Reclaimed Wood Project!

My husband scored with this. He knows me well. Last week he was describing these cool things in the stockroom at work, sitting there for ages and they were supposed to be tossed. (omg, TOSSED as in GARBAGE!). So he was describing them to me, in a way that didn't sound too amazing, but I knew that if it was something that he was willing to pick up from work and shove into our already overstuffed garage, that it must be pretty cool...
Today he brought them home....thus begins an amazing project. We are both so stoked!

 

He brought home two vintage shipping crates from Europe. OMG they are just so kick ass, when I saw them my head just about exploded in a million pieces. Full of vintage shipping stamps burned in the wood. Seriously, WOW, Both are unique with different stamps. Metal on the corners...Yow-za!

We decided that we are going to keep one and hinge the top, create a base and make it into a storage chest/coffee table. The other one, we are going to do the same, but sell that one. We only have one top, which as you can see is much newer looking and doesn't quite match the rest of the crate....so we had to get it dirty and weathered. We didn't want to stain it because that would create a new clean consistant look...my husband just grabbed a handful of potting soil that was next to him in the garage and ground it into the wood...omg, perfect finish. And free. Nature will provide!

For the other crate, we are going to purchase some reclaimed wood for the top. Fun! I love these kind of projects!

 

 

^Dirt^

 

 

Decided to put Evan to work. He likes this sort of thing. Here he is...just grinding dirt into the dampened porous wood.

 I asked Avery if she wanted to help, but she was sitting on the sofa wearing roller skates in her underwear playing Mario Galaxy. Its her new thing, to put roller skates on while she is still in her PJs and not even skate around. Just wear skates in her PJs...(underwear and tshirt) She will wear that until 1 or 2 pm unless we are leaving the house and make her change into clothes.  PJs and roller skates. So she didn't want to join us in the garage for the renovation fun.

I made Evan do the dirty work, rubbing potting soil on wood. Then we all jumped in the pool fully clothed. Full of dirt and sweaty, not a good combo.

Here is how the top came out

 

 

Can you believe it? Potting soil and water! Come to find out that this reclaimed furniture has a nice resell price. A couple of problems: 1) I don't have a bricks and mortar shop and 2) These things are insanely heavy, and it is not something I am interested in shipping. (shipping a shipping crate in a shipping crate...)

So, I have checked around and there are a few places that will hopefully purchase from me and sell in their retail shop. These things sell for a pretty penny, so I suppose receiving half of their retail price would still be pretty decent. We have access to several more of these shipping crates, so if all works out, we are going to make some more. They are the perfect coffee table size and having the top hinged makes for awesome storage. If you are local (Tampa) and interested, let me know.

 

 

I am so excited about these. And Greg (hubby) is also geeked that he found something that is so on the mark. This is a fun family project....as soon as we get Avery off her roller skates and join us in the hot garage with a pot of dirt, so she can be a part of all of this!

 

 

Also we have an industrial metal (greenish gray) map chest that (maybe) will be on our selling list. Again, heavy as shit, so it will not be shipping. It is perfect coffee table height and has casters. (I really really want to keep this one, I just have to find the right place for it) Which is why I am not picturing it. I am not 100% sure that I want to part with it.

 

 

 

Any projects that you are working on? Any suggestions of local places that will buy our super amazing reclaimed wood coffee table/trunks (without me having to do monthly booth rental) So far we are looking at Broccante in St. Pete and Rare Hues in Carrolwood....Any others that you know of?

 

 

 



 

Fun Lan Swap Meet

First of all, its not "Fun Land" it really is "Fun Lan". And fun it is, that's for sure! Its a big ole' nasty swap meet that takes place in the parking lot of a drive-in theater. The mass majority is people just taking dirty, broken crap, and placing it on the ground atop of dirty blankets. But yet, I go....Why, you ask? Well its the only place that is open after I drop my kids off at school (open at 5am, I go around 7ish), and for whatever reason, among the mass amounts of dirty, stinky crapola, I tend to find a few really cool treasures. And even if I didn't, I would probably still go. Its just fun, (hence the name) and the people are interesting. That's usually good enough for me.

But, as I said, I do tend to find some treasures.

 

See, I told you it was "Fun Lan"...

Okay, for the treasure finds:

Kitsch cuties cats. I know, I know, they usually come with two baby cats, but one of them must have run away a long time ago! This sweet pairing also came with a whole other posse of puss. All of them needed some TLC with the chains, as most of them were detached. I enlisted my sons skills. He has small hands that are very steady (artist hands), He fixed them all in under 10 minutes! (Thanks, Evan!)

This momma was clearly scalped, as was one of her babies. There is residue remaining from where her lavender tuff of hair once rested. Still adorable!

This group still has some sparse follicles still attached. Although in some need of a bit of Rogaine perhaps. Totally cute regardless!

