With all the treasures I have found this past year, all destined for my shop, my most precious treasures remain safe at home. Nestled amongst the tissue wrapped Shiny Brites in a box marked "Special Ornaments" is a rag tag assortment of elves, angels and sleighs. More of sentimental value rather than monetary value: it truly isn't Christmas until these smiling faces appear on my library shelves.
They are all time-worn if not down right chippy vintage goodness. The red elf sitting behind the angel is at least 65 years old, a family treasure. The angel is from a friend and is from her own childhood. I received it as a gift last year (Click here for story and other vintage Christmas pieces.)
This sleigh is my most recent piece, last year at Goodwill, for $.99 cents. The reindeer is still wearing its bell.
This sweet little elf still wears its rope hanger and has all its sparkling jewels intact....an elf with a little bling. I acquired this piece years ago and just love it. It wasn't a part of my childhood, but certainly is a part of my daughter's. It was rescued from the bottom of a box of mostly broken ornaments and other misc. decorations. This find, as I always say, made me down right giddy.
I found this piece a few years ago, at Goodwill, the tag is still on the back for $.99 cents. It is a shadowbox design and constructed from fabric. Beautiful green ric -rac edges the frame.
But of course, you have to have a proper Santa for Christmas. This trio has seen a lot of Christmases. The tall one is another childhood piece, a good 55 years old. The shorter Santa again was from another family's decorations and I was happy to bring it home from a lawn sale. The Santa sitting on top of the books was a gift over 30 years ago, oh dear, that makes both it and I vintage.
I recently found this vintage red flocked ornament at a Grange sale. It is sitting on a holly berry bell plate, both of which will be up at the shop.
Here is a close-up of the ornament. Now that it is December, I will be hauling out all my Christmas goodies. Wait until next week when I share more with Sue @ Its a Very Cherry World for Wednesday is Rednesday. Please click here or on the party button on my sidebar for your invite.
Got it at Goodwill
Sherrie
Today is cold and autumn blustery. My yard is full of fallen leaves and the garden is begging to be put to bed. After cutting back everything for next Spring, only my Autumn Joy Sedum will be left to stand out against the soon to be arriving snow drifts. I admit that the cooler weather finds me focusing more on inside decorating than outside clean up.
As we begin our countdown to Thanksgiving and of course Christmas, I thought I would share a few of my fall favorite decorations. All Vintage and Thrifty, of course.
This creamer, teacup & saucer were Goodwill finds, $1.99 each. The black and orange is perfect for Halloween, while not being regulated to just the celebration of that one holiday. No mark on the dishes other than Made in Japan.
Nothing says Fall like a white painted pumpkin (Dollar Store), feather grasses, and Turkey feathers from my friend's backyard.
A pair of carved wooden owls (a close-out find from the Foreside Co. $1.00 each), pair of wooden band boxes (lawnsale finds for $1.00 each) and a crow feather from my backyard.
Old crock (passed down from family) and two hand-made pieces, again lawnsale finds. The black and orange birds were from a flea market for $1.50 apiece. They sport a Made in Japan tag and I absolutely love them. The wooden pumpkin has been a perennial favorite of mine.
All three are lawnsale items. The orange ceramic owl (Made in Japan -- $.25 cents) sits in front of a framed Book tag ($2.00) and framed owl print ($1.00). The book tag stays through Thanksgiving; however these orange owls go back in the box till next September.
This little framed owl painting is at home being framed by the much larger carved frame. Perfect for Halloween and the rest of the year. Lawnsale finds, frame $1.00 and little painting $.50 cents.
Hallway mirror wears a black boa (Goodwill $.99 cents) and a wreath made with Turkey feathers and acorns. (Home Goods clearance item $3.00). After Halloween the black boa comes down but the turkey feathers stay up until it gets replaced by a Christmas Wreath.
