Patience

Secondhand shopping is often a lesson in patience--and conversely providence.  Sometimes, you are gifted with something you didn't even know you needed (desired!), while other times you have a specific need and you have to wait almost forever to fulfill it.

Moving from Indiana, several treasured items were jettisoned.  It wasn't that I loved them less, but simply that their appropriateness for life as it is now being lived no longer matched.  My faux bamboo china cabinet and bar were amazing, but so large and heavy it seemed better to find a new local home for them.  Likewise, the bedroom set originally purchased in Kansas (tall boy, long dresser and nightstand) were still in alright condition, but it was quite possible their delicate legs wouldn't make another move.  So again, a local happy home was located.  But, I have been living dresser-less--for almost a year--waiting to find that next perfect one.  Luckily, my closet it large and well-organized, with lots of shelves and places to put small baskets for socks, etc.  That is all behind me now, as the new dresser has been found!  With a single matching nightstand.  Both have clean and classic mid-century lines and are from Drexel, so you know they are well made.  They have white porcelain pulls which, with the simple design, are like pearls with a simple black dress: just the right about of pop.

Of course, this wonderful (life-changing!) find only made me hungry for more!  After meeting some friends for brunch, I popped into Dress Up's to see what they might have.  It was warm.  Very warm since they have no HVAC!  But, breezing through the store quickly yielded a couple of treasures at deep discounts:

A lovely little white and gold dish from Georges Briard.  It looks perfect on the new dresser.

Three, black lotus bowls.  Now reader, you know how I am about my little lotus bowls!  I can pass up a white one faster than you can say 'fried rice,' but I cannot resist a colored one.  I just won't make myself.  With another little yellow one picked up by M a month or so ago, I think that brings the total to twenty-five.  I think.  It's sad, because most of my lovelies are still packed away.  There is some room in the cupboards, but without a giant china cabinet or other display, it's easier just to leave them in boxes.  Likewise, I'm still searching for a bar to show off (and use!) all of my fantastic bar ware.  Don't worry, when I'm missing them I get a box of tissue out and scroll through some old post on MTSS. 

As a bonus, I found a note behind the drawer of the nightstand, a dream written quickly and ripped from a spiral notebook:

"I dreamed Allen came back to Midland and came over.  We talked for a few minutes and then he took my hand and said something like, 'come on, let's go--I wanna catch up on what I have been missing.'  I said, 'Allen, I haven't done anything like that since you left.' He said, 'I know (in that weird voice.)' I asked somebody--Nancy probably, what she thought about it.  She said I shouldn't put with it--I should tell him to go to hell.  By the way, he looked just like he used to."

Spooooky...

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!

Bounty Beauty Booty

There were so many beautiful things to be found in Omaha and the more I put in the cart, the more I wanted to find. It's very hard to pass something up, especially when you are traveling and you don't really have to worry about where it goes at that particular moment. It just goes into the trunk of the car, in a big box the thrift store so kindly provided and you can just worry about it later. I couldn't say no. I couldn't resist. I had to have all of this!

Can you identify this item? Like the handy peanut pourer, I have seen it before in the thrift store and just had no idea what it was. Jewelry tree? Utensil holder? Fondue fork stand!

That's right, fondue fork stand. So lovely and elegant, it matches some of the other green items we use for entertaining. Plus, it's in the original box. And I don't have to go into that again, do I reader?

The Lovely and Talented Miss Nettie Jackson loves her new little baby ducky! This sweetly painted china duck is just one of the absurd things I see at the thrift store that I am strangely attracted to. No provenance, nothing that special about it. But something made me want it.

Somewhere, someone wrote of this blog something to the affect of, "Lots of great thrifting finds and no photos of cat or what he made for dinner." We DO try to stay on-brand and on-mission here at MTSS, so I do apologize to that person for this gratuitous photo of the cat.

