It is Saturday so that means it is time to join Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for another Pink Saturday (Please click here to visit all the other wonderful blogs participating today). Today I am showing a few of my most priceless pink treasures. No not my Roseville, Majolica or McCoy pink pieces; something even more valuable.
All through high school my daughter worked at Goodwill. It was a perfect job for her, close to home and walking distance, so no car needed. They were wonderful folks to work for and even now that my daughter is employed elsewhere, they are still like family. Please note that my love affair with Goodwill started long before my daughter was even born. The fact that Goodwill opened up a store in Gorham right at the time my daughter was looking for her first job, was just one big happy piece of good luck and coincidence.
For Mother's Day her first year of being employed, she was excited to finally be able to buy me something with her own money. She knew I loved pink, the dining room china cabinet was full of pink glass and pink plates. She found a pair of gold rimmed pink flower plates at the store and bought them for me. The marking is faded but I can make out England. At the time they were priced at $7.95 each and that was 8 years ago!
She was so proud to give them to me, each carefully wrapped in tissue paper and ribbon. I have since started to redecorate the dining room from pink to cream (think lots of Ironstone) but these plates will always be prominently displayed. A gift from my daughter, paid from her first paycheck. Priceless!
Elizabeth worked at the store with two of her best friends. They made quite a trio. I have been truly blessed in that all of my daughter's friends are wonderful young adults that I would be proud to call my own and it is with great honor that they consider me as their second mom.
Now you would think that working at Goodwill might have some perks but employees must wait 48 hours before they are able to purchase just put out inventory. The three of them would try to be helpful, telling me about some new treasure at the store; however, when visiting the store, the treasure would be something nice but new and made in China. Finally I simplified matters, asking the three of them to be on the lookout for flowers, pink and/or green plates and more importantly, making sure it was marked made in U.S.A. When my birthday came around, this was the gift I received from my daughter's 2 friends.
Obviously, they had a little too much fun in creating this tongue-in-cheek plate. In pink marker, the plate reads: I am anteek ...... werth lots of monie....... good! Sell me for anteek!!! and Pretty Pink Flowers.
The back reads: Not Canada! Canada Bad! No Flowers for Canada! (Please no offense to my friends in Canada. I am not sure why they picked Canada.)
Of course it is marked USA.
While this plate is not displayed in the china cabinet, it has a place of honor in the buffet. It is truly a one-of-a-kind treasure as are the two young friends that honored me with this gift.
Hope that you all have a blessed Pink Saturday.
Got it at Goodwill
Sherrie
How do you decide? I have bought and sold for years, long before opening up my shop 2nd fl Thriftiques. In fact, one of the primary reasons that propelled me to shop owner was my background in dealing. Some items were quick re-sales, while others were meant to be used and enjoyed before ultimately being sold. I love to decorate for the holidays as well as stage complete room makeovers. Both are easy to do when you are working with a revolving inventory. But how many times have I sold a piece only to find that it would have been perfect for a new tablescape design or some other use?
Take for example this little green sidetable. This green is MY favorite green,....... it is already perfectly distressed from time and use and not sandpaper ........... it is the perfect little size, compact but with the 3 levels and the magazine racks on each end, it holds a lot. I found it at Goodwill for $2.99. (Yes $2.99. I should have taken a photo of the price tag)
I have painted all my display pieces in the shop a light cream color so that the actual merchandise can stand out. I couldn't, I wouldn't, it-would-be-a-crime-to-do-so, paint this little piece. It would look lovely in my home and I can think of several rooms where it would work.
I have had so many people ask how much and I explain it is just for display. I finally decided to put a price on it, a reasonable but somewhat high price. That way if someone loves it as much as I do, they can purchase it. But I would be sad to see it go.
So how do you decide? I trust your comments, you have never let me down. So today's question is this, when we are out looking for treasures, of course it is natural to buy what we love, how do you part with your finds ..... when it is an extra special piece? Thank you so much for your advice.
Got it at Goodwill
Sherrie
(My shop entrance 8 School street, Gorham, Maine)
I am seeing red today and not just because it is Wednesday is Rednesday over with Sue @ Its a Very Cherry World. Thank goodness, Sue always throws a swell party and I could use a little cheering up. Before I explain, let me show you a little red fun at my shop. Come on in, the open flag is out.
