This week- coming adventure in Pyrex Swapping!

Next weekend I am going to be heading to my first Pyrex swap meet in the Baltimore, MD area!  I am really excited to meet up with other collectors and their families.  Should be a fun time and I already have a few trade deals hammered out so will have lots to tell when i get back!  For those of you who are interested, I will definitely do a write up on the experience!  This is a nicely organized event and I believe they are expecting about 75 collectors/shoppers plus family and support!  I am pretty much all packed- Pyrex wise, and will add some other goodies of interest from my inventory as I pack the van. 

Not sure what is up the with weather this week but it is cold and yucky once again in the Northeast.  I have a list of projects to do but am waiting for warmer sunny weather to spend days in my garage working.  Before I start my next restoration, I have a few things to finish on items I have listed.  The chrome dinette chairs I just listed will be taken apart so I can clean the chrome underneath.  There was a lot of surface rust on them, but it cleaned right off with some tricks.  I can get the underneath better by taking the legs off to finish.  I try my best to clean things up and these were very labor intensive, but I want them to look great for their new home.  That said, I also found out about another rust removal product I would like to try on the vinyl.  One chair has some rust stains on it.  Hoping this might do the trick.  Generally they are in ok shape and the pattern on the vinyl is so awesome!  Here is a look.

Set of 4 Dixie Dinette chrome kitchen chairs in fabulous atomic vinyl!

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!  <3 <3 <3  Close up of this awesome pattern!  Dark blue, light blue, grey, metallic gold and silver.  It is fabulous!

Diamond Chair update:  I have this chair listed in a few major markets because, well, I know it is not for everyone.  I received a message from a lovely woman, Mary Thorp, who found my listing and thought enough to reach out and let me know she approved of my restoration work.  It makes me truly happy for feedback like this.  This woman founded the Harry Bertoia Research Project, which catalogs known pieces of his work.  Ms. Thorp is a lecturer, aficionado and expert on Bertoia.  Knowing how much the artist and his works are loved and admired, I am very proud to have gotten a response out of someone who is an expert in this area.  If you are lucky to own any original pieces of Bertoia sculpture, you may register them with her page.  Mary is an asset to preserving the legacy of the artist and his works.  Fabulous!

I think things are starting to move again.  I have had some sales over the weekend and things are shipping out.  A little relief in a stressful time as my husband is still on strike…..we are 5 weeks into it and growing weary and poor.  Thank you for your support as every sale is much appreciated!  Have a great week and look forward to a great review of the swap next week!  

xo Malissa

Thank you and welcome!

I know I picked up some new followers this week and many folks stopped by to check out my shop and web page.  Thanks for coming!  I appreciate knowing people care about what I do!  Lots going on in the last week in my personal life and as many of you are aware, Verizon is on strike.  My husband is a technician there so we are really in a position right now.  I do appreciate any sales no matter how small as my hours at my job are now at about 12, which really is not going to help much in our household.  I am working hard listing and promoting, but I am at the mercy of the market and with that said, I actually have been cross listing a few items on ebay and set up a shop there.  I really do not want to sell in that market but at this point, I just need to sell.  Please share my info with anyone you know who is looking for items I have!  With that said, I have an album of Pyrex I plan to take with me to a swap in May.  You can find it on my Facebook page:  Facebook.com/madformodmalissa PLEASE stop by and have a look.  I will ship any item you wish, so please email me or message via FB for a shipping quote.  I also just listed a few items I never planned on selling from my personal collection including a JAJ yellow snowflake space saver and an orange Cathrineholm lasagna pan with carrier.  If you are in the market for them, act quickly as I do believe these items will not be available long.  If they are not sold by the time my husband gets back to work they are going off the market. 

The spring sale at my booth space in Fleetwood Antique Mall is in effect through the end of the month.  10% off a single item, 20% off multiples. All of my pyrex will be removed at the end of the month for my swap meet. 

Back to the Diamond Chair…...

