The Thrift Collective

Thrifty Finds #33

2012-03-03T00:28:00.002-08:00

During a recent enforced internet break, I think I must've used thrifting as a blogging substitute. This is just the start of what I've acquired over the last few weeks. Ooops!

Above: Crown Devon Lidded Bowl Circa 1960's - £3 from our local charity shop. I love the chunkiness, the colour and pattern of this pot. I've seen lot's of highly glazed versions of this but I rather liked the matt finish on this one. Currently housing my hair accessories on a shelf in the bathroom! Not quite what the maker intended I suspect, but hey, what can I say, it goes with the colour scheme!

Above: Pyrosil Square Lidded Casserole Circa 1960's - £1.50 from our local charity shop. I already had the little Pyrosil dish in the background so you can probably imagine me clapping my hands like a delighted sealion when I came across this one to keep it company.

Above: Vintage Mixing Bowl Circa 1930's - £3 from Emmaus - These are pretty iconic and I have been after one of these for a while. By British company T G Green (best known for the equally iconic blue and white Cornishware) they are known as "Gripstand" Mixing bowls (also known as Yelloware in the US/Canada I believe) because the little wedge shape you can see near the base allows them to sit at a tilted angle for whisking and such like. Clever stuff!!

Above: Set of 3 Poole Twintone Cups & Saucers - Circa 1930's - £2 from our local charity shop
I just love Poole Twintone. I love the gorgeous colour combinations and the fact that something made over 80 years ago can still look so fresh and modern. That's great design don't you think?

Miss Px

Great finds!

2012-03-02T13:25:00.001-08:00

I've been on an extended thrifting drought lately but suddenly this week I found some great stuff. Here's what I found.

A Hornsea April Love Mug designed by Kenneth Townsend and made in 1977. So cute! A perfect little gift for someone with an April birthday!

Then at the next stop, a super minty Pyrex Wicker 043 casserole! The paint on this one is so crisp. It looks like it was stored in the cupboard for 50 years and never used. Lovely! I have an extensive vintage Pyrex collection but I don't collect yellow or green so this one will have to go to my Etsy shop. :(

Then I spotted these fantastic Ransburg canisters. Painted metalware with wooden lids. These are also in terrific condition. I love it when I find interesting vintage stuff that the former owners really took care of. I hope I find an equally good home for these beauties.

Hope you are having some thrifting karma out there!

Thrifted and Refashioned

2012-02-28T16:33:00.004-08:00

Do you see my vintage suitcases there? I love them, but they are currently the nicest thing in my living room, lol. They are a Craigslist score, so I don't think they count as thrifted.

I bought this dress from The Urban Jungle in Bushwick, Brooklyn. Its tag says it's made by JJ Dean of California. Here it is before:

Not bad, but it ain't great. I also snapped a halfway point pic which compares short sleeves to sleeveless. I'm glad I got rid of them all together. One shouldn't try to look like a frigid librarian or British boarding school mistress, lol. I didn't expect to like this so much! I may have to remake it in a better fabric. One that won't make me sweat to death!

More info here!

Rose Hill Antiques

2012-02-23T20:39:00.034-08:00

The best part about antiquing is finding that rare something that's got a great back story and gets everyone in the room talking. These are real glass eyes people used to pop into empty sockets.

John McMahon, owner of Rose Hill Antiques prides himself on carrying the espected and totaly unexpected in his store.

If you’re in the market for a second hand vintage item, coated in a thin protective layer of dust, then this is your spot. Just take an allergy pill before you walk in.

Walking into Rose Hill Antiques, you should be ready to step over, around and in between if you want to get a good look at anything. John’s a dealer, not a decorator.

He says Rose Hill is a popular stop for set designers in the area. Items from his store have ended up in films like Shutter Island and Peace, Love and Misunderstanding. If you can’t find what you’re looking for at the store, John says he also has a warehouse full of stuff nearby.

Over the years, John has amassed a large and eclectic collection. He buys pieces for personal or investment interest but says he’s really drawn to something unique with an interesting back-story (it makes for a good selling point with customers).

The coffee table was originally part of a set of 100. They were made for a café in New York (that no longer exists) by a former set designer for Sesame Street. He bought them all a few years back and says at $150 each they moved really quickly. This is one of the last few he has left.

John says a lot of his collection is from estates. People will call the store about a death and tell John, ‘clean me out.’

These family photos belong to someone. John says he got them form a garbage collector who came across the pictures on his route. They’re nice representations of retro-Americana until you remember they’re discarded images of someone’s family.

Estate sales also turned up a restored painting by Keith Gunderson of the Hudson Valley School of Art.

And an original drawing by Remmington Kellogg, Yup that’s Kellogg as in the breakfast cereal empire, it’s Grrrrrrate!

The bracelet is from 1926.

The Victorian cameo is made from a seashell in the 1880’s.

The dressers back to the early 19^th century.

The Murano lamp is for anyone who loves 60's swank.

Straight outta Indiana, a Hoosier style cabinet from the 1930’s.

Magic lantern slide projector. I had no idea what that was until John explained it’s an early form of the camera.

Skookum doll – the eyes are looking the wrong way and were made by white women in the US not American Indians.

On the surface these paintings may seem juvenile and simple until you find out they’re from Rikers Island cellblock 95 and an inmate by the name of Fabio Garcia. He had a brief stay on the island from 1980 to 1985 and when he got transferred to a federal penitentiary, his family didn’t want the paintings. They were beautiful before, but waaaay more interesting now.

You don’t have to be a pauper to appreciate a good bargain John’s had his fair share of celebs come through the store. I won’t name drop, but the Hudson Valley has about as many celebs and Manhattan’s Village. As cheap as John’s prices are, don’t feel like they’re etched in stone. He’s willing to negotiate, within reason.

Mid Mod Mom's thrift finds

2012-02-20T09:22:00.000-08:00

This week has been such a fabulous week, I have been busy, happy busy. Home projects, fondue party and thrifting! Wood toys was the theme for my finds this week. All of them at different stores... unbelievable!

This sweet old Zoo-Line donkey makes me smile. It didn't last long in the store, it is now going to England. Safe travels little one.

Another Zoo-Line figure, a monkey! Isn't he cute? He will be up in the store shortly.

In the 1950s Zoo-Line, a Los Angeles based company, distributed a wide range of wooden animal figures. These whimsical animals were made in Japan. The line was primarily sold at parks and zoos, and it encompassed miniatures packaged in matchbooks as well as larger figures that had functional uses as jewelry cases or office organizers.

It is widely speculated that these figures were designed by Kay Bojesen but they were not. Never the less, there are a lot of similarities between Scandinavian and Japanese design of the 1950s. The Zoo-Line figures are sought after because of their quirky humor and craftsmanship.

Speaking of Mr Bojesen, you might remember my first Kay Bojesen soldier find. This one is in much better shape, and it costed me a fraction of my first one. It is keeping guard with his brother on a shelf in my office, he might go to the store at some point.

These two candle holders with brass tops are another thrift store find. Made in Japan, I still have to find out more about them. Lovely, aren't they?

Last Friday I went to three estate sales nearby. I took my friend's mom with me, as she loves them. Too bad it was not the best day for great finds. The first sale was in the beach town of Dana Point, the house had the most beautiful view of the ocean and of Catalina island. This was the last day of the sale so everything was half off. I snatched this Sascha Brastoff set as soon as I saw it. I usually do not pick ashtrays, but this one is worth picking, don't you think?

Last sale we visited had some interesting pieces but everything was overpriced. Since the sale was around the corner from my house, I decided to go back on Sunday when everything was half off. I went back to get a Bitossi Rimini Blue ashtray and a mod bar cart yet both items had sold Saturday. I searched again through the house and spotted a gorgeous tablecloth on a table, hardly visible because of all the dinnerware for sale placed on top of it. Colors and graphics reminded me of the work of Vera Neumann, so I took a closer look. Original tag on the tablecloth told me it was a California Handprints product, made in nearby Hermosa Beach. I had never heard of this brand, but I liked it well enough that I bought it. I now know that others like them too, and they sell well on Ebay.

Not a bad week. I feel so productive! What did you do this week? What did you find?

Frustration.

2012-02-16T17:09:00.000-08:00

Image via meritandworth

See that? That is a thorn in my side. If you recall I've shown you things in this collection before. (See here, here and here if your memory needs jogging). This is from the "Taste Setter Collection". A company who apparently did not care much about branding because some of these items have their name on them and some are completely devoid of any information at all.

Prepare yourself, from this point on this post is going to be a rant/whining.

If you were to show this tray to ten different people they would describe it ten different ways. Which is where my problem begins. How do you search for an item that has no name on it, no maker's mark and you have no idea what the collection encompasses? Try searching for that on ebay or etsy. It could be "winking face tray" to one person and "graphic tray" to another or "sun plate" to someone else.

There could be bowls, creamers, salad plates, ash trays...I have no idea. It's so unbelievably frustrating and to top it off I am completely obsessed with it. I've considered it as a tattoo. I've scoured the internet for items into the wee hours only to find my own blog posts on it. Earlier this week I checked a well known website that specializes in replacement china and they were using MY pictures for it. More than a little frustrating.

It is the Kirk to my Khan; It tasks me, It tasks me, and I shall have it! I'll chase it round the Moons of Nibia, and round the Antares Maelstrom, and round perdition's flames before I give it up!

So I ask again, if you ever see it, buy it. I'll reimburse you and give you a finder's fee. You'd be making this cranky lady very, very happy.

Reblogged from Rearranged Design

An Embarrassment of Riches.

2012-02-13T11:58:00.000-08:00

I have an addictive personality. It's genetic, it's environmental, it's a problem. My whole life I've never been able to stop at just one. "Why not get that shirt in three colors? - I like this vase, I need to know everything about it AND own every version."

I've tried my best to learn to say no and get better but when something is useful and beautiful I just can't help myself. Meet my Kobenstyle Collection:

Dansk is known for their teak mid-century pieces and Kobenstyle. Designed by Jens Quistgaard. It's enameled steel, beautiful in it's simple lines and function (the lid is a trivet). It was made in amazing colors and while it does chip easier then, say, Le Creuset. It's much lighter and less expensive.

I didn't realize it had been breeding in my kitchen. One day I only had a couple of paella pans (a misnomer because it's actually a chafing dish but that's what folks call it, what are you gonna do?) and a casserole dish then BAM! I had a fourteen piece collection.

At least I can say I use it all, even the paella pans (they're pretty useful for mixing things like coleslaw). I think laying it all out on the table at once makes me realize I could let a few pieces go.

Why can't I just like ugly stuff? That would be a lot easier to get rid of.

Reblogged from Rearranged Design

what I left behind

2012-02-09T11:34:00.000-08:00

While mooching around the Goodwill store down the street from my office, a few things caught my eye, but I didn't find anything to take home with me. But take a look at the goodies I left behind:

The blouse was beautiful, sheer, and I loved the print, but after looking at it I realzed I would never be able to button it up all the way. And I was shocked to see a pair of actual wooden clogs at the store. That was definitely a first. This Goodwill store is generally hit or miss, and I only make it in about once a month or so. I'm planning to move back up to Seattle soon, and I can't wait to make the thrifting rounds in the city again...it's been ages!

~Echo

PCC Flea

2012-02-06T11:53:00.000-08:00

This Sunday was the PCC flea market. Nothing I found was too crazy thrilling.

My Husband found two Neil Young records he'd been looking for ($3/each) and I found a nice piece of Kobenstyle ($20) and some sort of Medical/Dental tool. It's got a doctor's name on it and a patent number but google searches for both have brought me no information. My best guess it was a spit tray or a tooth holder for a dentist...anyone have an idea what this might be?

