The Thrift Shop Romantic

Cold Weather, Warm Touches

2010-02-07T15:25:00.000-08:00

Oh, the weather outside was frightful... "Frightful," in this instance, is defined as "having over a foot-and-a half-of-snow coating everything like a casualty in a Marshmallow Fluff plant explosion"...
In all the years I've lived here, I've never seen snow just sit straight up and pay attention like the snow is on my backyard fence...

So, since there really was no place to go this weekend, I decided to get some good old-fashioned cleaning and decorating done around the mini-manse. And for one accomplishment in the last two days, I have you good folks to thank!...

Yes, all of your input on Wednesday was not wasted regarding the desk I'd thrifted from St. Vincent de Paul thrift store. I listened to the Pro-Paint, and the Con-Paint sides of the Desk Improvement Dilemma we'd discussed.

And I decided that the outcome of a good cleaning and some scratch oil would determine which course I should take...

Well, as you can see, the desk cleaned up a treat. And the dark polish was just enough to minimize the dings and scratches to where they were no longer a focal point. So now the desk is residing happily in my blue sitting room...Along with, ironically, the pink needlepoint chair I'd thrifted at the Salvation Army years ago.

Where the pink chair had been, I moved in a brown tapestry chair that's a bit worse for wear, but I still like it a lot...
It's quite comfortable to sit in, and even though its seat is rubbed away in places, I think it's faded fabric has charm.

A small craft store investment in silk flowers that look dried have topped off this bowl that once held pinecones for Christmas...
And some becrystalled candlesticks-- also from the craft store-- now sit on the mantle mirror, along with some delicate rose garland...
Some serious pre-spring cleaning led me to swap some drug store painted bottles with some quirky hobnail glass pieces I've picked up over time...

And I decided the picture window might be the right place to display some Westmoreland glass vases I'd been storing. I love how the light hits the glass and lights them up.

Lastly, many long hours of cabinet purging has left my kitchen more organized than it's been in years. Anything surplus to requirement is being donated to the thrift stores-- meaning some of it technically will be coming full-circle.

The treat of the day, then, was finally getting this window display over the stove to feel cheerful and cohesive. You wouldn't believe the number of trial-and-error botched attempts, trying different items here.

Finally, when I saw this combo, I felt a lot happier and more relaxed about it. You just can't beat the clean sweeping lines of art deco pottery... And the Fiesta will be able to handle any spatters it encounters with a simple wipe of a sponge.

Well, that's all for me today. Between the heavy-duty snow shoveling and the cleaning, I'd say I'm about ready for a heating pad and a nice cup of tea right now!

If you missed Wednesday's post, about discovering the desk that got the mini-makeover this week, click here.

Here's hoping tonight finds you all safe, with your heads above the snowline and power in your homes.

Treasure Box Wednesday: For the Love of a Desk

2010-02-03T02:44:00.000-08:00

I had no sooner set foot in the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Monroeville, when my eyes fell upon the desk of my dreams. Not that I'd actually been dreaming about it, per se... I mean, I didn't know something quite so weird and wonderful would have existed...

But this carved ladies writing desk, with storage inside, was too unusual to pass up... I notified the cashier right away that it would be coming home with me, before any interlopers put a crimp in my future desk adoration.

As you can probably see, it's got some issues. Scratches and gouges to the finish, and some loose legs indicate a good suring-up and possibly a finish job in its near future. I'm debating painting it cream and using it in my blue room, where the courting couple designs would be wonderfully at home...

But it's a tough call. I think given its life hardships, I probably wouldn't be devaluing anything important by doing so. But neither do I want to slap paint on something I really shouldn't.

In terms of date, I'm thinking it may be from the Depression era. The lady pictured here in the center appears, if I'm not mistaken, to be wearing a 20s/30s sort of hat, along with bob hair...
I love the almost art-nouveau fluidity of the lines around the top.

Anyway, while it may seem anticlimactic after the desk, I also found some vintage tins this week. There were quite a few of them at the Goodwill on Carson Street in the Southside, and stylistically, they all seemed to be of one person's collection. I relieved them of three in the aqua and pink color palette...
Anyway, they'll be nice for gifting. Pretty on the outside, and containing goodies therein! (Also, I won't have to wrap things... which is a gift in itself because I'm lousy at it, and avoid wrapping at all costs.)

So that's today's Treasure Box Wednesday.

If you missed Sunday's post on funny knitwear photos, click here.

And I hope to see you this coming Sunday for more nifty thrifty fun!

Sheep Tricks with Funny Knits

2010-01-31T11:04:00.000-08:00

Sweaters. On a cold winter day, they warm us... Comfort us... And-- if the thrifted knitting instruction books we discuss today are any indication-- they can also make us look like giant psychedelic sheep in heat.

Join me today, as we examine the groovily 60s "Bernat Book of Irish Knits" and the awesomely 80s "Fashion Knitting."

...Because nothing says true sex appeal like being completely encased in a field of yarn livestock.

We'll start here, with the Rainbow Mills "Dolman Bomber Jacket"...

What exactly we're bombing with this jacket, I don't know-- one of Willy Wonka's cotton candy vats maybe...

If you thought the Augustus Gloop Chocolate Assault was a horror, imagine trying to get 100 gallons of spun pink sugar out of your fleecy outerwear.

Oh, and speaking of films, here we have the little-known prequel to Goldie Hawn's Overboard...

This was done when Goldie was still in Laugh-In, and her Overboard character Joanna was trying to get a sense of how good she might look in a yacht.

"Just hold this steering wheel up, darling, like we're traveling somewhere exotic and pretend you see something exciting off the starboard. Like a place we can stop for caviar."

Then we have these fine fellows. "Every detail is genuine, and every look is right," the book tells us...

So right, apparently, that they each wanted to try it on the same day. A bold move for their era, really-- coordinating matching outfits for themselves like this. And right down to the identical mock turtlenecks, too! I wonder what the folks down the pub think?...

Of course, in Knitland, you never know-- maybe no one will notice...

"Pssst, look at those lads wearing matching outfits, Siobhan. Who'd do a daft thing like that?"

