First Bleach, Then Dye, Dye, Dye

First bleach three hundred and forty tiny bottle brush trees and then dye, dye, dye.

 



The most time-consuming part of this project is waiting for them dry, dry, dry.

The lighter trees on the screens is how they look after bleaching.

For deep jewel tones, use Distress Ink Spray.

Super messy - worth the trouble.

The rest of the trees were dyed with Rit Dye in a hot water bath with salt added.

 Rose Pink.

Apple Green with a bit of Gold for a vintage look.

 Aqua Blue.

Petal Pink.


About half of the trees have sold, but there are more in Booth W-10, Riverfront Antique Mall, North Augusta, South Carolina.



For more information on bleaching bottle brush trees see these posts:

Bleaching Bottle Brush Trees 
Bottle Brush Trees On Corks 
Bottle Brush Tree Joy 
Bottle Brush Trees On Molds 
Bottle Brush Trees On Blocks 



And PLEASE do not bleach vintage trees!



See y'all!

Come visit the Riverfront Antique Mall dealer page on Facebook:  Dealing On The River and like us!

ETSY SHOP IS CLOSED

 I will accept reserved listings if you see something in the blog posts you want.

Friday Finds

An estate sale last Saturday was hidden right in the middle of Aiken.

An old game reserve for a once grand hotel in the 1930's.

A cottage packed with bottles, books, and dolls.

WARNING: If you were a bit disturbed by the dolls in yesterday's post, just wait until you see the ones from this sale!

A Carom board in the box with all the pieces and instruction booklet.

A brown wooden donkey flower pot holder.

I could not even imagine how many dolls were in this house - all old.

A pair of Canadian sailor dolls.



These are keepers for now.

Especially the cute small one.

A doll I have not ever come across.

A cloth body with pressed tin head and shoulders.

I think I love her.

The rubber baby doll had been exposed to high heat at some point but his head is fine.

Two torsos.

Miss Kewpie looks a bit afraid of her companions.

Yes, four more heads.

The last two heads.

I know I love the head (only half) on the left.

Both are definitely my style. 

A bottle brush tree with mercury glass beads. 

Two Avon powder tins.

There had to be hundreds of Avon bottles and jars.

Plus hundreds of bottles of every description. 

A print of a girl practicing first aid on her dog.

A black lunchbox.

Reading textbooks.

Keepers.

Field guides to birds.















 

Stacks of gospel and chorus books.

Maybe I can use this first aid manual on my dolls!

Yes, I caved.

Yes, I bought.

Yes, I am out of my junk funk.

Yes, I've got my junk groove back.

Yes, I will go out hunting this weekend.

There are five estate sales and two auctions. 

Decisions must be made.

Routes must be carefully timed.

Money must be spent.

It's junk-loving time.



See y'all!

CLOSED FOR SUMMER!

 Use this discount code to receive 10% off your purchase at the Distressed Donna Etsy store:

DISTRESSEDDONNA16

SHOP HERE! 

Sassy Miss Chris

I have been a bad blogger - not showing off my Christmas stuff.

These pics are from the first of December of my Booth W-10 at Riverfront Antique Mall in North Augusta, South Carolina.  (For those of you who asked where is the booth!)

I was inspired by the mannequin trees - especially Rita's at  Panoply.

Rita's tutorial HERE.

So I made a poor woman's copy of it.

Took the top of my dressmaker's form.

Wove garland through the wire at the bottom.

Let her wear my favorite Christmas tee.

Made her a garland scarf.

Placed her high on top of Katherine, my primitive cabinet. 

(Now for sale! The cabinet, not Sassy Miss Chris.)

I bleached close to 300 trees this year and about half have sold.

I keep them out all year for other seasons.

Little vignettes of Christmas tucked in and out the booth.

Yet another pic of Sassy Miss Chris.

I promise it is the last one.

More trees and Christmas-y stuff.

And the gnome for under the tree has not sold!

I sorta feel sorry for him.

He really needs to be sitting under a tree somewhere.




Is that a giant carrot or is he just showing off?!?




Could not resist a smutty gnome joke.



See y'all!


 

Use this discount code to receive 10% off your purchase at the Distressed Donna Etsy store:

DISTRESSEDDONNA15

SHOP HERE! 

Quickies

Remember the Beethoven bust in gold.

