Snowman Mugs

Last weekend I found four more mugs to add to my Snowman Mug collection.

Every year I scan the mug shelves at the thrift store for these.

This year I found six for $20.00 at a local antique/consignment mall. THGGM said a firm "NO".

That's okay. He has to do that often or we would have nowhere to sit in our house.

But last weekend I found four for 50 cents a piece and snatched them up right away.

I'm up to nineteen.

My dream is to have enough for everybody at the family Christmas party, which means I still need a couple more.

Bailey-Walker Pitcher

LOOK!

THGGM is sick. He NEVER gets sick, but today he has come down with something.

While he picked up a prescription, I went to my favorite thrift store, which is open until 7:00 on Thursdays.

There wasn't really anything in particular I was looking for, but on Saturday I had found six vintage flocked Shiny Brites and I was hoping there would be more. There were not. The ones I have refuse to be photographed. Except, of course, with ME as a bright shiny blob reflected in the middle of them.

So, besides the Occupied Japan piece I found (below) I also saw this large white pitcher.

It was marked, and that intrigued me.

According to what I've found on line, the stamp means it was made in December of 1930.

Now all I need is some fresh cut pine to stick in it! Merry Christmas to me!

Vintage Figurine

I bought her.

She is very homely, yet sweet looking.

And the price was right.

I'm not finding many 'Occupied Japan' pieces any more.

And especially not for $1.50.

Fine Weekend Finds

Whew. It was a busy weekend, but I did manage to thrift shop. Found these five books. About the only one I have the energy to read tonight is the Cheerios book. I'm sure there are enough Cheerios scattered about that I needn't even open the pantry.

THGGM found two large wreaths which he has hanging on the carriage lights on either side of the garage door. I'd take a picture of those, but it is just too unbelievably cold out.

My Kind of Find

This was my only Christmas purchase at the thrift store this weekend.

Hard to get a picture of at 11:18 in the evening.

But I knew if I did not get a picture now I would forget that I bought it.

I LOVE IT! Mostly, because about 25 + years ago I cross-stitched this. Well, not this EXACT one, but from the same pattern.

Today, I still think it is a beautiful piece.

It cost me $1.50.

(click on picture to enlarge)

Sigh

Nice find for my green book collection!

It even has some color pictures inside.

And again, sigh...

Great Storage at a Great Price

Picnic baskets make for GREAT storage.

I cannot seem to pass them up.

Under the buffet in the back ground of this picture are four picnic baskets, and there is another on top. Not sure where this one will end up, but I know I'll find the perfect spot.

It was $3.50 cents.

I Found This!

I've been looking for some vintage-y Christmas stuff for my kitchen. I found this yesterday. PERFECT!
I think I'll be using it as a vase since I only have one.

Cute Couple

Found this cute couple at an antiques mall in Wisconsin.
LOVE their vintage bisque-y-ness!

It's Beginning

It snowed here a bit over the weekend.

I dug out my snowman mugs even though it will hit the mid 60's this week.

Michigan. You just never know.

Someday this week I plan to start dragging out a bit of Christmas decor.

So, when I saw this for 69 cents at the thrift store, I figured I'll have a place for it soon enough.

More Treasure

Last week we took a trip to Wisconsin. Here are just a few of the things I found along the way.

I find it impossible to pass up a cute Dutch boy. So this one came home with me, along with the living one I found thirty-some years ago.

The potholders each have half of a snap on the back. Wish I had whatever it was they attached to!

Simply LOVE the salt box,

and added another KLM house to my collection!

We had a lovely time antique/thrift shopping. As soon as we arrived home, I put things 'away', which means I cannot remember everything I found.

All the more fun for me, as I shall be just as excited when I remember that I bought them as I was when I bought them in the first place!

Ah, such fun it is to be aged.

Animal Rummy

A complete deck of these adorable Animal Rummy cards for only 39 cents.

I'm hoping to turn them into book markers.

If I only make one and sell it for one dollar I'll have more than doubled my money!

One Dollar

For me, the most surprising finds at my neighborhood thrift store are doilies. I know that they are long out of style, but the work that goes into one? They should cost hundreds of dollars. I know this, because I once bought a crochet book, a hook, and some thread and set off to learn to crochet a doily while my family played along the beaches of Lake Michigan. It is tediously hard work. If I remember correctly, I got something about the size of a silver dollar except it would not lay flat.

Anyway..,

this piece is not crochet, and it doesn't look like tatting either.

But it's beautiful and flawless and works perfectly for me!

Truly Cannot Say

These are Dutch, crochet, and come as a hanging pair. The perfect trifecta!

Other than that, I have no idea why I bought them.

Oh! I Am SOOO Excited!

Not so much for the wooden shoe planter, although I do like it very much. And, I usually find these in the Holland area antique venues for between four - twelve dollars, which seems outrageous to me. This one was 50 cents at the local thrift store. They sell empty apple sauce containers for that much, so obviously they have yet to find the value in an old wooden shoe planter. 50 cents. No kidding.

But, the find I am excited about is the book "The Primitive", written by a relative of THGGM. He also wrote under the pen name of Fredrick Manfred. I like this one with the actual family name on it.

Not that we knew Feike Feikema at all, but we do have a picture of him standing next to THGGM's grandpa in the backyard of the house we lived in for twelve years. I think that's special.

Yes. Yes I do.

Happy to Find This!

At first I passed on this photo album. I'm not much into photo albums, and this one claimed to be scented, and I am REALLY not into that.

But, then I went back to it a few times. Opened it up. Looked at each page. There was no scent anymore. The album was made in 1992. I have SUCH a hard time believing that 1992 was 18 years ago.

