The Thrift Shop Romantic

Treasure Box Wednesday: Pocketful of Roseville

2012-01-11T05:17:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to you, my virtual thrifting and antiquing buddies! Here's to an exciting year ahead for fun finds and creative collecting.

While I haven't been doing a whole lot of secondhand shopping lately due to holiday visiting and drafting the follow-up novel to my humorous sci-fi book, There Goes the Galaxy, I did have a little adventure this past weekend.

My bud Scoobie and I went an hour or so westward to the Fiesta outlet in West Virginia, to Pottery City in East Liverpool, Ohio and then north, to Columbiana, Ohio. It was at an antique mall at our last stop where I found my newest curiosity, this art nouveau-ish wall pocket marked Roseville...

Now, I'm not entirely convinced this can be real Roseville pottery. Maybe some of you out there might have a better idea about it-- and I'd appreciate anything you could share. I don't own any Roseville collecting books (yet) because it's always been so pricey, I never really had a hope of finding a piece in a price range I'd feel comfortable with.

But the style certainly looks right. And there's a marking on the back, though I know with fakes that doesn't always mean anything...

Even if it is a fake, I only paid... wait for it... $12.50. So if it is a replica piece, it will look just as pretty on the wall in my diningroom, and I won't feel like it was a gigantic loss.

Anyway, I'll be interested to hear what you folks think!

Have you come across any fascinating finds this year? And if so, what's tickled your fancy?

Onward, to more thrifty 2012 treasures!
--Jenn

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, A Super Solstice, and All Good Things

2011-12-23T05:11:00.000-08:00

I wanted to wish you all a happy holiday season, no matter what you may be celebrating right now. And I thought there would be no better way to talk about the joys of this time of year-- like thoughtfulness and friendship-- than to share with you the delightful little illustrated card my friend Tahira "TJ" Lubrano made and sent me from all the way in the Netherlands.

TJ's a whiz with the watercolors. And her illustrations, which appear on everything from cards to buttons to children's clothing (and soon, a childrens' book!) are always happy, whimsical fantasy creations, like these smiling cupcakes that appear on the inside of my card...

You can check out her illustration blog here-- http://tjonillustrations.blogspot.com/

And her Zazzle shop here--- http://www.zazzle.com/tjlubrano

(My favorite of her items is a little baby outfit coated in happy cupcakes-- http://www.zazzle.com/cupcake_baby_long_sleeve_shirt-235541714840302090 )

Anyway, just wanted to take a moment to wish you all a happy, safe and joyous Christmas, and a shiny New Year!

--Jenn

A Little Bit of Humor for Your Thursday

2011-12-15T09:47:00.000-08:00

Hiya, folks! I'm sorry, I haven't been out hitting the thrift stores this week; rather, I've been working on my novel's sequel during my lunch break and then doing Christmas wrapping in the evenings. (I cannot believe I'm just about done. This is super-early for me and the lack of panic I get to enjoy is almost unsettling!)

Anyway, I don't like to leave you good folks empty-handed. And I thought you all would get a kick out of the post today on my humor blog, Of Cabbages and Kings, detailing a rather unexpectedly funny series of phone messages I've been receiving on my answering machine these past weeks from some persistent strangers.

The post is called, "Orange-Ray Junior, Where You At?" Just click here to check it out.

As an aside, how is everyone's December going so far?

Wishing you much health and joy,
Jenn

Treasure Box Wednesday: Gifting Goodies and Goodwill to Men (and Women!)

2011-12-07T05:31:00.001-08:00

The thrift store and a New Jersey antique mall helped me start the gifting season right this year, and I thought I would share a few of those items with you today.

It all began with this Gone With the Wind plate I found at a Pittsburgh Goodwill a few weeks ago. It's for this nice lady I know who adores the film and has been collecting Gone with the Wind items like dolls and figurines. I thought the plate would be perfect.

Little did I expect that when I went antiquing over Thanksgiving back home in New Jersey with my friend Josette that we would stumble upon this second Gone With the Wind plate featuring Scarlett O'Hara in her green drapery dress. (Apologies to Mr. Gable for that light reflection on his face. We're not as advanced an operation here at The Thrift Shop Romantic as 1930s Hollywood was, I'm afraid. :)

Then, would you believe it, when we popped into yet another antique mall, Josette happened to spy this plate featuring Gone With the Wind's Melanie. They're all from the same series.

So it looks like the Belles will be ringing out this holiday season. Southern Belles, that is.

Lastly, another family friend is passionate about woodworking, and the one thing he jokes about receiving every Christmas is, "No tools?" He loves older tools with character-- wooden handles and made by manufacturers like Yankee or Craftsman/Sears. Well, he is going to be one happy man with these two beauties I picked up at the same mall I got one of the plates!...

