Treasure Box Wednesday: Moppets and Wabbits and Warthogs, Oh My!

It was a mixed bag o' thrifting this week. I've been noticing that everybody and their grandmother seems to be at the thrifts lately. (Okay, well, not MY grandmother; she's no longer alive, so the surprise of THAT would be more than I could take.) But busy. Very busy at the thrifts.

As a result, I think things have looked a bit picked over.

HOWEVER, this didn't prevent me from finding some really fun things. Mostly, this week I have some cool gifts to show you.

The little sweetheart above is one of them. This porcelain doll came from the Red, White and Blue on Route 51, and I just loved her ornery expression. The moppet will go to a family friend for either Mother's Day, or Christmas-- I'm not sure which yet. The good lady collects dolls (same lady who received a pair of li'l gals LAST Christmas) and I know the wee lass will be going to a good home.

Here she is decked out in all her finery.


For myself, I found a couple of sets of nice vintage-look sheets. The Shabby Chic-styled guest room just cried out for these. And hey, at just $4.00 a set, it's pretty easy to give the guest room what it wants.



I also found the cute retro-printed purse...


But lastly, I found a few presents for my friend Scoobie's brother for his birthday. He's a good kid, and he's totally embraced the idea of thrifting. So I think he'll be tickled with these collectible juice glasses containing favs of his, Taz and Bugs Bunny. (I don't believe he has these particular ones in his collection yet, but he has a lot of character glasses.)


To complement this, he'll also receive a face only a mother could love... a mother WARTHOG, that is!

This potentially life-sized (if he were alive) Pumba from The Lion King still had his tags from the Warner Store. What is it about boys, that a flatulent warthog is just hysterical to them?

Of course, I admit I'm also going to really miss Pumba-- I've had fun putting him in various unexpected places around the house and startling my housemate. Pumba in the bathroom by the pedestal sink... Pumba in the hallway... Pumba at the front door...

Good times!

The challenge, I think, will be, how precisely to WRAP a warthog... Ah, well, I'll figure it out! Wish me luck.

Anyway, on Sunday, I hope to have something exciting for you. Simon and Schuster had asked me if I was interested in taking a look at a craft book they've just put out. So we'll be reviewing that and I think seeing, in particular, how these ideas might be applied for thrifty decorating. (Note, this is not any kind of paid review, or anything-- it's only my own little opinion. Just thought it might be fun and a little different!)

• Oh-- and did you miss Sunday's post on "Of Buds and Blogging Buddies"? Just click here.

• If you'd missed the previous Treasure Box Wednesday, on "The Real McCoy," click here.

Here's hoping the tax man went easy on you this year, my friends! See you soon.

All Hail the Regent Square Yard Sale

What’s that old Who song about how “I’d walk 900 miles”? Well, apparently I’D walk 900 miles if a vast neighborhood yard sale were involved...

And I’d FEEL every mile of it the next day, too.

But in a good way. At the Regent Square annual neighborhood garage sale, a little bit of physical pain is to be expected. It just shows you really put in the time and the effort in search of little treasures.

And let me tell you, the little treasures seem pretty darned big-- or at least weighty-- after three to four hours of trekking, carrying them.

It was not quite eight a.m. when one of my friends and I began our adventure last Saturday, powered by some serious caffeine, and wearing our most sensible shoes. The vendors were just setting out their wares, and even so, it seemed pre-sales in some areas had intervened, making certain purchases impossible.

“We already bought all this,” a lady said protectively to a few of us lookey-loos, giving a sweeping gesture across some 40s panther lamps, a Shabby Chic-ed up mirror, and a pile of other things that were too numerous to register so early in my caffeination process.

It was okay. I am not in lack o’ stuff, and my deep lamp obsession apparently doesn’t extend to pottery panthers.

So my friend and I trekked on. My first purchase was some green Depression glass-- I think the larger of the two is for butter. The other smaller, lidless container I’m currently using for Sweet ‘n Low (doubtless, the Depression-era manufacturers would be surprised at this new use).

A little way down the road, my friend added to her Avon Cape Code ruby glass collection with a vase-- for just $3. And further still, the local antiques store, Le Mix, was having a sale in their back alley, where I came across these old greeting cards, Valentines and Easter programs.


It looks like someone had used them for a bit of roughly-executed crafting, stapling cream-colored lace around their edges. So I’ve been spending a little time removing the staples from these where possible and trying to get them back in a better form.


In some cases, though, the lace just looks really pretty. So maybe I’ll just remove the staples, give it a new backing and glue.

By this time, the rummage sale on Mifflin Avenue was open. And there I came upon this little Madame Alexander “Alice in Wonderland” doll.


As you can see, she needs a bit of TLC. (The photo below kind of makes me laugh, because in person she doesn’t have the creepy, overly-alert look that got captured via the camera. The Alice above looks like she’s got Gothic, nefarious plans.)

Anyway, the little gal has her original dress, pinafore and underthings, but a little research seems to show she’s been given shoes and socks different from the black Maryjanes and stockings she was supposed to come with. Her face also has some smudges. If anyone reading has tips on how to clean the face of a plastic doll without harming her, I would love to hear from you. Also, if you happen to know of anyone who sells replacement stockings and shoes for Madame Alexander dolls like this.

Thanks!

The next church rummage sale was at the Waverly Church on the corner of Forbes and Braddock. There I got a number of pieces of French pink glass that fills out a set I’ve been accumulating through thrift stores. At three pieces for $1.00, it was an exciting find.


So what lies ahead next week? Join me as we revel in, and renovate, some roadside finds. There’s nothing like the early summer to support one’s trash-to-treasure dining chair habit!

Have a wonderful week, my friends!