Back to the show: You know I love food specific serving pieces! I already have a mixed set of bowls similar to this including three bowls with pretzel in different scripts, a 'nuts' bowl and some with flowers on them. But, I've never seen a complete set with a lid. What to to put in them? Potato chips, pretzels, snacks and nuts! I love the ambiguity of 'snacks'...

...and the fact that they stack! Fantastic.

A lovely tin for the tin collection; number three hundred fifty-two. Not really, but beginning to feel like it.

I have been collecting 'frogs' since I was in high school. I know, it's crazy, but I was brought up right going to antique malls, junk shops and thrift stores by my Mam-ma. Somehow, I got started on the glass frogs and have a small collection of them. Mostly glass. For those not in the know, they're used for flower arranging and many vases came with custom frogs that sat in the top, allowing you to arrange more without worry. I think this ceramic iteration will work well in a low dish with some little mums or something. Plus it has that faux bois affect...

Mom had a sewing box like this when I was little. I believe it was green and two-tiered. I remember there were little scissors in it, needles and thread and it had some sort of fascination for me. Who knows. It was very tactile. This yellow one may not have ever been used, but Mitchell will put it to good use.

H is for Hurricane. And sadly, I broke this glass right after washing it!

This salt and pepper set is very mod, with metal clad over glass. We couldn't get one of them open at the store, but thought we might be able to at home. No luck. Any suggestions?

These guys came from the same store as the fondue forks and stand. Barely anything had a price, so when I asked how much the fondue forks were, the checker named a very affordable number. Then we asked about the banks, expecting a similar affordable number and she hesitated and then said, "twenty-five cents a piece." What?! A steal. The hippo and cow appear hand-painted, but the king is from a company, 'Lego, Fine Quality Japan.' Most of the ones we have are from Japan and these fit right into that very strange aesthetic.

Surely this wall plaque had a partner (Pepper? Is there pepper on that?), but it was nowhere to be found. Regardless, this one came home and will probably find a place in the kitchen. Eventually. The kitchen is small and already packed full of kitsch.

I spotted this coffee carafe perusing the kitchenware section. It was nice, with a great design and mod, Jetson-like handle in a pleasing plastic. But, after discarding a large collection of these when departing Wichita, it's hard to start adding back to the stash...

...UNTIL, I spotted the triangular warmer for this triangular pot on the other side of the store. As soon as I put them back together...."REUNITED and it felt sooo good," I had to have it.

So yes, when it is snowing outside I'll be sipping warm coffee from this pot.

Last but not least, an open divided vegetable by Georges Briard. Sigh. It has a hairline crack, but was just too fine to pass up: the shape, the size and the pattern. Fantastic. I wouldn't serve anything liquid-y in it, but it's perfect for...M&Ms! Pretzel on one side and plane on the other?

"Mmmmmm! M&Ms for dessert."

And that, my friends, is how we shop Omaha-style.

Madison, Thrift-consin

I don't what it is about Madison, but it is a thrifting mecca. Every time we visit, it seems we walk away with a trove of treasures. I promise you, with one visit to the St. Vincent Thrift Store, I could furnish and decorate an entire house. What a challenge! But, I could. And I guess it's strange, because Madison doesn't seem that big and its filled with hipsters and dirty hippies who you would think would be snatching up all this ephemera and driving up the prices (a la Austin, TX), but that isn't the case. I tell you, we thrifted hard, but the results were fantastic and I'm happy to share them with you here:

Jessie* spotted this gorgeous, faux-lacquer condiment set. She graciously presented it in tribute to me, recognizing how pleased I would be with the find. Would I do the same? I have given many a thrifting find to a thrifty friend, but I think it would be hard to convince myself someone else would like this particular item more than I. The set has a tray, three dishes with wooden lids and three little plastic spoons.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that it perfectly matches this mod little serving set I already own, complete with the spoon and tiny dishes. I love the diminutive aspects of all of this and of course, the bright, fresh orange color. (Thank you JE-K!)

