My Lovely Find

The only shopping I did today was at the thrift store just around the corner. And I am oh so very happy to report that I found just what I was looking for. A pink Shiny Brite flocked Merry Christmas ball. Be still my beating heart. In my humble opinion, it looks lovely on the silver tree in my pretty pink bathroom. It was in a bag marked 50 cents with four other ornaments. Sigh...

Ironstone Pitcher

Looky what I found!

At the thrift store just around the corner and down the street from me.

It's Johnson Brothers.

Already I've reworked the mantle for Christmas and have included it into the mix.

No Black Friday shopping for me, but on Saturday I'll fight you for a good thrift store deal.

More Pitchers

It's true.

I've never met a pitcher I didn't like.

Especially that Dutch one.

Oooo. Love it!

I cannot believe I found it at a THRIFT STORE.

Too Cute!

Yes. At a different thrift store than the one I bought the planter from (see below) the nice lady was ringing up my purchases.

I was not going to get this, because the spout has a not-very-good-repair. But of course, I would have purchased just the cup for the price of the two, so I went back and got it.

I don't need this.

But musical elves riding bugs?

THGGM likes to point out that if the day comes when we will have to live under a bridge somewhere, at least we shall be able to serve a proper tea.

One Dollar Planter

I almost didn't get this. But while my other finds were being rung up, I went back and got her. For one dollar? How could I not? All she needed were greens and lighting.

Such Cheap Fun

The bird house bank looked a wee bit lonely.

So, I added four trees and a boy.

Of course, I'm only going to build on it from here.

I wonder if there are people who buy thrifted decor each season and then just give it back after Christmas?

It might be great fun!

Wedgwood

Yes. I have Wedgwood Christmas China.

One bowl.

It's a nice start considering that last week I didn't have any.

What To Do

Last weekend I found four of these Pfaltzgraff dinner plates for 69 cents each.

I'm not sure yet what I will do with them, but I'm going to do SOMETHING.

More Lenox Swans

Just a few weeks ago I found the larger swan on the left at my local thrift store.

The middle size and the smaller swan showed up at two different antique malls in Wisconsin.

I'm thinking that I won't need to buy anymore swans ever again.

But won't the ones I already have look great with ribbon tied around their necks for the holidays?

Yes. I thought so too.

Thrilling Find

Some time ago I found five of the yellow leaf embossed cups.

While antique shopping in Wisconsin last week I found a sixth one.

Little finds like this make me very happy.

And now that I look at the picture I am made aware that my kitchen table is not level. Not level AT ALL.

Hmm.

I Raise My Tiny Thrifted Restaurant Cup to You

Okay. I cannot account as to why, but I'm crazy about restaurant china.

This cup is very tiny, which makes it even more special.

A long time ago I bought up this pattern of china for 25 cents a piece. I've thinned it out to service for eight plus a few interesting pieces.

Like this one.

Who knows. Someday Famke and I might advance from playing tea party to playing school cafeteria.

Hey! I have those big red plastic trays around here, somewhere...

Year 'Round Tomatoes

Aren't these FUN?

Well, I think so.

They are WOODEN tomatoes.

Seriously real looking.

This Little Piggy

This is a pig planter.

I wasn't looking for a planter, but it does sort of match the few pig things that I have, and the price WAS right.

Last week I found a LARGE piggy bank similar to this - with polka dots.

THGGM said it was TOO big even though it was on a fantastic sale at an already terrific price. So I didn't get it.

I cannot get that piggy bank out of my mind.

Yeah. "Out of my mind" pretty much sums it up over here.

Another Cute Couple

Normally I'm not on the look out for such brightly painted bisque dolls.

But these two?

Don't they just tell a story?

It's in the eyes, I believe.

Wow. Time Flies.

How can it be over a month since I last posted here?

It isn't due to a lack of great finds.

Most of my picture taking has been of cute grand kids.

THGGM has been painting and fixing a different area of our kitchen for about a month now.

Every time I try to take a picture it is either too dark or too cluttered with all of the things that belong in the area in which he is working.

Anyway..,

All that to say - I found a Dutch girl cookie jar today!

I've been wanting one FOREVER.

Now I feel like a REAL grandma (beppe!).

I PLAN to fill it up with Steenstra's Santa Claus cookies.

Isn't it AMAZING just how much that cookie jar looks like me?

Do you think that has anything to do with the cookies?

No. I didn't think so either.

Fun Friday

Just a sampling of the things I found today at Love's Treasures, Ditto, and Wooden Shoe Antique Mall.

Sigh...