"Um, well-- us, Meg?"

"Ah, right so... But... well... Let's laugh at 'em anyway. They look like big eejits."

Meanwhile, across the field...

"Pssst, Kate, all those people are wearing matching outfits over there, but even they're laughing at us. I know your mam made these hats for us, but I've had mine on for four hours now, and my forehead's starting to bleed. Can I not take it off?"

"Not yet, Sean, wait until mother's had a few more pints. Her observational skills won't be so keen then."

Clearly, the Mike Nesmith Monkees wool-hat look isn't quite suitable for everyone. Especially not, if you've just gotten a totally awesome homeperm, and you want a sweater to really show it off...

One just as soft... just as gravity-defying... just as frizzy as a pink-dyed poodle in a Miami Beach hurricane...

Yep, that's when you whip up this this Reynolds' Taboo sweater... As modeled by Art Garfunkel's long-lost daughter...
I bet Art was grateful for "A Hazy Shade of Winter" after seeing her sporting this colorful little number. Anything to block out that so-special "Yeti in a Punk Band" styling.

Well, that's all I have for you today, folks. I hope you'll join me again Wednesday when we take a peek at a couple of fun thrifted finds.

And I promise you-- there's absolutely no yarn involved. Stay warm!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Partying with Fiestaware

2010-01-26T13:20:00.000-08:00

While here at The Thrift Shop Romantic, we typically delve into vintage resale finds, there happens to be one so-functional collectible that is still being produced, and hasn't changed much since its birth in East Liverpool, Ohio in the 1930s-- decorative, art deco Fiesta.

I've been picking up pieces of this, both new and used, to balance out the plethora of purple pottery plates I'd found at Big Lots over the last few months. I love the big deep mugs and bowls, but the sheer purpleness of it all was a bit much. It was starting to look like Tim Burton's kitchen cabinets.

But most interestingly, this last week, retail stores actually came through to give me the balance I'd wanted-- and in a huge way. (I know: it gave me a little unnerved shiver, too.)

Department stores Kohls and-- of all places, the normally-pricey Macy's-- have had big sales on the dinnerware. 40% off in the case of Kohls, and Buy-One-Get-One-Free at Macy's.

So I chose some colors I knew would work with my kitchen, and was able to pre-order some to be picked up this very Wednesday evening. It's going to feel a little bit like Christmas, I suspect.

One thing worth noting-- the "Lemongrass" color above has photographed much more yellow than it appears to be in person-- in my kitchen it looks like a bright lime/Depression glass green. Lighting is funny that way...
Which is why I recommend anyone looking to buy Fiesta who hasn't done so before, and might not know what the various color names mean, to make sure you see it in person to start.

I'd noticed the new Kelly Green that's out appears actually way more green-green than it looks online as well. So just a word to the wise.

The other nice thing about the newer Fiesta is that, beginning in the 80s, the Homer Laughlin company began making sure the glazes were lead-free. You can identify many of these pieces by the "lead-free" mark on the bottom.

So tonight, I'll be putting on my sombrero, gathering up my maracas, and having myself a Fiesta! And as always, you're more than welcome to join the party. :)

Have a great rest of your week!

Wonderland Mad Tea Party

2010-01-24T15:42:00.000-08:00

Today's post will be a bit short, as I've been running around working on various projects and haven't seemed to have gotten any of them quite complete and up-to-snuff. (Why snuff is the verbal barometer for quality only the annals of time and perhaps Skoal knows.)

Anyway, one of the things I was messing around with was a Valentine's table with a mad teaparty sort of feel to it. It's not done yet-- much messing still to go on and madness to add-- but I thought you all might enjoy seeing where it is at the moment...

Every piece of china on here is mismatched, and even the lusterware teacups had their saucers swapped for ones of another color.

While I did this with various pieces of floral luster transferware-- most of it dating from around 1910-- you could do just as well with crystal plates of all different shapes and styles, pottery pieces like Fiesta and its brethren... Really, the possibilities are endless!

It helps if they have some sort of common theme, though, so the look isn't too jarring.
You can see here the plates, cups and saucers are in pinks, greens, golds, reds and peaches.

You'll notice even the candlesticks don't match-- one being a candleabra filled with candles of all colors and sizes, and the other being a single candlestick... They're both metal, so it seems to work.

You might have also noticed the little glass tophats on the table. I've picked these up over time at thrift stores, thinking I might have a use for them some day. And now I'm suspecting it would only be appropriate to use them at a Mad Teaparty and serve in them.... mixed nuts.I'm not sure what else will come of this, but time will tell. I hope to coordinate the mantle in the same room.
Hmmm, time to brew the Earl Grey and get that toast ready for the thrifted toast rack there on the right. Would you prefer butter, jam or a little dormouse?

Hope your coming week doesn't drive you too mad. :)

Treasure Box Wednesday: The Vase Unknown

2010-01-20T02:40:00.000-08:00

Anyone who thrifts regularly knows that thrifting for something specific is typically as futile as trying to herd cats. Or to use a metaphor, the Gods of Thrift are generous, yes, but they have quite the little sense of humor. And they seem to believe that their followers should be grateful for what the gods have deemed they can have-- above what they might actually have hoped to find.

It's a bit like discovering things washed upon a sandy shoreline. The stranded pirate might want a case of rum. What he gets might very well be a ladies' bonnet and a message from the stranded pirate two islands over asking someone with a ship for help.

Over the weekend, I went thrifting hoping I might run across some Fiestaware.

Now, you might be saying, "What? C'mon. You can't find Fiestaware at thrift stores!"

Only I have before. I live not far away from the land o' Fiesta's birthplace. So it's not quite as common as Pyrex, but it does lurk among our household items occasionally.

But, ah... the Gods of Thrift were on their game that day-- so it was not to be. No, instead I found myself with two Mystery Vases.

This intricate red jobbie had McCoy written all over it to me...
...Only not literally, or it wouldn't be an unknown vase. But the finish, the color, the organic lines with a bit of art deco to it... All the stylistic qualities of McCoy.

Yet my McCoy book doesn't show it. That's mystery number one.

