The Thrift Shop Romantic

Treasure Box Wednesday: A Little of This and That

2009-07-15T02:00:00.000-07:00

Ah, the treasures simply never cease! I took my lunch break at the Salvation Army thrift store yesterday. One of those nice strolls around the shelves that helps give renewed perspective to tasks back at the desk-- and which also fetched me some fun finds!

Like these Avon Cape Cod tumblers for my bud, Scoobie!..

Scoobie, you might remember, collects Avon Cape Cod ruby glass, and while she has quite a bit of it, she doesn't have many of these tumblers. So I was pretty excited about this little discovery!

For me, I came away with this cute Raggedy Ann themed teapot...

Whether I use it, or display it with my old Raggedy Ann and Andy books, I don't know yet. I'm lucky enough to even have a couple that were my dad's when he was a kid. So I still have a certain fondness for our little ragdoll friends.

In perusing the book section, I even came away with something for you folks...

In leafing through its pages, it looks like it might be a case of the good, the bad and the ugly... Some great ideas-- and some humorously scary ones, too. Should make a great future post! Aren't you just breathless with excitement? (If you are, please elevate your feet and have a nice lemonade. I hear that's good for decorating over-enthusiasm.)

Lastly for today, I'd wanted to show you where some of my previously thrifted vases went to...

I'm really happy with the varied colors and shapes of these little vases in this corner shelf. Having each of them different, but each of the same type of glazing and general size, makes them seem to go together. I bought two of them at the St. Vincent de Paul in Castle Shannon and the other at... er... (mumble mumble mumble) (I don't actually remember which thrift it was anymore!).

Anyway, that's me closing the lid on this week's Treasure Box.

If you missed Sunday's post on a 1920s Ralston Porridge cookbook, click here.

Otherwise, pop by Sunday and I'll pour you a virtual tea in my new teapot... Oh, and there'll be a post then, too!

Health, Growth and Happiness with 1920s Ralston Porridge

2009-07-12T05:48:00.000-07:00

Health, Growth and Happiness for Boys and Girls... That's what this beautifully-illustrated 1926 "Mother's Manual" from Ralston Purina promises. Today, we may think of Ralston Purina predominantly as the makers of Puppy Chows. But back in the 20s, "Ralston" was synonymous with a hot wheat porridge, along the lines of oatmeal or cream of wheat.

And with this booklet, health, growth and happiness for the kiddies takes an unsurprisingly wheatly-based turn!

A third parent... That's what Ralston Purina says it's seting out to be with this booklet...

...If, of course, that third wheel in the relationship didn't view most child-rearing concerns as having a critical, somewhat single-minded wheat cereal solution to them.

Here we learn about the importance of a regular eating schedule... how candy should only be given after meals and not between then... how food should be chewed slowly and not "washed down" by beverages... And how food is "better digested if smiles, prattle and happy laughter are a part of every meal."

Erm... and also Ralston cereal.

Dinner at noon with a light supper at night is best for restful sleep. Remember that Ralston with milk makes a delightful digestible, nourishing supper for boys and girls-- winter and summer.

Oh yes, I bet the kiddies won't say a word about getting a bowl of creamy wheat each evening for supper. Right? (Insert small child whine like Randy's in A Christmas Story.)

But dig these cute illustrations!

Ralston Purina did manage to care for the common cold without adding a wheat porridge poultice or anything. (I'm so proud of them!) Though they managed to get in a "keep bowels open" as an important element in treating the cold. I guess when one end is stopped up, the other should be open. (Naturally, a heaping bowl of Ralston will help with that.)

And I thought you all would find it interesting to see what "common Children's Diseases" they were dealing with during this time frame...

Mumps... Whooping Cough... Measles... And Scarlet Fever... We've come a long way in many respects...

Then, after another poetic tribute to whole wheat porridge, the book shares some cheerful tips for occupying the little people in the household on a rainy day...

"It's so natural for high-spirited little folks to fret a bit when the mean old clouds take the sun away, and the weather's wet and dreary. It's hard for them to understand that now and then a rainy day is just as good for boys and girls as for wheat and corn and oats..."

I bet you can see where we're going with this, right?

Indoor afternoon tea! And what better to have at an afternoon tea than "crisp, brown King Cole Cookies and milk," those cookies made from Ralston porridge!

So what if your kids are having some issues with the concept of eating wheat porridge all the time? Well, Ralston Purina suggests some helpful ways to "Keep Kiddies Smiling"...

Disguise the Ralston porridge by making it into any number of baked goods kids would otherwise enjoy. And then give them storybook character names so the kids won't question why it all tastes like wheat porridge with some raisins in it. Serve 'em King Cole Cookies... Red Riding Hood cup cakes... Or Tommy Tucker bread!

Also Cheese Ralston... Which sounds to me more like what happens to you after you've had too much wheat for supper. Or maybe that's just because I read the recipe for it.

1/4 cup Ralston
2 eggs
1/4 cup grated cheese
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 teaspoon mustard
Cayenne pepper to taste

So, perhaps that's why little Suzie here in the illustration seems to be looking anywhere but actually at the foods on the table...

Could be why she's clutching her throat, too. That Fried Ralston would do it to me!

Ralston Purina goes on to share some helpful tips for better health. Like bathing twice a week... Getting exercise... Flinging wide the windows... And, of course, staying regular.

"Open windows, open pores, open bowels and open minds open the Road to Health."

Naturally, the Road To Health is paved with bowls of the nourishment found in Ralston porridge.

And lastly-- what about those first aid emergencies? Again, we can be proud that our booklet sponsors didn't suggest liberally applying Ralston to wounds. But what they did suggest is a little startling to modern eyes...

Boric acid was the tool of choice for washing foreign objects out of eyes or applying to burns. Interestingly, this can also be mildly toxic if inhaled or ingested, and has been used as pesticides.

