new look

What do you think?

Have been working with Chelsea at bergenhouse over the past few weeks to perfect the updated banners and avatars for Etsy, Facebook, Twitter, this blog, etc. It's been a pleasure to work with her and I absolutely love the final product. I highly recommend her design work, and also her super cute shop!
~ Jenny

stock up the shop: holiday lovliness

Went to five different spots yesterday and walked out of several empty-handed. Determined to stock up  as much as possible before "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday" and all of that jazz... So grateful for a week off of school to do this before the relatives come!

Speaking of which, here I am exposing the elementary teacher side of myself...this is a hilarious children's book that is a good gift for young and old: The Relatives Came, by Cynthia Rylant. If any of you have family get-togethers where people end up sleeping all over the house, listening to each other snoring and such, and enjoying the crowded-ness of such gatherings, you might get a chuckle from this book. Makes me laugh every time and I enjoy reading it around the holidays.

On to the haul:

- Waeschtersbach Mugs (Four of them, great condition...gifting for Xmas, and crossing fingers that she doesn't read my blog...)
- Crazy Cool Smoky Glasses (see photo below)
- Milk Glass Bowl (Looking for help with this one, have a look below)
- Swedish Santa
- Wilton First Birthday Cake Topper (Actually still in original package, carefully un-did for photo. That is one cute 1-year old.)
- Vintage Marshall Field's Advent Calendar (My favorite find of the day...mostly because I still weep for Marshall Field's...see more ranting below...but also because it's West German, still in original unopened package, and so very pretty.)
- Hazel Atlas Wheat Sheaf Cups
- Eva Zeisel "Prestige" Glasses (Keeping! Closer look below.)
- Two Vintage Camera Straps
- Kolf Austria Table Linens

How fun are these? Six of them in excellent condition. Don't know the maker of these.

This milk glass bowl is so beautiful with its bluish tinge and swirls. Anyone have an ID for this?

Couldn't pass this guy up and can't decide if I should keep or sell.

Sniff, sniff. Anyone else miss Marshall Field's? I'm originally from Madison, Wisconsin
and any time I go home my mom and I still talk about it.
We also miss Dayton's...lived in Minneapolis for 10 years for college and beyond.
Damn you Macy's!!

Eva Zeisel "Prestige" line for Federal Glass, 1954. Keeping these to start my own collection,
but you can start your own here at Steve's great Etsy Shop.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I'm thankful for all of you who stop by now and then, and thankful for all the help I've gotten from online friends!
~ Jenny

Linking up with Her Library Adventures and Apron Thrift Girl

stock up the shop: I made a new friend

Took a week off as the rest of my life took over for a bit. It was actually nice to have a break, and made getting back to it all the sweeter. Not a huge haul this week, but some fun stuff nonetheless...some of which will stay right here with me.

 I love the warm feel of these items. And here they are: 
- Landert Fondue Pot (From Switzerland, meant to go from oven to table. Just love those swirls.)
- Modern Wooden Bird Bowl (It's a shallow bowl with a really cool, mod shape. Already listed if you want to check it out.)
- Hyalyn Pink Rectangular Console Dish (Beautiful condition, buttery glaze...kind of hiding in the back there.)
- Pottery Craft Vase (The other Pottery Craft I have is not selling super well, but this was kind of different from some I've found and in such good condition, I grabbed it.)
- Two Brass/Copper Angel Candle Holders (Made in Hong Kong, they're a common item, but I really think they're pretty so I'll add them to my own Christmas decorations.)
- Two Arabia Kosmos Bread and Butter Plates (Hiding under those angels.)
- Coral Glossy El Patio by Franciscan/Gladding Mc Bean Gravy Boat (El Patio was the first dinnerware produced by California based Gladding McBean and the very first line to carry the Franciscan name.)
- And finally, I'd like to introduce you to... Well, I don't know who he is, but something about him made me pay too much to bring him home. The more I look at him, the more I love him and I sure do want to know where he is going, what he is  carrying, why he's not wearing any shoes, and what he so unhappy about. He's looking at me right now while I'm typing this. Check him out:

I haven't found anything out about him, so if any of you have any insights, I'd sure love to hear them. Chances are, he's just another 1970s wood carving, but there's something about him that really caught my eye. 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! Oh, and I'm finally on Twitter: @thecreekhouse if you want to say hello.

~ Jenny

(Linking up with Her Library Adventures and Apron Thrift Girl.)

stock up the shop: worth a second trip

Got up early and headed out on my own only to find a few not-so-great things. Then, mustered up some energy and my 6 year old boy to head out later and managed to find:

- Oil and Vinegar Cruets by Wheaton Glass (Fused together, funny that.)

