my kind of Monday.

Published on by Quandie

There’s nothing better than walking into the office on a Monday morning to be greeted by the sight of a fab vintage suitcase.

My picker had been busy hitting the estate sales last weekend, while I, on the other hand, was busy painting.

By the way, if you don’t remember my last post about my picker, my friend/co-worker/garage sale mentor, Sue, is now my official picker.  In other words, if she sees something when she’s out and about that she thinks I would like, she picks it up for me.

So when I saw the suitcase sitting there in my office, I knew she’d found it for me.

I didn’t immediately take the time for a closer look.  I hadn’t had my coffee yet, and a girl has to have certain priorities.  I ran into Sue at the coffee machine and thanked her for finding the suitcase and she said it’s not just the suitcase, there’s more inside!

Apparently Sue had been at an estate sale where everything that fit into a grocery bag was $5 for the whole bag.  So she filled one up for me!

Isn’t the needlework on this pillowcase fantastic?

I’ve never seen little flowers like those before, have you?  It must have taken quite a bit of time, not to mention floss, to stitch all of those.

I’m not sure what I’ll do with this price tag stamp.  Maybe I’ll even use it for its intended purpose!

As I unwrapped the items bundled up in newspaper I found this beautiful green transferware tureen, or is it for gravy?  It’s rather small for anything else.

But isn’t it gorgeous?  I’m trying really hard not to add a transferware non-collection to my list of other items that I absolutely deny that I collect.  But sometimes these things are just really hard to resist.

The other item wrapped in paper was this sweet ironstone gravy boat.

Here’s the mark on the bottom.

I’ll fully admit to perhaps having a few more ironstone gravy boats than one can legitimately claim are simply for serving gravy.  Especially if one doesn’t actually even know how to make gravy.

But still … do I have to admit that it’s yet another item that I deny collecting?

And underneath all of the goodies packed into the case …

the keys to the suitcase, or are they the keys to my heart.  You tell me.

Now that’s my kind of Monday.

40 thoughts on “my kind of Monday.”

  2. Oh.my.stars. I want a Sue picker/friend/co-worker. You are living the good life Linda! And those flowers on the pillowcase are spider web, I think. Isn’t it amazing that all the work that goes into embroidery and so few people revere it? And let’s just talk about the ironstone. Nothing makes me happier than an old, well loved piece of ironstone. The tureen with the crackling aged finish. Sigh. And it looks there were more linens and things ( good name for a store, huh) in the suitcase, too. Now you’ll be rushing to get to work on Mondays, for a Suefind.

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    1. I googled it, and you’re right, spider web stitch. Thanks for sharing that, now I know what to call it. Yep, there were more linens and things (some fab old books) inside. I feel like there already is a store called ‘linens and things’, isn’t there? Yep, just googled that too, there are six locations in Minnesota. Dang, already taken 😉

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  4. OOOOOH. We do not have any type of sale like that where I live. Everything is beautiful and only $5!. I am sure if you were there a few more bags would have been filled with quality like that. I love the pillowcase too. I don’t have any needle work like that in my collection.

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  6. Sue sure knows the way to your heart! Great finds for sure. Love the keys…have never seen keys in that shape. Making gravy is easy….once you figure it out the first time. Lol.

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  8. Hats off to Sue! Very nice pickings. I have a love affair with dishes. I officially only have a few pieces of ironstone, I do collect creamware and transferware. That green and white piece with all the crazing is a real beauty. What’s another non collection? Lol! My great aunt used to do very similar handwork for gifts mostly tea towels and pillow cases. Those are lovely. Will they work in the guest bedroom?

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    1. Actually, I’ve been selling the vintage linens at Reclaiming Beautiful (the shop in Stillwater where I sell on commission) and they’ve been going really well. Apparently I’m not the only one with an appreciation for these things 🙂

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  14. If I give Sue $5 will she fill a bag for me? You’ve got a good friend for sure. I love the pillowcase and to have the keys to the suitcase, wow! Enjoy your treasures.

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  15. What a wonderful haul and a great friend! My oldest son (28) is my best and most consistent picker and he comes home with the best antique or vintage furniture. He brought home an 1880’s Brazilian secretary desk once that looked like someone had taken an axe to it! But those deep hack marks gave the best patina once I redid it. It’s one of my favorite pieces.
    My youngest son, now just turned 12, has been not-collecting those price tag and date stampers for 3 years now. Sometimes he leaves as-is and sometimes he has me gild them. Surprisingly, though he was 8 or 9 when he found his first, I never found little stamps all over everything.He’s very particular with caring for his belongings.
    I love old suitcases but every time I seem to find them, I offer to buy them for everyone else in the family, they all say no so I buy them for myself (of course). I get them home and within 2 days either my husband, or most likely, my youngest absconds with them. When I later try to claim them I get the “but Mom, it’s mine” or “Honey, I thought you bought it for me!”. So my attempted non-collection of 5 vintage suitcases (so far) really have become a non-collection. The wonderful (truly) life of being a Mom. I do dread the years this won’t happen anymore and I know they are a-coming! (I would like just one suitcase for myself though!)
    See – I told you, you have a way of bringing back fond memories that otherwise have slipped away into my brain-ether. Now I just need to find another way to remember them without necessarily having to share with you! lol! If I don’t write, I don’t remember. I guess I’ll share bits with you until I find a better solution. I am sorry you have to suffer through my ramblings! LOL! I do have memory issues and this is another reason I love seeing your posts in my email. More happy memories! Thank you!

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    1. Holy cow!! I am so sorry! I didn’t mean to write a novel. You have too much to do to read my ramblings. My excuse is I spend a lot of time alone (^~^) I will do better in the future- or @ least I will try!

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  16. I agree,that is the best kind of way to start your week Love the gravy boat(s)!!What a sweet little green.tureen.would it be a sugar bowl?some older China had large bowls . have a great week,looking forward to future posts regarding your Monday treasures.

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  17. Can’t make gravy…neither can I . I do have spot to pick up all those homemade items and no one is the wiser. Fabulous serving pieces always make it look like you prepared it .

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  18. Sue did find some great things for you. Making gravy is pretty easy. Like the spider stitch. I don’t think I have seen it before either.

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  19. Beautiful,lovely “stuff”. I think .i will have to start going to yard sales or looking in antique shops. At 82 I am a genuine antique. Or does this not count. Luv Betty from Ontario,Canada

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