For potential poisonings, they recommended inducing vomiting using mustard and warm water.

Funny how the one ingredient added to the Cheese Ralston is the one thing used to make little Timmy purge poison. I'd say there might be a correlation here, but maybe it's best we don't think about that too much.

Well-- that about wraps up the whole grain goodness for today, folks!

If you didn't get to see Wednesday's Treasure Box recipe-- a tried and true tuna casserole-- click here.

And thanks for bearing with me last week where my posting schedule was all out of whack. I hope you all had a super holiday weekend.

Treasure Box Wednesday: Tuna Noodle Casserole Goodness

2009-07-08T02:00:00.000-07:00

Apologies, folks, that I didn't get around to making up for that AWOL Sunday post; my visit with my friend over the Fourth was joyous and action-packed-- but oddly thrifting-free. So please consider us back on-track now with our weekly Treasure Box post.

And in the Treasure Box? It's something a bit different today-- a highly-successful casserole recipe I do (and, in fact, did this weekend)! It's quite simple, and perhaps many of you have tried a version of it already.

But I thought a good thing is worth sharing, so that's what I bring to you this Wednesday.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Prep: 10 minutes
Bake: 35 minutes
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

2 cans (10 3/4 oz. each) Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 cup milk
2 cups frozen peas
2 cans (10 oz. each) tuna, drained
4 cups medium egg noodles, cooked and drained
2 tbsp dry bread crumbs
1 tbsp. butter, melted

And while the recipe doesn't call for it, I also add...

1 tbsp. onion powder (or more, to taste)
1 tbsp. chicken seasoning
1/2 tsp. pepper

Stir soup and milk together in a 3-qt. casserole dish, then stir in chicken seasoning, onion powder and pepper until blended
Stir in peas, tuna, and noodles
Bake at 400F for 30 minutes or until hot. Stir.
Mix bread crumbs with butter and sprinkle over tuna mixture. Bake for 5 minutes or until breadcrumbs are browned.

You can top it with shredded cheddar instead of the breadcrumbs, if you like. Or substitute 2 cups of cooked chicken for the tuna.

Anyway, I hope sometime you'll give it a shot. The original Campbell's recipe doesn't mention any seasoning, but I think the onion powder and chicken seasoning give it a nice flavor.

Sunday, I'll be back a brand new post per usual! And I hope your Fourth of July was a blast! (Not, literally, in a losing-fingers-in-an-explosion kind of way, of course. :) )

Treasure Box Wednesday: Online Treasures

2009-07-01T03:00:00.000-07:00

Today, I thought we'd do a different kind of sharing today. We'd take a break from thrifted goodies, and instead I'd mention a few online bloggy folks doing some interesting things with romantic decorating, original vintage-influenced crafts, and food. Now, these are in no particular order. But I think each is a treasure in its own way!

Of Bluebirds and Roses
http://bluebirdroses.blogspot.com/
As soft as a cashmere sweater and as sweet as that cotton candy stuck to your upper lip, Of Bluebirds and Roses is a blog where you see the world through hazy pink lenses. Vintage ephemera, vignettes, and holiday decor, this site takes the pastels and whites of Shabby Chic and sets an outstanding example of the uber-feminine style.

Oak Rise Cottage
http://oakrisecottage.blogspot.com/
Vintage, practical, and with a flair for the sentimental, Carrie puts thought and an eye for thrifty collecting together along with discussions on literature, holidays and more.

Kitchen Retro
http://kitchenretro.blogspot.com/
If you enjoy the occasional kooky retro cookbook and decorating humor posts here on the Thrift Shop Romantic, you'll love Lidian's Kitchen Retro blog. There, every day is a look into the witty, the surprising and our gelatine-obsessed past.

Rose's Petite Maison
http://rosespetitemaison.blogspot.com/
All that glitters is, well... probably what Rosemary's up to her elbows in about now. Her papercrafts include a combination of vintage items, glitter and a romantic theme, creating unusual pieces of art for all occasions. Check out her latest craft projects, her day trips, and her flea marketing adventures. Plus, she's just a really nice lady.

White o'Morn Cottage
http://whitemorn.typepad.com/
Fly across to the Emerald Isle as blogger Pam shows us vintage decorating and photography from her home of Ireland. Learn a little about the local culture, and see vintage decor from a new perspective.

Cooking with Anne
http://cookingwithanne.blogspot.com/
And to tempt your tastebuds with some culinary treats, don't forget to stop by Anne's1 I mean, if you have an old Pyrex casserole dish that needs using, Anne can show you how to make just the right casserole for it! That and cakes, pies, breakfasts, snacks... pardon me, there's a little drool on the keyboard. Let me just get that.

Steampowered Rings
http://steampunkrings.blogspot.com/
A cool twist on the Victorian-influenced Steampunk trend can be found in Catherinette's jewelry blog. It's an unusual combination of vintage clock gears, Victorian beading and an industrial/technological feel to create these clever pieces. I have one of her rings, which is surprisingly comfortable for its striking shape.

Well, I think that's enough for this Treasure Box Wednesday-- don't want to keep you folks too glued to your computer as this Fourth of July holiday approaches!

If you missed Sunday's post, Variety with Vignettes, you can check that out here.

Otherwise, I'll see you next on Monday of this coming week-- I myself have guests coming this holiday, so I won't have time to post until then.

Thanks muchly for visiting, folks! And for my U.S. readers, have a safe and happy Fourth of July!

Variety with Vignettes

2009-06-28T13:49:00.000-07:00

If you're a clean surfaces sort of person, vignettes are probably not your style. And I absolutely respect the idea of minimalism-- nothing to move and nothing to dust.

But I've found such fun things at thrift stores, flea markets and antique malls, I do love a good sideboard vignette. It's a great way of taking many different items and connecting them together.