He may just cuddle the drill all holiday long and tuck it beside his pillow like a Red Ryder BB Gun. You never know.

So that's the Treasure Box for this week. Do any of you choose resale items for your gift giving? I'd love to hear about it.

Treasure Box Wednesday: Tumblers, Tupperware and Terrific Tablelamps

2011-11-30T05:18:00.001-08:00

Hello, my dear friends! I know it's been a long time, and I'm sorry that I've been out of touch. I haven't forgotten about you all. And to make my neglect up to you, I have a very photo-filled Treasure Box Wednesday post to share, overflowing with vintage goodness.

Many of these more recent treasures came from the Pottery City antique mall in East Liverpool, Ohio.

I think we'll start with these cheerful Fiestaware tumblers I found, brandishing the familiar art deco ridges that Fiesta is known for. I had found some short glasses a year or so back that were very similar to these, but I didn't know they'd made these taller glasses. Perfect for any sort of icy beverage! And they look so cute with my vintage polka dotted glasses.

Then there were these pair of hand-painted and signed rose lamps...

They may look a bit familiar to regular readers. I had, in fact, one of these already which I had bought from the Red White and Blue thrift store when there was a store across the street from Kennywood Amusement Park. (Yes, that's how long ago it was!) I had seen it across a crowded room, seized it immediately, and for the past ten years or so, it has been the lamp to which all other vintage lamps in my life have aspired. I had always hoped to find a second one to put on the other side of the Victorian fainting sofa in my dining room. So recently I got my chance...

But as you may know, in my house, it is a case of No Good Lamp Left Behind. So the one that had originally been in the diningroom, which has a slightly different base and a different sort of shade, is now living happily and dramatically on top of the wardrobe closet in my bedroom. It goes really well with the little rose painting I have up there.

Other favorite goodies of recent weeks include these wonderful little pink lidded Tupperware spice containers. They've been ideal for storing bagged spices and chicken seasoning I bought in bulk in Western Pennsylvania's Amish area...

And at the Goodwill thrift store in North Versailles, I got these very useful red and pink Tupperware storage canisters. I can use them for cat food, coffee, breadcrumbs and brown sugar. I've never seen them in red before; usually the ones I come across are in 70s harvest colors, so this was pretty exciting for me.

So that's this week's Treasure Box Wednesday. Next week I will share with you some vintage items I picked up for Christmas presents. Whee!

I hope Turkey Day was kind to you all, and that you have a great week.

Treasure Box Wednesday: May the Thrift Be With You

2011-11-02T09:25:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the e-silence last week. I had a record number of blog posts I had to write for a client for my day job (30, if you can believe that!) and my brain was too broken by Friday to even consider sitting down and speaking coherently to you good people.

But it wasn't because I didn't have any secondhand goodies to share with you. In fact, you'll probably get a chuckle from one purchase because, as wholly impractical as it is, it made me very happy-- a set of four Star Wars dolls from the 70s, which were exactly like the ones I used to play with at a friend's house when I was but a wee lass...

Inside this copy paper box lid was wrapped Luke, Leia, Chewbacca and Darth Vader. (My friend had everyone but Vader.) Leia still has her belt and her shoes; Luke still has his belt, weaponry and boots; Vader is, well, Vader.

It was at the L&L Fleatique in Adamsburg, and I stood there in the booth holding the box when one of the employees came by. "Do you want me to put that up at the front for you?" (They have shelves up there so you don't have to carry stuff around.)

"Um, no, I'm not sure if I want it yet." Meanwhile, I was probably hugging it a little, a flood of happy childhood memories crashing over me.

"Well, you can think about it and decide at the counter."

"No, I'm still deciding." (hug, hug, hug-- I realized she was going to have to pry it from my hands if she wanted to get it up to that counter.)

So I pretty much knew then it had to come home with me. Leia still needs her hair wrapped back into buns and Luke's shirt could use a good soaking. But they're in incredibly good shape. Better shape than I am after almost the same amount of time. :)

I'm going to give it to myself for my birthday in December. Remember, they are not dolls, they are "collectibles." :)

On my travels that weekend, I also found this cute Wizard of Oz juice glass...

It looks like it's an illustration from the book version of the story, given one of the scenes shows Dorothy putting on the green glasses that make her see the Emerald City in the right light.

And last, I bought two cute little vintage custard type cups which were exactly like the ones my mother used to use to bake popovers.

Same colors, same style, I got these from an antique shop in Bellevue.

And so that rolls the credits on this thrifting saga!

