Hatbox Luggage Makeover...

A few weeks back, I picked up this hatbox luggage piece for $1.99 at my local Goodwill in the hopes of giving it a make over so that I could use it for additional storage in my craft room. By the way, I looked up this piece of luggage on ebay and they wanted $26 for it.

Also, if you haven't visited Magpie Ethel's blog, she shared her vintage suitcases & doll trunk collection on this post. I'd like to say my hatbox luggage makeover was inspired by her glorious collection.

I gave it a thorough cleaning and filled in the interior with dryer sheets to give it a fresher smell. I then began to scour my supplies for something to mod podge on the front of my suitcase. I came across this scrap of birthday wrapping paper that I had been saving. Feel free to left-click on the photo to enlarge the image so that you can save it for your own crafting projects.

Believe it or not, this piece of wrapping paper is from one of my own childhood birthday parties. Not sure which birthday, but I just love the graphics and my mother hung onto a few scraps of wrapping paper that I had saved in a box of childhood items. I didn't have enough of the wrapping paper to cover the entire suitcase, so I decided to use some of my coffee stained pages from a book as the first base coat. I also scanned the wrapping paper image so that I could keep the original piece.

I started by applying a layer of mod podge on the front of the suitcase.

I then began to layer the book pages, adding more glue as I went along.

I trimmed the wrapping paper images and then added them to the front of the suitcase with additional mod podge.

To speed up the drying time, I set the suitcase in front of a fan. To finish it up, I added some lace cord with my glue gun and attached a daisy flower to the handle.

My hatbox is now paired with this child's piece which is filled with doll clothes.

While we're talking about luggage, I also have a suitcase on the other side of my craft room which is filled with vintage sheet music that I use with special paper projects.

My Asian collections are perched on top of the suitcase and my 45 albums are down below. Josie's favorite thing to do in my craft room is to listen to my story book record albums.

Have a thrifty/crafty weekend!
XOXO

♥

Moon Watching...

Last Saturday did you catch the moon in all its glory?

My camera really couldn't do it justice.
WOW! What a gift from above.

Speaking of moons, these are two of our favorite bedtime books.

There's nothing better than a few good books, a soft pillow and a full moon.

XOXO

Vintage Easter Collections...

Our spring weather didn't last very long, but I'm not giving up. Instead, I'm starting to unpack more of my Easter goodies and thought you might like a to see a few of my favorite collections.
The 1963 Jack and Jill magazine is filled with all kinds of cute Easter crafts. I promise to share ideas from this magazine on a future post.

The bunny cup and plate are my baby dishes.

Thanks for saving them, Mom!

The wooden eggs are each filled with a tiny baby Jesus.

The milk glass basket was my Grandmother's.

As you can tell from my blog banner, I love the flashcard and playing card rabbit graphic. I also tend to pick up old Easter baskets whenever I can. I have a long shelf which runs the width of my sunroom where I display my seasonal collections. I've also been picking up celluloid characters and floral picks when I can spot them from my favorite dealer for a decent price.

I also love anything with little yellow chicks.

Chris bought me this wooden bunny cart for my birthday last May.

I don't know many husbands who would venture into an antique store (without their wife). Thank you, honey!! The Peter Cottontail book is illustrated by Fern Bisel Peat, one of my absolute favorite children's illustrators. Anytime I can find her work for a decent price, I am a happy girl.

I've got more items to share later.
Yes. I love decorating for ALL holidays.
My name is Kim K. and I'm a holiday hoarder.
Me...Easter 1969

Happy Spring!
Happy Easter, friends!

Linking up with very merry vintage style
and Sue from It's a Very cherry World: REDNESDAY
and Vintage Thingie Thursday on Coloradolady

Thrifty Finds & Spring Vignette

Last weekend, Emma cleaned out her closet and had 3 bags of clothes ready for Goodwill. While dropping off her donation, I found a few items that I repurposed into a spring vignette for my couch table.

The tall glass container was used to display a peat pot filled with silk flowers, leaves and a tiny bird nest.



The green velvet thrifted ribbon was used on a bundle of books. I tied the ribbon, added a millinery flower and a clip-on earring to the center of the flower.


I took apart a few branches of reproduction pussy willows and tied them together with lace trim. A container of cream and white buttons sits next to the bundle.

A glass dome is filled with a reproduction bird nest and shredded paper.

I'm having fun decorating for spring.

Who am I kidding.

I love decorating for every season.
XOXO
I'm linking up to the Tuesday To Do Party At Blackberry Vine
and Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life
and t2t Tuesday at Sassy sites
and Very Merry Vintage Style
and Faded Charm White Wednesday

and Free Pretty Things for You - Whatever you Want Wednesdays

Doll Bed Collection...

I broke a promise over the weekend.

I have a slight obsession with vintage toys... especially doll beds. I already have quite the collection and the girls really don't need another doll bed, but this sweet little wicker bassinet was only .50cents at my local Goodwill and it just needed to come home with me.

I had kinda promised Chris no more doll beds. I've actually given away several doll beds as gifts the last few years, but this wicker basket was too sweet to leave behind.

My Vintage Mending (one of my favorite blogs) shared one of her vintage doll beds on this post, and I thought I might share my collection (obsession) with all of you. My mother (the talented seamstress) has always provided lovely bed linens for my girl's doll beds. Thanks, Mom!

The doll bed on the left was my first doll bed (Christmas 1969)

It also became Emma's first doll bed (Christmas 1999)

The doll bed on the right was picked up in Wisconsin when I attended a conference and I snuck out to a local antique store.

I just love the decals on the bed.

This was the first doll bed Josie received.

I picked up this doll bed at my favorite local antique store.

Aren't the decals are charming?

This next bed is another one of my childhood doll beds.

My mother painted the sweet little pictures on this bed.

This last bed was picked up at my favorite local antique store where my mother gave it a complete make-over for Emma. She made beautiful bed linens, including a butterfly quilt and as well as, beautiful new paint.

Christmas 2007

It's a good thing I have girls to justify my slight obsession...I mean collection.

Happy Thrifting!
Happy Monday!