Shopping Instead of Unpacking

Let's face it, I should be focusing on unpacking and getting existing treasures out of their boxes. Instead, I was out this morning trolling the stores for new finds. Pickings were slim, but I made a major Asian-ish score at one store...

Yes, basic white rice bowls, but perfect for soups, noodles and other yummy things.  A set of eight for next to nothing?  How could I resist?

It's like they saw me coming: little, teeny-tiny hand-painted Chinese plates?  You had me at little. This set of ten was kind of hiding, but I was so happy to make them mine.  There are ten, only three are the same; the rest are unique designs.  No markings, no words or letters. But, they're already on the bar and I think will be perfect little tidbit bowls for a few nuts, some olives or a scoop of sesame sticks.

Finally, I was super excited to find this peanut pourer.  How do I know it's a peanut pourer? Because I already have a smaller version in the original box!  And this one has the original sticker--made in Taiwan.  Asia strikes again.  I'll have to put peanuts in one and mixed nuts in the other.  Or maybe cashews?  Anyway, a nice little haul that did inspire me to do a little organizing of the kitchen cabinets.  If only to hide my new purchases from you know who!  

Rose an' Tall

I guess everyone in this town is dumping their Rosenthal or something, because I happened again today upon some at the thrift store. It was just five salad plates, but the pattern is lovely and lively--plus the shape looks just like the Raymond Loewy set I found a few weeks back. There are no markings other than the company name, so any guesses? Five salad plates doesn't get very far as far as entertaining, but I won't complain!

Won't Stop, Can't Stop

Darlings, you know I can never stop. It isn't the things, but the hunt, that drives me. The thrill of the find! But you all know that, so I am preaching to the hunters. The past week had been pretty long and the week prior I had been traveling, so I was looking forward to some thrift therapy on Saturday. Even though I got a late start, there was still an array of wonderful things. And no matter how full the cupboards are, how stuffed the shelves are or how many things currently live in boxes, there will always be something I can't resist...

Dishes. My weakness. Even though I don't care for the color, I swooned when I spotted these amazing dishes by Ben Seibel for Raymor. I didn't buy them, even though I should have bought them and resold them or something. That just isn't how I thrift, but with the bounty of West Texas thrift, I may have to change my plan.

I loved this chip and dip and candelabra! What a unique, and challenging, serving piece. Late in the evening you would have to be careful not to burn yourself as you reached over the burning candle for some spinach dip.

This Pyrex cheese cracker tray was difficult to pass over, especially with the new cheese knives I recently purchased...

Apparently they always have an array of beautiful glass at Trade-n-Treasures, but Saturday it was even more splendiferous. I found myself thinking of my friend Michael in Chicago and his amazing collection of glass, wondering which of these pieces he would try and carryon if he were visiting? Thoughts?

Faux. You know how much I love faux. And faux shells? Reader, it was so hard not to buy these. I mean, I could find a place for them, of course. And I have been having visions of my a mantle covered in faux shells as my collection grows...but....still...I passed. Sigh.

This punch bowl was more than I want to pay, but a GEORGES BRIARD punch bowl?!? I love Briard and some of us never stopped serving punch, but I would also have to find all new punch cups. And also sell my current bowl, which is quite amazing and on a stand. Having TWO punch bowls is just ridiculous, right? Curiously, the image was printed on the interior, so the signature was reverse.

I did take home this little log planter. We have one or two already, so a small collection. Plus, succulents look very cool planted in them. I couldn't say no.

Lastly, this set of eight owl glasses was hiding on a shelf at Tradarama, covered in dust. Otherwise, the gold was in perfect shape and I couldn't pass them up. I don't really need more glasses that can't go in the dishwasher, but I bought them anyway. Perhaps they'll be a gift for someone else.

After running a few errands, I got home and did few things around the house, including unpacking the finds. After a while, I gathered up my stuff and returned to the store to buy those blasted shells. I couldn't stop thinking about them and was just glad they were still there!

White Away

I used to think plain, white dishes were just boring. I would never look at anything at the thrift store that was just plain white. I wanted bright colors, atomic patterns, coordinated (but not matching) serving pieces and a mix of everything. And I have that and it's really funny, because even when I try to do an 'eclectic' table, it all seems to coordinate and vibrate in some unconscious, magical way. But then one day, I reversed my stance on white dishes and I began to be kind of be obsessed with them.

I remember it well: it was the day I found the Schonwald--such a magical moment it inspired a drawing and a poem. The dishes are simple, gorgeous and have a heft that make them amazing to hold. I have four pieces in an ovoid shape: large and small serving bowls, platter and sauce boat. And after that, I began to look at white differently and to find pieces that were unique in treatment, shape and design. Some are pedigreed, others are not. But, what it means is that I can easily mix in serving pieces with any of my chinas (the family grows) and simply coordinate a table.

