I keep stumbling across gorgeous patterns all over Etsy. What, at first, I thought was vintage fabric was actually vintage wallpaper. Color me stunned. I knew it existed, but the 80′s child in me had hidden wallpaper back in that dark corner of my brain. I did have to help my mother peel + strip the stuff from our kitchen walls. Now if the stuff we had on our kitchen walls came in these patterns instead of fruit + seashells, I would have never touched it!

I rent, so I won’t be popping this stuff on my own walls anytime soon. But as a DIYer always does, I’ll think of something to do with this gorgeousity! Shown are a few of my favorites I ran across during my search. Chime in! Are you a wallpaper hater…or lover?

It’s time to redo my boudoir! I’m hunting for vintage chenille fabric to create a mountain of ridiculous pillows, which will compliment my hot pink vintage peacock blanket. I love chenille + the gorgeous patterns of the old blankets. AlorasAdorables has a nice collection of vintage chenille fabrics in excellent condition. Now, I just have to choose…

Becke from The Vintage Cabin is a ball of laughs…just read for yourself! If there’s ever someone who I’ve thought to myself, “I bet thrifting with her would be fun!”, it’s Becke. Learn more about her, then go check out her shop!

Q: Tell our lovely readers a bit about yourself. Is buying and selling vintage your full-time gig or a hobby? How and when did you get started in this business?

A: My name is Becke and I live in a really old wooden house in, what my friends would call, the boonies. I care for 3 geriatric cats, a French Bulldog and a British guy (who is my husband). I sell vintage home decor and housewares on Etsy, which is somewhere between a part-time and full-time job these days. I also have a booth at an antique market in a small town near my house. I am a thrift junkie and have been since about the 8th grade (so that’s, um, kind of a long time ago…). My mom would always drag my sister and I to yard sales, rummage sales and thrift stores and we’d go to each place reluctantly…with a coat over our heads. Back then, it was pretty embarrassing shopping at these places. Vintage clothes were only worn by Cyndi Lauper and the term ‘vintage’ in relation to clothes and home decor wasn’t even a part of the collective dialogue.

Q: Do you have any favorite, never-let-you-down, treasure hunting spots? Would you like to share, or are they top-secret?

A: I do have some ‘old faithful’ treasure hunting spots that I just have to keep secret! I sometimes go to the Waddington’s Sunday auctions but the prices are usually pretty steep there. For the most part, I frequent a lot of one-off sales or church sales that only come around once or twice a year.  Let’s just say, I frequent any store or sale run by seniors who use the “is 10 cents okay, dear?” pricing strategy.

Q: Is there a certain aesthetic you look for when you’re thrifting?

A: I am all over the place when I thrift. I have always looked for weird, creepy, funny and truly original items. I love anything with weird faces on it, funny expressions or weird sayings. I also love vibrant colors and gravitate toward them when I look for fabric, furnishings and knick knacks. That said, I also really love minimalist styles and look for really utilitarian pieces that can stand the test of time. As I get older, my need for useless stuff has been replaced by a need for things that are purposeful and stylish at the same time. My main goal is to never take myself too seriously when thrifting and decorating.

Q: How do you decide what to pick up, or just pass on? Do you wait for an item to speak to you?

A: Some items do more than speak to me, they beckon me to take them home and completely redesign a room around them. Other items are a bit more subtle. I think I have about 5 go-to decor styles that I really love – mid century modern, primitive, cottage style, rustic modern and industrial. I try and find items that fit into these styles and go from there. Once in a while I will take home the strange items that speak to me, maybe in a scary way, like taxidermy frogs, ugly clown paintings and crazy dog portraits.  “Hey lady! Over here! Take me home and stick me with a collection of other ugly gems and I promise you I’ll look amazing!” “…Oh…okay. I guess I can make room for a weird, moustached baby…”

Q: Be honest, do you keep many of your finds, or is it strictly business? And do you have any personal collections that you have built over time through thrifting?