Today, I'll show you just a few of the nutty and colorful combos I've put together in the house.

First we'll go into my bedroom. The post is late today because I was actually doing a cleaning marathon-- trying to get some of these things tidied up as my friend Josette's coming to visit over the Fourth. This is the quirky collection that's on my 40s hamper top...

Art nouveau style frames (featuring a young Gregory Peck!) and scent bottles have been paired with a nouveau bust of Scheherezade, who's styling one of my garage sale hats. Behind her is a vintage mirror I'd painted up, to reflect light and add interest. It's weird, and way colorful, I know. But I think somehow it works.

Now this is on top of one of my dressers...

The dolls were my mother's and my great aunt's. Paired with a set of thrift store vintage figurines, and a 30s lamp, they're all from about the same time period and the colors seem to connect. That's one of the easy ways to tie different items together-- color. The right color makes all the difference.

Like here. You might remember, I got this 40s bleeding heart still-life print just a few weeks ago for a couple of bucks at a flea market. I've put it on one of the shelves of my clothes wardrobe, along with a vintage box of soaps and my grandmother's perfume bottle...

That peachy-pink connects all of them visually, I think. And so somehow they really seem to go together.

This shelf showcases a vintage dresser box I picked up at the Salvation Army, along with my great aunt's candy dish and a perfume bottle my mother had gotten me...

Again, color seems to tie in the candy dish and perfume bottle. And it's amazing what colors get brought out in a print, depending on what it's sitting next to.

The last shelf is pretty simple. Just another perfume bottle, some home-grown photography in a K-Mart frame, and a lovely little box one of my coworkers had kindly brought me from India.

Now here, this is the table I've been working on for Josette's arrival. I've been trying to work with the fairies-and-chintz theme I'd showed you a week or so ago on the mantle...

Lots of pattern here! More, actually, than I usually tend to do with things-- which is why I've gone for the shiny aluminum bowls and cups.

To tie in the chintz plates from the mantle, I fit one last plate into the centerpiece display, along with some cheery birds...

The candlesticks and central bowl, with the fairies on them, were Salvation Army and Red White and Blue finds. I'd gotten them separately over time, though they do match.

Lastly, I thought you might like to see this little vignette in the entry way. The lamp and plate seem to really go together. The colors, the general style...

I had forgotten how old the plate was... 1906! Back from when Pittsburgh didn't even have an 'h' in it!...

Well, that about wraps it up for me today. I've been working for about 7 hours straight on things here at Waterhouse and need to grab a little dinner. (Not on the plate above.)

Hope you all have a terrific remainder to your Sunday, and that I'll see you again soon!

If you missed Wednesday's post "Ahoy, Thar Be Treasure This Wednesday" and would like a peek at my dad's unusual Father's Day gift, click here.

Otherwise, keep cool and have a great week!

Ahoy, Thar Be Treasure This Wednesday!

2009-06-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Begin comedic pirate voice/

"Aye, scurvy lasses and lads! This be Treasure Chest... er... Box Wednesday, so gather round as this blogging wench shows ye this week's booty!"

/end comedic pirate voice

(Ahem)

Actually, the main treasure this week is in the form of a gift I'd gotten my dad for Father's Day. Ye Olde Dadde is partial to items reminiscent of the sea and its tales. So over time I found a couple of items that I thought might shiver his timbers...

The sailing ship lamp here is spelter and probably dates from the early 1900s. It still has a bit of its bronzed patina to it, but some of it's worn away... I thought it had character....

I also liked how the base of it is molded to look like a swelling wave.

And then here, I'd found a lovely little storybook with a variation on the Little Mermaid tale, "The Little Sea Maid"...

Delicately tinted illustrations and a poem made this quaint, unusual item just right to send with the lamp. It's also probably from about the same time period.

I believe Dad was pleased.

Now as for thrifting this week, mostly I ended up cleaning up from a flood that hit late last week. So I had time for only a little leisure. However, I did find this cute lavender lamb planter...

And a piece of shell pink milk glass-- this one's a sugar bowl...

It seems strange I'm finding so much of this right now when it was impossible to find outside of antique stores about a year or so ago. But, these things come in cycles, for some reason. Sometimes you see a ton of one type of thing, and six months later-- not a single piece.

Anyway, that's the main plunder for this week!

But before you go, I did want to share with you all a bit of good news, I'd had...

I'd entered a fiction contest for short humor pieces at Humor Press, and actually came in Second Place! Can ya believe that? I about fell over when I saw the notification in my Inbox.

If you have a moment and you're curious, you can check that out here. Mine is called "Of Bullets and Bad Comma: A Tale of Grammar Noir."

Hope you all have a booty-ful week yourselves! Arrrrgh!

Music to the Ears with Thrift Store CDs

2009-06-21T06:10:00.001-07:00

Interested in trying a particular musical group, but don't want to pay much to take a risk? Looking to expand your music collection, but don't think $1 an MP3 download is very thrifty-minded? Like having a tangible CD in your possession, just in case you PC hard drive goes soft?

There are plenty of great reasons to scour thrift stores and other resale stores for used CDs!

With the introduction of MP3 players, increasingly CDs are showing up at the thrift stores. And while they aren't always today's most recent gotta-have chart-topper, a thrifter willing to take the time and go through the CD shelves might just find a hit or two, anyway.

Chalk it up to the fleeting music passions of youth, or changes in technology, but peer through those music racks and you'll find everything from 90s boy bands and music icons, to easy listening, new age relaxation albums, classic rock, country favorites and Christmas staples.

And the prices can be very affordable. Typically at thrift stores, the CDs range between $1-$3, and $3 can mean a double-CD album. So when you compare it to some downloading prices, where you can pay $1 a song, well... just do the math and you'll see how much you could save.