Mystery number two is this little blue pottery vase....

Also organic lines, also the matte finish associated with some McCoy, and also with no mark on the bottom, I couldn't find this one in my book, either.

I love both of the vases just as much for their own innate qualities. But it would be nice to know who made them. Alas, that may take more time!

What won't take time is this--
My little vintage sheep planter from Japan which I found at the Goodwill. Folks who are long-time readers know I use these at Easter as part of a display. And this happy little sheep will be a nice addition to the collection.

I also happen to know where this tumbler and cereal bowl came from...
This is part of a Hazel Atlas Platonite dish set I've been pulling together, from the Depression era. I think I only have one other bowl, and the cup represents my first tumbler. At $1.25 each at the L&L Fleatique, I felt I did pretty darned well.

So that represents this week's Treasure Box!

Have you all had any interesting finds at the thrifts, and other resale venues? I'd love to hear about what makes you happy.

Have a great week, and I'll see you Sunday with a brand-new post!

Victorian Magnet Calendar Giveaway Winners!

2010-01-17T14:19:00.000-08:00

Ah... today's the big day! The day I pull the names of three winners for last Treasure Box Wednesday's Victorian magnet calendar drawing.

I want to thank each and everyone for responding, and for sharing what it is you do to decorate for various holidays. It was a lot of fun getting to read how different people celebrate by decorating their homes-- and I hope it offered a whole new bunch of possibilities for you all, too, getting to see what other folks are up to, year-round!

Anyway, I won't hold you in suspense any longer. I took the name of each person who responded to me-- including you folks who emailed me directly-- and wrote it on a slip of paper which I folded equally and put in this hat...

Then, closing my eyes, I drew three names. And they are, in no particular order...

Lola LaFayette
Andrea
and Linda!

Congratulations, ladies! If you email me your addresses and full name at thriftshopromanticAT macDOTcom (replacing the AT with an @ an the DOT with a . ) I will get your calendars out to you.

Thanks so much, everyone, for playing along!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Time Flies Calendar Giveaway

2010-01-13T02:41:00.000-08:00

My, my, time flies!

Okay, so that's the name of an Enya song. But it's also one of the reasons three of you good people can get a little bit of treasure for yourself on this Treasure Box Wednesday.

You see, I happened to have gotten entirely more cute Victorian Trading Company magnet calendars than I needed. And I figured, a couple of you folks should benefit from my mistake!

So here's how it's going to work. I'll put anyone who responds here (who is not a spammer, mind you-- spammers get no goodies) into a drawing for one of these three nifty calendars. Just post your response to the following question by midnight Pacific Time Saturday, January the 16th.

Then Sunday I'll put all of your names into a suitably vintage container and do the drawing.

And the question is:

What holidays or occasions during the year do you decorate for other than, possibly, Christmas? And what do you do for them?

I thought this might be a fun conversation to get going!

Or, if you'd rather, you can always check out Sunday's post on "The Little Things"...

I've greatly enjoyed reading your enthused responses to it-- I had suspected you were a group of people who appreciated the small joys of life, too. And know I know for sure!

The Little Things

2010-01-10T14:35:00.000-08:00

The saying goes, "It's the little things that make a house a home." Some of them are that beloved dog, simply brimming over with joy because he just can't believe you've returned for the evening-- even though you go through this same routine every day. Sometimes it's a quiet moment with family, where home becomes the haven from a harsher outer world.

And sometimes, it's just the little details of home, that make life prettier, make tasks easier, and make everything just that much better.

I got to thinking about this as I was doing some overly-optimistic -Pre-Pre-Spring Cleaning, and I caught sight of the pink glassware in the dish drain...

The light was hitting it just right, illuminating its delicate color. And it was strangely pleasing. Just dishes, of course-- and thrifted ones at that. But a little nicety that made the task more enjoyable.

The same went for the Pyrex, now residing prominently in my open cabinets...
What are they but color and glass, and a little bit of pattern? Yet, for me those casserole dishes symbolize everything from comfort food and memories of my mother's marvelous home-cooking, to simplicity and the joy of the finds themselves.

Some little things please, not by what they are, but what they can be. Like the thrifted silver napkin holder that now houses filters for the all-important coffee!...

And some, like the vintage jar opener next to it, bring joy through decades of reliability and ease.

You have vintage containers which do the job today, as well as they ever did, yet add an unexpected burst of color to an otherwise boring refrigerator...

And you have moments of silliness, where a whimsical cherub chotchkie gets plopped into a bowl as a joke, yet it never ceases to make you smile...
Some details have stood the test of time and become a testament to the house's history-- like this original push-button lightswitch. Every fleck of paint, every scratch and smudge attest to its past...
And some details are just made to fit in... to create an illusion of what might have been... Like this vintage-style faucet...

Any draft dodger would do, to keep out winter's chill... But why not have one that adds a little color as well as function?
Or other color that shifts and changes as the light of day passes... from early morning, to noon, to dusk...
And sometimes, what makes the most difference is the very smallest thing. One warm glimmer that reminds you you're home, safe, and done with another busy day...

Thanks for visiting today!

If you missed this last week's Treasure Box Wednesday post, where we try to document what post-Christmas sales have brought for next year's decorating, click here.

If not, grab that nice warm blanket, a good cup of your favorite hot beverage, and have a good one!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Party isn't Quite Over

2010-01-06T02:41:00.000-08:00

Ah, before the winter winds whipped up and temperatures plummeted into the single digits, I'd gotten a chance to pick up just a few after-Christmas bargains.

And while I do love sharing great finds with you, I hope you won't find me too selfish in admitting their appearance here is probably as much for me as for you, my friends. Because how many of us have bought something after Christmas, put it away, and then completely forgot about it?

It was only last year's post on my mercury glass discoveries that reminded me what new goodies I could display for 2009!

So sometimes it takes a village... a discount bin Target Christmas village that is...

At 75% off, they might as well have just said, "Here, Jenn: put this under your coat and leave the building quickly."

I also snagged this large pink light-up vintage style church...
That probably would have made the coat bulky.