A: I have had many collections come and go and I have kept a lot of my finds…for a while. I eventually change things up and filter things out over time so I don’t have too many items that have stuck around for more than the last 5 years. I have collected everything from Ghostbusters and Peewee Herman toys to weird and wacky foreign language albums to chicken figurines and squirrels. My current collecting obsession involves eagles, ships and The Statue of Liberty. I have a few Lady Liberty statuettes and some ship paintings but I’m trying not to get too out of hand with them. And I LOVE eagles, although they have to be in a certain position and have a certain look of severity to them. No eagles in flight, they look too Harley Davidson. I prefer eagles perched or with their wings outstretched but not actually going anywhere! Wow, this is all making me sound like a maniac! Anyway, let’s just say collecting is a strange compulsion…

Q: Are there any items you’ve regretted selling and wish you would have kept for yourself?

A: I always have one or two items in the shop that make me cringe a bit when I sell them, especially when they sell really fast (not even an hour after it was listed). I recently sold a great, antique wooden eagle that I bought from an old lady who had it in her kitchen for decades. It was so awesome looking but I just couldn’t find a spot for it so…off it went.  It could come back to haunt me but I try not to get too attached to anything that I sell.

Q: Pick one and tell us about it: Weirdest, most valuable, or most satisfying find?

A: Most satisfying and valuable find…Since I started selling on Etsy back in October of 2009, I have found 3 teak peppermills – 2 Dansk and one Nissen (here, here and here). I sold one mill for $150 and the other two for just under $100 a piece. I found the Nissen mill for 50 cents at the Salvation Army and both of the Dansk mills came from one of my favourite church shops. I took one of them up to the cash to ask how much it was and the woman held it as though it was contaminated, she made kind of an ‘ewwww’ face and said, “is 10 cents okay, dear?”

Robin Eastwood is a treasure hunter and vintage fanatic. Visit The Fancy Lamb on Etsy to drool over some of her latest finds, and follow Robin on Twitter to hear about her latest thrifting adventures.

I won’t name names, but I know a few people who have a slight addiction to clocks. A clock fetish, if you will. I have no doubt in my mind that those individuals have already stumbled across Clockwork Universe, but for those of you who haven’t, this interview is for you. Let the drooling begin.

Q: Tell our lovely readers a bit about yourself. Is buying and selling vintage your full-time gig or a hobby? How and when did you get started in this business?

A: My name is Oskars. I live in Eastern Europe – in Latvia. Together with my wife, we have 5 shops here on Etsy. We both have a higher education in social sciences, but we are currently selling vintage things as our full-time job while also raising our little son.  I started to sell vintage clocks and watches only 4 months ago here on Etsy, but other vintage and antique items I have collected and sold from time to time for about 8 years.

Q: Do you have any favorite, never-let-you-down, treasure hunting spots? Would you like to share, or are they top-secret?

A: I buy my clocks in every possible way – in antique shops, flea markets.

Q: Is there a certain aesthetic you look for when you’re thrifting? How do you decide what to pick up, or just pass on? Do you wait for an item to speak to you?

A: No I don’t wait until an item speaks to me. When I started my shop, I bought almost all vintage clocks that I found. Now I’ve started to understand what kind of clocks my customers love more. It is most important criteria. Also I always try to find something unseen and rare.

Q: Be honest, do you keep many of your finds, or is it strictly business? And do you have any personal collections that you have built over time through thrifting?

A: It is strictly business. I stopped collecting vintage things, when I started to sell them on Etsy. But I hope someday I will have collection of things that are made in Soviet Union or diggers founded items.

Q: Are there any items you’ve regretted selling and wish you would have kept for yourself?

A: No, I cannot remember such emotions. There are so many beautiful watches, but I know, that I will find them again and again.

Q: Pick one and tell us about it: Weirdest, most valuable, or most satisfying find?

A: This nice antique wristwatch was signed Pavel Bure in Russian. It is a very old and very rare Imperial Russian watch. Possibly it is the last one on the world. I found only one similar design watch on ebay that cost $3000. I sold my watch much cheaper. I hope the new watch owner is happy for this watch.

Robin Eastwood is a treasure hunter and vintage fanatic. Visit The Fancy Lamb on Etsy to drool over some of her latest finds, and follow Robin on Twitter to hear about her latest thrifting adventures.

Today’s interview subject, Sarah from Mouse Trap Vintage, offers up an eclectic group of vintage clothing, housewares, and oddities. But perhaps some of my favorite treasures in her shop are the City and Country Mouse Pins which are frequently made out of vintage and recycled fabric. If you’d like to learn more about Sarah (and I’m quite certain you do!), read on:

Q: Tell our lovely readers a bit about yourself. Is buying and selling vintage your full-time gig or a hobby? How and when did you get started in this business?

