Treasure Box Wednesday: The Vase Unknown

Anyone who thrifts regularly knows that thrifting for something specific is typically as futile as trying to herd cats. Or to use a metaphor, the Gods of Thrift are generous, yes, but they have quite the little sense of humor. And they seem to believe that their followers should be grateful for what the gods have deemed they can have-- above what they might actually have hoped to find.

It's a bit like discovering things washed upon a sandy shoreline. The stranded pirate might want a case of rum. What he gets might very well be a ladies' bonnet and a message from the stranded pirate two islands over asking someone with a ship for help.

Over the weekend, I went thrifting hoping I might run across some Fiestaware.

Now, you might be saying, "What? C'mon. You can't find Fiestaware at thrift stores!"

Only I have before. I live not far away from the land o' Fiesta's birthplace. So it's not quite as common as Pyrex, but it does lurk among our household items occasionally.

But, ah... the Gods of Thrift were on their game that day-- so it was not to be. No, instead I found myself with two Mystery Vases.

This intricate red jobbie had McCoy written all over it to me...
...Only not literally, or it wouldn't be an unknown vase. But the finish, the color, the organic lines with a bit of art deco to it... All the stylistic qualities of McCoy.

Yet my McCoy book doesn't show it. That's mystery number one.

Mystery number two is this little blue pottery vase....

Also organic lines, also the matte finish associated with some McCoy, and also with no mark on the bottom, I couldn't find this one in my book, either.

I love both of the vases just as much for their own innate qualities. But it would be nice to know who made them. Alas, that may take more time!

What won't take time is this--
My little vintage sheep planter from Japan which I found at the Goodwill. Folks who are long-time readers know I use these at Easter as part of a display. And this happy little sheep will be a nice addition to the collection.

I also happen to know where this tumbler and cereal bowl came from...
This is part of a Hazel Atlas Platonite dish set I've been pulling together, from the Depression era. I think I only have one other bowl, and the cup represents my first tumbler. At $1.25 each at the L&L Fleatique, I felt I did pretty darned well.

So that represents this week's Treasure Box!

Have you all had any interesting finds at the thrifts, and other resale venues? I'd love to hear about what makes you happy.

Have a great week, and I'll see you Sunday with a brand-new post!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Books and Other Bargain Beauties

You really never do know what will turn up at the local thrift store! And in all my years of thrifting, it still doesn't cease to amaze me.

Things long forgotten... always wanted... that needed missing piece... or an item never even imagined... you just can't predict the sorts of things that will be unearthed by a serious thrifty treasure hunter.

One of my favorite recent finds were these hardback vintage Trixie Belden books...


I still have the Trixie Beldens I enjoyed as a kid (along with my beloved Nancy Drews), but mine were largely softcover and a bit worse for wear... So I was pleased to uncover these at the Salvation Army Superstore.

You know, our friend Trixie there was the character who inspired me to start writing in the first place. It was because of these books, a twelve-year-old Me decided to try my own hand at writing a mystery novel-- And what do you know? I've been hooked on tale-telling ever since!

And talk about great tales-- The Secret Garden...


I didn't have a copy of this myself, though am a great fan of the story. And what a copy this is! The cover is done in a burnished velvet. Great texture! Now all I need to do, it pull up a good chair, make a nice hot cup of tea... ahh!

Or, when cold beverages are in order, I'll be all set with these aluminum 50s tumblers...


I do have a couple of these already, but at $0.49 a piece, I hardly could resist.

Now thinking ahead to Easter, those who have read this blog for a while, probably know immediately why I picked up these little fellows...

Yup, a couple of teeny '50s sheep planters (well, the one may be a poodle, it's hard to tell), to go with my Easter lamb extravaganza.

I'm planning on busting out the big lambie whammie again this year (I think the sheep have multiplied, too!) so it should be fun unboxing it all and seeing just how many sheep there may be.

And lastly, for no special occasion whatshoever, I picked up this pretty aqua glass candy dish...


It's got a little bit of luster to it and I just, well, liked it. I probably need to like glass less, actually. But it's a harmless little enjoyment. And hey, it matches my entryway.

• Well, if you didn't get to check out the finished woodburning Hello Kitty nursery room sign, click here.

And maybe you all will have some happy thrifting yourselves this week?

Take care!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Time for Unique Finds

After a few thrift-less weekends, this weekend it was nice to put on the ol' comfy shoes, grab my tape measure and keys, and hit my favorite thrift and antiques haunts.

