Vintage Fun

I have mentioned my Grandma Dobson previously...where I mentioned how sure I am that my love of glassware began with her.  I firmly believe my love of yard sales also started with a visit to Grandma.

This past weekend, my husband, oldest daughter and I went to the Treasure Hunting Flea Market at nearby Heritage Village.  My daughter thought perhaps she could find some items for a  low enough price that she could turn around and sell them on eBay.  After all, the end of her free education (well, not exactly free, we pay taxes) is soon coming to an end, and university is not cheap.  Especially if you plan on attending one that's not exactly within driving distance.

While there, we did find some goodies, and actually did buy a few.  Whether or not they are worth anything...well, I'm finding out now that searching for information is almost as fun as looking at everything at the flea market!
One item I did find was a Cap'n Crunch bank.  Years ago (for those too young to remember) breakfast cereal often had some cool freebies, either in the box, or fun things you could mail away for.  The Cap'n Crunch bank was one.  This guy was in very good shape, and I just had to have him.  I found out afterward, that they have been selling for anywhere from $14 US (not in very good condition) to $50 US!!

I currently have him listed on Etsy, and will leave him for a bit, but am also considering listing him on eBay instead.  Here, if I have heard correctly, I must thank those scammers on eBay who would list something for pennies with an exorbitant  shipping price to avoid paying eBay their final value fee--eBay now takes their FVF on the shipping cost as well.


I also picked up a set of 4 carnival glass goblets.  My daughter made me promise I would not keep these--we really don't have room in this house, but I LOVE carnival glass!  I have to take pics of these and list them on Etsy, or eBay, as well.
What really caught our eye was near the end of our 'shopping'.  On the ground under a large table was a box of frames.  On top, a framed black and white print of a man.  The original photo was vintage, you could tell from the pose, the clothes, the hair...but there was just something compelling about this man, and my daughter had to have the picture.  I agreed...we hadn't fully decided, when the man behind the table quoted us a not-to-be-turned down price on the whole box which helped us make our decision.
Once home, we looked at the picture.  The backing paper was brown, very dry and brittle, and glued along the back edges of the wood frame.  There were the numbers '12 04' in red, and a stamp below with the name of a business (the picture is downstairs at the moment, and I'll admit I just don't feel like running down just to do an exact quote right now), Tschirhart was the name.  The address was 85 Pitt St. East in Windsor.  Cool, local!  But, a Google map search, street view did not show us any such business, and a regular Google search showed lawyers at that address.
Which is understandable, I'm sure 'piano and player piano' businesses aren't exactly a dime a dozen nowadays.
So...how long ago did this business exist?  A look at the phone number on the stamp is a very good indication.  Now, phone numbers are 10 digits, you must dial the area code as well, and as long as I've been alive, we've had 7 digits for local calls.  The phone number for Tschirhart's shop?  896-K

THREE digits.  So far, the best  I could find was this was before the mid 50's.  My father is pretty sure it was much earlier.
So...way cool!
Again, I will have to take pics of this find.  I am not sure if we'll wind up putting him up for sale or keeping him, but I am having fun trying to learn about him.  If we do sell him, I honestly think I'll miss him.

The $4,000 doodle

I think I've decided to leave yesterday's post up.  If anything, it could be a lesson on why sleep is important. 

While on Etsy this morning, a seller posted a comment in the forum.  I'm still trying to figure this seller out, whether he posts just to get a rise out of people, or he sincerely is trying to sell his work for the prices he is asking.  I won't paste his work or his name here, but I will give you a general idea of what it looks like: 

Imagine this done in marker, on a wrinkled piece of art paper torn from a spiral art pad, with a picture that looks like it's taken on someone's carpeted floor.  With an asking price of $4,000.
Of course, the 'artist' spent hours on that (my representation took about 10 seconds, but it is very close), and take your pick of different drawings:  goat, mask, horse...they all look almost identical.  And apparently, the artist studied some kind of relationship...can't remember his exact wording, lines?  geometry?  Alcohol?
Keeping this $4,000 doodle, ooops, masterpiece in mind, please take a peek at my daughter's drawing.  Now, obviously, she's not in the same class as the artist I've mentioned, and has not studied any relationship between lines and shapes other than one year of high school art class, but if I *have* to pay $4,000 for one or the other, hands-down, I'd pick hers. 
Another difference between the two, the 'artist' stands firmly by his prices and his boasts of his skills, while my daughter claims she is no artist.  Ah, modesty.  :)

This is one of her more recent drawings, and isn't one of her best. 
If by chance anyone is interested in an 8 x 10 print of this, it will be printed on acid-free paper on our HP colour printer and shipped sandwiched between cardboard to prevent wrinkling and bending in the mail.  $20 includes shipping anywhere, and all profit will go to my daughter, to put away for school, or spend as she sees fit.  I can be contacted at crochetsal (at symbol here) yahoo (dot symbol here) com.

Ewwww....

When I'm really tired, I tend to get 'goofy'.  I laugh at almost anything, come up with silly ideas which, sometimes when I've gotten sleep and look at them again, sometimes can be a little stupid.

After working my 3rd midnight shift, and having a routine that basically equalled a 12 hour day with only 2 broken hours of sleep, when I got home this morning, I was tired.  I was home early, so sat up to see the girls off to school, and kept busy weaving in ends on some squares for a friend.  12 squares, 4 colours each square...that's 96 ends to weave in and trim off.  I looked at the little pile and proudly announced:  "Cool!  YARN BARF!"


Thankfully, I do not work tonight, so will hopefully get some sleep and have a much clearer head in the morning.  Which means, I could look at this post in the morning, think "OMG, I posted THAT?" and my finger won't hesitate over the delete button.  Or I could just leave it up, cause I think we all should give in to the 'sillies' once in a while.