Balanced

Reader, it's not that I don't think of you, it's just that life gets in the way.  I feel like I am always making excuses for not writing and I know that you sit at home nightly with your box of tissues crying your eyes out for a new post from MTSS, but I don't have time to shop or a place to put all of my finds.  Please rest assured, when I do shop, you are the first to know!  There isn't some secret blog where I am posting for some other readers about things you aren't seeing, I promise.  It's only you, it's always been you, it will always be you.

But, this past couple of weeks have been insanity.  It is just one of those time with lots of balls in the air and tons of things happening.  I am surviving and I felt the balance last weekend with a little shopping...

I have to say that one of my favorite new tools for shopping estate sales is estatesales.net.  It's great in that it tells you where the sales are, plus has lots of photos of what they have.  You can see if there is anything you might like or discover instantly it probably won't be worth your time...this one was!  The issue of course is that you see things you want, but then you get there and they are already gone.  But, I guess it was my lucky day as the two footed bowls (the same, but with different china markings) were still there and I got them for half off since it was Saturday morning.  They'll be perfect with all of the other white dishes of mixed pedigree. 

Shells.  Faux shells.  You know about my obsession (here, here and here), so I was more than thrilled to add these two, lovely specimens from Wedgewood cast in the bone china to the collection.  It grows, its shifts...it expands.

I always eye salts at the antique store covetously because I want them so badly and they are always fifteen to twenty dollars EACH.  Is the market for salts really that strong?  I guess so, but I was very happy to find four lovely little specimens at the estate sale for next to nothing.  They remind of little crystal urchins and next time I have a little formal dinner I will serve my very exquisite salt in these little guys.

This little matchbook was not priced, but the woman at the checkout was so delighted we wanted something "from my era" that she threw it for free!  From Japan, it opens out the end and has a different little house image on both sides.  It is kind of the palette of our kitchen in Terre Haute and the hanging objets above the sink, which is not to say the same as the palette in the Texas kitchen, although close.  These things are always changing and evolving.

These glasses have been following me all over the country!  I'm sure they're just something basic from Libbey that was just sold everywhere, but I have managed to find them in Wichita, Terre Haute, Madison and now West Texas, amassing quite a collection.

These, on the other hand, I have been hunting forever and have never found.  Until now.  What are they, you ask?  Stemware from Russel Wright for Morgantown Glass, eight goblets and seven sherbets in chartreuse, for a song.  Scott at Ars Longa seems to stumble over a few of these every time he turns around, but for me they have remained elusive.  I'm not a big collector of Wright, but I do love these glasses.  Unlike plates and ceramics, they're unmarked, so you really have to know what you are looking for.  And be lucky!

Plant stand?  Or modern sculpture?  Either way, it is going to look lovely with pots in it until I convert it a serving piece by attaching plates some way to the little pot circles.  Hmmm...

...and then felt revived and restored, with some wonderful finds and a chance to share them with you, my dear reader.

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!

Thrifting Through the Blizzard

My darlings, I have for you a much delayed post on the holidays which took us on a long, snowy tour of the lower Midwest to see family and friends. The travel was dangerous and grueling, but as they say, "When life gives you lemons, make time for thrift shopping." And we did, finding many wonderful and amazing items along the way.

I popped into a thrift store in south Omaha that I only hope I can find again: there was so much it was unbelievable! I could have outfitted an entire kitchen and dining room with the wonderful items they had. And after you finish this post, you'll probably think I did...

I wish there had been ten--no twelve--NO TWENTY--of these bowls, I would have bought them all. They are low, but deep enough for soup, pasta or a big salad. And perfect for spaghetti and meatballs. I won't every eat spaghetti from anything besides these bowls again, I promise you. They are that perfect. And Pyrex. Did I mention they are Pyrex? With a lovely greenish-blue rings that match my favorite coffee cup. One of my favorite coffee cups--I try to remain impartial.

Say what you will about hoarding, but I will never pass up a chip-less, lotus bowl if it is a color other than white. These are the smallest size and I now have two in red, two in green and two in yellow. Traffic light! Plus, twenty or so in the slightly larger size in a variety of colors. For rice bowl emergencies. Geez, I've totally explained this to you before and it is completely logical.