I know, I know, what is the first rule of refinishing furniture, TAKE A BEFORE PHOTO! Honestly, though, I am always so anxious to begin the project, that I just dive in and start scrapping and sanding. This little red side table did not look like this, just a week ago. it is a lawnsale find for $1.00, it was filthy and the paint was chipping off and not in a desirable shabby chic way. Three coats of carnival red oil paint later, I have this cute little functional piece perfect for the kitchen or even a bathroom.
For the moment it holds a few red treasures. I like to group my vignettes by color.
This is an Animal Cracker tin from 1979. A lawnsale find for $.50 cents.
I love this little black & red tin, Salvation Army for $1.99. Marked Made in England.
And I really love, love, love this red & black cookie tin! Same day, same Salvation Army store, for $.29 cents. I am starting to enjoy my runs to SA, but don't worry, I will always stay true to Goodwill.
This step stool was a lawnsale find for $2.00 and it needed work. A little spray paint and a new seat cover was all it took to go from drab to fab.
For my shop, I tend to go for small furniture pieces as smaller scaled items fit better in a dorm room or first apartment. Remember, I am in a college town. This past weekend was the first full weekend of the kids back in school, and back in town. My shop was packed all day. Needless to say, I was one very happy gal. But it wasn't just the college crowd at the shop, there were lots of folk my age as well.
One of those ladies in fact bought quite a bit from me. She was parked directly in front of the shop and I noticed her New York Plates. Being close to Sebago Lake, a tourist destination, we get a lot of out-of-state traffic through town. While she was in the shop, I was busy putting out new jewelry that I had just finished pricing. I was working on pricing some books, when the lady brought her pile up to cash out....$133.00, paid with cash. Yup I was happy, happy, happy. Then the lady left along with a necklace and 4 rings, not paid for, the ones that had only been on the shelf for ten minutes. Really, you have cash for other items, and you still have to steal. Really, my shop is a one room little business venture, and you feel the need to steal. I was upset. My first shoplifter, and I know not my last.
At first I was angry. Then sad. It had been a beautiful necklace made of 50 rhinestone buttons. Then I totally rearranged my shop to move the jewelry display case right next to the cash register. Lesson learned. So here is the question: How do you handle shoplifters? How do you make your shop a little safer? I know I am asking the right folks, so any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.
Please don't forget to stop over and say hi to Sue and visit all the other folks showing Red.
Got it at Goodwill
Sherrie
Today is Tea for Two day. Nope, I am not serving tea in a beautiful tablescape like my friends Diann at The Thrifty Groove, Linda at A La Carte, or Mimi at In the Middle of Nowhere seem to effortlessly put together. These ladies always display such elegant and charming vignettes at their blogs, with their beautiful china and linens, as well as take the time to note the manufacturer and history of each piece. For me, I am just showing my collection of teapots, just three of my more interesting pieces, and all recent finds in time for Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays and Suzanne at Colorado Lady for Vintage Thingie Thursdays. Please click on these links or on their respective buttons on my sidebar. Thanks.
All three of these pieces share being made in Japan and have the same wire handle. (See first photo of all three pieces).
This first teapot reminds me of Ben Franklin with the hat and specs; however, I don't think old Ben would have been wearing a green polka dot bow tie. Either way, it is a charming face. I found this a couple of weeks ago at Salvation Army for $3.99.
This little rooster pot was found at Goodwill for $.99 cents, just last night. Honestly, they were selling things for $4.99 and $5.99 that I would not even have paid $1.00 for, and yet this little beauty was only $.99 cents. Oh well. I won't complain about that.
The seashell is not a teapot. It is marked in gold handwriting on the top as a creamer. It was a lawnsale find for $.50 and it was different and I like different. But, I am saving the best for last. This past Saturday, I was at a church sale, my favorite kind, and two seconds in, found this wonderful cookie jar for $1.00.
How fitting for a Church Sale. Here it is in all its cuteness. It is a Friar Cookie Jar produced by Twin Winton Ceramics (1936-1975), a California Pottery Company originally started by twin brothers. This piece is from 1960, the year I was born so of course it had to be mine.
