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.

Bad Thrift vs. Good Thrift

There are bad thrifting trips, good thrifting trips and extraordinary thrifting trips--and you can't have one without the others! But what is the difference? And when is the best day to shop? I've struggled with this and as soon as I think I have an answer, I'm smacked upside the head with an example that doesn't compute.

Last week I popped into the Goodwill on Tuesday, which is what I theorize is the best day for thrifting. The reasoning is that all of the fabulous things that were donated over the weekend are beginning to appear in the store, but there aren't that many people shopping. Not this Tuesday. There was nothing, but I did photograph a few bombs.

An electric ice crusher from Rival. I almost bought this, honestly, but where would it be stored? It's almost attractive enough to just stay on the counter, but I wasn't sure how clean it was. I should have bought it. Now I'm having not-buying remorse, which in my estimation is probably one example of a bad thrifting trip.

Another great example, finding something that is very cool, but then realizing there is a giant chip on it. Like this teapot from Hall. I mean, I could have bought it to just sit around and be pretty, but I already have enough things that just sit around and are pretty.

Or what about finding a dirty ashtray? Regardless of how semi-cool it might be, it's just disheartening and makes for a bad shopping experience. Blech.

--------------------------------------------------

But then there are those days that are brilliant. When you have to go back for a basket! When the sales clerk has to get a box to put all of your purchases in! Such was my experience on Sunday--a day I don't associate with good thrift shopping. I usually think that after Saturday, everything has been pretty picked over, but this week I decided to stop in on a lark and what a haul!

A little mustard pot, with a white and gold lid. Mitchell said, "Too bad it didn't have a spoon with it." I think I can fix that problem: what color spoon would you like?

You know about the two-plate rule: for dinner plates to be purchased, there have to be at least two of them. No singles no matter how cool they are. Of course, that doesn't apply to dessert/bread plates! I have a cupboard full of interesting choices that mix well together, but hadn't added anything to the collection in a while. This charming fellow with lovely yellow flowers was just the thing!

Reader, I know you are thinking, "Three of something? He bought three of something?" I couldn't resist, I guess. I was just so jubilant from all of the great finds so far, I could not pass these guys up. I don't have enough to include in a table setting, but they could be used for nuts, sauces or any other little old thing. Perfect and cute. And who knows, perhaps someday I will find more of them...

...like these guys! I have had six of these for years (original find, July 2005) and love to serve wine in them for a casual moment. Now, with two more added to the collection, they can be added to the slate for table service! Congratulation little curvy glasses, you are moving up into the big leagues...

...and replaced in the minor leagues by this little set of four wine glasses, perfect for the casual moment that used to be filled by the curvy guys, in an elegant and very modern shape.

I found the larger tidbit tray on one of my first thrift-shopping excursions in Terre Haute, and Sunday I found his baby brother and was so very excited. And I know you are probably wondering, "How many tiered serving pieces are enough? How many do I need for my own entertaining arsenal?" And I would say to you: when I figure that out, you'll be the first to know. (This is six.) And I have to say, when I got these guys together I was ready for some petite fours and tea sandwiches. Come for tea...

....which I could keep in this cute little tin, added to the the grand collection of tins. These become harder to find every day, so it's always a delight to pick one up for Mitchell's collection. For some reason, I find the ones that have a lot of black on them especially appealing.

And last, but hardly least, a set of eight, low, shallow sherbets. They aren't all the same, but they coordinate beautifully with one another--and I've never seen anything quite like them. Plus, I don't have sherbets for eight in my collection. I can do five or twelve, but the twelve are plastic. So now, I can do eight for a lovely little sit-down dinner with glass. Relieved?

Good shopping? Extraordinary shopping--a day for glass!