Thursday, January 30, 2014

Picture Post

I'm calling this a picture post - first I'm going to share the pages I SMASHed from my trip last week, then a few pictures that didn't make it into the SMASHbook.  I used my International books, which I use for all trips - big trips or small ones.  My previous post shared my thrift and antique finds, this post is a miss match of various things - if you're on Instagram, you probably saw these...





Well, I've seen it all now, the highest price article that I've ever come across at Value Village - 38 pieces of Royal Albert china - Dimity Rose pattern, I was shocked  - $229.99 - at a thrift store!!




This gal must have been in a marching band.



Bronner's Christmas Wonderland is just that and more!!



I regret not buying this clock in there.


This old stove was in an antique mall, it was selling for less than $1,000.  Isn't it beautiful?


This ice fountain was in Gaylord, Michigan - it was miserable out, I got out of the car long enough to take the picture!

We had lunch at Gobblers of Gaylord, a nice little restaurant where turkey is king!!  This ice cream cone was out front, it was huge!  No, we did not have an ice cream, it was way too cold for that!  Look at that snow!  And, as I look out here, it's snowing, AGAIN!!  Go away, winter!!


I don't know how long before I'll have a thrift share - I was at three shops yesterday, I bought nothing - junk, all junk!!


I'm linking up with Jann at Share Your Cup Thursday - check it out!

Monday, January 27, 2014

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



Sunday, January 19, 2014

Did You Have a Charm Bracelet?

Did you have a charm bracelet?  If you grew up in the 70's or before, there's a very good chance you did - and if you like me, did grow up in the 70's - you probably recognize Susan Dey from the Partridge Family as the model in this ad - how I loved that show!  


This was the case that most jewellery stores around where I lived displayed their charms - I looked for a long time online and this is the only picture of one of these display cases that I could find - looks like this one has seen better days, I still see them every so often in antique shops full of jewellery.  Oh, the thrill of pushing that little button on the top right hand side and the many charms would appear as it revolved.


This is my charm bracelet, still in the original case - given to me by the guy who would become my husband. Charm bracelets were all the rage - I had to have one!!!


The love birds in the middle was the first charm, the one that he picked out with the bracelet.  Charm bracelets really do give a look into our history - places we had been, special events, memories galore.  I have numerous charms that my penpal, Carol gave me, all those years ago - I've mentioned her before - we're still penpals - but now what do you call a texting and email pal??  


I also have Mom's charm bracelet - she didn't have quite as many charms as I did..


I am not lacking for charm bracelets, that's for sure, I gave my grandmother's to Carla but I still have my other grandmother's bracelet.


She had the most charms of any of us, I always loved her bracelet because she had head charms of all her grandchildren with their birth dates engraved.  


I could be wearing all these at once - but, I don't think I will!!!! 


Linking today with Share Your Cup Thursday and We Call it Junkin

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Beauty Ads from Good Housekeeping, 1950

Last fall I found a couple of old Good Housekeeping magazines, I love the old advertisements in them, I shared the December 1946 issue back then, I really should go through that one again and have a good look for more ads - if you missed it, it's right here.

Today I'm sharing some beauty ads from the Feburary 1950 issue of Good Housekeeping.  These magazines were thick, 248 pages - full of fashion, fiction, decorating - the cost was only 35 cents, I don't know if you could even buy a page for that now - some magazines are so expensive!



Click on any ad to get a better look!

Ivory has been going strong for a long time, it's still the only brand we use!


I guess all you had to do was apply some "Fels-Naptha Soap" and your gray hair would be gone!!


But, if you weren't using Fels Naptha, The Rayve Home Pernament could rid you of your grays - the complete kit costing $2 - from the famous Pepsodent Laboratories!


Tinted Foundation and Powder in one - only 49 cents in 4 dreamy shades!!!


Maureen O'Sullivan holds one of her six children, advertising Jergens Lotion - Hollywood stars preferred Jergens 7-1 - mothers keep glamorous hands with Jergens!!


Is there adventure in your hand?  You must read this one!!  Dura-Gloss nail polish - 10 cents - lipstick - 25 cents.


This one compares your dry skin to a withered and dry grape - but if you used Woodbury's Dry Skin Cream - you could lengthen the bloom of your beauty!!!  Oh, my...