My plan is to use it as a spoon rest after a deep, deep cleaning.

Reblogged from Rearranged Design

To Die For Clutch and BUTTONS

2012-02-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

I had to grab the Groupon for one of my favorite consignment shops local to me, Alexis Grace Consignment and GUH, as per usual, it was a fabulous thing even though I did my best to ruin it haha. Groupons, for those of you not familiar, expire. On the very last day that this Groupon was valid, I happened to sign into my account and see that it was there waiting for me to use! I went on my lunch break (because they wouldn't be open after work) and made the quickest shop run in my history of shop runs! OK, here is what I got!

My favorite thing about Alexis Grace Consignment is that they have Fill-A-Bag Buttons! So, of course, I filled a bag full of buttons.

They have great jewelry too! Grabbed two pretty unique necklaces, one of which is SO 80's and I love it.

This clutch is absolutely my favorite find of the day. It's a velvety texture and so "rich". A plus? It's also big enough to hold my keys, phone, lip gloss and Camera. Perfect!

SUCCESS!

Mid Mod Mom's thrift finds

2012-01-30T10:56:00.000-08:00

I am settling into a routine of sorts with my store: I stop at thrift stores often, I also try to go to one estate sale a week, then, after I clean my finds I photograph a batch of them. Editing those images and listing are the two things that consume most of my time, but I believe this is time well invested in the long run. I list whenever I have time to edit the images and research the items. It is frustrating at times to spend an hour on a listing! Frustrating but necessary.

I am still reconsidering my pictures, but if I decide to change, I will have to change a big batch of images, as to give consistency to the store. So for now, I will keep it as it is. I want to be sure about the new setting before committing to it.

Talking about changes and ideas. I am going to start a regular post on the blog that will feature thrifters and collectors. I am interested in finding out more about others like me, and I am dying to see their homes and collections. I will start with my pals from ThriftBreak, but if you will like to be featured, let me know! Thanks.

This weeks thrift finds make me smile, some I got because I knew what they were, others because I liked the way they looked. Let's see them.

This one I recognized immediately. An original Piero Fornasetti bowl in the moon pattern. I LOVE fornasetti! When we lived in Italy, I always imagined that I would find one of his works at the flea market. It finally appeared 6,000 miles away!

***Update*** I just got an e-mail from Barnaba Fornasetti's assistant (Piero Fornasetti's son, the custodian of his father's legacy) and she confirmed that this was made in the 1950s by his father, this is in fact an ORIGINAL! and she gave me an estimated price that made me really happy!

This cool atomic lamp was something that I have spied in the preview images of an estate sale. This lamp caught my eye because of its unique design. I still have to find a reference or attribution to it. So, if you know anything about it, leave me a note.

This beauty was the other reason I went to the sale. An Arthur Percy bottle designed for Gullaskruf. This one has no label so it is difficult to attribute, but telltale dimple on base, color, and height point toward an original Percy design.

Interestingly enough, I came late to the sale, so I was number 90. I knew that all the people with low numbers were resellers too, so I was surprised to find the two items I wanted still there. The resellers were all in the garage fighting over tools. I am fine with this arrangement.

At the same sale I found this mid century orb wood bowl in the style of Sowe Konst of Sweden. Isn't it great?

I got some other small things at the sale, including a Native American beaded belt, signed in the back with initials and 1905 as the date. I am still researching to see if I can find any reference as far as the maker. I will write a post about it when I have more information.

This very retro casserole in the speckled pink glaze with a warmer stand was love at first sight. I bought it from a sweet old lady who told me all about the great meals she served in it. A sweet find with a story to tell.

Well, these are the highlights of my week, what did you find?

Sis sold the store

2012-01-15T15:39:00.000-08:00

My sis and I started a bricks and mortar store.

What an amazing experience. We both had days that felt like pure fun and days that felt like, well, the opposite. Which kind of day we had, seemed to have a lot to do with money.

Bottom line ... how do you follow your bliss when so much of what allows the following seems to be tied into, well, the bottom line?

Needing to make the rent is not exactly the motivator either one of us was looking for. So, we've shifted to selling stuff on ebay. At least, we can do that in our jammies and we don't have the ever-present stress of worrying about the rent each month.

First Thrift Haul of 2012!

2012-01-11T13:59:00.000-08:00

It's been so long since my last post here! Financial problems have prevented me from being able to afford thrifting, but the need for a new medium-sized purse "forced" me into the Goodwill down the street from where I work. I found THE perfect retro-looking shoulder bag, very 1980s in style and only $8.99:

And while I was there I found these two adorable stoneware mugs, $0.58 each:

These will have to be my only thrift scores for a while, but with luck (and hopefully a new, better-paying job), I'll be back to my regular thrifting.

~Echo

Yellow, Striped, Dotty

2012-01-11T07:45:00.000-08:00

Salvation Army Thrift Store

Yellow Cotton Cardigan :: Halogen :: $4.99
Red Stripe Silk Tie ::Perry Ellis :: $1.99
Spotty Silk Scarf :: Charter Club :: $.99

Silly

guh?

2012-01-09T13:57:00.000-08:00

The Rose Bowl flea was this weekend. It was another beautiful Sunday in SoCal. The mister, the neighbor and I all headed to Pasadena in hopes of finding cool stuff and we did!

I found something I didn't know existed. A plastic Cathrineholm bowl:

It turns out it's not actually from Cathrineholm. It's a knockoff from a company called Deka plastics. If you ever had a Star Wars, Rainbow Brite, Star Trek etc. cup and bowl set it was made by Deka.

The bowl is large. 11 inches in diameter and they copied the lotus design spot on. I paid $12 and it looks like that's about what they sell for on etsy and ebay. I think it'll be great for using outside without worrying about damaging since the real deal can get a little pricey.

(To see more of the plastic version check out this flickr picture)

Reblogged from Rearranged Design

Sale!

2012-01-05T17:12:00.000-08:00

On January 12th my Etsy shop Lolabags will be four years old. I'm pretty proud of this. For four years I've been making things that people actually want. To celebrate this I've put the entire store on sale. Everything is half of. Yep, HALF off. Go on and get yourself some goodies.

I'm 51 sales away from 500. If I could reach that by the end of the month, well that'd just be all sorts of awesome.

Tux Skirt

2012-01-05T07:37:00.000-08:00

This is not exactly what I planned for this project, but that's the way the ball bounces when you're a refashionista!

Dude's Tuxedo Trousers to Tux Skirt
Thrifted :: $5 :; Domsey Express in Brooklyn
White lace top :: Handmade by me :: Pattern :: Lydia from BurdaStyle
Naturalizer Booties :: Free via Freecycle

Here's what they looked like before.

This peplum was reconfigured and rearranged so many times. I'm still not entirely happy with it. I think that's mostly because the skirt is too small for me. These may have been better suited as shorts. You can't hear it, but it's shouting "Warning! Your a** exceeds the maximum capacity limits for this skirt!" LOL! That's too bad! Cause I'm digging the satin strip! The waistband, too!

The only deviation from the standard pants to skirt dealio I made was, I stitched down the pleats closest to the zipper on either side. They buckled out in that horrible way pleated pants always do on me (or anyone with hips). It looks light years better like this.

More pics on my blog.

Well, he left me home alone...

2012-01-04T08:18:00.001-08:00

What else was I supposed to do!?!?
Yesterday was the Girlies first day back to school after their Christmas break...the man of "The Frumpy House" was @ work...I couldn't help myself! I went thrift hunting!!

Having been on a long hiatus due to holiday spending, it was good to be back in the saddle!!

I just drove to my little town's "junk" store. I had been in there a couple weeks ago & had seen a corner fitting end table that would work good for our tv & components.
Alas, that was gone...but I found these lovelies...

They were immediately polished & set in the living room...

End of the couch and...

By the easy chair (which I also bought from this store). My new favorite place to read!!
I also picked through his Christmas things...grabbed a few bits & bobs for crafting w/ next Christmas!!

I also bought some records (my new favorite is Johnny Mathis...

Which I listened to 2 times yesterday!
Some other records for the Girlies!

Because I talked the guy down from $25 to $15 on the 2 end tables I was able to spend $18.75 on the whole kit n kaboodle!!

Yeah for thrifting!

--Jeanette using BlogPress on iPhone

First Flea of 2012

2012-01-03T15:47:00.000-08:00

Over the holidays the mister and I held a few dinners with our neighbors. We are all Thanksgiving/Christmas orphans with our families spread out over the country. It's nice because we all have so much in common. The boys love talking about their record collections and both of us ladies love to cook and talk about vintage-y things.

The first flea market of the new year was this weekend. The neighbors and I headed to the PCC flea (my boy was laid out with a bad back). I have never seen so much Kobenstyle in the wild. Both my neighbor and I collect it and were astonished how much we saw. Of course none of it was in our colors and if it was, it was way overpriced. I came home with a light load (sadly no Kobenstyle).

Picture time!

Two Pyrex lids and a cute lightbulb jar. The top screws off and I'm going to throw spare change in there. I spent under $20 and came home happy.

Reblogged from Rearranged Design.

A New Year of finding beauty behind the dust

2012-01-01T18:40:00.000-08:00

Today is the first Sunday of the month, and what that means is the Antiques Market is up and running! I am a believer of tradition, so I decided to sleep in, have a wonderful home made breakfast with the family and then head out to the market... see, whatever I do on the first day of the year will pave the way for the rest of the year! I had no big expectations as I knew that half the vendors were not going to be there, yet I was able to find some treasures.

My favorite find of the day has to be this Arabia of Finland annual plate. I love the design and the colors. The vendor at the market had it amongst a heap of odds and ends, he even lowered the price to half of the asking price!

I enjoyed looking as much as finding, markets are such a feast for the senses, I took a couple images of the beauty found in the temporary arrangement of things. These are my other finds, the colors and shapes that shine under the southern Californian sun.

To make my day even better, I found a set of melmac cups and saucers for my friend, she wanted some and the vendor at the market had plenty of colors. A set of six, with sugar and creamer made a wonderful gift! Sorry, no picture of these.

A small Dutch butter warmer, and a retro set of stainless salad servers also came home with me.

My last find is one that makes me smile. It is a figural candle holder by Stoneware Design West of California. I think it will look great at night. Is it cute? Is it creepy? I am not sure. I only know that it makes me happy, and that is good enough for me.

All in all a great beginning to a brand new year. "The best is yet to come".

Thrifted :: Chopped :: Refashioned ::

2011-12-29T18:47:00.000-08:00

XXL Joseph A. Banks Merino wool cabled sweater :: $8 :: Thrifted

You can see the supertoogigantic for me original here. I still have the whole lower portion to work with. I planned to add it to this somehow, but I like this the way it is.

Here are the, convoluted, construction steps
~ I chopped the body to just under my bust
~ Re-sized the arms and body ( left the lower arm area loose and long-ish)
~ I used the wrong side of the portions that were left over after resizing (two smallish triangular-ish pieces) for the lower portion
~ I stitched them together on the diagonal at the pointed ends and trimmed the opposite ends to the same width as the upper portion of the sweater.
~ I did the same for the lower section.
~ I bought the lower portion upwards and stitched it to the upper section.

Please see the sketch I made that, hopefully, makes this wordy explanation clearer :o)

Cross posted at Sown Brooklyn

Half-Off Thrift Day Treasures

2011-12-23T07:14:00.000-08:00

Hi! I’m Kate, and I'm so happy to contribute to the Thrift Collective. I've enjoyed and learned from the Collective for quite a while now, and I’m excited to jump in as a poster.