But if you find a CD that catches your fancy-- there are a couple quick-and-dirty points I want to share with you, so you make sure you're happy with your purchase:

Open the CD and check to see if there really is a disc inside. It's a recent trend that people have been stealing the CDs and DVDs out of their cases at thrift stores. St. Vincent de Paul has rectified this problem by holding all CDs and DVDs up at the front cash register, and they'll give them to you when you bring the empty case up to purchase. Goodwill and Salvation Army, in my area at least, have not started doing this. Yesterday, I spied a Cheryl Crow and an Alanis Morrissette that were completely empty-- their discs having long gone in the pocket of some thoughtless thief. So don't buy a CD only to find the critical disc is missing. Check 'em out before you buy! (And bring the empty cases to the attention to the cashier, if you would. It will prevent someone else from suffering the same fate!)

Hold the disc up to the light to check condition. I've had very good luck with the condition of my thrifted CDs. So far everything from No Doubt to Phish to Paul Simon have been pristine. But that doesn't mean all thrifted CDs have been treated so well. Just check to see how scratched a CD might be before purchasing. There's no telling whether the CD sat happily in its case between playings, or was used as a drink coaster. Better safe than sorry!

And happy listening!

If you missed last Wednesday's post on Mini-Thrifting and CBS Pumps the Pros of Secondhand, click here.

Or if you'd like to check out last Sunday's piece on gardening and, um, personal injury, check out Green Thumbs and Purple Bruises.

Also, happy Father's Day to all you dads out there!

Until we meet again this Wednesday, folks... Have a great one!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Mini-Thrifting and CBS Pumps Pros of Secondhand

2009-06-17T02:30:00.000-07:00

Did you know, you smart secondhand shopper, that you are a part of a growing trend in "hip" and sensible resale shopping? Well, apparently so, according to CBS News, anyway.

I was watching the evening news the other night, when the piece came on, discussing a couple of different ways people are able to get great, high-end items at bargain prices. The ones they mention include:

Having clothes swapping parties (trade friends for wardrobe items they no longer want, and refresh your own wardrobe at the same time)
Visiting thrift stores
And hitting consignment shops

You start to suspect the world is suddenly on to what we knew along-- that thrifts, and other resale meccas are a great way to find terrific items at a good price!

The thing that struck me most, however, was how the news broadcast appears to spin it to the Gucci, Sachs, and other big-name-label crowd. Are we really getting the Gucci gals at the Goodwill... and the Sachs fans at Sally's?

Which prompts me to ask-- do you folks hit the thrifts, yard sales and flea markets for designer labels or other high-end items? I've found a few bigger name vintage purses in my travels, but I chose them originally because they were an eye-catching style and of noticeable quality.

If so, what sorts of things do you look for?

Now me, you all probably know by now I buy a lot more decorative and household items at thrifts than I buy clothes. And there was just a little bit of thrifting in that area this week...

These 40s/50s Turner floral prints!...

I got the pair at the Salvation Army thrift store, at just $3.99 a piece. Stylistically, they remind me of the soft colors of my Victorian postcards...

I'm such a sucker for a nice red rose!

But, hey, blue's lovely, too-- like with these pansies and forget-me-nots...

When you think about just how much it costs these days to have something framed, it's amazing to find two pre-framed prints for that price in this shape. So I was a pretty happy gal.

So tell me, folks-- have you found any goodies lately? And if so, what have you uncovered?

Speaking of red roses, if you missed Sunday's post of Green Thumbs and Purple Bruises, click here.

Or maybe you'll pop back again Sunday for our next post. I'd love to see you then.

Green Thumbs and Purple Bruises

2009-06-14T10:27:00.000-07:00

Well, I never said I was Martha Stewart, did I? And the differences between us are noticeable.

For one, I never spent any significant amount of time under house arrest. But more important to this post, even though I love to decorate and garden, I am definitely not perfect at it and I have no problem admitting it.

For instance, I get distracted with non-decorating and gardening things-- y'know, life and stuff-- and nature tends to get away from me. This is what happened recently. I've been plugging away in my spare time, writing my novel, and suddenly I discover obscure jungle tribes have moved into my backyard.

They're swinging from the vines. They're hiding in the shelter of growing thatches. They're making rude slings and taking out local wildlife for their din-din...

Okay, so maybe I exaggerate a tad... But not much.

Yup, that was my backyard earlier today. Lamb's Ear on the left deciding to discover it's Manifest Destiny and take over as much space as possible...

Mossy phlox having phloxed for distance...

Morning glories I planted seven years ago-- and removed (I thought) five years ago-- still making a play for turf and self expression...

Dead branches lying deadly... Plants which planted themselves in some personal quest to impose their taste on me waving hello...

Dandilions as big as, well, non-dandy lions...

Yes indeedy. Something had to be done!

So in an attempt to combine today's post-plus-chores, I took all of you with me on this quest for de-jungle-ification. Here, I seem to have upset an ant colony who felt my structural reorganization of their apartment complex was inappropriate. Much of what looks like dirt here are actually teeny ants!...

Regrettably, I think they may discover at the end of the day, during the course of weeding I might have actually bagged and disposed of their buddies George, Adam and Mildred...

But sometimes sacrifices must be made.

In happier news, I found that the climbing rose I'd planted a year or so ago-- a Ginger Syllabub-- is growing and is absolutely gorgeous...

I'm hoping to train this to grow over my arched trellis.

I also found that these Sweet Williams (at least, I believe that's what they are) have planted themselves...

I don't know where they came from originally-- I didn't plant them-- but they show up in some location in the yard every year...

I had planted the ancestors of this foxglove-- two different kinds-- but just where it decides to pop up each year is always a surprise to me....