A: I have been selling on Etsy part-time for about 2 years. I also work full-time as an Admissions Counselor at Moore College of Art & Design, my alma mater, and am a member of the Midwives Collective & Gallery, an art collective and cooperative gallery for women. I am a busy lady who is about to free up her schedule to make room for more vintage and my budding textile and home design company, SquidWhale Designs, when I go part-time at Moore in September. Woot!

I began working in my family-owned record shop when I was 11. The record store was in a “dirt mall” and behind that “dirt mall” was a true flea market with cardboard boxes full of dusty old treasures to rifle through. I started buying young, decorating my bedroom and myself. The rest is history.

Q: Do you have any favorite, never-let-you-down, treasure hunting spots? Would you like to share, or are they top-secret?

A: I am a flea market girl. My favorite is The Golden Nugget in Lambersville, NJ. It’s an outdoor market open year round. I love going in the middle of the winter, very early in the morning. You have the whole place to yourself.

Q: Is there a certain aesthetic you look for when you’re thrifting? How do you decide what to pick up, or just pass on? Do you wait for an item to speak to you?

A: I love very old, one-of-a-kind handmade objects or clothing and folk art. The more amateur the maker, the better. I am currently planning my Depression-era hobo-themed wedding, so items from the late 1920s and 1930s are of particular interest to me right now. I am also very attracted to the color red. It’s becoming the unofficial theme of my shop.

Q: Be honest, do you keep many of your finds, or is it strictly business? And do you have any personal collections that you have built over time through thrifting?

A: My apartment is pretty full, but I do keep very select items. My most realized collection is of 1930s and 1940s dresses, but I have many, many starts to collections. Yesterday I was shooting a pair of figurines for the shop, an elephant and a mouse, from 1940s Japan with matching red bowties. Just before listing I decided that animal figurines with red bowties will be my new collection. My last short-lived obsession was hand-sewn humpty dumpty stuffed dolls. I have three so far. Someday I will commit to something, but for now there’s too many things to love!

Q: Are there any items you’ve regretted selling and wish you would have kept for yourself?

A: A handmade leather horse brooch with straw hair and wooden bead legs. I wear a lot of brooches, but this one I would have displayed.

I have come to love the process of photographing objects and clothing. It’s almost as satisfying capturing them this way and filing them away in my digital archives than it is to own them. It also takes up less space.

Q: Pick one and tell us about it: Weirdest, most valuable, or most satisfying find?

A: I think the weirdest thing I have ever found is this jar of dental implants. I found it at a flea market that happens monthly in my neighborhood and all you readers can buy it right now in my shop. I like things that are gross, but fascinating. Fortunately, there’s other people out there who do, too.

Robin Eastwood is a treasure hunter and vintage fanatic. Visit The Fancy Lamb on Etsy to drool over some of her latest finds, and follow Robin on Twitter to hear about her latest thrifting adventures.

Megan (a.k.a. contentedsparrow{meg an} on Flickr) filled her home with colorful one-of-a-kind and re-purposed vintage finds. Her style is…very Megan. From what we can tell of Megan, this means upbeat, friendly, and positively adorable. Let’s explore her space and get to know the gal who lives there.

What was your inspiration when creating this space?
I decorate with things that make me smile or laugh or squeal with glee when I see them in a store. Things nostalgic, things colorful, things handmade, things that exude history, definitely things that are NOT perfect. Chipping paint is a plus in my book. Also, items that I can transform simply by slapping on a coat of turquoise paint. That said, I do find “inspiration” from places like Etsy, Flickr, blogs and the now-defunct Cottage Living magazine. Inspiration for me is….a visual and heartfelt affection for something that I store in my mind…taking bits and pieces from here and there to make my own as I feather this nest we call home.

What is your favorite vintage piece in the space & what is the story behind it?
My taste is always evolving so something that may be my favorite today may not be in a couple of years. That said, right now, I’m smiling every time I see my blue painted console table that is center stage in the living room…right under three big windows.