Lenox Swan

Today was one of those days when THGGM's workday ended at 2:00.

He had some errands to run and dropped me off at Nice Twice. The man loves to thrift shop, but only briefly.

Normally we venture in on Saturday for maybe 30 minutes. Which is what we did on Saturday.

I didn't really think there would be much more by Tuesday, but I was wrong.

Sometimes I like to be wrong.

Look what I found, and for $3.50.

A Lenox Swan!

This one's bigger. I like it.

A New Pig for Me

My mom had the pig salt and pepper shakers in her kitchen since my sisters were very little girls. They were a Christmas gift from her two nieces, back when she only had two nieces. They were something that she treasured.

This weekend while in Spring Lake I found the polka dot pig. It was only $4.00.

Did you hear me squeal?

Because I did. Just like a pig.

Salt Shaker

Found this salt shaker angel for less than a dollar.

For this one I plan to add a tassel to the bottom and a wire for hanging at the top.

Hopefully in time for Christmas!

Never Too Many Pots

Over the weekend we made a stop at our favorite antique places in Spring Lake.  One of them has very high quality antiques and prices to match.  Of course it was there that I found something that I wanted.  A small chamber pot.  I was shocked that the price was so low.  Maybe there is no longer a run on ironstone chamber pots?  Anyway.., I was able to convince THGGM that having a small ironstone chamber pot could only increase the value of our house, what with having another potty and all.  He found the Autumn Cottage magazine.  I'd wanted it when it came out, but thought the 10 dollar price a bit steep as it didn't up the value of our house or anything.  Usually magazines in antique stores cost about a dollar, which seems reasonable to me.  So the woman at the desk rang up the adorable small ironstone chamber pot, wrapped it, put it in a bag, and stuck in the magazine.  THGGM looked at her and said, "You forgot to charge me for the magazine."  Her reply was, "I get so many magazines that I just bring them here when I'm done and give them away."  Well now.  That adorable small ironstone chamber pot with the 'Royal Ironstone' stamp on the bottom of it just became MUCH better priced!

Van Gogh

Stop me if you've heard this one.

THGGM surprised me with this print awhile back.

It had been in a thrift store for quite a while. I was reading through a Van Gogh biography at the time.

Can't say that I'd ever been a fan until I read that book (i also found the book at the thrift store!).

Anyway, it was priced high in my humble opinion.

But one day on his way home from work THGGM drove past the store, noticed that pictures were advertized as 50% off, AND he had a 20% off punch card that was full.

So, now I have the print hanging in my dining room.

And I love it!

Although not nearly as much as I love THGGM.

Sigh...

Tonight after dinner we made a quick thrift store run. Found this plate, with a Robert Burns quote. I LOVE it! And it was only 69 cents. I am SUCH a cheap date. Our dinner was at Arnies, and we had a buy one get one for 99 cents coupon. Seriously. And I gave half of my meal to THGGM.

Tick-Tock

Look what THGGM found! The kind of clock he has been wanting for years. And at a thrift store. It's an early birthday present for him. Personally, I've never been a fan of ticking clocks, clocks that need to be wound up, clocks that chime, clocks that chime every fifteen minutes, clocks that do all of that all night long...

But, I am a huge fan of THGGM. He took a chance on it, and found a treasure. Sort of like what I did with him.

A Dollars Worth of Happy

Found another extremely cute table and chairs for a dollar. Still taped nicely into their original box.

Now I have a set in yellow AND a set in red.

Nothing fancy or particularly special about them, but I get such a thrill when I find stuff like this.

Some people buy shoes. Or trendy clothes. I would not know trendy if it slapped me in the face.

And I bought it without THGGM along to say, "But what's it for?"

Although, now that I think about it, "But what's it for?" is easier to deal with than "But where are you going to put it?" and both are better than "So, you're thinking we won't need food this month?".

Thankfully, I have a sister who loaded me up with zuccini and summer squash so we shall eat like kings and queens.

Lefton Hand Vase

For the past few years I've been looking for a particular vase. It's rather small, with two hands holding a bud vase.

Several times I've found them in antique stores, but priced waaay out of my range (think small change).

Not exactly what I was looking for, but it IS Lefton's and it still has the sticker.

So, for $1.99 I'm going to call it good.

It works well in my extremely very pink bathroom.

At least I think so.

THGGM didn't look too thrilled.

Weave-It

Several weeks ago I found this at my local thrift store.

For one dollar.

For one dollar I would have bought it were it only the box!

But the Weave-It was in it, and directions too!

Have I used it yet, you ask?

Silly you.

