Good Stuff

These things were found on my weekly Saturday trip to the local thrift store.

I love the variety.

Clean, beautiful Fostoria creamer and sugar bowl with lid. Sold separately. $4.00 total.

Dirty old occupied Japan Westie, in a baggie with three other occupied Japan dogs. $1.00 total. For sixteen years I had a Westie named Niki. I was thrilled to find this, and plan to carefully clean it up for use in a shadow box.., someday.

THGGM found exactly what he has been looking for. Although, at this moment, I cannot remember just what it was.

Never Too Many Books

Last Saturday I found several great books! I'm presently reading "Mary Chesnut's Civil War" again. This particular book had more to it than the edition I read first. I'm enjoying it very much.

I also found several children's books and then these two hardcover music books. I've attempted to read them, but it would require more concentration than I'm capable of presently to make it all the way through. So, I am just admiring them as they lean against my piano.

A Good Tin Is Hard to Find

Tins are so plentiful in thrift stores that I rarely look at them. But, this one caught my eye. The plentiful kind usually aren't cool and a bit vintage like this one.

I love the winter scene and the colors.

And, it was 69 cents.

I'm trying to figure out if I want to make something of it - which is why it has green florist wire with thrifted wooden beads bobbing around on the ends.

I'm just not sure, yet.

Sometimes plain is fancy enough.

Monopoly

I found a baggy full of monopoly pieces for 25 cents.

The money just may come in handy someday.

I've been looking for this for some time. I did find an old game awhile back, but before I bought it (for $2) I thought I'd better give it a whiff. Before I even got the cover half off, it became obvious by the smell and my extreme itching and sneezing that it was full living things trying to kill me. So I passed on that one.

These smell good.

One learns a lot thrift shopping!

From Sweater Vest to Coasters to Wreathes

Hmmm. I could not quite get the coasters to 'square'.

So, I cut each coaster into 9 tiny squares, and threaded those onto a wire coat hanger (said in my best Joan Crawford voice!)

In between every fifth squares is a brown jingle bell. I found those on clearance and just KNEW that someday I would find the perfect use for them.

I'm not sure this was it.

Although I am happy with how they turned out, THGGM made a funny face at them, and also had a dream about a crazy craft person who made stuff out of felt and bushel baskets.

These Are Two of My Favorite Things

A few years ago I found an oval etched glass piece and thought that perhaps dozens of them would look lovely attached to the two French doors at the entry doors of the house we lived in at the time.

I made it to three before that clanging and banging of the pieces against the windowpanes every time the doors were used got to be a bit much.

But you know how it is, once one develops an 'eye' for something, one starts to see them everywhere.

So, I have moved on from the etched kind, to THIS kind, although I really do not know how to describe them.

I first found the one in the lower picture. I believe it is a Guttman.

Then, just a few months ago I found the one in the top picture.

I LOVE it. The colors are so vivid.

I know that to the untrained eye, these are just pieces of junk picked up at a thrift store for under a dollar.

But, to me?

To me they are priceless works of art, available to the masses!

(oh. i am just sooooo easy to please.)

Wash, Cut, Sew

Today while cleaning out my closet, I found a wool vest that I used to wear ALL THE TIME.

I hear that it is a problem many with my personality type have, but I grow strongly attached to certain articles of clothing.

This vest was one of them.

But, it was clearly time to turn this into something else, so I washed it in very hot water, attempted to dry it in the dryer (WAY too much woolly lint) and cut it up!

It was clearly too thick to sew using my machine, so I hand sewed both pieces. Easy blanket stitching.

Then I remembered seeing on someone's blog, squares of felted wool used for coasters. I have eight 4 inch squares. I'm trying to decide if I want eight flat coasters, or four thicker ones with cinnamon and cloves sewn inside.

Another problem I have. Getting carried away with an idea.

Recycling

I just can't quit with the rice bags!

This one is half of an old table runner.

I believe it came from THGGM's grandmother.

It had a stain I could not remove, so I just cut around it.

The rice is actually in it's own pillow case, so the outside cover can be washed.

I added cloves and a broken up cinnamon stick to the rice, and OH! the smell is wonderful when it is heated!

This is a perfect neck roll pillow for migraine-y me.

This bag was made from a two-piece denim outfit that I've been wearing for years. It refused to wear out, so I had to kill it.

But, it has returned in the form of several rice bags.

Bloggers Are Wonderful People

Look what Yvonne gave me!

On her blog, she mentioned that she had gotten a new Kitchen Aide. My comment to her post was something about my hand mixer crying in the drawer.

She emailed me and asked if I would like it. Would I?!

So, she sent it to me.

I LOVE it. My hand mixer can cry all it wants.

Aren't bloggers wonderful people?

Yvonne is!

The Happy Dancer Table Cloth

This table cloth.., isn't it cool?!

The colors are very close to the colors that I want to accent my yellow kitchen, once it gets painted yellow.

I found the table cloth earlier this year at my favorite neighborhood thrift store.

For $2.00, I believe.

It had a very slight stain, which came out with a bit of Shout.

Of course, I have added new stains, just to keep things home-y looking, you know.

It fits nicely at my kitchen table.

As does Famke.

Even slightly stained vintage linens, or those with small holes, are still wanted by me! Just cut around the problem area, what remains will still be usable, for something!