I blog over at With Little Lights about thrift and style. I'm a thrifter in Southwest Florida, and I love hunting for great items to keep or pass along in my etsy shop. I mostly thrift clothes, but lately an alarming amount of glassware has begun creeping into my basket. This week I stopped by my local Salvation Army on their half-price day and found a few gems:

This 1986 Derby glass is a keeper and will come in so handy for my yearly Derby Party. I have quite a few of these, but not 1986!

Yes! Another vintage Bucs glass for my collection – I have been so lucky finding these lately that I may have to put some for sale. Some folks around here are still traumatized by the creamsicle, but I have a soft spot for Bucco Bruce (the smiling, plumed guy on the helmet).

I especially love finding locally made clothing, so this Tropical Breeze dress was a treat. It was made by a Tampa company in business from 1983 – 1991. It must not have been excessively popular, because I’ve never heard of or come across another item from them. I do love the logo though!

This store is having a special 50% off day after Christmas, so I just may be back for more then!

Wool & Silk Thrifted Tops

2011-12-22T20:07:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! I'm Nettie and I'm new here ;o) I blog at Sown Brooklyn and I thrift clothing, mostly. Some to wear as is, like the tops in this post, and others to refashion as you will see in the future. I'm glad to be here!

Ralph Lauren Plaid Wool Zip up Shirt :: $7

This baby is WARM! I nearly suffocated while taking this photo. I do, so love plaid!! And I never realized how useful a wool shirt could be.

100% Silk Button Back Top :: $3.59

This is a size 4, so the sleeves are wee.
I'm going to chop them to elbow length. I was going to make the neckline lower, but I kind of like it like this.

100% Silk Pleat Front Blouse :: $3.79

This is not something I would have picked in a retail store. But the day I bought this, I was not in a rush. I, literally, looked at every rack (except children's wear) in the store. I put this back and got again, twice, before buying it. Good decision.

christmas cheers

2011-12-20T16:00:00.000-08:00

I found these glasses while thrifting a few weeks back

my great-grandmother passed along a set to my grandma

so for me, these glasses really remind me of the holidays with my family

I picked up the four glasses for $3

and have been enjoying them so much this season

happy hunting over the holidays!

miss macri @ educated...not so domesticated

Rose Bowl

2011-12-12T11:55:00.000-08:00

It was a gorgeous day in SoCal yesterday. Low sixties and sunny. Perfect weather for walking around and looking at junk. I found two pieces of cookware yesterday. One as soon as I walked in and one right before we left. A nice bookend flea-ing.

Check it:

The aqua Kobenstyle was first. I spotted it immediately and grabbed it. It was $25 and in perfect condition. I didn't even bother to haggle. The lady said if it'd been red she would've kept it. I'm pretty sure she had no idea what it was. Later in the morning there was a seller with a red one who wanted $50 for it. Which makes me wonder with all the sellers who mark up stuff and know what they have, How much longer will we have people who don't Google things? Who have no idea what they're holding? I'm not sure but I hope they never go away, I love them.

The frying pan was last. It's Descoware (Julia Child's favorite) and in great shape except for some cooked on food on the outside, which should come clean with some oven cleaner. It was $10. It's heavy as hell. I'm going to be crazy buff from all this heavy cookware I've acquired.

Reposted from Rearranged Design.

A "Digger" Sale

2011-12-11T20:31:00.000-08:00

When we scour our online sources for upcoming estate sales, there's nothing that we like to see more than a "digger" sale. What's a digger sale, you ask? Well, picture boxes stacked to the ceiling, furniture arranged like a jigsaw puzzle , an episode of Hoarders in the making. We know many people who won't go to these types of sales since they require gloves, flashlights, and a strong back.

This sale was particularly hard-core since there was no electricity or heating in the house, so it was below freezing. Yes, I know...we're crazy. Even so, we were first in line, mostly so we could snag an Alvar Aalto bar-stool and chrome eye-ball lamp that we spied in the photos. I forgot to take photos of these last week, so you'll have to picture both in your mind's eye while you look at the other smalls we snagged at the sale.

Honestly, most of the items at this sale were in really rough condition (including the Aalto stool, sadly). The person had wrapped early 19th century books in saran wrap, ostensibly to protect them, but he actually just gave moisture a place to chill out and grow mold. We saw so many ruined books at this sale that it was heartbreaking. The only one we ended up pulling out of the moldering stack was a first edition of Eugene O'Neil's Long Days Journey Into Night, with its original dust jacket. Thankfully, this book didn't have any problems with foxing or mildew.

The rather atomic ceramic piece is by Charles Houston, whose name has been almost lost from the annals of 1950s ceramics, sadly. We think this black-and-white piece has a lot of personality and--what's more--he's from the Central Valley of California, which isn't known for it's production of art pottery in the 1950s like Southern California is. If anyone knows more about Houston, please let us know!

The other piece of pottery that we pulled out from the depths of smelly boxes was a piece of Lapid ceramics. I've blogged a little about Lapid before and I continue to think that Lapid is one of the sleeper companies that will soon become more popular with collectors. It's gorgeous stuff! Our piece is up in the shop for anyone who's interested.

The final piece we snagged is the brass organizer in the back of the photo. We love vintage office supplies--let's face it, they're much more sturdy than the plastic crap we pick up at most office supplies stores. This file organizer is constructed out of a single piece of solid brass and would be a welcome addition to your (teak) desk.

Flea Market Finds

2011-12-05T17:00:00.000-08:00

This weekend we visited the PCC Flea Market. The crazy winds had died down enough for the city to clean up a tad and carry on with the more important things in life, flea markets.

Usually I leave the PCC empty handed. It's free entry and a good walk so I can't complain but this weekend I found some really great things. Check it:

Three classic albums Strange Days, Moondance and Some Girls. A dirty-ass piece of Pyrex and a super rad poster in a white acrylic frame. All for under $30. When I asked about the price of the poster I expected the seller to say $75 but all he wanted was $20. I shoved that bill at him so fast. As for that gross pyrex, here's what two hours in a soapy sink did:

This is why I love vintage cookware. It cleans up like magic with minimal effort. Thanks PCC!

Reposted from Rearranged Design

Thanksgiving Thrifting

2011-11-28T12:29:00.000-08:00

Since last week was a holiday, Kate, Izzy and I packed up for our yearly drive to Minneapolis to visit our family for Thanksgiving. And of course, every time we go for a long drive thrift shop stops are definitely necessary! Over the course of the week I picked up a nice selection both for our own collection as well as for New Documents, but we also left many interesting things behind for various reasons. Here are a few of those objects that "got away."

At first glance, I thought this little side table was a piece by Alvar Aalto. On closer inspection, it turned out to be a knockoff. The construction of the legs is the big tip off here: Aalto's stools are only laminated at the bend. The legs on this example were 100% laminate. Close, but no cigar.

It nearly killed me to leave behind these dimpled Blenko tumblers, which were designed by Winslow Anderson (c. 1941). I've found many of them in the distant past, but none in many years. After several phone calls to friends, however, I couldn't find anyone that wanted them! So with limited space in out little Honda Civic, I left them behind for someone else to pick up.

This pair of gravy boats from Mikasa's "Duplex" dinnerware by Ben Seibel (1971) was cute, but they are much later than the Seibel work I prefer. I'm sure some of my Etsy seller friends might gasp at me leaving these behind, but I did and don't feel bad about it.

Typical of Dansk, these candlesticks exude Scandinavian elegance. If they were a Jens Quistgaard design I would have grabbed them in a heartbeat. Unfortunately they weren't. I still haven't ben able to attribute the design to a specific Dansk designer, so if you have any ideas please leave a comment.

This is a great example of the Zanesville Stoneware Company's "Stoneage Modern" line of pottery (c. 1960). I'm cheap, though, and thought the thrift store overpriced it.

And speaking of overpriced "Stoneage Modern," this example in an antique store caught my eye because of the rare cobalt blue glaze. If it was priced better I would have considered buying it for our collection, but the cost was prohibitive.

The cost for this amazing Blenko pitcher by Winslow Anderson (1949) was not prohibitive at all, especially for it being in an antique store The vendor had no idea at all what they had, though, so I could have grabbed it for a song. No room in the car made that decision hard, though, and we ultimately left it behind.

On the trip home, we met up with our friends Steve and Naomi, who were also heading home from their Thanksgiving in Chicago. Meeting up along I-94 to hit a thrift shop together is turning into a kind of post-Thanksgiving tradition for us, and this year we turned up four nice Heller "Max-1" salad plates by Massimo Vignelli (1964) for our friend Barry, who collects the line.

At the same shop, I passed up a 1950s bentwood chair by Thonet. If it were an Eames bentwood chair, I definitely would have figured out how to cram it in the car. There was no way that was happening for a Thonet piece, though.

Steve was kind enough to document this years meetup with this quick snapshot of Kate, Izzy and I. We all hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

Cross posted from Ars Longa.

Weekend Finds

2011-11-21T10:50:00.000-08:00

This weekend was good for me. My first Eames chair on Craigslist and a Metal Serving cart.

The chair will have a new base asap and the cart has become a bar cart in the dining room. Check out the full story here.

Sleek Mod Treasures From my Neighborhood

2011-11-15T07:09:00.000-08:00

I hosted a successful yard sale this Saturday, so on Sunday I celebrated by....bringing home even more stock!? Don't worry, I held back and continued to leave behind many treasures, succeeding in only bringing home special items.

I've never seen anything quit like this vintage coat adorned with playful siamese cats. I love their animated poses and the coat is super soft. My kitty Yuko seems to approve. I'll have to photograph myself wearing the pretty dress under the cat coat soon, I love it!

Some groovy mushroom art for your walls! By the way, a lot of people e-mail me asking to buy finds they see in these posts. Yep, they're all for sale. I may even sell you things you see in my house. Just send an e-mail.

I plan to clean-up and rewrite this gorgeous mod lamp. Worth the effort for the $1.00 I paid for it! I can't wait to display it in the shop, next to a pile of records, atop a shag carpet? :)

A lovely pair of dansk candle holders. I have three of these now, I love the atomic-style shape!

I'm half-tempted to keep this beautiful mod table. It fits right in with my couch and living room decor.

Who could resist this fun novelty ashtray?

Another bar novelty find. You put a liquor bottle on top and the liquor is dispensed into a cup below. A "functional" adult toy, and it looks nice sitting atop the bar.

The oldest vintage swimsuit I've ever come across. This one looks like it's from the 40s or 50s? I couldn't resist trying it on, it might look a little funny but it's actually adorable to wear.

Cold weather has arrived here in Florida. Yes, we consider it cold here even if it doesn't snow! I only had one pair of jeans, but the flea market fixed that. Then I saw a pretty brown dress and couldn't resist. I like summer and summer clothes much better...

A quirky kokeshi to go with my growing collection, now eight strong! I've really been enjoying yard sale hunting to yield unique vintage goodies.

What did you find this weekend?

Rose Bowl

2011-11-14T12:30:00.000-08:00

This Sunday was the Rose Bowl Flea Market. I was up at 7am and couldn't get back to sleep so I forced my husband awake and we went earlier than normal. I prefer that because it's less crowded, less carts and people stopping in the middle of the aisles for no reason. We did about two and a half hours of walking and only bought one thing.

This is a metal advertising tray for Orange Crush soda. Probably from the late 60's early 70's. Judging by the couple most likely early 70's. This was used in soda fountains, diners, restaurants etc to bring soda to the tables 'natch. It's rusted in some areas and some of the paint has flaked off but it's still pretty awesome.

Orange Crush has become a recent obsession of mine. Of course it's crazy collectible and goes for insane prices on ebay. I've always had champagne taste on a beer budget.

