With Relish

Jennie and Paul came to town to see Mitchell in Jesus Christ Superstar, but we managed to work in a boozy brunch, some estate sales and a little thrift shopping as well.  No surprise, but there were plenty of fabulous finds...

The book 'Cat People' is just about too much.  Published in 1977, you would recognize many of the people photographed with their cats--a young Jane Pauley, a kerchiefed Louise Nevelson, Robert Indiana, Liz Smith and more.  Accompanying each are few words from the sitter on why their cat is important to them.  Several of the women are actually given the occupation of 'homemaker.'  It is now officially on the top of one of the decorative stacks of books.*

This bottle/carafe was irresistible, with a little collar on it's neck for the hand and a double spout.  It is perfect on the table for water or perhaps this summer with a chilled rosé?

The relish tray has been gone too long from the table!  At one of the estate sales, there was a stack of relish trays high enough for me to send each of my dear readers a charming example to use while entertaining.  I limited my acquisition to two, wonderful examples.  The first has teardrop handles and a lovely swirling division; the second has geometric dividers and a beautiful fluted edge.  I'll put both to good use, I promise.

Crackers.  Crackers.  Crackers.  These plastic cracker troughs make arranging them simple; easy to serve along side your relish tray.

I do not need another set of salad servers--I have so many pair, I don't even know how many they number.  Rest assured, if you are a regular diner at my table, you probably will not see the same set twice.  This lovely set is stainless steel from Japan, diminutive and impossible to pass up.


Little jars?  With decorative lids?  And wooden spreaders?  Jennie spotted these, but was kind enough to let me claim them.  I'm not sure what I might serve in them, but I'll figure it out.  Spreads?  Condiments for sandwiches?  Or I can exchange the spreaders for little spoon and fill them with olives or something.  Do I have any little spoons?  I'll have to check.

I do not think you can have enough trivets.  Period.  I already have one similar to this design with a gold rim and a crackled glass.  Similar is not the same as matching, and whether I was making a claim for a set or diversity, I would still have gone home with it.  They're perfect for the French press, Chemex coffee pot or teapot on the table.

It's been a while since we have spotted one of these weird little banks, but we nabbed this sad puppy to add to Mitchell's collection.  The palette is so strange and happy in strong contrast to the big sad eyes of the little doggie.


 Merry Christmas.


I love Quan Yin and this petite addition to the pantheon is precious.

I had to have the small plastic statuette of the American Indian girl (top picture, far right) and she helps balance the phalanx of saints that fill the medicine cabinet in the guest bath.  I guess with the Pantry God and the small tee pee with children (bottom picture, wedged between the Virgins of Guadalupe), it's officially a collecting direction.  Plastic American Indian figurines.  Dotcom.

Finally, Jennie brought us this lovely white kitchen glass bowl with black swirlies on it as a housewarming gift.  It's perfect for the table and would good with anything in it, but especially with a few little cuties thrown in, n'est-ce pas?

* There is more than one.  "Books are awfully decorative, don't you think?"

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...

Fab Finds

With travel for work, hither and yon, I hadn't been to the thrift stores in Midland for a few weeks, so I thought this weekend was a great opportunity to see what might have appeared since I had last shopped. And dear reader, guess what? There was quite a bit...

The first couple of stops yielded nothing. I mean, if I had been shopping for white, ceramic cats then it would have been the mother lode, but I think that is even beyond my kitschy sensibilities. However, at Trade-n-Treasures, I came across one of my favorite things: a lovely faux sea shell. (More on my faux shell obsession here, here, here and here.) Of course, someone had filled it with flower arranging foam and the most hideous plastic flowers you have ever seen, but I just ripped those right out and stuffed them into another pot. No reason to take them home! Plus, I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't think they were as hideous as I did. They would be wrong, but to each their own.

Of course, I had just rearranged the salon table a week or so ago, bringing my small collection of faux shells to the forefront with the addition of some stones and gems. The effect evokes an essence I would consider to be a la Jung, meaning 'in the style of Jung' as in my friend, sister in thrift and the muse of MTSS, Stephanie Jung.* While arranging them, I thought, "I could really use a couple of more major faux shells to make this really come together." Ask and ye shall receive; thrift and ye shall find.