When we moved into our home a couple of years ago, there was a 94-year-old man living behind us. After he passed away last summer, his daughter had an estate sale. The table wasn’t for sale…it was just being used to display things on. It was rickety and water stained and chipping but I loved the scallopy detail on the apron. I could picture it with a coat of colorful paint in my space. The daughter said that her dad had made it. I could just see him carefully using a jigsaw to cut out the scallop. She was surprised that I wanted such a shabby old piece and when I inquired about a price, she asked if $5 would be OK. So, I gleefully toted the table home through the backyard and I think it’s happy here! :)

Where do you prefer to hunt for vintage?
If the mood strikes, or I have a few spare minutes on my hand and am out, I’ll stop by a thrift shop nearby. It’s very hit or miss…but when it’s a hit, it’s a BIG hit as everything is $.50 or $1.00. There is an antique mall very close that is NOT great but I do find small items like linens and books there sometimes. Also, there is an antique/flea market an hour away that I go to once in the summertime for larger things like benches & furniture.

My best friend and I used to love going to farm auctions before we had kids and we still frequent garage and estate sales when we can. Once in a blue moon I’ll buy something off of Craiglist and I find Ebay frustrating with so many people bidding on the same things I want. It sounds like I’m constantly shopping but that is definitely not the case….more like a popping in, checking in here and there kind of thing.

How would you advise our Vintage Addicts in decorating with vintage or re-purposing their vintage finds?
I don’t necessarily feel equipped to advise anyone on their own decorating…because their space is THEIR OWN. Like I said, I fill our nest with things that make ME smile. I don’t like to decorate with items solely from one time period or even solely vintage. Old and new mixed together is more interesting in my taste. So, I guess I would say, go with your gut.

• Don’t worry about things matching.
• Use a 40′s tablecloth on a modern table.
• Don’t feel like you can’t paint that side table red because it’s made of beautiful, dark-stained wood (unless, of course, you prefer unpainted wood!).
• Don’t hesitate to chop up and refashion all those linens that are gathering dust in the closet.

And, lastly, from my humble perspective, don’t hold tightly to your possessions. Buying a coffee table is not a life-long commitment. If after living with something for a bit and deciding that maybe it’s not quite right, sell it on Craigslist or give it to a friend or charity store. Of course, beautifying your home is well and good but it is the people who really matter.

Beth’s vintage addiction runs deep. In fact, her Etsy shop Gypsy Fish Studio is just a small part of her addiction — she also runs a monthly vintage market, and even used to own a vintage B&M shop! She’s found her calling in life and ain’t stoppin’ any time soon. Read on…

Q: Tell our lovely readers a bit about yourself. Is buying and selling vintage your full-time gig or a hobby? How and when did you get started in this business?

A: I think what best describes me is a creative and artistic soul with a passion for vintage. I’ve always been a collector of cool things, mostly family pieces that no one wanted but I couldn’t bare to throw away. Then I began “junkin’.” Mostly out of necessity when I first moved out on my own. I started with pots, pans and all the staples one needs. Then evolved into the furnishing for my very own place. My first apartment was a small studio in a 100 yr old house. There’s just something about old “stuff,” even old houses. Originally I only picked for myself. I love to design my rooms around my vintage pieces using different styles and eras. Just mixing it all up and making it work. Fast forward several apartments, college, a husband, kids, house, 20 or so years and a few thousand junkin’ excursions later, I decided to start selling my wares and share my eclectic style. I opened a few booths in local co-ops then eventually graduated to my very own store. It had always been my dream, It was the most amazing and educational experience of my life. It was a huge pivotal part of bringing me to where I am today. It helped to wake up my soul and face it in the right direction. Due to time constraints, eventually I closed the brick and mortar shop and moved the goods home selling mostly online. It’s finally all in place and balance, now I can really concentrate on what I love, making art, displays, and picking. As well as my online store, I run a monthly Gypsy Barn Market with my close friend Jill and travel with my wares to shows incorporating all the things I adore. As for making this my full-time gig, I would love to say that yes, this is full-time for me, however, there is the necessary job (I am a teaching assistant for a local school) but on the off months…it’s all about the hunt for treasures!

Q: Do you have any favorite, never-let-you-down, treasure hunting spots? Would you like to share, or are they top-secret?