I am curling up with a plate of cookies and a cup of tea and plan to spend the next hour visiting with friends at Linda's (and Suzanne's on Thursday) party for a much needed tea-time break. Thanks for stopping by today. Would you like cream or sugar for your tea?
Got it at Goodwill
Sherrie
Since I received so many lovely comments on my pincushion, I thought I would share another recently completed project. I apologize for not having a before shot, you know how it is, you just can't wait to begin.
So please picture this mirror, painted in black with flowers stenciled all over. A goodwill purchase for $1.99. After removing the mirror and doing some sanding to remove the ridges of the stenciled paint, the whole frame got painted this lovely ooops($2.00 Lowes) Aqua color. Then the fun began. After sorting the bags of shells that I bought this summer at lawnsales, all for under $2.00, I began to glue on my design. I didn't have enough of the flat shells to cover the frame in its entirety and I still wanted the color to show through ....... so here it is all completed. I like it. Basically, I have a new mirror for under $6.00 and still have tons of shells and paint left over for a new project.
Since this project was a little different from what I usually post, I thought I would share it over at A Little Knick Knack for Meg's first ever link party Everything but the Kitchen Sink. So just click here to see what other fun things are showing up today.
And speaking of fun ....... My birthday gift to myself arrived today, hot of the presses, my copy of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30's, 40's, 50's & Beyond. Second Edition. This fabulous book was compiled by C. Dianne Zweig.
C. Dianne Zweig is the author of Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30s, 40s, 50s and Hot Cottage Collectibles for Vintage Style Homes. She is also the Editor of Iantiqueonline.com an actively growing internet based resource community for people who buy, sell or collect antiques, collectibles and art. You can find Dianne’s fabulous retro and vintage kitchen, home and cottage collectibles at The Collinsville Antiques Company of New Hartford, CT, a 22,000 feet antique emporium with an in-house retro café.To read more articles by C. Dianne Zweig click on this link: C. Dianne Zweig’s Blog Kitsch ‘n Stuff Email me at dianne@cdiannezweig.comVisit my website, CDianneZweig.comDianne is a member of:The American Society of Journalists and Authors The Authors Guild, Inc.
For all of us that love our Kitschy Finds, this is the book for us. Honestly, I was drooling at some of the collections being showcased, the canisters and the aprons, oh my.
Not only did I see things I wanted, I saw things I already had, like this adorable little pig. It does not have any markings but looked familiar to me in its style as perhaps Shawnee. In the book it is stated as maybe Shawnee or Royal Copley. Who doesn't love a pig?
To see more of Dianne's showcase of treasures, please be sure to visit her blog, The Kitschy Collector Home of C. Dianne Zweig.
Hope that you all have a lovely weekend. I will be up and out early Saturday morning for lawnsales before opening up the shop at 10:00. I wonder what treasures await?
Got it at Goodwill
Sherrie
Not all thrifty things I buy are vintage. Some are just good deals real cheap! As some of you may know, I have a catering business "A Matter of Taste". I am always on the look out for good bargains on dishes, utensils, trays, napkins and anything else I can use for that business. My waitstaff is dressed in black pants/skirts and white shirts. The rest of their uniform consists of a gray apron that I have sewn.
With repeated washings, these aprons get faded fast. Still, I prefer them over the white aprons that can be bleached but also look dirtier more quickly while being worn. So I was very excited when I found black cotton aprons, with a pocket, for only $1.99 at Mardens, a retail chain store here in Maine. I could not make them myself for less than that. I bought a dozen.
Although my staff is usually comprised of only women, I occasionally will have a guy helping to serve wearing a black tie with the rest of their uniform. The other day, I was thrilled to find this tie at Goodwill.
Only a $1.99 and with little forks and knives as the design. Too cute to pass up. I can't wait for my next function to put it to use.
Today I am participating in Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays with Linda @ Coastal Charm. Please be sure to check out all the other nifty thrifty goodies at this fun party. (Please click on the above link or see the button on my sidebar. Thanks.)