This lovely little bowl is a very light gray and unmarked It reminds me a of a shape from either the 40s or the 80s and is perfect for some nuts, olive pits, sesame seeds, soy sauce, ketchup, flaky salt or anything else you might want or need to put into a small bowl. Hello, my name is Brian and I'm addicted to small bowls. I can stop anytime I want. I just don't want.

I'm calling this lovely 70s Madonna and Child wall plaque, 'Our Lady of Ventriloquism' because it does kind of look like he is her puppet. Sweet regardless, it's now hanging beside the front door which took some getting used to as I kept seeing it out of the corner of my eye and thinking, 'What the hell is on the wall!?!'

This fantastic serving piece is that Japanese-made plastic that is supposed to kind of look like lacquerware. It has six little trays that are removable and a center wooden section for....sauces, a fondue pot, condiments, a centerpiece....or whatever. Did I mention it's fantastic?

These trays are plastic, but made to look like a gold-veined stone. Very unique, I could not pass them up...

A silver tray shaped like a giant leaf was impossible to resist.

In Wichita, we did a little shopping with Molly, popping into the DAV at Central and Edgemore to find...giant piles of Russel Wright dishes! It was so strange, at first I spotted some creamer tops to the Iroquois Casual China and then some tea cups in a variety of patterns and colors. Eventually, saucers, bread plates and dinner plates began to reveal themselves in the mess of dishes on display in the store including: service for eight in the Iroquois Casual China in Pink Sherbet with cups, saucers, bread and butter plates and dinner plates. I have always coveted this pink. I'm not sure why as I'm not really a pink person (give me some fuchsia here and there, but not pink pink), but every time I see it I just think, 'That is the perfect pink.' So, dear reader, I could not resist when presented with the opportunity to buy such a large group at the thrift store.

When I got home, I realized that the pieces came from different production lots because of the variety of markings. I think all of this china must have belonged to some collector who might now be in the 'big Russel Wright shop in the sky' and their family didn't know what this was. Just a bunch of old china! So, I'm glad I rescued a collector's collection, or at least a little part of it.

This beauty was already featured in the gravy-boat-confessional-crossover post between MTSS and bigYELLOWbowl. But, it's still quite the find. Perhaps I should give it away in some sort of contest?

Returning home, I guess I was still hot and heavy for shopping (twas the season!), so I popped into Goodwill and found this lovely shell in a deep brown practically black for the faux shell collection. I think I'll fill it with BVMs.

Since then, I have kind of been ignoring the thrift store. Trying to be good! Fret not, it won't last...

Which came first...

...the egg or the toast? Right?

We carried this Presto Egg Cooker around the store trying to decided whether to take it home or not. Does it work? How do you time the eggs? And I'm supposed to be watching my egg intake, so do I need an appliance devoted solely to eggs? And aren't I the one who says things like, "I don't need a bread machine, I have one already: it's called THE OVEN." Isn't this the same thing? Shouldn't I be saying, "I don't need an egg cooker, I have one already: it's called a SAUCE PAN."

But, in the end I couldn't resist it. I just love the object. It's almost like a flying saucer for eggs, with the little blue parts and the dome cover. You can 'poach' four eggs in the white cups on top or 'soft boil' them as well: the little cups lift off to reveal seats for six eggs on the blue level below. So, it does two things. And, as an object it is so interesting to me.

Plus, once it arrived home, it was revealed that it was meant to be united with the most-beautiful-toaster-in-the-world: eggs and toast, right? And the colors go perfectly together. Have you ever seen a happier couple? Have you ever seen a more beautiful toaster? If you have, I want picture proof. E-mail a photo of a more beautiful toaster and I will be the judge. My qualifications are here. If I can pick Miss Arkansas USA 2004, I can certainly pick the most beautiful toaster in the world.

Fondue, Do!

I've talked before about how the Venn Diagram of my two blogs intersects with my cookbook collection. I love vintage ones. Let me rephrase: I am obsessed with vintage cookbooks and its always exciting to find something with fun and original illustrations. I enjoy reading the recipes and food suggestions from the past and occasionally take inspiration from flavor combinations I might see in an old text. But mostly, it is the thrill of the find and a peek into the old kitchens that fuel my pursuit.

