Broken Things and Gumball Machines

Once upon a time I had an apothecary jar that sat on a shelf in my sewing room. I used it to display pretty spools of vintage thread that I had purchased at my favorite thrift store.

Unfortunately, a couple of weeks ago, B knocked it from the shelf while moving something and it shattered into a million little pieces.

I was so sad, I loved my little jar full of pretty threads.

Then inspiration struck. The gumball machine was sitting on my cutting table in my fabric room and it occured to me that it would look SO CUTE with vintage threads in it. I was so anxious to try my idea out that I didn't even take time to clean it.


Isn't it lovely? I adore it. Now I have to take it back apart, clean it, then put it all back together again. It looks kinda empty, I think I need more thread =0)

Thrifted Finds 8-11-09

Another trip to my favorite thrift, another couple dollars spent.

Found this fabulous vintage cannister and waste bin set. The waste bin has a little bit of rust around the bottom and one small dent, the cannisters are in mint condition, they have never even been used, they still have all their packaging materials, and the sticker from "Grand Central". Talk about a blast from the past! My mother worked for Grand Central when I was a little girl.


An apple peeler, which will come in handy when making our favorite apple crisp this fall with apples from my mother's tree.


A fun holiday sign that was still in it's celophane packaging. Why would someone not want to keep this darling little sign? Sometimes I wonder why people give away the things I find at the thrift. I can't imagine someone not loving them as much as I do, but I am glad they chose to send them away, so I can have them =0)


Some pretty frames with glass for some special projects I'm planning.


And one more thing that I can't show you because it's for someone special. And no, it's not for...


Although I do have something special, for me, to show you, but it deserves a post all it's own. Check back soon.

Thrifted Finds 08-05-09

B had to run some errands around town the other day that happened to take me past the less desirable location of my favorite thrift, and since we were there anyway....

I found a cute gumball machine to add to B's collection for $1.50


A Rachell Ashwell Shabby Chic sheet, and a vintage pillow case. I love the fabric on the vintage pillow case so much, I searched desperately for a sheet in the same print, but there wasn't one. I love the aqua and pink.


Another cute rose china plate, I don't know what I am going to do with all these, I have ten times more than I need to do my collage wall, but I keep buying them, it's an addiction.


I bought this letter tray thinking it would look great on my desk containing all those loose papers I always seem to have floating around, but to my dismay, this letter tray is not big enough to actually hold a letter. How annoying!

The pink jewelry stand was a dark walnut color when I bought it, but I gave it a quick scrub, prime coat, and coat of pink paint and it's cute as can be.

And while I didn't pick up these little yellow ceramic canisters at the thrift, I am including them anyway because they were such a great deal. I picked them up off the clearance shelf at Tai Pan Trading Company for $.83 for the set (Including tax!). They stand about 7" tall and will look cute in my bathroom holding cotton balls and q-tips.

Thrifted Finds 08-04-09

Hello All, how is your week going?

Just thought I would drop in and share my recent finds...

A painted rose, china plate. It has little cut outs on the sides. I bought one very similar to this a couple years ago, but it's green, you can see it if you scroll down and see the collection of plates I have accumulated and want to hang, collage style, on my bedroom wall.



Also this sweet pressed glass plate, I plan to make a little cake plate out of it.


I picked up this red berry wreath for $1.97, and then on the way out stumbled upon this table cloth. It's in pretty bad shape, it has many stains and one good sized hole, but that is ok because I plan to cut it up anyway.


I have been looking for one of these for YEARS, and I have never found one, I have always been jealous of the girls who seem to find one every weekend. It was $2.99. I can't wait to cut it up and make a quilt out of it.

Did you notice, it has cherries *Sigh*

08-01-09 Sailboat Saturday

My husband has always wanted one of those giant wooden sailboats. I'm not really sure why. So when I stumbled across this little treasure at my favorite thrift a couple weeks ago, I grabbed it. It was clear up on a top shelf, I almost couldn't reach it, and at the time it was a jumble of strings, and sails, and dowels. It had no price tag, but I hoped they would give me a price I could live with because I really didn't want to leave it behind. This will look so great on top of PK's computer desk in his bedroom!


How much you ask? Are you sitting down? Because these things are in the hundreds brand new, and I am really glad this one was all taken apart because they gave it to me for a mere $5.00.

Yesterday we were out and about again and I had to go clear across town to the upholstery fabric store. Since it was right next door to Savers (thrift) and my poor PK was about to wet his pants, and the fabric store didn't have a public restroom, we went in. And of course I can't go in without looking around...


I stumbled upon another ship. Two in one month, pretty amazing. This one was $14.99 though and I wasn't going to buy it (because I'm cheap) but B really wanted it, so it came home with us. I have no clue where this one is going to go, since I am out of decorating space in PK's bedroom.

Thrifted Finds 7-28-09

Not much to be found today sadly.

I did find this fun house Christmas decoration for $1.50, it is covered in fiber optic lights. I can't decide if I want to put it in my sewing room (Since it's the perfect colors and whimsical) or save it for the Christmas decor. We plugged it in to make sure the lights work, the do, and thankfully the little obnoxious digital music box part is broken!


They had three of these plates for $1 each, but I only brought home one of them.


Sadly those are my only treasures for today.

Thrifted finds 07-18-09

Another recent trip to my favorite thrift. I picked up these two vintage sheets. The yellow stripe on is in perfect condition, I would be surprised if it has ever been used. It still feels all stiff and starchy.


A Kate Spade purse (for $2) and a vintage reproduction ice cream tin sign.


More floral china plates, and a couple of little frames.


I especially love this one...