A glass topped driftwood table in the front parlor has pumpkins, gourds and leaves for a fall decoration. Everything you see is fake but really good quality. These were bought years ago at $8 - $9 apiece; but with years of use, I have more than gotten my monies worth.
There is a warmth to pewter that makes it perfect for fall decorating. All three pieces have been passed down in the family and are easily 100 years old. The pewter candlestick holders came from a store going out of business sale for $12 for the pair. After Thanksgiving, the candles are switched to white, and sprigs of greenery and pine cones will be added to the cups. The mini pumpkin wreath will be exchanged for one made with red berries.
Today I am pleased to share my thrifty finds with Linda @ Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays. Please click here for your invite to the party or see Linda's button on my sidebar. I am also stopping over at Selena @ Apron Thrift Girl's Thrift Share Monday. Please click here to visit.
Also a reminder about my One Year Blog-aversary. Please click here to join in the fun.
Here is another peek at what Goodwill treasures will be going to the lucky winner. This is a piece of sheet music that just jumped out at me. The song is titled Huggin' and Chalkin' and you can see the man's hand in the drawing placing chalk marks on the backside of the woman. I was going to frame it and have it hanging with my home-made chalkboards at the shop. I am not going to spoil the surprise by sharing the lyrics to this song.
Remember the give-away ends November 10th. Thank you to all who have taken the time to leave comments.
Got it at Goodwill
Sherrie
You know how I love orange............even better when it is orange mushrooms!! You may recall my love affair with mushrooms when I showed these beauties (Please click here) and again (click here). But just when you thought I couldn't possibly find any more VINTAGE ORANGE MUSHROOMS, I did. You know I could. I thought the folks over at Vintage Thingie Thursdays would enjoy my colored little fungi, so I am joining Suzanne @Coloradolady for her party. (Please click here for the party or see the button on my sidebar).Hope you all enjoy.
First I wanted to show this poster of the three ladies and a lawnsale. I found it years ago at the Christmas Tree Shop of all places. I was with my best friend and we were rolling in the aisles. Between her laughing and crying, she kept blurting out "That is so you". It was decided that since I was the only Blonde in our group, I would be the Blonde one in the poster. The poster isn't vintage, but everything pictured at the lawn sale is, right down to the paper tablecloth.
I think I may have had something similar for one of my birthday parties in the 70's. Nothing says "Let's Party" than orange mushrooms.
This summer I found at a lawnsale, some rubber, yes rubber, not plastic, mushrooms. I have no idea what they were used for originally. I am using them as part of my "Orange Daze" display at my shop. You can see the mushrooms peeking out of the green basket.
Here is a close-up.
How about an orange mushroom tile....... You can see in the background, my previously shown mushroom pot.
That was a sauce pan, I needed a fry pan to complete the look. I found this harvest gold with orange mushrooms beauty. Doesn't it make you want to get right in the kitchen to start cooking. Surely, everything must taste better when you have such a cute pan.........
Lawnsale find $.50 cents
No home can be complete without an embroidered wall hanging with yarn. I remember doing several of these types of kits as a kid. I still have a clown one that took me forever to complete. I may need to pull it out to post. Hey there is an idea. I think next Vintage Thingie Thursday it will be vintage (scary, oh so scary) clowns. Until then, please be sure to join Suzanne today and all the other Vintage Thingie Thursday folks for a little fun.
Lawnsale find $.25 cents
Got it at GoodwillSherrie
SHELFSKI: (noun) An item that is imperfect but not without some merit in use as a decorative object only, as in form without function. No, you won't find this word in Websters Dictionary nor can I say that I was creative enough to have coined the phrase; however, I did write up this proper definition.
I first heard the word from a flea market dealer while he was trying to convince me to buy a Weller vase that had a crack, albeit only a hairline crack at best. His remark needed no explanation, I immediately got the concept. With a Shelfski, the crack, chip, missing piece, paint discoloration and any other flaw, simply faces the back of the shelf. This allows me to display pedigree pieces of pottery, that I otherwise would not be able to afford such as Majolica and Roseville. I do not purchase a Shelfski with the intent of resale, but rather, personal use only.