Other finds included some things for next Christmas and an assortment of things I can probably use throughout the year.
This angel was just $1.50 at the Goodwill. I thought she had such a pretty face, and she reminded me of antique religious statuary, the way her wings were done...
This little flocked child ornament seems to be made of plaster. It appears as if it might have come from a Victorian Christmas card illustration...
And a sale on scented candles brought a variety of inviting scents, some for the next holiday season and some, like the "Greenhouse" and "Herb" tarts, which should serve nicely any time during the year.
Well, that about wraps up this Treasure Box!

If you missed Sunday's post on the Valentine's Day Tree, click here and check that out if you have a moment.

Keep warm, everybody! And let's think Spring, okay? Maybe if we all do it, it'll have some sort of effect. :)

Putting My Heart into the Valentine's Tree

2010-01-03T15:19:00.000-08:00

As 2010 made its grand entrance with a wintry blast and a shiver, I found that while I was well-ready to say goodbye to the tinsel and Santas and angels and stockings for another year, there was one holiday guest I wasn't quite ready to bid adieu... The livingroom Christmas tree.

The truth is, I'd grown quite fond of the warm light it produced in the evenings. It was like a smoke-free fireplace in a way, helping chase away the blues of Seasonal Affective Disorder better than any candles I'd ever had.

So it occurred to me that this welcome holiday visitor didn't need to go quite so soon... if it had a little makeover. And that's how the Valentine's tree was born...
Green ornaments were traded for pink ones. Gold, for fuschia. Peacock feathers were replaced by small pink feathery birds. And Valentine's Day ribbon, which I'd gotten last year after the holiday for virtually nothing, worked its way in place of more Christmassy strands...

The red medieval-styled tree skirt has been exchanged for the pink, rose-printed Shabby Chic one I normally use in my guest room...
And some of the birds from that tree perched down here as well...
I already had some heart-shaped ornaments, which I use on the Christmas tree every year. They stayed...
And I added some with pink roses embedded in them, for a little extra Victorian flair...
The bow up top, printed in hearts, also was something I'd put away from last year. The angel that was there has been relieved of duty until next Christmas season...
In between putting the rest of the decor away, I've also been noodling around with my blue sitting room, transitioning it from Christmas to everyday. I'm still working on it, but it seems like it might be a good place for some fairy figures I have...

A little floral garland hides the lamp cords, while the "Joy" and a "Believe" are left from Christmas and seem to apply equally well to the fairy theme...
The white and blue Christmas tree has been replaced by a salvage yard cherub lamp and thrifted fringed shade. It still looks like it isn't quite right, but I imagine I'll figure out what it's missing in a few days...
Wishing you all a wonderful 2010 filled with warmth, happiness and inspiration!

Treasure Box Wednesday: 40s Finds and Push-Button Magic

2009-12-30T02:45:00.000-08:00

While shopping malls bustle with holiday-goers looking to return that itchy Christmas sweater for something they're really going to use, I usually end up hitting the long and winding road of Route 30 for a thrifting extravaganza.

Not only do I manage to avoid the hustle and bustle, but quite often I find the fortune of vintage goodies.

At the L&L Fleatique in Adamsburg-- one of my favorite haunts-- I came across this small and nifty McCoy vase from the 40s...
I particularly like McCoy from this era, as many of the vases have an organic, art nouveau art pottery feel, with fruit, nuts, berries and leaves incorporated into the designs.

At the same indoor flea market, I uncovered this Depression era ceiling fixture, which is very similar in color and general style to my downstairs chandeliers...

I'd like to use it at the end of my entryway hall, before my bookcase, where it gets a bit dark. It should showcase the ol' leatherbound classics nicely. And at just $5, how could I go wrong? It cost more than that during the Depression!

At the Red, White and Blue thrift store on Route 51, I snagged this pink fringed lampshade...
Amusingly, an elderly male customer there stopped me to tell me he highly approved. It's true, folks, that when you see decent fringed shades second-hand like this, it's not a bad idea to pick them up. They don't come cheaply if you have to special-order them. In fact, they can cost far more than your lamp!

And then there's another Fleatique find... This large, satin 1940s Valentine, still in its original box...
Yep, you know a Valentine has to have been a big deal when it comes in a decorative box and not an envelope. And as we look in the inside, as well as out, we see there's a lot of "Darling"-ing going on here...
We just don't do it like that anymore, do we?

Lastly, I'd wanted to just share a little home improvement success with you all-- and maybe spread the empowerment your way. For a long time, I'd had a very bent, almost unusable dimmer switch in my livingroom. First the dimmer knob broke, and a bad incident with the replacement caused the switch itself to bend.

I'd noticed that VanDyke Restorers had reproduction push-button switches with dimmers built into them. So since I have some of these original switches, I thought I'd order one of the repros and have it installed.

But-- with a hands-on tutorial from my dad over Christmas (because who doesn't do electrical work on the holidays, right? :) ) I was able to actually install the thing myself...
I need to fill in some paint where the old switchplate was now, but the whole thing works like a charm. So for my female readers who weren't sure whether they could do this sort of thing, I can tell you, it is possible. (Make sure you turn off the power to the switch first, so it's perfectly safe, and the rest is pretty darned easy!)

Three cheers for girl power!

Anyway, that's it for the Treasure Box this week. I hope you all had an excellent Christmas, if you celebrate, and to everybody, I wish you a fan-tab-u-lous New Year! Be safe, and I'll see you in 2010!

See You for Treasure Box Wednesday!

2009-12-27T15:08:00.000-08:00

Greetings, folks! Just wanted to let you know that the holiday schedule has pushed the next post back to Treasure Box Wednesday. (Turns out, even eager thrifters need a day off for the holiday season.) And boy, do I have some fun things to show you then!

I hope all is well with all of you. And thank you for all your great Christmas greetings!

I'll see you Wednesday!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Pre-Christmas Thrifting

2009-12-23T01:58:00.000-08:00

In spite of the hustle and the bustle of the holidays, the lure of the Red, White and Blue thrift store ended up being a little too strong. So I popped in to see what might await.

