From Carla's Clutter

This weekend I didn't go to the flea market because I spent my flea market loot at Carla's Clutter where I got these two things for the baby room, among other things. These aren't the best pictures, but I snapped them quickly the day before going back to buy them. I wanted to show them to my mom first to see what she thought about the prices, $30 for each. Ya'll know I'm frugal, or try to be about these things, so I sent the pics and prices to my mom to get her expert opinion. Anyway, I just love them both--above, a pair of floral print curtains, and below, a little, bright yellow nightstand. I also got an old cross stitch Bambi and Friends growth chart and a valet for Andrew (he's been wanting one for years though he never really wears suits). Carla's Clutter is closing its doors soon, so if you're anywhere near Pacifica, head over there to check it out. She has a lot of great stuff right now. And don't forget to go into The Pickled Hutch next door.

Pickled Hutch Picks

I have a thing for images of women diving. I'm not sure why that is, really, except that they just look strong and elegant, and the idea of diving from so high off a little board or a patch of land is exciting to me (that is being someone who used to back down the ladder of the high dive when I was little). I used to keep a picture of a woman diving off a cliff side in my cube at my old 9 to 5 job. I can't tell you how many times I looked at her, wishing I were her diving and not me sitting in my cube. I think it would be fun to collect images of women diving and hang the framed collection in a bathroom. I could start my collection with this one above from the Pickled Hutch where Lisa has a great selection of old photos. Another great idea for your old photos (or a mix of yours and found photos) is this great idea from SFgirlbybay.

The prices vary, but are about $1-4 each.

Silver sugar, which I'd use as a vase or cotton ball holder in the bathroom. $9

Statue of 3 women with one missing a head, which just gives her more character! $95

The Pickled Hutch is an antique store in San Francisco that I love. Every week I pick three items to post on my blog that I especially like. The Pickled Hutch is located at 2021 Palmetto Avenue, Pacifica, CA. Open Wed. to Sun. 11 - 6. PH 650-359-2000. Ask for Lisa.

Nesting

I've read that all this getting ready for the baby--cleaning things out, making room for new things--is called nesting. I feel like I'm nesting all the time anyway because our place is small, especially compared to where we lived before. Now I have a rule where if I bring something in, something goes out. There's just not enough room for too much stuff. The only problem with this rule is I have a hard time parting with things sometimes, even the littlest, most inconsequential things. Like the nest you see here topping my lady head vase--it's been on this table, then that table, in this drawer, then that. I just move it around. And the little bits of bric-a-brac in the nest, those things Lisa gave me, and they've just wandered around our place aimlessly as well until now. I found a home for both the nest and the bric-a-brac in (or rather on) my lady head vase. She's often empty, without a flowery top, so I made a sort of hat for her when she's not sporting fresh cut flowers. What's on her mind? You know, the important things in life: time, God, and jewelry.

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Flea Market Outing

This morning I found a whole bunch of treasures at the Alemany Flea Market, but just came home with a few. I spent most of yesterday attempting to make room for the baby, which means cleaning out the guest bedroom (aka our storage unit / my craft room), which means cleaning out every other nook and cranny in our apartment to store what I take out of the guest bedroom. Basically I just move stuff around and, alas, seem to have less room than I started with. But this process also involves filling quite a few bags to take to the Salvation Army, so we're making some progress though it's slow going. After spending most of the day fussy because we (or I should say I) have so much stuff with no place to put it, I really have no business going to the flea market and buying anything. But I did anyway! (We do need some things, like things for the baby room.) Above is an adorable pull toy for the baby room that I got for $15--it's so cute! I think I may have mentioned that we're going for a vintage look in there, so this will be perfect on the shelf that's going to go above the daybed we're getting. It reminds me of some of the cute kids things I often see at Three Potato Four. We're getting a lead paint test kit to test all the old, chippy painted stuff I've been buying for her room--we wouldn't want to poison her!