Oh, and while I remember-- for anyone who was interested in a paperback copy of my novel, There Goes the Galaxy, Amazon seems to have it on sale this week. You can check that out here: http://www.amazon.com/There-Goes-Galaxy-Jenn-Thorson/dp/0983804508/ Happily, it seems to be getting some good reviews.

Have a great week folks, and may the thrift be with you!

Treasure Box Wednesday: A Kindness to Treasure

2011-10-19T05:27:00.000-07:00

So, I haven't really been hitting the thrift stores lately; time has been at a premium, and I just haven't needed anything. This weekend I am, however, headed down Route 30 for an antiquing/thrifting adventure with some friends, which should present the perfect opportunity to share new goodies with you all for next week's post. But today's post is about a treasure of a different kind I thought you all would appreciate.

Last week I was at the grocery store and there was an elderly lady in front of me with a number of bags of groceries. Initially, I wasn't paying it much mind, but soon it became clear there was something wrong with the debit card she was using, which I later learned was for foodstamps.

She swiped it a few times, then the cashier came to help her, and it was sounding like there was some sort of error with the account.

Well, the guy behind me in line realized the truth of the matter before I did. Apparently, because of the Columbus Day holiday, her new foodstamps money didn't make it into the account when it usually was there. And she was short about $30.

But this man, this complete stranger, diagnosed the issue in seconds and was there at her side like Superman swooping in to pay for the rest of this elderly lady's groceries.

She was astonished, hugging and smooching him up. I got all misty but I managed to tell the man what a lovely thing he'd done for her. He brushed it all off politely.

It got me thinking how one kind act like that appears like a shining ray of hope that everything isn't all anger and a lack of consideration for one's fellow man... or somebody's grandma.

Oh-- and one more thing before we go for today: I thought some of you reading fans out there might enjoy this interview that Karen Wodke, a Yahoo correspondent, had done with me regarding the recent launch of my novel, There Goes the Galaxy. We talk about inspiring writers, family support, the love of reading and more. It was a really fun experience! Click here to check that out.

Treasure Box Wednesday: Heavy Metals and Cool Containers

2011-10-05T06:34:00.000-07:00

Admittedly I've been a busy bee lately, but I haven't let it keep me from my appointed thrifty rounds. But before we get into the treasures for this week, I wanted to thank everyone who participated in my There Goes the Galaxy book giveaway last week.

Folks can see the winners here: http://www.cabbagesnkings.net/2011/09/cabbages-there-goes-galaxy-book.html

And if you're still interested in getting your hands on a copy of the book in either paperback or ebook version, you can do that here: http://www.amazon.com/There-Goes-Galaxy-Jenn-Thorson/dp/0983804508

Okay-- that done, on to the thrifty fun! My first purchase of the week was this excellent little vintage Pyrex refrigerator container in blue... for one whopping buck.

But my second and favorite find of the week was actually spotted by my shopping buddy Scoobie, who recognized these early 1900s cast iron curtain tie backs....

...And recognized them as similar to these terrific curtain rods from the same era she had gotten me...

Now, I haven't put them up yet because I still need a bracket to fix them to above my pocket doors. But I had a little brainstorm the other day I think I might try; I'm wondering if they might work, if I slipped the end peg into one or two large eye screws? What do you folks think? (You can see the end of one of them on the far left hand side of the photo.)

I haven't been able to find vintage hardware that would work with them. But I am open to ideas. They're lovely and will really work perfectly in my red and green arts-and-crafts influenced livingroom.

Anyway, that's this week's Treasure Box coming to a close. Hope this week is treating you well so far!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Lucky and Unlucky Breaks

2011-09-21T05:16:00.001-07:00

I have some pastel pretties to share with you this week, but first, I wanted to mention I'm doing a giveaway on my humor blog, Of Cabbages and Kings, where participants have a chance to receive one of two free copies of my new humorous space fantasy novel, There Goes the Galaxy. I know that kind of reading isn't everybody's bag here, but I also know it is for a few of my readers. Plus, it's free. We all like free. It doesn't get more thrifty than free. So I figured I'd mention it. You can check out the There Goes the Galaxy giveaway fun by clicking here.

Okay, that said, back to the order of business! I wanted to show you photos of the little mantle decor I've been working on. The newest acquisitions here are the two green and pink vintage lamps, which I got at the Salvation Army Superstore a few weeks ago...

They needed rewiring and shades, and oddly I found a pair of perfect shades at TJ Maxx the day after I bought them. They match my mint-green Victorian fire tiles perfectly.

The second item that's new is the blue Hull vase in the center of the display. I got this at an antique mall not far from the Greater Pittsburgh Renaissance Faire. The Hull vases on the ends, if you remember back, were also from the Salvation Army Superstore.
Above, you can see the blue Hull tulip vase just a bit better.