This beauty is coming along and I hope to have some pics early next week.  It was determined the original finish on these 50s era wire diamonds is definitely a baked on finish similar to powder coating.  I know the current finish is Rilsan, a plastic which the chair gets dipped into and I believe would sand blast off.  The blaster decided that my finish did not need blasting and his powder coat would adhere to it as is.  He arranged to have it welded at the end of last week and I chose gloss black as the finish for powder coating.  I am dying to see it!!!!  There is little info available on the Knoll site on these classic chairs as they are only selling the smaller, dining height chair now.  There is a limited edition 24K Gold plated version out in honor of the 100th birthday of Harry Bertoia.  The whopper price tag is $2000+!  Surely it is beautiful to those who can afford it!  And of course, a fabulous tribute to such a great artist.  I am ready to tackle reconstruction of the cover but have been moving slowly only because I shifted gears to try to get more things listed and promoted.  I hope my next update has some pics to share, even if they are taken at my dear friends home in NJ!  With that said, the fellow who has been doing all of this coordinating is xtremeblasting.us.  He has done 6 old metal chairs for my friend plus some items at his home and my chair.  Prices are beyond reasonable!  I do not know what my welding is going to cost yet, but he quoted me $35 for the blasting so for that price, why do it yourself?!  Sometimes you have to pick and choose what battles you are willing to do yourself……I prefer wood over metal.  

To close, I will add a few pics of a little photo shoot I had today for some of my chairs.  Sometimes I think my pics really suck!  I don't have a nice wide open space to photograph nor proper lighting inside.  I try to take them all outside in natural light as I do think that is the best showing of the colors.  Today the sun was setting, and that always gives a bit of a warmer glow.  I set up in the grass today because some of my favorite vintage ads have to be Dunbar!  I purchased the only affordable book on them last year when I was restoring the pair of dining chairs I had.  A lot of the ads featured in the book were taken outside in the grass.  This chair lover is kind of loving that feel!  Do a little search and find some to check out!  If you are ever lucky enough to find some Dunbar items, covet them as they truly are the best made and most beautiful furniture I have touched to date!  xo Malissa

Orange accents.  Reasonably priced Viko Baumritter in Vinyl, Heywood Wakefield in Vibe Sunkissed fully restored and swoon worthy.   Indian Sari quilts in my shop as well!  I have 4 at the antique mall and 2 at home.  Great for music fests, picnics and soccer games.  Twin sized.  

Baby blues.  Would love to keep them together as found but will split them up.  Beautiful new Vibe Aquatic upholstery and restored worn arms to original champagne.  I am a huge Heywood fan and collector.  Much love was put into all 3 chairs and each took about a week of labor to restore.

My cute photo bomber! 

In like a Lion- UPdates and New Acquisitions.

Winter is not quite over as we are expecting some bad weather at the end of the weekend!  Surely any snow left by it won't last long!  Meanwhile, my sales are cranking!  In the last week my 2 coffee tables rolled off to new homes and various small items!  I thank everyone for welcoming these awesome items!  I have been buying to replace the items i have sold and spent today listing and updating the featured web furnishings. 

So thick, so gorgeous, so rich.

First up is this fantastic runner by Edward Fields in amazing 18' length (width 4').  I can not say enough about it!  It is worth checking out the company website which details construction, matertials and history.  Knowing they placed pieces in the White House since Jackie O should speak for the quality.  It is heavy but should be UPSable rolled.  I have decided to include shipping in the price.  If you are close enough to meet or deliver, I can knock a little off.  This is long and will require a hall or large walk area to accommodate.  Please measure your space carefully!  In excellent condition, it features light grey background with orangy brown squiggles and cream splotches.  The pattern is BLING BLING.  The listing is live in my etsy shop now, click on the pic to open in a new window!

New Chair Set! 

Set of 5 Made in Denmark Teak Dining Chairs in steel gray upholstery

These adorable chairs feature 4 side chairs and one arm chair.  Teak is dark and lovely!  I suspect they would work well with rosewood.  Recently recovered, I am leaving the Sueded fabric.  The were oiled and loved and ready for a new home.  If you are looking for a great set for your table, consider them!  Marked only 'Made in Denmark', I have so far found none similar nor identified the maker.  I will keep looking.  In the mean time, You can find the listing on etsy by clicking on the pic and it will open in a new window.

I am also adding smalls!  Please pop by the etsy shop and keep up to date.  Some of the items I have been shipping out have not been here long!  I do suspect that furniture is going to keep the momentum as we roll into spring so please jump on anything you like before it is gone!  I have had 2 sales on Chairish in a week so will continue cross listing over there as time allows.  

LOCAL NEWS

If you local peeps have not gotten to visit the Heywood Wakefield chairs at my booth space in Fleetwood Antique Mall, try to get over there this weekend!  I will probably remove them next week and replace with a few other pieces.  If there is anything you want to see email me and I will try to work it in for you!  Visit WED-SUN 10-6.  

Thanks for following along!  Please share my page with your friends, design lovers, vintage fans and redecorators!  I appreciate your referrals!

xo Malissa