Thrift Shop Find--Give Us This Day...

She considereth a field (or other "thingie") and buyeth it

It's been almost too hot here in Georgia to get out-and-about lately, but my husband and I decided to brave the mercury and humidity Saturday and hit a couple of local thrift stores. I'm not that good at "thrifting" yet, something has to almost jump up and grab me for me to get it-- that and the fact that I'm trying desperately to "de-clutter" my life, so I want to be careful and not just fill it with everyone else's cast-off junk. Excuse me. Junque.

But I have to admit, I was tingling with anticipation at the treasure hunt on which I was embarking. What beautiful antique, what rare jewel, what useful "thingie" might I uncover?

Goodwill was our first stop. I looked, I really did. At all of the cast off dishes and knick-knacks and appliances and, yes, true junk. And found nothing of real interest.

Next stop, Salvation Army. And again, I looked, I browsed, I picked up and put down. The only thing I found was a wonderful art-deco chest of drawers, which if I were at home I would have surely bought, but unfortunately just do not have the space at our apartment here in Georgia to store until we could take it home and refurbish it.

I was so disappointed. Disgruntled, almost. And then I remembered the Valley Rescue Mission thrift store--one I had seen in passing but had never been inside. So away we went.

My hubby found his treasure--a clockradio/cassette player that still works. Except for one little thing (which he figured out after-the-fact) that the digital readout shows "90" when it should be "50". As in, 1:90, 1:91, 1:92, etc, when it should read as 1:50, 1:51, 1:52, etc. So if you come to our apartment and see a clock that reads 8:95, don't panic, it's only 5 minutes till 9:00.

I thought I was going to leave empty handed, when I saw it. IT. My treasure.

Doesn't look like much, you say? It's really not--just a cheap little bread plate. But remember the bread box I found a while back, that sort of matched a really nice bread plate that I already had?

The "new" one is smaller, lighter, sort of beat up around the edges. It has a slightly different shape in the base, and just a generally cheaper feel. It doesn't have the black stuff in the creases (I know that's not what that's called, but I can't remember what to call it, I'm getting old!) but the pattern is the same.

I can't photograph them side by side right now because the other one is at home in Lousiana. So this is the next best thing till I get them together.

There's sort of theme developing there, don't you think?

I have really got to learn to make homemade artisan bread...

For more thrifty finds, see the links at:

Thrifty Thursday at Tales from Bloggeritaville

Today's Thrifty Treasures at Southern Hospitality

Until next time...

Old Mason Jar

• She considereth a field (or other "thingie") and buyeth it...

front

This is my most recent "thrifty" purchase. I paid $4 for this at the same thrift shop/flea market where I bought the J & G Meakins Vine fruit bowl earlier. Isn't it nifty looking? It's a Mason jar, quart sized, and has a zinc lid with a white glass or porcelain lining. It does have a big chip in the threaded neck, which was why it was marked "as is" (!). There were a few other, somewhat pricier jars there, but for some reason they didn't appeal to me as much as this one. I just loved the shape and feel of this one--as well as the price!

detail

Here's a slightly better detail shot--it actually reads "Mason's Patent 1858" but for some reason top of the 5 didn't show up well in any of the pictures I took. I love the way the old glass has bubbles and sort of "waves" when you look through it. (Click on any of the pictures to see a larger image--you can really see the details then) It has seams, so I know it was made with a mold, not hand blown as some really old jars were. I tried to do some on-line research about vintage and antique jars, and am guessing from what I read that this one is pre-1950's, but later than the 1930's possibly pre 1930's because it doesn't have the finger grip ridges on the sides. Maybe.

back

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with this--not food storage, even for dry stuff, with that chip in the neck, but it will at some time be put on display or be used to display something. Maybe.

At any rate, this is my third "thrifty", "second hand", "vintage-or-not" buy.

I don't really know what I like yet, or why certain pieces appeal to me while others don't. I may end up with a hodge-podge of "junk" , or I may find that perfect-to-me treasure trove of wonderful things.

I'm thinking the latter.

Want to see what other thrifters are finding or showing off this week? Click over and see the links at:

Thrifty Thursday at Tales from Bloggeritaville

Vintage Thingies at Coloradolady

More Thrifty Treasures at Southern Hospitality

Until next time....