Of course not.

But I COULD.

Folding Ruler

Beware the word "upscale" when it comes to thrift stores.

One of them sells items like these as 'antiques' for between 12 - 20 dollars.

I found this one at a very good antique shop for 4 dollars.

Surely I could have done better at a garage sale, but for a bit more money, I'll pay to be close to a bathroom.

50% Off Sale

Nice Twice, which is just around the corner from me, had it's annual 50% off anniversary sale last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

I did not arrive there until Saturday afternoon, which was by design.

Even half price is out of my budget now.

Yet, I was able to find something to make me VERY happy! Well. Happy in that temporal shallow sort of way.

Both of them for only a dollar! Now I have a set of six. I'm not exactly sure what their original purpose would have been (saki cups, maybe?) but they hold my Prisma colored pencils VERY nicely. Especially the ones I frequently use that are ground down to nubs.

Favorite Finds

Iced tea spoons for a dollar each.

These are for Daughter.

I've got plenty.

Sugar Canister

I LOVE this sugar canister marked "Germany" on the bottom.

And it makes a lovely vase for the black eyed susans hanging around my backyard.

I found the canister in an antique mall for WAAAY less than what I've seen them for in the thrift stores.

Not exactly sure how much it was, but 7 seemed to have been the perfect number for most things that I saw and liked while vacationing 'up north'.

Yesterday I found a riding Thomas the Train for Kado. He LOVES it. But, I tend not to take pictures of my purely practical finds.

Tiny Tart Pans

Maybe it's just me, but I think these tiny tart pans are adorable.

They were incredibly cheap. At first I thought it was just an old box, and I would have paid the price just for that. Which, of course, means that I was excited to find it truly contained what the box said.

Swan Planter

Our favorite antique mall in Elk Rapids did not disappoint. It never does.

I found this McCoy swan planter in a wooden bowl filled with sea shells.

I had to buy it. Not the bowl or the sea shells, just the swan.

Because I knew I had its mate at home.

Excuse me for being so excited that I couldn't even hold my camera straight.

I never intended to collect swans.

Once, I saw them used as baby shower 'favors' in an article I saw in an old Home Companion magazine.

Now I just can't be stopped.

Large Canister

I've passed up a few large canisters at my local thrift stores because they have been priced too high.

This one I found in an antique store 'up north' for $7. And it is unbelievably clean on the inside, which is more than I can say about the ones I've seen in thrift stores.

So, I bought it.

It works well in my kitchen (too bad i don't).

Frogs Holding Birds

So far, I'm liking the look of the bird cards in the frogs. I'll mix it up a bit with old post cards and photos until I hit on something that works.

I'm also wondering if I could use the frogs to felt wool...

Cherry Plate

The entire time we were in Traverse City I was enamored with all of the cherry themed dishes.

But, I did not lay down ANY money for them.

My reward?

I found this cute Cute CUTE plate for a dollar at the thrift store upon my return.

One just needs to know how to live, I guess.

Maybe Some Day...

This roll of vinyl wallpaper looked like it would make nice drawer liner.

Until I got to thinking that it just may be enough to wallpaper the eating area in the kitchen.

Hmm.

Not bad for $1.50.

In the Perfect Colors

For my kitchen, that is.
I found the red checked table cloth and THGGM found the other one.
That one still had the tag on it. These are the colors I'm trying for in my kitchen. If only that vinyl wallpaper would remove it's self.

Cute Couple

Aren't they cute?

Pake en Beppe!

ENDLESS Possibilities!

I found the bias tapes at the thrift store for 25 cents. LOVE the colors! The wider hand dyed ribbon came from an antique store in Sutton's Bay. It is REALLY beautiful! Oh, and I even found the 4x6 recipe box I have them in for a fabulous deal.., somewhere.., I can't remember.

More Flower Frogs

LOOK! I found these three flowers frogs at the NEW Wilson's Antiques in Traverse City. I always think of Wilson's as being waaaay over priced, but these were just $2.00 a piece.

I've paid double that at thrift stores around here.

Now I just need to find the perfect things to put in them.

THGGM found this today at the local flea market.
He finds pretty good stuff there. Last week he found a Radio Flyer Wagon. Daughter was looking for one for the kids. Today he didn't find much, and only came home with this one thing. It's in rough shape, but who isn't? Nothing a bit of sanding and some paint won't help.

Actually, I didn't like it all that much until he told me the price. One dollar and fifty cents.

Now I LOVE it!




I have a spider plant that should fit nicely in that indent on the top.

Once it's done I have just the spot for it!