Jello Molds, Surfers, Rascals and Kinks

A few weeks ago the folks were running errands around town and stumbled upon a small family-run Estate Sale.  So Mom gave me a call, and I got to do some shopping by proxy. 

First they found a pile of copper and pink aluminum jello molds.  I added 2 pineapples, a bunch of grapes and a fish to my collection.

  

Then they dug through a big box of 25c kitchen utensils and came up with a twinkle star cake server for my collection, a fun souvenir of Acapulco bottle opener for my barware collection, a ladle, and a slotted spoon, both made in Japan of stainless steel and a quality you just don't find today.

 

They brought everything home in this beat up suitcase.  As you can see it had a piece of duct tape wrapped all the way around it.  It came off, but now the suitcase really needs to be cleaned and painted.  Then Mom would like to try transforming it into a table.

 

I had never heard of Skyway Luggage before, but they've been around since 1910 and are still in business today.

There was a stack of LP records for 50c each.  Several of these were brought home for the purposes of cutting up the cases and crafting with them so the discs were not checked for damage.

The Beach Boys - Surfer Girl - 1963

Time Peace: The Rascals' Greatest Hits - 1968

The Beach Boys are in my top 5 favorite bands of all time so that album, even in falling apart condition, was a definite yes that Mom didn't even have to ask me about.  I love the pop art style for the cover on Time Peace.

The Kinks Greatest Hits - 1966

I really like the photo collage on this cover and I'm hoping to try my hand at making a bag of some kind with a clear vinyl sleeve on the side to hold a record album cover.

1979

double album

I'm not a terribly big fan of The Village People and why they were put together as a band but they are a great example of cheesy disco era marketing. 

I've been keeping an eye out for these Disney story albums for years as I would love to have a collection.  The discs appear to be in decent condition even if the covers are all kinds of beat up (like poor Snow White).  Robin Hood was the greatest find as it is my single favorite Disney film.

My mother has a collection of record sets that includes some Gilbert and Sullivan music and a fairy tale story record.  On that fairy tale record is a version of the tale of Sleeping Beauty that gave me the heebie jeebies as a child because they actually have Maleficent cackling.  Only once did my sister attempt to use that in place of a bedtime story and I'm sure she regretted it because she had to share a room with me.



Snow White is the most beat up of the story albums with spotting, wear marks and several missing story book pages so I am hoping that the record plays well.  If not, I have something for a fun record bowl!

I'm linking up to these parties.  Please stop by and join the fun:


Roses of Inspiration
Treasure Hunt Thursday
Show and Share
Vintage Bliss Tuesdays
Five Star Frugal

Of Sewing Machines and Tomato Soup

We've had really nice weather this summer.  I mean REALLY nice weather.  It's been 70 - 90 degrees consistently with hardly any rain so far this summer.  Yeah, I know we need some rain, but I can't help but enjoy the sun.  Normally, the only month you can count on to be rain free is August.

What's a girl supposed to do when it's hot and sunny?  Why, go to the river, of course.  So a few Saturdays ago, my friend Ian picked me up and we headed out.  But not two blocks from home, what should I see but a giant pink sign hailing me.  ESTATE SALE!!!   It was actually flapping in the breeze, waving me down, imploring me to stop.

I had no money on me, but it couldn't hurt to look, right?  So after agreeing to take only five minutes (because Ian knows me) we stopped at a small family-run sale.  I did a quick pass through the house, and saw nothing remarkable until I got into the back bedroom.  There I found a nice little sewing table for only $10.00.  I have been looking for one for a few months to fit my Kenmore Model 1302 machine that I purchased years ago at a rummage sale for $3.00. 

 

 My Kenmore model 1302 sewing machine.

 Most tables I see fit Singer machines, which have rounded corners on the base.  My machine has square corners.  So I was very excited to see a suitable table for such a good price.  There was already a working machine in it, but I'd worry about that later.  Since I had no money, and the table would not have fit in Ian's car, anyway, I called my folks and asked if they would be willing to come get it for me.

Me:  Hey Mom, I'm at an Estate Sale right around the corner from you, and they have a sewing machine for $10.00.    Could you and Dad please go to the sale and buy it for me?

Mom:  An Estate Sale?  Two blocks away?  Where's my purse?

By the way, what do we need with another sewing machine?  We just bought 3 of them last month!

Me:  I don't want the machine.  I just want the table for my Kenmore.

Mom:  (To Dad) We have to go to an Estate Sale.   Right now.

Dad:  We HAVE to go to an Estate Sale RIGHT NOW?  Why am I even asking?

Mom:  We need the truck.

Dad:  Why do we need the truck? 

Mom:  We have to bring home a sewing machine in a table.

Dad:  ANOTHER sewing machine?  I don't even want to know.

 

 

When I returned from my day at the river, this was waiting for me.
 Pretty nice for $10.00.  Please excuse the lousy picture and all the junk.

 

  

The machine inside the table is a Kenmore Model 52, a mid-century machine with a very good reputation.  I will probably give it to a friend of mine who is interested in learning to sew.  It should clean up nicely. 

The prices at this sale were so good, Mom and Dad couldn't resist buying a few other things.

 

Kitchen wares for 10c -25c each.  Mom was especially pleased to find a Pyrex refrigerator dish lid.

  

This chrome cake cover and glass plate cost a whopping 75c.

 

 This train case was $3.00.  We've never seen a Forecast brand before.  It was sold by Sears in the 1960s. 

 The mirror is missing, but the rubber frame that holds it is still there, so Mom would like to try replacing it, but first we have to practice cutting curves in mirror glass.

 The Forecast appears to have been an inexpensive model.  It's a plastic case, without a fabric lining.  It originally came with a cloth bag that snapped to the inside of the case, but ours is long gone.  It's still a sturdy hard side case with lots of use in it yet.

Mom bought a few pieces of broken jewelry at 10c each for crafting with,

 including this lapel pin.  She thought maybe it was for a college or a professional organization, but couldn't find out anything about it.  Anybody recognize it?

 Mom also found a few booklets for 25c.

 

I already have a vintage fondue set, so she thought I could use this.

 

She knows I want a vintage Waring blender.  This is for a 1968 model.

 

 It's always fun to look at mid-century cookbooks. 

Let's see what they have in this 1968 edition.  

Do you like that my nail polish matches?

 

 Surprise Cake - The surprise is that the cake tastes like tomato soup!!?? 

"Jackie, what the He**!?"  (Gotta love "That '70s Show")

I am a big fan of Campbell's Tomato soup.  And I love to make cakes.  But I can tell you right now, I don't think they belong together. 

 

 

 They are not satisfied with messing with cake; they have to redefine "Cocktail."  I am a big fan of cocktails, too.  They are supposed to be colorful, flavorful, fun concoctions served in elegant or playful glasses.  Cold soup and beef broth with seasoning does not a cocktail make.  Blecch!

 Ok, this page looks a little better.  The Chili Beef Franks recipe looks normal.  But wait... Creamy Peanut Butter Soup?  Tomato soup and peanut butter?  Here we go again.  Did they just draw random ingredients out of a hat?  But since I can't even imagine what peanut butter and tomato soup would taste like, I'll concede it might be okay.  But what the heck is so "Special" about chilled pea and potato soup?  Sounds terrible.  I wonder if anybody actually used these recipes.

I think I'll just stick with grilled cheese sandwiches with Cream of Tomato Soup on the side.

I'm linking up to these parties.  Please stop by and join the fun:

Show and Share
Roses of Inspiration

Vintage Bliss Tuesdays
Five Star Frugal

Treasure Hunt Thursday