The first thing I spied was this set of pretty vintage prints, which I believe will go in my blue sitting room...

If you look at the Queen Anne furniture in the photos, they're almost identical to what I have in that room. In fact, the blue tapestry chair in the print on the right looks like a reverse of my pink arm chair there. I think they'll be a nice addition to the room.

I also came across two Shabby Chic pillows, in great condition and-- HALF OFF!

This made them, oh, $1.50 each. And anyone who's bought Shabby Chic anything knows that even the Target Rachel Ashwell line doesn't end up reduced that much.

And lastly, maybe my brain was thinking ahead-- way ahead-- to summer. But I couldn't resist this awesome vintage strawberry covered tablecloth.

How cute would that be on a table filled with green Depression glass?

The last two things I wanted to show you were not thrifted, they came from an antique store. But I'm really excited about them. While my first floor has some pretty ornate bare bulb art deco/nouveau cast iron chandeliers, my second floor lighting has never wowed me. I have modern, brassy, pseudo-Victorian fixtures in the blue room, my master bedroom and in the hall.

Recently, when a part of the one in my bedroom came off in my hand as I was changing a bulb, well, I knew I needed to make some changes.

So how about these painted, porcelain bare-bulb babies?....
They remind me of the early movie houses and dramatic theaters... so elaborately encrused with detail...
Anyway, I think this will be a big improvement.

And that is where we stand this Treasure Box Wednesday!

To all of you celebrating this holiday season, I hope you have a happy, healthy, merry one!

Christmas Comes to Scoobie's Ranch

2009-12-20T15:04:00.000-08:00

Regular readers may remember my friend Scoobie, who had been renting from me, and recently bought a house of her own. And today, thanks to her kindness (and also the fact I had my camera with me and she couldn't stop me), I'm able to bring to you some photos of her new home in all its Christmassy glory.

Years ago, when she'd spoken about her home of the future, she'd jokingly envisioned it looking like "Old West Bordello Chic"-- a balance of lavish Victoriana, the Western rustic and a modicum of hunky cowboys. And now that she's got a place of her own, she's been enacting on that vision (well, the cowboys may be a tallish order in her neighborhood). You can see the beginnings of the look here in her entryway, with this gorgeous red Eastlake parlor furniture...
Velvety and rich, she was very lucky to pick up this matching set with already redone upholstery!

Here she gets jiggy with some pine bough garland and red ribbons. If ever a staircase was made for garland, it was this one...
Here you can see her marvelous stained glass window. I believe she said the house dates from around 1900...
Oh, this red fringed lamp was one I'd put together for her as a birthday present one year. It was the first lamp I ever refinished!...
Now, Scoobie had rented the blue room in my house. Amusingly enough, new new house came with a bedroom already blue to taste!...
And dig this gorgeous fireplace!...
She'd had a little blue bedecked tree she used before she'd moved, and it looks perfectly at home here in her new abode...
She's been having fun playing around with tablescapes, like on this dresser top...
Down in her livingroom, a very large painting courtesy of the Goodwill hangs, looking like proud expensive art...
The cowboy statuary on either side there came recently from Big Lots. They may not be Remingtons, but they look good and were incredibly affordable.

She indicates she's still working out the way she'll want to do the tree. It's a big one-- I'd say seven feet tall and burly! But as she understands better what color schemes she wants to use, she figures that should work itself out.
As it stands, she wants to remove the wallpaper from this room (it's a bit twee, really) and possibly paint the walls a warm copper or muted coral. She's going to change the curtains to some brown velvet.

And here we have this year's birthday gift-- I'd gotten this fellow at the L&L Fleatique...
He's a wonderful copper-bronze shade on a wooden base. As soon as I'd spied him, I knew he needed to gallop on over to her house!

And me, well, I need to gallop offline myself. I hope you all have a terrific week ahead of you. And perhaps I'll see you Wednesday for the last Treasure Box post before the Christmas holiday.

Take care and yeeeeeehaw!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Ya Gotta Start Somewhere

2009-12-16T02:49:00.000-08:00

Given the only item I thrifted this last week, and why, I figured you all might enjoy seeing the Before, and then getting a glimpse of the Future. Cryptic, I know. But it'll all make sense shortly, trust me!

Here's the little hall table I found at St. Vincent de Paul thrift store...

I'd seen it two days before I bought it, and hadn't been thinking outside the box enough to realize that it would be perfect as a printer stand.

So I went back to the store with hope in my heart. Would it still be there, waiting?

But when I roamed around the furniture section of the store, I thought my fears were justified. My little table was nowhere to be seen. And then...

Over by the clothing, as a part of an elaborate Christmas display, there it was. And it still had a price tag!

I told the nice lady at the cash register I was interested in buying it, and that's when she said the words that thrill the bargain-hunter's heart:

"You know, this table's been here for a week now. Let's see if we can get you some money off of it."

A week didn't seem like a long time to me. But in thrifting terms it must translate into Dog Years. Anyway, the table came home with me. And after some hefting efforts that left bruises on my bruises, it, my desk chair and my computer desk all moved to the unfinished third floor of my house.

The area has only been used for storage these last years-- by me and by all the people who previously owned my house. There are two dirty but usable rooms, with aged wallpaper, ancient painted pine floors, and blinds that seem to have seen the Great Depression.

I'm going to work in the one room, while I finish the first one. Eventually, I'll have book storage...

The stained and yellowed wallpaper will go and be replaced by something subtle and off-white, to help brighten the rooms. The nifty old light switches, however, will stay...

The dirty, holey roller-blinds will be replaced with fresh curtains... maybe sheers...

And the pine floors and molding, which were painted a dark brown, will get a few coats of something light and bright, too. Maybe a cream floor and a pale colored (aqua or green?) trim.

You can see what I'm up against here, though. A patterned layer of wallpaper shines through from under the yellowed, more plain paper...

And here's part of the room that's already been relieved of its wallpaper. The walls need to be washed down again and then the cracks, plastered.
I was taking a look at potential wallpaper patterns and having small heart attacks over the cost per roll. $40? Seriously?! I need to do some more digging, because ya shouldn't have to mortgage the house in order to paper it!