But, what worries me is that guests think my lovelies are "just a white bowl from the restaurant collection at Kohl's or Macy's." They're not. They're vintage, gorgeous and special and I assume those who know me well realize that. But, I was thinking about the whole farm-to-table phenomenon the other day and how you can't just have an egg anymore, rather a Meadows Farm of Happy Chickens Egg. What if I did that at parties and made little cards that read, House-made French Onion Dip with Expensive Potato Chips served in White Porcelain Bowls from Schonwald, Germany. Affected? Well, of course.

Anyways, here is a parade of the white dishes including the last super-find from Russel Wright. Enjoy.

The Schonwald gravy boat, with attached under plate.
It has made multiple appearances, here at MTSS.

These two bowls make me believe I am
a shaman and can work magic in the kitchen.

The platter is simple, with just a slightly turned up edge.

Altogether now.

This plain, white lotus bowl probably came from Pier 1,
but as it's the largest in the collection and the only white one,
it is the Queen of Lotus Bowls in this household.

Yes, you can find Paul McCobb's Contempri all tarted up with various patterns, atomic and otherwise, adorning it. But, the plain white example has been stalking me across the country for years and evidenced here and here.

Eva Zeisel. What can you say? These simple white bowls could be used in a Sci-fi film today, decades after they were made, and still conjure 'the future' in the mind of the viewer.

Ben Seibel's Impromptu line says it all, simple and elegant;
always ready to entertain or to be entertained.

This Russel Wright divided bowl says to me,
"Fill half of me with pretzel M&Ms and the other half with plain M&Ms." What does it say to you?

Sundays at Goodwill are Made for...

I don't know what to tell you, but the Terre Haute Goodwill is back after a dismal slump. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I don't know. It's good in that it's fun to shop there again, but it's bad in that my china cabinet, hutch, closet, other closet and storage are packed. But, I could not pass up these finds.

And they happened on a Sunday.

That's right, the worst thrift shopping day of the week. Sunday is the worst because: it's after everything as been picked over on Friday night when everyone is on the way home from work; Saturday has seen people come and go and come and go and come and go; it's the day employees at Goodwill are hung over and doesn't do any restocking; there is nothing left but the odds and ends.

But this has happened before. And it happened again.

Exhibit A.

These lovely little lotus bowls are some of my favorite things and I have a huge collection. My grandmother had them in white, but I eschew those in favor of a myriad of colors I can mix and match.

These are a wonderful addition to the collection, but I was sad as there was also an orange one, but it had a chip I could not ignore. Yes I have....(one, two....seven....thirteen..)....twenty-one of the larger bowls in various colors and three smaller one in red and green, but you never know when I might need them for a dinner or emergency. I mean, what if a busload of Buddhist monks broke down en route to St. Louis and they called me to help serve dinner but they HAD to have rice bowls. Buddhist monks cannot be served dinner without rice bowls. I would be ready. Would you?

And one more orange would have helped too!

However, my sadness was lifted by...

Exhibit B.

This light wood salad bowl, imported from Japan, has the look of American modern. It made me think of Russel Wright or Eva Zeisel. Wonderful shape and color. And made me feel better about the loss of the orange lotus bowl. Until I saw...

Exhibit C.

A stack of white dishes that intrigued me and upon closer inspection, proved to be solid white Contempri designed for Jackson China International by Paul McCobb. You are asking yourself, "Does he really need another set of china?" And I am telling you, "Yes!" In a qualified way. Reader, I already own this set of china, it is just slowly being delivered to my house over the course of several years. I originally purchased an open vegetable and platter at an estate sale in Wichita, KS. Then earlier this year, I found a second open vegetable and covered casserole right here in Terre Haute which inspired a paradigm shift in the china cabinet. And now service for four? I think you can see where this is going. Someday, service for twelve with all of the accoutrement. Dost though scoff? My collection of Temporama began with only a gravy point and a dream.

Name it and claim it, that is what Oprah says!

Anyway, I think you can see that Sunday is not a bad day to thrift shop. Challenging, yes. But it still can yield a china cabinet full of treasures. Or two china cabinets full.

Chaos/Order

• The new things from Paul McCobb inspired a slight shift in the organization of the china cabinet, which was easy, but worked out in the end.
• I discovered I cannot live without Heidi Anna in the cabinet. She is a fixture and that little pop of strangeness I appreciate. Can you find her?
  
• I was trying to do a Russel Wright 'story' on the upper level, but the bean pot is difficult to place. I might be able to make it work in the future...if I push on through.