She also snatched up this gorgeous Georges Briard cheeseboard! What an eye that woman has, perfectly honed from all of her beautiful photographic work. The tray is missing the little knife that it supposed to be attached by a chain to the side, but it's still perfect and I will use it the next time I entertain. If not before.

Before we started thrifting, I mentioned I was 'due' a couple of pieces of Pyrex. With Barb's help, we honed down the collection before moving to Indiana, but have lost a couple of things to breakage since then. You all know how it is when Pyrex breaks! But, I've been doing alright and working through it. However, I was pretty sure the only way to successful break through the pain and heartbreak was to replace my loss with new beauties. Voilà!

You can probably see by now, this post is really about completion: about finding objects that really belong with other objects. Not long ago, I found a set of eight, low sherbet dishes at the Goodwill in Terre Haute. I thought they were rather strange and can't remember seeing anything quite like them. Low and behold, three more appeared in Madison, Thrift-consin! (Yes, I had to say it again, I am too pleased with my cleverness.) Which brings the service up to eleven. I know there is another waiting out there...

...just like there was another one of these glasses waiting out there for me! Again, that makes nine (six in Wichita + two in Terre Haute + one in Madison = Heaven) and next time there is dinner, you can believe these delicious little fellows will be on the table.

Now back to barware: I have an eclectic set of bar glasses and I like to mix and match. The most complete set I have is six George Briard old fashioned glasses in a gold leaf pattern. Otherwise, it's a few of this and a few of that. So I didn't hesitate to pick up this lovely set of five, emblazoned with an Aztec calendar. Of course, they reminded me of the Aztec calendar incident at Michael and Ryan's house ages ago, but it's too long and ridiculous to explain here. Know this: party games that are based on absent host's peccadilloes only end in tragedy. The glasses will remain a symbol of that. You all know who you are.

Lastly, this little owl is a nightlight and just an amazing addition to the pad, with the bird cage lamps and faux deer heads: it's like she has flown the coop, but still watches over us.

The lesson: if you find something you love, even if its a single glass or plate ofrdish, buy it and appreciate the singularity of it. But, you never know when that one might become service for twelve, so also remember to keep your eye open--and remind your friends too!

*Jessie found some fabulous things of her own, but she hasn't sent the photos yet. Next post, I suppose!

ICT Thrift, Thrifted Gifts & the BVM

We had a wonderful time at Anna's house on July 4 and enjoyed seeing many friends and hanging out at their house. Emily and Brian came--with gifts! In the strange synchronic way, one of the items, a small George Briard tray, had been purchased at the estate sale at the very house where the party was! What more, Anna loved the dish, which reminded her of a childhood dish of her grandmothers and was thinking of it as the inspiration for her kitchen remodel: orange and copper. Hot!

Emily told how her mother did not like to give 'used' gifts and how she had a hard time getting over that herself. Thrifted gifts are the best! If you find something someone will love, they won't care where it came from. In our case, the thrifted gifts included the aforementioned Briard tray, a small tin for the collection and a diminutive Asian statue. Lovely, all. The Asian lady rounds out a couple of recent statues of the BVM I found to a nice little set of three.

The used gift question made me think about Christmases past: my mam-ma lived in a older neighborhood in Tulsa, one that had been quite rural when they moved into it, with the city growing up around it. In the 80s, there was a problem with flooding and the city elected to buy-up many of the homes in the neighborhood and build a water-retention area. One of the home belonged to Miss Brotherton. This had been her family home and she had lived there her entire life, never marrying and only adding to the accumulation of thing already in the house. All of these treasures had to go, so mam-ma volunteered to throw the garage sale of all garage sales. It was legendary. Of course, come Christmas there were lots of extras under the tree--everyone had more presents than usual and we weren't sure why. Then, we began to unwrap and all manner of odd items from the house were revealed. Everyone got something, or several somethings, from the sale. Unique things. From then on, that Christmas was referred to as the Brotherton Christmas. Used gifts! Do it.

