Treasure Box Wednesday: Queenly Treasures at the Regent Square Neighborhood Yardsale

I do believe I have the weather to thank. Because this past Saturday was the first one in many years I can think of where the day of the Regent Square Neighborhood yard sale had no threat of rain.

As a result, everyone thinking about selling their unneeded items, and making a few bucks, DID. And everyone looking for goodies-- and there were a ton of us-- were walking around the sun-dappled streets carrying armfuls of treasures.

Seriously-- every person I saw walking down the street appeared to be carrying bags of purchases. And I find it amazing because I, too, found so many good things at great prices it seems impossible there was enough to go around.

One of my favorite items was this ten inch tall McCoy butterfly pattern vase. I had seen it in my McCoy book a while back and I loved the shape. It was one I definitely thought if I ran across, I would be interested in having. And there it was, unpriced, on a long table.

 I enquired, imagining it would be at least $20, considering its size and great shape. And do you know what the response was?

"Oh... a dollar."

ACK! I had my money out in a flash.

At another house, I found this (somewhat blurry, sorry) pink swan McCoy vase. It was at a somewhat pricier (snicker) $3.

 And at yet another stop, I got this cute USA pottery wallpocket for $3, as well.

I got two stained glass heart suncatchers I want to use in my kitchen windows... Here's the purple one...

 And the red, blue and purple...

 I snagged this tapestry of the Tower of London for $3, too. I think it might make a nice pillow.

 I nabbed this Victorian transferware bowl with nymphs on it in a far corner of the sale area. They actually seemed surprised I even wanted it...

 I got this pretty vintage floral tablecloth for $1, and aside from being wrinkled, it's in great condition...

 This vintage teacup with gold leafing was fifty cents. It was the lady's grandmother's, she said.

 And I couldn't go to a sale like this without coming away with a weird vintage lamp. This one is in harlequin colors that look terrific in my sort of bohemian bedroom. It works and has all its crystals. I paid $5 for it.

So that's what I got up to this past weekend. I don't know how many miles I walked in total. Someday I'll have to do the sale while wearing a pedometer and find out for sure. The legs certainly knew it had shopped for distance the next day, but with treasures like these, it felt all worthwhile.

Hope you all have a bountiful, joyous Memorial Day weekend.

A Dickens of a Time Christmas Decorating

Hear ye, hear ye, all welcome to London Town this fine pre-Christmas eve! (Or morn. Or, um, teatime. Or whenever you folks happen to show up.) Mr. Dickens will be along shortly to recite one of his most favorite Christmas tales, but in the meantime, please join me in a small tour of the city...

A very small tour. About eight inches max, small.

Yes, spawned by a thrifted Big Ben (not yet unpacked) much earlier in the year, my eyes were opened to the Historical Landmarks series of Department 56. And being the Anglophile I am, I thought it would be fun over the course of 2008 to pick a few of my favorite London buildings for a Christmas village display.

And where better to set up my mini Dickensian world than on the flat, safe surface of the windowseat?...


This is what I've been up to this last week, in addition to cleaning and trying to figure out where I stored some errant Christmas presents! Since the living room was already done in a rather William Morris/Medieval look, it didn't seem all that odd to have Dickensian England pop up there as well...


All this time travel... It's a bit like being Dr. Who, isn't it? And here in the center, we have the Tower Bridge....


Thankfully, London Bridge is not only not falling down, but it's looking fairly festive! Next we have St. Martins in the Field cathedral...


I had a great time here (well, the bigger version of it, anyway), when I was visiting London. There's a place to do brass rubbings (a very relaxing, pleasant way to spend an hour!), and you can even have tea in the crypt, if you feel so bold. (I did-- and yummy tea!)

Then last, we have the Tower of London...


Regular readers probably know my fixation on the mystery of Richard III and the vanished princes from the Tower. So you'll likely see why this was a fun choice for me.

And no, I suppose it's not what you call a tradition thing to think of at Christmastime. But I do think it works well with the room.

The windows of the window seat got a bit of hall-decking as well... Just two strings of faux pine garland and a couple of bright red bows to top it off!...


And I also exchanged my all-purpose roses garland for some pine boughs and bows here on top of my china cabinet, as well...


Now we step into the dining room, and remember how I was saying I wanted to add some green ribbon to that pink tree on the mantle? Well...

The yellow green seems to work well with both the golds of the cherub lamp, and the greens of the room itself.
I think it helps tone down the pink enough... even if it is a bit wild and nutty! You can see above, both the lamp, its shade and the candlestick all got the green bow treatment.

And last, here's just a quick closeup on the tree. I'm still adding ornaments now that I got an extra pack of hooks.


Well, I'm afraid it's time to close the Treasure Box for this Wednesday. I hope to have more Christmas decorating photos for you soon, as other things get unpacked and accomplished.

• If you missed Sunday's post, Decorating Ideas Through Vintage Christmas Postcards, click here.

And hope to see you again this Sunday for, um, well, fingers crossed pics of my main livingroom tree. But we'll have to play that by ear a bit!