Treasure Box Wednesday: Thrifting, Stitching and Surprise

I'd caught a glimpse of the images as I'd passed the Red, White and Blue thrift store's hanging decor section. It was amid the art class paintings, the 70s mushroom plaques in plaster, dusty prints and framed posters. I got a sense of color, of intricacy, and, well... a lot of legs.

The section was crowded. I would have needed a cattle prod and more chutzpa than I certainly could ever summon, just to take a peek. I decided to pop back later, when the area was less... leggy.

So I bobbed and weaved around the store, and returned 20 minutes later to the spot, to find it much more managable. And that's when I got to see the first side of the three framed items that had been stacked and taped together.

The mermaid needlework had my attention immediately. Not only for its size, and color, but the fact that I knew how much work went into the thing...
At least a foot-and-a-half square, the design was chock full of mer-people...
...jellyfish, sunken ships and thready kelp.
On the other side was Rapunzel, letting her long hair down for the prince to make his grand entrance....

And this one had all the detail of the first... Castles and flowers and the great effort of the thing was remarkable to me...

I had no idea what the third one was (it was firmly taped inside facing the other two), but given it was in the same sort of frame and size, I expected it might be another Grimm tale. Perhaps Cinderella? Snow White? I looked forward to getting it home and finding out.

When I did, I was in for a big surprise. As it happened to be depicting my very favorite of childhood tales...

Alice in Wonderland.

What luck! And as you can see, the piece is as lush with detail as the other two...

Here's our friend the Hatter...
And even the Cheshire Cat makes an appearance. Albeit how much of him remains there at any time is up to him...
Moving on, at the Ohio River Boulevard antique mall, I found a Victorian luster portrait plate for just $6...
And at the Salvation Army on the South Side, I uncovered a McCoy pinecone patterned creamer (this had been a part of a tea set at one time), for just a few dollars...
It was a fun week of finds and very easy on the pocketbook in total... Perhaps this pocketbook...
Which was a whopping $1.50.

So that's Treasure Box Wednesday for this week. May you find your own delightful surprises, treasures, and perhaps even some Wonder in the days ahead.

Treasure Box Wednesday: Thrifting, Stitching and Surprise

I'd caught a glimpse of the images as I'd passed the Red, White and Blue thrift store's hanging decor section. It was amid the art class paintings, the 70s mushroom plaques in plaster, dusty prints and framed posters. I got a sense of color, of intricacy, and, well... a lot of legs.

The section was crowded. I would have needed a cattle prod and more chutzpa than I certainly could ever summon, just to take a peek. I decided to pop back later, when the area was less... leggy.

So I bobbed and weaved around the store, and returned 20 minutes later to the spot, to find it much more managable. And that's when I got to see the first side of the three framed items that had been stacked and taped together.

The mermaid needlework had my attention immediately. Not only for its size, and color, but the fact that I knew how much work went into the thing...
At least a foot-and-a-half square, the design was chock full of mer-people...
...jellyfish, sunken ships and thready kelp.
On the other side was Rapunzel, letting her long hair down for the prince to make his grand entrance....

And this one had all the detail of the first... Castles and flowers and the great effort of the thing was remarkable to me...

I had no idea what the third one was (it was firmly taped inside facing the other two), but given it was in the same sort of frame and size, I expected it might be another Grimm tale. Perhaps Cinderella? Snow White? I looked forward to getting it home and finding out.

When I did, I was in for a big surprise. As it happened to be depicting my very favorite of childhood tales...

Alice in Wonderland.

What luck! And as you can see, the piece is as lush with detail as the other two...

Here's our friend the Hatter...
And even the Cheshire Cat makes an appearance. Albeit how much of him remains there at any time is up to him...
Moving on, at the Ohio River Boulevard antique mall, I found a Victorian luster portrait plate for just $6...
And at the Salvation Army on the South Side, I uncovered a McCoy pinecone patterned creamer (this had been a part of a tea set at one time), for just a few dollars...
It was a fun week of finds and very easy on the pocketbook in total... Perhaps this pocketbook...
Which was a whopping $1.50.

So that's Treasure Box Wednesday for this week. May you find your own delightful surprises, treasures, and perhaps even some Wonder in the days ahead.

Treasure Box Wednesday: Vamps, Lamps and Halloween Camp

As leaves turn from green to gold and swirl in the chill air, Route 30 takes on a solemn, almost lonesome tone. Yet the thrifting there this weekend was bright and inviting. It, in fact, marked an unheard of three-lamp Saturday.

Those who have read me for a while know I have Lamp Addiction. I fix them up, sometimes I give them to people. I see a good lamp and it needs to come home with me.

