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Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Yard Sales, Estate Sales -- An East End Bonanza!


Tuesday already.

Annie is back at her apartment in New Brunswick.
Josh is back in Los Angeles; he got a 5AM plane out of Newark.
Alida is still here with us, but is visiting old friends this evening.


It's just us chickens -- me 'n' Howard 'n' Dion -- home tonight.
I may not cook. Sshhh. . . Howard doesn't know that yet.

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I've been itching to show you my estate and yard sale treasures from our weekend trip
to the North Fork of Long Island. (Story here.)

The East End has always been a rich source of other peoples' castoffs; I think most of the furniture Howard and I started out with came from my mother's scavenging of yard sales out there. We still use the coffee table she bought us for $3.

Anyway, at an estate sale in Cutchogue my lustful linen loving soul yearned
for these -- a large old tablecloth and 12 matching napkins.


The right side of the embroidery and cutwork
(which looks a lot like Norwegian hardanger):


I used to teach embroidery in NYC; I always check the wrong side,
or as they said in Brooklyn, "The left side."

Get it? Right side. Left side!
Yeah, it took me awhile to figure it out.

Very nice, neat work. I love the deep tan of the perle cotton.

This is the tablecloth, which measures 70 x 100-something inches.

The napkins have one corner with heavy lace:

and are hand rolled and hemmed with tiny drawnwork stitches.

The lace on the tablecloth is in very good condition:


There are two stains on the cloth -- those yellowed age stains -- which I hope to fade with Oxyclean and sunlight. Any hints on how to best do this without damaging this old cloth? It was starched the last time it was laundered, and is quite stiff. I want to get the starch out of the fabric before I handle it any more.

I made an offer -- $30 for cloth and napkins -- and it was accepted. I can't wait to use it!

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In Cutchogue, the village just to the west of Southold, there is a museum complex of several old houses, dating from the 1600s, 1700s, and 1800s. On Saturday, on the Green where these houses cluster, was a yard sale.

So many vendors, so little time!

I got a summer gift for my sister, which I won't show you until I give it to her just in case she looks at the blog.

I got a darling little hand thrown pottery vase, a squatty little fellow with wonderful warm maroon-y colors:


The potter signed it.

It's not old, but I love vases with low profiles, especially lovely round squatty ones.

A third thrifty find, at the yard sale, was this:

It's an original painting, probably acrylic. I was always in awe of bloggers who
found original artwork for just dollars at garage and yard sales, and so excited when
I found one in Cutchogue on Saturday. I feel like I'm one of the cool kids now.

Yes, children -- I paid $5 for this painting. It ain't great art, but it is perfect for the pink bedroom at That Old House. I will probably do something to the frame; not sure what yet. Antique white maybe?

We did get a few other things, and my darling family went out early Saturday morning to the Congregational Church yard sale in Southold, and bought me presents! But, the minivan, packed with 5 people, one dog, bedding, clothing, food . . . well, it just would not stretch to accommodate everything, and some things got left behind.

Including these:

But until we get back to the beach house and retrieve our treasures . . .
I can't share them!

And that's my Three Or More for this Tuesday.
Visit Tam at The Gypsy's Corner for more triple plays.


Linda of the beautiful Coastal Charm blog hosts
Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays. Check it out!
And have a lovely day. . . what's left of it!
I need my own computer . . . . Cass

21 comments:

  1. Well Cass, your finds are really incredible! Oh the linens are exquisite, I love old linens! Lovely painting too! I wish I had been on the trip with you, it must have been great!

    Nancy

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  2. OH Cass!! You scored! Love it all!! Okay now, I'm on my way out, but email me and remind me in the morning and I'll talk to you about cleaning that cloth. I've been collecting vintage linens for years....ummm, I mean MONTHS! I am NOT that old!! :)
    xoxo Pattie

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  3. The Great Dane will be relieved that you didn't buy any really big items, as I am looking at your blog daily for inspiration and he is WORRIED.

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  4. Ooooh...You did find great stuff. Love everything you showed. The pottery and the art are my favorites unless you count the linen and the.....

    Becky K.