All Quiet on the Southern Front

• Who can find a virtuous woman...


• She is like the merchants ships, she bringeth her food from afar


• She rises while it is yet night and giveth meat to her household...

This post is a little bit about everything and a lot about nothing...

This has been a fairly uneventful week for me. I've really struggled with the feed and subscription issues that A Virtuous Woman has had--I've delved into technicalities that I had no desire to get into (!) and things are still not back to normal, but I've come to the conclusion that most of it hinges on a "known issue" that Google/Blogger techs are working on, so I'm going to go ahead and post as usual this next week and hope that everything gets it's "fix".

I've really been missing my Philippians 3:14 Fridays posts--even though some weeks it seemed I didn't always accomplish the things I set out to do, it really helped me in general to take a step back and reassess what I was doing, how I was spending my time, etc. I think this meme (that's blogger talk for "themed posts") has gone by the wayside due to lack of participation--much the same as my Mission Possible meme--some weeks I have good participation, some weeks none! But, even though Philippians 3:14 Friday may have "done it's last do" I plan to find another way to bring back some planning, inspiration and accountability.

I didn't post a lot this week about my bargain shopping. I think I've been doing this just long enough to start taking some of my good deals for granted, but I still find good deals almost every place I shop. They are out there, you just have to look for them! My favorites that I found this past week:

• Aveeno Positively Ageless facial cleanser for $.62-on clearanced to $2.62 at Rite Aid, less a $2 manufacturer's coupon
• 16 oz Store brand shredded cheese at Piggly Wiggly for $3.25 for mozzarella and $2.99 for cheddar
• Hebrew National wieners for $1.50--on sale 1/2 price at Publix, less a manufacturer's coupon
• Free Country Bob's sauce--with "Free" coupons I got for doing a review on my food blog
• St Ives body wash, free after Register Reward at Walgreens
• Colgate toothpaste, $.88 after coupon at Rite Aid
• Coppertone sunscreen, $1.97 after coupon at Walmart

Several of these I meant to go back and do again, but it's been entirely too HOT to get out many extra times.

Meanwhile, my sweet husband has been bringing home blackberries he's picking himself from wild berry brambles around his job site. If you follow my food blog, Secrets of a Southern Kitchen, you may have already read about the homemade blackberry pie I made this week--that's the picture at the top of this post. It looked and tasted good, even though it was a little (!) runny. And while I haven't posted the recipes yet, I also made homemade biscuits, and just this morning made blackberry freezer jam. I'll be posting these recipes this week at Secrets of a Southern Kitchen, as well as a pie of a different sort that I'll be making this week.

The temperature is supposed to peak today in the triple digits again, and then cool slightly this next week (highs will only be in the mid 90's!) so most of what I do this week will involve trying to keep cool as I go about cooking, cleaning, doing my regular bargain shopping, making it to a thrift store or two this week, and whatever else comes my way! I hope some of that includes making it to the pool at least a few days this week (that's why I need all of that suncreen I've been buying lately!)

Hoping you and yours are having a good weekend and by the way, Daddy, Happy Father's Day!

Until next time...

My "New" Breadbox

• She is like merchant's ships, she bringeth her food (and other things!) from afar


• She considereth a field, and buyeth it...

Don't they look well together? Not "matchy-matchy", but close enough to co-ordinate?

I received this bread plate several years ago as a gift. Most of it's life has been spent inside a cabinet, alongside my other pretty plates, platters, and serving dishes. I was cleaning and decluttering and moving things around, so I had it out recently, and my son noticed it.

Not long after, he spotted a wooden bread box with similar carved detail at a sort of combination flea market/garage sale he works at from time to time, and I was able to get it later that day for $8. I cleaned it with some Murphy's Oil Soap, and I may go back later with Old English Scratch Cover and darken the bottom edge just a little. Or not.

Now if only I had some homemade bread to put in it...

What thrift shop finds have you made lately? For links to other thrifty goodies, see:

More Thrifty Finds at Southern Hospitality

Thrifty Thursday at Tales from Boggeritaville

Until next time....