A: Where do I shop…well, in the beginning nothing could stop me and my “BFF” from waking at the crack of dawn and sneaking out before out kids and hubbies woke up to search down the perfect yard sale. Then we would hit all the local thrift shops on the way home. I have to say yard sales are the ultimate treasure hunt. Exploring new neighborhoods and meeting new people is very inspiring to me. But, nothing can beat a good hot, sticky, grungy day at the flea market. Now, that is heaven to me. Not only the finds but the cast of characters and the thrill of haggling down to a great price. I have a few that I haunt regularly but basically I’m up for attacking any field of treasures armed with my granny cart, measuring tape, sunglasses and bottled water.

Q: Is there a certain aesthetic you look for when you’re thrifting? How do you decide what to pick up, or just pass on? Do you wait for an item to speak to you?

A: Now, when it comes to decisions on what to buy….I’m not quite sure how it happens. Maybe it’s psychometry, maybe it’s just the feel of old worn patina that gets my imagination whirring and wondering, who used this, how long was this passed down until it was discarded, why didn’t anybody else want it? But, for some reason they do speak to me, screaming pick me pick me!

Q: Be honest, do you keep many of your finds, or is it strictly business? And do you have any personal collections that you have built over time through thrifting?

A: Well, honestly I used to keep just about everything, before I started selling but now I mostly sell it all……ha! Who am I kidding, I still have to keep at least one thing from just about every excursion. I am becoming a bit more selective though (although my husband will disagree). I’ve also found if there’s two or more of something, buy them both, then you can keep one for yourself and you won’t ever regret selling it. As for collections, hmmm just about everything I have is a collection of sorts. I do have a strange affinity for “things to put things in.” I love finding strange vessels to put odds and ends in….the funkier the better. I also have gathered a huge collection of jewelry findings, funky, rusty keys, and architectural salvage…which now feeds my new passion for making art jewelry pieces. Thanks to an awesome soldering class I took this past summer.

Q: Pick one and tell us about it: Weirdest, most valuable, or most satisfying find?

A: I don’t know if this is the strangest thing I ever purchased but I can tell you it’s the dumbest thing I ever purchased…and I didn’t even mean to do it. I was at a very fast paced outdoor auction. The caller was going a mile a minute, it was crowded, there were big burly guys holding up each piece when it went up for sale, and more big burly guys tossing it to the side after it sold. So , I had my eye on this amazing white iron bench. I spied it right through the crowd. I’m only 5ft tall on a good day, so I zipped right through to check it out. It was divine! A white, chippy, scrolly, vintage iron garden piece. A big guy was holding it. Oooooh that meant it was next! I kept my eyes focused on it, I had to have it. Then I heard the auctioneer start. No one was bidding except one other guy, so I jumped right in and bammmm $17.50! “Can you believe it I got it for only 17.50?” I said to my friend. She said, “no you idiot you got that broken office chair!” Ugh! Then I realized the other burly guys were holding that piece and now I knew why no one else was bidding…..DUNCE! Needless to say the bench went super high and I didn’t get it!

Things are ever evolving for me, I just run with it and know that I will always get where I’m going. I just have to buckle up for the ride.

Robin Eastwood is a treasure hunter and vintage fanatic. Visit The Fancy Lamb on Etsy to drool over some of her latest finds, and follow Robin on Twitter to hear about her latest thrifting adventures.

When designing his new living quarters, Gabe created a strong + simple space outfitted with a few mid-century selections. We interviewed Gabe to learn about his design concept and how he chose to integrate vintage into his home.

What was your inspiration when creating this space?
My main inspiration when creating my space was mid-century designers such as Charles and Ray Eames and Eero Saarinen. I found these designers to blend form and function in a truly organic way.

What is your favorite vintage piece & what is the story behind it?
I have two favorite vintage pieces. One is a 1950′s Basset dresser that a friend owned. I kept pestering him to sell it to me. After two years he finally let me have it for dirt cheap. My other piece is a 1957 Yashica D medium format camera that I bought on Ebay. I bought it in “almost” working condition and found someone who amazingly had original parts to put it in working order. I use it as decor, but I also sometimes shoot with it.

