Won't Need to Dream about It this Year

Surprisingly, with all of the Christmas music books I've amassed over the years, none of them have White Christmas.

So, I was exceptionally excited to find the sheet music today.

Holiday Inn is one of my all time favorite movies, so having that on the front was an extra little thrill.

Another plus, it's written in the key of C, so I will be able to actually PLAY it, and it will work with the bells!

I told THGGM that HE would be able to play the bell part, just like in the movie.

It didn't seem to have the same exciting effect on him as it did on me.

Oh, well.

I'm still happy!

More Please!

Another day, another piece of Lenox!

Hmmm.

In the very brief time I was in the thrift store tonight, I found a bunch of things for 49 cents. Some of it was even half off.

I'm determined to figure something out for my dioramas, and this singing family seemed like they would fit in with all of this other stuff - all thrift finds.

I'm starting to like it.., I'm REALLY starting to like it.

Or, maybe it's just late and I've had too much coffee...

Do tell.

Because I Like Them

These two little angels were forty nine cents. At that price, I felt as if I owed them a home.

Lenox Santa

Found this Santa at the thrift store tonight. I wasn't really looking for anything, just browsing. He is stamped Lenox. I paid twenty five cents for him.

Doily Queen

I admit it. I am a doily queen.

This one is about the size of a place mat.

I could find nothing wrong with it. I paid less than a dollar for it.

Doesn't anyone know how much WORK goes in to making these works of art?

Anyway.., I wasn't sure what I was going to use it for, but it is now acting as a tree skirt on the small tree on the mantle.

Why Pay More for Christmas Decor?

I cannot quite explain why, but I love these little skiers! The lower two I found a few years apart. I'm sure they are nothing special - maybe from the dollar store - but I'm crazy about them. They show up each Christmas season, somewhere in my home.

Yesterday I stopped into my favorite thrift store looking for little boy snowpants. Of course, as long as I'm THERE, I had to look around.

I found the top skier hanging on a Christmas tree. He doesn't have the attached pile of snow and tree holder, so let's just use our imagination and pretend he is ski jumping, shall we?

Is it obvious that I'm not too particular about my Christmas decorations? I never really realized it before, but I like that sort of jumbled up look.

The hanging skier cost 25 cents. I've gotten that much enjoyment out of him already.

Skaters

This just may be my favorite purchase of the year!

The vintage-y looking skaters. I saw them last week, thought about them for an entire week and returned hoping they were still available. All that was left for me to do was to gather up a bunch of thrifty goodness to make a scene with them.

The footed cake plate, candle cup, a handful of Shiny Brites, two mirrors, the 49 cent snow-encrusted bottle brush trees are all thrift/antique finds. I know a little girl who will want her necklace back tomorrow, but until then, it's serving as additional reflective material on the mirror.

This is only it's second place of honour. Knowing me as well as I do, I'm going to be playing with this little scene all season - and beyond!

Boutonniere Dishes

Yesterday, while THGGM unloaded the last of the leaves at the leave dump, I went to the 50% off everything sale at the thrift store.

How convenient that they are right next door to each other, no?

I found six of these plates, each marked one dollar. So, for three dollars my collection is growing!

I did feel REALLY bad about missing out on the entire set a few weeks back, so this will help.

And now I have ALL THIS!

coffee pot

six small plates

six dinner plates

one small bowl

one saucer

It's a start!

And look! I even made it look a smidge Christmas-y with the greens and the aqua ornaments!

I think in the 60's you HAD to have these dishes. They are not terribly hard to find.

Still, I'm having fun collecting them piece by piece.

I am SOOO easily entertained.

Please Tell Me that You Also Decorate YOUR Bathroom for Christmas? Please?

Everything in this picture was a thrift find.

I don't think one could actually call this 'decorating' but I do like the piled up look of vintage stuff on a three teared plate holder on my bathroom counter.

Hard to take a picture of. I put the 'simply thrift' words on the pink ornament to block out my reflection.

Yellow Chick

See the tiny chick on the left? I paid one dollar for her. Yes, I too think that was a bit much, but well worth the cost to balance out the yellow on the shelf.

The pig salt and pepper shakers were my mom's. They always sat above the old Roper stove.

They too seem happy with the purchase of the little chick. Actually, the pigs seem posed in that "You been farming long?" way.

Someday, I fully intend to get rid of that wallpaper, but until I do, could you please just pretend it isn't there?

Well. That Didn't Last Long.

Hmm. Staying out of the thrift store didn't last long now, did it?

But! I did VERY well!

I found six cups to match my Johnson Brothers White Regency dishes. They were 25 cents a piece. I could not believe it.