For the baby, I got a handful of old kid's books--some for .50 cents and some others for $2.50.


I liked this vendor's stuff--old scales, farming equipment, metal stools, and . . .


this great, old map of San Francisco that I got for $25. My mom bought Paula an old map of New York that was similar to this one for $100, and though it was in better condition than this one, I couldn't resist. I love it. It will go in our hallway. I think I'll have it framed but without glass.


I got this old painted lamp for $10. I've been wanting a new lamp for our bathroom, which has somehow taken on a floral theme so I think it will look cute in there. I just need a little shade for it.


Then do you remember the quilt top I got last weekend, the one on the right? Well, I also liked the one next to it, but didn't get that one then, but it was there today and I got it for $15. When I got home and opened it up, I noticed a price tag. I looked at it, and it said $200! Yikes, I think I got a deal.

Pickled Hutch Picks

I had the summer blues today, but only the good kind--blue sky, blue ocean, cool blue picks from the Hutch for a hot San Francisco day (that's mid-80's around here). Above, a small hobnail vase $22.


Royal blue and aqua enamel pin $6.

A sweet embroidered tablecloth 64" x 50" $45.

The Pickled Hutch is an antique store in San Francisco that I love. Every week I pick three items to post on my blog that I especially like. The Pickled Hutch is located at 2021 Palmetto Avenue, Pacifica, CA. Open Wed. to Sun. 11 - 6. PH 650-359-2000. Ask for Lisa.

Cherry Pie!

The pie was delicious! Andrew preferred this one he made with sour cherries and bing cherries to the one a few weeks ago that he made with just bing cherries, but I think I liked the other one a tad bit more. Just a tad bit though! The recipe came from Cooks Illustrated, and I think it's pretty perfect.

Flea Market Outing

Yesterday I went to the Alemany Flea Market. I woke up really early--4:30AM--and I just couldn't get back to sleep, so at 5:30 I got out of bed. I've never been to this flea market before 9:00, so I was excited to be there with all the early birds. One thing I think I prefer about going later is the chance of getting a better deal. I'm terrible at asking for a better deal, and rarely do, so I like it when vendors just offer up a better price than what's marked. Toward the end of the day it seems people are willing to come down on their prices a little more. This flea market isn't especially cheap (a very small wood aqua chippy painted side table for $87?), but you can find some really good deals now and then, and it's always fun to look around. I just bought one thing, which is now one of my favorite things ever, an amazing vintage fabric quilt top for $20. I love it! My mom's going to help me finish it and then it will go in the baby room. Here it is along with some other fun things I saw.

There's my quilt top! Mine's the one on the right, with a good bit of yellow in it.

Here it is a little closer. Click on the picture to see it larger--aren't all those little prints great?


Ah, a lovely lady. But do I really need another lady painting? I'd like another one, but she looked a little too melancholy for me today, and I wasn't sure I wanted to pay $65, though I think she was definitely worth it. The frame alone was great.


A huge bird cage! Not quite as big as Lisa's, but still very big and it looked really old.


One vendor that I really like a lot always has boxes of stuff in groupings--box of clocks, box of doll shoes, box of doll heads, box of door knobs, box of cars and trucks, box of vintage books, etc. I love looking through his boxes. He was also the one selling the lady portrait that I liked. And he sells re-purposed little brooms like you see in the first picture at the top of this post.


What a great trunk! I want a trunk for the baby room to serve as storage and a coffee table to go in front of the daybed we're getting ready to buy. The trunk was in Mary Millman's space, whose space always looks like a little antique shop. She does a great job arranging things so that everything looks nice and so you can see everything at once. A little decorated corner of the flea market. We got to talking and learned we both love the south! Ah, the south, where it's hot. Call me crazy, but I wouldn't have minded a little hot. Anyway, Mary is featured this month in the Maine Antiques Digest and can be found at the flea market on Sundays or by appointment if you might be interested in her antiques: sfflea@earthlink.net. She also had a great rug, below.