Treasure Box Wednesday: A Million Happy Finds on Route 30

Okay, maybe a million happy finds is a SLIGHT exaggeration. But a trip down Route 30, with my thrifting buddy Scoobie and her awesome brother Jose, well, between the three of us, there was one overflowing trunk of treasure by the end of our travels!

It all started at the Goodwill Outlet Store in North Versailles and on to the Good Samaritan thrift store across the highway. Between the two places I came away with these fun finds...

The bag at left is for the 50th anniversary of Maurice Sendak/Where the Wild Things Are. He died quite recently, so it was surprising to find this useful tote celebrating his work.

Also at the Goodwill,  I got this adorable Disney Alice in Wonderland photo frame. Regular readers know my fondness for the book, and that I have a quietly Alice-themed kitchen. So I was quite excited about this find...

At the Good Samaritan, I couldn't resist this large old photo of a boy and girl by the seaside. Very dramatic and delightfully sappy... It's in an old frame already-- though not it's original one-- so I think instead of the weird matting that doesn't fit well around it, I'll just mount it on a decorative acid-free paper backing in the frame it came in. (Apologies the photo is blurry. My regular camera has died and I'm using my phone camera.)

At the Goodwill in Irwin, I was reunited with an old friend. I knew this fellow as "Zippy Monkey," and he's a toy like one my aunt had. I think he's from the '60s-- I still need to look him up. I have fond memories, though, of cuddling up this monkey when visiting at my grandmother's house as a wee lass. And at a price of $5, I couldn't part with the cheerful chimp. 

At that same Goodwill, I got the tiny purple teacup shown center below, and I figure I'll also show you the porcelain lady figurine (she's actually a box) that I'd found at the Monroeville Goodwill a couple of weeks ago. I thought she was a nice addition to my curio cabinet.

At Graham's Antique Mall, I happened upon this Swift Peanut Butter glass of the Cowardly Lion. You might recall I've found a few different ones of this series recently, but didn't have the Lion.

And then would you believe on the way back, the very, very last stop on our journey, a Salvation Army thrift store we almost didn't stop at because we were all so tired, I uncovered the remaining treasures of the post. 

My favorite being this beautiful Hull vase in pastels for just $9.99-- with no cracks, chips or anything!

I snagged this pretty lusterware bowl with violets transfered on it...

This purple luster teacup (I love stuff in this style...)

And lastly, two transferware plates dating from the early 1900s (these will hang on my wall)...

So it was a huge, huge day in the world of thrifty finds last Saturday. I admit, I needed Sunday to recover from the thrill of it all!

Sending you all good vibes for fun finds this week, if that's what you're into. And I will talk to you next week, depending on what excitement the next few days hold. Take care!

--Jenn

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PS- I just learned the monkey's real name is "Mr. Bim." "Zippy" was apparently a very similar monkey in red overalls, based on a live monkey who had his own TV show. I'm now not sure whether my aunt had a real Zippy, or a Mr. Bim who everyone just called Zippy. 

This monkey business has gotten complex! :) You can see both on the page of this vintage toy shop: http://www.timewarptoys.com/toptoys.htm

Treasure Box Wednesday: Lustrous Lovelies

While there hasn't been a ton of time available for thrifting lately, I did hit upon some little treasures in the past couple of weeks. One of my favorites is this figurine from Franklin Porcelain called Sophia, which I found at the Red, White and Blue in Bellevue.

You can see a close up on this dramatic lady here:
I love the matte finish, and the soft colors that work so well with my lusterware rose-printed china. For those curious, this is the mark on the bottom...
At the Goodwill Outlet on Route 30, I got a couple of pieces of lusterware, too. Like this little souvenir plate showing Niagara Square in Buffalo, NY...
It seems to have been a giveaway piece from a store there, sort of a promo item.

And lastly, I fund this nice luster Japanese teacup in orange and purple...
There was an extra saucer that came with it.

So that pours the last drop of this particular Treasure Box Wednesday. I'll be spending the rest of this week prepping the last few things for my novel's release. If you're interested in knowing more about that, you can check out my website here: http://www.theregoesthegalaxy.com

It should be available next week-- woo-hoo!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Mixed Bag o' Goodness

Been a busy couple of weeks, between finalizing the stuff that needs to get done before I can publish my novel, and helping my buddy Scoobie remove some very stubborn wallpaper from her livingroom (more on that in a future post-- the difference so far is AMAZING!). Anyway, I did manage to collect a small amount of secondhand goodies to share with you.