I believe this is a Camelot foxglove. I like their bright pinkish purple spires, so I pretty much let them go wherever they want to be. If they show up somewhere strange in the yard, I just leave them. I figure it's better not to get too bossy with such a pretty, yet poisonous, plant! :)

I also found I had a rather nice Don Juan rose-- lovingly nicknamed "Johnny"-- here in the center of the yard...

Johnny's always quite the eye-catcher, with nice smelling flowers that are fairly disease-resistant.

I have two other red roses. One is this rose that was in my backyard when I bought the house. I didn't plant it, so I'm not sure of its name...

And then there's this climbing rose which only blooms once a year, but this year, it has been outdoing itself. Look at this nature-made nosegay of blooms!...

This... I don't know what it is. It's sort of furry-- and very bright pink...

With it blooming so happily, I couldn't pull it up. But it beats me what it might be. Maybe one of you wise folks here knows?...

So in the interest of Before and Afters... Here we have Before... The tangle of the jungle...

And here we have a shrubbery-trimmed, weeded and de-Tarzaned After shot...

I still need to trim back the rose bushes, put down new mulch, remove some dead topiaries and a million other things... but it's a start.

And I even have a soft Lamb's Ear bouquet to show for it!...

Time, I think, for a nice glass of ice cold tea!

If you missed Wednesday's post of thrifted goodies, click here.

And otherwise, I hope to see you again this coming Wednesday when we talk about other thrifty finds! Have a good one!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Garden of the Queen of Hearts

2009-06-10T02:30:00.000-07:00

You know, it's funny. Some weeks of thrifting, it seems like all the finds are disparate little bits-n-bobs with stories of their own. And then some weeks, treasure after treasure, it feels like an overarching theme seems to come together, straight out of the bag.

This last week, the thrifting really did seem to be of one big tale. One of red roses, loves won and lost, and a young lady down a very curious rabbit hole.

Let's start with those roses here. With this pretty rose-printed, vintage pitcher...

The pitcher was a find from the Christian Layman Thrift Store in Greensburg. And amusingly, the glass came from the Goodwill in Greensburg... they're a pretty close match, no?

I've seen glasses in thrifts that match this pitcher, but I've never picked them up before, because I know I don't really need them. But then when the pitcher showed up, for only a couple of bucks and in such good shape, I just couldn't say "no."

Unlike the poor, penniless pierrot here...

...Who is leaving against the wishes of the ballerina with the vise-like grip on him. You can see this a little closer here...

He has no money to support her. She doesn't care. Ah, tragedy! (As if her ballet career wouldn't be lucrative enough for the both of 'em. :) ) The print is done by an artist I'm not familiar with, named Webster. And based on the frame and general style, I'm guessing it's from the mid 1930s. This came from the L&L Fleatique in Jeannette. I liked it in particular because I've seen a lot of deco prints like this with nymphs in them, but never a couple.

Then, amusingly enough, this decorative box was uncovered at the Goodwill...

Now this couple seems to be having a much more positive time of things! The box was originally from TJ Maxx-- in fact, the sticker's still on it! And not only can you look into your heart-- literally-- but also see the big picture inside...

I just thought that was fun.

And lastly, when you think the Queen of Hearts, what else comes to mind? (Well, that old Juice Newton song is going through my head, and probably yours, too, now.... )

(Sorry!..)

(But no, that wasn't really what I was going for... )

At the Good Samaritan thrift store, I found this Disney Alice in Wonderland plate...

Sitting there in the garden of chatty flowers, Alice has a brief respite from the Queen of Hearts and her violent demands. I like how the plate has a watercolor look to it. It indicates on the back, it was produced in the 90s...

So-- not old, but a pleasant curio curiosity.

Anyway, that's the thrift for this week, friends!

If you missed Sunday's post, finding the funny in a 70s Riceland Rice cookbook, click here.

Otherwise, hope your week is filled with its own wonders, and perhaps I'll see you again on Sunday!

Against the Grain with Funny Recipes from Riceland Rice

2009-06-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

Rice: a staple... versatile, filling and-- in spite of its mild-mannered exterior-- still able to raise eyebrows with the best of 'em. That's what we'll see here today as we take a peek between the covers of this 1970s Riceland Rice cookbook.

Prepare yourself for a world where political correctness just meant you'd pulled the lever the whole way down in the voting booth...

Where multi-culturalism meant putting cheap souvenir travel figurines next to the plate...

And where high cuisine looked like a crime scene on CSI.

Welcome to Riceland Rice...

We peel back the cover and immediately notice that ideas of what's in good taste have, um, changed a bit since the 70s...

From the cheerful stereotypical coolie mascot brandishing bowls of perfectly-cooked long grain rice, to the company's tagline, "Riceland Rice: Velly Nice!", I suspect their marketing firm spent most of their R&D time brainstorming during a Charlie Chan film festival.

But that's not the only good taste in question here. Because today's tastebuds might just find themselves swimming for shore over this "Tuna Time-Saver"...

"Meetings all day? No crisis about dinner with this casserole ready for the oven! And, its creamy, bubbly goodness and browned cheese topping will soothe your shattered nerves."

Personally, my nerves would not be soothed by a main dish that seems to be not only drowning in a swamp of cream of mushroom, but smiling about it.

Is it just me, or doesn't it look just a bit like a whole clown-car going down for the count under a tidal wave of white face paint?

Also, notice the random conch shell, the fish-shaped serving dish holding oyster crackers, and the potted plant on the table. They're there to say to the reader, "This is seafood. It's natural and festive. Pay no attention to the fact that the main dish is gurgling for a lifeguard on its third time going under."

This proven 70s decorating technique of Using Many Decorative Items on the Table to Distract From the Fugly Main Dish is leveraged again here, with "Robin Hood's Chicken"...

While less visually off-putting than the Tuna Time-Saver, certainly, I really can't figure out why this is called Robin Hood's Chicken. I don't recall any tales of Robin Hood robbing from the rich and then making a skillet casserole. But then again, I'm not perhaps as well-read as I should be in this historical time period.