Anyway.., I also found this little cup.

LOVE that it has flowers on the inside too.

Charming. It was 50 cents. I could not pass it up.

Then I found the Homer Laughlin sugar bowl. I just KNEW that I could do SOMETHING with it. Maybe some moss and a little evergreen tree?

Frame Embellishments

It's been ten days, and I haven't been inside of a thrift store.

Yet there is still plenty to photograph and comment on.

See the cardboard frame?

THGGM's family had MANY of these. I've made things out of them in the past, but this particular one was rather beat-up.

I've been looking at the line of Tim Holtz Grunge Board products at Michale's Craft Store, but the letter set that I was looking at was $10. I could envision them on these frames. The Grunge Board texture is great, and I was SO SURE that these would enhance the old stained card board frames.

Well, along came a 50% off coupon, and for five dollars the set of letters is mine!

Really. The letters and the frame work together nicely. The letters attached easily with an ordinary glue stick. They were a silvery grey to begin with, so no painting was necessary.

I like it.

Sewing Tin

What a thrill when I found this!

I had a small round tin of this pattern that was filled with small wooden spools of thread. A few years back I found two more - one the same size as the one I had and one larger.

This is NOT an uncommon find, but the sewing tin was usually in the $20 - $25 dollar price range.

I found this one in Wisconsin last week.

For $8.

I almost didn't get it, because at first glance I thought the tag said $18. I WAS tempted, but passed.

Then as we were leaving, I picked it up to get a closer look, and, of course it NOW seemed like I was SAVING $10. I just couldn't pass THAT up.

Just Say "When"

I'm always on the lookout for something just a little bit different to add to my loosely thrown together collections of stuff.

Now take this blue 'wooden' shoe planter for instance.

It has an unusual shape (as do i) and is a very nice shade of blue (the color i am feeling).

And, I just plain wanted it.

Isn't that what most collecting comes down to?

I want stuff. It's a disease. I manage my symptoms by humouring myself with the thought that I don't spend much and my buying is a form of recycling.

Seriously.

I'm going to attempt to stay clear of thrift stores until next year.

Don't worry. My blog will not languish.

I'm still all about thrift shopping and all that.

But, a girl's got to know when enough is enough and when to say 'when'.

"When."

Patiently, She Finds What She Is Looking For

A very long time ago, I found a set of really cute doll dishes.

There were cups, saucers, plates, a tea pot and who knows what else.

All for $25.

Of course, a long time ago it was even less likely that I would have $25 as it is now and it's STILL unlikely.

But, next to that set was an extra tea pot, so I satisfied my doll dish cravings with that.

Not long ago I found a small matching plate, and last Friday while in Wisconsin I found the larger one.

If I live long enough, I might be able to have three friends for tea for my 100th birthday in 49 years. R.S.V.P.

Yet Another Green Book

The picture on the dust jacket caught my eye. Then I recognized the author. And, when I saw that the actual book was green, how could I pass it up? AND it was on sale. For one dollar and twenty cents. It appears to be a first addition, but since I paid so little for it, I'm thinking that I shall make something of the dust jacket. The book can live happily ever after in my green book collection.

Mr Stevenson Could Sure Write a Poem

It's impossible for me to pass up a great deal on a great copy of "A Child's Garden of Verses.
I love the illustrations in this copy. All for $1.20.

Ooo! Shiny Things!

Have I reached that age where I am again grasping at shiny things as I pass buy?

A particular jewelry booth had EVERYTHING marked for $2.00.

Two of these sets of earrings were marked $8 and the one on the right was marked $18. That does seem like too high of a price to me.

But, shiny things for two dollars?

I'm in!

I've already tried the marcasite earrings on an old picture frame, and they look charming! The rest will adorn something.., or maybe just add some sparkle to my porcelain dental tray in the bathroom.

A Bracelet OR a Tiara

Today I truly DO feel like a Raggedy Ann in a Barbie Doll world.

Oh, well.

Anyway..,

Raggedy Ann can wear it somedays, and somedays I shall wear it myself.

On my wrist.

Of course. You knew that.

Only Two Books this Week

Anything illustrated by Eloise Wilkins I cannot pass up. This one set me back 60 cents.

Although, when WE sing "Rock-a-bye Baby" I CATCH the baby.

What a strange thing, a lullaby where a baby gets blown out of a tree.

These are the things that would keep a kid up all night.

The homey feel of Thyra Ferre' Bjorn books appeal to me. There are now nine in my collection. Two are duplicates. This is one I did not have! I squealed like a pig when I saw it. And for a quarter.

