handmade antiques

 This past week, Nicki and I drove back up to Brimfield, back to NYC and then up to Maine to pick up a hard-to-find set of 1950's bunk beds. I was on a mad search for them and was having no luck. Finally I found a set on Craigslist in Maine so I jumped on it. The ride up there was nice and we got to stop by some antique stores on the way back. Brimfield was successful like the last time and we basically found every last prop we needed.

So it's been a summer of antiquing (well 1950's prop shopping) and in the midst of all things old, are many handmade objects and art. I just adore finding old crafts. I am so curious about each piece I see and I just find the homemade pieces to be so much more interesting.
 

Above is a framed pair of felted parrots that I spotted in a warehouse style antique store on Route 1 in Maine.

 This piece is made of all dried natural materials like flowers, grass, and moss. Hidden by the stream is a paper Dresden of two little girls playing. It was a very magical piece and reminded me of a secret garden.

 Shell art is probably the most common handmade craft I see while antiquing. Above is a beautiful shell flower wreath in a shadow box frame at Brimfield and below is a shell flower arrangement in an antique store in Maine! Good old shell art! I am yet to find a relic sailor Valentine heart shaped box to add to my collection of treasured things.

I just thought I would add this picture of a mouse trap I saw. Catch the mouse, it runs in the wheel so you know he's trapped and can hear him because often times people forget to check live traps and the animals wind up starving to death, defeating the whole purpose. Plus rodents love to exercise and this will keep him busy for the time he is jailed. Then you take him out to the woods to set him free! Wish it was that easy. Mice are so cute.