Perhaps after a full-day of plundering and pillaging, Robin and his Merry Men enjoyed sitting around Sherwood Forest with a nice fry-up containing the free-range Nottingham woods chicken, peas, carrots, rice from a country they didn't know existed yet, and ketchup.

Or perhaps Robin just stole the meal from a lost nobleman who'd picked up take-away. Hard to say.

Should you decide to make this dish, don't forget to decorate the table in a smirking Robin Hood toby jug, an Errol Flynn feathered hat and some arrows!

Well, maybe rethink the arrows. The guests may get ideas once the indigestion kicks in.

And speaking of guests and indigestion, here we have the "Riceland Rice Oyster Ring"...

"Oysters take on new glamor and new taste in this exotic main dish.. yet it's simple as A-B-C- to make."

Yes, those are some glamorous oysters there. If "glamor" means looking a bit like something that needs to be lanced by your favorite health care professional.

You know, in most of these photo spreads, I've felt the surrounding decor has been over-the-top and unnecessary. But here, I have to take that back. Those three tiered glasses of mixed drinks really say something.

They say, "You might need a few toddies before attempting to dip in to this oyster ring. Blurred vision here is an asset."

I agree with them.

And while we're talking about blurred vision, no, this dish isn't really blurry. It's supposed to look that way. It's "sensational Indonesian Chicken-Shrimp Superb"...

My readers from Indonesia, feel free to pipe up here with your feelings on this dish. Does it remind you of your homeland? Just like mother used to make?

Um... no, I didn't really think it did.

But the cookbook says:

"Cooks in Asian countries are masters at combining unusual food combinations for sensational flavor. Here, shrimp, chicken, peanut butter and seasonings make a delicious and subtle blending of complementary flavors... A real conversation piece!"

And that conversation probably starts something like, "Oh, my, Gladys-- is that Crunchy Jif I taste?"

Note: don't forget to add dancing porcelain figurines to the table for color and interest... Also random oyster crackers to give your guests something to do while they push the main course around on their plates.

And now, let's head back to the U.S. with "Ham 'n Rice Unique"...

What makes this unique is its exotic blend of American cheese and, um, American cheese. The Crime Scene Investigation Unit will discover the precise molecular composition of that blend, once they conclude that it's okay, foul play had not occurred here.

"No, no, sir, we've determined that this wasn't the remains of a stabbing victim. This is just ham, shortening and tomato soup. Also a blend of American cheeses."

"Good work, men! Now bag it, tag it and send it off as leftovers."

Why is it, though, that so many of our casserole dishes from the 50s-70s looked like high-speed car crashes? Was it to assure us that what we were eating really had passed on?

Well, we'll find no answers here. And probably not with this next dish, either-- in the American Frontier, where the men were men and the "Frontier Beef Stews" used Worchestershire sauce from England...

The stew itself actually is one of the better-looking meals in this cookbook. I just wanted to show you that the next time you're looking for an attractive table centerpiece, look no further than your husband's gun cabinet!

From buckshot to beautiful in seconds!...

(Note: The Thrift Shop Romantic does not actually endorse putting weaponry of any kind on the dinner table... She is simply a smart aleck. Thank you. -The Management)

Now, I hear you folks saying to me, "Well, rice is nice, Jenn, but it's so... WHITE. I'd love to use it, but what I'd really need is to camouflage some of the other ingredients in these recipes. How can I do that?"

Fear not, my friends-- Riceland Rice has got you covered! Now you can "Tint it different colors!"...

From adding food coloring to make it any shade of the rainbow, to coloring it with maraschino cherry juice or carrot juice to add that extra flavor, "dress up a meal" in a kaleidoscope o' ricey color!

And how does that work out?

Well, just take a gander at the Bayou Country Creole Shrimp below, with rice simmered in tomato and cayenne pepper...

The tomato-cayenne makes the rice a nice and natural pink-- and really showcases the athletic abilities of the shrimp leaping through those sliced green peppers below.

You know, down in the bayous, they train shrimp to leap through hoops as a part of a miniature traveling circus show. It's gotten very popular over the years. People go down to New Orleans now for the jazz, Mardi Gras and synchronized shrimp swimming...

Little known fact.

But what if your guests can't eat shellfish and other meat? Or what if they just object to dining on something that's been trained to do splashy aquatic performances for crowds?

Well, then you serve them this "Glamour Vegetable Platter"...

Yup, it's that "glamour" again. Sure, many folks might think of glamour being a Hollywood film premiere, a major awards ceremony or an artistic magazine spread.

We Riceland Rice readers know it's really grated sharp cheese and mixed veg over cooked tomato slices!

Well, I'm afraid I'm all glamoured out for today, friends. I mean, this much exotic entertaining... this much sparkle and flavor... I just need to go and reevaluate my whole perspective on rice-based cuisine.

And I hope you all had fun today, as we went against the grain with everything we thought we knew about rice.

If you missed Wednesday's post on Flowers, Feathers and FairyTale Finds, click here.

Otherwise, I hope you'll swing by this coming Wednesday as we succumb to Pyrexia, we go a bit deco and we wend our way along Route 30 antiquing.

Hm... think now I'll go make a casserole! Where's the ketchup?

Treasure Box Wednesday: Flowers, Feathers and Fairytale Finds

2009-06-03T03:00:00.000-07:00

Chintz: (noun) a usually glazed, printed cotton fabric.

Chintzy: (adjective) Gaudy, cheap... or stingy.

This weekend, I'm proud to say... I was one, while I bought the other.

The chintz first comes to play here...

With this cheap and cheerful Shabby Chic style flower printed shower curtain. I got this from the Red, White & Blue thrift store in Bellevue. I was chintzy, because I only paid a couple of bucks.