It's a fine line to walk when collecting stuff like this, one piece too many and it becomes a nostalgic 50's diner.

Reposted from Rearranged Design.

Haven't thrifted

2011-11-11T09:56:00.001-08:00

In about 2 weeks. I have a few things sitting around the house that make me smile! They were thrifted in October or the first part of November!
Most things picked up @ the thrift lately have been needed (ie. clothes for the quickly growing girls).
Here are a few, just for eye candy!!

Fawn Salt & Pepper...can't seem to pass up woodland animals or cute S & P sets!

Two Pyrex bowls...missing the mid sized one. Who cares, I love this pattern & colors!

Found this cute enamel pot on a trip to Wisconsin to visit friends. Love the flowers & the colors...seems to be a recurring theme!

Found my first aqua colored Pyrex dish! I'm totally infatuated w/ this color...matched up w/ any other color!
It's my new neutral!!
Hope you have enjoyed some thrift shopping...remember Christmas is coming & it IS possible to have a thrifty one!!

--Jeanette using BlogPress on iPhone

Come all ye, Vintage Lovers!

2011-11-10T23:56:00.000-08:00

Good evening, all my thrift & vintage lovers! I know it's been awhile since my last post. Alas, I must admit that I haven't been doing much thrifting...and this is the reason why.

I'm hosting a vintage sale THIS WEEKEND! So all you thrifters & vintage connoisseurs who will be in the Bay Area, I highly recommend stopping by & checking out all the goodies.

Here are the details:

Date & Time: November 12th, 2011, 12pm - 4pm

Location: Codornices Park

Address: 1201 Euclid Ave Berkeley, CA 94701

Hosted By: Katie Leary & Katie Lantow

Join us in celebrating the launch of our indie shops, Bombshell Baking & Gypsy Dust Vintage, at our pop-up shop in Codornices Park!

{Sweet Fancies} Pop-Up Shop will be offering an assortment of beautiful desserts, handpicked vintage, & artisan-crafted gifts, priced from $3-$30. There will be ample goodies to peruse, taste, & buy, as well as the opportunity to make special orders for the holidays.

This is the perfect place to get your holiday shopping done early!

The event is open to the public. The more friends we see the merrier we will be!

CASH & CHECK ONLY, PLEASE.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

You can also check out the event webpage here.

We hope to see your lovely faces there!

{bombshellbaking.blogspot.com}
{gypsydustvintage.com}

Long Beach Antique Mall

2011-11-09T13:47:00.000-08:00

My last trip to the Long Beach Flea was a bust. It was the first time I left empty handed. I always enjoy the walk though. Afterwards I headed over to the Long Beach Antique Mall. It's exactly what an antique mall should be filled to the brim and affordable.

I grabbed a piece of Pyrex for myself and the beer tray is for my Brother-in-Law's birthday. He's 21, a beer snob and in his first apartment. He should love it.

I'm not really sure what to do with a divided Pyrex. I imagine people serve nuts, or peas and carrots in them but what can you cook in them?

Sweet Woolies

2011-11-09T08:10:00.000-08:00

I love it when and artist takes thrift shopping to the next level by doing something other than just collecting.

Believe it or not, all of these adorable baby sweaters started out as adult sizes.

Monica Getchell started her company Sweet Woolies after her husband shrunk her favorite sweater in the wash leaving it wearable only on their infant daughter. Inspiration struck and Monica says she began hitting up Sal’s Boutiques (The Salvation Army) and Goodwill’s. Adult sweaters were bought cheap, shrunk, disassembled and re-assembled to fit a child.

She adds designs, needling felting appliqué’s and hand fashions the edges.

Once a sweater is shrunk, its shrunk and won’t get any smaller, which means it can go in the washing machine (on the delicate cycle). The partial felting of a shrunken sweater makes it more durable than a traditionally knitted one, so it stands up better to kids.

The entire fabric of the sweater is used; whatever is left over become matching booties!

The suede on the bottom of the booties came from a men’s extra large Goodwill jacket!

Monica shows at the New York State Sheep & Wool Festival or you can custom order a sweater at sweetwoolies@gmail.com.

THRIFT STORE THURSDAY!

2011-10-31T12:49:00.000-07:00

Hey there... it's Emily from I Love Collecting... it's been a while since I posted here! Wanted to share these recent finds. I decided to hit a few thrift stores last Thursday in search of a birthday gift for a friend. Of course I did not come home empty handed! :-) As we headed to Care and Share in Souderton, PA, we passed by a small thrift shop in Hilltown Township, PA that's always closed every time I go by. Well, I got lucky and it was open and as we walked in George spotted yet another vintage trash can! $2! (I had gotten one last week at an antique center). Also found these 2 nice pottery planters (at Care and Share). For a while now I have been searching for a vintage metal stool for my kitchen. I've seen many but not the right one. I was very tempted to buy one on ebay but some are quite expensive and I knew if I held out long enough I would come across one. So, on the way home we stopped at NOVA Thrift Shop in Dublin, PA and of course there was the perfect stool! $5! Gave it a quick coat of red paint to keep the vintage look and it's exactly what I had in mind! Also found this cool red flour tin for $1. :-)

thrifted: the trivet and the mug

2011-10-29T21:25:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd share a couple of cute tea-related thrift finds I scored recently.

It was instant love when I saw the teapot shaped trivet above.

Not only was it a teapot shape, but the ceramic tile was full of mid century delight!

The clock, lamp, wall art, salt & pepper shakers, teacup & saucer, floral display, a pitcher, wallpaper & even a hidden plaque saying - I believe - "happy day". Also? Did you see the little owl? swoon!

It's almost too much for a girl like me to handle.

I hung this trivet on the wall above my stove & use it for tea and coffee making.

It makes my day that much shinier.

It cost a whopping .50 cents.

The above mug was a purrfect addition to my vintage mug collection!

I think I giggled when I found it; just a little.

I continue to smile whenever I use it (which is often).

It even came with a lid!

The fact the tail curls up around the handle makes it extra special, don't you think?

This pretty kitty was .25 cents.

Such happiness to be found in .75 cents worth!

with thrifting joy,

Caren of TheVintageApartment and Tea & Chickadees

The Heart of It All...Baskets

2011-10-26T19:43:00.000-07:00

Guys, can I brag for a second about a crazy Goodwill find? (Apologies in advance for my not so great iphone pictures.)

This picture gives a better idea of the height...probably about 3 inches deep. So I'm not quite sure how they'd best be put to use, other than as a conversation starter...

They were a set of what seem to be handmade baskets, made out of plywood, cheap splintery white wood, and rattan. They seemed insane, but wonderful.

So I painted them a glossy cherry red (took nearly 2 cans of spray paint, plus primer!), and they're still a little nuts, but in a much better way. I had them in my booth at a flea market they've started in Cincinnati (http://www.thecityflea.com/) and they were my biggest draw.

I mean who doesn't need a (sizeable and heavy) basket of their home state?!

Lost and Found

2011-10-25T17:14:00.000-07:00

If you're into 60’s and 70’s Scandinavian cookware...

African art...

or any kind of vintage lamp, then this is your spot.

Pasquale Giordano has owned and run Lost and Found for 5 years and he bases his business plan on one simple theory, 'If I don't like it, I won't buy it.' That's rather practical considering he has to stare at the stuff in his store all day.

"Some other antique dealers are like hoarders, because they’ll just buy and buy and buy as much of whatever in hopes that they’ll have something to appeal to everyone.” Pasquale says his store is about style not volume and he only expects to appeal to customers with tastes similar to his.

I love Lost and Found for two simple reasons, it's not cluttered and everything is clean. In fact when I last stopped in he was busy buffing a previous customers fingerprints off of his white bulb mod floor and celing lamps.

Pasquale admits he’s a neat freak, maybe even a little OCD. But for some people, having a place for everything and knowing where it is, can be more calming than yoga.

However, Lost and Found is not a museum, feel free to pick up and handle anything and everything.

Maybe that's why the vintage items in Lost and Found are simple functional designs.

Lost and Found specializes in Arabia dishes from Finland and Dansk cookware. It's the original version of the plastic reproductions in IKEA, Pier One or Crate and Barrel.

But his biggest seller?

Vintage lamps, or at least rehabilitating them.

Pasquale has an entire workshop of spare parts he uses to re-wire old lamps.

If you’re ever in Stone Ridge, NY in the Hudson Valley, check out Lost and Found, weekends only.

Seattle Thrifting Roundup!

2011-10-24T20:11:00.000-07:00

Where did the summer go? It seemed like just yesterday that Mr. Butter and I were buying spring starts for the garden and now we're readying the garden for winter! But enough talk about our impending dark days and rain--onto the thrifting scores for this week!

We went to a few estate sales and thrifts this weekend and didn't find much. I really like what we ended up taking home though! To wit, a pinched glass vase designed by Winslow Anderson for Blenko (it's vase #533) in a great kelly green. This is the first one we've seen in the wild, so we were overjoyed to take it home with us.

We also found a lovely little camel mug by David Stewart for Lion's Valley. It seems like all of our thrifting friends had been finding these lately, so we were happy to join the crowd with such a cute piece.

We also found this pretty ceramic vase. We loved the simple form and steel blue color, but we've been unable to attribute it, sadly. The mark is partially obscured, but judging by form and bottom, we think it's probably from the 1950s or 60s. All of these lovely pieces will be up in the shop shortly!

At an estate sale we found two issues of the Smith College Monthly Magazine from 1941. They were too hilarious not to pass up, especially an article by a Douglas Palmer (Yale '42) titled "A Woman's Place is in the Home." Thanks for playing, Mr. Palmer!

Our favorite find of the weekend is this beautiful, vintage kokeshi doll (found at the same house where we purchased the Smith magazines). Kokeshi dolls are a new thing for us, and I have to admit that we're quite smitten with them. This one is by far the nicest we've run across. This particular doll is a sosaku or creative kokeshi and was made by Shido Shozan (we've also seen his name transliterated as Shito Shouzan) in the 1960s. His kokeshi dolls are quite amazing, so research him if you have a chance. We think she looks pretty perfect next to our Marshall Studios lamp and Jonathan Adler vase, so she'll be staying at our house for a while. :-)

Cross-posted at Bit of Butter.

Thursday Morning Thrifting: Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles

2011-10-20T10:37:00.000-07:00

{photos found via uhuru furniture & collectibles}

Good morrow, fellow thrifters! I hope everyone is having a beautiful morning! I'm back with another edition of Thursday Morning Thrifting.

Over the weekend, I went on a hunt for a small collapsible table for my cottage. My first stop was my favorite spot for used furniture in the East Bay, Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles.

I love this place because you never know what you're going to find! They have all types of furniture...antique, modern, shabby chic, they even have some stuff from Ikea. All priced to move!

{Psst. Thrifters Little Tip: You can always haggle the tagged price. The guys who work in the store are very open to negotiations.}

I also love that they take photos of almost all the furniture in their store & post it on their blog. You get an idea of what's it stock before you set a foot into the store. Or even better, spot an ottoman you think you can't live without on the site?? Give them a call & they'll hold it for you.

Another reason to love Uhuru, they have a quick delivery truck & low delivery rates! What more can thrifter ask for??

I must admit the store is a pretty small. They are busting at the seams with their inventory &, at times, it's overwhelming to maneuver the myriad of stacked tables & chairs. Alas, it's a fun treasure hunt.

Also, be aware, the furniture in the store is donated from the community. {Uhuru is a non-profit organization that benefit's the African People's Education & Defense Fund} So be sure you check every nook & cranny before you make your final purchase.