One of my favorite finds of the day came from the L&L Fleatique-- this 1930s Bakelite clock, featuring a little girl on a swing.

I was instantly charmed by the teeny Alice in Wonderland type girl perched in front of a white, very 30s picket fence, and a Thompson-styled cottage print.

The clock mechanism needs a bit of work I haven't been able to dedicate to it yet. Perhaps I can get it running, and perhaps not. But either way, I really love it's style.

My other favorite purchase of the day was at Graham's Antique Mall in Ligonier. And it was a whole luncheon set of 36 pieces of the Hazel Atlas Modertone Platonite I collect, all for $32. There are cups and saucers (none of which I had yet), a creamer, sugar bowl and 12 dinner plates in excellent condition. As I kept bringing stack after stack up to the counter, and had confirmation on the surprising price for the lot, well, I was one happy gal!


At the Good Samaritain thrift store, I uncovered this nifty pink omelette maker. Now I'll never have excuses for sloppy looking omelettes-- plus, the pink sorta made it more fun, to me.


I also found this 50s/60s pink printed glass with various bon-bon trays and kitchen scenes on it. I've seen these in black before, but never in pink. I was on a roll, pink-wise, I guess.


And finally, there was this teeny lost lamb... Lost, largely because after such a busy day, I don't really remember where I found the little fellow. Possibly the Salvation Army...


Of course, I also located a few fun craft and decorating books of the 70s at the Salvation Army. I believe many of you might be familiar with them, as one helped me tell the tale of Marge and the Maniacal Trash-to-Treasure Decor this last Sunday.

Next Sunday, I'll show you a couple of t-to-t ideas from that same book which I thought were actually quite clever!

PS-- Marge will not be joining us, so I hope you'll feel free to pop on by.

Three States, Two Antique Malls, One Big Day

Road trip! Hop in the car with my friend Scoobie and me, and buckle-up, because today we're going on an antiquing adventure. I've never taken you all out to New Philadelphia, Ohio before. So there's no time better than today!

We'll head through three states on this journey. Which sounds like a much bigger deal than it is, to be honest. We'll set out from our home base in Western Pennsylvania, go straight through West Virginia (which, given the part we're going through, takes all of five minutes), and zoom clear into Ohio.

This is the nifty bridge we have to go over to get to Ohio, from West Virginia.





And don't worry, I wasn't trying to take photos while driving here. All of these fun ambiance shots are courtesy of Scoobie, riding shotgun. A true friend is someone who's willing to put up with taking pictures for your blog! Thanks, Scoobie- you're a gem.

By the way, Scoobie also expresses her regrets she wasn't able t0 get a local color shot of buzzards, enjoying some roadkill along the highway, but I said I thought you all would probably be all right for having missed that.

Here we are, making the turn for Dennison, along Route 250 West, which will be our first stop.


And no, we're not stopping at Coal Museum, the Clark Gable museum, or even the lawn ornament place with the giant stone dogs out front...


We're stopping up here...



The Route 250 Antique Mall! I'd come across this place on accident on my very first trip to New Philadelphia. And of course, I'd HAD to stop. Inside there are a wide array of vendors, with some very reasonable prices on many things. I'm not sure if we're allowed to photograph inside, but I snuck off a shot or two.


For my trash-to-treasure friends, I think of YOU all when we spot these t-to-t bedframe benches.


And me, I come up with some more of my Hazel Atlas Moderntone dinnerware. At $1 and $2 a plate, I am one HAPPY girl!


I also find an excellent handpainted World War II hankie bag-- though the tag indicates the vendor thinks it's some kind of purse.



With the Route 250 Antique Mall scoured, now we head off here...


There used to be three of these Riverfront Antique Malls-- one in Beaver Falls, PA, and one in-- I believe-- North Carolina, but the other two have closed. This is the last of the last. But it still seems to be busy.

And what do we find here? Well, Scoobie cleans up on some of her beloved Avon Ruby Glass pieces (I believe you all were with us before when she triumphed with her Avon Gravyboat discovery. This coup was similar.)

And me, I found some more sheep planters, just in time for Easter... (Dig that sheep in overalls! How funny is that?)



I also find a couple of vintage cookbooks.


After being pretty much all antiqued out, we leave the Riverfront Antique Mall decide to stop for an elegant early supper at La Maison de Pain Italianne...