And lastly, when trying to rewire a different old lamp I had an experience I've never had before in all the lamps I've redone...
THAT is the metal base which was apparently totally cracked and missing much of itself, and it was replaced at one time by some cork panels. As I was working with it, it simply began to crumble apart. I know spelter is a soft metal, but WOW. Sooooo, I will be searching for a boring vintage lamp with a similar base I can take apart and put on the vase of this one.

This lamp vase is gorgeous-- pale green with handpainted roses, so it's entirely worth the effort. I just figured you all would find it interesting to see when these projects take unexpected turns.

And at THIS turn, we must end this week's Treasure Box post. Wishing you happy days as we make our journey quickly into October.

Treasure Box Wednesday: Lustrous Lovelies

2011-09-07T04:57:00.000-07:00

While there hasn't been a ton of time available for thrifting lately, I did hit upon some little treasures in the past couple of weeks. One of my favorites is this figurine from Franklin Porcelain called Sophia, which I found at the Red, White and Blue in Bellevue.

You can see a close up on this dramatic lady here:
I love the matte finish, and the soft colors that work so well with my lusterware rose-printed china. For those curious, this is the mark on the bottom...
At the Goodwill Outlet on Route 30, I got a couple of pieces of lusterware, too. Like this little souvenir plate showing Niagara Square in Buffalo, NY...
It seems to have been a giveaway piece from a store there, sort of a promo item.

And lastly, I fund this nice luster Japanese teacup in orange and purple...
There was an extra saucer that came with it.

So that pours the last drop of this particular Treasure Box Wednesday. I'll be spending the rest of this week prepping the last few things for my novel's release. If you're interested in knowing more about that, you can check out my website here: http://www.theregoesthegalaxy.com

It should be available next week-- woo-hoo!

Novel News and Facebookly Fun

2011-08-31T09:59:00.000-07:00

Having had the pleasure of "chatting" with you folks for almost five years now, come September, I know you are not only a creative bunch, but you have a sense of humor. So while I know this won't be everyone's cup of tea here-- and yes, I will get to the teacups and other thrifty goodies for you good folks later in the week-- I did want to mention my humorous space fantasy novel There Goes the Galaxy will be out soon, and it now has a Facebook page you can "like" to find out more.

The Facebook page is here: http://www.facebook.com/ThereGoestheGalaxy

I'll be getting the proof of the book in my hot little hands this week, which means if everything looks good, the print version of the book will be out in the next week or two. YAY!!

The book will come in a Kindle version, too; though I'm learning that my storytelling abilities are far stronger than my technical ones. So that conversion is still in-process.

Anyway, just wanted to loop you folks in. I've wanted to write books every since I was 11 years old and had read every Nancy Drew I could get my hands on. So this represents a huge thrill for me-- almost as exciting as a thrifted lamp. :)

Wishing you all a lovely first week o' September,

Jenn

Lamp Lunacy and Porcelain Prettiness

2011-08-24T05:20:00.000-07:00

Lamps: they are my mostest favorite thing to thrift. Favorite in kind of an obsessive, too-excited way, in fact.

An interesting vintage lamp gives me a thrill that other folks get over, oh, a new love, winning the lottery, or chocolate cake. (Though I wouldn't turn down any of those things, either.)

As a result, I have a lot of them in each room. And this is okay, given my house is an otherwise pretty dark little Victorian.

Lamps offer that warm glow that also warms my heart.

So when I saw this baby at the L&L Fleatique over the weekend, I could not leave it there.

It's not actually stained glass, but some sort of frosted plastic material made to look like glass. I imagine, based on the materials, that it was probably made in the 60s or 70s, when they started really incorporating plastics into lamps.

I thought the whole thing was sort of gaudily beautiful, which is often my quirky criteria for a good lamp. And the colors are just so inspiring to me when lit. It's now residing in my livingroom.

At the Salvation Army thrift store earlier in the week, I nabbed this glass, pink vintage ceiling light shade...

I plan to use it on my third floor office, where currently there is a white, plastic, very sterile Atomic Age shade which just doesn't work with the rest of the house. It should be a fairly simple swap, and at just $4.99 the price was right.

At only $5, was this frosted glass, depression era boudoir lamp of a lady in a belle skirt...

I'm not sure why it was marked to just $5, when it had been listed at $35, but everything in that area of the Fleatique was, so I couldn't pass the deal up. Again, because of lampaholism.

At the Good Samaritan thrift store, I got these two painted plates from Germany (I plan to hang them on the wall)...