My favorite of which was this little green art nouveau-ish vase I found at the Goodwill in Irwin for $0.99...

I have no idea how old it is-- if it's actually from the early 1900s, if it's from the 60s or 70s, or if it's modern. But I thought the style went well with the rest of my stuff. It reminds me of tiles I've seen from around 1900.

I also snagged this hobnail jadite vase at that Goodwill for, as you can see $8...

I actually have one like this already, but in the past I've wanted to put one on my dining table and one on my mantle, so now I have a matched set.

Lastly, I uncovered this cute lusterware tea set from a local garage sale...

The owner said it was originally her mother's and it was handmade. It's got a mark from the late 60s, early 70s (I apologize, I don't recall exactly).

So that's the treasures for this week. Next week I should be able to share with you the transformation of my friend Scoobie's livingroom, from stifled with date wallpaper, to liberated and given its dignity back.

Take care and happy junkin'!

Treasure Box Thursday: Luster, Lamps and Other Lovelies

This past week or so has been a happy time... for my curio cabinet. See, it has received the bulk of my thrifted treasures lately, in some scores that have brought both shine and good cheer.

One of my favorite items from last Saturday was this remarkable little teacup from the Monroeville Goodwill Thrift Store...
It's a hand-painted porcelain piece which isn't old, but certainly harkens back to Art Nouveau pieces. It was new with a tag, and the designer is Kathy Ireland. I knew Kathy did home furnishings-- English-inspired rugs and sofas-- but I didn't know she'd included porcelain in her line.

Here's a closeup on the saucer. I'm really happy with the quality and detail...
Another fave find was this hand-painted vintage lamp from the Salvation Army thrift store...
I know regular readers will be wondering why on earth I, of all people, need another lamp. The answer to that is, 1.) Lamp addition does not yet have a 12-step program. And 2.) I'm actually downsizing some lamps, and have given a few away to my friend Scoobie's home, so I will no longer be tripping over the, um, lights fantastic.

Here you can see a closer view on those lovely handpainted roses.
Yum!

What I also found to be "yum," was this little lusterware creamer with cherubs on it which I got for $0.99 at the Salvation Army Superstore...
This shiny type of porcelain always makes me happy because it reflects light in what would otherwise be a rather dark house.

And lastly, I netted myself two sparkly souvenir sandcastles, treating my Inner Child to some playful magic...
I wasn't allowed to buy these as souvenirs growing up-- my mother thought it was a waste of money-- so as an adult, I'm really defiantly enjoying picking them up for pennies now. I think they work pretty well with the lusterware and Victoriana...
The Victorians, after all, were all for decorating with interesting souvenir items.

So, that about washes away the contents of this Treasure Box. I hope you all are enjoying a week of the things that lift your spirits.

In the Pink for a Post-Holiday Vintage Tablescape

This past weekend's bitter and snowy weather found me inside tackling all those little things I had been putting off: taking down the tree, packing up all the garland and cardboard village homes, and encouraging my very zealous kitten, Harry-- who wanted to be a part of it all-- to find himself some other more kitten-appropriate hobbies. 

I even spackled some long-lingering cracks in my diningroom walls. It's almost embarrassing when I think about how long this project had gone undone! 

But my favorite activity of the weekend was definitely transforming the diningroom decor from Christmas Lite to springy pink good cheer.
The pink, burgundy, blue and green tablecloth was a long-ago thrift store find, as was the marble and crystal candelabra which I'd painted a pearl pink.

The pinkish purple goblets were purchased years ago from either TJ Maxx or Marshalls. And as you can see I'm using the beautiful opalescent "American Sweetheart" pattern depression glass plates I got via a friend and thrifting...

On the mantle, I coordinated with a rose-printed lace mantle scarf and some of my favorite lusterware plates.

I think these all came from the Red White and Blue Thrift Store, though not necessarily at the same time.

In particular, I love the shape and pattern on this one...

This little pink luster plate is one of my most recent finds.
And I figured I'd add in this nice luster bowl I'd gotten at the Goodwill in Indiana, PA a while back. It had been so dirty when I got it, you really couldn't appreciate its pattern and shine...
A little color goes a long way to soothe the winter blues-- particularly if it's got some winter pinks and winter greens along with it!

Do you folks do any decorating post-winter-holidays, or are you pretty well sick to death of the thought of decor after all the Fa-La-La-ing Festivities?

