Thrifty Halloween and the Orange Evasion

I am not the biggest fan of orange. In high school, we were “the Tigers” and our colors were, yes, orange and black. This meant things like orange band uniforms. Orange school jackets. Orange gym clothes.

Now picture that I have red hair. A tall and clumsy teenage girl with red hair in a bright orange gym uniform is not exactly inconspicuous. One’s lack of athletic ability cannot slip under the classmates’ radar when you are day-glow in your entire person. It’s pretty much the equivalent of entering Jurassic Park with a couple of raw filet mignons tied around your neck. You are ASKING for trouble.

It does not endear a person to the orange.

Add this to my mother’s fondness for Early American decorating in harvest colors, where shades of orange, avocado and marigold lit up every room, and you can imagine my worldview has been a bit like the inside of Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater’s wife’s domicile…
If, you know, Pete had a bit of a 70s retro-Colonial bent.

The thing is, avoiding orange for Halloween and Thanksgiving decorating is not the easiest thing to do. And so I find myself using my comforting friend Purple, and my buddy Blue to help me compensate for the necessity of the less-appreciated shade.

I have also almost conned myself into believing that I don’t decorate with orange at all. It is “amber.” Or, in a very slippery moment, “topaz.”

(I’m in marketing professionally, so semantics like this help me get through the day.)
But thrifting this year really came through for me in terms of creating a harvest look for fall while practicing a reasonable orange evasion.

A few weeks ago, I found these marvelous Imperial Grape tumblers in blue carnival glass for just $0.99 a piece at my favorite Salvation Army store.


This was followed by recent adventures in the Pottery City Antique Mall, in East Liverpool, Ohio, where I managed to pick up a set of six more glasses, PLUS a pitcher, for $30—more pricey than the average thrift, but a lot of pieces for the money. I’d also grabbed four amber Carnival glass goblets (yes, I know they LOOK orangish, but humor me) for $8 at Vivian’s in Columbiana, Ohio.

And then this very Friday, I struck gold at the Salvation Army again. Beams of heavenly light and a chorus of angels didn’t QUITE erupt as I entered the store and saw the grape-patterned Carnival centerpiece bowl and matching lidded candy dish that went with my set….

But it was close.


And there WAS a brief moment of thrift-induced hysterical laughter in the car.

So I’ve been noodling around with my new goodies to pull together a Halloween-acceptable look that is more harvest than haunted. You can see the centerpiece bowl in action here, filled with some brightly colored beaded fruits I sometimes use for Christmas displays. The plates are my great-aunt’s Haviland Limoges in a pattern called Aquitania.



In addition to some shiny purplish-blue curtain sheers I’m sneaking in as a makeshift tablecloth, I’d added a little embroidered tablecloth and some embroidered napkins (thrifted at a quarter a piece!) to enhance the sense of abundance.

I’ve added similar pieces to the mantle—this is the beloved candydish of Friday, along with some of my more harvest-looking Victorian whiteware pottery.




And here is my new friend, a papier mache boy in costume, who just tickles me to no end. I don’t think he’s old, but he looks it. And he was $5 at the L&L Fleatique in Adamsburg, Pennsylvania.

I love his sweet little face.


Other inexpensive ways of carrying the Halloween and Harvest theme through without over-oranging myself have been through some cute signs I’ve picked up at Michael’s and Big Lots-- like this one on the front door…


In the kitchen...


And on the door to my attic... (Reads “Ghost in the Attic: Antiques and Books”-- and yes, there ARE a lot of books up there! )


Lastly I got these fake pumpkins in white and green. I’m not really happy with them here in my entryway-- I probably need to move them to somewhere in the diningroom-- but this gives you an idea, anyway.


So while I know I’m probably in the minority for not caring a lot for orange, it is possible to decorate for the autumn holidays without relying TOO TOO much on, er, amber... topaz... or um, marigold.

If you missed last year’s more spooky holiday decorating, you can see that by clicking here.
Otherwise, have a happy Halloween, a great week, and I’ll see you again next Monday when I think we’ll talk about my latest decorating swap!

Horrors of Home Cooking: Recipes of Yesteryear

As Halloween approaches, our minds turn toward symbols of the harvest.... Of falling leaves.... And of good old-fashioned home-cooking.

Many years ago, Lea & Perrins decided to contribute to those images of home and hearth, with a helpful recipe book entitled “100 Ways to Be Original in All Your Cooking”...