And these Moonstone pattern cups. At $0.69 a piece, it was a very good deal.

Oh, and last, I got this nice little dresser jar from Germany the same day I got the pink lampshade. I think it would be handy for storing cotton balls, Q-tips or something like that.

So that's the thrifty goodness for this week. Quite a lot, really, at one time-- funny how that happens!!

Let's hope none of you are too "shook up" from yesterday's earthquake. I was standing at work, talking to someone and didn't feel it at all, while all my colleagues seated at their desks were really feeling it rock-n-roll.

The Porpoise of Learning How to Work the Video on Your Phone

2011-08-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

Just thought you all might all get a kick of the video of the dolphins who followed my boat last week... Gosh, up here in Pittsburgh, the only thing that usually follows my vehicle is a tailgater who's waiting to zip into the fast lane. This is such a pleasant change!

And yes, I apparently DO "ooh" and "ahh" like I'm watching a Fourth of July fireworks display when confronted with unbridled Nature. Feel free to play the New Age music of your choice as accompaniment. :)

Morning Skies and Flying Fish, er, Mammals

2011-08-08T07:08:00.001-07:00

Just a few photos from my recent non-vacation trip to Florida I thought you would enjoy. That's the wonderful thing about nature-- the beauty of the landscape can make it look like vacation, even when it isn't.
This was taken at about 8:30am, the morning sun and cloud turning the palm trees to silhouette...
Sun behind some clouds made for a dramatic view...
There's much more sky down there than there is up north, I'm just sure of it. :)
Some dolphins followed the boat I was on, for unexpected, impressive company...
There were about six or eight, including a baby, at one point. I could hardly believe my eyes, having never seen a wild dolphin down there.
Leaping, spinning, they must celebrate the joy of the morning, every morning. For me, I need a cup of coffee before I attempt that sort of thing. But they smiled their way through their morning exercise regimen.

Clearly, you can learn a lot from a dolphin. :)

Hope you're able to jump into the week smoothly yourselves, folks!

Roses, Pinks and Prying Paws

2011-08-02T05:27:00.000-07:00

This past week was an unexpectedly productive thrifting week, and I wasn't even trying. Needing a break at work one day, I happened to the Salvation Army thrift store at lunch and came upon my favorite items of the week-- some lady's hand-painted and transferware plate collection.

As you can see above, I chose three which never left their original plate hangers and got hung on my own wall in record time.

Here's a close up of one of my favorites. I love the soft gradated background...

This one reminds me of a plate I have displayed in my china cabinet. The greens and pinks are perfect for my diningroom...

And lastly, this little gold rimmed number appears to have some hand-painted details...

There must have been about 20 different plates there of various styles-- some in jewel tones, some in less dynamic rose prints. I've been wondering whether these two chocolate/coffee cups might not have been from the same home...

And last, I found a giant pink-lidded Tupperware storage container to help keep prying paws out of the kibble. (You can see one perpetrator there.) Earlier in the week I had MELTED most of my pink Tupperware in an accident so dumb, I had to write a humor piece about it. You can share in my horror by clicking here.

And that's it from me for now! Take care, friends, and I hope you have a great rest of your week.

Treasure Box Wednesday: Hull Haul

2011-07-27T05:07:00.000-07:00

There wasn't a ton of time for thrifting this past week, but I was able to grab a happy thrifty moment prior to a hair appointment on Saturday, where logistics sent me straight into the Salvation Army Superstore out by Century III Mall in West Mifflin.

It was there, just as I was leaving, I happened to spy two pink-and-blue beauties I recognized immediately: a pair of matching Hull Pottery 8 1/2 inch Magnolia pattern vases.

Now, Hull can get incredibly expensive, and while I like many of the pieces, I simply can't justify buying them... unless they show up at a thrift store with shining beams of light on them. I had found a few unusually inexpensive Hull vases at thrift stores and antique malls-- only by sheer luck in the past. And it was sheer luck once again that found me with this lovely haul of Hull. You can see my Hull pieces here (though I think one pink piece is hiding behind the second new vase).

Anyway, one vase is absolutely perfect, no chips, cracks or anything. The other one does have a chip at the top, but I couldn't leave it there when it's companion was going to be a guest at my house.

Amusingly, when I was at the register paying for it, the cashier commented she'd figured no one would ever want to buy those vases.

I guess they are entirely too pastel and frou-frou for many of today's modern tastes. But I personally love the soft matte finish to them, and the gentle spring colors.

Ah, there's something for everyone at the thrift store! You just have to take the time to treasure hunt.

Hope you all are finding yourselves more comfortable this week after our steamy summer so far.

