Estate Sale Finds

After several months of disappointing estate sales, we've found a few good ones the last couple of weekends.  Two sales on Saturday yielded a few items to sell and a few things to keep.  I bought a bag of buttons that included about forty cards of 1960s to 1980s era buttons, plus what you see in the tray below.  I also picked up the baby shoes and two little dresses from the 1940s.

There are some of the tiniest buttons I've seen, along with a few rhinestones and wool-covered buttons. The LaMode buttons are fairly old, based on the price, and there are a few glass buttons.  I especially like the metal button with the pair of birds, and there were six of the little enamel Santa faces. They're not very old - probably 1980s or 1990s - but cute just the same.

At one sale I entered an upstairs closet and found a stack of 1950s turquoise glass ornaments in their original boxes.  These will be going on Etsy as I have more glass ornaments than I know what to do with, but they're vintagey and a bit shabby and it's oh-so-tempting to keep them!

The second sale of the day was at a very nice newer home. The interior was painted pink - very feminine and lovely. On first glance I thought there would be only newer items for sale, but I found some gloves and hankies. Then in the study I found treasure - this wonderful scrapbook/photo album from the 1920s!

I'm not sure why other people's memories make me so happy, but my heart started beating a bit faster when I saw this.  I'll probably keep it to enjoy for a while, but will eventually list some of the items and probably the cover on Etsy. Here are a few pages for you to enjoy.

I've been told there's a sale next weekend and the homeowner is 100.  She's just now moving into a "retirement" community, and the home she's moving from belonged to her mother before her.  I'm planning to be there!

Breakfast at Tiffany's Fabric Book Swap

A couple of months ago Laurie Jackson of Indulge Your Shelf invited several friends to participate in a Breakfast at Tiffany's fabric book swap.  Six of us made pages, sent them to Laurie, and she bound them together with her page and covers into a fabulous and beautiful book for each of us.  We were all so excited to receive our books this week, and I know some of you have been waiting to see.  I'll provide links below for Laurie and the others with blogs so you can visit and see their photos, too.  Click on any of my photos to see a larger view.

When I opened my package, this is what I saw - pretty wrapping with an A for Audrey.

Laurie made the front and back covers, plus another page.  I love the fabrics and trims she used. She also sent each of us a pretty coordinating bookmark and a little book with interesting tidbits about the film.

The inside front cover features a typewriter with a removable "page" that includes the contributor names and information - genius on Laurie's part, I think.  Check out that tiny tassel trim at the top of the page.  The opposite is the front of my page.  The background has the lyrics to "Moon River."  The dress is velvet with tiny "pearls" and a rhinestone button sewn at the neck.  The pleated ruffle at the hem isn't a part of the dress as it appeared in the film, but I had just found a vintage slip and couldn't wait to use the ruffled trim so I exercised artistic liberty!

Next is the back of my page, and the front of Lisa Stanton's page. Laurie kept the two Okie's together! My page is a black velvet handbag with a rhinestone clasp and a string of pearls.  The little card is a claim check for the engraving of Holly's Cracker Jack ring.  Lisa's page is very plush black velvet with blue satin ruffles, rhinestones and pearls.  Beautiful! 

The back of Lisa's page is black satin with white satin bows - so Tiffany!  Opposite is Tamatha Kaplan's page titled "Holly's Crazy Apartment," and featuring a collage of photos from the film crazy-quilted with sumptuous fabrics and trims.

Up next is the back of Tamatha's page titled "Shopping With Audrey." It has nine "shop windows" on satin trimmed with tulle, ribbon and rhinestones.  Opposite is Suzanne Wingfield's beautiful Tiffany-blue satin "box" tied with their signature white ribbon.

The back of Suzanne's page shows Audrey as seen from inside Tiffany's. It's on white satin and trimmed with net, lace, velvet ribbon and pearls, and accented with a rhinestone and pink jeweled pin.  Opposite is Laurie's "Little Pink Dress" page sewn on beautiful striped pink satin accented with a vintage doily, beaded trim and and ruffled silk ribbon.

The back of Laurie's page includes a hand silhouette holding a vintage earring. Underneath is the line from the movie, "You can always tell what kind of person a man really thinks you are by the earrings he gives you."  This page is accented with sequins, brocade trim, lace and vintage black glass buttons.  Opposite is Linda McMillin's page with a beaded New York City skyline, a silhouette of Audrey's dress from the opening scenes and beaded with pearls and a rhinestone button, a silhouette of Cat, a ribbon and a tuxedo button.  Along the edge is glitter ribbon and roses.

The back of Linda's page shows several iconic images from the film. Linda added stamps, flowers and rhinestones.  Opposite is Tami Hacker's lovely page with an image of Audrey sewn to beautiful fabric and accented with rhinestones, tulle, ribbon, a little doily and pompom trim.  Very pretty!

The back of Tami's page includes the lyrics to "Moon River", a pretty organdy flower with a rhinestone button center, and more ribbon.  Laurie found cute NYC brownstone fabric for the inside back cover and added a blue moon and Cat.

The back cover, also by Laurie, shows a silhouette of Audrey overlaid with tulle and accented with lacy ribbon trim, buttons and Tiffany blue seam binding.

If you have a chance to see one of the books in person, you should.  Each page is truly lovely and together they are an amazing collaboration.  I'm honored and proud that I was able to be a part of this project, and so appreciate the work Laurie and the others put into the book.  Please click on the highlighted names above to go to the other blogs and see additional photos and information.  You'll be glad you did!

I sent Laurie a few little "swap hostess" gifts, mostly not in the Tiffany theme but things I thought she would like.