Original:

This means “adding Worcestershire sauce to everything including your Jell-O molds.”

Today, as my little tribute to humor writer James Lileks’ “Gallery of Regrettable Food,” we will take a trip into the past. Back to a time where “Original Dishes Men Like” (read: meat, meat and more meat) were sought and prepared with love and spring-form pans...

Where the secret to “gracious living and fine eating” was available in one simple bottle...

And when the culinary creations before eating, and during digestion, tend to look roughly the same.

Also because I found the cookbook at the Good Samaritan Thrift Store really cheap.

We begin here...

Lea & Perrins tells us Men like:

Stew in a fancy silver chafing dish! And what stew is it? Why “Company Stew”!

Maybe it’s just my anticipation of the upcoming film, but I’m getting a bit of a Sweeney Todd vibe here...

“Did the police ever find Betty’s missing boarder?”

“No, it’s quite a mystery. But speaking of Betty, did she give you a quart of her Company Stew? She’s so generous, she’s given some to half the neighborhood! You know, I served it to Bob and the kids last night, and it was simply divine! That boarder sure did miss out on a some gracious living and fine eating!...What, you found some spectacles in yours? How strange!”

The fine print tells us this is “a man’s meal everyone in the family will enjoy.” According to the cookbook, Men also like:

--Corned Beef Hash Surprise (the surprise being-- you guessed it!-- Worcestershire Sauce)...

--a Frankfurter and Baked Bean Crown (standing hotdogs on end in beans will make your husband feel like the King of His Castle)

--And Colonial Cheese, referred to as a “bitey cheese spread for a successful stag party”...

I don’t know... the picture above looks more like what happens after the stags devour pizza and a few too many Rob Roys. But hey-- to each his own.

And now...

I can see it now. “Mmmm, honey, Crusty Chicken Livers and Mushrooms on Toast! You sure are original!”

If chicken livers were a morning food, why haven’t the breakfast cereal people caught onto this?

Oh, forgive me... crusty chicken livers. And they’re crusty because we are to “roll livers in biscuit mix” and “fry livers until golden brown and crisp.” The theory, I suppose, being that if you coat them in something innocuous, you can even turn the largest organ of the chicken’s body into a “Gourmet dish for an elegant brunch.”

I can’t say I’ve ever heard of “elegance” involving toast. But then I don’t get to the really posh places.

And now we’re going to...

These are Flamenco Veal Chops. The caption reads, “Confetti colored sauce to brighten the bland taste of veal.”

I know I haven’t attended many parties lately, but this does not look like confetti to me. In fact, the only comparison to a party I can easily make is to the Prom Scene from “Carrie.”

I love how they have a little dish to the side with a ladle in it in case anyone wants extra sauce. Now who doesn’t appreciate an optimist?

---

Okay, here’s something I bet a number of you can identify with...

Your 16 year old son has barely uttered two words to you since he started high school. Your 14 year old daughter is going with that greaser who’s into all that Rock And Roll. And you want to create a dinner that will really bring the family together. So you grab your bottle of Lea & Perrins and...

...All aboard the Meat Loaf Train!

This had to be a sure-fire way for families to know Mom had cracked under the strain of society. Cute, yes. but the very fact that she spent time cutting asparagus into tiny bits so she could load up a Meat Car means she’s either had one too many PTA meetings, or has been hitting the cooking sherry in the pantry.

Pretty soon she’ll be saying she’s seen space ships and forming a replica of Devil’s Tower in the mashed potatoes. Yeah, it’s anachronistic. But still...

----

Now let’s..

This doesn’t appear to be enough to serve eight people, but maybe they’re properly taking into account the amount folks will want when they see it. In which case, this could feed crowds on almost Last Supper levels.

What IS it, you ask? “Curried King Crab with Sweet Sour Sauce.” And the caption reads, “Far East cuisine with a chutney-type relish to impress company, yet simple enough to allow you to be a relaxed hostess.”

Did you know the key to Far East cuisine is Worcestershire sauce from the UK? It’s a little-known fact that Marco Polo used Lea & Perrins as a part of his culinary exchange program; he brought pasta from China to Europe and traded them Worchestershire Sauce from England. The history books just somehow skip over that detail.

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Okay, get out that confetti again and put on the Lawrence Welk because it’s time to:

The items in the middle? They’re Filled Puffs.” The caption here reads, “Tiny bubble filled with ‘oh boy, what is it?’”

Sometimes additional commentary really is unnecessary.

------

And lastly let’s...