Snickers and Surprises

2011-07-15T05:21:00.001-07:00

Before we get talking about my most recent thrifty find, I wanted to direct your attention to a post my fellow cat-lover readers might enjoy... a little tale (or tail?) on my humor blog Of Cabbages and Kings called, um, "UnderWHERE?!" You can access that here if you need a little Friday chuckle.

Okay, now on to business! I've largely just been either prepping my humorous space fantasy for printing, or have been writing on the second book in the series. Admittedly, the tasks mean I'm spending less money, but it also means I spend most of the weekend with my laptop.

However, I did enjoy a trip to Jeannette, PA recently, and at Junk for Joy, I picked up this nifty little Atkinson Fox art deco print, featuring one of his "Enchanted Girls."

The frame was a bit dusty, so I'd removed the print only to tidy it up a bit. And I thought it was interesting what the backing was... An old cigar ad!
Judging by the style of the lettering, and the pricing of the box of 10 cigars, I'd say the ad was pretty close to the same age as the print.

As I always say, when searching for secondhand treasure, you just really never do know what you're going to find.

I hope you all find yourselves having a terrific weekend!

Delightful, De-wallpapered and Decorated

2011-07-06T07:00:00.001-07:00

I mentioned a couple of weeks back that I would be lending a hand to my friend Scoobie to remove wallpaper from her livingroom and diningroom. Regular readers may remember that Scoobie's the one who is writing a Western and loves the look of the Arts and Crafts period mixed with Western kistch.

Well, the wallpaper she had (and still has in the diningroom) was a bit twee for her tastes-- ovals of peach flowers with aqua stems. All very late 80s, early 90s...
You can see in this rather blurry (sorry!) photo what the room looked like before we started work on removing the paper...
And here, the wallpaper is going buh-bye...It didn't just peel off, but with a little soapy water, it was a lot easier to scrape away.
She and I spent two days of a weekend working on it, and then Scoobie finished it up herself in evenings during the week. Then it got painted a soft, robin's egg blue, which really makes her brown accessories pop!

The color was actually chosen to match the sky in the painting she already had over the mantle. She's already settled a lot of her thrifted and antique malled goodies into place there...

An arts and crafts cabinet helps hold other beloved treasures, while her resident cowboy and horse (courtesy of TJ Maxx) wait for their next round-up.

The arts and crafts lamps look just right against the inviting blue walls...
And she's found a place for some of those kitschy Western themed bourbon bottles she's found at flea markets and thrift stores over the years...
Thanks to Scoobie for letting me share photos of her home with you today! I guess her dining room will be the next decorative undertaking-- helping to liberate it from a garden of different large peach flowers, and peach draperies.

Take care, folks. Until next post!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Juicy Finds and Nifty Info

2011-06-29T05:07:00.001-07:00

Greetings Fellow Thrift-a-holics! And welcome to today's Treasure Box Wednesday post. I was excited to get this one rolling for you all today because of one particular item I never imagined finding at a thrift store-- a Juicy Couture embroidered bag!

I mean, really: while I love some of the vintage inspiration and velvety fabrics on Juicy Couture handbags, I find the prices for them-- even at places like TJ Maxx and Marshalls-- end up out of my price range.

But a walk-through of the Red, White and Blue thrift store on Saturday ended up paying off big for me. Not only was the bag there, but it was a blue tag-- meaning it was half-off.
I loved that the purse was a nice usable chocolate brown. And the little shabby bow and dangling charms and crest on it, I thought were particularly cute.

I love, too, that my purchase money went to charity. A definite win-win!

I also found there these pink goblets...
It's a little hard to see the pattern, but it looked to me very much like some I'd seen on Depression glass. So I went home, checked my handy-dandy Depression Glass book and...
It IS and it ISN'T Depression glass! The pattern is called "Madrid" or "Recollection" and it's made by Indiana Glass. But the shape glass is actually completely modern, and was issued in the 70s.

Now me, I don't really mind it not being from the Depression. But it's certainly interesting information to have.

The last thing I found was this little cuckoo clock planter in turquoise. It isn't marked, but it looked like McCoy to me...
Well, I STILL don't know if it's McCoy. But in the McCoy book, there was this very similar cuckoo clock wall pocket planter...
Mine does have two holes at the bottom where possibly a chain and weights might have hung. But honestly, given my young cat Harry has been testing the physics of ledge shelves in the last day or so-- to see if an 8 pound cat can fit on a four-inch wide wall shelf with knicknacks (The rather disastrous answer here is: Um, NO.) it's probably just as well the planter has no dangly bits to tempt curious paws and jumping legs.

So, that's it for the Treasure Box today! Next post I should be able to give you an update on my friend Scoobie's livingroom transformation.