Got it at Goodwill
Sherrie
I wanted to take a moment to say thank you for all the kind comments I have been receiving about my new shop, 2nd fl Thriftiques. So many of you have written that if you were up in Maine, you would be stopping by for a visit. That gave me the idea, that since you all couldn't come to Maine, that I could bring Maine to you with a Maine Celebration Giveaway.
So before I tell you about the giveaway, just to let you know that I am joining in with Linda @ Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesday, Suzanne @ Colorado Lady for Vintage Thingie Thursday and one other party that I haven't visited in awhile, Sue @ Its a Very Cherry World for Wednesday is Rednesday. (Please click on these links to visit or on their buttons in my sidebar.) Boy can these ladies party. Please be sure to see what treasures and great finds they have in store for you.
NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY: Nothing says Maine more than lobster and the lucky winner will receive a few of these red crustaceans, sorry not the edible ones. First for the thrifty finds, I will be giving away a lobster dish towel and a canvas wine tote with embroidered lobster. I found both, brand new, at Goodwill, each for $.99. I actually bought 4 of the wine totes and 6 of the towels. The Maine cookbook, brand new, was purchased at a bookstore going-out-of-business sale at 90% off the original price. The nautical coasters represent the vintage side of things, they are marked made in Yarmouth, Maine 1981.
Every window needs a glass lobster sun catcher. This was a lawnsale beauty for $1.00. There will be a few more Maine items going into the give away, but I want the rest to be a surprise. You all know how a give away works, please leave a comment and say howdy for one chance to enter, become a follower or let me know you are already a follower for a second chance. Giveaway ends August 10th.
I love this lobster plate that was used in my giveaway button. It is huge and would easily hold 3 lobsters. You won't find it marked McCoy, Haeger, or even Hull, but rather it is a "Dee" original, whomever Dee is. The date of this Maine Masterpiece is 1969.
Now in 1969, I was 9 years old, Yes, you do the math, that means I am 50. Actually, I am officially 50 today. I was going to write a more poetic piece of prose, an actual volume of my life's history than just the Cliff's Notes version, a retrospective of my life and times, looking back over the years, and concluding with asking myself the million dollar question, what does the future hold and am I ready? Then I thought .......... Nah! I am ready for the future, whatever awaits me. I am eager to begin a new adventure. After all, isn't 50 the new 40? The past is just that, it can't be changed and my regrets are few. There is very little I would do over if given the chance. So as the french say C'est La Vie.
I will say that from day one, I was ready to start living. In fact, I was due in October and decided that I couldn't wait the extra 3 months, tired of just sitting around. There were things to do, places to go and people to see. So under 3 pounds I came into this world full of energy and confidence. The doctors were skeptical, it was after all 1960 and hospitals were not equipped with state of the art neo-natal equipment as they are today. Needless to say, I proved them wrong.
It's my birthday! So let the party begin. Pull up a Red chair from my fabulous vintage table. (Bought the table and chairs at an Auction 10 years ago for $50.)
Put on your Red party Hat, $1.99 Goodwill find (Just yesterday).
What looks like a gray stripe is actually a see-through band. It is a fun piece of French Fashion befitting a birthday girl. I gotta look ooh-la-la and tres chic for Fifty.
Then pour yourself a drink, vintage Coke, how refreshing. Yes, that would be me, white gloves, daintily holding my drink, with extended pinkie. Remember, I am going for tres chic, elegance, and all that stuff for turning 50.
I will leave you with this one last piece of vintage-red-thriftiness. Here I am pictured below, the dress is red and thrifty, bought at JC Penny at the end of the season for $12.00 and the vintage is me at 50. Oh no, I am what we say in the business as MID-CENTURY!!! I guess it means I just got more valuable.
So please be sure to stop over and visit with Sue, Suzanne and Linda for all their great parties and then visit Maine with my Maine Celebration Giveaway. I look forward to seeing you. If any of you are ever up in Maine, lobster dinner is on me (along with the cornbread, steamed clams and blueberry pie). Have a great day.