There are several sub-groups to the vintage cookbook collection I would note as particularly important:

1. Anything by the trinity of 20th century cookbooks/food writing: James Beard, Julia Child and M.F.K. Fisher.
2. Pamphlet cookbooks from various manufacturers of food or kitchen products
3. Vintage Jell-O cookbooks
   

And a new subgroup is starting to take shape: fondue cookbooks! I had several (I have at least three others, but I think there are more. Part of the collection is currently in storage, so I don't have access to my full library.), but found an amazing one at the thrift store last week. Fabulous Fondues contains illustrations that are bold, graphic and utilize the unusual color combination of hot pink and orange. I love it. Plus, even though its small, this fondue cookbook has lots of wonderful advice and lore. Published in 1970, it's a keeper. It's also apt as I'm planning a dinner party around fondue for next week. A casual Friday night affair, I'll keep you all posted on the full menu and hopefully have some photos of everyone gathered around the pot.

Done

The new egg plate and some other collected kitchen art has finally been hung, right above the sink. Now all I need to do is find a place for my 'Good Morning Brian' plate and all will be right.

Egghead

A few posts back I mentioned I was looking for one additional 70s-inspired kitchen item to complete the arrangement that was intended to go above the sink. Found it: a far-out 70s egg plate which matches some coasters we have that say, 'wet.' I can't find them, but will post when they resurface. Strangely, this egg plate only holds ten deviled eggs. I guess that means you can eat two whole eggs (four halves) in the kitchen before you put them out for your guests! I've talked about deviled eggs on bigYELLOWbowl and the interesting parties we had where Molly would divide them among the guests in my post about pan-fried deviled eggs.

But, not only does this complete the arrangement for above the sink (I'll give you an installation view once its all hung.), but it also means I have a collection of egg plates. That's right, reader, three egg plates and as you all know: (repeat after me) "three is a collection."

The first plate is from the set of Canonsburg Temporama which features all kinds of great accessory and serving pieces. I call this the 'wedding china,' to differentiate it from the Metlox Shore Line, which is called 'the good china.' The Temporama egg plate is very specific in its use: for deviled eggs served when using the Temporama. It doesn't get mixed in with other things.

The second egg plate is pressed glass and has some lovely details. Since it's clear and glass, it is general in its use and can be mixed in with any matter of materials. It is the chameleon of egg plates.

The new egg plate, which will be decorative in use, could also be tossed into a very casual serving mix if you only had ten eggs. Otherwise, it will just hang on the wall and tell the world what it is. Egg.

Ask and Ye Shall Receive

Saturday's thrift shop thrift stop yielded a small bounty:

Friday, I had said, "What we really need is a small shelf in the hall for our landing strip." You know, the place for keys, wallets, mail and other things you pick up and put down as you come into the house. We have been using the ice bucket on the bar and it just looks junky. What did we find? A small shelf that will be a perfect landing strip. Of course, it's gold and will have to be painted. Orange!

Yes mother, I know I made you get rid of all of your Home Interiors decor items. Context, it's about context: one person's junk pile is another person's high style!

One of the few things destroyed in the move was the lovely white parrot that moved around the house, like birds are want to do. Sometimes he was on the entry table, other times in the bird cage. He is gone. But, the universe sent a replacement!

This sign seems like it should hang over the round kitchen table in your grandmother's kitchen. While it is not going in my dining room, I am going to hang it over the kitchen sink with a couple of other seventies-vibe kitchen decor items. Universe! One more, please.

Mitchell has a slight obsession with the lovely metal tins which you used to buy filled with treats, sweets or candies. This one has a hinged lid and is a great addition to the ever growing collection.

Thrifting ABCs (Part Deux)

A second installment of the very famous and much-discussed post, Thrifting ABCs. Look for the final installment (only six letters to go!) in the near future and, of course, a reprise of the entire alphabet. Maybe a book deal? Don't you think children would love it?

E is for elegance, as in “Burnt-orange colored phones are a true mark of elegance and refinement.” I don’t have phone service, but still need a one to work the callbox in my building. This beauty does the trick.

I is for indispensable, as in “A killer collection of glass jars with amazing designs on them is really indispensable to day-to-day existence.”

K is for killer, as in “That wood bowl with spoon is going to look killer on the coffee table filled with M&Ms.” Can you have too many wood accessories? I don’t think so. I have platters, large and small, but this unique and funny dish is a wonderful addition to the collection. Killer.