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  5. I'd give anything for that art ... absolutely gorgeous ... & that little vase is darling. Go girl!!

    Have a lovely Memorial holiday ~
    TTFN ~ Hugs, Marydon

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  6. Congratulations on such treasures. I do covet that tablecloth -- I love old linens and have been buying more of such treasures (anyone can buy a polyester tablecloth!!!)

    We had a grand time estate saling this weekend as well -- LOTS of treasures! But none as grand as your tablecloth and napkins!

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  7. You have some wonderful treasures here...my fav is the vintage linens!

    Blessings,
    linda

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  8. Very nice finds Cass, I especially love the napkins with the heavy lace edges! Great deal on the painting too! Very pretty!

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  9. Wow, as much as I like all the linens, I love, love, love the painting...I have a thing going for original paintings, mainly florals. I have several that I didn't pay more than a couple dollars each.

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  10. Oh, Cass I do love the linens! I weave and they are wonderful! I love the pearl cotton! The painting is so wonderful! I went to an annual garage sale last week, it was so much fun, I didn't find great finds as you, but I came home with a truck full. lol Love the prices you paid! Oh, what a deal! Come tell me when you do a table setting with the lovely tablecloth! I cleaned some crochet doilies this week, they are fragile! Do not rub hard! Sunshine is the best cure for me, but takes a while. I've had a vintage tablecloth hung outdoors a week now. I not giving advice on the cleaners I used. lol I surely wouldn't want to tell you something that would destroy them! I do have a secret, I use for handwoven and dyed fabrics. lol I bought a floral print at the garage sale, wish is was a painting! Come see my last two Teas! I just love the one I just did. I will be showing one next week using pink and white with ME featured in it. lol

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  11. Looks like great finds.
    Have a wonderful Wednesday.

    Melinda

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  12. Hi Cass.. You made some great finds! I am drooling over your table linens ( I too am a lilenaholic LOL) gorgeous! And what a great old house!
    Bella

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  13. Wow Cass..
    What a haul!
    The linens have me salivating...Yes!
    I could eat them!
    the rose picture is a beauty too.
    Fun, fun, fun!
    Now comes the fun part,
    playing with them and finding the perfect spot!
    xoxo~Kathy @
    Sweet Up-North Mornings...

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  14. Cass,

    Great "stuff" you got. The tablecloth is beautiful. I like the pottery piece, too.

    You can google Virtual Painter. There is a trial version but I bought the entire program. This can all be done on Photoshop but I cannot figure is out!!!!

    Carol

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  15. Three wonderful purchases. An amazing textural finish on the painting - it will look so "right" in the pink bedroom. The linens are a true find.

    And the vase just has me wanting to pick it up and snuugle it into my hands - it looks to be snuggle/hugging the pretty blooms.

    Sincere and special thanks for sharing these gems,

    Michelle in Weliington, NZ

    (Zebbycat is very busy sleeping soundly and quietly, so no purrrrumbles for now)

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  16. Oh Cass! you really hit the jackpot with your finds! Those linens are to die for!! Amazing! And that painting is just beautiful! I always here other blogers finding great artwork for almost nothing as well, and I just pout. LOL

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  17. Well, score -- your tablecloth and napkins are so great! Love the painting, too.

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  18. Hi Cass...

    Love your finds..especially the linens!

    Thanks so much for linking to 2nd Time Around!

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  19. I loooooove the tablecloth. Gourgeous. Good for you and such great finds here on the Island. I live here and have yet to go out eats for thrifting! After seeing that $5 painting, I think I will be taking a ride out to Cutchogue and Greenport.

    Diane

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  20. Great finds! I LOVE the tablecloth and matching napkins! Gorgeous!
    I also really like that painting you got for $5. I think it's positively charming! I think it would look very pretty with a white painted frame, if you don't like the color it is now.

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  21. Cass, I love old linens and HAVE to buy them when I find them at sales. I don't like the yellow age spots either. I've had excellent luck with the following recipe to soak and clean them. I can't remember how I found the link, but I enclose it. I think you will be happy with it!
    :-) Sue

    http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/2009/03/because-you-asked-so-sweetly.html

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