Drop In Painting at Autobody

Drop In Painting at Autobody

 pics from this week's painting...

Drop In Painting at Autobody

worked on this painting last night at Autobody in Alameda... drop in every Wednesday!!!!

Recent Finds

Among Alameda, SCRAP and Center for Creative Reuse, I've stumbled upon quite a few treasures...

Check out the ads from these vintages mags on my flickr page. 

I love this oil painting... slowly growing my collection

Ribbons, velvet, and antique whites..

A girl can never have too many vintage tea cups.

athough these are new, I love the simple blue and white.

A Halloween Tradition

Tonight was my annual trip to Alameda's Gaslight Emporium for their grand Halloween opening. My mom, my Aunt Liza and I had dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant, Acapulco, then ventured down Lincoln to the Halloween hot spot. The space is Victorian for sure, with dark carved wood, traditional wallpaper, and unusual antiques and oddities. This shop stocks vintage and vintage reproduction seasonal items, from paper goods to toys and even period costumes during Halloween. Don't be surprised to find a room full of Alice in Wonderland curiosities or vintage holiday items at certain times of the year.

One room was more ghoulish and ghastly, with grotesque animals, ghosts, severed body parts displayed in an old fridge, not to mention a buffet of hauntingly delightful treats!

The other room, more bright and warm, housed vintage inspired paper goods. From pumpkin figures to vintage trims and tinsels, there was a feast of Halloween and Harvest eye candy from floor to ceiling

I loved this little moon faced man, and bought him a month ago at their yard sale for my Mom's birthday. His twin was still there waiting to be taken home. Visiting the Gaslight Emporium is one of my favorite traditions, one I hope to continue for many years to come.

Estate Sale Finds

Went to two estate sales today in Berkeley. One was off San Pablo on Ward St., and the other was off College and Parker on Etna. The one near College was in a Julia Morgan house that was very run down, but there was potential there for some good finds. They had lots of linens and some shoes from the 20's, and petticoats. Everything was very pretty dirty however. I picked up a few goodies at each, spending about $10 total.

I purchased some of the old View Master reels for my collection, two sets of cards, one long and thin with unusual pictures, and one called "Tom Thumb" because the cards are miniature. I also bought an old salve tin for my growing collection, an old blurry photograph of a couple walking, and that long metal thing by "omega" predates a calculator, but is this little hand held device that adds. You use a metal stylus to slide the numbers. I thought it was pretty interesting! Also, found a small mirror, worn around the edges, good for art projects.

Tomorrow I am off to the Alameda Point Antique Sale...1st Sunday of every month. I definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a good hunt. The quality is outstanding, and you can still find a good deal here and there. My fav is the Dollar Booth! This pick is from the dollar guy the last time I went to the show a couple of months ago.

Alameda Point Antique Sale

Went to the Alameda Point Antique Show today. Its the first Sunday of every month, and costs from 5 to 15 dollars admission depending on what time you go (from 6am on). There are so many dealers here it can be overwhelming, but if you can hang out for a bit, there are so many possible finds! I came home with a few old suitcases, a vintage typewriter and a bunch of findings from the $1 booth.


There are 3 booths all owned by the same guy, that is laden with cool old stuff. Watch parts, vials of medicinal powders, and old wooden type are all priced at $1 each. Across the way you can find old suitcases, large metal letters, and various antique decorative items. In the booth next to the dollar boxes are doll heads, brass tags, various vintage clocks and more.


There are always the regulars here at the show including the Bakelite Lady, people selling French linens and architectural salvage, the type guy and many more. Wear sunscreen and bring water...although windy, the sun can be brutal after a few hours of searching! There is also a row of food along the side of the venue for mid morning snacking and lunch, as well as the antique show standard Kettle Korn.