Yep-- ya gotta start somewhere. And so, post-Christmas, the new project begins! I'll keep you folks up-to-date on any improvements.

If you missed Sunday's post on the last of the Christmas decorating, click here.

Otherwise, I'll see you perhaps this coming Sunday for some new fun.

In the (Saint) Nick of Time

2009-12-13T13:42:00.000-08:00

I feel I'm really pushing the Christmas deadlines here, trying to get things done. But then I looked back at my blog posts last year at this time and I was saying the same thing. So at least I'm consistent-- if also perpetually disorganized this time of year.

Forgive me, folks, that this isn't a terribly long post. I'll explain why in a moment. But first I wanted to show you how the guest room has been shaping up for the holidays.

The pink McCoy pot my friend Josette gave me last year has become part of a display for this one!...

I decided to use a tree decorated all in vintage jewelry, scarves and a hat in the room this time. Only technical difficulties ensued...
Oh, sure, everything looks okay on the surface, but the bedecked lady seems to have developed a bum leg...
In fact, there was a tremendous cracking sound just moments after I took this picture and... TIM-BERRRR! I caught it just in time.

I do believe this is one job that even duct tape cannot cure. So, I'm going to be moving on to Plan B. And no, I don't know what Plan B is yet. But it sounds positive and enterprising, at least.

What I'd mainly been working on today was moving my desk, computer and everything else to one of the unused rooms on my third floor. My desk used to face this McCoy-filled closet... Now it's just for display.
In the coming months, I hope to share with you how the third floor gets transformed from a dark two-room attic which hasn't seen inhabitants since the Victorian era, to usable, bright and airy office and storage space!

Well, there's much to do... and less time to do it in. So I'm off to do some wrapping and I hope to see you for the next post, on Wednesday.

Have a terrific start to your week!

Treasure Box Wednesday: People Who Live in Cardboard Houses

2009-12-10T02:55:00.000-08:00

Ah, two more rooms down, one-and-a-half to go! Christmas cheer has exploded here at Waterhouse.

Well, not quite. I mean, it starts out as Christmas grumbling because, honestly, who really wants to climb on ladders and unpack boxes after a nine- or ten-hour work day?... But then that gives way to Christmas Accomplishment. And then Accomplishment works its way into the Christmas Cheer.

It's a three-step-to-Cheer process.

So last night I got the chance to add my cardboard vintage-style village to the entryway. It's pretty much the same every year, but I love the tone it sets when you step in the door...

Warmth... nostalgia... welcome...

I exchanged the three transferware vases that regularly sit up on this ledge shelf for three more little cardboard houses, chosen to match the aquas and pinks in my entry...
We'll get back to this room shortly, but first... Remember the purple and silver dining room theme I've been working on for this year? This is the accompanying tree...
It looked pretty lame the first night I was working on it-- kind of like a sad, soggy pipecleaner collection with some sparkles on it. I had considered just taking it down and putting the lamp back that normally lives there.

But, then it seemed the more ornaments I slathered on, the better it started to look. I think that tree actually perked up!...
And now, it's preening in the mirror...
Okay, now back to the entryway... Long-time readers have probably seen this tree before-- the one that's traditionally filled with faux candy and as many ShinyBrites as it can handle...

Underneath, it gets a base of faux poinsettias, to add a little extra color...
This one, too, is reflected by a hallway mirror. I think it adds just a little extra sparkle...
ShinyBrites never cease to amaze me. They always remind me of something Dr. Seuss would have come up with...
And little elves look on, nestled in their ornament homes...
As he waves goodbye for today, so do I! If you missed Sunday's Christmas decorating post, you can catch that by clicking here.

And this Sunday, I should have the last of the decorating to show you-- unless I'm being overly ambitious in saying that. Ya never know.

The Treasure Box Will Open Tomorrow Instead

2009-12-09T02:37:00.000-08:00

Hi folks! Just wanted to let you know that for this week, Treasure Box Wednesday will be moved to Thursday.

I've been working on some more decorating goodies to show you, but am not quite finished with them yet. So in order to complete a few more projects-- and hopefully give you all a bit more vintage eye-candy to check out-- I've pushed things one day back.

See you tomorrow!
-Jenn

Young Frankentree Puts on the Ritz

2009-12-06T14:35:00.000-08:00

Zot! A quick bolt of lightning was all it took!

(Okay, maybe more like an extension cord and a three-prong plug, but hey, same diff.)

"It... is.... ALIVE!" I shouted to the heavens, wearing a labcoat and my hair askew.

My new artificial Christmas fir, which I've been fondly thinking of as "Frankentree," was ablaze with light.

You can see its neck bolts here...

I'm actually quite impressed at the quality of some artificial trees these days. I mean, when I was a kid, I remember our fake tree.

It started out a longish mop handle with feet. Then it was laden with green pipecleaners with color-coded tips. Then those green pipecleaners came together to form one big pipecleaner. A giant, mega pipecleaner, if you will.

On steroids.

And where it was bare, we wrapped other, lesser pipecleaners, so you wouldn't notice the color coding.

It was class.

Now, the artificial trees come prelit, in three sections, and they unfold like furry umbrellas.

What's more, I found that while it lacked the over-the-river-and-through-the-woods fun of acquisition, it did not try to attack me while I was tightening it into the stand.
It also has not started leaning, in an attempt to sneak off to other parts of the house. I actually feel comfortable trusting this one to my vintage ShinyBrite ornaments. I hope it won't betray my trust.

This would be the first year where I didn't end up crying a little under the Christmas tree because I didn't have enough upper body strength to really get it in the stand, or because it waited until I looked away to sag leftward, or-- my favorite ploy-- it spit off two family heirloom ornaments like they were tobacco.

