Making Progress

I love searching for treasures at thrift stores, flea markets, and antique shops.  But as anyone who enjoys vintage finds knows, they usually require a little work before they can be used--such as a good cleaning or a coat of paint.  My basement and garage are filled with many such items and this week I finally got around to addressing a couple of them. 

I bought this old window at an antique show last winter.  After some cleaning and repainting it was ready to be hung in my living room.  I will probably put pictures of some sort in the glass panes, but I haven't figured out what yet. 

I also bought this letter press tray last winter.  I thought I got a great deal on it (only $5), but hadn't taken into consideration the amount of work cleaning it would entail.  I spent over 1 1/2 hours scrubbing every nook and cranny with rags and q-tips soaked in Murphy's Oil Soap.  And then spent more time backing it with decorative papers (Amy Butler paper is shades of green).  I really like how it turned out though--it was worth the effort.