Details:
Uhuru Furniture & Collectibles

3742 Grand Ave
(between Bonham Way & Sunnyslope Ave)
Oakland, CA 94610
Neighborhoods: Grand Lake, Lower Hills

(510) 763-3342

uhurufurniture.blogspot.com

**street parking only**

P.S. Attention vintage lovers out there! Gypsy Dust Vintage & Bombshell Baking are hosting {Sweet Fancies} Pop-Up Shop in the Park. Beautiful desserts, handpicked vintage, & artisan-made gifts. Just in time for the holidays. Check out my website for more details!

www.gypsydustvintage.com

Wedges

2011-10-20T03:53:00.001-07:00

Got my hands on a pair of wedges yesterday, $6 from Vinnies, one of Australia's mainstream op shops (thrift stores).

Long Beach Flea Market

2011-10-17T11:13:00.001-07:00

I think I can officially go on record and say that the Long Beach Flea Market is my favorite here in SoCal. The Rose Bowl is great if you're looking for big pieces and furniture but Long Beach has more smalls and smalls are cheaper and that's more friendly to my wallet.

This week I found another Playboy Puzzle, three 8-Tracks (at a dollar a piece) and a Pearl Jam shirt. While digging through the 8-Tracks a dad brought his daughter over and was trying to explain what they were for, she asked him "Is that what Walkmans were for?" The time to feel old is now.

If you're in the area the Long Beach Flea Market will be having a special sale October 30th. I'm not sure what makes it so special but you can't get mad at an extra flea market this month.

Reblogged from Rearranged Design

Thrifting Roundup: 10.16.11

2011-10-16T17:08:00.000-07:00

We're Alison and Kevin from Bit of Butter, and we thought we'd share this week's thrifting finds with the readers of Thrift Collective! Mr. Butter and I had a great time thrifting this week. We actually slept in this Saturday morning until 8:30am (which, for pickers is really late!) and went to a few estate sales and thrifts at our leisure instead of waiting out in the cold at 5am. I have to admit, it was lovely to start our morning a little later! Even though we slept in, we still found some lovely items this week.

One of our first stops of the day was at a local estate sale that had outrageous prices on most of its items (think $2,000 for a Heywood Wakefield sideboard). Luckily, they had the beautiful, green vase for a song. Mr. Butter recognized it as an Arthur Percy vase for Gullaskruf–the first we’ve found in the wild, in fact! It’s staying in our permanent collection for the time being.

The beautiful tea pot is by Kenji Fujita for Freeman Lederman. Sadly, the lid is not original, but even so, it’s an amazing find. Fujita’s ceramics are so beautiful and simple, with surprising design elements. Look at the beautiful curve to the spout!

We found some great ceramics this week as well. The two planters are darling and will be up in our shop later in the week. The first is a lovely “People Lovers” cup or planter by Bennett Welsh. The second planter bears a striking resemblance to David Stewart’s planters, but we’re honestly not 100% sure its his work. What do you think? The little, out-of-focus guy is a tiny El Palomar owl by Ken Edwards. He’ll also be up in the shop soon.

The freeform glass ashtray we’re attributing to Blenko, but we’re not positive. It appears to be a #6023 ashtray, but unlike most pieces of Blenko, this one has a band of white in the orange-colored glass. It could be an Italian knock-off, but the size and shape are so close to the other Blenko ashtrays we’ve come across that we’re still working on figuring out the mystery!

Finally, we found a Fog and Morup wall sconce designed by Jo Hammerborg in the 1970s. It has great lines and would be perfect for a simple, round light bulb.

(Cross-posted at Bit of Butter.)

Thursday Morning Thrifting: Clausen House Annex & Thrift Store

2011-10-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

{photo source: oaktown art}

Happy Thursday, happy thrifters! I've returned with another edition of Thursday Morning Thrifting. Today, I'm reviewing the Clausen House Annex & Thrift Store in Oakland, CA.

This is a really cute neighborhood thrift store & antique shop located in the Temescal District of North Oakland. The stores are stocked & the employees are super sweet. {They were pretty tickled by my little pooch, Gidget; i.e. they are dog-freindly.}

The Clausen House Annex holds all the antique (& vintage) furniture and finds that are donated to the non-profit. Prices are relative to what you would find in any antique or vintage store; in other words, pricey. The selection was actually really cool, though. If you like 50s & 60s mod, you will love this side of the shop.

The thrift shop holds all the other stuff. You can pick up a teacup for $3 or a cookbook for $2. I snatched up a Cranium game for $1.50, BRAND-NEW! They also have 50% off tag sales on their clothing.

All in all, the stores are nice to visit if you have the time to peruse. The only downside is parking (street parking only). Plus side, Tara's Organic Ice Cream is right across the street! (Their Lemon Verbena Ice Cream is delight on a waffle cone.) Ice cream & thrifting, what more can a girl ask for??

Details:
Clausen House Thrift Store

4834 Telegraph Ave
(between 48th St & 49th St)
Oakland, CA 94609
Neighborhoods: Temescal, North Oakland

(510) 653-6812

www.chniftythrift.com/

{www.gypsydustvintage.com}

Rose Bowl

2011-10-10T10:26:00.000-07:00

The Sundays when I visit a flea market are my favorite day of the week. I get up early, spend two hours walking around with my husband making fun of people and then come home, maybe with a treasure, maybe with kettle corn, watch a Law & Order marathon and take a nap. This Sunday was no exception. The Rose Bowl delivered tons of people for us to giggle at and I scored a large Dansk Kobenstyle baking pan. At $30 it wasn't a steal but it wasn't bad deal either. It's in fantastic condition, I would be willing to guess it was only used a handful of times.

There were two sellers we encountered that were just unreal with their pricing. We found some 8-Tracks and since we now have a player we asked what they wanted for them. There was some good stuff Led Zeppelin, Supertramp, Kiss, Queen...a good selection of 70s rock. The guy wanted $10 a cassette. TEN. That's outrageous. For something you don't even know if it still plays & could break the second you try to play it. We quickly said "nooooo" and walked on. Later I spotted a guy hanging up some shirts and in his hand was the Nike shirt my brother is wearing in this photo:

(In case you're wondering, I was building a Lego remote control.
Suprinsingly no on lets a 4 year old have a real one to play with. Whatevs)

I thought it would be so cute if I could buy the same shirt for my nephew, here's what happened when I asked how much the vendor wanted for the shirt:

Vendor: "one fifty"

Me: "um...one HUNDRED and fifty dollars?"

Vendor: "Yes"

Me: "Hahahaha"

Yep, my knee-jerk reaction was to laugh in his face and walk away. Normally when some seller names a price I think is ridiculous I will just say 'Thank You' and walk away but this guy was unreal. $150 for a child's shirt? Good luck with that.

Reposted from Rearranged Design.

Thrifting Rural: Historic Route 66

2011-10-10T07:15:00.001-07:00

After a discussion this past week on Twitter about the potential ins and outs of thrifting along old Route 66, I decided to make a go of it and hit a small section in central Illinois about an hour from home. Opinions varied about whether it would be a success or not: on one hand Route 66 is well traveled and could be over-picked; on the other hand it used to be well traveled and great pieces from the mid-twentieth century (the decades I am interested in) could be scattered along it ... especially in the less populated areas where fewer people are buying stuff up.

Before I even left town, however, I stumbled into an estate sale that was pretty poorly managed. Pricing was wacky, stuff was dirty, and the place stunk. Literally. That all played to my advantage, though, when I found this Eva Zeisel mixing bowl! Zeisel's 1947 Town and Country line for Red Wing is unmarked, so every once in a while I can find a piece or two being sold where the owners don't realize they have a seminal piece of modernist pottery. This was one such case.

Three dollars lighter in my wallet, and I was back on the road to Historic Route 66 through Lincoln, Illinois.

My first stop was at the Pink Shutter, a small church based nonprofit thrift that has been the source of some surprisingly good finds for me in the past, including a very rare Ray Eames "Sea Things" tray from 1954.

My stop this time around wasn't quite so spectacular, but I did buy a book with a cover designed by George Giusti (left). I also left a Milton Glaser designed LP behind (right). Both are nice pieces of mid-century graphic design, which I personally collect as well as sell out of my shop, New Documents.

After paying for my new book, I headed around the corner to Mission Mart, a much larger regional non-profit thrift shop chain benefitting a homeless shelter in central Illinois.

Unfortunately Mission Mart was a total strikeout for me, although I did pass up this tattered Alex Steinweiss record. An interesting design, for certain, but the condition left a lot to be desired. After stopping for a great lunch at one of the local mom-and-pop restaurants (tip: when thrifting in rural areas, look for restaurants where the farmers are all eating!), I headed off to my next stop.

New Beginnings thrift shop that supports a local women's ministry called "The Genesis Project," and is about two blocks from the main square downtown. I've only had limited successes at New Beginnings in the past ... the most notable being a few pieces for my wife's collection of scarves by Vera Neumann.

This visit was much better than my previous trips, though! The highlight being this lithograph from 1940 in the American Regionalist style! This is exactly the type of thing I dream about finding when thrifting in rural towns! Artist like Grant Wood and Thomas Hart Benton worked in these little towns in the Midwest USA, along with hundreds of other artists searching for their own style in reaction to the Modernism of the coasts. They painted a rich history of the region in their work, and this piece specifically gives us a better idea of what life was like in the area when Route 66 was still new. Plus it proves that you can still find great art in thrift shops! I'm continuing to research the artist, as I am having a difficult time deciphering his signature. It's a wonderful piece of agrarian art, though, and put the proverbial cherry on top of my trip down a very small segment of historic Route 66.

So as I was heading back home I decided to make an impromptu stop at a small thrift shop in Clinton Illinois that typically doesn't produce anything interesting for me. This time, however, they had opened their warehouse as a sales floor! Eureka! This is a pickers' dream!

Hidden in the piles and piles of merchandise was a small shell-shaped aluminum platter from the 1940s, designed by Lurelle Guild for Kensington (left). I left it behind, but after about an hour of scouring through the detritus I did pick up three fantastic early Modernist records from the late 1940s designed by Alex Steinweiss (right top), George Maas (right middle), and Romano-Ross (right bottom).

It was a great day!

Retro Hawaii Key Ring Chain

2011-10-06T20:43:00.000-07:00

This little key chain sat in a 10c basket in a local Parish op shop (charity thrift store).

Using a previously thrifted necklace chain, memories of Hawaii now sit close to my heart.

Do you have a particular travel destination with which you hold fond memories?

Perhaps you've thrifted a piece of holiday memorabilia from a destination you have previously traveled to, as a memory of a past vacation?

Also shared on my own blog

Thursday Morning Thrifting: Thrift Town

2011-10-06T13:02:00.000-07:00


{found via pinterest}

Good morning, my fellow thrifters! I'm Katie-Lyn from Gypsy Dust Vintage & today's my first post at The Thrift Collective.

I'll be here every Thursday morning highlighting my week in vintage & thrifting. Today, I want to share with you my favorite thrift store in the East Bay, Thrift Town in San Leandro, CA!

16160 E 14th St
(between 162nd Ave & Ashland Ave)
San Leandro, CA 94578

(510) 278-1766

Hours: Mon-Fri 9 am - 8 pm, Sat 10 am - 7 pm, Sun 10 am - 6 pm

*private parking lot

I LOVE THIS THRIFT STORE!

The store is MASSIVE! It's also well organized & the prices are great. Whether it's a pair of vintage dangles or a pea coat from L.L. BEAN, I never fail to find something that I love here.

The only downfall to shopping at Thrift Town in S.L. is having to wait FOREVER. There are long waits at the check out counters & dressing rooms, especially during sale days. Prepare yourself.