Anyway..,

the more I looked at it, the more it took on a certain charm.

I could rip it apart! I could use each page as mats for pictures I could frame.

So, I bought it.

These are just two of the pages.

I'm excited to get busy with this!

Hmmm

Yes. It IS true that I am getting rid of 25 things a week. Mostly clothes and books.

So, I'm seriously analyzing everything I buy with this thought: Will I actually DO something with it?

These two items passed that first question.

Kado will use the pan. He LOVES his coffee pot. This pan will fit right in with his 'make believe' cooking. And, at 49 cents it cost MUCH less than the toy kind.

And the little sewing school box? Oh, yes. Although I think I shall paint it and make it into a home for my spool people. It could be the Spool School.

Sew Fablous!

This book retails for $22.99. It came out in 2008 and I have wanted it since I first heard of it. But, being thrifty and all that, I cannot spend $22.99 on craft books, unless it is my birthday or something. Even then, I like gift certificates to thrift/antique/craft stores for my birthday (hint, hint).

So, when I found this at Somewhere In Thyme, I did not think it would be as inexpensive as it was.

Faintly written inside the cover? $2.95.

And it was 20% off.

I also found an Oct/Nov 1997 Home Companion magazine. For 90 cents.

Oh, yes. I am oh so very happy.

Some People

While I was returning my shopping basket I overheard THGGM say to the thrift store sales lady, "This is proof that ANYTHING will sell."

Somedays I find him hard to like.

Anyway..,

Isn't this just the COOLEST tin?

I think it needs a plant.

Hercules Rx Record File

Isn't this a cool old file? I LOVE it!
Found it clearing out my dad's file closet.
Wish I had thought to ask him how he came
to have it. I'm looking around for a place to
keep it. Probably in my basement with all the
other treasures I'm looking for the perfect
place to display.

On Etsy I saw one just like it, except that each of the

doors had the label. They were asking $190.00 plus shipping.

There was also one on Ebay with a starting bid of $25.00.

I like free.

Small Remembrance Trinkets

Several years ago I began collecting things that reminded me of my grandpa. My mom's dad.

I had a lovely old box that I'd hoped to turn into a shadow box of sorts.

My first find was the "Bartje" figure. Next came two tiny wooden shoes. Then, a bowling pin and some dominoes. Old wooden bingo pieces marked his birth date. And I even found an old Dutch Bible.

This weekend I found one more piece. A small Boston Terrier.

I'm not so sure about the shadow box idea anymore.

Maybe I'll just make them a paper house around which they can all stand, looking expectant.

I'll be looking for a small Friesen Flag.

How Do You Like My New Glasses?

Look! I was SO happy to find these five juice glasses.
They actually cost less than what I've seen these types of glasses sell
for individually, so of course, I was extra thrilled. And, they were in a
case at an antique mall. Hmmm. Thrift store owners could learn
much by strolling through an antique mall every once in a while.

Old-Timey Time

Found this clock (it's two faced) while thrift shopping with one of my sisters.

It is dated 1966.

I LOVE the colors.

Fifty cents.

Not that I think I'll ever find them, but I would LOVE to own the large cardboard cut-outs of "Mother, Father, Dick, Jane, Sally, Puff, and Spot".

They were up high in my first grade class room and I always wanted to play with them.

We never did.

And the Collection Grows!

Certainly I've told this story before, but I once had to pass up a very nice complete set of these.

Next to the complete set was a second tea pot. I did get that.

And, over the years I've added the three plates.

One at a time.

Found another one over the weekend!

I just LOVE treasure hunting!

Tiny Treasures

I am just crazy about these tiny little girls! They were my favorite find of the day.

My Doll

This one came with a body!

Just as I was about to leave my second thrift store of the day I went to the back of the store to check for flash cards.

As I arrived to that area, someone pushed a cart out of the back room. This doll, clad in flannel pajamas, was on the very top.

I could NOT help myself. I gasped audibly, grabbed it and ran.

Since I am ever budget watching, I put one thing back.

I left the store with two items. This doll, and a new roll of brown crepe paper.

Total cost for both items?

TWO DOLLARS AND SIXTY THREE CENTS.

Kitschy Kitchen Finds

I'm really liking the yellow step stool.

Red would have been my first choice, but since I found such a great deal on the yellow one I'm happy with it.

And just look at those dishes.

Oh, the fun we shall have playing with these!

Shiny Red Shelf

So THIS is where I put my new figurines (see below, where i refer to them as 'thingies').

I found the lovely 'oh-so-shiny-red' shelf at a barn sale.

Presently I've just decided to ignore the fact that my kitchen wallpaper is not going to remove itself. We have the paint. In fact, the lower half of the kitchen is already painted. But oh, how I HATE removing wallpaper.

How Could I Resist?

That girl is READING. And, she has a duckling. Not to mention her being part of a pair.

And they were part of a booth offering 50% off.

So, together they came to $2.50.

I used to collect these "Made in Japan" thingies way back in high school. Actually, I don't think I collected them, I just confiscated my mom's collection and set them around my bedroom.

Now.., where to put them...

Great Weekend for Thrifting!

This BEAUTIFUL book was found Saturday at the sale at "Somewhere In Thyme". I'm glad they have a Facebook Page, or I may have missed out.

My FAVORITE booth there had everything for 50% off.

So, for ONE DOLLAR I am the happy owner of another old music book.

This is from a series of which they had more. But, me, being someone who could stand a few more lessons in self-control, left some for the other kids.

It has a lovely inscription from a brother who gave it to a library in memory of his sister. Makes me treasure it all the more.