The next find is a little hard to describe: a pretzel-style lucite and silver candlerabra? Whatever you call it, be sure you use the word 'fabulous' as part of the adjectives. This is one of those odd, special, fabulous, mod early-70s accessories that can mix in anywhere. Really. The problem is that I have a box of candlesticks, inherited and purchased, that I rarely use. But, this was on sale and I could not resist its unique quality. A real conversation piece.  However, sometimes I think my house is so full of conversation pieces that they are all yelling at each other!

The next stop was Dress Up's, but Miss Dress Up wasn't present. Instead, I was manically greeted by who I can only assume is Miss Dress Up, Jr. and her two children. There were lots of lovely things to be had, including a very charming, yet over-priced bar, which MDU, Jr. kept telling me locked and included a key--as though a locking liquor cabinet was the most important aspect to consider! There were a couple of items I could not resist, the first being the diminutive plates above. I love tiny bowls, little plates or any sort of Lilliputian dishes, so I had to have them even though they hadn't reached a discount yet. I had to have them. I'm sure I will find some specific and satisfying use for them.

Finally, the strangest find of the day was this clown art. Now, we already talked about white, ceramic cats being beyond my aesthetic sensibilities and I'm sure you probably have the talent to take an arrangement of clown pictures and make them look quit chic. But reader, as fond as I am of sending photos of clown finds to my friend Jessie who is absolutely terrified of clowns, I don't usually purchase them. This, however, isn't just a clown picture. No, do not be deceived; this is a music box and the nose is the handle! It does work and plays a rather maudlin rendition of 'Send in the Clowns.' I could not resist it and had to have it. Where will it go? I'm not sure, but its existence amuses me and owning it amuses me even more. So, I've included a little video for your enjoyment:

 

That, my friends, is a good day of thrifting if I do say so myself...

*For those new to MTSS, it was actually started as a paper zine after I moved to Wichita, KS and was missing thrifting with my friend.  I started drawing my finds and including musing on thrifting, which I sent to several friends.  But, they were created with the intention of both amusing Stephanie and keeping her up-to-date on my thrifting adventures.  Eventually, it became a blog which was a helluva lot easier to manage.  That was eight years ago.  I still don't have a book deal, but I am still blogging, amusing myself and keeping her, and you, updated on all my fab finds.

Love a New, Old Store

A few weeks ago, we popped into a new, old store which I have to say I could not be happier to have discovered. It's called Dress Up's, so I assume the proprietress is named Dress Up. Maybe a nickname? Anyway, someone at work had mentioned it, but I hadn't been able to figure out exactly where it was. When we entered, there seemed to be a lot of dishes, housewares and clothes. The woman running the place, Miss Dress Up we assumed, was on the phone when we entered, but gave a friendly wave. As we looked over what there was on the shelves, we thought a lot of it was pretty excellent and the prices weren't bad.
About halfway down the second aisle, Miss Dress Up approached us with a warm, West Texas "how are y'all? Have y'all been in before?" No, we hadnt. "I didn't think so, do y'all know how our pricing system works?" No, we didn't. She was more than happy to explain it: color-coded tags with a reduction each week! Suddenly, the prices seemed even better.
In fact, a set of glasses we had admired (because we need more glasses.) were down to the lowest discount: $.97! Honestly. There were six of them, though one turned out to be broken--we bought them anyway.
The other great find was an amazing, vintage 60s Medusa-like lamp with a wonderful sculptural quality. The "globes" are actually large bulbs and after plugging it in and finding that it worked, I was sold. It looks fantastic in the living room and I was excited to discover it had a three way switch, going from two bulbs on, to three and finally all five. Love. After such a great experience, we'll definitely be back...looking for an amazing set of nightstands, an etagere or a bookshelf! Plus dishes. Lots more dishes...and of course to check in with Miss Dress Up.

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.

Salon de Refusés

Reader, you know there has been a dry spell, but the clouds have broken and a sweet bounty of thrift has been poured about the earth! Rejoice! Rejoice throughout the land!

