Over the Pity Hill

I apologize for my horrrible photography skills. I cannot figure out how to turn off the flash and my apartment is basically a "living" tomb when it comes to light. Anyway, I thought I would share a few more of my finds from the past few weeks. I acquired them from various places like thrift shop, flea market or yard sales.

Feeling better now...I am over my pity party.

A granny purse! It has been so long since I found one. The print will go on the wall of bird prints (soon).
Religionalia (to use Kylie's word) I love, lotus rice bowls, a bowl marked USA, and the cute milkglass goblets (6).


I found this near Owensboro, KY. I love it. I hung it up in my apartment kitchen.

Gorgeous teak salad and serving bowls shown here. Now I need to purge a set (I think this one is the third set!) I think this one is the keeper.

I immediately loved the print on these plates. I only found two, plus two saucers. Why o why do thrift stores lose the rest of the set? Are they broken, scattered among the chains, bought?


Vera! Mikasa!


Oh, look! Darrell found Sadie the mule for his little cabin homestead.



Bottom of the bowl I showed yesterday. I love the shape and color.

Last, I broke my "no S & P sets" rule. These seemed pretty unique.

Thrift Share Monday: Spare Thrift

(Cute pillowcase)

So, ever since I started participating in Thrift Share Monday, I realized two things:

1. I don't always have the patience and eyes for good thrifting as other fellow thrifter (I still say the glory days of the late '80's/'90's are gone, but maybe I'm just lazy...or cynical).

and

2. I thrift way too much (something I did not notice until I deliberately started sharing my finds); I sometimes forget what I bought until Monday.

(Cute dish linen)

I do love Mondays, however, both at Apron Thrift Girl and Her Library Adventures and seeing and reading all about the wonderful things folks find out there (which brings me to 3. I need to find time to hit more estate sales!)

(No.more.dresses.)

This week I am bringing in the crap I have been lugging around in my trunk all week. Last Monday, a federal holiday and a glorious extra day off for me, I went to lunch with my mom. We hit one thrift store which I had not been to in ages. Apparently, in my absence, the store has expanded. They now have a "vintage" section with ok prices. I found a few things: embroidered dishtowel and pillowcase, a couple of embroidery kits, and a (barely) vintage flannel dress (80's). The thrift also added a 'silent auction' section in the store. I do not like these (bad for us out-of-towners). I saw the most gorgeous framed first communion certificate dated 1917. I wanted it and was going to bid (I had a figure of $25 in my head for the high bid), but when I looked the bid was over $70 and it still had weeks to go. I had to walk away.

(My favorite find-Purgatory Certificate)

Then, for the rest of the week, I was on a travel assignment for work. My colleague (and friend) hit a GW and an antique mall. I already shared the GW finds, but the purgatory certificate is the sweet find from the antique mall and helped me (almost) forget all about the silent auction certificate (and it was reasonably priced at $6). This one will share wall space with some other religious type certificates I have thrifted over the years (all dated from the early part of the last century). I plan to add my own kids certificates to the collection (oldest child will have first communion this spring) and maybe my kids will add a purgatory one for me one day ;). it always bothers me someone disposed of these important documents. Some are even framed in heavy, ornate frames.

Today, I saw they are building a new Goodwill here in Louisville (Hey, Sena By the Bluegrass, did you notice it yet? It's huge and out by The Gene Snyder & 60!! I wonder when it will be open?), but I ran through another one. I am trying hard to be selective because I will be moving stuff again soon. I found several items of interest, but only purchased a new Fiona Apple CD, a great chocolate brown dress (the cashier said, "Oh, this is definitely your style!"), and a newer scrabble game.

I wanted to go on to another one, but I stopped myself. Time to switch gears and get ready for the big spring/summer move. I am beginning to finally feel excited!

(Sorry about crappy photographs...)

Scratch Line 1

(Bad photo, but almost everything in the photo is Hand-me-down, thrifted, or found.)

So, for my first WIP completion*, I started rearranging our master bedroom after being inspired by her arrangement and New Year goals. A while back I was pining for my sunny California days at the ocean and found myself despising the inland Midwest, craving a bit of salty sea cottage life. On Catalina Island (and I will totally go there when I win that proverbial lottery), I fell in love with the tiny, colorful cottages. One had a glass door with encrusted bits of sea life (e.g. seastars, seaweed, shells). Completely ignoring any sort of personal space of the owners (who weren't there anyway), I stared and stared at the lovely things and even took a photo (and will post when I find the right card). I so wanted to be living in that great cottage.

A few months later (winter 2009-10) I started spotting sea related items in the thrifts. I started to envision a room somewhere in my house that would at least attempt to give me that sunny calm feeling of a seaside cottage. I picked these items up and stored them away. DH painted the bedroom (at my request) a light blue and it made me think of the sea. I found (in my own house) a chenille bedspread in white-and it made me think of the sea. I already had two giant conch shells in the sun room and various sea related tchotchkes scattered about the abode. I gather them all up and made a plan to turn my bedroom into my seaside cottage escape. I could at least pretend, right?

Fast forward, and I do mean fast forward, a year later and I am finally getting around to the design! Actually, this is much better than my usual years (or never) approach. I didn't take a "before" photo (sadly in a way), but I will take after ones and post when I am through (Goal: Get this done before I head back down to KY). First order of business was moving the giant furniture around. I hate the furniture. We bought my MIL's Sleep Number bed this past summer and she "threw-in" the giant, circa 1980's furniture. It is very high quality, solid wood, but ugly, so damn ugly! It is not my style in any shape or form. It is also not the right size for the tiny room we call the 'master'. However, it is functional and has a lot of room for storage, so it stays for now. Eventually, if I keep it, I will repaint it or something. I don't like the finish or the brass handles or...OK, I digress.

I puzzled the dresser and gianormous chest of drawers into a new layout and I think it is a bit more tolerable. The room is one of those narrow rectangles and there really isn't much more I can do. Next, I made the bed. Don't laugh-this a rare event! I put all the white linens I could find (which actually translate as turning a comforter to the white side, placing a white handmade quilt on top and topping it off with the chenille spread). I put one of the sea-related themed pillows on it. I have plans to make some more from graphics found on The Graphics Fairy and I have one more found pillow I plan to alter (another post). Already the room has a salty feel.

(thrifted "angry" sea print)

Now everyone that knows me, knows I am not a "sunny", "cutesy" type. I like the dark, the weird, the mysterious. Yesterday, I went back to a ST. Vinnie's thrift I had visited with my mom on Monday to get an item I thought about in the night (don't tell me you have never had this happen to you!!). After retrieving the vintage wooden ironing board ($1!), I thought I would glance at the mountain of picture frames they offered. Lo and behold, I found the perfect print (not in the best frame, but that is the fun of this project, right?) It is a vintage snapshot of an angry sea ($1) and I love it!

I have a few more projects in progress for the room (and will share these WIPs another post), but I am really happy how it all came together. It is the first time, in my adult life, I have managed a decorating "theme" beyond Christmas.

*One of my 2011 Goals

Linking to Apron Thrift Girl's "Thrift Share Monday"