This is Pizza Plus. The Plus means only one person gets cheese on their slice of pizza. But the rest of the folks get a taste of everything including whole pearl onions. Italian Sausage slices and... er...

What is that series of exclamation points over on the left-hand side?

OH, it’s artistically-arranged ANCHOVIES! How silly of me not to recognize them right away.

All with a tomato-Worcestershire sauce. No oregano, basil or other traditional Italian seasonings are apparently necessary. (We are being “Original” after all, and Italian seasoning on pizza is just SO cliche,) The Worcestershire Sauce does all the work.

It’s suggested that this pizza be served “hot with tall cold drinks.” I suspect tee-totalers will be reaching for a beer when presented with this one.

“Marge, I didn’t know you drank!”

“Funny, I just took it up.”

Well, dear folks, that is the end of our culinary horrors for today. To continue the theme of humor and housekeeping, I also bring you my recipients of the “Make Me Smile” award. I was presented this by fellow-blogger Carrie at “Oak Rise Cottage”-- so kind of you, Carrie!-- and I thought it might be fun to share a few online venues that make ME smile as well.

Click here to visit the Make Me Smile page. Otherwise, I hope to see you next week!

The "You Make Me Smile" Awards

Bisque cherubs in rakishly-tipped hats make me smile...

And so did receiving the totally-out-of-the-blue “You Make Me Smile” award from Carrie over at the Oak Rise Cottage blog. (Click here to visit her site.)

So in all the silliness of my other post-- the Horrors of Home Cooking-- I thought it would be fun to share with you a few sites that have made me laugh over the years. I don’t list these all in my Resources section, because really, they’re more general humor or just pleasant places to visit than related to inexpensive decorating. But I thought you might get a laugh as well.

First, to keep up with the theme of my other post today, I’d wanted to introduce you to James Lileks’ two mini sites--

The Gallery of Regrettable Food was what inspired today’s post. His recipe for 50s cookbook-related humor involves a few cups dry wit and a dash of the disgusting. Click here to visit.

His Interior Desecrations site takes a similarly sarcastic look at the worst in past interior design. Click here to see why a return to the 70s strikes fear in the hearts of some.

Stitchy McYarnpants tackles bad knitting and crochet patterns of the last few decades. Click here for Stitchy.

And Threadbared, while unfortunately no longer adding new materials, examines sewing patterns and why it’s probably a good idea some of these styles have been lost to the sands of time. Click here.

Two blogs I haven’t talked about before that have made me laugh are:

Mrs. Nesbitt’s Place- Mrs. Nesbitt combines great photography and witty photo caption contests in her UK-based blog. Watch as she captures cows, geese and her beloved dog Wilma in silly and surprising poses. Click here to stop by and see Mrs. Nesbitt and Wilma.

And Miss Doxie- You don’t have to be a fan of dachshunds to get a laugh from the antics of Miss Doxie. As a young, female lawyer she tries to retain her professional image, while maniacally combatting things like skirts that split down the back, traffic cops, and balancing the needs of several willful dachshunds including Bo, who is definitely doggie high-maintenance. (Language here can be colorful sometimes, so warning in advance for those bothered by that sort of thing. I’d give it about a PG-13 if that helps.) Click here to visit her site.

Oh, and before I go-- did you get a chance to read The Horrors of Home Cooking post yet? Click here for a helping of that.

Winners of the Nifty, Thrifty Gifty Giveaway

Ah, it's an exciting day here at The Thrift Shop Romantic! Why? Because today I get the pleasure of announcing the winners of the Nifty Thrifty Gifty Giveaway!

Gosh, I feel just like Bob Barker. (Except, you know, without all the sexual harassment lawsuits.)

First of all, I'd like to thank just everyone who played along! You all put quite a bit of thought into your responses, and I'm aware the game wasn't the easiest. I know prices and item availability vary across areas of the country.

But that said, you gals have "skillz"! (Well, as "skillz"-oriented as any of us inclined to use teacups and vintage tablerunners can be, anyway.) You really rose to the challenge, made some insightful, educated guesses. I found myself cheering you all on as the entry emails came in! I hope you had some fun, too.

And now, to reveal the winners and the correct answers to the puzzles.