THRIFT TIP: Thrift Town has weekly tag specials, on going promotions, & monthly store sales. I highly suggest signing up for their VIP program to get updates & additional discounts. Also, Thrift Town is a chain thrift store; check their website for more locations. http://www.thrifttown.com

{www.gypsydustvintage.com}

Flea Market Finds

2011-09-19T11:25:00.000-07:00

The Long Beach flea is becoming my favorite. There's a good mix of professional sellers and regular folks. Plenty of Pyrex and always some gems to be found. I wish some food trucks would show up, maybe it's a permit issue but man it would be awesome to have food that isn't hot dogs at 10am.

This weekend I had a really manly haul at the Flea Market.

A sea captain, lucite cowboy hat and 8-track player. Rad.

The Sea Captain was picked up by my husband he really fell in love with it. He rarely does this at flea markets. We aren't sure where it's going to live (maybe his office) but for $15 it made him happy.

The Cowboy hat I spied early in the morning and when we were leaving it was still there. I kinda needed it. I mean who doesn't need a lucite cowboy hat? I know what you're thinking...of course I tried it on. I knew it seemed familiar to me but couldn't confirm it until I went over my pictures from my visit to the Parker in Palm Springs.

Sure enough, it's the same hat sitting in the lobby of the Parker.

The 8-Track player is the first thing I found and I had been looking on ebay for that exact same model a few years ago as a present for my husband but it would regularly sell for $60-$100 and most sellers weren't even sure if it worked. I found it for $20, there was still no guarantee that it worked but $20 is a gamble I can make. We didn't find the two 8-Tracks until the very last booth we stopped at. Barry White and Earth, Wind and Fire for $2. Score.

We stopped and grabbed batteries on the way home but of course I bought four C batteries and this bad boy takes six. The fact that it takes C batteries blows my mind. What takes C batteries anymore? Why are they even still made?

When we got home we dug around for a DC adaptor that would fit, we found one and now I bring you to the Audio/Visual portion of this blog post:

I know, I know it's all sorts of awesome. This player and those cartridges are older than both my husband and I and they still play. This is a happy addition to our home, we're both audiophiles and love any form of music. I wish I were kidding when I tell you that we're thinking about getting a reel to reel player.

The bulky sea captain and the awkward to hold cowboy hat made me realize that we need an old lady shopping cart. Does anyone have recommendations for one? Do I need swivel wheels? I think I'd definitely trick it out with a horn, people need to know to get out of my way.

This was reposted from my regular blog. Check out the original post here.

Baby thrift

2011-09-16T07:01:00.000-07:00

Now that I have announced that I am pregnant its also time to show you the great things I have thrifted from different charity shops already, trying to collect baby clothes and such.

Danish Wool top

Orange and red striped onesie of the Danish brand Katvig. I didn't notice the brand when I bought it but according to my sister its quite a popular brand in Denmark.

Red/white striped body from Gap.

A bunch of white onesies bought for £3 altogether, which I want to decorate with stamps and other fun stuff.

Knitted Socks

Blue cord body with an elephant on.

Striped onesie.

See more on my blog!

Rose Bowl

2011-09-12T11:44:00.000-07:00

I hit the Rose Bowl flea market this Sunday. I grabbed a signed book, vintage tour shirt, a rare album and a piece of Pyrex to cannibalize.

For the whole story head on over to my blog; Rearranged Design.

Lawdy, the summer!

2011-09-06T14:20:00.001-07:00

It was hot, busy & short on time for thrifting. Although, as a family we hit the thrifts a few times. Most of my purchases were necessities not, for fun or the shop!

The last two weeks I have been able to do some shop work, you know...thrifting!

Here's a few peeks @ my finds!

Pair of S&P (teak), glorious orange Anchor Hocking mugs (free), pair of candlesticks.

Set of 5 water glasses (Libby), salad plates & bowls to go w/ existing dinner set, a few records of which this is a favorite (Art Linkletter "Kids Say the Darndest Things" ( sponsored by Royal Jello brand).

Lastly, I shopped Craigalist for a couch (all summer long). Found a beautiful blue & gold floral (Flexsteel) & when I arrived they had 2 side chairs reupholstered in yellow ($25 each). Then the lady graciously gave me 4 of these small juice glasses (she had a set of matching water glasses in her buffet I admired).

So summer wasn't a total bust! How bout you? Too busy to thrift this summer?

--Jeanette using BlogPress on iPhone

Weekend Finds

2011-09-06T11:04:00.000-07:00

This Saturday I had plans to drive out to Whittier, CA, which is about a half hour away, to pick up an awesome Craigslist find. It was a sweet little Mid-Century swivel chair with great lines, hairpin legs and a great flair detail on the arms. It needed reupholstering badly but for $30 I figured I could make a tailored slipcover and pass it off as Bohemian Casual.

On the way out to Whittier I took a turn on a street right near my house that I don't usually go down and passed a garage sale with some great stuff outside. I stopped and it was a couple unloading a ton of teak, Mid-Century and all around neat stuff. I only had $35 on me, the cash for the chair I was picking up and an extra fiver.

I spotted the ice bucket immediately, like a beacon on this couple's lawn. I asked how much and the lady yelled to her husband "Honey, How much for the vase, urn, bucket thing?". It was one of those moments where you know you're about to get an amazing deal because the seller doesn't know what they have.

Five dollars was the answer.

The wood was pretty dull (easy fix with some Feed-N-Wax), the handle has a large chunk taken out of the back and the lid isn't correct but FIVE DOLLARS and the Teak Dansk ice bucket was mine.

When I got back to the car my husband said he had seen it sitting there and knew that it was something I'd be coming back to the car with.

As for the chair, when we got out to it. I spun it around and sat in it and sadly, so sadly, it came crashing to the ground. At some point it had broken before and someone repaired it hastily with nails and removed all the cushioning in the seat. A cat could've sat on it and it would've broken. So it wasn't just my fat ass that did it in and the store it was in did have the super cute brass candle holder (pictured above).

Oh well, it happens and if I hadn't gone out to check it out I wouldn't of scored my $5 Ice Bucket.

This is a repost from my regular blog.

Labor Day Thrift

2011-09-05T08:05:00.000-07:00

Any thrifting success this weekend? I had such luck! Here are some of my finds:

Beautiful crocheted blanket - $2.00

Pyrex refrigerator dish - $5.00

Pyrex Space Saver - $1.00

Apron - $2.00

Cozy, handmade cardigan - $4.00

Embroidered picture - $2.00

What did you find?

xo,

Sarah

anonymous was a woman

What is this?

2011-09-01T06:43:00.000-07:00

I found these two things in a thrift store yesterday - I left them behind because I had no idea what they were! Anyone want to enlighten me/have any guesses?

Posted on my blog

Happy September!

Aki

UA THRIFT STORE

2011-08-25T11:01:00.000-07:00

Check out the UA Thrift Store in Shelby, North Carolina!

Ever since I visited Shelby a few years ago, before ever relocating here, I have loved going to the UA Thrift store on Lafayette St in Shelby.

I find such terrific treasures there. The UA Thrift also has completely unadvertised clearance sales and bag days so it pays to check there often. They just put out a sign the day of the sale and that's the only way you know it's going on.

Joy is the manager and Victoria is the one I usually see at the register. Don't be shocked when Victoria gives you your total though. It may be more than you ever dreamed...for example, the last time I was there, I spent one million sixty one dollars and some cents.

Not really, ha. Victoria just makes up a huge number at the register. It's a fun game. I always feel so rich. Where else can you spend over a million dollars and still get change back?

Prices are terrific. They have a big sign above the register that breaks down prices on common items, with many being a quarter!

The hours at UA vary slightly, in that they sometimes close a bit earlier than scheduled due to meetings, etc. so good to call if heading over around 5 pm.

UA Thrift is located at: 1316 S. Lafayette, Shelby, NC and the phone number is 704-484-3737. When you go there, tell 'em Neva says hi.

New Hours at Down South Sisters

2011-08-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

Down South Sisters Thrift Store and Gift Store Hours Change:

When I (Neva) started helping my sis Deb to get Down South Sisters thrift and gifts going, neither of us knew how long it would be, before Deb went part-time at her other job and took over the store.

My big passion is treasure-hunting where Deb loves displaying the treasures and making the store look different and fun every day.

So.... this past week, we jumped a little ahead of schedule and Deb started to be at the store instead of me. Our new hours are Wednesday thru Friday, from 10 am to 5 pm and other hours which vary according to schedules.

In other words, you know we'll be there Weds. thru Fri. However, we're apt to show up on Monday, Tuesday or Sunday on occasion so if you ever want browse on a day we're closed give us a call. Might actually be in the store.

Also, Deb has a full line up of Saturday workshops for September including the ever-popular build a basket playshops for girls and boys as well as several freebies such as songwriting and poetry meet ups, so check the website for more details on those....

Down South Sisters

Weekend Thrifting

2011-08-22T10:53:00.000-07:00

This weekend I went to Rehab Vintage and the Long Beach Flea Market. I got some awesome things.

At Rehab Vintage I got the carafe with the wood ball. There is something about round stoppers that I just love, I'm not really sure why. I also have the Pyrex Carafe with the cork stopper. Something about those balls...Am I alone in this? Yes? No? Maybe?

I also grabbed some more Pyrex for my collection at the Long Beach Flea Market. I got all four pieces for twenty bucks. Gotta love a deal.

I heard tales of another flea market in Hollywood, it's apparently every weekend. So next Sunday I'll go check it out.

(Originally posted on my blog, here)

Winning!

2011-08-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

Last week I won an auction and I have been patiently waiting for what felt like an eternity for my goods to show up and this morning they did!

If you've been keeping track I have the glass and the ice bucket to this set. In my numerous searches on the interwebs I've only found a plate (like these) and a pitcher on eBay (which got very expensive). There is NO info on these guys other than "Taste Setter Collection" and sadly this info just isn't enough. All that comes up is other designs by that company.

This is definitely one of those "White Whale" items that whenever I find them it makes me totally giddy. The fact that I don't know what else is in this collection; A sugar bowl? A large glass? salad bowls? Makes it fun when I come across them.

So keep your eyes peeled for it, let me know if you find a piece. I will happily pay you for it plus shipping.

time keepers on the go

2011-08-17T20:30:00.000-07:00

I've recently become rather obsessed with travel alarm clocks (see my original post here), and I finally allowed myself to order two adorable little clocks from industrial relic on Etsy. These are officially the first of my collection, which I suspect will grow rather quickly.

What is it about vintage time pieces that we love so much?

This cutie was only $11!!!

Only $14 WITH THE ORIGINAL BOX!

I love my new collection! I can't wait to add more!

Happy Vintage Hunting!

-echo (new moon drops)

happy thrift day!

2011-08-17T19:07:00.000-07:00

Miss Macri @ Educated...not so Domesticated

National Thrift Store Day

2011-08-17T16:31:00.000-07:00

Did you know there was such a thing? Neither did I until our very own Van from Thrift Core tweeted it this morning.

We should all go forth and celebrate National Thrift Store Day, buy something really awesome then come back here and share it!

If you're reading this and you're not a blog member....why not? Shoot me and email and share your finds with us!

Do you know what tankymotin' is?

2011-08-17T06:50:00.000-07:00

This is just for fun. Wrote an article about my hobby on searchwarp. If you like to go to yard sales or thrift stores, you may resonate with why I love treasure-hunting in this way.

Tankymotin'

What's a mom to do?

2011-08-15T14:41:00.001-07:00

There are still three weeks left of the summer vacay....even my seven year old was moaning about that (as in that's a long time to wait for school to start). A girl after her Mother's heart!

