Monday Finds

Glad to hook up with a living space this week for The Nifty Thrifty and Apron Thrift Girl for Thrift Share Monday!  I've been woefully bad at keeping my blog up-to-date, but equally as bad at getting my Christmas shopping and holiday knit gifts done.  So it's not just you ;)

I did get to thrift with my mom last week and found an awesome, though perhaps somewhat expensive,  body form.  It's very cool, vintage, and I needed one badly.  It's so much easier to take photos of many things with a nice dress form.

My new form with my Matt&Nat bag here

I also found a gorgeous Gucci silk scarf - wow! - also seen here on....yep, my new dress form!

And I'm spending the rest of the day trying hard to list more items in my Etsy shop...I've got an excess of inventory to list.  Happy thrifting everyone!

Giddyup!

First off, I hope everyone in the Eastern States are holding up alright!  Sandy sounds nasty.

So I have a find that I'm hoping someone can help me with.  I found this beautiful piece of folk art at a local thrift and it's obviously handmade, and I believe it's old, just not sure how old.  And I'm going to list in in my etsy shop, as I know it's probably quite collectable.  I've been trying to research  it, but prices and sizes are all over the place!  Has anyone ever found anything like this; anything you can tell me about it?

The horse stands about 22 1/4" tall floor to ear and it's about 19" long knee to tail.

The patina and colours are great.

The legs and head are removable too - hey, makes for easy packing!

I'm really trying beef up my listings before the holidays, but the weeks keep sneaking by on me.  Happy thrifting everyone!

thrift share Monday

Thrifting's been a little thin this week, but I got a couple of items I'm happy with.  Scarves.  Again. I find alot of scarves, nice ones.  Makes me wish I were more of a scarf girl, just like I wish I was more of a vest girl.  I can't pull it off, don't know why.

So, a couple of nice silk scarves: Oscar de la Renta and Echo, a brand I hadn't seen before.  But, I love a good polka dot - couldn't resist ;)

Oscar - love the fall colours!

Polka dots!

I also grabbed this beautiful Dooney & Bourke handbag.  I love the classic lines and simple shape.  I, however, just spent a handful on a vintage Cashin handbag and need to sell this one!

Lastly, this ones a keeper!  I bought this from a local lady who was downsizing and selling her late husbands things.  It's a beautiful stereo cabinet with storage (and a working record player. Score!) and her husband made it!  I love the style, thought for sure it was Danish or a look alike mid-century style, but he made it in the 60's.  The story makes it even more special and perfectly awesome.

Please ignore the crap on top and the cords beneath - I'm working on  it!

Happy thrifting guys!

Oops

Hello!  Anyone...anyone...

Well, I've really gotta get my act together.  To say that summer is completely unproductive for me is an understatement, but that nice excuse ended a few weeks ago when the kids went back to school, so...

a heartfelt sorry if I ruined your summer by not posting ;)

Back to thrift scores!

I found a few things that I'm just going to list in my Etsy shop.  Nothing big but very cute:

And a couple of Fire King horderve serving plates (does that word look wrong to you?  I googled it and everything..)  Oh how embarrasing....->  Since hors d'oeuvres are lacking in my house, I thought they would make cute jewelry or soap holders as well.

A few weeks ago I scored a gorgeous vintage Lawrence dress - black with jeweling on the collar and cuffs - I just cannot take a good picture of it without and dress form!  I'm really hoping to find one soon so I can get that on Etsy for the holidays.

Have a good day.  I'll be back soon, I promise, I have alot of catching up to do ;)

A slow thrifting week

I'm going out on the hunt today, hoping to find some great stuff!  I have to hurry and shop, shop, shop, as my kids are done school for the summer on Thursday.  For some reason, they don't love to browse around the shops like me?!  I just don't get it ;)

Last week I found some lovely Bensimon shoes, looking like NOS (new old stock) to use some Ebay slang. I don't think they've ever been worn - and they're awesome.  Too bad I have big feet, these babies are a size 7 - 7 1/2.  I'm going to relist them on Ebay today.  I did have them on a couple of days ago, but someone helpfully pointed out that they're marked as a 38/5.  I wasn't thinking and assumed US 5 but realize now it's a UK 5.  That would've been an embarrassing blunder!

Very cute and perfect for summer

Have an awesome (and hopefully sunny!) week everyone!

Why hello there!

Sooo...this is what happens when you go on vacation and forget (practically) that you have a fairly new blog.  Sorry about that.  I have gotten to thrift recently (yay!) and found some grrrreat (channeling Tony the Tiger) stuff.  