Take care! (And don't jump on any wall shelves.)

Treasure Box Wednesday: Mixed Bag o' Goodness

2011-06-22T04:47:00.000-07:00

Been a busy couple of weeks, between finalizing the stuff that needs to get done before I can publish my novel, and helping my buddy Scoobie remove some very stubborn wallpaper from her livingroom (more on that in a future post-- the difference so far is AMAZING!). Anyway, I did manage to collect a small amount of secondhand goodies to share with you.

My favorite of which was this little green art nouveau-ish vase I found at the Goodwill in Irwin for $0.99...

I have no idea how old it is-- if it's actually from the early 1900s, if it's from the 60s or 70s, or if it's modern. But I thought the style went well with the rest of my stuff. It reminds me of tiles I've seen from around 1900.

I also snagged this hobnail jadite vase at that Goodwill for, as you can see $8...

I actually have one like this already, but in the past I've wanted to put one on my dining table and one on my mantle, so now I have a matched set.

Lastly, I uncovered this cute lusterware tea set from a local garage sale...

The owner said it was originally her mother's and it was handmade. It's got a mark from the late 60s, early 70s (I apologize, I don't recall exactly).

So that's the treasures for this week. Next week I should be able to share with you the transformation of my friend Scoobie's livingroom, from stifled with date wallpaper, to liberated and given its dignity back.

Take care and happy junkin'!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Kaboodles of Victorian Kittens

2011-06-08T05:07:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the e-silence lately, folks. Having decided to independently publish my novel, I've been working hard to get it into the right format, edit it up so it's typo-free and send it on its way to be a Real Book. :) That's temporarily left me with little time for thrifting and blogging.

However, over Memorial Weekend, as my buddy Josette came to visit, we did get to some antique malls out in Ohio, and in Columbiana, OH, I did finally commit to purchasing this charming Victorian print of kittens in chaos...

Having just gotten my furry friend Alice through Kittendom, and little Harry one month away from being a grown cat, I can really identify with the mayhem these fluffy felines in the print are causing on some lady's vanity table.

I'd had my eye on this print for a while-- actually, before I ever adopted my own fuzzy wonders. But the time was right, the print was on sale, and I figured almost immediately where I would hang it. I replaced a thrifted vintage mirror with the print, right in my aqua entryway.

Oddly, it looks like it's been hanging there all along...
So, that's the Treasure Box for this week. Posting might be spotty in the next seven days or so due to wrapping up the novel, but after that, I should be back to normal here on The Thrift Shop Romantic. Thanks for sticking around! With the impending re-do of my third floor office/attic space, I promise, there will be many goodies to come.

A Very Merry Unbirthday to YOU!: the Lewis Carroll Party

2011-05-26T05:36:00.000-07:00

Happy Unbirthday!!!

What-- you didn't know it was your Unbirthday? Well, it comes around so quickly, I can see where you might be surprised to find it here so soon. It's my Unbirthday, too! And his... and hers...

So the preparations are made and the flamingos are just waiting for the post-tea game of croquet-- have a seat! Pour yourself a spot of something nice from this bottle marked "Drink Me."

Okay, okay... you found me out. This is all actually just a bit of silliness for my friend Josette who comes to visit each year. This past year has been very rough for her personally-- and with Dad passing, mine hasn't exactly been the Queen's rose garden, either-- and I figured we both needed an extra dose of levity for this upcoming long weekend of antiquing and catching up.

So I thought I'd put all my Fiestaware and Alice in Wonderland-inspired decor to use for a whimsical theme that might make my friend laugh a little...

She already knows I'm quite mad, so that part won't be a surprise.

The Unbirthday lettering came from the dollar store, as did the red and white rose garland. I thought the giant Fiestaware cocoa cup versus the normal-sized teacup gave a nice Wonderland effect. The Mad Hatter-like "hat" lampshades were the Tuesday Morning finds that started me off-and-running with this idea.

The checkerboard mantle "runner" and the placemats are actually laminate floor tiles I glued together; they came from the dollar store, too.

I think there's just something about the quirky art deco lines of Fiestaware that sets the right tone... The little heart-shaped ice cream bowls came from Tuesday Morning; they're not Fiesta.

I'm in the process of making little theme cakes that are covered in fondant, but I'm not sure if they'll turn out. I've never worked with fondant before, so if they aren't too scary to look at, I'll share those with you folks later.

Wish me luck!

While I remember, a Little Short Fiction For You

2011-05-23T05:44:00.000-07:00

While I know, sci-fi/fantasy isn't necessarily everyone's cup of tea, I thought some of you good folks might enjoy a little space adventure short story I published recently on my humor blog.

