Finds!!

I don't think I have seen anything this nice at a thrift store in a year, I have always been taken with this style of casserole, I love the design, I grabbed it quickly at Value Village - have you ever seen one like it?  It's stamped Japan on  the bottom!  I love it!!

Last week I went to a yard sale, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this head vase sitting there, even if she needed some eylelash repair, you can't tell.   She was also made in Japan, she still has the original sticker on the bottom - An Enterprise Original.   I have only ever seen these in antique stores and they're way too expensive for me.  I just want one, no collection is starting!!  

Yesterday I went to two yard sales, one had nothing, the other one I came home with this great assortment of vintage magazines, I just can't leave them behind!   I do cut some of them up though, for SMASHing and now, pocket letters!!   This whole pile cost me $2 - they're full of great old ads..

I thought I'd share a few ads from them, what's the chance I picked two Christmas editions!!  Oh, well...

These first three ads are from Better Homes and Gardens,  December 1950.

These next three are from Family Circle, December 1966

Oh, the good old days when towels came in laundry detergent!!!

Things I Found in the Maritimes

I'm back from holidays and it's back to all things normal now  - back to the old routine.  I wouldn't mind at all to still be on Prince Edward Island - walking the beach for seaglass - oh, well, I'll be back next year!!!  I didn't even read a blog post the whole time I was away, Instagram was pretty well all I paid attention to in the cyberworld, because I like it so much!!

We timed our trip for Eastern Canada's largest flea market with up to 900 vendors and 1,000 tables - it all takes place in Sussex, New Brunswick, we had been there years and years ago but it has surely grown since then.  We walked around for a couple of hours, Gary picked this Santa up right away for $2, then he had to carry that around for the rest of the time.

He was starting to feel bad for me because there was just nothing I saw that I wanted to buy - we were ready to leave and went down one more row - there was a big Pyrex display -there were a lot of pieces, but at this stage of my collection, I don't need much but I've been wanting these for ages - I bought them both for $25.

My lucky day- Golden Poinsetta which was a holiday promotional in 1961.  Neither one had lids but that didn't matter to me.

The Holiday casserole has a few scratches on it but that didn't stop me - I have never seen these pieces before for a price I could afford, I'm so happy to find them.  The flea market was worth it, after all.

I found a little pink elephant glass too for 25 cents!!

We were out touring one day on Prince Edward Island, there is one area that has four or five antique shops, most of it way too expensive for me.  But, I managed to get something.

These Made in Japan pixies were marked at $3 each, I got up to the cash and noticed the guy on the left was missing part of his ear - they were mine for $3 total. They're so cute!!

These are just perfect - they look like something from Japan as well - $2.

Another Christmas book for those future grandchildren.

Of course, there were Vera's - at one thrift I found four and that day they were half off - I love that place!!!

I brought a few things back from the PEI house too - I'll share those in another post.

Linking up with Dawn and her History and Home Link Party at We Call it Junkin - check it out!  It's also time for Thriftasaurus.

We Were Thrifting

I had a sleepover at Carla's on Friday night, she was off work early so we hit the thrifts - the next day we were out the door early for a few yard sales and a couple of antique shops.  I might have gone somewhere different but the situation was still pretty much the same as here, the yard sales mostly had the same old junk.    Pickin's were slim!!

First off, I'll share Carla's new/vintage maxi dress from Value Village, I had a filled up coupon for 30% off so that was quite useful, Mom's are handy like that, aren't they?

These are quite different from any of my other blowmolds, maybe they are newer, I don't know.  There's no markings on them and I don't think they were ever meant to be lit.   I was especially taken with the lantern type ones.  They were $2 for all four.

My other Christmas item was a Christmas card box - 25 cents!  It's cute though and it's a big one!

Old magazines are always good!

Any excursion where I find a Vera or two is good in my mind, I found four.  Carla gave me the Vera scarf tying book.  It's funny about finding scarves, sometimes it seems all I can find are the split tip ones, I just don't think the patterns on those are as exciting as the other types of scarves.

