This fabulous rocking train is hand carved out of wood. I found this treasure at a community garage sale in the mountains. What an amazing piece of folk art! There isn't another one like it and that's a fact. A treasure like this has so many untold stories! Was it a gift from a grandfather? Was it carved by a carving hobbyist? There's no telling. The couple I bought it from did not have much of a story on it either. They found it in a flea market and had been displaying it in their garage. But like most people do, after years of it gathering dust, they determined it clutter and were ready to sell it to the next admirer. I too have enjoyed my possession of this one of a kind train, however I think it deserves more love than just sitting on a shelf. For some little girl or boy this is going to the their "velveteen rabbit." This little rocking train is meant for a child to love and play with and until the rightful owner comes along to find it, it waits...

Wooden rocking train, on display at the Foothills Flea Market in the Curio booth.

Unique Thinking

When decorating our house for the first time it was a sudden realization that furniture does not have to be confined to certain uses. A book shelf can hold more than just books, it can hold a television!  A trunk can double as storage as well as a unique coffee table! Decorating is all about thinking outside the box! Unique thinking can really make your one of a kind treasures have a bold look! 

The beginnings of our vintage inspired living room

addicted to junk

As I am admittedly addicted to junk I must have an outlet. I cannot keep buy buy buying without sell sell selling anything!!! Therefore I do indeed "flip" items. It is what one might consider to be a small business, however I am still trying to figure out where the money is, and since I don't make money, its more that I am just trying to break even; and make space in my house for new fabulous things. (A big part of the joy of shopping vintage, is allowing the home to be ever-changing) I call this outlet Curio's Cabinet, and in Curio's Cabinet one can find so many fabulous things for the home! Check out https://www.facebook.com/pages/Curios-Cabinet/216800978368548 to follow along with all of the wonderful items that I have for sale in my very own flea market booth! 

All of this and so much more! New items are always arriving! 

Vintage comedy

Old wooden crates are so fabulous! They can be used as storage for a craft room or entry way! Wooden crates can also be used as shelves if you mount them onto your wall! As shown in the picture below wooden crates can also be used as display boxes. This Dried Prune crate is being used to display holiday soaps, floral remnants from a relatives wedding and ornaments from a friends wedding which were oringanally used in a centerpiece. What I love most about this display is its placement. It is on the counter of my bathroom. This is the perfect example of the subtle comedy that can be found in a home full of vintage things. Most guests would not think anything of the wooden crate but if one were to have the time to really think about it, they too would find the comedy. If someone is smiling as they leave the bathroom I am often left to wonder if while relieving themselves they happened to be in the room long enough to find the comedy in my dried prune box. Placement can be so important when trying to make a statement, especially when the statement is spelled out right in front of you! 

cozy treasures

Make sure that the things you find help you to feel at home in your home. Descriptive words of an item such as; cozy, comfortable, warm, fuzzy, soft, fluffy and fabulous are good indicators that the item belongs in your home. Especially with the cool weather blowing in, cozy treasures are much enjoyed. 

The following picture shows my dog Lion, not just any dog, but my best friend, enjoying cozy rummaged treasure. The pillow that my Lion is lying on is actually a chair cushion probably at one time intended for the hard wooden chairs, often found at a kitchen table. Chair cushions are great to add cushion to any sitting spot, whether it be on top of a bench as shown below or to have for use in the living room on the floor! Don't let the technical use for items limit you! Find creativity within what is functional for you in your home!

 The pillow with the image of the bird squawking at the dog is one of my favorite finds. A one of a kind hand pieced together pillow of fabulous, which I love and relate to. Pieces that I can relate to help me to feel at home. Relating items with your past, present, with relatives or memories will help you to realize what it is that makes the item feel "cozy" to you. While shopping, picking and rummaging keep in mind these anonymous words of wisdom

"Surround yourself with only things you love"

My Lion enjoys being cozy

    I was spending my spare time in a Flea Market, as I often do, when I happened to come across a piece that I fell in love with. (It is moments like this that lead me to the conclusion that yes, there is a such thing as love at first sight) It was a short piece. It looked like it was a trunk. It was painted baby blue. The paint was clearly old. It had decals that proved its age which like the paint, were starting to fade. I knew that I wanted it, without even inspecting its wear, condition, functionality or practicality. With the gut feeling that this was a treasure I was not going to be able to afford I first forced myself to turn over the tag and reveal the high price. But alas! The price was not high at all! It was more than not high! It was cheap! This really had my excitement nerves jumping! Now it was time to inspect!

        I went to lift the lid of the "trunk" to soon realize that this vintage piece was not a trunk at all! It was a small two drawer dresser. The bottom drawer was missing its brackets so that it no longer could slide in and out. The side of the dresser had a large crack down one board revealing that the whole piece could crumble any minute. Truly it's surprising that it held its own just while we were hauling it to the front of the flea market. But by goly, I loved this small dresser that looked like a trunk and there was no way I was leaving it behind! Did I have a spot for it in my house? no. Did that matter? no. Would it fit in my car...? YES!! SOLD! 

           The small dresser now is the furniture piece that houses my turtles' cage. It is perfect! Perfect size and perfect height! It was like a planned it! But in the wide world of flea marketing, garage saling, picking, diving, and simply just rummaging there is no planning. When you see it, buy it, for treasure is not easily found!

A close up of the decal on the top of the dresser

A look at the front of the dresser

New life to old treasures

There are times when an object is thought to be old, junky, out-dated, or even sometimes is considered to be trash. I am here to state that just because an object has been tossed to the curb, this does not mean that its life is over. The life of an object though some cannot see it, can be timeless. The object just needs to be well taken care of, loved, re-purposed, re-invented or sometimes simply just needs to be saved; saved physically from the dumpster or perhaps saved mentally as a memory. The life of an object is not to be disregarded, for an object can be so much more than an object. An object, can ever so easily, be treasure. 

Raggedy Ann, saved from a flea market, now is loved and has a place to call home.