More Ironstone Dishes!

I couldn't believe my good fortune when I came across this set of Ironstone dishes at the thrift shop today - all these pieces for less than $20.00!  (I'm wondering if the pricing volunteer was wet under the ears, but I didn't say anything!)

Love this sugar bowl...

... and the dainty design.

There were plenty of extra saucers (a steal at 10 cents each!!), but I'm thinking they'll be perfect to hold trinkets, jewelry, sewing notions, you name it.

:)  :)  :)

Today's Thrift Shop Haul!

Everything was 50% off today at my local thrift shop, so this is what $4.37 will buy you!!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the design on this platter!!!  

I'll have to do some research on how to get rid of the stains.

I didn't need a heart-shaped cookie cutter, but it begged me to give it a good home, especially since today is Valentine's Day!  :)

This is too lovely for words....

I've been collecting these woven potholders, especially after making some of my own.  They give me warm fuzzies, way more than 10 cents worth!!

Isn't this a great potholder?!

It contains a fabulous collection of vintage fabrics,

not to mention the back!

Love this tin....

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Today's Thrift Shop Find

I bought this little vintage comforter at the thrift shop today for a mere $3.50!!  I love it!  It's so nicely done - the seamstress did a lovely job of selecting colors and creating a design out of the scrappy patches.

I love everything about it...

... the sheet she used for the backing,

the funky selection of fabrics...

... in blue, black and red, 

and the variegated yarn she used for tying.

What a fun quilt!

Happy quilter, happy day!

Today's Thrift Shop Goodies

I can never resist vintage linens, especially from the thrift shop - never!  Is this dear or what???!!!  Love it!!

Or, these adorable yo-yo armchair protectors!

(Kristyne, you're not the only crazy woman out there stitching oodles of solid-colored yo yo's!)

Or, some cornflower blue buttons!

Don't they look like they were meant to be together!

:)

Today's Thrift Shop Purchase

 

 

I don't know why I'm such a sucker for these vintage sewing/needlework supplies.  I don't even know how to tat!  I have no use for these little balls of tatting thread....  I don't need any more "stuff"!  But, these were so pretty....  So reminiscent of an era gone by.  I always wonder about the woman such supplies belonged to.  What were her hopes and dreams?  What suffering and heartbreak did she endure?  And what wounds did her needlework soothe for her?   I also wonder if was she sad that at the end of her needlework days, no family member was interested in her hanging on to her tatting supplies....

 

Maybe I feel the need to rescue such things because I don't want the same thing to happen to me?

 

Anyway, in the meantime, these pretty balls of thread look lovely congregating together in glass jars, and they always bring cheer to my heart when I glance at them in my quilt room.  That's certainly worth $1.00, wouldn't you agree?

 

:)

Cleaning Vintage Aluminum Ware

 

 

I decided to take advantage of today's snowy weather to stay in and tackle "pressure washing" my growing collection of vintage aluminum ware.  An antique dealer somewhere along the way had tipped me off on the trick of washing them in the dishwasher (as long as you don't use dish detergent!!).

 

I washed them on the high heat and heavy duty setting I normally use, but I'm wondering if I should have used a lower heat setting, as I think they darkened a bit....

 

But, they're still perfect for storing and organizing sewing notions and fabrics,

 

exactly what I had envisioned for them all along.

:)

Today's Thrift Shop Purchase

 

Couldn't resist adding another piece of vintage aluminum ware to my collection,

 

especially when it only meant parking with a mere $2.50 out of my wallet!

Antiquing Fun

 

I had the great fun of antiquing with my friend Denise at the Antique Marketplace of Lemoyne today.  It's the craziest thing - I have often stopped in at the PA Fabric Outlet (entrance under the green awning in the background), but had never ventured a few yards down the street into the antique mall - how sad is that?!  It took Denise's suggestion for me to actually make it there today. 

 

It's a great place - lots and lots of vendors...

 

...in the old West Shore Bakery Building.

 



Lots of eye candy...

 

 

It was fun to see these Ironstone dishes that I had already picked up at the thrift shop a while back for a MUCH cheaper price.  :)

 

 

Love the idea of displaying this cotton crochet thread in a glass canister....   I have a whole box of thread that belonged to my Great Aunt Mary that I didn't know what to do with; it's been sitting in a cardboard box in my attic, waiting to be rescued!

 

It was hard to walk away from this dear vintage dressing table (in fact, I just may have to go back for it....). It would make a perfect little sewing table for my Featherweight sewing machine....

 

 

I love the whole industrial chic look.  This $495 cart would make a fabulous coffee table, but not at that price point!

 

However, this adorable fan did fit the pocketbook - love it!!

 

 

My friend Denise scored this vintage tablecloth in perfect condition for only $12 - quite a steal as these are quite collectible and getting harder and harder to find.

 

I'll post pictures of the vintage quilts and fabric finds later!



Homer Laughlin Love

 I bought this lovely set of Homer Laughlin "Virginia Rose" dishes at the thrift shop this evening.

 

Can't you imagine a family sitting down to Roast Chicken for Sunday dinner with these dishes?  I just love them....  I had already purchased a few place settings a while ago, so was thrilled to be able  to add a few more to my collection. 

I keep imagining using them for an outdoor formal tea ....

 

 

In addition to the dishes,

I found another vintage linen to add to my...

 

 

... growing collection!

(I'm envisioning a quilt out of these embroidered linens some day, similar to this one featured on this blog.)

 

Love the detailed stitching,

 

and how cool is this - initials from 1957!

 

Picked up some rick rack, a few vintage buttons,

and this pitcher as well.  Makes me thirsty for some lemonade!

 

 

New Look for Vintage Garden Chairs

 

I've been watching these vintage garden chairs rust away.... 

 

 

... over the last few years. 

 

They were my Great Aunt Mary's chairs,

 

 

 and I had them hanging in my garage for years, knowing that some day I would have the perfect place for them. 

 

 

It wasn't until I built my garden shed two years ago that it seemed like they finally had a place to call home.  So, I bought some paint that summer to repaint them, but kept dragging my feet because I knew it would be a fairly involved project.  And, I wasn't 100% sure they would still be weatherproof.

 

But, the stress of seeing these lovely chairs from rust away was getting to me.  In fact, they had deteriorated so much that I was now able to see the previous paint color.

 

Thankfully I stumbled across this fellow last summer at the Columbia Antique, Art & Craft Show.  He does beautiful work with powder coating vintage chairs and kitchen step stools.

 

So, my sister helped me get these chairs to him this evening.  He assured me they weren't too far gone and helped me decide what color to pick after showing me some chairs he had done for his wife.  I selected a lovely coral pink shade.  As sad as it makes me to give up their vintage/shabby chic look, I knew something had to be done had to be done to preserve them.  And, his prices were so reasonable!

 

I'll be sure to post pictures when I get them back!