Surfing around on the net recently I came upon a post of The Recycle-ista's about flatware.  SO glad I found that post.  Silverwear was something I've never looked at as I really haven't ever been interested in it, not too fussy about what we eat with and I've never known any names to look for.  Fast forward to yesterday at my local VV and I stopped in front of the flatwear to look.  (I always feel self-concious squinting at the bags and trying to move things around to see the marks)  Anyhoo, I found myself some Lauffer (forks and spoons) that was made in Norway.  Now, I know pretty much anything Scandinavian is good.  Period.  So that piqued my interest.  I couldn't remember the list of names that the Recycle-ista had put in her post, but thought I'd take a chance.  So, along with some completely useless and cheap cutlery in the bags, I brought home the Lauffer that I'd found.  I was doing some research last night and turns out, it's worth more than I'd ever pay for a fork!  I haven't listed it yet, but think I'm going to put it on Ebay, as I'm not sure how well it'd do on Etsy.  Update:  The Lauffer flatware is now on Ebay here, here and here.  Yay!  Something accomplished ;)

Some Vera scarves were calling my name...and I've finally figured out a way to photograph them.  It's only taken me 6 months.  Genius, I know.

The board hanger (for lack of a better name) is an idea from Soulemama.  I believe it is in  her first book, The Creative Family. I can  move off some of my kids art and hang the scarves.  It's life changing for me, let me tell you!


So, up went the Vera and a Patricia Dumont, very cool design, alas, polyester.  But she's got very mod looks to her scarves - I like them alot.

I also picked up an awesome Pyrex flameware coffee pot.  Yet another reason I wish I had a gas stove...it'll be going in my shop as well.  Just gotta get my butt moving.  Soon. 

Happy thrifting guys!

I love to see how other people have furnished and decorated their homes, especially people whose tastes I admire. So I don't go on Pinterest, I think I would lose entire days on there. When I see other peoples homes and art on their blogs, or places that they liked that they've linked to, I get so many ideas and things I want to try and do. That being said, we've lived in our house for nearly 10 years and our living room/dining room is seriously lacking. The furniture is great, a giant leather sectional that we can all fit on to watch a movie, a few pieces of mid-century Scandinavian furniture, but the walls are...ugh.

Mmmhmm, tried the fabric thing. I'm done with it now.

Ignore the cushion on the chair, notice the lovely furnishings ;)

Surfing around lately, I've found some beautiful homes that are just so full of character, not like anything out of a magazine, but which look like they convey the look and things the owners love.  I think they're awesome and would love to steal some of their ideas.

via rummage.typepad.com

via a-living-space.blogspot.com

And I loooovvvveeeee Tiel Seivl-Keever's art, found here

via tsktsk.typepad.com

Time to hit the thrift stores again, me thinks!

I've got the blues...

OK, so thrifting this week was so much fun!  I got a couple of awesome things, but the bad news is it's all for me :)  Nothing to share or send to the shop, oh, except a silk scarf!

And everything was blue, or teal, or a combination.  I found an awesome workhorse of a Singer in a beautiful tealy colour along with the original wooden case.  OK, so no one but me will see it in the basement in my sewing "room" but I love it to death!  And it works great so far.

I also found another Liberty of London silk scarf.  Really pretty.  I just wish I was more of a scarf girl, just like I wish I was more of a vest girl...I just can't pull them off.

And last but not least, my most awesome (I say that alot, I think) find. I know you'll agree.  A large, very large, Le Creuset French Oven.  I believe it's a 12.5L.  It is around 11" in diameter.  So AWESOME!  I felt like I was getting away with something, walking around the thrift store with it.  It was $5.00.  Really.  The outside is nearly perfect - the inside is a little rough, but nothing that bad!  It works perfectly.  AND, it matches the other oval Le Creuset oven I found a few years ago at a Value Village.  For $6.00.  Am I making you jealous yet?  Sorry for the crappy picture.  Do not photograph in front of a sunny window.  Photography 101.  I was in a hurry ;)

It's Spring!

I haven't alot of time for thrifting lately but I have been trying to list my stash o'stuff that's been sitting in my basement for awhile!  So I have a few new things up on Etsy, including these lovelies.

I'm gonna try my hardest to get out and shop again - such hard work - and get myself organized for the next Thrift Share day!

I've also added a couple new reference sites that I've found to my ever growing list.  I love finding sites that can tell me about things I've found and am completely ignorant about ;)

How refreshing!

I love you Cate Blanchett.

 

(via Laineygossip.com)

Cate Blanchett rocks.  On a magazine cover without retouching or Photoshopping.  You look awesome honey.

One Day Late Thrift Share

Hello everyone!

My kids are on Spring Break and since I'm not willing to take them on a long thrifting shop with me...I have to go at night.  So last night was my night out, and I got some things I'm totally happy with!

First, great for morning coffee, two great big coffee mugs.  One is from Starbucks and the other looks to be a Disney parks mug.  Nice and BIG :)

I also found what I figured out is a Dansk paella pan.  I was looking around for the lid at the store, but am now thinking that it doesn't come with one.  None of the other listings I've seen have come with one.  It's a beauty.  Good and used, there's light black marks from use on the outside, but it almost looks like a marbly pattern to me - that's some good marketing for ya ;)

I also found a few great scarves: Vera and a Liberty of London (that I haven't photographed yet).