All three of these kit kat kuties are available in my shop this week.
Look for them here------>RANDOM GOODS VINTAGE

I also found a few other goodies, such as a 1954 Monopoly set and a globe bank. The bank is in rough condition, but for $1, I think it will make a great photo prop.


So that is my Fun Lan fun adventure, I plan on going every Friday, so I am sure I will post more discovered goodies in the future.

The kids are back in school, so I have a lot more shopping time and I plan on taking advantage of every sweet minute!

Helloooo look at these! They were behind the glass counter at a thrift store. I usually ignore anything behind a glass counter because, to me, it means expensive and "we found out its worth something before you got your hands on it"

But apparently these were behind the glass because of the sheer fragility.

 

Looky! Looky! Looky! Fabulous kids vintage card games from the 40s-50s. Look at all that delightful ephemera! Yea, the boxes are in pretty gnarly condition, but it really doesn't matter. I am in love with these little guys!

 

Available here---------->KIDS CARD GAMES

 

 

Then there are these fellas...retro Renwal books, full of vintage toy and animal photography, Board book style. Vintage board books are not an easy find. They are usually teethed and drooled to death by little babies.

 

Set of three board books from the 1960s. Available here--------->BOARD BOOKS


And how about a little music to put you in the mood....

Vintage Fisher Price Record Player. Found this shoved in the back in the electronics department of a local thrift store. I always dig around deep...that's where they hide the good stuff!

Available here------->FISHER PRICE RECORD PLAYER

So much stuff, so little time. I have lots more goodies to post, keep checking back! I have also started carrying vintage sheets in my shop, so check em out. They have been selling quite well.

Any swap meets in your neck of the woods? Are they every bit of crappy as Fun Lan? (I mean "crappy" in  good way. Kinda....)


Linking up with Sir Thrift A Lot this week.

 

 

The Week of Art

Evan had scheduled two art markets 6 days apart, so it was a mad scramble getting everything matted and bagged. Also he had new business cards and banners made. In between those 6 days was his new school's Meet and Greet. That, and among other things, it was a pretty busy week for all of us.

My daughter's Meet and Greet is the 18th, and I am hoping there will be no more running around because school starts on the 19th. My head will explode!

The first Market Evan had scheduled was at Southern Brewing and Winemaking in Seminole Heights. We had checked it out the previous month and it had a cool urban vibe. Young crowd, small market, and very, very busy. Unfortunately when we went to load up the car and head out on the day Evan was scheduled to be a vendor there,  it started pouring! It's Florida, that's what happens. We decided to tough it out and set up anyhow. As soon as we arrived, it completely stopped raining. And it stayed dry every second of that market. And then it poured as soon as the market was over. Fantastic luck! It started off being a really lame market, and Evan was getting frustrated. About 2 hours of sitting there in the muggy heat, it started to pick up for him...sale after sale after sale. Ended up being his best show ever. Go figure.

 

 

 

Seriously HOT out. Melting in the heat. 11 year olds don't sweat as much as adults. But that's going to change in a few years..... 

 

 

His new business cards, designed by him:

 

 

 

Some of his latest illustrations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second show that he had scheduled was not his best. Incredibly slow. At first he was getting depressed about the whole thing, its so personal to him. But I reminded him that we are here and we are going to have fun one way or the other. You win some and you lose some, but its about the connections you make with the other artists, and what you can learn from them. After I made numerous attempts to keep him humored, it started to work and even though the show itself wasn't a huge success, he said he really enjoyed himself and would even do this market again (what!?)

 

 

I have to say, in the past 2 years of hanging out with him at these markets and venues, we have had the pleasure of time and time again, meeting the coolest people! There is so much amazing talent in the world and creative minds always tend to be fantastic people.  Evan ended up next to David Sigel, Oil Painter, Nice young dad with beautiful landscape paintings. He helped us move our tent to a different location (THANKS!) and he had lots of insight, which is always appreciated. Even though Evan does not paint, there is always a common thread with peeps in the creative field. Evan and I are both social butterflies, while my husband and daughter are more reserved.

 

 

Avery, my daughter had a sore throat that day. We know its not strep or anything, since she just had her tonsils out this past spring. But her allergies have been bugging her, so it may be the reason why. She is a tough cookie and she loves to eat. We realized just how much her throat was hurting her, because she wasn't eating. It takes a lot for this girl to turn down food. So my husband went home early with my daughter, so she could rest up. My daughter is like a goat, she will eat anything, and she will eat constantly. My son is two digits away from being a sloth. He sleeps-in super late, and besides his art, he is overall the laziest kid, and he admits how lazy he is (no shame)! Yes, I have two kids: a goat and a sloth......and I love them both!