Well, at the Salvation Army near North Versailles, I got my prized lamp of the day. This transfer rose beauty, with handpainted detailing...



You can get a closer look here...


I loved the subtle tones of color-- and also that it absolutely matched my diningroom. I've been moving other lamps around to accommodate it. But that's the beautiful thing about decorating-- nothing is etched in stone.

My other lamp score came in the form of two vintage cherub lamps at just $4 a piece and completely rewired...

Take a look at these funny fellows...


And while we're on the subject, I was thinking I might paint these an antiqued white, instead of this gold-- what do you folks think? Leave them as is, or paint them?

At the Ligonier Fleatique I got this excellent tole cake box. It needs a bit of gentle cleaning, but at $5, it's going to be a nice addition to the kitchen...


At the Goodwill in Irwin, I found these tin deer-printed salt and pepper shakers. I may give them to a family friend. Right now, they need a good cleaning.


And at the Salvation Army in Greensburg, I uncovered this nice green Depression glass juicer...


Last of my thrift finds for the week, are these two vintage-style purses. You might be able to tell I'm already thinking ahead to summer, but it's better to plan ahead than be wishing I had them later...


Here are just a couple of closeups on the beadwork on the one...


And the needlepoint of the other...


And just for a change of pace, I thought I'd tuck in today some pictures of my Halloween decor as it's coming along. As you saw up top, this is in my entry way...


The black candleabra I found at the Goodwill. The raven was a Target find. The moving picture portrait of Dracula was $1 from the Giant Eagle grocery store last year after season. And the Poe book? That's just for readin'.

Here's a pic of my Halloween dining table in progress... You can see where those crystal dishes I'd bought went to...

I saw a set of them in one of the antique malls and they were listed as being candydishes/ice cream bowls. I hadn't thought of them for ice cream, but it would make sense why they would come en masse and in different colors.

And that closes the Treasure Box for today.

• If you missed Sunday's post on humorous ads from the 60s women's magazine, The Workbasket, click here.

And this coming Sunday, why, I'll be here if you will. Happy Wednesday to you!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Vamps, Lamps and Halloween Camp

As leaves turn from green to gold and swirl in the chill air, Route 30 takes on a solemn, almost lonesome tone. Yet the thrifting there this weekend was bright and inviting. It, in fact, marked an unheard of three-lamp Saturday.

Those who have read me for a while know I have Lamp Addiction. I fix them up, sometimes I give them to people. I see a good lamp and it needs to come home with me.

Well, at the Salvation Army near North Versailles, I got my prized lamp of the day. This transfer rose beauty, with handpainted detailing...



You can get a closer look here...


I loved the subtle tones of color-- and also that it absolutely matched my diningroom. I've been moving other lamps around to accommodate it. But that's the beautiful thing about decorating-- nothing is etched in stone.

My other lamp score came in the form of two vintage cherub lamps at just $4 a piece and completely rewired...

Take a look at these funny fellows...


And while we're on the subject, I was thinking I might paint these an antiqued white, instead of this gold-- what do you folks think? Leave them as is, or paint them?

At the Ligonier Fleatique I got this excellent tole cake box. It needs a bit of gentle cleaning, but at $5, it's going to be a nice addition to the kitchen...


At the Goodwill in Irwin, I found these tin deer-printed salt and pepper shakers. I may give them to a family friend. Right now, they need a good cleaning.


And at the Salvation Army in Greensburg, I uncovered this nice green Depression glass juicer...


Last of my thrift finds for the week, are these two vintage-style purses. You might be able to tell I'm already thinking ahead to summer, but it's better to plan ahead than be wishing I had them later...


Here are just a couple of closeups on the beadwork on the one...


And the needlepoint of the other...


And just for a change of pace, I thought I'd tuck in today some pictures of my Halloween decor as it's coming along. As you saw up top, this is in my entry way...


The black candleabra I found at the Goodwill. The raven was a Target find. The moving picture portrait of Dracula was $1 from the Giant Eagle grocery store last year after season. And the Poe book? That's just for readin'.

Here's a pic of my Halloween dining table in progress... You can see where those crystal dishes I'd bought went to...

I saw a set of them in one of the antique malls and they were listed as being candydishes/ice cream bowls. I hadn't thought of them for ice cream, but it would make sense why they would come en masse and in different colors.

And that closes the Treasure Box for today.

• If you missed Sunday's post on humorous ads from the 60s women's magazine, The Workbasket, click here.

And this coming Sunday, why, I'll be here if you will. Happy Wednesday to you!