From whence did said bounty appear? Omaha. Omaha, Nebraska. The new promised land of thrifting. Every time we visit I find the most amazing and beautiful things. One store in particular yields a trove of treasures and I have said before, I could furnish an entire house in one visit. Or at least get a start. Before I get to the good stuff, I thought I would share a few images of the things I did not buy to prove the point that I am selective and I do not buy every dusty, dirty relic my pinky finger grazes. No matter what you might think...

I'm really not a seasonal cookie jar type of person, but I love the color and design of this one. IF I were going to buy a seasonal cookie jar, it would be the one. I'm not, so I didn't.

Can you imagine if you came to my house and after each course I got out the silver plated crumb knife and pan and cleaned the tablecloth? I'm sure you can, but don't worry, it isn't going to happen. I'm reading The Help and just such an item was referenced as a detail relaying the pointless accoutrement of the bourgeoisie wedding register. This one was monogrammed and looks like it might actually have been used.

This lamp is over the top, with four faux candlesticks fitted for light bulbs. You know how I love my faux, but there is no place in our home for such a large and ostentatious lamp.

A pricey and mint condition big yellow bowl, but I already have two...

I have been asking the universe for a Georges Briard tea kettle for a while, but one that is mint and usable hasn't turned up. This one looks fantastic on the outside, but the interior was a mess and I had to leave it there. A lot of the Briard enamelware was produced in Terre Haute, so you would think there would be more of it appearing at the Goodwill, but not so much. Come one universe!

Temporama, the 'wedding china.' They had a sugar bowl, some cups and a few bread and butter plates. I think the only pieces I'm missing from this set is a butter dish and the salt and pepper, so I left all of these where they were. I culled the set down to service for twelve during the move to Austin, TX, so it's pretty much stabilized at this point.

Jessie hates clowns, so it's all I can do not to take a picture of every one I see and send it to her. I resisted, but I'm posting here for your amusement. Hopefully it'll still give her a good fright. This looks like paint-by-numbers and if it really were, then I would have snapped it up. But, it's just a printed piece.

Hey there pretty, elegant lady. Fancy.

This bizarre curio cabinet was plastic and rather shaky. Something about it was very attractive though...

I should have bought this table. I don't know what I was thinking. Even if I didn't use it, I'm sure I could have found a good home for it.

Georges Briard Pyrex, but a pattern I could resist at a price I would never pay.

I was so excited to find this double vegetable by Ben Seibel in the Impromptu pattern and greatly disheartened to find it was chipped on both ends. I have the open vegetable in this same pattern and this would have made a great addition to the amazing white dish collection.

Who could ash in such a cute little ashtray? Isn't she saying 'Please quit smoking' with her eyes?

And that was what I DIDN'T buy! Are you ready for the good stuff? Drum roll please....

Oh, How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Gravy Boats...

(A Manic Thrift Store Shopper/bigYELLOWbowl crossover post.)

Let's face it, I have a very acute case of dishmorphia. When I'm shopping at the thrift store or home store or wherever, I see something and think, "okay, I absolutely need ten of those." When in reality I already have twenty of them at home. Small dishes? Check. Chopsticks? Check. Asian soup spoons? I think we all learned our lesson about that last week. I really do have twenty-four more Asian soup spoons on their way to me as I type.

But perhaps the most ridiculous? Gravy boats.

First of all, how many gravy boats does a vegetarian need? Sure, there are lots of great vegetarian gravies or sauces out there. Case in point, the amazing gravy Jimmy made for our New Year's Day breakfast. But, how often do I actually serve gravy? On a very rare and special occasion, it's true. Raise your hand if you have been served gravy or sauce from a gravy boat at my house?

But when I was growing up, gravy was just something you always had. It went over the meat, it went on the potatoes, it went over the chicken and it went on the biscuits. Sometimes, it just went on torn up pieces of bread which I loved and always thought of as a special treat. We always had gravy. It was so important that when Barbara made crispy fried chicken, she would also pan fry some chicken in order to have the drippings necessary for gravy. And she still does.