 

 

We get to take a little break from the art markets. Evans art will be featured in FELICITOUS COFFEE HOUSE during the months of September and October, (no events to set up).  He will be at Shopapalooza in November and Atomic Holiday Bazaar in Sarasota in December. He needs to take it easy since he will now be starting Middle School and he needs to focus on school for now.

 

 

Follow him on Instagram @EvanDGatscher, also a few of his prints are now available on my Etsy shop, EVAN GATSCHER STUDIOS

 

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram and Tumblr for sneak peeks and secret sales @RandomGoodsVintage.

 

 

 

Did you attend any good markets (as a shopper or vendor) this week? Good ones? Bad ones? 

 

 



This Weeks Randomness

Hello friends! I want to share a some changes with you...I finally changed my shops names and also a some minor changes on my banners. Check them out. The logos on my side bar have not yet been changed. Probably get to that next week, but click on them anyhow and check out my new shop names and tell me what you think.

Okay, enough about that. Last Tuesday when I was thrifting with my son, Evan, he found something and tried to convince me to purchase. It was a fantastic vintage game called "Carrom". I never heard of it and this thing was quite beautiful...BUT, it was also quite large and heavy. So it really wasn't something that I was interested in storing and lifting and shipping and all that. So I told my son that I wasn't too interested. He decided that if I didn't get it HE would. I said, "Fine! but you are keeping that thing in your room!" He was okay with that. So he bought it....but actually he didn't buy it, because the lady at the thrift store who we have befriended over the years, just let him have it. (He made her some art a few weeks ago, so I guess it was her way of thanking him).

This thing is about 3 feet square and over 20lbs! We did a little search and found out that he could get a pretty penny for it, so it will be listed in my shop later this week. Shipping won't be cheap but I don't control the post office (oh, I wish!). Evan asked me if I regret not purchasing it, and I told him that I didn't regret it and I am happy that he will profit from his find, because I don't have to store it, he does! Besides, I am proud to see him learn the thrill of this biz!

Last Friday, my kids and I went to Comic-Con here in Tampa. We went to Metrocon a few weeks ago and the kids had such a blast that we figured this would also be a fun thing to do. We saw and met lots of really cool artists. Mike Victa at LivingLinestudios even gave Evan a special drawing pencil when he heard that he also did shows.

You can check him out on Tumbler @Livinglinestudios, really great guy with some cool art to check out.


Also, we just loved this chick! Fantastic talent! And she was just the sweetest gal ever!

 

c0dex Creature Feature

 

 

 

 

 

I am so in love with these little creatures that she creates! Check her out because she has many more creatures and illustrations and more! Such mad talent!


Now for some of my delightful finds this week:

Always a treat when you find something rare(ish). Together as a boxed set, they are hard to find. So I was quite thrilled when I came across this tree and shrub book set from the 1950s, still hanging out together.

Available here------>TREE AND SHRUB BOOK SET



And this next book, well I took it from my private collection of my favorites. I just can't always keep everything I love, I do have to part with them sometimes. This book has no words, just fantastic illustrations of a bird and his/her new friend.

Seriously, such a sweet book!

Available here------>THE GOOD BIRD


I love it when friends try to get rid of cool stuff and they give it to me. I wish it happened more often! But then I suppose I would miss my thrifting fun.

My friend gave me this random cutie:

Belmar Strawberry serving jar from California. So sweet!

Available here---->STRAWBERRY JAR



These next two items were saved last minute from the trash! Hubby and I were partially cleaning out a few areas of our garage and in the bottom of a box where some random papers that my husband went to dump out in the trash...I took a peek and was like, "whoa, wait a minute there, partner! These are from my sticker collection from the 80s! You can NOT toss these!" He shook his head at me like I was the most pathetic hoarder in the world. Whatever, dude, they are listed and have had many views already.

 

 

Message Units and Toots from Cardesign. Yea, I was one of those kids in elementary school who would spend my whole allowance on stickers every week. I had gigantic sticker albums and I would bring them to school every day to trade with my other loser friends that also collected stickers. I am sad to say that 80% of my sticker collection was already tossed at some point, and this is what remains. Very nostalgic for me. I would like to pass them on to a new loving home.

 

Both available in my shop----->RANDOM GOODS VINTAGE

 

 

Speaking of 80s fun times, I found this little guy at a nasty dirty overpriced thrift store. Diamond in the rough. I don't think they realized how cool it was or they would have charge a lot more.

 

 

Rainbow coin bank. It can represent the eighties, or gay pride or both. I was so thrilled to find this in that sorry excuse for a thrift store.

Available here------>RAINBOW COIN BANK


I have more wonderful finds, I will share more next week. It has been an exhausting weekend and I have been behind the screen way too much today.

What treasures have you found lately?

Linking with Sir Thrift a lot.