Bargains and Beauty at the First Annual Bellevue Neighborhood Yard Sale

It might just have been the birth of an annual tradition!

I'm talking about the First Annual Bellevue Neighborhood Yard Sale, here in the Pittsburgh, PA region.

Much like the Regent Square neighborhood sale, Bellevue promised the joy and anticipation of serendipitous secondhand. But where Regent Square is a fairly condensed area, and the sale has been going on for several years in a row, Bellevue's participating Victorian homes were spread out over the northern slopes, making for some fascinating items and a lot of really good exercise.

I was hoping for some shots with condensed yard saling activity in them, but topography just wouldn't permit! One of my favorite locations had tons of fabric remnants... virtually anything you might need, right down to a disassembled, hand-embroidered vintage quilt with squares just waiting to be pieced together once more.

I didn't buy anything there, as my sewing skills don't in any way equal my ambition, but I really enjoyed walking around, seeing the homes and the various items for sale, and thinking about how these things might find new owners who would truly appreciate them.

My buddy Scoobie did find an antique level, as a future Christmas present for her dad...

From a distance, it may not look like much, but this old tool still has a few tricks up its sleeve... or, from the looks of the metal plaque embedded deeply into it-- its toga.
Initials and a maiden (Columbia? Liberty?) tell a tale of days where detail mattered. I think Scoobie's dad is going to be thrilled. He collects old tools and cherishes them for both their form and function.

I also had a blast taking photos of local architecture, flora and fauna. This stained glass window, in what I believe is a chrysanthemum pattern, caught the eye...
The shingles need work, but the window continues to brighten the way.

I also loved these hydrangeas, where many different colors inhabited just one bush...
Some on their way out, some are still shouting of summer days!

And a butterfly bush drew in some friendly swallowtails who didn't mind posing for a brief fashion shoot...

I flapped on out of there myself feeling relaxed, entertained and glad for such a beautiful day. Here's looking forward to next year.

Getting to Know You: Survey Says?

I know I blab on a lot each week about the sorts of things that I get all excited about when treasure hunting-- but I've been wondering what makes you all happy.
And so I thought it might be fun to just chat a bit about the kinds of things that make your hearts go pitty-pat when you spy them-- the way you decorate with them, and the kinds of places you go to uncover them!

• What, if anything, do you collect? Do you have a favorite piece in your collection?

• Do you have any preference between thrift stores, flea markets, yard sales, antique malls or any other sources for your treasure-hunting?

• Is there anything you get particularly excited about when you spot it?
  

• Do you craft much? And if so-- what's your favorite craft?

• Do you decorate your home in a particular style? (Say, Victorian, colonial, 70s retro, mid-century modern, etc.)

• Is there a particular color that you gravitate toward?

Just to get the ball rolling so no one feels shy, I'll start--

• I collect a number of things, including McCoy pottery, figural bisque pieces, Carnival and luster glassware, Fiestaware, and early 1900s transferware pottery. I also have a small vintage Pyrex problem. And I love retro cooking, decorating and crafting books-- particularly if their photos have a "what-the?!" factor. I have favorite pieces, but choosing among all of them would be like picking a favorite child. They all make me happy when I see them.

• While I enjoy all forms of secondhand goodies-searching, I tend to go to thrift stores and antique malls more than garage sales and flea markets. It's a drive for me to get to flea markets, meaning I'd have to get up super-early in the morning just to be there at a decent time. And given my area's confusing, winding topography, tracking down garage sales isn't always easy. I might end up irretrevably lost-- and no, I haven't thrifted myself GPS yet. :) I should probably work on that.
  

• I get really excited when I see what might be an interesting, possibly hand-painted lamp at a thrift store. Longtime readers know I have a lamp problem. I should have probably listed that above in the collecting area, but doing so would mean I'd have to admit I actively amass them. And I'm not ready for that step in the Lamp Addicts Anonymous program yet.
  

• Re: crafting, I really enjoy painting; the success of it, however, is always teetering a fine line between half-decent and candidate for the Museum of Bad Art. And which way the project will veer is never obvious from the beginning.
  

• My home is decorated in a combination of Victorian and Shabby Chic, with a bit of Eastern Indian and 50s retro thrown in for good measure. I like the idea of the house being usable and comfortable, so I aim for an atmosphere more than strict period styling.

• Colorwise, I realize I seem to have some shade of green in almost every room. I find it soothing somehow. I'm not big on orange (I think I was scared by 70s harvest colors as a child), but I've grown to realize almost any color can work beautifully under the right circumstances.
  

So, those are my answers. What thrifty, crafty fun brings you joy? I'd love to hear about it!