The tale uses two characters from the humorous space fantasy novel I'm currently working to get published.

Anyway, if you have a minute and are looking for a chuckle, you can check the short story out by clicking here... It's called "The Hyphiz Deltan Job."

I'll be back to decorative and thrifty goodies later in the week. I'm working on a surprise for my friend Josette who will be visiting over Memorial Day. Woo-hoo!!

--Jenn

Thrifting Using the Buddy System

2011-05-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

Recent resale adventures proved that, while garage saling and thrifting with a buddy is always more enjoyable, if you have a savvy friend, it can also be more effective for finding the stuff you're looking for.

At the recent annual Regent Square neighborhood yard sale, two sets of eyes were definitely better than one, for both myself and my friend Scoobie!

Oh, I did okay on my own to begin with; it wasn't long into our yard saling journey, for instance, that I spied-- and subsequently nabbed-- this table with fun legs...

No, really... Table with "fun legs"...

But later on that block, my eyes were not quite so keen as to spy this nifty Alice in Wonderland tea towel...
"Um, don't you want that?" asked Scoobie, knowing well my Alice-themed kitchen. Also, the tea towel was $0.50!

I had my money out so fast! The towel seems to be a souvenir from "Alice's Shop" at Oxford University.

Scoobie was also indispensable when we encountered these pink Fiestaware sandwich plates...

I was distracted by other goodies, while these were apparently right under my nose.

Like the tea towel, they were in my hands quickly, because the price turned out to be seven for $5!

Now I came across a few of these other goodies on my own, such as this cute bag of four pewter Mad Hatter chess pieces...

(There were no other pieces to the set, just these. They remind me of those Easter Island heads all lined up like this.)

A pair of suncatchers were just $0.50 a piece...
And the Mifflin Church Rummage sale rustled up two pretty vintage tablecloths in grey, purple and green.But I think my favorite part of our day-- other than getting to sit down after walking about 20 miles o'er hill and dale-- was that I got a chance to return the favor to Scoobie for her keen goodie-spotting.

I knew from previous shopping endeavors that she'd wanted one of those pottery Christmas trees that plug in and are covered with little bulb ornaments. Her great-grandmother had had one and they are a fond memory to her.

Well, on about our last leg of the journey (and literally, our own last legs), I saw one sitting on a table on an elevated yard. "Didn't you want a tree?"

Turns out, the tree and all of its ornaments was just $3. The price was right, and good shopping karma was with her.

So lesson learned. Take friends with you. Make a day of it. And don't forget to let them know what you're looking for. Because you never know-- four eyeballs may prove far better than two.

____________________

One last order of business today, speaking of buddies...

My friend Claire has opened up her own business of drawing cheerful customized "doodle" artwork for special occasions, gifts, etc.

I thought you all might enjoy checking out her site-- The Doodologist.

Have a great weekend!

Huzzahs for the Thrift King Thrift Store

2011-05-04T07:11:00.000-07:00

(Insert trumpet fanfare here: Da-da-DAAAAAA!) Here ye, here ye, Pittsburgh area thrift fans! There is a new thrift store in town, right off Route 30, at 100 Lowry Street in Jeannette... And it is called: The Thrift King!

I popped in there last Sunday, tempted by the sheer size of the store, and I was not disappointed. While I may not have purchased anything this particular run, what I did find was selection and great presentation.

First of all, picture aisles you could actually move down while someone passed you with a cart. This is unheard of in the world of thrift stores in my area. I've grown accustomed to being run over by enthused shoppers overcome by the tunnel vision which can accompany serious thrifting.

The clothes, too, seemed to be in great condition, and the shoes were seriously tempting-- lots of newer styles still appropriate for today.

The furniture section was serious-- it's own room and filled with options. There are shelves of housewares, books at the back, and more collectible stuff and jewelry in cases up front.

All in all, a really bright clean store. So I will definitely be hitting this again on my Route 30 travels.

Their hours are Monday through Saturday 9am to 7:30pm and Sunday 11am to 5:30pm.

Their address is 100 Lowry Avenue, Hempfield Township, PA 15644 and their phone is 724-374-5011. You can check out their web site at www.thethriftking.com

NOW for one other order of business today...

Here's your chance to help out a fellow Thrift Shop Romantic reader...

Does anyone here know a reliable person or business who paints furniture using an industrial spray painter in the general Pittsburgh area you'd be willing to recommend? Someone has a dining set that needs a smoothly painted facelift, and I didn't have any recommendations for her myself.

You can either leave a comment here, or email me directly at thriftshopromantic[at]mac.com

Thanks in advance! And Thrift Happy!