We also did a little trifting with Molly, but it seems our karma was used up on a few things. Molly found a great tile topped table in limey greens and yellows. I found a bulletin board in a very 70s design. We also spotted several items of interest along the way.

This virgin and child was lovely, but strangely the same price as...

Huh. Virgin Mary or strange plastic people with happy messages? I guess the gist is the same.

And then there was this strange display:

I can only say: booty-licious!

Molly scored a beautiful tile-topped table in shades of green and citreen that looks fab with her chairs. We spent a little time merchandising them and I think the result was very fun. (Hello Dempsey! Your first appearance on MTSS.)

She also found this great chair which looks perfect with her orange ottoman. I think she has a fantastic orange and green story happening.

Love shopping in Wichita!

Unmarked (but still Briard)

The obsession with Briard continues and there is no end in sight. In one of the basement displays at the Vigo County Historical Society, I spotted a set of Georges Briard enamel canisters and was told that a company here (still in existence) had been producing enamel ware for over 100 years, including these. So, I'm on the lookout.


Meanwhile, Mitchell found this lovely tray with a geometric design. It screams Briard in style and shape, but is missing the curvy signature that is found on almost all of his work. But, the remnant of a sticker on the back confirmed it: classic Briard. Well loved and slightly used, it's still a beaut.

Thrifting ABCs

Okay, I'm WAY behind on everything and wanted to get a few updates done, so I've mashed together recent finds and sitings like a greatest hits list for your pleasure.

A is for art, as in "Don't just think about prints and paintings, string art can be just as satisfying." This Mandala is signed by the artist on the back with wishes for a happy and joyful life. It's in mint condition and currently acting as the body halo for one of my Virgin Mary statues. No joke.

B is for Boss, as in "This set of bookends is truly boss." Too boss for me, I didn't buy it.

C is for Chinese children, as in "Aren't fat little Chinese children a great decorating motif?" Mitchell brought these back from his trip to Omaha/Wichita and they are a wonderful white porcelain set with two boys and two girls.

D is for don't buy this pattern of Pyrex, it's really ugly, as in "Don't buy this pattern of Pyrex, it's really ugly." Or go ahead and buy all of it because no one else is, this has been sitting on the shelf of Next-to-New for months. Maybe if you stock up on it now, it will eventually reach 'ironic collectible' status and you can sell at a profit? Personally, I believe this "Federal" pattern is one of the worst, perhaps third only to the "wheat" and "Dutch farmers" patterns. I admit to owning some of the latter, but only in acceptable shapes and sizes. What makes them acceptable and desirable while most of it is awful? Reader, if you don't know, there are some things which simple cannot be taught.

F is for food warmer, as in "Today's modern, electric food warmers make entertaining simple and carefree for every hostess." This one is a super-sized model with a design by the one and only Georges Briard. The gold is slightly worn in places, but I purchased it for a song.

G is for gold, plaster Last Supper statue, as in "My, that gold, plaster Last Supper statue sure does look great on your mantle." But not on mine. Super-kitschy and certainly desirable to some, I had to pass on this little treasure.

H is for 'huh?', as in "Huh? What are those anyway?" I have no idea. When I picked them up, I thought they were S&P, but the small whole on top only goes about 1/4 of an inch down. They're very heavy and produced by Dansk. The bottom have a little wedge cut out of them which allows for them to sit straight or at an angle, as displayed above. If you have some idea or would like to proffer a guess, please feel free.

J is for jealous, as in "I'm sure you must be jealous of the major collection of Georges Briard accessories that I'm accumulating." This one, called Persian Garden, is a great addition to the den. The gold design in in perfect condition and it's just the right size for the end table.

N is for next, as in "The next hot decorating trend is going to be bowls of wooden fruit." This was my second purchase and there was a third set I passed up a while back which had all painted pieces of fruit--I am still kicking myself. My advice to you: never, ever pass up the opportunity to purchase a set of wooden fruit. Never. The two sets I currently have look great next to one another on the coffee table. Promise.

