Jamin and I took a day date to the flea market a few weeks ago for our first official spring outing. It’s been our favorite thing to do for about thirteen years now, so I’m still shocked when some of our local friends don’t even know about it. {In 2020, they definitely took a hit because of the pandemic, so it’s always my personal mission to spread the word.} We were thrilled when this time around, they had even more vendors than ever. We are rooting for you! {See more about the location + dates, here.}
Also, this post, if you’re wondering what on earth this thing is and what I’m now doing with it. Hint: I use it daily.
So, we’d circled around and were headed out when I spied these. {I forgot to accurately document the things, beyond this quick video I took for all things survey on Insta. I had cleaning questions, and you guys were torn about it. So was I.}
What are these things you may ask? {70 lb Dog for scale}
They’re a pair of vintage glass fishing floats. I’ve {oddly enough} wanted some forever. For. Ev. Ver.
Here’s an awesome post about them here, if you’re curious as to why on earth I would even care. I just think they’re so beautiful.
I’ve actually had some smaller ones on my coffee table for quite some time. So I knew immediately that I wanted these when I spied them just sitting there, minding their own business.
Jamin was all, “What are you going to do with them?” Whilst the vendor, {we’ll call him interesting} cracked vague jokes about man parts. He thought he’d offended us when I didn’t really laugh, and whilst I can always take a good joke, said offender just wasn’t funny. I was too busy trying to strike up a deal, and he really needs to work on his stand-up. Meanwhile, I big spring storm was hovering above us. I told Jamin I had no idea what I would do with them, but I knew I wanted them.
{Pause. I get it. The man sometimes wants to pump the brakes. But see: organizer above. See: Stained glass windows below.}
I may not know immediately what I’m going to do with it. The minimalists out there per the 2016ish trend may not agree. {Bombastic side eye as my daughter would say.} But to quote the fabulously fictional Dr. Ian Malcolm: “…life uh, finds a way.” Because when you know you love something, you should just scoop it up, if you can.
So today I thought I’d go old school and share a little bit of where I could actually use them. In case you’re looking for your own inspiration, venturing to a flea market soon, or always second guessing yourself when out and about, this post is for you. Because sometimes it’s just fun to share a little inspiration. If you love something, I promise you’ll probably figure out what to do with it later.
First of all, the above photos don’t do these things justice. And I had options. These things are legit, with barnacles and everything. Part of me wanted to preserve their initial quality and charm. So, I could clean the floats and leave the rope and barnacles. Clean them and leave the rope. Or just clean it all for a more “modern” feel.
When it came down to brass tacks, though I had good intentions {and the survey per insta was truly torn} I knew that gross rope had to go once I gave it a good look. It took me over an hour and a half for these things to be polished back to their almost-original glory.
And then I had fun styling them around the house, just to prove my point.
Because how fun are these displayed on a coffee table? Ps. Probably not a good idea if you have toddlers, but for the rest of us, it’s kinda fun.
Or in my youngest’s room on his bedside table? {See the full space here.} We’ve done our time and now have teenagers, so I get to have a little fun with all things styling like I want.
It can even be somewhere as simple as your fireplace mantel. Yes, this re-do is still in the works even though I’ve given little sneak peeks along the way. Coming soon, I promise. {Check out our art, here!}
I love the way it looks on our bookshelf.
But where I loved it the most, was in this impromptu spring tablescape I cooked up. I’m in between stained glass projects right now, since we’re so {gratefully} busy with design clients. I cleared off my do-what-I-can-where-I-can studio, and did a place setting. Multiple place settings, in fact. {It’s amazing how much fabulously larger a space can feel, when it’s all cleaned up.}
No regrets on cleaning up that crusty rope, by the way. It was a little piecemealed together and if I ever want more rope on it, I think I’ll have it done. By a professional rope weaver or something {I have no idea where I would go for such a thing so I will have to check it out.} But this gives it the more modern feel I was going for.
So simple and fun with lots of color!
It’s truly funny how the simplest of things make for the best additions.
So to answer that original question, THIS is where I would use them. Everywhere.
We just love this fun look.
So, we hope this little post serves as a reminder to purchase the pretty little thing. The thing that you aren’t sure where it may go, but it speaks to you. And it just might serve as the best little accent you ever did see, once you get home with it, and find a place.
The possibilities really are endless. Man-part jokes aside, and everything.
What’s your favorite little find that you’ve scooped up at a flea market / garage sale / online find? I’d love to hear.
Have an inspired day!
Diane@InMyOwnStyle says
Hi Ashley – I, like you love vintage glass fishing floats. I started to collect them about 20 years ago after a trip to Hawaii where we stayed with friends. In their home, they had many of the floats in all colors and sizes. Some they found out in the water or on the beaches, but most came from a man holding a yard sale in Hawaii. He was divorcing his wife and was selling the contents of the house. My friend bought two large boxes of the floats for $20!!!! For my own collection, I bought them at a site called Vintage Float Junkie or something like that. It is no longer a site. It was run by a woman who lived in Alaska. Her boyfriend was local pilot who used to take her to remote island that was only above water for a couple of hours a day. On the island there were dozens and dozens of the floats. She used to jump out of the plane and gather as many as she could in large plastic bags and jump back into the plane to take off before the tide came up. She then sold them on Ebay. As a new owner of vintage glass floats, I thought you would like to hear these fun glass float stories. XO
ashley @ the handmade home says
UMMM thank you for this tip! I am going to stalk her! I love this. I feel like I need to start gathering different colors. SO cool, Diane!
Ann in Atlanta says
Love a good fishing float story! Glass Float Junkie is still on social media and her tales were epic. Floats do appear on Pacific NW beaches and other beaches around the world but I think MANY more are found in Alaska. There are even areas where artisans create new glass floats (and, total aside, they are GORGEOUS) and “hide” them on beaches in Oregon and Washington state. I’ve recently heard of artisans hiding them on Georgia beaches. Would LOVE to find one of those. After YEARS of searching beaches around the world, I found one on an Atlantic side beach of Eleuthera in the Bahamas last April. In fact, I was so surprised that I started looking around to see if there were Punk’d or Candid Camera folks around :). I raced over to the seaweed it was caught in and tapped on it because I was sure it was plastic – it went “tink tink” and I almost fell over! Anyway it wasn’t as large as the ones you scored – mine is the size of a big grapefruit – but it is something I treasure. I love all the ways you’ve styled yours. I see those big ones occasionally at flea and antique markets and am always tempted to buy. I’ve even seen some turned into pendant lights and chandeliers that are just stunning. Well, sorry to ramble but I loved this post – it is near and dear to my beach-loving heart!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Your comment just made my day! Do not apologize for the epic story. I love hearing this! I had no idea that people hide them. What a treasure you found!
Ann in Atlanta says
The one I found in the Bahamas was a vintage fishing float that came in with the tide on some seaweed – the new artisan ones are a different thing entirely. You really should check out Glass Float Junkie – she is still selling her finds!