Ah, yes, when you travel with The Thrift Shop Romantic, it's first class all the way!

• For a look at last week's thrifted treasures, if you didn't catch it-- you might enjoy Wednesday's post: "Treasure Box Wednesday: Cheap Chicks Choose China." Just click here.

• And because it IS Easter, and this made me laugh and question my own sanity, I thought you might also get a smile from the post currently on my humor blog -- It's Marshmallow Peeps doing a take-off on The Great Escape. Click here.

And no, don't even ask how this popped into my head. :) Too much sugar, maybe.

Have a terrific Easter for those who celebrate, and for those who don't, I hope Spring is treating you well!

The Big Easter Lambie Whammy

Sheep happens.

It started with one planter, in a display cabinet at the Good Samaritan thrift store in North Versailles. The sheep's funny, smiling face and pink color cheered me instantly. I bought it and took it home.



The next time I visited the store, there were more sheep prancing on the shelves. In different styles and colors... All from around the 50s and 60s... And all in nursery room pinks and blues. I chose two. The nice lady behind the counter smiled as I presented my wooly friends for payment.


Over this last year, it seems more and more sheep have trailed back to my place-- like I was Mary of "Had a Little Lamb" fame, and these fine fellows were sure to go if I were. I have since become well-known at the Good Samaritan for my regular lamb procurement. I have rounded up sheep from the L&L Fleatique. I have shepherded them from the Salvation Army. I have gotten them by-hook-and-by-crook at Junk for Joy. But I hadn't quite realized just how many sheep there were until I opened my plastic tub of Easter goodies and let loose the flock.

So there are sheep on the mantle...

Sheep on the table...

Sheep carting eggs...

And sheep chaufferring chicks...


One year of thrifting, and I'm knee-deep in sheep!

And for folks who were asking how the varnished Marshmallow Peep garland fared from last year, I have to say, it's held up fairly nicely. The topcoat may have yellowed slightly, but the Peeps are all still in good shape and are currently decorating the mirror over the sheep-ladened mantle.


Next week, I hope to be finished with a brand new Peep Project I want to share with you-- one with a bit of a trash-t0-treasure spin. (No, really, it will all make sense when you finally see it...

Maybe... :)

Well, I'd probably best be off. With all this Easter decorating and sheep counting, I SERIOUSLY could use a nap. Hope you see you back here on the Blogspot for Treasure Box Wednesday. (If you missed last week's linens, lamps and lambs, click here.) And if not, then I do hope you'll be baaaaack again soon.

Treasure Box Wednesday: Linens, Lamps and Lambie Lovelies

If streamlined is "In" and frills are "Out," you can just label me merrily "outdated." After all, how could I possibly complain when we Fans o' the Frill have the chance to get beautiful doilies, tablerunners and tablecloths such as these, with absolutely NO competition for them? And at just a few dollars a piece!

Yes, the Red White and Blue came through with a number of delicate hand-done pieces-- like this white and beige table cloth...


This bright garden of embroidered roses...


And the delightful table runner below. I'd picked this one up originally because it had cherubs on it, and as you all know, I am pro-Cherub. But I never expected to get a bit of history right along with it...


I don't know if you can read it, but the print there says, "Work by Henry Drexler age 74 years old." (I've read it a couple of times, and I'm 95% sure it says, "Henry.") Was "Henry" short for "Henrietta," or was this fine needlework done by a Mr. Drexler? Does our friend Henry live still, or was this tablerunner donated upon the crafter's passing?

As with the owners of my vintage postcards, I always find myself longing to learn more of the story behind the piece. But while the tale of Henry Drexler may be lost to the hands of time, I do know I'll think fondly of Henry's talents of the needle every time I pass this on my table. Yep, a little piece of Henry is living on in linen!

Other items I found at the thrifts this last week include this courting couple photo frame. I plan to give to my friend Scoobie to go with her regal French decor...


I also discovered a shabby lamp I hope to use in my spare room...


And a sweet 50s lamb planter that is going to be part of a much larger Easter eggstravaganza I've got planned. (Grin!)

If you think this lovely lambie is cute, I think you might just want to stay tuned in the next couple of weeks for the full Easter blow-out.

Well, that's it for this Treasure Box Wednesday. I thank you each muchly for popping by to spend some time here.

And if you missed my Sunday's post of "Decorating for Denial: Beating the Winter Doldrums," you can still catch it by clicking here. Take care!