A couple of weeks ago I went to an estate sale in St Louis and found some great stuff.  When I go to a sale I am usually looking for papers of all kinds to use in my art journaling, these can include old books, postcards, flash cards or recipe cards to name a few.  I also look for books I can use to make a sketchbook from, so a cool cover might catch my eye.

This book definitely caught my eye at this sale, it is pretty ancient and delicate but not to the extent that I can’t use it.  What I love most about this book is that I can use it as it is and I don’t have to take any pages out or sew any new in.

It used to house vinyl records and is basically a book of pockets made from fabulous brown paper with lots of character.

There are only 12 ‘pages’ but so many options.  Each pocket page is intact and secure and the hole through the book where the middle of the records would show is a lovely feature which I will happily work with and around as I use the book as an art journal.

I always look out for scissors if they are interesting and useful and among the tools and bits and bobs I found the scissors in the top photo.  Of course I got digging around and found a mini screwdriver with an ornate wooden handle and then another. I soon had the pastry brush, screwdrivers, tin, scissors, awl and palette knife in my grubby hands as a small collection of wonders from the boxes and boxes of basement junk! It is all stuff I will use and it all looks great together.

I left the photos until last but of course they were the first thing I gathered.  We went on the third day of the sale so I wasn’t expecting to find many photos left as they seem to be in demand at the minute.  So I was delighted to see a couple of shallow boxes with vintage black and whites 10 for $1.00. As all is fair in love and estate sales, I picked up the whole box and found myself a corner to count them and sift out what I didn’t want.  Once I had a pile from this box I commandeered the second box and did the same.  There was a lady looking through the second box, so I used my nice manners and waited until she was done before removing the whole lot! I bought most of them and I just love to look through them, some are local St Louis landmarks like Forest Park in the 1950’s and 1960’s and some are snaps of people and houses.  I will use them in my art journals, but I also love to draw and sketch using the photos as my starting point.

A successful treasure hunt!

Are you a treasure hunter?  Do you like estate sales? Yard sales? Jumble Sales? Antique shops? All of the above?

I am always on the lookout for something interesting which I can use.

Happy Wednesday x