Category: Collecting

Collecting, Crafting, Decorating

Recycle/Upcycle at the BIG RED BARN

Big Red Barn Blog

We had a great sale at the Big Red Barn this weekend. Hope you were able to make it out! I had a lot of great discussions with the buyers and lots of suggestions for upcycling/recycling items we sell in the barn. We get many, many artisans and craftspersons at our sale who are looking for items to make everything from robots to bird feeders. I’d like to share a few ideas with you.

This was one of my favorite ideas. This clever crafter, takes large round doilies and wraps them around different pumpkins at Halloween/Fall. Easy! She will just tie up the top for great holiday decor. I liked the idea of using the different colors of doilies. You could also experiment with the tie for different looks – ribbon, twine, fabric, etc.

Another idea was using the multitude of miscellaneous glassware pieces you can find at garage sales to make bird feeders. You could use milk glass, depression glass, etc. It’s a great use for pieces with a tiny chip, imperfection, or cloudiness. I liked the idea of using the square dishes or even the divided dishes. You could assemble them with a base, or not, and place them in your garden.

I also find literally, hundreds of punch cups at sales for practically nothing. Everyone is trying to get rid of them. I would suggest using old punch cups for a single serve at a party. They are perfect to hold desserts, snacks, salads, etc. They’re a perfect grab and go for your party and come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

Finally, the frames and trophy tops. People bought the frames to use for projects from simple painting to embellishment. The trophy tops were used as pegs to make hangers on a board. I thought this would be cute for a kids room. You get tons of trophies with no future life.

Thanks to everyone for the great ideas. More will be shared soon. Happy hunting!!

Jackie

Collecting

Rolling Pins – King of the Kitchen

Big Red Barn Blog

Throughout history, rolling pins have been the king of the kitchen. An early kitchen tool, these were essential for early kitchen baking and cooking. I have been collecting rolling pins for about ten years. Don’t really know how it happened, but I love when I find an unusual one at an auction or garage sale.

Early pins were carved from one piece of wood. The rolling handles came along much later, at the end of the 19th century. Of course, they are used to roll out bread, noodles, pie crust, and more. They are still manufactured today. And, they experienced a resurgence during the pandemic when home cooking and baking was more popular.

Some of the favorites!

The top rolling pin is the biggest one I have. It’s huge. It was probably used in an industrial restaurant or baking establishment. The middle, glass rolling pin has wooden handles. Although you see glass rolling pins a lot, I have never seen one with wooden handles that unscrew. Warm water was placed inside the rolling pin to assist with smooth rolling. I bought the yellow handle one at a garage sale. Although it’s pretty plain, I had never seen one with yellow handles.

The top pin in this group was carved in one piece. I thought the bore holes added a lot of character to this treasure. I bought the Kelvinator at an auction about ten years ago. Kelvinator was an American appliance company selling from the early 1900s. This looks 1940s to me. I had never seen one like this before. I’m sure it was a give away with a new refrigerator or appliance. Who knows, this might have been what started the collection! The last rolling pin was probably used for smaller cookies or pie crusts. I just liked the color and the look.

Although rolling pins are easy to find, one that is unusual is generally more of a treasure hunt. After ten years, I only have twenty or so. It’s still a lot of fun!

Happy hunting! Jackie

Collecting

Christmas to Winter Decor

Big Red Barn Blog

When Christmas is over, I start taking down my decorations a little at a time. Some of them are harder to part with than others. This year I decided to keep a few of the favorites out for a little bit longer and integrate them into my winter decor!

I LOVE Shiny Brite ornaments. If you’re unfamiliar with this Christmas staple, they were extremely popular from the late 1930s through early 1960s. Originally, these beautiful glass ornaments were made in Germany. In the late 60s, they were replaced with plastic ornaments. These are highly collectible and many of my customers ask me to find them.

I usually leave out a few here and there, but decided I really like them in my vintage vases! They also fit perfectly and look great in the wooden blocks. LOVE IT!

I have a small collection of kitchen Santa’s. Old and new. I like to gather them and drop them in this jar. I think they look great with the Red Barn canister and add some color and interest to my kitchen.

I kept the candles, galvanized tin house, and some of the larger balls out on my table, as well as the buffalo check runner. I think it’s a great winter look.

Finally, the favorite of all favorites, the SANTA collection! They have been featured in a previous blog, but I think they deserved a nod at the end of this column! They stay out year round and are one of the earliest and most favorite collections of all!!

Happy New Year and happy collecting and treasure hunting in the 2022!

Jackie

Collecting

New Life for Collector Plates

Big Red Barn Blog
Spode Collector Plate & Shiny Brite Ornament

Collector plates are an abundant staple. They are everywhere! Flea markets, auctions, garage sales, thrift stores, antique malls, etc. There were thousands and thousands of plates sold. Collector plates were most popular during the mid-60s to late 80s. Although some are still made, it’s certainly not at the same clip as they were. Of the thousands of collector plates out there, as a seller, you will be lucky to find a dozen that might have some value over your career!

About five years ago, I swore off buying any more collector plates ever again! That really did not last very long. So, I decided one of my goals as a seller and preserver of history, was to find new life for collector plates. They are actually very pretty and have interesting themes, colors, and shapes!

Christmas Table Decor

With that in mind, I decided to give them a role in decorating for Christmas this year. They add a festive touch to your table at Christmas. Of course, when you serve guests, collector plates should NEVER be used for food consumption. You will remove them and use the plates on the bottom. Be cautious of the glitter from the ribbon too!

Charger, Avon & Spode Collector Plates, Rosenthal

I started with a basic charger. This one was from Pier 1, but I picked it up at a garage sale. You can find these everywhere. I then took a basic white plate. This one is from Germany and was made by Rosenthal. I really like this one because it has a nice rim. You can then choose your collector plate. The gold plate is the second Spode collector plate. Spode has a TON of collector plates. Christmas trees, angels, stars, etc. Lots to choose from. I tied a simple bow with a wire edged ribbon purchased at a local craft store. Then I decided to use an old Shiny Brite ornament to add color.

Shiny Brite ornaments are the old ornaments from the 60s and 70s that are so popular. Although they are a little harder to find and a bit more expensive, they are fairly plentiful.

Collector Plate Christmas Decor

Your collector plates could be chosen based on color, theme, shape, etc. You could also use Christmas napkins, silverware, bowls, cups, etc. with your collector plate decor. Use your imagination! I picked up these collector plates from a garage sale this summer. I bought a box of them (about ten) for $1.00! So much for the moratorium on collector plates.

Happy decorating everyone! Jackie