P is for photography books, as in "You can never have too many photography books in your collection." This crazy book contains wonderful photographs of the grand old houses of Louisiana. It's from the 1950s and the text is so flowery and sweet that it will leave a saccharine taste in your mouth. Skip the text and just enjoy the photographs.

S is for Schonwald, as in "Schonwald china from Germany is some of most boss dishes you can buy." I heart this pattern. I mean, really really heart it. It's simply amazing, but they have an astronomical price on it and, as you know, I don't really need another set of dishes. But I will freely admit that if it were cheap, I would buy it immediately. I have several pieces of Schonwald in my collection already and I jettisoned several other things with the move to Texas, including the most delectable biscuit barrel you have ever seen. Keep your eyes out for Schonwald because almost all of it is delicious.

T is for tray, as in "The pattern of this Georges Briard tray is too boss for words." And it looks great next to the Lucite-mounted coral that Jennie gave me a while back.

W is for waffle maker, as in "What kind of rich-ass lady owned such a fancy waffle maker?" The lid is painted porcelain and I'm sure matched some other kitchen accessories, but I had to pass it by. I already have a waffle maker and this one, though amazing, just wasn't my style.

Now you know your ABCs, oh won't you come and shop with me?

Shopping with Friends

While Michael and Ryan were in town a couple of weeks ago, we popped into several of my favorite thrifting locales. It's always fun to watch Michael shop, because even though he has to schlep things back on the plane, he goes for the glass. LOTS of glass.

At St. David's I found several wonderful things. There was more, but I had to make some careful decisions...

This white porcelain statue will go with my collection of Quan Yins, but the only problem is now there are four and who wants an even number. I'm on the hunt for another one (or three). The iconography of this one isn't aligned with conventional depictions of the goddess, so it is probably intended to be just a Chinese Lady. Why let her linger in obscurity? I'm making her an honorary Quan Yin for life.

My new obsession: Georges Briard's wonderful glassware. This blue bird theme is perfect for me, but there are many others out there to find. Briard was actually born Jascha Brojdo in the Ukraine, but who wants to buy home decor items with a curly Jascha Brojdo signature? Something a little more French, a little more upscale? Voila, Georges Briard was born. Once you start looking, you'll recognize many of the highly graphic designs Briard created for serving pieces, cookware, china and more from the 1950s to the 1990s. He died a couple of years ago, so I predict his objects will become very popular in only a short while. Buy them now!

I almost passed up this wonderful creamer and sugar. It's two pieces, with the creamer serving as the lid for the sugar bowl, strikingly similar to one by Russel Wright from mid-century. This one was probably designed a little earlier and while it might be described as deco, bears an uncanny resemblance to much of the metalwork designed by the Bauhaus students and teachers in Germany in the 1920s.

A small white dish, lovely in its asymmetry and made in Japan. Perhaps a gift for someone else, I'm not sure I'll keep it.

Somehow, I don't have a butter dish. I know, it's very shocking. I used to have one. I'm sure I used to have more than one. Maybe they're all living happily together in a box in the garage? I had my eye on this pink one for several week and waited until it came down in price. It matches a creamer, sugar and tray I already have in a different color. Thankfully, it fits perfectly into the butter nook in the refrigerator.

After Next-to-New, we also went to the junk store at the other end of the shopping center. The place is just piled high with all kinds of things. Whatever you might imagine. And there is not a price on anything. Michael found what may have been the most expensive thing in the store, but who knows? A set of glasses that was priced so high I can't even remember! But after that we went to the Bethesda Thrift Store next door where I found a couple of delicious bargains:

This aluminum tidbit tray was a steal and easily transportable to parties or work (I have a lovely ceramic green one that I would never take out of the hosue.) There is some sort of wheat motif on the handle, but it is fairly modern and not completely undesirable.

You know how much I love to find things still in their original box! Michael actually found this, but decided he didn't want to tote it back (must save room for GLASS!), so I snagged it. The fondue forks are very long and have a nice heft to them. Hopefully they'll get used very soon.