The darker one is silk and the mod swirl pattern is polyester.

And lastly, I'm hoping I've found a vintage suede Celine wallet.  Yes, I know, probably not, but I'm gonna hook up with PurseForum to see if I can authenticate it - or have my dreams crushed.

Happy thrifting week!

Hunter

Oh sweet thrift store, how I love you <3

American Tourister

So I found these wonderfully mod looking American Tourister bags from the mid 1970s at the store this week.

One in turquoise:

One in brown, with a great gold pattern:

Oh, can't see the pattern well in the pics - that's cause I suck at taking photos!!  Oh my goodness, like 30 minutes in lightroom just trying to get the colour right and still nothing.  Grrr.  Anyhow, these will be heading right away into my Etsy shop.  I love this buckles on these things, very art deco-y.

I also found this vase.

Now that picture almost seems to have the correct colour!  It's a heavy pottery vase, the flowers on it are maybe bluebells?  It's a really nice piece with a completely (to me) unrecognizable signature at the bottom.

Anyone, anyone?  Bueller, Bueller?  I'm gonna go check out A La Modern to see if I can find out anything about pottery marks as she seems to have alot of info on it.  It may be just local, I really don't know.

Happy Thrifting guys!

A mystery bowl...

Hello, Internet friends!

I'm hoping someone can help me identify this bowl.  I've had in for awhile and am just getting around to putting it in my shop.  My first thought is that is is Danish or Russian - I don't know why, maybe the dress of the people on it?  There are no marks or signatures that I can find.  Does anyone have any thoughts?

I also found a couple of cute enamel plates from Japan that will be heading to Etsy, some Elie Tahari flats for Ebay (my giant feet won't fit into size 6) and a cute vintage Roots suede bag.

Off to list!  And thanks in advance if you have any thoughts on the bowl.

Jens!

I'm linking up with Apron Thrift Girl this morning and wishing I lived in an area that had more (or any) estate sales.  The idea of getting numbers to enter and lining up is really foreign to me - it sounds like it would be a bit frustrating being amongst others who want the same things you do and are jockeying for position with you, but the finds, the Finds!, look great!

Most of my thrifting is done at thrift stores or garage sales, of which there are none at the moment.  Spring is coming though, and then so will the yard sales, yay!

I did have a great find at the thrift store though and that was this tray.

It's a Jens Quistgaard Fjord tray!  It's my first Quistgaard find and it is really a beautiful shape and design.  Googling (I believe that is now a legitimate verb) Quistgaard and looking at his designs...it's really amazing,the things he made.  Really beautiful.

So the tray is well loved ;)  It's not in the best shape, some wear, but mostly on the bottom, as you may expect.  The top actually looks pretty nice.  I'm going to put it in my shop (perhaps without the "trying for artsy" pic I took above...meh) because in my home it would just get buried under stuff and be under-appreciated.

I'm off to the thrift store today in hopes of scoring more!  I'm on a roll :)

Happy thrifting everyone!

My favourite church thrift store

My favourite local thrift store is in the basement of a church, run by sweet little volunteers ladies who will still price some things at a quarter.  A Quarter.  Take that Value Village (aka Savers)!  I only found a couple of things while out this week and both at the church thrift store.

First, an old Smith 8 Day clock.  It's a beautiful mantle clock (right now on my piano) and dates from the 1940s.  It seems to work, perhaps sporadically, and as I have no idea how to tinker with it, I'm not sure if it's fixable or not!  But it seems to keep time well.  I think I'll keep it though as it has a little water damage on the face.  It's really nice, though, to pick up a clock off the shelf and realize that it's not plastic :)

Forgive the bad picture, I took it at night with a flash.  It really does make a difference, eh?

I also found this great casserole that I need some help identifying.  I know it's 70s vintage and I'm almost sure my mom has a dish set that she used to use for guests that had this design on it.  The mark on the bottom is too faded to read.  Ideas, anyone?  It's a great piece and this will likely end up on Etsy.

Thanks for stopping by!

San Tropez, anyone?

My finds at the thrift store yesterday had me wanting to pack my lovely new bag, throw on some big cateye  shades, tie my silk scarf around my head and head for some sunny foreign port, like San Tropez.  I must have the slushy, middle-of-winter doldrums.

Via Marie Claire

My lovely leather suitcase below and silk scarf, which I believe I will put on Etsy...my vacation plans will have to wait. *sigh*

A closer look at the scarf.

And a very cool looking paper cut design by a Polish designer called Sztuka Lowicka... I think.  All the pages I find my computer will not translate due to an error.  Grrr.  It's beautifully coloured and very slightly damaged, so it will likely find a home on my wall.

Happy thrifting!