Where do you prefer to hunt for vintage?
I don’t necessarily hunt for vintage. I have very often just come across things that I “needed.” Ebay tends to be too pricey and Craigslist is way to involved for me. I also sometimes get a general idea and just keep an eye out for what will fulfill it. Actively seeking for me seems to lead very often to overpaying.

How would you advise our Vintage Addicts in decorating with vintage?
I think that vintage can be taken to an extreme. Too much lessons the value of the individual piece. For me there is a balance between modern and vintage. Complimenting is the name of the game. Let those vintage pieces accent and therefore stand out as a truly great piece.

Which room in your new space is your favorite?
My place is what I like to refer to as an “abbreviated loft.” My favorite space is the living room/dining room. For me it was a real chance to create two separate spaces that commingled through modern and vintage.

Thank you to Gabe for sharing his new space with our Vintage Addicts! Is your home a showcase of vintage finds + design? Let us know! Email finds [at] myvintageaddiction [dot] com.

I browse Flickr (among many other sites) daily for vintage finds. Lucky me! I came across photos of Darren Bradley‘s living room re-design, in which he showcased his amazing vintage pieces and stunning style. Lucky you! I caught up with Darren to get the scoop on his one-of-a-kind space and his own addiction to vintage.

Your living room is a vintage wonderland! What was your inspiration when creating this space?
Thank you! So glad you like the space. Hunting for vintage pieces is one of our favorite hobbies, as you can probably tell. It’s nice to hear from people who also appreciate it, since the usual reaction is that we’re nuts. Our primary inspiration for the space was probably the wonderful photos by Julius Shulman. My first interest was always photography – primary architectural photography – and I’ve long revered his work. I’m sure the decor and furnishings of the houses he shot rubbed off on me.

Second, I love old movies and TV series from the 50s and 60s. The sets of those movies like “The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit” and “Bachelor in Paradise” is pure eye candy. I guess I wanted to recreate that look. The hard part is to make it look authentic and comfortable, as if it was a photo taken from the period – and not just like a museum of vintage furniture. Not sure we’ve been entirely successful there but it’s always a work in progress.

What is your favorite vintage piece in the space & what is the story behind it?
My favorite vintage piece is usually the last one I found. In this case, it’s the Broyhill console/credenza cabinet from their Brasilia Line. It was made in the early 1960s, when architect Oscar Niemeyer’s completely new capital city of Brasilia sparked the imagination of people around the world (there were lots of films shot there as it was being built). The front of the cabinet is directly inspired by the graceful parabolic arched pillars on Brazil’s Presidential Palace there. It’s also a beautiful piece, made of solid walnut.

One thing you notice about vintage is the quality is generally so much better than what you find in furniture today, and that’s definitely true with this piece. Broyhill Brasilia furniture is fairly common in the US and is becoming quite collectible. But this particular piece was made in very small quantities and despite years of searching, I’d never found one until now. This was was located with the help of the folks over at Brasilia Connection.

Where do you prefer to hunt for vintage?
I browse a lot on line, but typically only buy pieces I see in person. But I travel a lot for work so that helps me to see lots of different dealers and stuff. My favorites are Boomerang for Modern, Klassik , and Soho in San Diego, Deja Vu and Xcape in Long Beach, all of the great shops like Studio 111 and Hedge in the Palm Springs area, and Modernicus outside of Alexandria, Virginia. Craigslist and eBay are also good sources, as long as you can check the stuff out in person first.

Have any advice for our Vintage Addicts?
My advice to Vintage Addicts would be to avoid filling your space with only well-known, marquis pieces to avoid having your home just look like a showroom of mid-century modern classics. There are lots of great mid-century chairs, artwork, and case pieces by totally unknown designers out there that are just fantastic, and don’t cost a lot. Then, sprinkle in a few marquis pieces. This is what really gives the space an authentic feel. (I’m not necessarily very good at following my own advice in this regard).

Also, don’t be afraid of color. As long as you stay in period-appropriate tones (light blues, mustard yellows, avocado greens, oranges, etc.), it all works together quite nicely (at least we think so).

Finally, decorate with what you like. Don’t get a piece just because somebody told you it was a name designer or a good investment. After all, it’s your space and you want to like it and feel comfortable there!

Found by :: Happy Day Vintage

This isn’t a light fixture that will gently blend into the background. Instead, this jolly green sphere of light shouts from the ceiling.