I don't know if this is a toothpick holder or a little mini planter, it was made in Japan and it's pretty sweet!

Yesterday I was in the city and found this old piggy bank, it was made in Canada by Reliable Plastics, I think it was a pretty sweet find!

My purchases weren't anything very big but at least I found something!!!

Linking up with Sir Thrift a Lot at Thriftasaurus and the History and Home Link Party at We Call it Junkin

The Goods!!

I'm finally getting around to getting the goods photographed that we bought on our trip  now I can put everything away.  We happened upon a few thrifts and stopped at a few antique markets, I think the Maumee Antique Mall in Ohio is clearly the biggest one we have ever been in - it is advertised as one of America's largest - over 2.75 acres/110,000 square feet - that's a lot of booths and a lot to look at - we were there for a few hours!!!  

I was most excited about getting this blow mold cookie jar, I have been wanting one for a long time, my heart skipped a beat when I spotted one, sadly, when I looked at the price, it was way too much, I was so disappointed, but my disappointment turned to glee, I found one in another booth for half the price - finally, I have one!!!!

This cute ceramic Santa container has "Betts" on the bottom, I couldn't find anything similiar...have you seen one like this?

Staying on the Christmas theme - these were at a discount booth - as soon as I saw these, I knew I was buying them -   made in Japan baby Christmas slippers - aren't they the sweetest?

I didn't find any Scotch tape dispensers, but I did find these Scotch containers - at different shops.

Don't laugh at me for buying this but I figured it was as close as I would probably ever get to a Lefton Miss Dainty cookie jar, even if it is missing the lid - it was on sale, I wonder why?  Hah!!  She doesn't look so bad without her cover, I think I would have had buyers remorse if I hadn't of purchased it.  But, I would be interested in the lid, if anyone ever comes upon one!!

I bought these vintage cookbooks at a Goodwill, along with a couple of other things, including a Vera scarf, the bill was less than $3, everything I bought had a discount - that was my kind of store!!!

These books have the cutest illustrations - two are missing covers, good for SMASHing, I'd say!!

I also bought these paper place mats at the same shop, why, I don't really know, you know sometimes there are just things you think you need to buy - this was definitely one of them - I'm not out much, probably about 25 cents.

Of course, no trip is complete for me without a Vera or two - I did really well, I paid $6 for one scarf, the rest were all $2 or less - and then when I got home, I had a scarf waiting in the mailbox from Sir Thrift a Lot - once again, thank you so much, it was very kind for you to think of me!!

I went to a local charity yard sale on Friday, it was definitely not as good as other years, I came home with this one item, I can't believe it was sitting there with the tag and stickers still intact, in my mind, everything else there was junk - a Josef Original Christmas music box, I gave them $1 for it.

When my husband and I hit those antique markets, we start out together for the first couple of booths, then he goes his way, I go mine, he's always looking for different things for the game room - he found some great things..

A tin game themed tray...

He paid $5 for this set - only missing the green felt mat...the money looks like it was never used..

He is always looking at bagatelle games, but they are never reasonably priced - he has a wooden one which is really old, now he has a baseball one in the original box - and he got a discount on it, it's in perfect shape!!

It's so much fun to get away and pick up some neat things along the way, considering that the opportunities for such things seem to be lessening all the time around here!   I went to an estate sale yesterday, which we very rarely ever see around here,  bought nothing, it was no good at all, then I went on to a church sale, there were lots of older ladies manning the tables, but there was nothing good there either, I didn't buy a thing!!!  Sales are just not great around here so far this year!!! 

Don't forget Melissa has taken over Thrifty Things Friday, check it out!  Sir Thrift a Lot has his link up going as well - Thriftasaurus

Easter Thrifting

It's not easy to thrift for Easter items around here, well, it would be if all I wanted were dollar store items because that seems to be pretty much all there is!!