For the first basket, entrants had to choose from six labeled items "Which Item was NOT $1 or less?"
This was of:

1.) Fairy candle holder
2.) Portrait plate
3.) Carnival glass tumbler
4.) Jadeite cup
5.) Red rose embossed lampshade
6.) Vintage pink glass bowl



The correct answer here was #6, the vintage pink glass bowl. I bought this bowl at the L&L Fleatique in Jeannette, and it cost $3. Which still is quite good, as these bowls aren't easy to find-- plus it matches some other pieces I have.

Quite a few of you chose the portrait plate which, believe it or not, was actually $1! I found that at a booth in the Riverfront Antique Mall in New Philadelphia, Ohio, and it was sitting haphazardly on the FLOOR in a stack with some other plates. I had to read the price several times before I realized the owner had actually-and-for-truly marked it as $1! As a decorative item, you just can't go wrong with that.

A few of you also suggested the red rose-embossed lampshade was more than $1-- but not only was it just one buck, it also has a matching buddy. I got them at the U.F.O. (Used Furniture Outlet) in Greensburg on one of their overflowing dollar shelves. For a gal who loves fixing up lamps, the shades were too tempting to pass up.

I had three entrants who correctly guessed that the vintage pink bowl was the sly intruder in my list of dollar items. So those three names went into the drawing for the Shabby Chic-styled gift basket-- as witnessed by one of my friends who witnessed the spectacle to ensure everything was on the level. (And yes, my friends DO think I’m nuts, but this was no better proof of it than anything else, really).

So the winner of the basket is a lady who goes by the name of “Mightycat”. Congratulations to you, O Cat of Keen Mental Power! Mightycat has already been notified of the good news and once we pin down the ol’ logistics, I’ll be shipping off her package.


Okay, are we ready to reveal the answers to puzzle number two? That was, "Which of these items came from a thrift store?" And I'd mentioned that there could be more than one.

This was a tough one. Here you had a choice of:

1.) Marble topped pedestal table
2.) Shabby chic style mirror
3.) Green vintage vase
4.) Vintage rose-printed vinyl dress box
5.) Antique dresser/jewelry box with still life
6.) Pair of chalkware bookends
7.) Vintage lampshade






The answer to this one was that everything came from a thrift store EXCEPT the green vintage vase. The vase came from an antiques mall which sadly no longer even exists anymore, out by Smicksburg, PA and near the Wingate Winery. I think I paid about $4 for it. But can you believe the marble-topped table, the antique dresser/jewlery box, the lampshade, the chalkware bookends, the mirror and the vinyl dress box ALL were thrifted finds in the last year or so?

I thought this was a fun idea simply because it goes to show the remarkable things it's possible to find in thrifts!

As I'd said, this was a really tough one, because as many of you thrift-savvy people rightly pointed out, virtually anything in the list could be a thrifted item. That said, we didn't have any one person who got all of the items correct. But we DID have three sharp-guessing ladies who guessed only one item incorrectly. So those entries went into the drawing.

I'm pleased to announce the winner of the second giveaway basket is “Belle-n-Lex”.

Congratulations to you, Belle, for your nifty thrifty detectivework! You have been contacted and will be receiving the second of our giveaway baskets! Woo-hoo, Belle!


And that about wraps up the first giveaway on The Thrift Shop Romantic.

Next week, in honor of the upcoming Halloween holiday, join me as we thrill and chill to some SCARY retro-recipes and some decorating HORRORS I’ve found recently in thrifted ephemera.

Until then, have a safe and happy week!

Dish and Dish-Honesty

My china cupboard must be part clown-car.

It has all the size and shape of a normal china cupboard…

But as I went to reorganize and thin out some things, I suddenly had enough dishes sitting on my floor to fill the entire Homer Laughlin factory…

(Plus, you know, there were all those rubber noses and floppy shoes to contend with.)


So HOW did this happen?

Well… (hangs head in abject shame)… I KNOW how this happened.

This happened because my place has become the Home for Wayward Tablesettings. I am a Housewares Softie. I feel bad when I see pretty china and glass sitting unloved and unappreciated in the thrift stores. It is cheap and beautiful and needs someone who will adore it and take care of it. I pick it up, and pet it, and inevitably… it follows me to my car.
Some people collect cats. I amass vintage dishware.

And having too much of either can be a little unhealthy.

I mean, OKAY, so it’s not like my neighbors are calling the Board of Health about the sickening smell of dishwashing liquid emanating from my house.

It’s not like I’m tripping over compotes as I descend the stairs. Or sleeping with thirty gravy-boats at the foot of my bed.

But do I really NEED SEVEN 1950s floral whiteware platters? Am I ever really going to have enough people to tea that 27 mixed ROSE-PRINTED TEACUPS will be the ticket to good hostessing?