I was chintzy again here, with these charming little vases I found at the brand-new St. Vincent de Paul in Castle Shannon...

I also found a No Doubt CD there for $0.99--- though I have no doubt you don't really need to see a photo of that.

For those of you who haven't been to the new St. Vincent yet, by the way, it was a really nice store, clean, well-lit and spacious. And just down the road from the Pittsburgh Antique Shops, so convenient, too!

At the Red White and Blue on Route 51, I found some vintage pottery planters...

The one on the left is interesting to me, because I'd thrifted one like this but with a tiny bear cub on it once. I might do a display with them for Fall.

And this large trunk isn't mine-- it's my friend Scoobie's. But she found this on a thrifting adventure of her own and because it was such an amazing buy, I asked her if I could take pics and share it with you today...

I believe she said she'd found it at a St. Vincent de Paul in Apollo, and when she first saw the price, she thought it read $20... and then realized the decimal point was in the wrong place for that...

Her total came to $2.12. Yup, for a vintage steamer trunk.

I told her you all would probably be pretty excited about that kind of find!

And before we go today, I wanted to show you some minor decorating photos, just to balance things out. The birdcage I'd had on the mantle in early spring is here now, in the entryway...

The aqua coordinates pretty darned well with other things in this room. And my bird friends still look pretty content, if perplexed at the change of venue...

Then I started noodling with my mantle again. This time using... see, we're tying it in with the beginning of the post again, now... chintz!

When I'd first started decorating, I was all over the chintz plates and cups. Also, there was a Royal Albert outlet not too far from me, where I used to clean up on closeouts. A very dangerous prospect!

Well, eventually the outlet closed, time passed, things got moved around, and I downgraded some items in my glassware collection. And I almost got rid of these, because, though I loved them... did I really need them?

Until I made myself sort of sad about the whole thing. I mean, after all, I was cleaning out. Not mortally wounded and ready to snuff it.

So, I kept them. And I'm very glad I did.

Funny how a few flowered plates, a couple of fairy figurines and a storybook from Half Price Books can do the trick to cheer up a room.

But then again, funny how a simple rose in a pretty glass can do a lot for the morale, too.

I wish you could smell its heavy perfume. It about knocked me over as I knelt to take the photo.

If you missed Sunday's post, taking an in-depth look at the decorating on period film sets, click here.

Otherwise, have a great week, and don't forget to take time to stop and smell the flowers. (Or be chintzy.) :)

Snapshots into the Past with Movie Set Decor

2009-05-31T06:48:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to do this for a long time for you folks, but was recently reminded of it when Gloria of Home Decorating Room-by-Room asked me this question the other week: "When you look at classic movies, are you paying attention to the decor and accessories used in the background setting for inspiration?"

And the answer? Boy, do I! So much can be learned from watching movies with period-influenced decor in it. Once, I spotted one of my vintage lamps in a Bogey picture, confirming it was from the late 40s. Other times, I've spied the kind of upholstery fabric that should have originally been on a certain sort of chair. And every now and then, I'm able to draw some insights to why certain objects just look right together.

Today, I thought I'd share with you some of the films that have caught my eye because of their sets... Luscious backgrounds which provide atmosphere and interest to a lover of romantic decorating. And please forgive me if some of the images are a little crooked. The, er, camera person photographing the screen isn't always as steady as she'd like to be.

We'll start with one of my favorites... The Coen Brothers' Barton Fink...

This is the Hotel Earle... A once-beautiful but now worse-for-wear structure where the lead character, Barton Fink (played by John Turturro) stays as a resident. What I love about the lobby is its sense of warmth... from the smushy velvet chairs and the tall palms, to the fringed lampshades and the whirring fans...

I also love seeing the 40s deco chairs in color...

I'd be happy enough just to sit and read there in that chair. Of course, given the strange clientele of the Hotel Earle, I'd probably also get mugged or murdered... But even so, the grand movie-house feel of the lobby certainly does have its appeal.

Here's the hallway to Barton's room. Note the large patterned palm-frond wallpaper, art deco ceiling arches and deco wall sconces. Very symmetrical, very geometric... Very much of its time.

Now we move on to another film with decor that always gets my attention... The 1990s version of The Secret Garden. Our little heroine Mary's room is decorated in very heavy, very medievally-influenced themes...

The tapestries that cover the wall are reproductions of the Cluny mille-fleurs Unicorn tapestries...

These same type of tapestries are also used in the Harry Potter films, to decorate the Gryffindor common area. But in Harry, where they seem to convey a mystical feel, in The Secret Garden they seem to show a sort of ancient, austere strength. Ignore the angry little girl in the nightdress and just look at the carving on this bedpost...

Next, we have a film set I always wish I could have seen in color... The 40s film Arsenic and Old Lace starring Cary Grant...

No, that's not Cary Grant there, that's crazy uncle Teddy. But look at that globe shade lamp! See the elaborate tile fireplace! Note the Staffordshire dogs along the plate rail above.

Then we see the winding staircase and family portraits hung down it...

It says taste, some money, but yet it's not overly patterned-- probably the influence of more streamlined modern tastes taking over the late 1700s/early 1800s history of the place...

And here we get one more glimpse at the shelves-- lots of space for plates and collectibles here! What do you think it looked like in color?

Well, there's no lack of color in this last film set I wanted to show you. This is the 90s version of A Little Princess, and this is the exterior of Miss Minchin's School for Girls...

The movie does some very interesting things with the use of color. Things related to the school-- from the school exterior, to the uniforms, to the color of the hallways-- are all in varying shades of green. My theory is the green was intentionally used to imply money, jealousy and bitterness, because it shows up consistently in all of those situations...

It is also, as it would turn out, very beautiful...

This is the interior of Miss Minchin's, and that is Miss Minchin herself. Their surroundings are very lush, very plush, and very, very green, all balanced with dark woods...

