Treasure Box Wednesday: Posies, Pyrex and Presents

Ah, the thrift stores were perfectly packed with pretty purchases, if perchance you paused for a peek.

I won't be saying that five times fast, but I will proceed to the pack of pictures. We'll start with Presents, I think. Yep-- pepper and salt shakers, in the grape milkglass pattern! Perfect for that ever-more-giant basket o' thrifted goodness for my good friend's mom.

I'm delighted that these seem to be in terrific condition, too.

And how about some Pyrex? In two separate thrift store adventures, I came across this pink scroll patterned casserole dish, and this cute hot-air balloon printed bowl...


The hot air balloon Pyrex set, I understand, originally was designed to serve chips, while a small nesting bowl clipped to it for dip...


The pink scroll pattern is one I haven't seen before at the thrift stores, so I was excited to spot this. And yes, I am enabling my Pyrexia.... but LOOK at it! It makes me happy and it's so fun...


At the St. Vincent DePaul Thrift Store in Penn Hills, I found this excellent marble-topped table, with a built-in table lamp for just $7.99!...

It needs some dusting and some sturdying up, but it was just too much my taste to pass up.

Then under the label of Posies, we have this vintage tablecloth...

I could just see this, with its brightly colored flowers-- Poppies, Perhaps?--- on a summer table. And the Salvation Army Thrift Store had this lace tablerunner, which matches my diningroom mantle scarf and window treatment...


Lastly, I found this little fairy centerpiece bowl, which matches two vintage candlesticks I already had. Now I have a whole set!


And before I go, I just thought you might enjoy seeing the bit of mantle messing around I did on Sunday...

You'll see I'm using those tall cherub lamps I'd found for $4 a piece at the Goodwill a few weeks back-- the ones I wasn't sure whether I would paint or not. They look surprisingly good just as-is here. I wasn't quite expecting that. The lampshades were Shabby Chic shades, just $2 a piece at Gabriel Brothers a year or so ago...

Anyway, you never know what you'll be able to use until you start pulling things together and trying it. But I think that's really a part of all the fun!

• If you missed Sunday's post, The Attraction of Carnival Glass, click here.

Otherwise, perhaps you'll pop by for next Sunday's post? Perfect!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Posies, Pyrex and Presents

Ah, the thrift stores were perfectly packed with pretty purchases, if perchance you paused for a peek.

I won't be saying that five times fast, but I will proceed to the pack of pictures. We'll start with Presents, I think. Yep-- pepper and salt shakers, in the grape milkglass pattern! Perfect for that ever-more-giant basket o' thrifted goodness for my good friend's mom.

I'm delighted that these seem to be in terrific condition, too.

And how about some Pyrex? In two separate thrift store adventures, I came across this pink scroll patterned casserole dish, and this cute hot-air balloon printed bowl...


The hot air balloon Pyrex set, I understand, originally was designed to serve chips, while a small nesting bowl clipped to it for dip...


The pink scroll pattern is one I haven't seen before at the thrift stores, so I was excited to spot this. And yes, I am enabling my Pyrexia.... but LOOK at it! It makes me happy and it's so fun...


At the St. Vincent DePaul Thrift Store in Penn Hills, I found this excellent marble-topped table, with a built-in table lamp for just $7.99!...

It needs some dusting and some sturdying up, but it was just too much my taste to pass up.

Then under the label of Posies, we have this vintage tablecloth...

I could just see this, with its brightly colored flowers-- Poppies, Perhaps?--- on a summer table. And the Salvation Army Thrift Store had this lace tablerunner, which matches my diningroom mantle scarf and window treatment...


Lastly, I found this little fairy centerpiece bowl, which matches two vintage candlesticks I already had. Now I have a whole set!


And before I go, I just thought you might enjoy seeing the bit of mantle messing around I did on Sunday...

You'll see I'm using those tall cherub lamps I'd found for $4 a piece at the Goodwill a few weeks back-- the ones I wasn't sure whether I would paint or not. They look surprisingly good just as-is here. I wasn't quite expecting that. The lampshades were Shabby Chic shades, just $2 a piece at Gabriel Brothers a year or so ago...