We have been busy, or I could say mommy's been busy, the last 2 weekends. Running a yard sale & lemonade stand. Let's just say, mommy made it through the heat better than the Girlies. By the second weekend they weren't wanting to run the lemonade stand!!

We did well. It was a surreal feeling to be going through boxes of Grandma Patty's things. It took Greg & I 4 hours to get through 8 boxes/totes that held papers & photos all mixed together!! We found some interesting things....

....a box of love letters from boys in the military from '67-'69. Funny!

....report cards from GP, Greg & his brother. Funnier!! (that's 5th grade GP in her white flowered dress & saddle shoes @ the end of the front row)

....cards from Greg's dad to GP from the early years of marriage. Funniest!!!

Sooo many pictures!! It was kinda fun reminiscing about her childhood (from what we gathered in paper & pictures).
Finding things from the boy's childhood, Greg telling stories about what he remembered!

Although, I did call my parents that evening & told them this..." I love you. I have many fond memories of my childhood.....PLEASE, don't save all our papers, pictures (multiples) & report cards!! It's too much to deal with!"

That being said, we did well with the yard sales & this crazy momma is prob'ly gonna run it again Labor Day weekend....because we just don't have enough insanity around here!!

HAHAHA.....

--Jeanette using BlogPress on iPhone

fondue & fun tray!

2011-08-14T20:18:00.000-07:00

Couldn't pass up this adorable tray for $1 - I had been eyeing them at antique stores for quite some time, but was never going to spend $20 for a lunch tray!

This cheerful fondue pot will be perfect for the upcoming midcentury themed party I will be throwing for my husband's 30th birthday! And for $7, and unopened, I couldn't say no. It even came with a cookbook, which I unfortunately realized was in Russian once I opened it up!

Love all the recent posts - looks like there have been lots of great new thrift finds!

Miss Macri at Educated...not so Domesticated

DIY Chair Recover

2011-08-14T17:25:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! I turned this free find...

into this....

If you want to hear the whole story, check it out here.

Down South Sisters

2011-08-14T16:37:00.000-07:00

Hi, we are Neva and Deb, of Down South Sisters, in Shelby, NC.

We just started a new thrift and collectibles store in Shelby, and discovered the Thrift Collective thru twitter.

Great to be part of the group here and we look forward to sharing more about Shelby.

Our store is located at 201 W. Marion St, Suite 208, Shelby, NC, right next to the tag office.

This week the American Legion World Series has been going on so we've had lots and lots of visitors in the area for that big event. Shelby is now the home of the ALWS, by the way.

OK, gotta run but glad to be part of this. Come see us at Down South Sisters!

hello there!

2011-08-14T15:12:00.000-07:00

My name is Sarah, but I go by "echo" online (it happens to be my middle name). I've been addicted to thrifting ever since I started volunteering at the thrift store where my mom worked when I was 12. I love mid-century and art deco styles, as well as Victorian-era tea cups, Japanese wood-block prints, and anything else that catches my fancy. As this is my first post for The Thrift Collective, I thought that I would introduce myself by showing you all some of the things I have thrifted recently.

I'd been on the lookout for some vintage stacking cups just like these, and finally found an adorable set of daisy-patterned cups on Etsy.

I love old-fashioned enamel cookware, and I came upon this gorgeous blue enamel tea kettle at Goodwill...only $2.99!

I'm not hugely into the owl craze, but I couldn't resist this cute little owl bank!

I'm so excited to have this opportunity to become a part of this amazing thrifting community, and I look forward to posting up my future finds!

Thanks to all,
echo - new moon drops

Thrifting on the road again

2011-08-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

So we went back on the road again 10 days ago, and these are my finds from the trip home! If anyone can tell me anything about that tray - I would be very appreciative.

You can read more about my finds here.

TGIF!
Aki

This Week in SLC

2011-08-12T11:34:00.000-07:00

Proof that amazing things can still be found in Salt Lake City thrift stores.
Thank you babies and old ladies!

This toddler-sized jacket will be perfect over fall dresses.

$4.00

Love the colors in this belt.

$2.00

This set is minty!

$4.50

Been wanting this butter dish for ages.

$1.00

Adorable.

$1.00

Can't wait to wear these t-straps with tights and knee socks.

$4.00

What have you scored lately?

xo,

Sarah
anonymous was a woman.

Thrifted last week

2011-08-04T20:10:00.000-07:00

Here's what I found at the thrifts last week!

A wooden table I'll use as a coffee table, a mirrored tray, ceramic pot, pyrex (woohoo!!), and an eclectic set of candlesticks!

Read more about my finds on my blog!

Aki

Some Serious Loot

2011-07-28T17:02:00.000-07:00

Look what I found this past week!

A spanish flamenco framed poster, a budweiser goblet, round frames, a super cute vintage lamp shade, Pier 1 tulip bowls, ikea curtains, and clear pyrex bowls!

To see more, check out my blog post about these finds.

Happy Thursday!

Best,
Aki - Nimble Nomad

hmmm...

2011-07-27T17:32:00.000-07:00

If I lived in NYC and I liked to shop at Beacon's Closet. I would follow @beaconscloset and @thriftcollect.

Something really neat might happen this week and I wouldn't want to miss it. Just sayin'.

pyrex & fire king came home with me

2011-07-26T15:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I must say I found some items I just couldn't live without,

and something monumental happened - I bought my first piece of Fire King

well, actually, two pieces!

First off, I scored that little Fire King Milk Glass Vase for only $2

not sure if I'm keeping it since I kill every plant possible

but I may try to get creative with it's purpose

The Second piece of Fire King was that Gold Sunflower...

yup, that's where I stop

I'm not sure what exactly this piece is

and as I mentioned before I'm not an avid Fire King buyer

but this piece just caught my eye as unique

not to mention - 50% off meant I brought it home for $5

I have found a similar shaped piece & it was called a casserole dish

I'm pretty sure I'm going to use it on my end table as a "catch all" for living room stuff!

Finally, some pretty pyrex came to me

I just loved the Pink Daisy Casserole for $4

and the little Blue 401 Bowl I needed to complete my primary set!

also, $4

So, all in all, this day was pretty great

but now I'm realizing that starting an Etsy shop may be looming in the future

Miss Macri @ Educated...Not So Domesticated

Redux

2011-07-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

One of my former thrift stores has undergone a change. It's now more of a vintage boutique with a gallery and workshops. The former St. Vincent de Paul is now called Redux Studios and Gallery.

For the full scoop head on over to my blog Rearranged Design.

Thrifted pyrex

2011-07-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

Last week I found this:

My pyrex guide tells me it was introduced in 1941. Score! It goes nicely with my other pyrex measuring cups.

I just moved and had to take inventory of my vintage pyrex collection, so I had the opportunity to picture all my pieces together.

If you'd like to see more of my collection, please stop by my blog!

Happy Monday!

Aki

a week of thrifting success

2011-07-24T10:33:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone - I am so glad to finally be contributing to the Thrift Collective.

A couple of weeks ago I had mad finds and I'm so glad I am getting to share them here!

First off I found this Ice-O-Mat ice crusher.

I loved the look of it but had no idea of it's value.

After a quick search on my phone I realized paying $3 was not too shabby.

This last week I was on vacation and found several of these exact models in similar colors

for as much as $28 in antique stores - and that is why we thrift!

And as an added bonus, the husband has already used it and it works quite nicely.

This next little Pyrex bowl came from a thrift store that I'm pretty sure I was the only one who walked through the doors in weeks! Sure, I probably should have had the sense to turn around, but I was determined to find something.

Sure enough this Butterfly Gold bowl was just sitting there, with no price tag.

When I finally found the man "running" the store, I asked him how much he wanted.

Fifty cents! Good thing I didn't offer first!

This will be a perfect daily user and just looks pretty with the rest of the collection.

For a few months the husband & I have been looking for some vintage suitcases.

When checking out a new thrift store that just popped up I spotted them in the corner.

I swear, these American Tourister suitcases were practically glowing in my eyes.
And the best part, when I opened them up,

they were in perfect condition! The two suitcases were marked $24 & the train case $6,

but I was really lucky and they were also 30% off - sold!

And as I mentioned before, we just got back from vacation where we got to try out

my new find. Beside missing the modern luxury of wheels, they pretty much rock my world.

happy thrifting this week!

-Miss Macri at Educated...Not So Domesticated

I'm back

2011-07-22T03:19:00.001-07:00

Hello! Thrift Collective readers, I apologise for by absence! Well, you see, I've completed a three month shopping (in my case thrifting) sabbatical called the Free Fashion Challenge. Why? A bit of a personal challenge really, to see if I could do it. I did!

Now I'm back, and I've started venturing into the op shops (thrift stores) again, but not in a crazy way, just to have a guilt-free browse.

I picked up a vintage yellow cardigan this week for $5. I'm going to refashion it because right now the fit is a bit too granny, but it has potential I promise; golden buttons and shoulder bows! I'll post the 'after' once complete.

I have been refashioning existing thrifted garments during my sabbatical and just finished making a dress made from a $2 tablecloth which you can see my my blog if you would like to!

UPDATED

Here is the 'after'..

More Vacation Thrifting!

2011-07-21T09:22:00.000-07:00

Following Ana's theme of vacation thrifting...I did some of my own a couple weeks ago! It was mainly a thrift-on-the-way-to-visiting-family-last-minute-so-that-my-craving-is-satisfied-before-I-get-too-busy-to-thrift-again type of vacation thrifting. Anyway, here's what I found!

I'm in love with the tin bowl especially, I just think it's so fab and can't wait to display it in my new apartment (moving has been slow - but hopefully today is the last day!). You can visit my blog to see more!

Happy Thursday!

Aki

Vacation Thrift

2011-07-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

This past weekend my husband and I went up to the Bay to visit some friends. We, of course, got some thrifting done while we were there. I visited all my favorite haunts. Some were exactly the same as we had left them. Some had changed (more on that later in the week). Here's what I scored:

A couple of vintage board games (Clue, which is a favorite around here), some sewing notions, a karate belt, a vintage thermos, some industrial clips (we use them as chip clips), a photo developing timer, a bell and a meat tenderizer. An odd lot but all incredible useful items.

Noah's Hooks

2011-07-18T22:45:00.001-07:00

I love vintage baby things - one reason being, they can't go out of style, because so often they are passed from one generation to the next. So much history! That isn't the case of this cutie, because I found it at a thrift store, but perhaps in the future it can have such a story.

I love this in particular because it looks so very homemade, but with whimsical touches everywhere: the fishes, the port holes with the elephant and lion? heads hanging out, which animal heads are attached by painted rope, so they're springy and can move about. It would be such a darling addition to a nursery. Alas, no babies are in my immediate future, so I hope it finds a loving home from my shop! :)

I just had to share because I can't get over how cute it is.

The day has been good

2011-07-13T19:23:00.001-07:00

For some family time & some thrifting! I'm training the husband & teaching the girls @ a young age....hahaha!

A few pics for a look-see...

Set of 6 vintage "hombre" glasses...nice & heavy!

Found all these goodies for $4.60 total!! Yep that's good pricing!

Stopped @ a new place that just opened. A church related thrift, funds going to stock their food pantry. Found this lion planter & enamel daisy pin. $1 total for them.

The plaques were on clearance .10 each. .99 for the bobble head "kiss me" girl (Japan) @ GW.

Hope your summer thrifting & family time have been blessed & plentiful!!!

--Jeanette using BlogPress on iPhone

Great Boyfriend Gift

2011-07-12T23:33:00.000-07:00

I find gifting for the males in my life rather difficult! For instance, if it's not a book for my dad, I'm at a loss. But while thrifting recently, I stumbled upon something that could really be great: vintage shakers. Whether for use at a party, or some masculine knick knackery, they are a great addition to any decor. Here are the two I've found so far. And as with men, it's so wonderful to have the combination of both usefuless and good looks! :P

I love the above shaker for it's easy to handle size, and the just aged enough lid, but the one below is magnificent because of it's size - makes a real statement. And quite a drink!