I actually found three things yesterday, one vintage for sure, one not new and another thing, probably new!  They set me back $2.50.

It was odd this little made in Japan guy wasn't picked up at Value Village - my kids used to often get egg cups for Easter, there are still a couple here that we use.  This one will not be used!!!

Danish butter cookies came in this tin - it's not very old, but it can pass for sort of old - it's banged up and dented on the sides!

I have been on the hunt for a lamb planter for weeks now, I know I used to see those things all the time, not any more and if I would have been smart maybe I would have kept a couple that I got when my children were born, but they're long gone....  So, out of desperation I bought this, I think it's really cute, I don't really care if it's old or not!  

I'm happy to find anything when pickins' are so slim!!

Linking today with Junkin Joe, Thrifty Things Friday and We Call it Junkin

Went Away - Shopped!

Last Tuesday, I tagged along with my husband, he had two days of meetings in London, Ontario, I had two days of poking around down there and then Friday we headed for home but crossed into the US at Port Huron, Michigan and drove the length of the state until we were back in Ontario again.  I'll just say that the weather was not great, especially Saturday, high winds, snow squalls and slippery roads did not make for good driving, it was tense at times!!!

I hit quite a few thrifts in London, along with a couple of antique shops - I picked up a few things, if I had been actively looking for Pyrex, I could have probably purchased something at every shop I was at - it has to be pretty special for me to buy a piece now, unless it's a fridgie!!!  

I went to one thrift in Michigan, it was in and out pretty quickly!!  But, the antique malls and shops that we went to, oh, my - we went to the largest one in Michigan in Bay City - it was huge and definitely the biggest one we had ever been in - there was just so much to look at - I wish I could go there every few weeks!!!

My plan was to show a few pics from my trip as well, that will wait for another post, I'm afraid I might loose your attention, it would be too long, so here it goes with my purchases.  I kind of went crazy on the Christmas.....

This is definitely my favourite purchase of all - this is just the cutest little planter - and he's stamped on the bottom - 1962 - Napco, Bedford, Ohio - Japan, it has also a sticker on it - National Potteries, Cleveland, OH - I hardly want to put this away!!

Is this guy a gnome, an elf? I'm not sure but he caught my eye right away - he also has a sticker on the back - Brite Star - Japan.

Finally, I don't have to be jealous anymore, I have my own spun head - stamped Japan on the bottom!

Every shop had baskets of shiny brites and various ornaments, I looked at so many and this is the only one I bought, I think I didn't know what I was doing!!  This one is really pretty though!

Some plastic Christmas is always good!!!  Made in Hong Kong.

This package is for display, I don't think I'll be taking the cookie cutters out.

I am always hopeful I will find another piece of Christmas Pyrex, but once again, no luck.  But, this will do, it's a McKee bowl, I assume it's a punch bowl,  I think I might leave it out for a while yet.

Both of these books are older, from the 50's  - I posted a picture on Instagram yesterday of a young girl making spaghetti and meatballs, they're some monster meatballs -here they are - are you on Instagram?  If you're not, you should be!!!!

It seemed like every shop had tons of Little Golden Books but not an Eloise Wilkin that I didn't have, I looked at so many.  This book was at the last shop we stopped at - the illustrations are so sweet...

This one is my favourite in the book!

I bought Little Swimmers because I had that when I was a wee girl.  The Mary Poppins is missing its record, after seeing Saving Mr. Banks, it got me to thinking about my Mary Poppins book that I had and gave away, so until I see that one, I have this copy! The Golden Book is an old one, anytime I see an old Golden Book,  I usually purchase!

My trip was complete - I found some Vera too - and one different item - a pink necktie - Vicky Davis - made for the Vera Companies, I've never seen one of these before.

We had a great time, even if the weather was not so great,  I came home with quite a few vintage things and a pile of stuff for SMASHing - I'm happy!!

Today I'm linking my finds up with Sir Thrift a Lot of Thriftasaurus fame and Dawn at We Call it Junkin