Anyway, you never know what you'll be able to use until you start pulling things together and trying it. But I think that's really a part of all the fun!

• If you missed Sunday's post, The Attraction of Carnival Glass, click here.

Otherwise, perhaps you'll pop by for next Sunday's post? Perfect!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Crazy Hats, Cool Grapes and Crystal Settings

If you put the Mad Hatter in a room with Bob Mackie and Queen Victoria, that chapeau is possibly what you might get for your efforts. Insane, isn't it? That French lady bust will never forgive me for messing up her coiffure with such a feather-and-felt monstrosity, but it made such a humorous and lovely display.

It was found a few weeks ago at the Red, White and Blue at Bellevue (no, not the mental hospital-- different Bellevue) and it was also half-off. The lady at the register relayed this good news to me and then followed it up with, "So, what are you going to do with it?"

I mentioned displaying it, but I didn't think describing tormenting a very proper-looking art nouveau bust with it would really make my case for sanity.

Further in the thrifted world of vintage accessories, I'd found this deco-styled monogram handbag at the Salvation Army...


I will actually use this-- I don't care whether it's my initials or not. I think this will work well with a little black dress for an evening out. Now all I have to do is thrift the right guy, right?

Also in recent thrifting is this shell pink grape-patterned glass from the Indiana Glass Company. This was made around the 50s for Napco...


I liked the delicate pink shade of the glass. And in other grape-patterned glassware news, I found two parfait dishes for my friend's mother's milkglass gift basket. (Which is getting bigger by the week!)

According to the cashier at the Salvation Army Superstore, she remembers either peanut butter or jelly being a purchase with this giveaway item. Anyone else recall that as well, or is this urban thrift legend?


Lastly in the world of thrifty goodness is this thrifted still-life painting... I might just hang it in my office at work.


But wait-- don't go yet! Since I've been working on it, I thought you might also like to see my late-summer table setting...

The placemats are capice Shabby Chic mats I got a year or so ago. The plates are all my crystal Waffle/Waterford Anchor Hocking depression glass, and the candles and candlestick holders were all thrifted many moons ago from stores lost to time and memory...

I like the little fairy figures in particular because they have a bit of an art deco hood ornament thing going on in their styling...


And here you can see the mantle in the same room, with the marcasite-styled frames. They carry over the same feel as the crystal depression glass plates, I thought.

And there you can see my new-old yellow-green art deco clock discovered for $15 a week or so ago...

I thought that worked well with the yellow-green tablecloth and placemats!

Well, that's it for this Treasure Box. If you have a moment and want to check out Sunday's post on some antiquing spots to Pittsburgh's north, click here.

Can you all believe the Back To School season is right around the corner? I suspect for those of us without the wee ones, it would be wise to avoid all shopping malls unless absolutely necessary. It's looking a bit scary out there. Hope everyone is enjoying the last hurrahs of Summer!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Crazy Hats, Cool Grapes and Crystal Settings

If you put the Mad Hatter in a room with Bob Mackie and Queen Victoria, that chapeau is possibly what you might get for your efforts. Insane, isn't it? That French lady bust will never forgive me for messing up her coiffure with such a feather-and-felt monstrosity, but it made such a humorous and lovely display.

It was found a few weeks ago at the Red, White and Blue at Bellevue (no, not the mental hospital-- different Bellevue) and it was also half-off. The lady at the register relayed this good news to me and then followed it up with, "So, what are you going to do with it?"

I mentioned displaying it, but I didn't think describing tormenting a very proper-looking art nouveau bust with it would really make my case for sanity.

Further in the thrifted world of vintage accessories, I'd found this deco-styled monogram handbag at the Salvation Army...


I will actually use this-- I don't care whether it's my initials or not. I think this will work well with a little black dress for an evening out. Now all I have to do is thrift the right guy, right?