Too flashy for me.

So roll over, Beethoven.

He is not so angry looking in Krylon Chalky Spray Paint in Putty.

Remember the whats-it?

I said message center.

Someone said bird feeder.

Chucks said perfect for sweetener packets.

Now a little blue beauty after painting it in Krylon Morning Sky.

Now I am thinking tp roll.

I've been using this large cutlery box for a few weeks.

Great organizer for small crafts.

Thought of jazzing it up a bit.

Sprayed the sides and back in Navajo White (Rust-Oleum). 

Stained around the edges with a glaze of burgundy.

It said Merry Christmas to me. 

Even though it is only October.

Willie Wonka wanted a place in the pic since he helped me paint all three projects.

Did you notice the tiny bottle brush trees?

Raise your hand if you bought every package of tiny bottle brush trees in Hobby Lobby way back in September?

Me, me, me!!!

Yep, it is time to bleach the trees.

I have finished about 200 of them.

Have 100 of the larger trees to do.

Happy Sunday!



See y'all!

Use this discount code to receive 10% off your purchase at the Distressed Donna Etsy store:

DISTRESSEDDONNA15

SHOP HERE! 

Show and Share No.284

Vintage Charm #2

Shabbilicious Friday

Feathered Nest Friday

Vintage Inspiration Party # 211 

 

 

Friday Finds

I knew it was a great day when I walked into the thrift store and was met with the greeting, "So glad you are here. We have a bunch of old stuff to get rid of."

I had to recite my new mantra under my breath for several seconds before diving in.

"I do not have to own every single treasure.  I am not a hoarder.  I will restrain myself."

And by the time I had finished, several items had been snatched up by other shoppers.


First this lovely lady - an ironstone wash basin. White with blue floral design.

Yes, delicious brown patina.

Anchor Pottery 

J.E.N. 

Trenton, NJ

Semi- Porcelain

Made between 1890 and 1920.

A generous 17" diameter.

I have three wash stands and not one will hold her. 

She will go to the booth.

Because: I do not have to own every single treasure.




My customers love my suitcases - especially the extra large flat ones.

It went straight to the booth.

I love market baskets like this one.

I have a graduated set of them including one this size.

Since I have so many, this one will be going to the booth.



Because:  I am not a hoarder.

The wooden message box with the glass knob, you will see transformed on Quickies this week.

The pewter bowl is lovely and will be sold.



 

A glass floral frog.

A beautiful piece of ceramic art.

It is a bud bowl sometimes called a pansy bowl.

Add water and arranged the pansies around the opening.




It is now on Etsy.

The gray dresser and several other pieces of furniture sold over last weekend so I bought this MCM cabinet with sliding doors.

You will see it soon.

It is on the list to be painted this weekend.

Hen egg basket.

A brass urn.

A cute hand carved mouse.

The largest cricket box I have seen.

It will be listed on Etsy.

Two Victorian frames.

Slight damage.

A folding bed tray with all its working parts in great condition.

The paint is a little distressed.

The tray can be positioned four ways to draw or write or sing in bed.

Imagination time.

I did not dare remove this lighting fixture until I make it to the booth with it intact.

I am a total klutz and have almost dropped it twice.

So here is half of it.

Two long pendants of cut glass with white/gold iron pieces and chain.

They are twins and hang from one ceiling mount. 

They absolutely scream, 
"Nous sommes Français!"

A very fierce Beethoven.

Maybe he is trying to hear.

I know he is not French, but he would look wonderful sitting under the above lights. 

A free plaid bowling bag so decrepit it has crumbled.

Will be using it for a poinsettia.

Yes, it is time for bottle brush trees.


A round-up of ones Olive of Olive Out found for me at the Salvation Army.

Yes, I have been bleaching trees twice a week.

Last, but certainly not least, my own personal slices of Maid Marion.

The city spent several days slicing her up in different lengths for people to take.

Now I have to figure out how to get the slices dry and what to do with them.

I am not shopping today - staying home and painting.

Because: I will restrain myself! 


See y'all!

Use this discount code to receive 10% off your purchase at the Distressed Donna Etsy store:

DISTRESSEDDONNA15

SHOP HERE! 

Show and Share No.284

Vintage Charm #2

Shabbilicious Friday 

Feathered Nest Friday