Unlikely.

So it’s time to be honest with myself: I am not a Jane Austen character. I don’t have twenty of my closest friends to sit around the parlor every day and sip tea, nibble scones and chat about our lives and our hobbies…

Well, actually, I DO, but they’re online. They bring their own cups.

So this last week the floor between my living room and dining rooms looked like a rummage sale. And I forced myself to make some very tough decisions. Yes indeedy, it was like my own personal variation on that old Clash tune: “Should It Stay or Should It Go?”…

Except, you know, with more pink than punk.

Admittedly, I had a few moments where I MIGHT have gone a little too far over to the minimalist side. There were beloved pieces that spent a brief, miserable time in the discard pile before I realized that I am not actually, say, DYING…

Or moving into a nursing facility…. Or, oh, transferring to the Australian Outback…

And so I probably CAN KEEP a couple of my favorite Royal Doulton chintz pieces if otherwise it would make me sob into my salad plate.

But mostly I remained strong. So it looks like I’m going to try selling on Ebay for the first time. Not as a regular vendor, mind you. Just to clear out the extras and reduce my unhealthy teacup/meat platter quantities and other items to normal, non-Housewares Softie levels.

I WOULD sell them at a garage sale, for a quick and painless separation. But I’ve heard stories about that. Stories where strangers peer blank-faced into your windows in the dim of the morning, well before the sale starts. Surrounding the place, tapping at the glass, mumbling, drooling… It’s Dawn of the Dead for bargains.

Well, me, I put in over 45 hours a week, plus commute. And I am SO unprepared to fight off the zombie hoards at 5am on a Saturday…
At least not before coffee.

So Ebay it will be! I promise to you folks, this site will remain entirely free of info related to sales. I have no plans to turn The Thrift Shop Romantic site into any sort of vending medium.

However, if anyone does want to be notified by email regarding the Ebay items that go up for sale, I’d be happy to put you on a mailing list. Just click the Say Hi button and send me a note.

I look now in my reorganized china cabinet and feel a little more at peace.

I glance at the china destined to leave Waterhouse and I swallow the lump in my throat as I reaffirm my decisions. Yes, they are orphans now, lost children looking for a path. But they will find new homes. New homes where people will love them. Surely someone, SOMEONE must need a 27 mixed rose teacups …

Ah, Jane Austen, sweetie, you would have LOVED Ebay.

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PS-- This is the LAST WEEK for anyone entering the Nifty Thrifty Gifty Giveaway here. Please help me get more vintage china and other goodies safely OUT of my house by being a part of this fun little event. Click here for the details. The results will be revealed next week.
PPS--I was tagged by Debbie over at the CozyCottage blog, so if you’re dying to know seven obscure details about yours truly (I know, the curiosity has just been killing you), you can read those by clicking here.

Tag: Seven Obscure Things You Didn't Know About Me

I did one of these tags in May (click here if you’d like to read that one), but when my friend Debbie of the CozyCottage and TwiceUponATime blogs sent the tag my way this week I thought, what the heck. Let’s see if I can come up with seven more weird facts from my eccentric little existence.

(And no, I won’t blame you if you nod off. :)

1. I often drive to and from work listening to audio-books. My recent favorites are PG Wodehouse’s Jeeves series and also his “Uncle Dynamite” CD set. His sense of humor has me giggling out loud in the car. I can only imagine what my fellow-commuters must think.
2. When I was 11, I was so inspired by my Nancy Drews, I wrote a mystery novel of my own. It was called Key to the Blue Moon. And while looking back on it, though it’s hardly a publisher’s dream, it was great writing experience trying to develop a full-length story line.
3. I am learning to paint, and have taken two classes at the Carnegie Museum of Art. I’ve enjoyed the classes, but one of the most interesting aspects of the experience, I’ve felt, is getting to be in the museum at night, after hours. It’s surreal to venture to the classroom and pass by things like parts of animal skeletons, or taxidermy animals along the way. We had the entire art gallery to ourselves one night. I spent a few peaceful hours getting to copy one of Monet’s Waterlilies paintings.
4. I’m an only child. I often think, particularly at holidays, how nice it would be to have some brothers and sisters. But then again, if I had had siblings, I doubt I’d have spent so much time growing up writing stories. Things do balance out, don’t they?
5. I love black olives. I just don’t know what it is. In fact, you know how at Christmas sometimes you’d get an apple or orange in the ol’ stocking? Me, I’d get a can of pitted gigantic Black Pearl olives. Talk about obscure, right?
6. I really like the color fuschia-- it seems to have so much zing-- but I just can’t wear it because it looks glaringly bright with my red hair. I don’t want to scare the locals.
7. Spring is my absolute favorite time of year. There’s just something so marvelous to me about the longer days, the slant of the sun, the renewed chirping of birds and the atmosphere of possibility as the plants begin to bud. Spring feels like my reward for persevering through winter.
   