How many gravy boats did my mother have? Only one that I can remember.

But, when it's 2010 and you're whipping up a curry, pasta or bowl of Asian noodles for dinner, you don't really need a gravy boat. So why do I have six? That's right, I have six different gravy boats. Six, different, beautiful and elegant gravy boats--each a star in their own right.

So, how does this happen? I'll walk your through it.

Well, I'm at the thrift store and I find a gravy boat (above) that is lovely and different. It's Sango and I'm a total bitch for Sango. I have a couple of plates and a set of eight, very low bowls in red. I'm pretty sure that Sango made nothing that was cute after 1968, but before that: LOVE-ly. Love it all.

So I find this gravy boat (above) and it's lovely and in perfect shape. It doesn't really have a handle, just a small indention at the back to slip a thumb in as your gingerly pour gravy (or sauce) onto whatever it is you are gravy-ing (or saucing). It's different. It's unique. I'm already hooked, but I think to myself, "You know, you don't really have a nice, simple gravy boat in the cupboard. This is really a useful piece and you really need one."

Say what?

It's like this: I look at my china cabinet, my sideboard, my front closet filled with Pyrex and my bedroom closet filled with china and I think, "I don't have ANY dishes. Nothing fun or interesting. It's a wasteland!" And you are looking at the same china cabinet, sideboard, front closet filled with Pyrex and bedroom closet filled with china and probably thinking one of three things:
  1. He is crazy.
  2. Is there a shortage in the China mines? Are the Pyrex trees drying up? Did a blight take out the tiny dish fields this season?
  3. Maybe he is opening up a store.
I have dishmorphia. Pure and simple. There isn't a cure. I mean, there isn't a cure I'm willing to participate in. Intervention? Try it. I'll be out of the hotel suite and in the nearest thrift store before you can say, "We've all written letters about how your shopping and dishmorphia affect us."

But, I will walk you through the collection:

This gravy boat is très important because it is what began the Temporama madness--I mean Temporama collection! I found it at the DAV on Douglas in Wichita, KS and said to myself, "Someday I will have a china cabinet full of this amazing pattern." I didn't even know at that point there was a separate under plate in a lovely robin's egg blue that accents all this amazing china. If I had, I probably would have dropped to my knees at that very moment and sworn a lifetime of allegiance.

I was visiting my friends Susan in Dallas, TX and she offered me some colors and duplicates from her Russel Wright collection. I love the streamlined nature of this gravy boat and its amazing ergonomic form. Ergonomic before it was cool! It is a little crazed, but I could still never part with it.

This odd specimen has an attached under plate and was produced by Tamac Pottery in Perry, OK. This color is called 'frosty fudge' and while it isn't my favorite in their line, the loose organic shape makes up for the fact it is not avocado. No matter how strong I will it.

This lovely little gravy boat with the Aladdin's lamp handle and separate under plate is part of the collection of Metlox Shore Line started by a gift from the playwright and actress Helena Hale on one of her trips to Wichita, KS. It would do her memory a disservice were I ever to part with it.

Finally, an example from Schonwald in white, German porcelain. The under plate is attached and I also have a large serving bowl, a small serving bowl and a platter in this same ovoid shape. How could I break them up?

See? All six are necessary and important.

What You Don't

Sometimes, what you don't buy at the thrift store can be as interesting as what you DO buy. My recent stop at the Goodwill after a very long day attests to this. Perhaps I was just high on fatigue, but I was mesmerized by everything there--even though I wanted to buy none of it.

I love the handmaid and the discarded--and this is both! Someone went to a lot of trouble to create this seascape using shells and it is quite beautiful in its own special way. Maybe it represents a trip to the sea and a remembrance of a special day? Or maybe it's just a symbol of longing for the sea by someone stuck in the Midwest. If they had taken it one step further and made it a lamp, I might have been moved to buy it. Or if I knew who would have wanted it, I could have purchased it as a gift.

Would you want this for a gift? Let me know so the next time I see a diorama made from shells, I'll know who to buy it for.

Mitchell is almost as cute as these little puppies. He just needs to try a little bit harder.

