Pottery Finds

Recently I have been more "attracted" to pottery planters.  I have a few of the green shallow rectangle ones,  but the pattern and shiny cream finish on this one caught my eye.

Until two weeks ago, I didn't own any figural planters.  I saw a ton of them on my shopping trip to the mountains, but only bought one.  This will be a slow collection in the making, as my favorites are Shawnee and more than I like to pay for one item!  Thrift shopping has ruined me for antique mall shopping- you all know what I mean! 

The one I bought- American Bisque for $4.  It was in one of the 50% off booths.   He does look lonely, though.  Maybe I can do a little shopping this weekend....

Finds From the Thrifting/Antique Trip

Finally, I have some pictures of a few of the things I found on my trip.  It's snowing here again today, so the light wasn't good for photos.

My favorite item- this spring green metal Happy Easter sign.  I almost didn't get it, but Mom talked me into it, and now I'm really glad she did.  Found the teacups yesterday, and I picked up the other Easter stuff here and there in the last month or so.

I've been on a bird kick lately, and last weekend it turned toward owls.  This one has a notepad and pencil.  It's marked Miller Collection 1970.

These are also marked Miller Collection- but are from 1977.  They are so cute.  I need to find a good place in the kitchen to hang these.

I'll post the pottery pieces I bought later this week.

The Basement Floor is Covered in Green

I have been lax in posting pictures of my finds from last weekend's shopping trip, or fiasco, if you read my last post.  The reason being.....

My real "job"- as a Greenhouse Grower/Organic Vegetable Farmer.  My little hands have been busy transplanting almost 800 plants this week.  Trying to get everything ready for the greenhouse next month.  Tomatoes started from seed last month are huge already!

This is one of the azaleas I propogated from my Grandmother's yard in July 2008.  It is now in bloom in our basement!  That shine on the leaves is from an enormous grow light.  You almost need sunglasses to go down there.

Petunias, verbena, fuschia, coleus, begonia, I've seen them all this week! 

Mother Daughter Thrifting Field Trip- Day One

Okay, I said I would keep you updated from the road, but there were several incidents along the way!  First, I forgot my camera, so the only trip photos I have were taken with my iphone. 

Second, halfway through the first day, I lost my keys in an antique mall.  A very large antique mall!  So after an hour of looking for them, with the store staff and several very helpful strangers assisting, I made the call.  My husband was supposed to be enjoying a few days to himself, but I really messed that up for him.  I called and told him my dilemma.  Saturday afternoon = no Nissan dealership open in the area; and our hotel reservation an hour farther.  So, an hour and ten minutes later, he arrived with another car key.  Poor man.  I really hated to have him drive almost two and a half hours, but there was no other option.  I'll probably never live that one down!

By the time we got back on the road, it was 4:30.  My goofy self had wasted over two hours of shopping time, so I headed straight for the hotel, since everything we wanted to see closed at 5.  Here are a few pics of some good stuff I saw.

Cute Dennison Easter Egg embellishments

The chalkware mafia.  This is the scariest group of chalkware I've ever seen at one time!

The only two pleasant chalkware mafia members.  Although the one on the left looks like he's being disciplined!

As soon as I take some pics of the things I bought, I will post them.  I did get some cute stuff.

Thrifting Trip This Weekend!

So I'm heading out for a short trip this weekend in search of fabulous thrifts and antique malls.  Haven't shopped this region before, so it should be interesting!  I will keep you posted from the road.  Have a great weekend everyone!

Blog Giveaway Winner!

My new blog friend Linda at A LA CARTE reached some milestones last month.  On her 50th post, with over 50 followers, she posted The Big 50 giveaway.  I entered and ended up being the lucky runner up. She sent me an amazing box full of good stuff!

Bright bird notecards to get me in the Spring spirit,

A set of blue and white Asian print cloth napkins, a pretty silver frame and Victorian calendar,

A blue and white Asian print plate, and a set of wood handled cheese forks!

She also tucked in a pretty blue and pink apron.  I couldn't get the right lighting on it to show the print very well, so I'll have to try again when there is more sun. 

Thank you, thank you Linda!  You are a thoughtful lady and I love reading your posts! 

Vintage Valentine Card Party

Happy Valentine's Day!  Joan at Anything Goes Here is hosting a Vintage Valentine Card Party.  Click over to see her list of participants.  There you will find many bloggers displaying beautiful vintage Valentine cards and decorations.

My vintage Valentine collection is all from my Grandmom.  She saved everything, and I am happy to share some of her memories with you.

