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.