My husband was on a business trip last week, I tagged along, I like when that happens!!! I poke around wherever I want - I checked out a few antique markets and a few thrift stores. I know I don't buy much any more, but really, I expected at least a couple more little things! I nearly had two Vera scarves, one scarf seemed familiar and it was priced at $5 so I wasn't taking the chance, the other scarf I had lined up to pay, there were about ten people ahead of me and one cashier open - not worth it for one scarf which wasn't even an exceptional one!
My purchases were both made at antique markets, not a thrift store purchase to be had, which is sad. The vintage merchandise in these stores is just not there now, I am so glad I have what I do and found a lot of it for great prices. And, there was one less store to shop at as all Ontario Goodwill shops closed last week.
I am always on the lookout for one of these Prince Edward Island pennants, finally, I have one..
I love vintage Valentines, the copyright on this Valentine book is 1980 so I guess we'll say it's vintage, as you can't buy these books now. Some pages are punch out, some are to be cut out - it's so cute! I plan to use some in my Pocket Letters.
I think the days of me having many thrifty find posts are coming to a screeching halt - but like I've said, I really need nothing. I still like to look though!!
We went to an auction yesterday, there were lots of goodies and lots of people! I had my eye on only one thing, I really never expected to get it, but I did and for only $15
It's a Napco "Miss Cutie Pie" cookie jar - how cute is that? The only other bidder was the lady in front of me - she stopped bidding, yay, for me!! I can't believe I was lucky enough to get it - I know these are worth a whole lot more.
I have this Lefton "Miss Dainty" piece that I found in the US a couple of years ago, I like it a lot even if it doesn't have a lid. Do you have any of these cute pieces?
These three items cost me $2.00 total - that's my kind of thrift shopping!!
I have been wanting a Santa boot for a while, now I havea pair and they are marked officially, Santa's Boot - you could get a lot of candy in these!! I paid 25 cents for each boot - I think that's a crazy price - in a good way!
I wonder if this is an indication I will find some great old ornaments this season - purchased two boxes for $1.50 - the ornaments in one box are all from Poland, the other box from Japan. I hope I can find enough to make another wreath - last year the pickins' were slim!!
I felt like it was just like the old days - I found three Vera scarves, I've paid as much as $2 for a scarf at this shop before, today they were 25 cents for the three, yes, 25 cents total!! I love the nautical one and the Verasheer one is a ladybug one, this was a great find for me!
It makes it so much more fun when you go into these places and find something you want - did you find anything good this week?
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!!!
I actually have a post of some treasures I've found in the last week!! The posts and the purchases are few and far between - a house can only hold so much stuff, can't it? I'm being selective!!
Anyone that has been following my blog for a while, knows that I am always on the lookout for Vera scarves - my collection numbers 288 right now, I hope I can reach 300 by the end of the summer. Last Friday I saw an unexpected yard sale, lo and behold, I found a Vera there - for 25 cents or was it 50 cents, whatever, it was a steal. I was away last weekend and found the rest of these at a Salvation Army - always on the lookout!!
I've been looking for a nice jug for a while, spotted this one at Value Village the other day!
I wanted it to replace a Pyrex carafe that I had on this shelf, now I need to find another one to replace the green coffee pot! It sure is hard to take a good picture when you're standing on a chair!!!
I hardly ever see these magazines at the thrift stores, they're so great to cut up for SMASHing, I bought every one - and got one for free!!
It's raining here today, I didn't go to any yard sales but there was an estate sale advertised, which we never have here, of course, I had to check it out!!! I came out with a bag of goodies for $5.
It's worn, but we're of Scottish heritage and it'll be great in the game room!
I bought this little alarm clock because I received one for Christmas, in the 70's, as well, mine is beige and has one leg broken off, I knew I was going to get it for cheap, so I took it! It still works! And, I love the little note on the bottom, looks like that might have been a Toronto jeweller!
This is a real vintage Cootie game! My kids had a Cootie game but it sure wasn't like this one, look at those little game pieces!
A mixed bag of game pieces to go in a jar!
There was a box of playing cards, I took them all, some of the illustrations are so cute!! I can use them for SMASHing, or my newest thing - pocket letters, but that's a post for another day!!!
It was fun to poke around and actually find a few things, hope the fun continues!!
I can't go to the city without checking out the thrift stores, even if I'm supposed to be Christmas shopping, there just might be something wonderful, lately, though, the chances of that happening are not very good, it's all junk!! I had checked out my three usual stops - nothing, there was one left, which I go to sometimes, but it's not a regular like the others. I'm glad I pulled in. Everything I bought I love!!
This is my second one of this particular cup.
I love this set of salt and pepper shakers!! So cute!! No markings on them but after researching, looks like they're Josef.
This little figurine still has the silver Giftcraft sticker on the bottom. I can never remember which company the "G' surrounded by leaves is - it's made in Taiwan.
This stuff was all up front in the Christmas display, of course, I took a walk around the shop, at the back they had some merchandise that hadn't been priced, oh yes, I picked up these two boxes, how much I ask, $2 for the two boxes she says, then she got looking at them and remarked that they were old, I just said, I guess so, I just wanted to leave in case she changed her mind.
I was especially happy to find that Santa one in the middle, I don't have one like that!
Woolcrest - the old Woolco brand, we Canadians all remember what our Walmart was at one time! These ornaments apparently don't belong in this box, they're too mismatched - they were made in Wales, I wonder if any of these were.
I was so happy I stopped at that shop - a good $8 spent!!
Joining up with Thrifter Share today! Laura at Thrifter Share is hosting a blog hop next week, I'm taking part - it will be full of all kinds of Christmasy kitschy fun! What will I share?? You'll be able to link up next week with all your treasures - keep it in mind!