Well, that’s it! More minutia than you’d ever care to know, I’m sure.

If you haven’t stopped by this week’s feature blog post, “Dish and Dish-honesty” you might wish to pop over there... Click here.

Otherwise, I hope you’ll have yourself a rewarding week!

Kute-- er, Cute-- Kitchenalia

Cheap.

I am.

Or maybe we’ll call it “fiscally practical.” It has a nicer ring, doesn’t it?

Though I love those gorgeous vintage-look appliances that have a turn-of-the-century stove or icebox feel, they tend to cost more than a year’s worth of car payments.

I figure my refrigerator can’t drive me to work. My stove can’t transport me to thrift stores.

So being fiscally practical, these items are probably not in my future.


Instead I’ve got plain ol’ white no-frills jobbies which do what they’re supposed to and basically say:

“Pay no attention to me. I’m white and boring and not the focus of the room. Do you YAWN when you look at me? See, you’re yawning already. That is how plain and white and boring I am.”

(Hm. Sounds like my appliances are suffering from low self-esteem... Pity.)


But that just means other items in my kitchen get to step forward to make the room look as vintage/Victorian as the rest of the house.

It also means I can’t be much of a stickler for historical accuracy-- and it gives me the freedom to scour thrift stores and antique malls for cute kitchenalia.

I figure if the room simply evokes a sense of the past, I’m doing okay.

Thrift stores have been fun for finding things like casserole dishes and mixing bowls in cheerful retro colors.


Pyrex, I understand, has become increasingly collectible. Do you remember a particular Pyrex dish your mom or grandma might have used at family gatherings or everyday dinners? Maybe it evokes a certain sense of what “home” is supposed to be.

Growing up, my mother had a strange array of pink Pyrex dishes. I say strange, not because they weren’t adorable-- but because they absolutely weren’t her taste. Mom wasn’t a “Pink” girl. Mom was a “‘70s Harvest-Color Colonial Revival” girl. Yet pink Pyrex gooseberry-patterned mixing bowls still say “Mom is baking cookies” to me. And the pink Pyrex casserole dish above was like one Mom served scalloped potatoes in. I found this at the Goodwill for about $3.

The thrift stores are also good for finding vintage silver pieces. Sugar and salt shakers aren’t hard to come by at good prices. And serving pieces like ladles and serving spoons can be as functional as they are interesting to look at.


Please forgive the tarnish on these babies I’m showing here. Normally they’re polished up to a decent shine. (I’ve just been a bit pressed for time lately.) Let’s call the tarnish “character.”

Antique malls and flea markets have been good sources for finding intriguing kitchen implement, too. The wooden handles take on a nice patina with age, and things like this hand-mixer and dicer were only a few dollars a piece-- though it’s good to shop around, because these can run upwards of $8-$12.


Lastly, I thought it might be fun to show you some new kitchen items that seem to mesh well with actual vintage pieces. The “apple green” trend that Kitchenaid and Hamilton Beech have embraced has worked decently with my Depression glass-- it’s just about the same general color, and has a sort of vibrance that adds a little zing to a darker room. I just hang the teaspoons and measuring cups on hooks where I can get them.


The airtight canisters are Martha Stewart K-Mart purchases that are the same color as my jadeite. I use them for storing things like coffee and breadcrumbs. Again, it’s the color that I think adds a little something to the kitchen.

How have YOU tackled bringing a vintage feel into your kitchen? Has it been more difficult than the other rooms? I’d love to hear from you.

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Just as a reminder, the Nifty Thrifty Gifty Giveaway is still running, so you have until October 13 to submit your guesses.

Thank you to everyone who has submitted so far. If I haven’t sent you a confirmation that I received your entry, let me know. I had some flukey email one day, apparently, and at least one entry hadn’t come through to me. I don’t want to accidentally neglect anybody.

Click here if you’d like to read about the Giveaway.

Otherwise, I hope to see you all next week! Take care of yourselves!