M is for mine, as in, “Hands off that avocado Tamac casserole, bitch! It’s MIIIINE.” Honestly, that didn’t happen. I don’t think anyone else walking by even knew what this wonderful piece of pottery was, so I got it for a song. Some might consider Tamac’s odd, organic shape a little ugly and its colors a little gauche. Not me. It’s genius and it’s mine.

Q is for quixotic, as in “Quixotic kids covet all cool china.” Whatever. We have a two-plate rule: if you find a cool china pattern, there has to be at least two plates in order to buy it. Because of that, we have a huge ‘set’ of matching plates for dinner and always have something different to eat off of. Thankfully, the ‘two-plate rule’ does not apply to salad, bread or dessert plates and I have no intention of amending it anytime soon.

R is for really, as in “Really? REALLY? You aren’t collecting decorative tin platters and canisters? I took all of my money out of the stock market and put it into tin platters and canisters. It’s much more stable.” It’s actually more in canisters, but this little dish matches one of those, so it makes a nice addition to the portfolio.

Z is for Zen, as in “Zen is not a design-style you idiot, it’s a philosophy. Everyone in-the-know says Asian-ish.” A killer faux-bamboo ceramic box is the quintessential definition of Asian-ish.

Carafe-tastic!!

Also from Goodwill, this piece in in mint condition and ready to hold coffee in the morning. Come by for breakfast and I'll make toast and serve you Phyllis Dye Turner's homemade raspberry jam and a carafe full of delicious coffee.

Holiday Thrift Round-up

This year, we did the tour of the 'ahs' for the holidays--Wichit-ah, Omah-ah and Tuls-ah. It was a long, LONG trip, but I did some shopping and peeking at what other people had bought.

Wichit-ah
I got to see Molly and Jamie's new place, which is very cute. It's a bungalow with nice details in the same part of town where I used to live. Molly gave me the grand tour and I got to see some of her thrifting finds along the way.
I need another pitcher like I need another platter, but if I had seen this beauty at a thrift store, I would have snapped it up. Perfect for iced tea, punch or the beverage of your choice. Sangria anyone?

Molly bought this corner shelf at IKEA last year when she was in Austin. It looks so nice in the kitchen displaying some of her thrifted finds. Note the Pyrex, just lovely.

In the basement, Molly and Jamie have carved out an amazing studio space for her glass, fabric work and other creative endeavors. I've never seen Molly look so organized and the beautiful workspace is surely inspirational. Pink flames on the wall? Excellent.

Tucked into the corner of her studio, you will find the Ironrite ironing machine. It's one of those monstrous, 1950s appliances with lovely details, including the logo. Molly says its impossible to move, even though the included information promises to allow you to 'take a holiday from ironing drudgery for the rest of your life!' I guess the makers of Ironrite didn't come up with a way to allow you take a holiday from moving giant ironing machines drudgery for the rest of your life. But oh well, it's still a beaut.

On the tour of the place, I also noted some of MY old thrifting finds that had been passed on to Molly when I left town, including this cute set of glasses and the little yellow pot. There was a chip and dip server that matched the glasses, but I'm not sure if Molly has that or it went to another good home.

Emily, another Wichita friend, has opened up a great little store on Douglas called Frank and Margaret's. She stocks vintage finds, refabbed furniture and lots of wonderful new things for an eclectic mix of limtless choices. I didn't get to visit the store while it was open, but did peak in the window and snap a couple of quick pics.

Omah-ah
Omaha has lots of great thrift store, but since it was a holiday weekend, I didn't get a chance to visit any of them. I did go to the rambling, junk-filled antique store in the Old Town area where I stumbled upon lots of great things and really cheap, Nebraska prices.

This golden calf immediately made me think of Moses and the Children of Israel. Where would you put a giant golden calf but on a giant altar at the base of Mount Sinai?

I really wanted this beautiful bird cage suspended on a stand, but it was not priced in a cheap, Nebraska kind of way. Would I put a real bird in it? Have you been to my house?

This little church lamp reminded me of the offering bank at my grandparent's church. It was in a sleepy, little lake town and during the service children would walk to the front and put their offering in to a bank that was shaped like a church. It was very exciting, even if it doesn't sound like it now. The bank was shaped like your quintessential, American church of the 1950s. I wonder if the mega churches of today have giant mega church shaped banks that kids get to put their offering in?

The sign on this mannequin says she isn't that kind of girl, but something tells me that she is!

This cute little elephant is a small lamp or night light. Perfect for a desk or children's room. Perfect for anywhere, actually!