- Couroc Tray (Honoring the First Presbyterian Church in Monterey, CA 1883 - 1983. Almost left it, then changed my mind.)
- Dorothy Thorpe Silver and Glass Tray (Pretty awesome I think with original stickers and label still on the bottom.)
- Heller Cups and Bowls
- Two Panels of 1960s Marimekko (Yes!)
- Mexican Sterling Silver Utensils Set (My "Should I, Shouldn't I" item for this week. Box has a distinctive mark: "Plata Moderna Mexico 925 Sterling." Love the style and can't wait to see what they look like all shined up.)
- Paden City Teapot (I believe it's from the Greenbriar/Greenbrier line from the 1950s.)
- And lastly, a Figgjo lid. Yep, a lid. What was I thinking?

All but the cruets were found past noon. Goes to show the early birds don't get ALL the worms.

Of course the boy was the best partner ever, always is. He was duly rewarded with a toy helicopter and a recorder, and was even so considerate to pick out a flashlight and yet another recorder for his little sister. A 3 year old and a 6 year old marching around the house all afternoon with recorders they don't really know how to play. Again, what was I thinking? Did someone say wine?

~ Jenny
PS: Hey, if you have a second, check out my last post and put your two cents in about my mysterious ladybug. Looking for some insights on this one!

the mystery of the electric ladybug

Here are your clues:

Clue #1: It's a metal ladybug. It's heavy. 6" long, 5" wide, 3" high.

It has a cord. A really short cord. 6" long. When you plug it in...

...that metal circle with a square-shaped hole in it spins slowwwwwly while making a nice quiet grinding hum. Like something else would attach to it and turn? (So, there's a motor inside.)
See those metal things on either side that make it seem like it would slide onto something?

Electrohome Limited, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada 1976
Do Not Expose To Rain (Ne Pas Exposer A La Pluie)
Researched the company and Electrohome made crazy funky TV/Stereo consoles in the 1950s and 60s , among other things, and then started making outdoor accessories later.
Oh, also says "Made in Korea" under that bottom emblem.

And that's what I know about this Electric Ladybug.

So, whaddya think? Anyone? Someone out there knows EXACTLY what this baby is, and I want to know!! Help a girl out and let me know, ask around, share the photo, whatever it takes.
~ Jenny

stock up the shop: yellows and blues

So, since starting my stock up the shop posts, I've noticed that the purchases seem to "go" together aesthetically. Not every piece, but when I place them on my table to take a photo, I'm struck each week at how nicely they fit together as a little grouping. Interesting, I think. I wonder why? Does this happen to you?

Seems like yellows and blues are the thing this week:

My camera focused funny in the dim Saturday evening light. Sorry for the not-so-crispy image. Here's what I rounded up today:
- Tensor mod "eyeball" lamp (I'm excited to see how this one cleans up.)
- Awesome set of four mint 70s stoneware mugs (Japan I assume...and what IS with all the mugs lately?)
- Gemco giant cream and sugar set in the Pyrex "Butterfly Gold" Pattern (What was that I said about C & S sets last week?)
- Heller glass canister (Gathering up a little collection here...to sell or keep, such a dilemma.)
- Metlox oval bowl (Has a really pretty, almost periwinkle, interior glaze.)
- Copenhagen Porcelain B&G Mors Dag 1974 commemorative plate (Mother's Day...adorable little polar bear cubs snuggling/suckling up to mama bear.)
- Silver clown bank

In my October 1 post, I showed a little wooden humidor I came across. It turned out to be a bit of a treasure, one of those "Should I, Shouldn't I?" moments. Just posting on this blog generated a bit of interest I wasn't prepared for. It turned out to be a highly collectible piece designed by Jean Gillon for Wood Art -made in Brazil in the 1960s. I ended up selling it on Ebay because I wasn't sure how to price it. I'll do a little feature post on it someday.

I don't want to get into the purchase price vs. sale price thing, but I always love that sense of following your gut feeling when treasure-hunting, that feeling of intrigue you get when you find something that seems like it might be something special, but it might very well be not so special. Thought it might be fun to highlight these experiences when they come along...the successes and failures...to provide perhaps some information, or maybe just a good laugh at my expense! :)

~ Jenny

stock up the shop: arabia, seibel, denby

Some weekend finds to continue the stock-up-the-shop efforts:

- Ben Seibel Iroquois Impromptu "El Camino" small pitcher/creamer
- Arabia "Oliivi" 8 cups and saucers (Designed by Ulla Procope in the 1960s. Perfect condition.)
- Denby England "Gypsy" platter (70s-80s)
- Large stoneware shakers (Made in Japan, have handles that are a bit hidden.)
- Stainless cream and sugar set (I try not to buy too many cream and sugar sets, because I really don't think people use them so much anymore, but I really like the shape of these.)

