Find of the Century

I didn't really have a great thrifty week but I did manage to find a few good things and two fabulous finds at the flea market.

My thrift finds this week included books, Pyrex, vintage glassware, and a great thermos.

Found this great thermos at my favorite thrift store. Under the plastic lid it just has a cork cover.

At the same store I got this great 1926 edition of the Library of Health. Check out some of these great color charts.

At various Goodwills I got this cool Culver set and the 3 different yellow McCoy vases.

Culver set. I love the Scotch bottle.

I went to the local Flea Market and for the most part it was a bust but I did find this great Green Pyrex bowl and what I definitely consider the find of my life so far.

This is a more vibrant green than the pictures reflect. It does have some scratching but I didn't have this one so I paid $8 even though I tried to get her to come down some.

These  napkin rings from the 1880s were a fabulous find. They were stuck in the middle of a bunch of old clothes and the lady claimed they were just old pewter. I was a little familiar with the mark under one of them and gladly paid her extremely low (I'm almost ashamed of how low the price I paid was). I didn't realize how rare they were until I got home and did more research. I consulted a figural napkin ring dealer/collector/book writer and she said they definitely appeared to be good. I was thrilled. These are selling for astronomical prices online and in auctions according to the research I've done. They have a heavy patina (i.e. tarnish) but I probably won't touch it. I'm not sure if I will keep them but I will definitely be enjoying them for a while before I decide whether or not to sell them.

This is a James W. Tufts of Boston silverplate napkin ring depicting 2 Greenaway children.

Greenaway Baseball Boy silverplate napkin ring.

I am joining the party at Apron Thrift Girl and her Thrift Share Monday.

Story of a Lamp

This is the story of a lamp. A very pretty little lamp: it is black and shiny and kind of curvy. It is just the right size. Not too big, not too small, it is just RIGHT. The quest for such a lamp began many years ago.  On Tuesday the search hit rough and turbulent seas. The LAMP was found, not on the high seas, but on a simple table at the Salvation Army. “Oh my!” she said as she spotted the lamp. Upon further looking she realized the lamp had the original box. “Wow!” she thought, “This is exactly what I’ve been searching for. I wonder how much it is” She looked and looked but no price could be found.

The pretty little lamp went into the buggy with the rather fabulous Anchor Hocking Vegetable Freshener and other odds and ends. When it was time to check out the Grinch at the register took one look at the box and tossed it behind him on the counter and said “I can’t sell you this lamp because it has not been priced.” She looked in horror as the lamp slowly sunk under the waves. “Please, please kind sir” she thought. But aloud she said “Why can’t you sell it? I found it on a table on the floor.” He “kindly” explained (practically accused her of removing the sticker) store policy to the unhappy shopper. While she understood the policy, and the reason behind it, she was still very sad. “Could you ask someone to price it for me? I’ll wait.” The Grinch said “NO. I am on my way to lunch. They will have it on the floor later” he returned as he tossed around the previously mentioned vegetable freshener like it was plastic.

The frown on her face as she left the store was rather pronounced. She went back to work and thought about the lamp and thought about the lamp as she processed all the new books. Finally, at quitting time she sailed into the SA again and looked all around but to no avail, the lamp was not there. As she approached the register she saw the much, much nicer Fairy at the register. She asked the fairy if the lamp had been sold or sent to the back. The nice fairy said, “Oh, are you talking about this lamp here?” The much coveted lamp was still in the box on the counter near the register. YES!!! Alas, it still was not priced. The nice fairy (who apparently had already had her lunch break) called the Mother Ship in the back and got a price for the pretty, shiny lamp.

The lamp is just the right size and has just the right amount of shine to sit proudly on my jewelry table. Finally, the quest is over. A new journey must begin now for the elusive industrial table to go with the lamp.

It's Been a Good Week

I went to an estate sale Saturday I had seen advertised on Craigs List. It was only a couple of miles from my house so I decided to go. I wish I hadn't now. The woman who was running the sale was rude, abrasive, and altogether unpleasant. I will not be going to another of her sales. I put everything I had picked up back except for a globe I didn't have. I started to put that back too but I am a globe addict and I was afraid I wouldn't find another one like it for a while.

