Stash ~ Vintage Finds

 Amber Bottles and Pulleys

I've been working for the past week with Kelley, from The Hidden List, Gloria, from A Modern Glo and Lisa, from Cut and Paste, pulling together our space at the Dallas Gift Market's new venue,  Vintage FINDS.  We've come together as Stash ~ Vintage Finds to share our love of all things funky, industrial, old and vintage.  We're excited about this opportunity to share, showcase and sell our merchandise.  Although it's been a whirlwind week (there's barely even time to stop and eat) it's great working together with like minded people.  We've also had the chance to meet and make new friends along the way.  I wanted to share a few pics I snapped from our space ~ I hope you enjoy!

Medical Chart Cart

Letters!

Industrial Signage

 Wood Signage

 Industrial Compartment Stand, Hand Drills and Croquet Balls

Lisa's jazzed up magazine storage boxes ~ so creative! 

t

Numbers!

 

 Giant Pipe Cutter

Gavin's Ray Guns have also been attracting a lot of attention ~ see more of them here.

Buyer's have been amazed by his creativity with his art.  

Two days of Market down and two more to go!  I'll share my favorite find next time.  :)

Thrifted Chalkboard ~ "Feliz Navidad"

My mantra this year has been ~ "Simplicity" ~ which equals calm for me.  With only 12 days until Christmas, my real desire is to enjoy the holiday season.  Invariably, my "To Do" list continues to grow and I notice my "calm" slipping away.  I've found one way to keep the main thing, the main thing, is to keep my Christmas decor simple and uncomplicated.  

This brings me to a recent thrift store find.  A few weeks ago, Gavin and I were shopping for some ray gun gadgetry ~ when what to my wondering eyes did appear?  But an old vintage chalkboard and I let out a cheer (sorry ~ I couldn't help myself).  I'm pretty sure my enthusiasm stemmed from its eight dollar price tag.  Along with a bag full of ray gun paraphernalia, we loaded the chalkboard into our vehicle and headed home. 



Maybe I was feeling a little nostalgic the day I hung the chalkboard, as I decided to repeat the sounding joy over and over again.  I covered the entire chalkboard with the words, "Feliz Navidad."  When I was a little girl, I recall my mom playing Jose Feliciano's, "Feliz Navidad" (check it out here on YouTube) over and over again on the record player.  I loved my new artwork immediately ~ I think vintage board adds a funky and unexpected design element to the space.

I like it!

Underneath the chalkboard I sat up my Willow Tree nativity.  I love the clean lines, muted colors and simple form it offers.  The Christmas tree in the background was not originally in the plans and is still a work in progress.  I had no intention of putting up another tree after we had already put up the Ladder Christmas Tree.  But an event I hosted at my home necessitated a traditional tree ~ so, a couple of days ago, my hubby hurriedly helped me put this one up.   

Eventually, my plan is to paint the board with black chalkboard paint.  But right now ~ maybe because it's Christmastime ~ I'm enjoying the muted shade of green.  I hope you are able to step back from the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season ~ long enough to bring some calm into your life.  Have a good week ~ Feliz Navidad!!  :)

Some Serious Ray Guns

I'm prone to appreciate art that involves "out of the box thinking."  So, it's only natural that I love the fact that Gavin, my youngest, has recently taken up making, of all things...ray guns...I love it!  It's a hobby he picked up when school let out and the Texas blistering heat set in ~ and he's been diligently at it all summer.  His contraptions are made primarily from found objects, recycled parts and random gadgety things that have been laying around in the tool shed ~ and other items he purchased from junk stores and thrift shops.  He looks at things altogether differently compared to the way he did a month or two ago and now questions whether something might have "ray gun potential."  I've been so impressed with this artsy side of Gavin that I wanted to share some of these innovative pieces of art. 

The detail Gavin implements in every piece is offbeat and original.  Did you possibly recognize the parts from a vegetable strainer or an old flashlight in the pic above???

His most recent creation ~ this sci-fi looking blaster.  I can just see this being used in an intergalactic thriller. 

 

This one has a number of interesting parts ~ electrical conduit fasteners, old springs and disassembled lamp parts.  But my favorite feature is, with all certainty, the gauge that he made from an old wristwatch face.

This ingenious ray gun was Gavin's first brainstorm ~ Crazy Cool!

Can you spy the following three items ~ 1) the barrel from a curling iron; 2) a repurposed copper salt shaker;  3) a candle stick base?

Gavin ~ The Artist

If there is a downside to Gav's most recent imaginative venture ~ it seems he's wanting to dismantle any and everything for parts these days.  This comes as no surprise, since he's been in the business of curiously deconstructing things ever since he was a toddler. I love his inquisitive nature and am thankful to have a fellow creative in the house ~ we get each other.  Understandably, tools have gone missing, a number of drill bits broken and Gavin's trail is easily recognizable throughout the house ~ but honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way.  I love that he's expressing himself in this artistic way and revel in the fact that he dares to daydream while skillfully bringing his innovative creations to fruition.  Most recently, Gavin has been blogging about ray guns under construction.  Read more about them on his blog ~ Behemoth Inc.