Things must definitely be picking up at the thrift stores, I had something to share last week and I do again this week! It's a miracle!!
Even though I found a few things, the things I am looking for are few and far between. I really do have enough so I should't complain!!
I hope there are more Santa mugs out - I walked by this one first but went back and picked it up - it's marked Ron Gordon Designs Inc. 1983 - I've seen another one since that had some candy cane striping on the handle, so I wonder if this one could be the same.
It always pays to look closely at those junk bags, if you have the patience!! It's not very often you see a knee hugger in one of those bags, I already have the rest of the bag ready to be donated back, I'm only out a $1 and I got a knee hugger!!
A partial box of ornaments for 50 cents!
I think it's going to be a Vera drought over the winter, it seems that this year most of the thrifts have only winter scarves for sale - now, that's just not right!! The one on the left if the first one I've found in ages, or so it seems! My blogging friend Sir Thrift a Lot sent me the other one - thanks so much for picking that up for me!!!
I don't usually buy Fire King and I really haven't been buying any dishes much at all, but I saw this utility dish in the Wheat pattern at Value Village, I wanted it and I bought it. That makes two pieces of Wheat for me, I have the loaf pan which I use often! I only have one Pyrex flamingo green dish that size and sometimes you jut need two, especially around this time of the year! It's in perfect shape - there was an address label on it and also the owners initials on masking tape, stuck on the bottom. I think this dish was probably taken to a few church functions, it's kind of sad to see something like that, why couldn't they take the label off?
Right beside it was sitting this little Pyrex individual casserole, in lime green, now I have the green and flamingo!
I'm happy to find anything nice this time of the year!!
I am so thankful for a crafty husband!!! We admired and talked about the vintage cardboard fireplace kits..
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How could we get ourselves one of those - well, when the husband is crafty, all is not lost, we now have our own vintage style fireplace!
I am so excited to share this - he did a beautiful job on it and it looks so great surrounded with vintage Christmas!!! He made it to fit perfectly around our little display shelf.
It took him about a week to complete it, I can tell you it was a very stressful project, at one time he was about ready to give up, he just couldn't get the facade figured out. He started with cardboard boxes but that was quickly changed - it's constructed with a light metal/wood frame covered with thin wood panelling. His first idea for the facade was brick wrapping paper - but two things going against that, it's too flimsy and you can't find that paper anymore!! His next idea was brick design panelling - no good either - too expensive! His next idea was with stencils made first from wood, then cardboard with spray paint on the panel but that was no good at all - it looked terrible with the paint getting under the stencils. This is about where he thought his great idea was all for nothing - he wondered how he had got himself into this mess!! Finally, his brainwave was to use painters tape and after a couple of coats of white background, laid out the entire brick pattern by hand and then 2-3 coats of red brick paint - removed the tape and we had a fireplace! We were amazed, it looked so good!! It's totally modular so it can easily be disassembled and stored until next year. He mounted two low wattage lights in the mantle section to give a great effect of the display case below. His only regret is that he didn't make one for our children when Santa needed to get down that chimney, but we'll have this forever, so hopefully, some grandchildren will get the thrill of waiting for Santa to arrive from this magical fireplace!!
I just love the way these things look on top - here they are from left to right!
I am so happy to finally have a real Shiny Brites box!!
We bought this big Santa blow mold at a yard sale this summer, we plugged it in, poor Santa looked like a monster, he had been painted over, he was so creepy. He won't ever be plugged in but he looks great here! This old truck belonged to Dad, this is my first year for that, I love it!!
The knee hugger music box tree is probably my favourite thrifted item from last year, who cares that the music box doesn't work! I put some little red lights on it this year which adds some nice Christmas red. This year I have a real box of Gurley candles too - which I have been wanting for a while too. Isn't there always something we need to add to our collection?
I just put up my little memory tree this morning, it is all decorations that belonged to my mother and grandmother. The corner shelf is all vintage as well. I used to have all primitive type decorations, I've switched everything over to red and green - I like this so much better!
I think I'm way ahead on decorating, it must be because of the all the early snow we've had - Christmas is coming!! I took this on Thursday, the trees have been laden with snow all week!
We went on a little road trip on Saturday, I was hoping to find more than I did - like a different Christmas blow mold but I did come home with a Halloween one which I paid a whopping $1 for - it's a TPI blowmold from 1989.
My husband got ahead of me at Value Village, he makes his circle of the store way faster than me, he comes back and asks if I saw that Santa jug - no, I didn't even get to that section yet - so, he went back - what a great find - I have a few cups but no pitcher. I had this posted on Instagram, I knew once I posted it on there someone would know what it was, two other people shared their pitchers which were the same - apparently it's a Josef!!
I don't really think people have been donating very much at the thrifts in the line of vintage Christmas, maybe it's too early yet - I was at three shops yesterday, I bought nothing. I did buy a box of old ornaments last week, for fellow Canadians, the Eaton's tag is still on them, didn't they have the best Christmas displays and merchandise?
I've been on the lookout for Ideals books, they have the greatest pictures in them for SMASHing, especially the Christmas ones. I was happy to find "The Most Beautiful Tree in the World" but I should have checked it more carefully, two pages are missing, so that'll be going by way of the SMASH book. I always like to read a Christmas book at this time of the year, so this Awesome book will be the one!!
Here's a SMASH page where I used the Ideals book, it's the poem and picture on the right. The picture on the left I took last week, after the big snowstorm!!
It's time to link up with Thriftasaurus, Thrifter Share and Vintage Bliss Tuesdays. My apologies to anyone that follows my blog and Instagram, I know some of this is a repeat, oh well....
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