Also in recent thrifting is this shell pink grape-patterned glass from the Indiana Glass Company. This was made around the 50s for Napco...


I liked the delicate pink shade of the glass. And in other grape-patterned glassware news, I found two parfait dishes for my friend's mother's milkglass gift basket. (Which is getting bigger by the week!)

According to the cashier at the Salvation Army Superstore, she remembers either peanut butter or jelly being a purchase with this giveaway item. Anyone else recall that as well, or is this urban thrift legend?


Lastly in the world of thrifty goodness is this thrifted still-life painting... I might just hang it in my office at work.


But wait-- don't go yet! Since I've been working on it, I thought you might also like to see my late-summer table setting...

The placemats are capice Shabby Chic mats I got a year or so ago. The plates are all my crystal Waffle/Waterford Anchor Hocking depression glass, and the candles and candlestick holders were all thrifted many moons ago from stores lost to time and memory...

I like the little fairy figures in particular because they have a bit of an art deco hood ornament thing going on in their styling...


And here you can see the mantle in the same room, with the marcasite-styled frames. They carry over the same feel as the crystal depression glass plates, I thought.

And there you can see my new-old yellow-green art deco clock discovered for $15 a week or so ago...

I thought that worked well with the yellow-green tablecloth and placemats!

Well, that's it for this Treasure Box. If you have a moment and want to check out Sunday's post on some antiquing spots to Pittsburgh's north, click here.

Can you all believe the Back To School season is right around the corner? I suspect for those of us without the wee ones, it would be wise to avoid all shopping malls unless absolutely necessary. It's looking a bit scary out there. Hope everyone is enjoying the last hurrahs of Summer!

Treasure Box Wednesday: From British Isles to Thrift Store Aisles

While many of us hard-core thrifters view thrift shopping as an adventure, some of our treasures take an equally exciting journey to reach us. Why, a single day of thrifting might reveal sake cups from Japan, hand-painted tole from France, steins from Germany, beautiful silks from India and elaborate carvings from Bali. My own father found a diggerydo from Australia once (and when space is limited, at over five foot tall, believe me-- it's a bit of a diggery-don't.)

As an Anglophile, I'm continually surprised at the sorts of things that turn up in thrift stores that originally came from the British Isles. So I thought I'd group a few of them together today in this Treasure Box Wednesday.

Like this Isle of Wite souvenir linen towel....

I found this at the Salvation Army Superstore out by Century III Mall. What was once someone's souvenir purchase becomes a fun collectible for someone new!

A while back, I uncovered this mug commemorating Prince Charles and Lady Diana's wedding, too...


At $0.99 at the Goodwill in Monroeville, it seemed too unique round these here parts to not put away for safekeeping. Perhaps in the U.K. they're available by the pound, but not here in the middle of Western Pennsylvania!

I was equally shocked to find this (sadly, empty) biscuit tin from the famous Harrod's department store in London. It's a nice size and would be great for storage of small items, like pens or thread spools.


And yesterday, I found another little reminder of England. While not made in that country, I was still rather tickled to discover this Department 56 Dickens Village Historic Landmark's light-up version of Big Ben...


Christmas may be half-a-year off, but this is going to look terrific in my William Morris styled living room at the holidays! And at just under $7, I know I got a pretty good deal.

Outside of the British theme, I thought I'd show you another Salvation Army Superstore find-- this Victorian transferware vase. There's some nice hand-painting to it, though a bit of damage to the top of the vase. Still, in a cabinet, it will be very pretty.


I found this vintage apron with handkerchief pockets at Goodwill for $1...


And last, I discovered matching vintage sheets-- though at two separate Salvation Armies. You just never know what's going to be where!


Well, before I say, "Cheerio" today (yes, yes, I know no one actually says "cheerio" unless breakfast cereal is involved,) I'll leave you with the following links:

• If you missed last Treasure Box Wednesday's little spring garden tour, you might wish to click here.

• And if you didn't catch Sunday's post on the conclusion to the Round Robin and my swap partner's thoughtful package to me, click here.

Cheers!
-Jenn