I am off to go Goodwill shopping. With your Goodwill discount card you get 25% off your purchases on your birthday. I will have gone to 5 Goodwill stores by lunchtime when I am due back in the office. What treasures await. Don't worry, I will show you.Got it at Goodwill
Sherrie
Aqua, how do I love thee, let me count the ways. But before I start counting, let me invite you all to join these two fabulous parties, Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays with Linda @ Coastal Charm and Vintage Thingie Thursdays with Suzanne @ Coloradolady. (Please click on the links here or go to their buttons located on my sidebar. Thanks) Between these two parties, there are countless thrifty treasures to be enjoyed. Speaking of counting, here is Number One.
I just love everything in this photo. Three pieces are marked McCoy and the tall kind of fluted vase is not marked but is definitely USA and was a Goodwill find for $1.99 as was the taller of the two plant pots for $3.99. The smaller round planter was one I recently found at a lawnsale for $2.00. (I almost felt like I stole it.) The rectangular planter is also a lawnsale find from last year at $1.50. Let's not forget about the tray, it is a bed tray that I found for $.50 cents.
Number Two. I was absolutely giddy when I found this bowl and serving utensils at a lawn sale a couple of weeks ago. It was an extremely hot morning and the sales had been full of sports equipment and kid's clothing. Then I found this sale. Mom was moving in with daughter and had to downsize. There was mostly new stuff but there in the corner of the garage, mixed in with plastic take out containers was this be-still-my-heart beauty. The color, Gorgeous, the white squiggly lines, How Divine. Both the fork and spoon were dirty but I knew salvageable. Hesitantly I asked how much for the bowl and utensils. Surely, it would be more than I would be willing to spend ...... she replied "Would .75 cents be okay?" Honestly, don't you just feel like you are stealing? But hey I didn't offer that price but gladly took it. I gave her $1.00 and told her to keep the change.
Aqua and squiggly lines, what more can a girl ask for?
Number Three. I know I showed you this tin before, but it needs revisiting. I was at a lawnsale that again had mostly new stuff including an impressive inventory of woman's shoes. The shoes were beautiful and were being sold for $10-25 dollars a pair. So when I found this tin filled with shiny brite ornaments, again I expected a high purchase price. The lady said $2.00 for the ornaments and that I could have the tin for free as it was being tossed out anyway. I don't know which I loved more, the tin or the shiny brites.
Number Four. Pyrex bowls and plate. The large casserole dish was a Goodwill find for $2.99. The smaller one in the Butterprint pattern was a lawnsale find for $1.00. Both the Pyrex dinnerware and the wooden handle utensils were from Goodwill, each $.99 cents. You have seen my kitchen and know that everything I have just shown would look fabulous there in my kitchen, so why is it in my shop? Two reasons. First, I only buy what I love and would use, and not just buy something I don't like because it is cheap. Secondly, I am trying to downsize a little myself and am being good about what is coming into the house.
Number Five. Music themed wall hangings which would look gorgeous against a white/cream wall. I am always drawn to anything music related. Music is a big part of my family. My daughter plays 4 instruments and sings, her father plays three and is a proper tenor.
That is 5 reasons why I love aqua but not all the reasons. I will save the rest for another post. I want to have time to go visit Linda and Suzanne. Be sure you stop by and say hello.
Got it at Goodwill
Sherrie
For Mother's Day her first year of being employed, she was excited to finally be able to buy me something with her own money. She knew I loved pink, the dining room china cabinet was full of pink glass and pink plates. She found a pair of gold rimmed pink flower plates at the store and bought them for me. The marking is faded but I can make out England. At the time they were priced at $7.95 each and that was 8 years ago!
She was so proud to give them to me, each carefully wrapped in tissue paper and ribbon. I have since started to redecorate the dining room from pink to cream (think lots of Ironstone) but these plates will always be prominently displayed. A gift from my daughter, paid from her first paycheck. Priceless!
Obviously, they had a little too much fun in creating this tongue-in-cheek plate. In pink marker, the plate reads: I am anteek ...... werth lots of monie....... good! Sell me for anteek!!! and Pretty Pink Flowers.
The back reads: Not Canada! Canada Bad! No Flowers for Canada! (Please no offense to my friends in Canada. I am not sure why they picked Canada.)
Of course it is marked USA.
While this plate is not displayed in the china cabinet, it has a place of honor in the buffet. It is truly a one-of-a-kind treasure as are the two young friends that honored me with this gift.