Shards do not say Christmas to me.
Anyway, with the tree up and decorated, I was free to play around with some other decorations. It's daunting, I must say. But I hit the front of the house with garland swags and red bows. I filled the bowl in the diningroom with purple sparkly ornaments...
And I swagged up the livingroom. This one has velvet roses, fir branches and ribbon printed in peakcock feathers...
I like how the light from the tree fell on this nice furry stocking a lovely family friend gave me last year...
I also liked how these mercury glass ornaments seem like high rise skyscrapers in this shot.
I've been plopping poinsettias here and there to tie things together, like on this sidetable... Still needs some work but you'll get the gist...
And pink poinsettias with perky plates punctuate the place over the stove!
So, that's where it stands for now at my house. There's much more decorating to come before I can put my feet up over a completed job!

How are you all faring with your decorating? (If you're already done, please soften the blow for us non-finished folks, 'kay?)

Oh, and in case you missed last Treasure Box Wednesday, where some garage sales became music to the ears (Victorian decorating sheet music, that is) click here!

Hope to see you this coming Wednesday, friends! (And don't wear yourselves out too much in the meantime, all right?)

Treasure Box Wednesday: Victorian Beauties

2009-12-02T02:30:00.000-08:00

Normally when you think of the area around Miami, you might think of big pastel-painted hotels in classic art deco or mid-century modern styling. But this year, my treasure-hunting in south Florida and its Keys led to some far-from-streamlined Victorian and Edwardian finds.

I'll start with this little Victorian hand-painted and transfer decorated vase. It has some issues...

A chip at the top and a crack extending from that. But it was cheap. Really cheap. Particularly for its quality. And when I first laid eyes on it-- prior to the damage assessment-- it actually made me gasp.

As a gal who enjoys "more is more," the raised decorations... the colors... the detail... This was for me!

The back had a different, complementary decoration to it...
Down in the Florida Keys, then, I went with my father on his weekly yard-saling activities. Expert garage saler that he is, he found a nice glass tabletop for $2. He's always finding interesting nautical items that make fun tables, so that will be handy for him.

And then I spied the most wonderful box of sheet music...

Oh, it was a big box. A Christmas storage tub, really. And it was filled with turn-of-the-1900 to the 30s sheet music.

My heart skipped a beat or two. To be themic, it possibly did a samba or a cha-cha. And I set about ruffling through it to pick out some favorites and see what they might cost...

As I was pulling out these paper gems of art-- ones that reminded me so much of my Victorian postcard collection-- I heard my dad talking to the owner.

"So how much is the sheet music?" Dad had spied, over my shoulder, a few pieces from World War I he had his eye on, and he was keen to know what they would set him back...

"For the whole box?" asked the owner.

"Well, I don't know," said Dad-- not quite expecting that question as part of the negotiation dance.

"$20 for all of it," said the owner. And, well, you can just bet Dad had his money out faster than you can say "Irving Berlin." As the money changed hands, that's when Dad became the proud owner of over 230 individual pieces of turn-of-the-century sheet music! We know because, later, still in awe, he counted.

Since then, I've been teasing him that certainly I hoped the owner knew Dad was with me, or else technically some random guy had just swept in and bought what I was looking at out from under me! :)

Anyway, that "random guy" allowed me to pick out the pieces I'd wanted from the giant stack, so I have the lovelies you see here today, and a few others.
This one below I was excited about because I know of this art by recently reading novelist Martha Grimes' Belle Ruin. There, the main character, young Emma, encounters an old magazine with art containing a "Fadeaway Girl"...

You can see in this closeup, how the girl's dress blends right into the background with no lines?...That's a Fadeaway Girl! I just never imagined getting to see one for myself!

This lady looks like a Christmas card just waiting to happen. Look at that fir-trimmed hat!...

The piece of music below was the only completely floral one. It looks like a lot of the greeting postcards from the same time period...
Harkening to the tropics, I even have one which nods to the 30s passion for Cuba...
And while the sheet music promises, "I'll See You in Cuba," I rather hope I'll see you Sunday, for The Thrift Shop Romantic's next post.

Bon Voyage!

Blogging at Over 10,000 Feet

2009-11-28T02:44:00.001-08:00

Well, this is a Thrift Shop Romantic first, I must say. This would be my premiere post composed at over 10,000 feet in the air!

Yes, I'm heading home to Pittsburgh from Thanksgiving and being the thrifty gal that I am, I couldn't resist taking advantage of the free holiday WiFi on the plane.

It's this WiFi, that allows me to efficiently bring some photos of the Florida Keys to you all today. Then Wednesday I'll be back to our normal treasure-hunting and decorating with a new Treasure Box post.

Here we have some feathered friends hunkered down in the strong breeze following a stormy day...
This is in Islamorada outside the Whale Harbor Inn, a seafood buffet where my father and I enjoyed entirely too much Thanksgiving feast.

Did you know the pelicans in Florida are required by the State Waterbird Aquatic Traffic Bureau to swim in "V" formations?...
Yes, they get licensed to make sure they know the rules of the surf, and they have to have it renewed every five years. They are, of course, billed for this service. :)

Right now you can just hear the trio above saying, "Okay, Peter, Penny, you take flank. I'll take point. Let's triangulate!"

Funny that with so much wind earlier in the day, the water could be so glassy...
And this, this just made me laugh. Originally, I had only wanted a shot of the sign because of "Captain Ron." (Anyone familiar with the film of the same name starring Kurt Russell will know why it's funny.)...All around are largish fishing vessels, which tourists can charter for a day of fishing adventure. However, Dad and I soon realized, Captain Ron's boat for hire was perhaps just a little bit, um, more budget-oriented than the ones around it...Okay, maybe a lot more budget-oriented. It's not easy being a swashbuckling pirate when you're also a little dinghy...Anyway, what trip to the tropics would be complete without a few shots of Mother Nature in all her beachly glory?...
And with this, we dock yet another holiday for the year...
If you missed last Wednesday's post, with some humorous looks at vintage Thanksgiving, click here.

This Wednesday, we'll dive into some Florida thrifting and yard saling. Hope to see you then!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Turkey Temptations

2009-11-25T02:00:00.000-08:00

There was something in the Treasure Box this week-- only I can't show it to you yet!

Yes, the power of Christmas gifting thrifting means the items I bought are for a buddy who happens to read the blog. She's getting a little nifty thrifted basket o' fun for the Christmas season, and I will entirely spoil the surprise by sharing the finds with you.