What is it about bunnies? They are supposed to be cute, but so often come off as menacing. I imagine this replacing Joseph in the light up nativity scene in your front yard.

And this! This is just an altar to tacky presided over by three goddesses, angels and glass vessels for offerings. It made me wonder if someone set it up, as I will often do while perusing the shelves at the thrift store. A new series of posts! Thrift store assemblage.

More Madison Thrift-consin

Seriously, I mean if you didn't chuckle when you read the title of my last post, there is something wrong with your sense of humor. I had to use it again! Just to remind you...

A special treat for you this week: photos of Jessie & Dave's finds from the auteur herself, Grand Empress of Photographic Magic, Ms. Jessie Eisner-Kleyle. Honestly, when I saw these I gasped: they are all such thoughtful, beautiful pics of amazing finds. While she has many talents, I think that JE-K has a true eye for the objet. But, I only wish I had an MTSS book deal so I could hire her full-time to photograph all of my FINDS. I'm getting a new camera and making her put me through object photography boot camp.

Yo ho ho! New art for the wall...she is going to paint it some fabulous color. We'll see.

A double-shot of a single chair. Very elegant and one step closer to having four chairs for the cute new dining room table...

Beautiful orange Pyrex! I love this. I am going to steal it next time I visit.

Another lovely little casserole with pretty little birds. See what she baked in it here.

A round spinning thing for the new table. We actually invented a better name for it, but that brilliant new word slips my mind.

Success! The fourth chair!

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.

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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!

ABCs III

Yes, I stopped in the thrift store the other night. Are you surprised? I needed a pick-me-up, and it was on the way to Starbuck's, where I was headed to finish reading my book from book club. I found two great things that I bought and one beautiful/gross one that I did not.

I would make this into a game, but I'm afraid the choice on this one would be pretty obvious. So instead, we'll add to the alphabet game started here and here. Twenty-three down, three to go. (O, X & Y.)

L is for Lost, as in, "Like many of the characters on the hit TV show Lost, the 70s kitten ring holder seems to have a multi-dimensional existence and travel through space and time." Molly found one of these on Wichita thrifting excursion, and I was so jealous. But patient. I was jealous and patient because I knew that someday Miss Kitty would find me. And she did. And our friend Julie has one as well. I'm convinced they are all actually the same ring holder, but we are simply experiencing it from different perspectives in time. N'est-ce pas?

U is for utopianism, as in, "Russel Wright's American Modern bean pot in cedar green truly expresses the designers dream of utopianism for the bourgeoisie hostess." I had to 'phone a friend' on this one. I have a passing familiarity with Wright and his best-known designs, but the marking on this piece was faint (I thought it might be a second) and the color unfamiliar (I thought it might be a reproduction.) But, a quick e-mail to Scott at Ars Longa, my expert on all things Wrightian (and Eamesian, it appears), confirmed that with American Modern the imprint is often faint or nearly invisible and also that this pot is cedar green. Did I mention its mint? And for less than the price of a value meal at McDonald's? Yes, I'll have fries with that.

V is for vacillate, as in, "This bizarre plastic tooth holder and bank, which was obviously used, caused me to vacillate wildly between excitement and nausea in the store. The frisson was dangerous and electrifying." Seriously, it was disturbingly beautiful. But I couldn't buy it, it just wasn't humanly possible.

Climmmmmb Every Mounnnnnn-tain

I stopped into Goodwill today, on the way home from picking up the dry cleaning. There wasn't a lot, but I did see a salad set I got rid of several years ago in white (I had it in orange) and some other small treasures.

As I scanned the shelves, I passed this burnt orange box with the Hallmark logo imprinted on the bottom, so small you could have almost missed it. I thought to myself, "Probably just some crappy, ugly greeting cards," but my thrifting spirit guides said, "IT COULD BE SOME CRAPPY, UGLY GREETING CARDS!" Of course, they meant good ugly and I was thinking bad ugly. So I opened the box to find, some amazing cards: two decks of cards in complementary patterns. Lovely. Playing cards, not greeting cards. With a matching score pad.