Rules Are Made to be Broken

A few posts back, I made reference to the two-plate rule: we are allowed to buy dinner plates if there are two of them, but that is it. The reasoning behind this is that our Kansas kitchen was decorated with a large array of miss-matched vintage plates. When we moved to Texas, we kept all of the ones that were a pair and created an 'everyday' set of dishes that changes everyday. One for me, one for him

But, I guess rules are made to broken. Such was the case when we found this set of six Taylor Smith and Taylor plates at Goodwill when Jessie and Dave were in town over New Year's. The justification in the store was, "we'll keep two, then donate the other four back." But, once they arrived home, we used them for New Year's Day brunch then swiftly found a place for them in the china cabinet, as if hiding them away could disguise our shame.

Of course, the issue now is: what will go with them?

I tried the blue salad plates I bought to go with the Metlox before acquiring enough of the Metlox salad plates, but they were too big.

The white plates I have work, but aren't especially nice or complementary in shape. The olive lotus bowls really do work though, so I'm looking for: some smaller blue salad plate or some nicer white ones. We'll see.

Introducing...

....my fabulous, thrifty friend Jennie! She is as obsessed (if not more) with thrift shopping as I am, but we never really shop together. Today, we both happened to have a short day at work, so we met for lunch and then headed into Next-to-New to see what we could find. This mirror looks fancy (and Jennie looks lovely in it) but the frame is actually very thin plastic.

This double boiler is made from Pyrex glass, but not that strange stuff they tried to get everyone to cook on in the 80s. It was kind of amber colored? I can't remember what they called it, but my Mam-ma would always talk about how 'during the war' you couldn't buy metal cookware, so they had a lot of glass. Possibly like this? I didn't buy it, but considered it strongly.

Jennie almost bought this blue ceramic bowl, but it was obviously missing the lid. Cute, kind of Pennsylvannia Dutch modern?

She did pick up this lovely porcelain butterfly, with designs to use it to hold jewelry. Delicate and whimsical, it has a happy feeling. Plus, she can hang it on the wall if she wanted.

Jennie and I oohed and ahed over this set of thirteen Asian teacups decorated with delicate images of birds and bright pink peonies. Thirteen seemed like a lot, even though my usual goal is service for twenty-four. Jennie suggested we split then and I was so happy that I hugged her. The other shoppers looked at us like we were crazy, which we are. They have a thick wall and are perfect in the hand. I served tea in then that very evening, during a Project Runway screening.

Next-to-New had a huge collection of Hall's Jewel Tea pattern. This was one of my Mam-ma's favorites and at one point she had a large collection she eventually sold off. It was one of those things she was obsessed with, almost as much as that Anchor Hocking Star of David crystal. I have a single pitcher from her Jewel Tea collection that reminds of her and seeing this large selection made me gush. Her birthday is January 19 and she would have been 89.

This Dallas Junior League cookbook is haunting me. I almost bought another copy with a similar design actually imprinted onto the cover of the book last week when I was in Houston. I didn't buy either, because I really don't imagine getting anything interesting from the Dallas Junior League recipes. I'm sure there is a section of how to achieve big hair. Maybe another on dressing for lunch? I'm sure each recipe begins, "Ask your maid to prepare this recipe the next time you are having friends over for bridge."

There were eight of these RED Sango bowls, so I snatched them up. They're low and very modern, with color on the exterior and white inside. I imagine using them with the Georges Briard Asian plate and Metlox Shore Line. I love to mix different styles and colors up on the table. But, you, dear reader, already knew that. I emphasize that the bowls are red, because they were labeled orange by the store and there was much discussion on the color between Jennie and other guests at the house the evening after they were purchased. Red, red....RED!

They look lovely, combined as mentioned above and topped with an olive green lotus bowl.

Like moi, Jennie was born to (THRIFT) shop.

And God Said...

....let there be platters. And there were. And they were good.

Okay, so I counted up all the platters after the reference I made a couple of posts ago. I have a lot of platters, but I'm not embarrassed about it so you shouldn't be either.

1 large Russel Wright platter in chartreuse, square
1 medium Russel Wright platter in coral, rectangular
1 large Temporama platter, roundish
1 small Temporama platter, roundish
2 large Metlox Shoreline platters in Wet Sand, rectangular-ish
10 china platters, round or oval
1 glass platter, round (matches the hostess set I got inherited from Barbara)
3 kitchen glass platters, round
3 large plastic platters, rectangular
3 medium plastic platters, square or rectangular
4 china platters, rectangular
4 wood platters, assorted shapes and sizes
2 metal platters, rectangular
----------------------------------------------------------------------
36 platters, total

That's not so bad, right? I bet you have more, right?