Update

2011-07-12T12:06:00.001-07:00

The Thrift Collective is officially fancy. Update your bookmarks to:

http://www.thethriftcollective.com

Thrifty Finds # 27 - Something for nothing!

2011-07-10T16:26:00.000-07:00

Yep that's right. This job lot of fabric cost me zilch, nada, diddly squat! I scored all of these fine pieces of fabric from a very kind and lovely lady via my local Freecycle group. I seriously couldn't believe my luck!
The picture doesn't quite show it I don't think, but there is a serious amount of (very high quality) fabric here...

From top to bottom: 2m Raspberry coloured suiting fabric, 1.5m brushed cotton/flannel in gorgeous berry coloured autumnal print, 2.5m Navy suiting fabric, 3m pure wool in a stunning teal colour, 1.5m grey wool flannel, 3.5m stunning crepe de chine (??Tilly can I borrow your book?!), 4m creamy linen (synthetic??) with grey fleck.
I think conservatively there has to be at least £75-£100 of fabric here. Happy days!
Px

Day 187 - Picks of the Day

2011-07-06T20:07:00.000-07:00

I am currently on a road trip for the summer around the Southeast of the United States. I also will be heading to the Longest Yard Sale this August for the first time.

Here are the picks of the day from my current location in Thomasville, Georgia.

Vintage Tiki Mugs.
Paid $1.99 each
Estimate $20.00 each

Vintage Four Piece Sterilite Canister Set with Lazy Susan.
Paid $5.99
Estimate $65.00

Background:

Sterilite Corporation was founded in 1939 as a partnership between Saul and Edward Stone and Earl Tupper. Before that time, the Stone brothers were engaged in the manufacturing of wooden heels for women's shoes. They formed the partnership to produce heels by the infant process of injection molding. The partnership was short-lived, however, because the plastic available then was not sufficiently heat resistant to withstand weight and stress in hot weather.

With the advent of World War II, they began manufacturing personal articles (plastic combs, toothbrush holders etc.) for the Armed Forces and in the years that followed, gained considerable expertise in manufacturing toys, plastic giftware, and a wide range of tabletop products, beverageware and household containers. During the 1960s the company developed a broad line of plastic housewares including innovative new products such as food storage bowls and a first generation storage bin.

In the decades that followed, Sterilite's growth has been driven by product innovation, product line expansion, and an unyielding commitment to serving the needs of our customers. From a small partnership between two brothers, Sterilite Corporation has become the world's largest independent manufacturer of plastic housewares.

source: www.sterilite.com

1950's Pink Pottery Large Bowl.
Paid $2.99.
Estimate $95.00.
NFS going in our personal collection.

Four Vintage Plastic Fall Wood Plaques
Paid .99 cents for all 4
Estimated $20.00

Michelle
Family Vintage

Hot Child in the City

2011-07-06T15:59:00.000-07:00

Hot child in the city
runnin' wild and lookin' pretty...* for $3.99 at Goodwill.

And how could one not look like a hot child in the city in this saucy summer top?

Hides salsa stains, but not margarita spills.

* If you remember this song, I am 98% sure just the chorus will be stuck in your head for the at least the next hour.
Just sendin' Nick Gilder love your way.

Lolly, This Domestic Life

$3 Mikasa Bowl

2011-07-06T14:38:00.001-07:00

We went to the Pasadena College Flea Market this weekend. It's the baby brother of the Rose Bowl Flea. It's oddly laid out, half outside and half in a parking garage. With it being in the 90s I was glad for the garage part. I suppose I can't complain because it was free to get in. There were tons of records which made Bob happy but it was too hot for him to get into it. All I came home with was a nice large Mikasa bowl.

For three bucks I had to get it. I'm a sucker for 60s and 70s Mikasa designs.

Collections and Decor

2011-06-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

My thrifting (and shopping in general) unfortunately is being limited by the boyfriend. However, I did manage to sneak these few things past him this week.

The Beck's beer stein I got for his collection. It doesn't have the logo of today, so I'm guessing it's vintage. Anyone have any clues?

The opal white loaf pan is to add to my ever-growing pyrex collection. I've been waiting for a loaf pan to show up for a while!

The mirror I found at the local SA and though I wouldn't normally pay that much for it, I just thought it would look great hanging on the walls of my new apartment.

What do you think?

You can read further about my thrifty (thrift store AND retail) finds on my blog!

Best,
Aki

Beacon's Closet

2011-06-27T15:12:00.000-07:00

While on vacation in New York this month, the hubster and I landed in Brooklyn for a day. Some good friends live in the area and took us on a walking tour around town. Lucky for me, we hit up a fabulous thrift store in the area called Beacon's Closet. Unlucky for me, we got there 15 minutes before closing. I felt such joy walking in the door that I declared 15 min enough time for me to walk out with something fabulous and that I did! I scored this fabulous geometric blouse. I love the muted colors and digital-esque pattern.

I wish I had time to take lots of photos but, alas only 15 minutes meant I had to get down to business. My favorite thing about the store was that the racks of clothes and shoes were color coded and that made it so much fun to shop in!

Not Puss n Boots, I said Purse and Books!

2011-06-26T19:18:00.000-07:00

Bright golden purses
with French Knots divine

Books that are like new

with interesting story lines

These are a few of my favorite finds

Lolly

Brattleboro Scores!

2011-06-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, the man and I hit up Brattleboro,VT and let me tell you that it was quite the enjoyable experience for me because I got to hit up some consignment/vintage shops that aren't my usual. YAY! First I want to show you some of the awesome things I saw that I did not bring home. (Manfriend would not let me! sadface)

Now for the things I did score? What I call my Jar Full of Awesome:


$10 for the fun of seeing what was in the jar, the jar and some fun costume jewelry to deconstruct

I can never pass up an Elephant... unless it's really ugly, and even then I'll think about it:

$2.75 and well worth it!

And my favorite find of all the shops I went into? This piece of awesome. I have no idea who made this or how old or new it is but it called my name and is singing it to this day:

$15 and my most expensive piece of the day

What do you think of my finds? Should I have brought home the owls instead?! Guh, too many choices but then that is better than no choices, right? xoxo Amanda of Prim and Propah

A Cool Find & What I left Behind

2011-06-24T19:38:00.000-07:00

Here's my cool find...

Lux Atomic Teak & Metal Clock

and I regret leaving these Lamps behind.

Vintage Ceramic White Floor Lamps

Of course I went back to look for them, but at only $19.99 each I'm sure they were snagged quickly. Oh well, win a few lose a few.

Hope each of you had no regrets this week & a enjoy a wonderful weekend!

Cheers ~ Lara at NowSoLA Vintage

Thrifty Thursday! (again)

2011-06-23T09:03:00.000-07:00

I'm moving so I've been on the look out at thrift stores for cool artwork/lamps/anything for the new apartment. Look at the goodies I found yesterday!

I'm especially in love with the framed embroidery. The lamp on the right I was having second thoughts about.

Visit my new blog and read about what I plan to do with all this!

Enjoy!
Aki

Long Beach Flea Market

2011-06-20T12:16:00.000-07:00

My Husband and I finally made it out to the Long Beach Flea Market yesterday. I'm not sure what took six months to finally get out there but I'm so happy we did! I found two pieces of Pyrex that put the finishing touches on my collection and one item that I didn't know existed and I actually gasped when I saw it.

You know that I have this glass and have been looking for matching pieces. The trouble is with this design is that I know very little about it. The glass I have has no maker's mark or logo or anything on it. I found matching plate on flickr and all that says on it is "Taste Setter's Collection". There was a pitcher on ebay but it got too rich for my blood. So yesterday as I was happily walking along I saw this ice bucket and bee lined for it. For $20 I'll say it was an amazing deal. Sadly, there is no maker's mark or any kind of identifying stamp on this either.

The Pyrex were great scores as well. They were $10 a piece with the lids and they finish off my collection. Although I think maybe I need a couple more yellow pieces...

It was a fantastic flea market. Not as many professional sellers as the Rose Bowl but just as much good stuff. On a side note Bob and I discovered something about haggling. We are both very polite when we ask for a better price usually saying "Would you take ____?" but we've noticed that if you ask the price and just stand there the seller will usually come down on his or her own. It happened a few times this weekend and last weekend. One of us would ask the price, the seller would give it, we'd remain quiet and then the seller would come down five or ten bucks. So I guess apathy is a haggling tool now?

Thrifty Thursday!

2011-06-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

Hello All! It's been a while since I last went thrifting but I finally got a chance to go today! Here's what I found:

Clockwise from top left:
Stuffed toy for my dog (no beaded eyes or anything else dangerous)
Corning ware cornflower blue tray (for my mom)
Frame that will be getting a makeover (painted either black or white)
Sam Adams beer mug (to add to our beer glass/mug collection)
Embroidery hoops (that will either give me motivation to start embroidery OR serve as wall art see my new blog!)
Vintage (fake) pearl jewelery

Visit my brand new blog to read more about my purchases and let me know what you think!

Aki
The Nimble Nomad

Nudie

2011-06-13T16:26:00.000-07:00

This past week and weekend I visited a bunch of Antique Malls here in Los Angeles. In my Google search I came up with five, FIVE isn't that sad? Well I went to all of them and only ended up with one thing but it's a doozy.

Shield those virgin eyes!

If you remember I've found two other centerfold puzzles. This one is different because it came in a box not a can and it's a dude. Peter Lupus to be exact. Lupus (who is clearly not Jewish) had all his pieces and was only ten bucks at the Long Beach Antique Mall.

Of the five I went to this was my favorite, it was huge and it had everything. It was aisles and aisles of old signs, Pyrex, Housewares, Records, Doo-Dads and Thing-a-Ma-Bobs If there's a heaven, I hope this is what it's like. The prices weren't terrible. This puzzle was $10 and This Sunday at the Rose Bowl Flea Market they had the Playboy Puzzles in cans for $25 and $35.

Although they did have my $14.99 dresser for $485 but I consider that a normal price for Mid-Century furniture here in in LA.

Now I have a weird little pornographic collection

Monkey Pod Wood Items

2011-06-05T13:03:00.000-07:00

Every so often when thrifting I'll come across some wooden bowl or platter made of this wood. Usually it's in pretty bad shape with scratches and cracks and suffering from ugliness in general. I generally pass them by.

But one day I found this lonely apple shaped wooden bowl at the Sally Ann. At the time I didn't know what type of wood it is, but it looks like something someone picked up on their tropical vacation.

Still, I liked it and immediately recognized its storage potential.

My thrifting friend didn't know the type of wood it is either but she said that some mineral oil would be a way to shine it up in a jiffy and also keep it food safe.

After some sleuthing on the Interwebs I found that this is likely Monkey Pod wood. It's not all that valuable, but I pretty much knew that when I bought it.

I like it for retro aesthetic reasons and because it stores craft supplies and whatnot quite nicely.

Lolly
This Domestic Life

Sterling Silver Napier Measuring Cup

2011-06-04T09:23:00.000-07:00

It's been quite a long time since I've found any true treasures but Thursday I finally found something. I was at the Goodwill in Yuma and it was in a bargain bag of "stuff" for $1.99 and I spotted it right away. I knew it was silver and it is darling. It's 2 1/2" tall and very finely made by Napier. I found one on Ebay that sold for $39.00! This is a keeper for sure and will go nicely in my curio cabinet.