As I've said before, you have to be an investigative thrift shopper. You can't assume the contents of a box are what its exterior advertises. Look in every box. Pick things up to see what is underneath them. Shop with your hands as well as your eyes. And keep wet wipes in the car.

And yes, I stood in the store and counted both (complete) decks. Always listen to your spirit guides.

You Never Know What You'll Find at the Thrift Store...

...maybe a cat in the sofa you bought? For real.


Cat found in used couch is reunited with owner

March 13, 2009, 9:51 p.m.

The Associated Press
SPOKANE, Wash. - The mysterious mewing in Vickie Mendenhall's home started about the time she bought a used couch for $27.
After days of searching for the source of the noise, she found a very hungry calico cat living in her sofa.
Her boyfriend, Chris Lund, was watching TV on Tuesday night and felt something move inside the couch. He pulled it away from the wall, lifted it up and there was the cat, which apparently crawled through a small hole on the underside.
Mendenhall contacted Value Village, where she bought the couch, but the store had no information on who donated it. So she took the cat to SpokAnimal CARE, the animal shelter where she works, so it could recover, and contacted media outlets in hopes of finding the owner.
Sure enough, Bob Killion of Spokane showed up to claim the cat on Thursday after an acquaintance alerted him to a TV story about it. Killion had donated a couch on Feb. 19, and his 9-year-old cat, Callie, disappeared at about the same time.

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.

Rules Are Made to be Broken

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

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

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

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

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

Thrifty Threads Mystery

I found the equivalent of St. David's Next-to-New in Indy, called Thrifty Threads and run by an auxiliary in the area to benefit the Julian Center. They have all kinds of wonderful dishes, furniture and clothes. It's not organized quite as well as St. David's, but I did find all sorts of things to consider buying: and one item that I did buy.

Vote for the item you think I bought and I'll reveal the winning item after the new year--plus send a special prize to those who voted for it.

Item #1
This set from Mikasa was decorated with a lovely pink leaf design and had cups, saucers, berry bowls and soup bowls.

Item #2
This diminutive set of hostess plates would be perfect for some little nibbles--and what is more fun and whimsical than a little fish?

Item #3
Reader, you know my passion for wooden fruit, but do you know how I feel about stacks of ceramic fruit? And the blue would look lovely in my living room, wouldn't it?

Item #4
Almost everything arrived safely from Texas, but my large leaf-shaped tray was broken while I was unpacking and sorting. Could I have replaced it with this?

Item #5
This lacquer-ware salt and pepper set is much more fuchsia than in the photo, but they are still intriguing objets, n'est-ce pas?

Item #6
You know I love specific-use items, and these ice cream dishes have a distinctive 70s flair.

Item #7
Molly was shopping for a gravy boat last week and I think she might have loved this one. I have several that match specific patterns, but none for general use. Plus, you know how hard it is for me to resist Pyrex.

Item #8
What better way to chase away the winter blues than with a daffodil trivet? The graphic sensibility is certainly appealing. Plus, it can hang on the wall, saving valuable counter space.

Item #9
The David Hicks-style fabric on this chair would look great in my bedroom, and I think I could paint the woodwork.

So reader, which item do think made it home?

Terre Haute Haul

Molly visited a couple of weeks from Wichita for the trunk show we did at the Swope. Everyone loved her beads and jewelry and we had fun running around town over the weekend--including a trip to the Goodwill!

A vintage antiquing kit! Wow.

Molly considered this cake carrier, but she already has a pretty swank one she got with the Wichita diaspora.

Could anyone make this lamp look fab? I think it would be a challenge, but if you succeeded it would be a major triumph. I'm going to guess: State Fair, 1993. Any takers? Grrrrr.

I love this Hawaiian head, but she looks like she is on something. With the flower behind the ear, it's a little Billie-Holiday-on-some-junk-as-a-Hawaiian-lady-sings-the-blues.

Molly debated on some Asian-ish wall plaques that matched some she bought last time we were shopping together in Wichita. At $2 a piece, they were too pricey. I couldn't have resisted since my philosophy is always more is more, less is a bore.

This is a giant phone. Not really, but call me!

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.