Treasure Box Wednesday: Glass Amass

Hey there, folks! Well, I've successfully moved my Dad up north with me-- it was a long, strange adventure, but eventually we made it-- and I thought it was time to give you all some new pretties to look at.

I'd been hoping I'd come back from Florida with lovely shots of local flora and fauna, but unfortunately my activities didn't get a chance to run in that direction. So my first break in the last week led me to a little Thrift Therapy!

The first item I found was this cute little pottery bird planter. I think it might be California pottery, but haven't verified yet...
I liked the glaze, particularly around their feet.

I also got my hands on this pretty lusterware plate...
It's funny only recently I've found some interesting lusterware pieces after not seeing any for quite a while. The cycle of thrift is always surprising.

And last, I netted this stained glass lampshade...
I think it might be designed to go on some kind of jar candle, but I'm not sure yet. Anyway, the roses and general colors spoke to me. And at just $3 it seemed well worth it.

So that's what's in the Treasure Box for this week. I hope the week ahead of you is filled with shiny goodness, too!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Out With the Old, In with the Also Kinda Old

Thanks to the beauty of thrift stores, I feel lucky that I don't really need anything. Oh, sure, I might keep my eye out for certain items I enjoy collecting, but I've also been going through old stuff that's truly surplus to requirement and donating it back.

It's the Circle of Thrift.

Though I suppose, this week, these are technically the circles of thrift...
I'd been keeping my eye out for some glass spheres to put in a bowl. The print behind them is Waterhouse's "The Crystal Ball," where a medieval maiden peers into a glass sphere to see, presumably, the future.

I'd been picturing the bowl filled with glass spheres in my mind for a while, as a nice decorative tie-in. But you'd be surprised how expensive these things can get!

As workarounds, I'd considered using fishing floats and Christmas ornaments, but didn't spy any that would work at the right price. Until I found someone's paperweight collection at the Red, White & Blue on Route 51 this weekend.

And all nice and plain and not engraved with, say, the name of a tourist location. You'd be surprised how many of those are out there, too. I just don't think the medieval maiden would peer into a ball with a dolphin etched into it reading "Fort Lauderdale," do you? :)

I also uncovered this nice little unmarked mint green pottery flowerpot...

I really like the shape. I don't think it's unmarked McCoy, but it looks nice with McCoy and Hull pieces.

And lastly, at the Goodwill in Indiana, PA, I uncovered a beautiful rose-printed luster bowl...
It actually had a good layer of dirt on it when I picked it up. But knew a moment or two with some suds would do wonders!...
So today, I have two big bags of donations I must remember to give back to the thrifts. I'm working to organize some closet space, and I'd like to send the unused items to the one place I know they'll be appreciated.

Hope you all had an enjoyable Fourth of July. For today, I guess it's time now for me to roll on out of here.

Treasure Box Wednesday: Luster, Shine and Glitter

Welcome, Treasure Box Wednesday friends! How's the week been treating you so far?

It was a treat for my inner-magpie this week, when a visit to the Red, White & Blue thrift store in Bellevue, PA uncovered a trio of interesting lusterware plates!
It's been some time since I've thrifted any unique lusterware, and this stack, just sitting among the glassware, was easy to take a shine to. Given the color and style of the pieces, it got me pondering those nifty thrifty questions for which I'm unlikely to ever have the answers...

Like, were these a part of a single person's collection? What did their house look like? Were they loved and displayed? And what happened that meant these beauties made their way to the thrift store?

Then I had another pleasant surprise this week, of the non-thrifting variety, that I wanted to share with you.

One of my favorite decorating magazines is Romantic Country. While it's sometimes just a tad heavy on the floral patterns for me (I'm more of a paint instead of wallpaper gal), it's always chock full of vintage goodies and soft colors. I just wish it came out more than four times a year...
So as I was leafing through it yesterday, enjoying a morning cup of coffee, I was shocked to see someone very familiar!... The internet's Good Lady o' Glitter, Rosemary Olson...

Now, I met Rosemary online some years ago when we both discovered the same decorating and crafts forums. She's a sweet lady with a terrific eye for creating magical, whimsical-style gift and decorative items, like tiaras, wedding favors and seasonal boxes.

So I just wanted to take a moment to say, "Congratulations on the lovely magazine spread, Rosemary!" I'm so happy to see you getting the recognition you well-deserve!

Shine on! (And don't forget to wash the glitter and glue off your hands before you try to frame that great photo spread. You'll stick.) :)

You can check out Rosemary's blog-- Rose's Petite Maison-- here.