The sister of the Priscilla Presley bride doll that Mitchell found in Omaha last year (Picture this doll with black hair and in a wedding dress.) and that we sent to Jessie. I was tempted....to send this one to her too, but didn't.

Tuls-ah (or Owasso, rather)
The Goodwill in Owasso, Ok, where my parents live, is a gold mine. My guess is that it's because of its proximity to the Oklahoma Baptist Retirement home. Plus, I don't think any of those bougie people in Owasso shop at the thrift store. Here's what you might find:

Serving pieces in an obscure Franciscan pattern--there are so many and, as I've said, I've never met one I didn't like.

Weird African-style statues.

Frankoma! Egg plate! Two of my favorite things, but I already have one glass egg plate and one that matches my 'good' china. Plus, this isn't my favorite color of Frankoma glaze.

A very cute teapot or coffee pot from Hall.

Amazing, eclectic set of napkin rings.

A Dutch girl that I assume used to dangle a salt and pepper shaker from either side.

More dishes. I want to buy all the dishes that I see, and these were especially attractive. What kind of dishes are you looking for? Let me know and I'm sure I'll find something to suit your taste.

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.

My Dream Tureen

Several years ago, I had the opportunity to visit an exhibition of ceramics since at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in KC, MO called Color and Fire: Defining Moments in Ceramics, 1950-2000, which was drawn from the LACMA collection of ceramics. I actually saw it twice and bought the catalog, which is high marks from a jaded, museum-employed art person. I felt the work presented truly sparked the imagination and addressed the ever-present question artists working in traditional craft media must address: form or function?

David Regan, b. 1964
Deer Tureen, 1996
Porcelain

The most amazing thing I saw was a tureen shaped like a deer giving birth. It was enormous (could have easily served forty people) and decorated with intricate woodland details including a snake winding its way around the under plate. The application of the design implied a context beyond the elegant form, setting the work apart from the merely functional. I imagined serving tomato soup from the tureen. I imagined serving pea soup in the tureen. I imagined having the tureen on my dining table and getting to look at it everyday.

Since then, I have been on the search for a tureen. I knew I would never find a giant one shaped like a deer giving birth at the thrift store, but I thought I would eventually find one that really said something. A tureen that made a statement. And this weekend, I found exactly what I had been looking for: a vintage, 1975 Fitz and Floyd tureen shaped like giant fish. With green eyes.

Just in time for fall. Come to dinner, I'm serving soup!

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.

Oh, I been shoppin'...

...even though I ain't been postin'.


I already had one of these lovely little boat dishes in my cupboard and was elated to find two more several weeks ago. They are from a set of dishes that features a simpering blue cornflower on the plates and bowls and whose name escapes me. Needless to say, undesirable. The serving piece, however, are much more modern than the rest and fit well with many of my other things. I always hate to break up a set, but in this case I made an exception.


David was in town a couple of weeks ago when I found this lovely owl at Next-to-New (They're moving up the street a couple of blocks, to a larger space they have purchased. Thrift store doing pretty well, I would say). She now sits atop our china cabinet and guards over the entire room. They still have the amazing set of Noritake fine china (It's simply white with a grey stripe on the edge and silver rim), but where would I put them? I guess it will just languish there on the shelf.

To assuage the grief of not buying the Noritake, I went ahead and bought this set of fourteen glasses at Savers. (bottom shelf, middle) They're very tall, with heavy glass bottoms and appropriate for an array of icy coctails: Mojitos, Pimm's cup and the like.


I found the silver-plated lotus dish on the left a while back and it cleaned up pretty nicely. After Eric and Becca's wedding in Ardmore,OK I drover to Norman, OK and spent the night with Stephanie. On Monday she had class, so I hit the Salvation Army (an old haunt) before we headed back to Austin. I found the second lotus set and candlesticks, which are pretty tarnished, but will be very nice if they clean up. Unfortunately, SA had priced each element individually: the bowl, the plate, and each candlestick. Who prices candlesticks individually? I complained to the poor, innocent checker and she offered to give me the warehouse number so that I could tell them myself. I told her she could just pass on my comment, as the white stickers were all fifty percent off and I ended up paying what I had originally planned.


I also found this cute little owl napkin holder at the Norman SA and gave it to April who has a passion for all things owl-ish. It still has the originall J.C. Penny's price sticker on it.


