Today I want to share with you two of my favorite things: vintage suitcases and retro globes. They just happen to be two of my latest thrifting finds.

I picked up this vintage 1950's Cygnet suitcase at Goodwill for $3.99. Did I need it? No.  Did I love it? Yes.  I loved it because of it's creamy color.  While I have a growing collection of vintage suitcases, they're all various shades of brown. This one is, I think, special for two reasons.  One reason is the color, and the other is that it's British!  Yes, Cygnet luggage is made in the U.K.  

{Cygnet means young swan.  Who knew?}

See the picture of the swan?  I found similar ones on Etsy and eBay for between $70 and $90.  Call me crazy but I think I got the good deal.

In the past I used another suitcase as an end table on this same base (an old piano bench which I repurposed here). I switched out the brown suitcase for this one and I really, really like it!

Now for the globe.

I'm not sure when my "collection" of globes really started, but suffice it to say that it did!  I had a globe very similar to this one when I was growing up.  I picked it up at an estate sale and couldn't have been happier.  I paid all of $7.00 for it. Not too long ago I was at a very popular antique and flea market when I saw a globe I liked.  The guy was asking $25-$35.  It was not in as good condition as this one and I hesitated to buy it. Now I'm glad I waited.

It's not too, too old ~ I've dated it to 1999 so it's 15 years old.  That must be why it's in such good shape.  It's made by the premiere globe maker, Replogle Globes.  If you go to their website they have a chart entitled "How Old is Your Globe?" which can help you pinpoint the age of your globe.  I thought it would be interesting to try to figure out how old all my other globes are. But that's for another day.

Here's another one from my collection.

You can read about the mission end table transformation here.

 

I do think the new addition to my globe collection and the suitcase side table make a good pair, don't you?

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Decorating with vintage suitcases is one of my favorite go-to decorating ideas. And I know I'm supposed to be keeping things uncluttered on the home front since we're moving {sigh}, but I just couldn't resist this one!  Some of the kiddos gave me money for my birthday and of course it was burning a hole in my pocket....ever get that feeling?  Anyway, I felt the urge to stop by a local vintage shop that was having it's President's Day sale.  And boy was I glad I did!  Here's what I found stashed in a corner behind a few mirrors.

It's a vintage Samsonite faux alligator suitcase, and it's huge!  It measures 26 by 20 inches and it's in near perfect condition. And to sweeten the deal it even came with the key.

It also has some beautiful brass hardware.  What's not to love?

I'm always excited when a vintage find still has some useful identifying markers on it, like this one did.

It was easy to spot the manufacturer's "Samsonite" metal tag right on top.

But when you looked underneath you also found this.

I used this style number to investigate my find.  Turns out an identical one had just sold on ebay for $90.00.

I paid $35.00.  Yes, I did the happy dance.

For me $35.00 was a lot to spend on a vintage suitcase, but overall I recognized that I got one heck of a deal and was very happy with my purchase.

Now I can't wait to use it in my decor at the new house, once we finally move.  Until then, I've created a Pinterest board dedicated to vintage suitcases.  They're so practical when it comes to decorating.  

You can stack them.

Source

Paint them.

{Find this painted vintage album case in my prior post here}

Use them as furniture.

{Find my DIY vintage suitcase "table" here.}

Or fill them with your favorite things.

 Source

Don't you just love this?

I also picked up a large light blue leather vintage suitcase at Goodwill a while back for a song.  That, too, will be involved in my new decorating scheme, once we actually move.  I'm not really into blues so we'll see what I end up doing with it.

In the meantime I guess I'll keep pinning to my Vintage Suitcase Pinterest Board.

Do you have any ideas for decorating with vintage suitcases?  I'd love to hear them!

I'd really love for you to stay connected and follow me via Google Friends Connect, Bloglovin' or e-mail subscription (all in my sidebar) if you haven't done so already.

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I recently saw a fabulous vintage suitcase do-over.  It had bold stripes painted across it and I loved it! 

The Lily Pad Cottage

 

It got me thinking and googling.... googling and thinking. 

 

And here's another one I drooled over from The Concrete Cottage.

 

The Concrete Cottage

Dontcha just love those colors?

And here's another one.

Oakview Cottage

Wow.

So, my wheels started turning and my thoughts went to a small vintage suitcase I had just picked up at Goodwill for $1.99.  It's not even a suitcase, really. I think it was actually an album case.  I found a sticker inside it that looks like it might have come from a music store.  I guess I'll never know for sure.  All I do know is that it's definitely old.

I figured it could stand a bit of work.  So I literally scrubbed it clean and decided on a color and pattern for the paint.

My original idea was to recreate a grainsack pattern, but that idea went downhill pretty fast when I realized that the width of the stripes would have to be fairly substantial in order for it to be proportioned correctly on the case. But fat stripes wouldn't really look like a grainsack, now would it?  So I compromised.  I used the paint color I had originally planned to use, but I made the stripes fatter than you would find on a grainsack.  I left that paint job for another day (and a textile of some sort, like a pillow).

Out came the acrylic paint (49 cents at Hobby Lobby), masking tape ($1.00 a roll at Dollar Tree), painter's tape (already had) and a small paint roller (two for $1.00) that I got from Dollar Tree.

I taped the stripes off at 2, 1 and 1/2 inch respectively, with 3/4 of an inch between each stripe.

       I marked the stripes off with masking tape and then added some painter's tape to the sides of that so there would be some extra room on each side of the stripe for the roller.

I just placed the tape in one continuous line all the way around the case.

Here it is after I painted the first stripe but before I peeled off the tape.

And here it is finished.

I wasn't thrilled with the lack of crispness (there was some bleeding) but hey, I think it all adds to the vintage charm!  And I think it was a nice trial of sorts for me.  In other words, vintage suitcases, look out!  I think it would be fun to paint the stripes in two complimentary colors.  And there's always that good old standby - white!

I also wrapped the handle in jute since it was looking a bit too new (once I scrubbed it clean!) if you know what I mean.  I think it added just the right touch.  And I can always take it off if I change my mind.

And now I get to sit back and admire my handiwork.  And decide how to take advantage of it's other benefit -- hidden storage!

I'm an official vintage suitcase addict now. 

You can see my madness on my

 VINTAGE SUITCASE PINTEREST PAGE!


Kathleen

I'll be linking up here:

OPC The Better Half 6th Annual Before and After Contest

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No Minimalist Here
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