Yard Sale in New Jersey, Kinda

I got to attend a blog friends yard sale in New Jersey!! Kinda. Susan at Black-eyed Susan's Kitchen had a fantastic yard sale in April....Stop by her blog on my Blog List and read the past posts all about it. I really wanted to attend. She and I have similar collections and when I read she was having a yard sale my heart skipped a beat. We share an obsession for hand-wrought aluminum from the 40's-50's and a love of vintage tablecloths. Well, hopping in the van and riding up to New Jersey was not going to fit in the agenda for that weekend. Sooooo, Susan thought of the next best thing. She provided me a virtual yard sale for the whole week!!! Isn't she the greatest? Seems we have the same pieces in aluminum (I must admit my obsession seems to be worse than hers. I have been collecting since my teens when my Grandma gave me her lidded casserole and have acquired about 75+ pieces since....and still growing.) Oh well. Then she previewed her tablecloth offerings. WooHoo....one was prettier than the next. I was getting all kinds of vintage design inspiration.....ya should've seen me doin a little happy dance.......I couldn't wait to get them.

Here are my vintage finds from Black-Eyed Susan's Kitchen all the way from New Jersey.

This red, white, and blue tablecloth is a tribute to our Native American heritage. I think I'll make a couple of pillows for on my porch swing to go with my flag throw.

This next cloth matches a dish set I just got.

These dishes have an ecru background with a little windmill and Holland girl with tulips. This whimsical scene will make a great applique for a table runner design I'm thinking of. I also have some ideas for pillows, a shirt with matching tote....This cloth really inspired me.

This 1960's card table cloth will make great appliques...hand-embroidered of course...for a lot of different applications. I have been trying to think of something masculine...maybe a shirt with a pocket made by one of these squares accented by a brown corduroy cuff and maybe, corduroy patches on the sleeves.

Now this cloth shouted Apron. I don't know why, but it did.

And, the way I like to fix them as sets I imagine a nice serving piece of crystal with a cookbook for elegant entertaining. It would make a nice wedding gift for a new bride.

This cloth matches a 1940's child's hankie I have already embroidered, but not used yet.

The hankie has a cartoon motif of Mr and Mrs Bird with their new baby bird in a birdhouse. I've been holding onto it for just the right background fabric and I think this will be it to complete a baby pillow. One side will have the hankie and this background fabric, the other this fabric and I'd be able to embroider the baby's name right on it. It also screams shabby chic with lots of lace and sworovski crystals or vintage looking charms...hmmmm. ..the embellishments to choose from....

This is my favorite cloth. I love red and white. For some reason I see Christmas all over this fabric. I have several ideas for this one and I think I'll let it be a future surprise for on my blog. keep watching for the pics!

And, finally this southwest cloth. I see silver conchs with brown suede fringe. Shirt with matching tote? Or, maybe jeans or a jean jacket applique? Have to think about it.

Keep watching the blog I'll have finished pieces here first before I put them on my website or Etsy. Remember, I do custom design. If there is something you see for a specific use for wearable art or home decor, let me know. And, I'd again like to thank Susan for allowing me to attend her yard sale across the miles.