This is the first Valentine card my Grandmom gave to my Grandfather in 1946.   It's hard to see in the picture, but the center is sort of a puffy satin pillow.

The inside of the card.  "All my love belongs to you"  Wow.  You go Grandmom!!

A page from Grandmom's scrapbook.  She even kept a napkin from a Valentine dinner, and the label from the hairbrush Grandad gave her as part of her Valentine gift.

My Mom's first Valentine card

A card to my Great Grandmother from my Mom-  1948

Lovebirds

Recently I have been on a "bird" kick.  It seems every thrift store I hit has some kind of bird item that I am instantly attracted to.  A few weeks ago I found a couple of lovebirds that came home with me.

The small birds were with some craft supplies I bought in a grab bag.  The porcelain birds are a Fitz and Floyd salt and pepper set. 

I love their little lovebird nest!

First Crafty Cake Circle Attempt

This is what I do now after my husband and son have gone to bed.  In the quiet of the living room with our chocolate lab Casey asleep at my feet, I watch old movies that I recorded from TCM.  The DVR is a wonderful thing.  I never get to watch what I want to during prime time (except American Idol), but that's okay, I know later I will have my ALONE TIME!  I enjoyed watching "South Pacific" and "A Letter to Three Wives" while I worked on this Valentine project.

Back in the summer when I started really getting into reading vintage and crafty blogs, I came across a project using cardboard cake circles and decorating them in collage style.  I cannot remember the blogger featuring this project, if you know who it might be, please let me know so I can link and give her credit.

The circles are easy to find.  The ones I used were the smaller 8 inch Wilton cake circles.  They were $4.50 for a pack of 10 at WalMart, I think. That was the only "new" item used.  After printing a vintage Valentine I found online, I created what I hope Grandmom will like for Valentine's Day.  I thought the tea theme was so sweet.  Anything anthropomorphic is cute in my book! 

Attached to the back is a ring of ruffled crepe paper that I sewed on the machine.  That was my first try at that too!  I used some of the crepe paper I got in my thrifting haul last week.  Also from last week, the hot pink chenille stems (NOS) are glued to the edge.  I added some flowers and leaves that I got in a thrifted grab bag a few months ago.  The sheet music is from a box lot I bought at an auction.  I turned it a little so it's not centered.  I just liked how that looked.  Stuff like that drives my Mom crazy, but I just think it makes things more interesting!

It was fun to make, and I'm working on another vintage Valentine creation now. 

More From Last Week's Thrift Haul

Some more things I found on my thrifting adventure last week. 

Last week I told you about my new thrifting grounds, and how excited I was to find new stores!  I noticed when I started unwrapping everything that I had a little yellow theme going, so I decided to group those together to show you.   The sunlight was almost gone when I took this picture- sorry for the poor quality.

A Pyrex lemonade decanter with a perfect plastic lid.  I have the larger orange juice one already, but the lid has seen better days. 

A little duck planter for spring and Easter decorating. 

Two red/yellow umbrella mugs.  I also found a pink/orange set.  I love these Made in Japan stacking mugs.  I have two sets of Christmas mugs already....maybe this is the beginning of a collection.

My favorite has to be the ceramic trolley car.  It looks like maybe it was a part of something else at one point, possibly mounted on a musical base? 

I love the detail on the passengers.   Makes me want to go to San Fransisco!

Crafty Thrift Finds

Yesterday I found a new town to thrift in.  Three glorious, bigger than I'm used to stores.  Just twenty short miles to a fresh wonderland of vintage stuff.  My heart almost stopped in each of the three stores I visited when faced with something I'd never seen before, and just HAD to have.  Usually I don't find many craft supplies, but yesterday I got lucky.  They were mostly vintage, some new, but all made me happy.  Here are just a few of the finds that warmed my heart.

Four crepe rolls in spring colors, new old stock box of corsage pins, two boxes of NOS chenille stems, two rolls of  ribbon, and my favorite:

Two vintage plastic flower candle rings.  I don't know what it is about these, but I adore the colors, the textures, the possibilities... and the price was completely painless- both for a quarter.

Close up of one of the ribbon rolls, also new old stock.  The pattern name on the spool is "Chickadee".   Love it.

Little Girl Vintage

I recently found some things that any little girl (with old fashioned taste) would like to have in her room.  Since my little one is a boy, ALL boy, I can't use these little treasures, so off to Etsy they went.