So I decided to display a few of my favorite Shelfski pieces for Rhoda at Southern Hospitality's Today's Thrifty Treasures, Linda at Coastal Charm for Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays, Diane at A Picture is worth a 1,000 words for 2nd Time Around and Suzanne at Coloradolady's Vintage Thingies Thursday. Please be sure to join these fun ladies for their parties to see what the other guests are showcasing on their respective days.
My first piece is the cream/tan Weller Vase (next to the birds). I had been looking for this color combination for my family room and was thrilled to find the piece. It was this seller that gave me the word Shelfski. He successfully argued that the hairline crack would not be seen on the shelf under normal viewing circumstances. (In fact, it took me a moment or two to even see the crack as I was holding it.) So for $8.00 I bought it and I love it.
My dining room is rose colored and until recently, the china cabinet contained pretty-in-pink dishes and glassware. I found this lovely Roseville vase at a lawnsale for only $1.00. I was surprised to have even found it as I recognized several dealers just leaving the sale as I was walking in.
Then I turned the vase around and saw the 2 chips along the rim. But hey, Roseville for only $1.00, I knew it would be perfect for a dining room hutch Shelfski.
This Nippon teapot, a $.50 cent lawnsale find, makes a lovely vase filled with peonies fresh from the garden.
One would never know that the backside is missing a chunk along the rim, especially, when filled with the flowers.
This is a McCoy plant pot (thank you Angela at I'm Like a Little Bird for the correction) purchased at a lawnsale for $1.00. It is a hanging plant pot. You can see the holes for the chain along the top of the planter. I love the color. It is in an upstairs bedroom (I removed the plant for the photo) and no one is the wiser as to it's little flaw .......
a rather large chip located on the underside of the planter.
The two cream pitchers on the right side of the photo were both recent Goodwill finds. Since I am redoing my diningroom china cabinet to a cream/ivory palette, I thought they would be perfect. However, both had very large cracks which someone had tried to repair.
Now I will spend $.25 - $1.00 at a lawnsale for what is obviously going to be regulated as a shelfski-only decoration. I will not spend $4.99 as each was marked, for something that most would consider simply trash. I love my Goodwill stores, don't get me wrong. It is just that the employees are taught to recognize certain names as being valuable, whether it is in housewares or fashions. They are so intent on the search for names, in this case Spode, that they don't consider the condition of the item. Don't even get me started on the ridiculous prices for dishwasher-over-washed-destroyed-design-and-scratched-up-Pyrex. Realistically, these pitchers should not have been donated, much less stocked on a Goodwill shelf. After a brief talk with the Manager, the pitchers came home with me, both for $.99 cents.
The discolored brown lines identify the cracks on each piece.
I know what you are thinking, aren't these the mushroom canisters that I just showed for my "Orange you glad to find such treasures day". Well they are the same, but not the exact ones. I just found these 2 pieces at a church sale this weekend. I had sizes 2 & 3, these are sizes 1 & 4. Both for $1.00. I was very happy. What are the odds of finding mushrooms 2 weeks in a row, at 2 different places. Mushrooms are just popping up all over. (It must be all the rain we are having .... sorry, lame joke.)
I didn't realize till I got home that the smaller piece had a crack and chip. On the shelf it is fine but I think I will be using it for holding pens and paintbrushes in my craft room.
My last piece isn't a proper Shelfski in the sense that the flaw is hidden from view. It is a piece I received from my mom that I grew up with and loved. It is a sugar canister that belonged to dad's mom, my grandmother, and her mother before her. From my earliest recollections, the crack was always a part of the piece. It doesn't matter. Whenever I look upon it, I am brought back to the kitchen of my childhood, where it was warm, safe and cozy, and always smelled of something good cooking. Not just a Shelfski, this is a priceless treasure.