My First "Thrifty Thursday"

• She is like merchant's ships, she bringeth her food (and other things!) from afar
• She considereth a field, and buyeth it...

I've never been much of a thrift store/garage sale/flea market shopper. I can remember going to a few garage sales with my mom when I was young, and I've gone to thrift stores and the like a few times over the years, but I never seem to find the "good stuff" and bargains that I hear of from other people. I even had a pastor's wife for a while who was the queen of thrift shopping, and I still didn't catch the knack.

Just lately, though, I've been venturing into a thrift store (I admit, the first time I was lured by the bake sale they were having and the promise of chocolate pie and homemade crescent rolls) and even a flea market or two.

While my son was browsing books, I found this pretty little bowl:

I bought this for $2 just because I thought it was pretty.

The markings on the back show "J & G Meakin, England, Sterling, Vine". I've discovered that the pattern is "Vine" and J & G Meakins is an English (obviously!) company that was was in business from sometime in the 1800's to about 2000, but is no longer in business. The "Vine" pattern was apparently made in blue and red (some listings call it pink), but so far I haven't been able to discover which years this piece was made. I don't think it's all that old realtively speaking. I did find a few pieces on e-Bay and at a company that specializes in replacement pieces for discontinued china and tableware. Interesting what you can find out from the internet, huh?

So today I'm participating for the first time in a new-to-me meme (that's blogger talk for "theme") at Tales from Bloggeritaville called "Thrifty Thursday", where everyone links to posts about their thrift store finds.

Edited to add: I'm also linking this post to:

2nd Time Around at A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words

Vintage Thingies Thursday at Coloradolady

Want to see what everyone else is buying? Click on over and follow a few links to see the other pretty and interesting things other bloggers are finding.

Until next time...

Warning: Flintstone Feet Ahead

• She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple

I'm not a frou-frou kind of gal. I have long hair, but I don't even try to color the gray, and most of the time I wear it in a pony-tail. I don't buy a lot of clothes, even when I need them. (Right now I'm in desperate need a new pair of jeans, but I figure since it's summer I can make do with the shorts and capris I have, and save the jeans for cooler weather in the fall). Now that I'm not working an outside job, and have no personal income, I seldom buy myself anything unless it's free or frugal.

There is one notable exception to that. It's not something that I indulge in often, but if I know I have a special treat coming up--a birthday, or Mother's Day, or even just I've-been-a-really-good-girl-and-I-deserve-a-treat kind of thing--getting a pedicure is my indulgence of choice.

I love getting a pedicure. Not just the process of sitting in the massage chair while jets of eucalyptus-scented water swirl around my feet, although that's great. I love having pretty toes. It makes me feel feminine. I love wearing my open toed slides in the summer time and looking down and seeing those polished nails peeking out.

Now, my feet are not pretty by any stretch of the imagination. I have extra wide feet with a really high instep. My husband affectionately calls them "Flintstone feet". My ankles are thick, and a bad bout of plantar faciitis ensures that I'll always have to wear shoes with good arch support. Instead of hearing compliments about how "cute" my shoes are, I hear, "those look so comfortable". But even in my "comfortable" shoes, I have a secret that keeps my "girly" going--ten beautifully polished pretty toes.

What indulgence keeps your "girly" going?

Until next time...

Philippians 3:14 Friday, June 5

Another Friday has come and gone, time for an update on my efforts to "press toward the mark".

This last week, I did my morning routine at least half the time, but I confess there were days that I lagged a bit and took longer to get actually moving and doing. I got the files moved and the small filing cabinet moved out; purged about 15-20 books; did the daily cleaning/straightening in my bedroom about 3-4 days; skipped the daily stint in the front bedroom several days but added extra time on others to make up for it; and totally skipped the reading this week.

This next week I'm leaving home and going back to Georgia, so my goals are daily ones:

Sunday--pack clothes and personal things to take back with me and get the house ready to close up for the next couple of months.

Monday--travel day

Tuesday-Friday--unpack, start on daily routine, straighten coupon binder, buy groceries, catch up on emails, etc.

For more on Philippians 3:14 Fridays, see Which Proverbs 14:1 Woman?

Until next time...