When I left her I decided to hit the flea market and got a few goodies.  Some of the other items I picked up at the thrifts during the week.

Great little child's play dresser. I might use it for small jewelry. $2.00

 Pyrex Butterfly Gold -- Casserole -- 1.99 at the Salvation Army & 402 bowl $.55 at the Goodwill. This Goodwill usually has items priced much higher. I have seen Pyrex there as high as $10.01 for a bowl that size. I guess the person marking it didn't know what it was. Butterfly Gold isn't my favorite patterns but I've been finding lots of it in my area lately. I have a 401 that I got from a sale for $1.00 so now I need 403 & 404.

I love this brass shaving mirror. It is extremely heavy and as you can see in the pic it has some issues with the silvering. At $15 it was definitely higher than I like to pay but I loved it.

4 Pyrex Ponderosa mugs. I only need 1 so if you want any of the others let me know. I'd be glad to sell them for what I paid plus the shipping. I wanted just one of them but the dealer refused to seperate them. He told me he thought he had plates so I may go back Saturday and see if he found them. He sets up at the flea market every Saturday. $4 for the mugs still seemed reasonable.

Pyrex Americana divided dish sans lid but I am always on the lookout for them. $2.00 at the Rescue Mission. There is some paint loss at the bottom but otherwise in pretty good condition.

This fabulous silk and tassel lamp shade was $3 at the Rescue Mission and I just had to have it. Originally I bought this for my sister who has been looking for a shade but I may have to keep this for myself.

Great cream colored shelf $1.99 at my favorite spot. This is going to go in the bathroom after I shine it up a bit.

4 piece green enamel canister set. I love the green on this but I'm pretty sure it will be going to ETSY soon.

Supreme Gas Sign Metal and red on the back. $3 from same guy with the mugs.  It is going straight to the oldest boys room. The little metal store sign has an open part on the back.

Other part of sign. Open sign was only $.50. I am not sure what I'm going to do with it but I think the little one already has eyes on it for his bedroom door.

Possibly Dorothy Thorpe. I can't tell. It is probably a reproduction but for $1.51 it will be great with flowers.

I am linking to Thrift Share Monday hosted by Apron Thrift Girl.

Crafting with Charlea

I have one niece and 16 nephews. I know it's a huge family but there are 5 of us. When I visit my sister "The Girl" likes me to play with her. Somtimes we read but usually we craft. I still had my estate sale bounty in my trunk when I went to see them Saturday so we made this doll. Charlea picked the colors and supplies out. I think she turned out cool.

Charlea is a pink girl so everything is pink but her balloon. She is made from an old wooden thread spool with some pink thread still on it, pink streamer, angel head (we had to take her wings off), silk flowers and a pink pom.

She was definitely inspired by some I have seen on the web.

Estate Sale Finds

Last Friday I followed a sign to an estate/garage sale. When I walked through the door the lady running the sale asked me if I collected Christmas or crafted. I was torn but Christmas won out in the end first. I did still manage to find a lot of crafting stuff too but I missed out on some great wood beads (many of them hand painted). A lady and her little girl bought the whole box. The little girl was so cute and she kept telling everyone she was going to make "necklashes". I love to see the next generation at thrifts and sales.

This sale was run by a woman in her 60s who was selling her still living 90 year old mother's stuff. I always like hearing the story of the person behind the items. I must say this lady was my type of woman. Great mini ornaments, metal reflectors, and a boxed bottle brush tree. The jingle bells made my day. Cards and cards of them. I still have bags to go through before I store them  away.

The globes on top were not part of this sale. My mom let me go browsing in her house and I got quite a few things. Including this fabulous Pyrex Daisy divided casserole. My mom has the best eye and she's always looking out for great stuff for me and my sisters.

My niece and I made a girl with some of the crafts that I will post as soon as I can figure out how to upload it from my iPhone. I'll probably have to get the boy (11) to help me.