This poem is titled "If" by J. P. McEvoy and was written in 1924.  It has a great self esteem message for girls:

If you can hear the whispering about you,

And never yield to deal in whispers, too;

If you can bravely smile when loved ones doubt you,
And never doubt, in turn, what loved ones do;

If you can keep a sweet and gentle spirit
In spite of fame or fortune, rank or place,
And though you win your goal or only near it,
Can win with poise and lose with equal grace;

If you can meet with Unbelief, believing,
And hallow in your heart a simple Creed,
If you can meet Deception, undeceiving,
And learn to look to God for all you need;

If you can be what girls should be to mothers:
Chums in joy and comrades in distress,
And be unto others as you'd have the others
Be unto you - No more, and yet no less;

If you can keep within your heart the power
To say that firm, unconquerable "No";
If you can brave a present shadowed hour,
Rather than yield to build a future woe;

If you can love, yet not let loving master,
But keep yourself within your own self's clasp,
And not let dreaming lead you to disaster,
Nor pity's fascination loose your grasp;

If you can lock your heart on confidences,
Nor ever needlessly in turn confide;
If you can put behind you all pretenses
Of mock humility or foolosh pride:

If you can keep the simple, homely virtue
Of walking right with God - then have no fear
That anything in all the world can hurt you-
And - which is more - you'll be a Woman, dear.

This little Holly Hobbie friendship plate is so cute, just four inches across.

I loved Holly Hobbie when I was a little girl.  I had a metal lunchbox with her on each side in two different designs.  The edge was blue and white gingham.  I wish I knew where it was!

Have a wonderful weekend friends!

Upcoming Vintage Valentine Card Party

Valentine's Day is only a month away, and Joan at Anything Goes Here is looking for fantastic bloggers to participate in her Vintage Valentine Card Party on Sunday, February 14.  Joan is absolutely the best Hostess for vintage parties- her Vintage Christmas Monday party was awesome.  Click on the button at the top right to visit her blog and get the details.  Or, just make a note to visit Anything Goes Here on Valentine's Day to see wonderful vintage Valentine cards and read the great stories that go with them!

Vintage Kitchen

I have a lot of things that I rescued from my Great Aunt's farmhouse in southern Georgia.  On my last trip my Mom and I found some interesting little kitchen items. 

The first thing I found was a card with mending patches on it.  The brand name is "E-Z-MEND-RS"  and the purpose was to patch holes in metal enamel pots and pans.  The little wrench was missing, but there were three "patches" still attached to the card.

The patent date of Nov. 12, 1938 is printed on the back.

The next item was my favorite.  The Gadget-Master Spiral Slicer  from Popeil Bros. in Chicago.  It's basically a blade with a hole for your finger and a screw to attach to the fruit or vegetable you want sliced.

The instructions read "When vegetable is completely sliced, attach both ends to gather with a toothpick for a rosette effect." 

Can't you just see a cucumber ring garnishing a platter at a bridal shower in 1942?  I haven't tried it yet, but I'll post the results when I do!

Thinking Warm

Today in my little piece of NC, the high temperature is 31 degrees.  Ouch!  So in keeping with the travel theme that launched when I found some souvenirs from Paris and New Orleans, we're headed south to sunny Florida!  At least when I look at my fun Florida souvenirs on the sideboard, I can think about being warm. 

The milk glass platter holds my Pyrex juice decanter, some yummy blood oranges, and an owl salt shaker I thrifted a few months ago.  Owls don't necessarily have anything to do with Florida, I just love the combination of turquoise and orange.

My Grandparents bought the Florida plate when they were living in Tampa.  The glass belonged to my husband's Grandma Sue.

I love these vintage postcards and thankfully Grandmom was a saver.  Here's hoping my sunny display brought you some temporary warmth.

Happy Friday!

C'est Si Bon

Happy New Year Everyone!

It's been so cold here the past few days with no signs of letting up.  Of course this is NC cold, so I know I'm a wimp by most of your standards!  Since I haven't seen much sun lately, I thought I would brighten up things in my living room- my private, girly living room.  My boys have their own space.  After packing up all the Christmas stuff, I came across a set of coasters I bought in Paris when I was in high school.  Our French Club took a two week tour of England and France, and it what great!  Of course, that was in 1988, so some of the details are a tad fuzzy.  Either way, these coasters always make me happy, so I thought I would do a little travel theme decorating focused on Paris and New Orleans.

My Great Grandmother's trunk and lamp-  two of my favorite possessions. 

 The New Orleans souvenir cup and saucer came from a trip my Grandparents took to visit friends there.

 One of the coasters on a plate I packed up from Grandmom's china cabinet.  I don't know the pattern name, but thought it was pretty.

 The little bird was some new old stock stuff that I found this summer. He's perched in one of Grandmom's many Anchor Hocking Medallion dishes.