Mill on the Floss

Tonight I went to half price book day at the thrift store.

I found five hardcover books that interested me, each for only 50 cents.

This one was the best. An embossed cover with a picture is ALWAYS a nice find. Fifty cents is ALWAYS a good price. And, this is a George Eliot book.

Oh, this made me SO happy.

I Make Stuff. Out of Stuff.

I love these little cedar boxes.

I also love books and calendars with Mary Englebreit art.

Also, I love to decoupage.

This is our Christmas treasure box.

In it, I keep the holy family and the three wisemen.

Baby Jesus in the

manger will join the family when he returns from wherever Famke put him.

The box, the picture and the nativity people are all thrift finds.

Oh! Looky What I Found!

I collect these little plaque thingies. They are getting VERY hard to find.

Yesterday I went into my favorite thrift store and I found one! I nearly fainted (although that might have been because i had waaay too much coffee). Then, I turned it over to see the price and it was 25 cents.

Oh, yes. I was a happy girl. Even better was the Bible verse, which I greatly needed by the end of the day. Sometime I may write about it on my Anybody Home blog (www.judyh58.blogspot.com) but I just can't, yet.

I also found the crochet pot-holder dress. It looks to be new. That too was 25 cents. I crochet. It's worth waaay more than that!

Anyway. I also made the doll. Hard to get a good picture of her today. She is a thrifty girl. Her body is from fabric I paid a quarter for, the shirt is from a Ralph Lauren thrifted sheet, the stuffing was purchased at the thrift store last night, her pants are cut from an old pair of crop pants of mine. Let's see.., what else.., oh.., her face is loosely based on a transfer pattern for a potholder. The face reminded me of Famke. I haven't decided on her hair yet, so I wrapped her head in a thrifted embroidered hanky. She seems to like it.

Thrifty Gift

I found this book a while back. I loved the pictures by Marjorie Cooper and used many of them in decoupage projects. It had quite a bit of damage, so I had no trouble taking it apart.

After I had taken out all of the pages, I got this idea for the cover. All it required was a Mead notebook and a piece of grosgrain ribbon glued inside. I love it! I haven't been able to write in it yet. I just sort of look fondly at it and admire it and THIS year, I shall use it. Or, give it as a gift. I haven't decided yet.

Thrift Store Finds

It's handy for me that the place we dump our leaves is right nextdoor to a thrift store.

So, while THGGM dumps the leaves, leaves and more leaves, I shop!

Tonight I found that cute little house with the advent calendar boxes under neath it. This should be fun for Jonge and Famke to count down to Christmas.

Oh, who am I kidding? It will be fun for ME.

I also found a cute little Dutch couple. They hadn't actually hit the floor yet, I pulled them from a shopping cart on it's way to the shelves. They were 49 cents each. She, like many Dutch women I know, was not very photogenic.

And, while quickly glancing through the books which were rather picked over due to 1/2 price days on Wednesday and Thursday, I found "All in the Family" by Edwin O'Connor for only one dollar. I had just started reading his "The Edge of Sadness" last night.

Charming Little Book

This charming tiny book was a dollar at the lovely School Days Antique Mall in Stirdivant, Wisconsin.

It was published in Germany, although it says not when.

It doesn't look very old to me, but has an old-world look about it.

She Plays the Piano

In Wisconsin last week I found the John Thompson Hymns and Fur Elise. Both were a dollar. Tonight I played through the hymns, which wasn't too taxing, as it isn't much above Teaching Little Fingers to Play.

I also played through Down By the Bay. Jonge and Famke are in Florida this week, but that is no reason for me to slack off in the piano playing department. I found that book years ago for a dime. It isn't something I remember singing with my kids, so it seems new to me.

Not so with Perhaps Love, which came in a wedding song book for two dollars a while back. That one is loaded with fabulous songs. Perhaps Love and For You being two of my favorite John Denver songs. My favorite is Grandma's Feather Bed. Sadly, that song didn't come in the book of wedding songs. Perhaps it should have, for me.

Anyway, I have stacks and stacks of piano music now. I cannot stop myself, because I remember being told that it was too expensive, so when I see it for mere dimes and dollars, I buy it. Wouldn't you? If you are reading this blog. You would. I know you would.

Dutch Stuff Found in Wisconsin

Since we were on vacation, I let my $5.00 budget go by the wayside.

Yet, nothing that we bought was expensive at all.

I've been wanting a salt box for a very looong time, and was thrilled to find this one. I don't think it is all that old, but I love the vintage-y look of it.

And, the linen dish towel I could not resist. Although, now that I have it home I realize that I will actually have to stitch it myself.

Hmmm.

Riley Poems

I still cannot believe that I found this exceptional copy of "A Child-World" by James Whitcomb Riley for only $4.00.

If you don't recognize his name, you are likely to be familiar with what he has written. Does "when the frost is on the punkin" ring a bell with you?

Anyway, it wasn't until AFTER I purchased it that I realized it was an autographed copy. I had noticed the beautiful handwriting and that was enough for me, but an autographed copy...wow.

This does not appear to be one of a numbered limited edition that recently sold for $500.00, but another volume of his sold at an estate auction for $140.00.

Oh, and the birth-death years were added in blue ink, and the book was passed on to the first recipient's grandson.

I really do find treasure everywhere!

The Egg and I

Oh!

Look what I found!

A lovely copy of "The Egg and I" by Betty MacDonald.

I have wanted this book for years. I found it at an antique mall in Wisconsin. One of my favorite things about hunting for something for a long time (as opposed to buying it on ebay), is that delightful thrill one gets upon finding it! Just like a treasure hunt. And, this book is green, so as soon as it's finished, it will have a place of honor in my 'green book' collection.