I promise to do so once the gift's been sent her way.

That said, I certainly don't want to leave you good folks-- who've come all the way over here-- empty-handed today. So since I have so many new readers this year, who probably have not perused past pages of the publication... I offer you two previous T-day posts-- both of which might give you a good holiday chuckle.

The first was last year's entirely made-up tour of my yearly Thanksgiving setting-- the Florida Everglades-- all of it told through vintage postcards and cheerful fibs. Yes, see how I would celebrate the holiday if I actually hung out with Seminole Indians and narrowly avoided being chomped by alligators... and in Technicolor, too! Click here.

The second contains cards from my Victorian Thanksgiving postcard collection. I love the images they used back then, and I believe you will, too. Click here for that.

Oh, and for those who didn't get a chance to check out my somewhat early Christmas decorating so far, you can view that post here.

That said, I will see you all Sunday with a post inspired by my holiday adventures-- where ever they may take me.

Pace yourselves on the turkey, American readers. :) And to folks outside the U.S., I hope you have yourselves a great rest of the week.

Blue Christmas and Tiny Purple Rebellions

2009-11-22T13:26:00.000-08:00

Well, Elvis may have been sad and lonely during his Blue Christmas, but I think he may have just needed a splash of gold and a bit more tinsel. Because popping a few extremely early Christmas decorations around this weekend was entirely too tempting. And the joy it brought was... well...
...it speaks for itself.

Just a few strands of gold and blue tinsel (Martha Stewart, it seems, gives enough in a single pack to wind around all of Graceland), some craft store velvet poinsettias in blue and gold, a couple well-chosen metal words, and some golden mercury-glass styled pieces from Target-- and I was on my way!

The little white flocked Christmas tree was a gift from a friend last year, and it came in very handy for this one!...
Add in a little mood lighting and....

Oh, what's that? You say we have to do Thanksgiving first?

Ah, well... so we do. But...um... it'll take the burden off, post T-day, anyway!Here's the top of the bookcase of the side of the room. It looks like it needs a little something, but I haven't quite figured it all out yet...
And under the painting of the overturned cherub, a nice low bowl full of pine cones has found a place...
So, on a decorating high after the blue room success, I decided to noodle a bit with my dining room display.

Some of you may remember, at the beginning of 2009, post-Christmas, I'd cleaned up on a lot of discontinued silver and purple mercury glass pieces from Target and Michael's, so I was determined to use them this year...
In the afternoon light. the metal took on a golden hue, but it's actually mirrored silver. The white pearly tablecloth was my mother's, and the chargers were ones I got years ago.
Speaking of Mom, every time I use a non-traditional Christmas color, like this purple, I snicker a bit and think how it would have taken some energy to win her over with this display.

Even though the standard Christmas colors of red and green (as well as our interpretation of Santa Claus) had actually come about because of CocaCola marketing at the turn of the 1900s, my mom just didn't feel comfortable with blues, pinks or purples in the Christmas scheme. She was a red-and-green gal, all the way!

I respect that. But I do love incorporating the colors of the room into my Christmas decor. The purple candle there, by the way, was discounted decor from Halloween. Waste not, want not...

And just a close-up of the mercury trees on the mantle. They've been waiting almost a year for their debut...
And here are a few others on the table. The ornaments in the bowl are ones I use every year, somewhere in the house...
Well, that's about the final notes of this song of Christmas decorating!

If you missed Wednesday's post on painting a plethora of pink in the powder room, click here.

And if not, I'd like you thank you for visiting today. Thank ya... thank ya very much!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Treasured Transformations

2009-11-18T02:56:00.000-08:00

To indulge in a little personification for a moment, my house lately must feel a little like Cinderella-- post-fairy-Godmother-makeover. In the last month, two rooms have gotten a very new look, and I'm pretty pleased with the results.

Over the weekend, I painted my bathroom that Baby's Breath Pink I showed you all on Sunday. So here's what it looked like Before...
A fresh aloe green, yes. But I was finding it very hard to match to any green accessories these days. Bathmats were more sage or avocado or mint, and tracking down items that would work was a little frustrating.
Also, I had that rich-colored shower curtain I really wanted to use for the winter. So my brain began plots of painting pinkness.
You can see the gold art nouveau styled mirrors and accessories here. These will mostly remain as part of the decor after...er... Cindy's fairytale makeover.

And here we see it in the pink!
The room now has a whole different feel, I think. Where it had felt rather open and fresh before, it feels a bit more sumptuous somehow now. Which is funny because the drapes, mirrors, and ledge shelves are all exactly the same...
Here you can see I swapped a couple of Alphonse Mucha resin plaques-- in a color too orange to really work for the room, for a mosaic vase I thrifted. The crystal items in the vases are actually Christmas decor from K-Mart from last year's post-season sale.
And here you can see the pink with the black trim and the nifty shower curtain. Everything ties together better now, I believe...
And just another last shot, by the pedestal sink.Now, for those of you asking to see the rest of the blue French room I'd been working on, here's where we are...
Most everything is back in place. I've hung a mirror here at left, which has opened things up a bit more and given it some extra shine. (And yes, I had been sitting on that sofa with a magazine... bliss!)
This lampshade I ordered through Ebay. It has courting couples on it much like the sofa cover...
You'll see it's on my thrifted alabaster lamp from a week or two ago. I wish these types of shades were a little cheaper, but even the cost of fabric would be high for something quality. I'm not currently skilled enough to make something like this myself. So this was a splurge.

Over here, I'm still working on this area...

The little Shabby Chic bookcase from Target has my Victorian postcard collection albums in it, and some books I enjoy leafing through. I'm still trying to find just the right combination of accessories. Given both of my best friends who I shop with LOVE blue, I've discovered that I don't actually have much in the way of this color. The bright blue glass shoe in the upper right was a thrift store buy yesterday, actually.

So, that about wraps it up for today.

If you didn't get to see Sunday's post on how to choose the right paint for your room, you can check that out here.

And if not-- hey, there'll be new goodies this coming Sunday. Hope to see you then!