So the next time you are at that lawn, church, rummage, tag sale or flea market, just remember, that the occasional Shelfski is okay. Just between us friends, don't we all have a few on our shelves and in our cupboards? Come on, you can admit it.
Be sure to check out all the parties and have a great day.
Got it at Goodwill
Sherrie
On May 1st, I will be catering a Bridal Shower. The bride is in her 30's and as such a little more sophisticated than some of the younger brides I have dealt with for such events. For the actual wedding, the bridesmaids will all be dressed in Black and each one will be wearing a dress and dress length of their own choosing, a trend that I have been seeing a lot more. Personally, I would have preferred that option in the weddings that I have been a participant.
Since this surprise shower will be a brunch, I thought what better theme for this bride-to-be, than "Breakfast at Tiffany's" combining the chicness, glam, little black dress style and plenty of bling.
The menu has been set, party favors designed, and a look created for the table that incorporates sophisticated style and elegance with a fun flair reminiscent of Holly Golightly herself. Think flower arrangements made with actual ladies shiny black pumps and pocketbooks as vases along with sumptuous silver candlestick holders and trays and of course all the cut crystal shining brightly as any diamond.
Over the next couple of weeks, I thought I would share the projects and recipes that I will be using for the event. First thing to discuss is the buffet table -- the "Look". I hate seeing a buffet spread laid out in a monotone fashion, all plates identical and on one level, flat on the table. Any good hostess knows that you eat with your eyes before ever tasting that first bite. The food may be 4 stars quality but if it looks bland and boring, it may taste the same way. Some of the dishes should be elevated to create visual interest.
I had found these band boxes at a lawn sale last summer knowing that I would of course be painting them or doing some other treatment to change their appearance. These are sturdy pieces that would easily hold a heavy food platter. So this is the Before photo.
With a little paper from the Dollar Store, a roll of trim for $1.00 at Michael's, wrapping paper on after-Christmas clearance from Old Navy for $1.00, Black Tassel for $.25 and of course spray paint, here is the After shot. I have a couple more boxes to create for the table, but you get the general idea of the look from these three. The next Bridal Shower post will be showcasing the serving pieces and the menu card holders.
Have a great day.
Sherrie
Happy St. Patrick's Day. Today is also Wednesday is Rednesday. Our gracious host of the party, Sue @ It's a Very Cherry World, suggested last week in honor of the holiday to add a little Irish green to this week's reds. Long before Domestic Diva Martha made this color combo popular by showcasing her daughter's retro kitchen in her Martha Stewart Living magazine, I had long used that color scheme in my decor .... I love putting bright red accents with my Jadeite plates. So here are a few of my pieces.
The breadbox is a reproduction piece, a gift from a friend, and with its "Jadeite Green" color and red roses, it sets the tone for today's Irish Red. The sweet little napkin holder is festooned with strawberries and has a green stripe around the top. I found it at Goodwill for $1.99. It is marked Japan. Everything else except the bundt pan are lawnsale or thrift store finds. The cake pan was marked on clearance 75% off at my local grocery store. You have got to love the color. I am thinking it would look fabulous with red enamel polka dots painted on .... It's okay, I have other bundt pans for any actual cooking.
Red and green thermoses.
Here is just a sample of my glassware, mostly Goodwill or lawnsale finds.
3 vintage potholders, salt and pepper set and a popcorn tin, all from last fall's rummage sale at my favorite church, at $.25 apiece.
I love to collect vintage kitchen utensils both plastic and wooden handles .....
Red and Green. I just love the green glass handle on the egg beater. The tin is going to become a lamp. I have the parts gathered and just need the time to assemble.
I also use new pieces such as this tin sign found at Christmas tree shop, (after Christmas 90% off - - honestly it almost feels like stealing) and I just love the paper napkins, printed with my favorite jadeite green with a red mixer. The cloth napkin is from a set of 6, the same church sale and same price. It was a very good sale!!!