While Stephanie was in town we hit all the Austin high points: Central Market, Amy's Ice Cream, Sunflower Vietnamese Food, bats at the Congress Ave bridge, Swad Veggiefood and Frank Black (lead singer of the Pixie's) in an amazing concert opened by Kentucky Prophet. We also worked in a little shopping included St. David's Next-to-New and Bethesda Thrift which is next door. Stephanie found this lovely compote in mint condition (not even a chip on the delicate flowers) for a steal of price. After much consideration, we decided it shouldn't go back on the plane and will be have to be delivered by hand at some point in the future.


I found this set of six smoke-colored stems. My preference is always service for eight (or twenty-four if we are really going to be honest and I think I know you pretty well so I'm going to go ahead and say what I really prefer is service for twenty-four.), but I bought them anyway. Hopefully I'll be able to use them a couple of times before they become service for five. Or service for four. My eyes moisten at the thought! Let us speak of it no more and live in the present which contains a set of lovely smoke-colored stems for eight.


I thought the glasses would go well with both of my sets of dishes, so of course I had to get them out of the cabinet to see for myself. The service above combines Canonsburg's Temporama (with blue, grey and tan colored atomic-like motif on the plates) with the new stems and a contrasting blue water glass. The blue shell bowl to the left of the place setting is from West Elm and was a gift from David Earl. The dragonfly chopstick rests (service for eight) are from Sur la Table and the silver Chinese soup spoons and black melamine chopsticks from the Asian market in Wichita. (Not THE Asian market, but the Asian market. Friends in Wichita will get this it, but it wouldn't be funny to the rest of you even if I tried to explain it.) The end result? An interesting combination of vintage and modern pieces that is startling and unique, if I say so myself. And I did.


After combining it with the Temporama, I thought "If it looks that good with the blue and white, I wonder what it will look like with the Metlox Shore Line." For those of you who have been reading MTSS for a while, you will remember that the original set of Metlox Shore Line (color, Wet Sand) was a gift from the actress Helena Hale who was visiting Wichita, KS to perform her one-woman play about Georgia O'Keeffe. Of course, I added to the original purchase and have a large collection with plenty of serving pieces. The color may be strange, but I believe just about any type of food looks great on it. Whites, reds, greens. You name it. Likewise, it combines well with some blue salad plates I bought, white bowls, you name it. Anyway, in the setting above I combined the smoke stem with a darker smoke tumbler from IKEA and accented the Metlox with a orange Gingko leaf-shaped dish from West Elm (another gift from David. Service for six, but I won't go down that road again.). The flatware is just some modern stainless from Target, but again the combination of reddish-tan, smoke and orange looks pretty darn good. The chair is an Eames design and was part of the bargain of the last century.


Another trip to Next-to-New this past weekend yielded a couple of other treasures including this large ceramic shell-shaped planter which has a lovely pink interior. It goes well with the growing faux-shell collection that is in the front room. Actually, it is the new queen of the collection with its large size and exquisite detail.


I also found volumes one and two of Meta Given's The Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking, both with the dust jackets in relatively good shape. A month or so ago, I had found volume one and was very excited to find a complete set. My mother received these as a wedding present and has always sworn by them, so I was happy to find a couple for myself. Especially since hers are so used they are....used.

Happy shopping!

Playing with Dishes

I love playing with all of my dishes. It's fun to mix and match things and create new arrangements and pairings for different menus and meals. We're having a couple of friends over on Sunday for dinner and I started thinking about what I would use. It's interesting to combine both vintage and new pieces in a variety of styles--especially if it can be made to seem seamless.
For Sunday, I'm starting with the lovely, small Noritake plates with the silver rims I found a while back at Goodwill. The second course will be on the small Metlox plates paired with tiny white sauce bowls from Crate and Barrel. (I am simply obsessed with all of the little bowls and plates they sell--I want them all!) The soup course will be in white bowls from C&B that remind me of baroque pearls when placed on top of a Metlox plate. The main course will be on a Metlox plate and dessert will be in the sherberts I bought when I was shopping at the Salvation Army in Conway, AR before judging the 2004 Miss Arkansas USA Pageant. Coffee, of course, will be in the colorful new service I found a few weeks back at St. David's Next-to-New.

Tune into bigYELLOWbowl next week to see the menu I created that inspired these dishes.