Let Me Be Clear

I just want to be very clear: I wasn't just good, I was very good. I could have returned from this little outing with a station wagon filled with amazing items, but instead I only bought five. Five. And to prove my point, I have plenty of photographic evidence. Observe...

I started at the Salvation Army, which I believe I have mentioned is in a shady part of town, but does have pretty good things. Today was no exception...

You often see these salad bowls in other colors, such as bright blue (I have a couple of those), but I had never seen them in this color; is that grape or aubergine? I'll go with aubergine. But, I passed on them rather than create an extreme paradigm shift within 'la collection.'

This dog statuette was amazing and challenging to resist.

The most gorgeous space heater I have ever seen. Isn't it fantastic? It makes me think beads in doorway, bing bag chairs and spherical radios with the Carpenters playing while you iron your hair.

Although the photo might suggest this rabbit could fit in your palm, it's actually life-size! Like those white cats you see a lot? I thought it would be wonderful, sitting around in some absurd place (kitchen counter?), but obviously there is already plenty of wonderful things sitting absurdly around my place, right?

Next, I headed to Tradearama, which I hadn't been to, but someone in my seminar on Friday had mentioned. Tradearama is one of those very classic second hand stores in that, while there is a general sense of organization probably created five or ten years ago, it is slowly dissolving with each object they add to the pile. In other words, you have to dig. It is a place my mam-ma would have loved and they had some wonderful treasures...

A truly fantastic canister set that was in very good condition. Easily snatched up.

This gorgeous platter.

An amazing array of coffee cups.

Rice bowls! Service for twelve! Perfect for the 'broken down bus full of Buddhist monks' scenario! And so much more...old typewriters, a separate room full of old books and magazines guarded by it's own old lady, planters, lamps...so much.

After that, I headed up the street to Trade-N-Treasures which is a thrift store that is on almost the complete separate end of the thrifting spectrum: everything is beautifully organized, with signs for each section. Heaven.

An amazing sideboard, simple and elegant.

This lovely tea canister reminded me of something Jonathan Adler might sell today.

The egg cooker I already own, which matches the most beautiful toaster in the world.

A record cabinet in an Asian-ish style.

A George Briard platter in the Persian Garden pattern. I was strong, I was strong...the price was okay, but not a bargain.

Perfume bottles in every shape imaginable!

Vintage soaps in their boxes....and more cologne bottles!

A weird photo of a high school musical: Damn Yankees? What other show involves a baseball team? I don't know, this is really out of my scope of knowledge.

Soup tureens! Movie stars! Black gold!

It was heaven.

What did I buy? Five things; or two, depending on how you look at it.

This set of shallow, square dishes with a small gold rim is from Hall--and this was my second chance with them. I even carried them around the store, all the while debating whether to purchase them and what I would use them for. Is that what you do? Try to justify how you might use something? Like this would perfect to serve pound cake on? Or if I can use it for multiple things, then it's even better, e.g., "these would be great for sherbet, but I could also use them for a cold soup garnished with avocado in the summer." Then I can easily talk myself into things. But, these I could think of nothing....so I carried them around the store, finally giving up...until I spotted...

This incredibly dirty Quan Yin, hiding I'm the corner. Isn't it funny, once you find something you HAVE to have, it's much easier to talk yourself into anything else! So I bought the rectangular plates. Check and check.

When I got home, I cleaned up Quan Yin and got out the rest of the smaller ones, putting them all on the mantle altar with the mega-Quan Yin...

Voila. Happiness.

/ˈCHo͞ozē/

As I've mentioned, I've become rather choosy of late. Sure, I could just pick up any odd little treasure and be happy, but then where does it go? Where does it live? At what point does one cross over from collector to stylish hoarder to full-on hoarding madness?

These are the things I worry and think about. So, on a short little thrifting trip in Omaha (capital of all manner of fabulous things as noted here and here.), I looked at many things, but purchased only three:

This large ceramic statue of Quan Yin had a couple of minor nicks on it, but the price was right and it is just pretty gorgeous. I'm trying to find a place for it that is appropriate, beautiful and spiritual. What do you do to lovely things that are nicked or chipped? Rather than try to touch them up with paint, I've thought about highlighting the flaws of a couple of beloved pieces with gilding. Yes, gilding. Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

An actual piggy bank that goes with the crazy, day-glo bank collection. What was three has grown from the noted eight to a large group of ten. Lovely all....including another relatively new inchworm...

Finally...
...two sets of six multicolored fondue plates in the original box. You know how I feel about things in the original box! In one of the boxes, the plates were even still in their plastic sleeves with the sticker, 'Japan,' unmarred on the back. Let's do the fondue!

I did not buy the six dozen punch cups for $3.97 in their original box. I DID NOT BUY THE SIX DOZEN PUNCH CUPS FOR $3.97 IN THEIR ORIGINAL BOX?! Mine are 'milk' glass, so these don't match anyways. Plus, Barbara has my Mam-ma's which are numerous and match her giant punch bowl. IF I were to ever need such a large number of cups.

A little boy in a rabbit suit that was oddly appealing, but I already have so many things that are 'oddly appealing.'

An Asian BVM? Or is this some Buddhist deity? Advise please.

A Frankoma mug like we used to have when I was growing up. Sam would crunch up crackers or crumble day-old biscuits into these big mugs, top with buttermilk and a some pepper for a snack. As children, my brother and I were amazed our father would eat such things.

A collection of shampoo bottle in a variety of shapes and sizes, but primarily Snow White.

A lovely electric organ.

There was also a large stack of overpriced vintage games and two owl bookends that were green slab glass I should have bought. But again, overpriced. Looking at eBay, they appear to be Blenko and quite ubiquitous. I would still like to have them.

The House That Thrift Built 2

I've been promising you a tour of the front room for a while, and I guess the space is finally finished. Finished in that there are curtains up and all the little knickknacks are where they'll be--for a while anyways. Finished in that I finally found chairs and a chandelier (which you, reader, already know about). And finished in that I've started to think about changing it. Nothing major, I'm very happy with the colors, the furniture and the fact all the little bits have come together into a somewhat cohesive whole. I suddenly have a fantasy of ditching the dining table and arranging it salon style, a la Pauline de Rothschild's famous drawing room in Paris. (Do you know it? I couldn't find a photograph. If not, imagine pilasters faux painted to look like green marble, chairs scattered about loosely and lots of light.) But right now that remains a fantasy.

Looking at the photographs of the room, they seem to reveal a lot of imperfection. I wanted to evoke the act of coming in and examining certain aspects of it in greater detail as you move through the room. I'm afraid the result is more choppy and not as seamless as I imagined, but I hope you enjoy it. If you visit, you'll find the colors more muted than in the photographs and the space very soft and relaxing. Come see for yourself...

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.