Ahhh. Thrift shopping.

All This FUN for Only a Dollar

Everything you see here for $1.00.

Oh, the fun we shall have!

I LOVE the plastic cars. I already have a car and a truck. Rather indestructible - made in Sweden.

The beads look like they would make excellent stringing beads for some great necklaces. And, when that fun has worn off, beads glued to the bottom of a wooden box give the box a bit more presence.

Pretty!

I've been collecting cookie cutters for years now.

My favorites are the red and green wooden handled kind.

Usually I keep them in a wooden or yellow ware bowl.

But today I noticed a large mason jar and just shoved them into that.

Suddenly, I had what looked to me like a lovely Christmas decoration.

Since most of them have been picked up at thrift stores, I've not paid much for them.

I cannot remember the last time I've made cut-out cookies with them, but I have crafted a few felt pins.

Monday's Finds

Monday found me at my neighborhood thrift store.

I was actually dropping stuff off, but you know how it is, I had to go inside and look around for just a bit.

I found lovely wooden napkin rings, which seem like they would have dozens of uses - at least that is what I tell THGGM.

Little wooden buttons - I can think of a lot of things to do with those, but I actually like how they look just sitting there in a little bowl.

Which, of course, was also a thrift find!

And the Vogart transfers! I've been looking for a great blue bird to embroidery on something.

I do buy "somethings" to embroidery

on, so all I need to do is do it!

I did find the GREATEST thing ever at the thrift store last week, but THGGM put his foot down and said that I could not buy it. A LOVELY set of cornflower dishes. Service for many. Eight, I believe it was. I have a few odd pieces that I've picked up here and there, but haven't seen a complete set in quite some time.

Oh, well. He rarely tells me no, so when he does, I listen and obey!

Now. If only I could master doing that without all the whining and complaining.

I'm such a work in progress.

I've Fallen for Fall

I found this cute quilted pumpkin at my local thrift store. Almost passed on it, but then remembered that we've been trying to add more color on the breeze way using a bunch of old quilts. So, I got it. It's tag said it is from International Silver. Hmm.

And, it does seem to fit right in out there!

The old and VERY comfortable rocker is covered with two pillow shames, which I thrifted for a dollar. They are just laying over the cushions. For a few years the chair was covered in a yellow table cloth that was pinned here, there, and almost everywhere. These are MUCH easier! When they need washing (which, come to think of it, they probably DO) I can just pluck them off and wash them!

And there you have the 'simple' part of "Simply Thrift"!

Clearly, Good Finds!

Today I was able to add a few more cake plates/glass plates to my ever growing collection.

Can't actually tell which ones they are!

But, almost all of them were great finds at local thrift and antique stores.

Other finds from today that are hard to photograph; the white shadow box and the dome!

Not sure what I shall make out of these, but until I decide, I'll just put them in my "someday" box.

Molded Jello Is In My Future

At least now there is hope for it! Having unmolded a few large jellos in my life, the thought of unmolding a bunch of small ones seems a bit daunting. So, this will more than likely appear as little works of something in the future. I've already got quite a few, but I like to 'have my cake (or, jello!) and eat it too' which is somthing I've been told cannot be done. One of my favorite local antique malls - which has very good prices, mostly - has bags of eight - ten molds for around six dollars. All twenty-five of these were in one bag marked $2.50 at my favorite local thrift store.

Budget Friendly

This weekend I EASILY stayed in my budget. Although, everything I purchased was either aluminum, white, or glass - which just does not show up well in pictures. The stoneware mug was 50 cents. And worth it. The cup and saucer are part of a set of four. Plane old plastic. My plan is to switch them with the porcelain cups and saucers that Jonge and Famke play with, as these won't break. At 10 cents a piece, I'd be willing to let them try to find a way to break them!

The Bailey's, Reunited And It Feels So Good!

Look! I found a Mr. Bailey to go with Mrs. Bailey.

I'd always thought she looked lonely.

Mr. Bailey was $7.00. I almost passed over him until I saw a 50% off sign hanging over the table.

He's mine now. Or, rather Mrs. Bailey's.

She'd been wondering were he was all this time.

Seven Pink Candle-holding Girls

I remember the thrill I got when I found the little blue candle-holder boy!

Seriously, it does not take a lot to thrill me.

So, one can imagine my delight when I found SEVEN of the pink candle-holding girls at the antique mall in Lake Odessa!

VERY delighted. These girls even came with pink plain candle holders too. Wow. Imagine that.

Anyway.., they were also an additional 35% off the already remarkably good price.

They're just too too cute! Now, who has the next birthday, I wonder?