I just have to stick this one in - I could have guessed what was in that brown paper box, back in the 60's and 70's - that's how the grocery store in my little community packaged their personal hygiene products - brown paper, tied in string and the price written ever so lightly in the corner.  No one could know!!!!


If you didn't want to shop at the store and  have everyone know you what you were buying, you could send away for a sample package of Meds tampons - they would arrive in a plain paper wrapper! 





Mascara has come a long way since 1950!


The small ads are pretty neat at the back - if you used the Woodbury Cream on your face and Absorbine on your feet - "years" would be added to your looks!!!  



I see on the top right corner of the page that it says - By Appointment - Perfumers to H.R. Queen Mary - Yardley, London - are Yardley products still around?  I remember Mom having some of those...


This magazine is full of great old ads - I have to share some fashion and household ones in another post.  Hope you enjoyed having a look!


Joining in at We Call it Junkin and Vintage Thingie Thursday





Monday, January 13, 2014

Annie Beck's Chocolate Cake

I've been making this recipe ever since I started baking, Mom used to make this cake, she got the recipe from Annie Beck, who lived down the road!   It's the easiest recipe for chocolate cake, one bowl that makes a 9 x 9 pan - what's not to like?


Annie Beck's Chocolate Cake


1 cup white sugar

1/3 cup shortening

1 egg

1 1/3 cup flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 cup cocoa

Combine the white sugar and shortening, then add other ingredients.  After that is all mixed together, add 1 cup of boiling water.


Place in greased 9 x 9 pan, bake at 350 for 30 minutes.


I always make a white icing for this cake, a little margarine or butter, a little shortening, icing sugar, milk and almond flavoring.  I also use ruddy red cocoa powder from the Bulk Barn, it is more expensive than regular cocoa but so much better!  I don't buy anything else now but if you can't get that, any cocoa will do - the cake will still be good!!


Hey, this is Annie Beck, her recipe is still in circulation, after all these years.


I'm linking this chocolate cake up with Weekend Potluck and Melt in Your Mouth Monday




Friday, January 10, 2014

Pickins' are Slim

I hadn't hit my usual thrift stores since before Christmas, yesterday I took off for the city - it was disheartening - I went to my four spots, which by the way are all on the same street, you can really get the disappointment over quickly - and I was disappointed, not a thing to be had - it was so bad!!!  The stores were quite bare of the things that I like to look at - not a nice collectible, not a Vera scarf, not a scrap of Christmas left over.  So, I headed out to my last chance spot which is about 10 minutes out of town - I actually bought something out there and to make my post, a more worthwhile, I took some pictures of things I saw there.


Why do I like these little fridgies so much??  Really, what am I going to do with them all!!  I just can't leave any fridgie behind, I had to bring these two from the Homestead set home with me!!



See what I mean - that's twenty little 501's that I have!!!

If you follow me on Instagram, you saw these last night - follow me right here - Instagram is the best best of my phone, there's new people to follow every day and just no end to the pictures!!  So, this bunch of miniature forks, knives and spoons were wrapped up in an elastic in a jar - I really had no business buying these little Made in Japan beauties, I've found a couple of sets before, gave one away, sold another one - I guess I better keep these ones!!

How cute is this hot plate?  

I sure didn't break the bank on those purchases, I have been thinking about something I saw though, keep reading....


I have a couple of pieces of JAJ Toledo, I don't need anymore, but I nearly took the Pyrex custard cups, I have custard cups that were Mom's, these were a bit different, I held them for a while but put them back down!  Hah!!


That happy face jar was just hoping I was going to take him home!!!  The made in Japan canisters were very nice but not a whole set.  The Easter bunny cookie jar was huge - you'd need a large batch to fill that guy.


I stared at these glasses, I thought they were a bit strange, but I feel now that  I should have bought them - what do you think?


It's Cave People, Aladdin and more - I know they're old and I know somebody is going to tell me I shouldn't have left them there and that's going to make me regret leaving them behind!!    They're different!!


Today I'm linking up with Dawn over at We Call it Junkin, Andrea at Junkin Joe and Diann & Linda at Thrifty Things Friday - drop by these great blogs!!