Grainsacks and The Most Generous Blogger: Andrea at Town and Prairie

I know already dedicated a post to Andrea at Town and Prairie a couple weeks ago, but I have to do it again. I don't know what else I can do to say "thank you." I was almost in shock when I opened the package she sent to me. She is ridiculously generous. You forget that people out there like her exist. They do crazy things for people they've never met out of pure kindness. So Andrea, my new BBFF, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Here it is everyone. The most amazing package I've ever received in the mail.

Such a pretty handmade card. Look at all those details. An aged recipe for crust top apple pie and beautiful gold embellishments. "LB" for Lovely Beasts and "TP" for Town and Prairie. I think she's not too fond of her initials, but I think they're hilarious! And memorable! 

Anyways, the card and sack are lovely right? That's just a very small portion of the actual package. I'm serious. Are you ready?

Um. What? WHAT? I saw her post a picture of one grainsack from her neighbor's farm and I emailed her to go back and get it for herself. And then I mentioned if there were more, get me one and I'd buy it from her and pay shipping. She responded happily that she'd go get them and send them to me, no charge. I was already blown away by her generosity at this point. So I was expecting one really cool grainsack. Then she emailed me again and used the word "grainsacks." So I figured, maybe she'll send me two. No, not two. Not three. Not even close. She sent me twelve. 12!!!!!!!!!

I know, I know. I don't know how or why I deserve this either.

And here are some close-ups of the sacks. Andrea warned me that they were a little beastly with stains and holes, but I was expecting much worse. These were and are amazing. The Funk Farms and Ful-O-Pep are my absolute favorites.

UNREAL. I've been wanting grainsacks forever, and now I have 12. Andrea even washed them for me. I'm guessing they almost destroyed her machines, but when I opened each sack they smelled like fresh laundry detergent. Again, I don't think I deserve this. But I'm very thankful to have met someone as kind as Andrea.

Please PLEASE go visit Andrea's blog Town and Prairie. Leave her a comment about these amazing grainsacks, the fact that her blog's initials are "TP", or really just say anything! She has a great blog with gorgeous furniture, and is a wonderful new friend to have.

By the way, this made me really laugh and then gag. Here's a close up of the ingredients printed on the Lay-A-Lot sack.

Blood Meal? Hahaha...ew.

Love the Beasts...and Town and Prairie,
Emily

Industrial Pentagon Glass Box

Remember this thrift store purchase I showed you earlier this week?

These types of glass and brass boxes are my favorite things to work with. I used to think they were so ugly! Back in the day a lot of people used to use them in their bathrooms to hold cotton balls, etc. But they're the perfect thing to transform! With some help from modpodge, vintage dictionary illustrations, and twine the sad-looking beast turned into this.

The illustrations on top are of a siphon-bottle, stereoscope, printing press, stocks, and a torturing rack. On the bottom is a beautiful drawing of a four-masted schooner. It might seem odd to put all these pictures together, but I like putting the industrial together with the whimsical!

You may have noticed that when I bought the box, part of the knob was missing. So I did what I usually do with my salvaged creations! I wrapped it up in twine. 

This box is now for sale in the Lovely Beasts Etsy shop!

And if you're wondering how the shop is doing, I've already had 7 sales which is better than I had hoped! What I'm finding out is that vintage finds do better than my little recycled or salvaged creations. This is great news for me though! The whole purpose of my Etsy venture was to see what would sell best anyway. This process has helped reaffirm the fact that I do have an eye for vintage objects and what people want in that department. And I do enjoy making my little creations, but now I know where I can focus my time if I want to sell more successfully on Etsy. Estate sales here I come!!!

Love the Beasts,

Emily

Recent Thrifty Finds

I wanted to share with you some of my little thrift store finds from last week.

A New Century Dictionary from 1952 and a beautiful edition of The Favorite Works of Mark Twain  from 1939.

A small rectangular wood frame with an art deco style border and a gilt frame mirror tray (both in the back).

And finally a silverplated tray and a big brass-framed pentagon glass box. I had a smaller version of this box that I made lovely with an old print and modpodge, but I still can't show you the "after" because it's a gift that I still haven't shipped yet. I had been looking for another box for the longest time though. Can you believe 20 trips to thrift stores and yard sales came up empty? Finally last week, probably on my 21st thrift shopping trip, I got this big box for a great price. It has ugly flowers carved out of the glass on top, but that's okay because I've already covered them up. I'll show you what I did with it later this week!

Until then, Love the Beasts!

Emily