This metal thermometer is one of my favorite pieces. It has two hooks for hanging your potholders. I remember paying $10.00 at a flea market, more than what I usually spend, but I had never seen anything like it before or since. The red salt shaker was a recent purchase for $.50 cents and the green one was a dime last fall at, you guessed it, the best ever church sale.
This tray was a $.50 lawnsale find, I just love the red roses against the green, and the Fire King pieces were all priced between $1.00 - $5.00. I use the food chopper all the time.
The metal red apple cookie jar was found for free!!! The fabric was a lawnsale find, a couple of yards for only a $1.00. Pieced with coordinating fabric, it will be made into curtains. For the time being, I use it as a tablecloth. The photo does not show very well the jadeite green color found in the flowers against the red background. By the way, I have seen Jadeite spelled various ways, this is how I spell it. I would appreciate any suggestions or comments on the issue. Thanks. Also included is another potholder, a crocheted beauty.
My second red apple cookie jar is a porcelain piece and a lawnsale find for $.25. The clock was at Goodwill for a few bucks. Really, with finds like these, who needs Home Goods or Target?
In an earlier post around Christmas, I had remarked that I had never heard of Holt Howard before Vintage Christmas Monday, and that now I wanted to collect them. Imagine my surprise to find that I already owned a piece. I had purchased this little green and red flower candlestick holder at a Christmas Church sale for a dime, sometime ago. I didn't know, at that time, the name Holt Howard. It matches this Christmas theme pot holder perfectly.
Here is a better view of the fabric along with a rug that I have had for over 25 years. I just love the green and red stripes. The tablecloth was found for $2.00 also at a Christmas Fair. The graphics are adorable.
Well that is it for today's reds (and greens). Thank you again to our host Sue. Please be sure to check out all the other participants of Wednesday is Rednesday (click here) and be sure to wish them all a Happy St. Patrick's Day.
Speaking of happy, nothing brings a smile like a red box of Girl Scout cookies or maybe even two. The boxes are empty, with my family, the cookies only lasted 2 days.
Please be sure to join me again this Friday, when I will be announcing my 100 Followers Giveaway. I am so excited. I couldn't have reached this goal with out the amazing support of all my new friends. I can't wait to show you what I have put together to say Thank You. See you then.
Have a great day.
Sherrie
They are all time-worn if not down right chippy vintage goodness. The red elf sitting behind the angel is at least 65 years old, a family treasure. The angel is from a friend and is from her own childhood. I received it as a gift last year (Click here for story and other vintage Christmas pieces.)
This sleigh is my most recent piece, last year at Goodwill, for $.99 cents. The reindeer is still wearing its bell.
This sweet little elf still wears its rope hanger and has all its sparkling jewels intact....an elf with a little bling. I acquired this piece years ago and just love it. It wasn't a part of my childhood, but certainly is a part of my daughter's. It was rescued from the bottom of a box of mostly broken ornaments and other misc. decorations. This find, as I always say, made me down right giddy.
I found this piece a few years ago, at Goodwill, the tag is still on the back for $.99 cents. It is a shadowbox design and constructed from fabric. Beautiful green ric -rac edges the frame.
But of course, you have to have a proper Santa for Christmas. This trio has seen a lot of Christmases. The tall one is another childhood piece, a good 55 years old. The shorter Santa again was from another family's decorations and I was happy to bring it home from a lawn sale. The Santa sitting on top of the books was a gift over 30 years ago, oh dear, that makes both it and I vintage.
I recently found this vintage red flocked ornament at a Grange sale. It is sitting on a holly berry bell plate, both of which will be up at the shop.
Here is a close-up of the ornament. Now that it is December, I will be hauling out all my Christmas goodies. Wait until next week when I share more with Sue @ Its a Very Cherry World for Wednesday is Rednesday. Please click here or on the party button on my sidebar for your invite.