And one more funny little addition:

How fun are these? Friehof Jagertee is an Austrian alcoholic beverage "punch," to be heated and served to hunters, hikers, skiers...after a long day in the alps. :) Doesn't that sound lovely? They definitely feel Christmas-y to me. These mugs must have been a promotional item. I love the graphics, colors, and the vintage nordic ski vibe - the boots, poles, skis, sweaters and hats.

Having a ski-fanatic-Norwegian-blooded husband who did the longer-than-average ski "bum" thing in Vail, then living in our turn-of-the century log cabin at 8,500 feet for 8 years with said husband here in Colorado, and just being a winter-loving Wisconsin-born girl all contribute to my love of all things alpine. These mugs get me excited to practice my measly skiing skills this winter, learning along with my 3 and 6 year-old, and then be rewarded with a warm drink in a cozy mountain lodge. Here's to winter!
~ Jenny

stock up the shop: mod pops

As I get more and more selective about what I bring home for the shop, my "hauls" have been smaller lately. But then I have days like today (and last week) where I end up with more things than I should. But, hey, it's good stuff!

Have a look:

- Couroc Tray (With French wedge of cheese and Gouda images, and an attached wooden cutting board!)
- Resin Tray with Swiss Fondue Bourguignonne Instructions (Cute old-timey instructions for this type of meat fondue.)
- Heller Glass Containers (I dream of a huge collection of these to store bulk items in my dream kitchen. Gotta get that dream kitchen, first.)
- Georges Briard Butterfly Glasses (A little worn, but so fun.)
- Johnson Brothers Cups and Saucers set of 6 (1980s "Eaton" pattern.)
- Pyrex cast iron warmer (With spot for a votive.)
- Coors Porcelain Co. evaporating dish (Amazing labware from the 1920s.)
- Electric Ladybug (Yes, electric. Plug it in and it buzzes. Made by a company which made outdoor accessories. So mysterious. I have no idea what it is or what it's for but I totally love it and if anyone has any insights to this, I welcome it. If not, for now, it's an electric ladybug.)

Working on getting these, and others, listed. And joining in this:

My goal is to get two things listed daily, catching up if I get behind, to get a total of 62 new items listed in the creekhouse Etsy shop by the end of October. Hope I can keep up!

Linking up with Apron Thrift Girl and Her Library Adventures in their weekly shares.
~ Jenny

stock up the shop: warm tones

Thought I'd join in the treasure-hunt-sharing trend and start regularly posting my weekend finds. I love seeing the things that other people find, so what the heck...maybe someone wants to see my scores! I know I'm always excited about them! My husband might just appreciate not being the only one who has to see show and tell each weekend.

I'm usually up and out on Saturday mornings, enjoying some much-needed alone time after a busy week of teaching elementary schoolers and being a mom of two, hitting a few favorite local thrift shops and also estate and garage sales. Some days, like today, I'm up and out before anyone is even awake.

So here's my Stock-Up Saturday:
- Dorothy Thorpe punch bowl (Pretty sure it's the real deal.)
- Dansk Tiny Tapers
- Pyrex blue snowflake bowl (I still can't resist some Pyrex now and then.)
- Arcopal France mushroom mug
- Pottery Craft Vino set (Decanter and four cups.)
- Made in Japan stainless and wood fish bottle opener (Husband may not let this go, sorry folks...we'll see.)
- Le Grand Tetras canteen France (I've never hiked with wine, but this might be the perfect excuse to start.)
- Cute little wooden bucket with "locking" lid and cork interior. (Came home and realized it's actually a little humidor for storing loose tobacco...strong smell of pipe tobacco. Hmmm. I like it, BUT...)
- Cattail wall hangings

Think I'll join in the fun over Her Library Adventures' Flea Market Finds on Sundays and Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Mondays. Seems like a great way to get the blog up and going again!

Most of the things pictured here will end up in the creekhouse Etsy shop... I've gotten wayyyyy behind in listing so hopefully this weekend all of this, and more, will be in the shop.

Had a shelf collapse in the garage yesterday. Is that a bad sign?
~ Jenny

end of summer sale

Hello sad, neglected, lonely little blog! And hello readers, if you're out there...

It's been a while, but thought I'd pop in to say hello, share a few new items, and let you all know that there's an End of Summer Sale goin' on over at the creekhouse Etsy shop. LOTS of great things marked down, wayyyy down.

While you're bargain hunting, check out a few fun new items I've added:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/81141256/ovenex-starburst-loaf-pan

http://www.etsy.com/listing/81140863/hyalyn-tile-dutch-windmill

http://www.etsy.com/listing/81140454/yellow-plastic-accordion-wall-hooks

http://www.etsy.com/listing/81139936/blue-heaven-by-royal-usa-creamer

Happy Labor Day!

~ Jenny