Vintagey thoughts

We've our annual fundraiser thing for our preschool with a huge spaghetti dinner and silent auction for baskets of themed goodies donated in various ways. I hope it isn't cheap of me that I've decided to make a Vintage Themed basket using various goods from my Etsy shop that expired without any buyers. Maybe we'll wring some cash back out of them after all this way - my favorite is an early 1950s bottle with Treasure Island pirates printed on it that was used over the years as a water sprinkler for ironing clothes.

I'm starting to look at vintage stuff very differently than I used to, learning to spot what has resale value and what is just junk, getting to where I can peg different eras by lettering styling, what type of plastic, etc. but I've still a long ways to go. But then, I'm not looking for "valuable stuff" I'm looking for old stuff that pleases me in hopes that it also pleases someone else. A potholder with smiling little daisy and sunshine faces on it, for instance - it wasn't 'valuable' or 'collectible' but I sold it almost as soon as I put it up. :-)

Bonus new skill from all this - I'm getting better at removing old stains from old fabrics without destroying them in the process. Sorta. :-P