous for decorating! 

Use book stacks to add interest to bedside tables, coffee tables,  kitchens, and of course, book shelves! Books are great for adding color, texture, and different height levels for items on display. 

There are a few different ways you can arrange them. 

1) By theme - In my kitchen I have vintage cook books and entertaining books. I use them to prop up collectables, and add interest. Since my kitchen has a red cherry theme, I try and find books with a touch of red on the title or cover graphics. 

2) By color - Collect a stack of books that are in a color scheme of your decor. I used a stack of bright orange books in my hallway, and a stack of neutral books in my guest room.

3) By title or subject matter - I helped my husband decorate his boring office shelves with some books and knick-knacks. He is a chemical engineer, so I used a variety of books about geology, math, science, and minerals. All of his actual work related materials are cold and new looking. So adding worn in, canvas covered vintage books helps warm up the place a bit, and adds a homey feel.

You can also arrange books by the title... which really makes the book hunting fun! I have a stack of books that all have the word "Love" in the title written down the spine. Another stack I have is a little more tongue and cheek - all titles about murder and death. 

As you can see, the possibilities are endless. Here are a couple more pics of books stacks in my home. 

This weekend's sale is the perfect place to start. Remember, part of the fun is the hunt! Mix and match books to create the look you are after. Remember to look under book jackets, sometimes a beautiful binding is hiding under a paper jacket. 

Vintage tupperware is always a great find. And I swear, I have seen it at EVERY Denver Gypsy Boys Estate sale. Wether you fancy the pastel colors from the 1950s, or the Harvest colors from the 1970s, you can find it out there.

Tupperware came about when inventor Earl Silas invented plastic containers with airtight tops. Soon food storage was revolutionized when people started using tupperware instead of glass, pottery, or wooden containers. But the true popularity came in the 1950s when Brownie Wise conceived of the home Tupperware Party.

Usually people collect Tupperware that makes them nostalgic for their childhood. I grew up with Tupperware from the 1970s in the Harvest color scheme: Brown, yellow, orange, and avocado green. So that is what I collect... and boy, do I have tons of it thanks to the Gypsy Boys!

My prize possession is my childhood set of Tupperware, recently mailed to me by my mom. I had no idea she still had it!

Tupperware stands the test of time. Even though my pieces are 30-40 years old, they are still in excellent condition, and keep my food fresh! And when you buy pieces at an estate sale, it ends up being cheaper than modern disposable plastic ware. Yuck! Who wants that, when you can have useful, colorful, collectable TUPPERWARE! 

Fix it up

My current decorating project is my master bedroom. It has a hollywood regency vibe... lots of black laquer furniture, and gold accents. I have been on the hunt for two matching nightstands that would fit into my vision. Below are some photos of they type of thing I was looking for, which I kept around for inspiration.

Available at Pegaso Gallery Design for 3,200.00
click here for more details

Available at Dixon Lane Antiques for 2,850.00
click here for more details

Well, my patience paid off. After months of looking, I finally came across a couple of nightstands at  a Denver Gypsy Boys estate sale. 

This is what I found...

YUCK!

They were dirty! They were moldy! And they didn't even have a top surface! In the past I was always hesitant to buy furniture that was damaged, too dirty, or moldy! But I learned that a little bit of elbow grease and know-how can rescue pieces like these, bring them back to life, and save me a lot of money along the way. Since they were in such bad condition, nobody else bought them during the first two days of the estate sale. So there they were still around on Sunday, at half price! Originally 80.00, they ended up only being 40.00 with the Sunday discount!

Let the clean up begin!

A little trick I learned from a professional antique refinisher... just get a bowl of warm water, and add a tablespoon or so of bleach. Wipe down the furniture, and the mold is gone! 

 

WOW! Look at that clean up swell! I followed up with a final cleaning of Pledge. I wiped them down inside and out! For the missing top, Gypsy Vince told me, "Just buy some MDF and spray paint it black." Well it sounded easy enough, so that is what I did. I found some MDF at Home Depot, and they cut it down to size for me. It ended up being about 6.00 a piece. A couple coats of high gloss spray paint and I was done. Thanks, Vince!

Now I am one step closer to my dream bedroom. I have more plans to paint the walls... so I will keep you updated and add photos of that soon! 

A mini collection

My very first collecting bug started with miniature bottles. I was on vacation in Pennsylvania to visit my grandmother, and we went into an antique shop. Scattered about I found some colorful, miniature bottles. I thought they were the coolest, cutest things I had ever seen! Plus they would be easy to pack up to bring home! I bought 4 or 5 of them... and so the addiction began.

25 years later, my collection has grown and I have put them on display in my guest powder room. I used an old type tray hung on the wall... a great way to display small items.

My most recent finds have been at Denver Gypsy Boys Estate Sales. Usually I just find one random mini bottle, but recently I found a grouping of a few Ruby Red mini bottles. I snatched 'em up. (Don't even get me started on my Ruby Red collection!)

Many 19th century manufactures created miniature samples of their goods in order to promote their product. Miniature bottles would commonly contain alcohol, medicine, bitters, and soda. They came in all shapes including fish, horseshoes, liberty bells, ball and claw, and barrels. Part of the fun of this easy collection is finding new shapes in new colors.

Because of all the colorful options, they also look beautiful displayed on a window sill. Miniature bottles are small, affordable (I pay anywhere from 1.00 - 7.00 per bottle), and easy to display.

Do you have a mini bottle collection? Email me photos and I will post them on the blog!

Cupcakes and Christmas

Ok, here is a little trick I learned from surfing the internet. Take an ordinary strand of Christmas lights, add a cupcake liner... and you have a modern light reflector!
First I found some vintage cupcake liners from a Denver Gypsy Boys Estate sale. These puppies were priced at only 50 cents. And to be honest, I only bought them because I liked the retro packaging. Sometimes you just have to buy things because they call out to you... finding a use for them will always come up eventually! For this project, your cupcake liners don't have to be vintage... but that's just how I roll.

Next, get yourself a standard sting of holiday twinkle lights. I actually bought these rainbow ones at a Gypsy sale last year. I needed the white strands since my faux tree was white. (Faux sounds so much better than fake). It's always a good idea to shop for holiday decor year 'round. It's a great way to save money buying things out of season. Items will always be priced higher if they are being sold near the time of the holiday.

Now the fun part. Just poke the light through the center of the cupcake liner. Do this a few million times and you're done! It just makes the lights look larger, brighter and merrier! 

Now don't judge my tree just yet! I am only getting started. I still have to add my vintage star, and tons of vintage Shiny Brite Christmas bulbs....

This method also works great for lights around the mantel or bannister.