Look at the sculpted wallpaper, and the torchiere on the right! Lots of textiles here, lots of layers. This opulence will then be contrasted later with the attic room where poor "orphaned" Sara ends up staying as a servant girl, with holes in the roof and little to eat.

(Yes, it is a crying film-- how did you guess?)

But dig this amazing art nouveau fireplace!...

And while green may mean all of the things discussed above, gold appears to be used in just the opposite way. When Sara's cold attic is transformed by the magic-wielding Indian servant across the street into an inviting richly-swathed boudoir, the green is exchanged for warm golds...

Lots of fabric is used, and this is one more example of how objects of kindness, hope, home, and love are showcased in the orange-gold tones. Sara's favorite doll wears a gold dress, and Sara wears gold when she leaves Miss Minchin's with her rediscovered father. The Indian servant who befriends her wears gold. And, of course, there's this beautiful room.

The sunflowers add to the sense of warmth and hope.

So, in looking at these movie sets, it just goes to show how much can be expressed through decorating, through well-chosen objects, and through color. What does your color palette and your choice of objects say about you?

Isn't it fun to wonder?

And that's a wrap!

To check out last Treasure Box Wednesday and one teapot that hopefully won't be a crack-up, click here.

Treasure Box Wednesday: Teapots and Other Temptations

2009-05-27T03:00:00.000-07:00

While I spent most of Memorial Day weekend with my fingers tap-tap-tapping over my word processor, eyes roving over the ol' novel manuscript, I did take time Saturday for a bit of thrifting. And so while this Treasure Box Wednesday is a short one, it's also rather sweet.

Sweet, perhaps, like this cute Humpty Dumpty teapot I found at the Salvation Army thrift store...

Regular readers know my fondness for Alice in Wonderland, and somehow this just seemed right. He looks a bit more mild-mannered that Alice's eggman, who if you'll recall had a certain attitude. But it still makes me smile.

At the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store I uncovered this tablecloth...

Pinks, greens, burgundies and grey-blue morning glories make it perfect for my diningroom.

At the same St. Vincent de Paul, I also uncovered this cute Depression-glass-green goblet covered in flowers...

And this nifty shell pink milk glass candy dish...

And while I remember, and since we have fewer thrifted goodies this week, I thought you all would appreciate seeing the little bit of decor I'd found in the Giant Eagle grocery store of all places!

Around St. Paddy's Day, we'd had some decorative holiday items there in the "Iggle." Not needing anything immediately, I waited until the items went on sale and nabbed my faves...

Like this cute tea canister...

And this framed print...

What I liked about it in particular was how much it looked like the images on my Victorian postcards for the holiday...

Well, that about puts the lid on this Treasure Box Wednesday!

If you didn't get a chance to check out the fun interview I got to do over on Home Decorating Room-by-Room, click here.

And if you'd missed Sunday's post on Tales from the Thrift Store Aisles, click here.

Have a thrifty, nifty week, my friends!

Tales from the Thrift Store Aisles

2009-05-24T05:38:00.000-07:00

The interesting thing about the thrifting scene is that it absolutely abounds with stories. Stories of the items themselves, yes-- who things belonged to and when, and how they wended their way to the thrift store... But also tales of strangers' thrifting triumphs: how those items made it to new homes and the meaning they have for the new owners. These are moments we share with each other as we shop.

Of course, thrifting also shows some interesting angles on humanity. On competition, on getting along and on just plain ol' personal responsibility.

Today I'll share with you all just a few of my most memorable ones.

I think my favorite thrifting story comes from the Greensburg Goodwill... I'd gone there after my friend Kitty's wedding shower (because, hey, there was time and the temptation to just stop in was too strong). And as I wandered the housewares, one aisle over I heard a little exclamation of joy.

I came around the corner, and there was a young woman of about thirty, bouncing a bit on her heels over a stack of dishes. Her happiness was so explosive, I couldn't help but ask her, "Find something good?"

And that's when she relayed to me in a rush how this simple set of Corelle dishes were the exact same ones her grandmother had had, and which she'd always loved. She'd been looking for some for years, and here they were... and entire set. She was so excited, she had to call her husband on the cell phone and tell him. "I found them! There are at least place settings for eight!"

Her day was made. Later, I saw her carrying them in a large cardboard box, holding them tight and carting them from the store with a big smile on her face. I understood. It was the same way I felt when I first saw the pink gooseberry Pyrex bowls like my mother had used for mixing, for baking, for making meatballs...

I guess sometimes kitchenware becomes more than kitchenware. It becomes symbolic of places and people, times we want to remember and recapture. It's the reminder of meals loved, and food prepared with care.

Another time of merry thrifting involved watching a group of gals of about 25 at the Red White and Blue in Bellevue. They were getting themselves a whole new wardrobe of quirky items-- trying on tops and retro dresses, funky boots and wild scarves. Laughing and chattering away, it was like they were five year olds at play with an old trunk of grandma's goodies.

Me, I was looking at CDs and DVDs and had just found some unexpected treasures in the bunch. I'd turned to the person at my shoulder, thinking it was my shopping buddy, when I realized too late it was one of the girls from this group. "Oh, I'm sorry-- I thought you were my friend. I was going to show her what I found."

"Oh," she said. "Well, you can show me!"

By the time I was checking out, so were they. And this same gal was merrily brandishing a pair of bright pink sparkly shoes-- as if Dorothy's ruby slippers had gotten a makeover. "These are crazy," she said, "but I have to have them. It's like playing dress-up. I feel like I'm a kid again."

They left the store laughing and joking. It was nice to see that kind of enthusiasm over second-hand stuff.

My last story for today happened just this week, and I'm afraid it's more of a "What The-?!" and not as jovial as the other two tales.

This Tuesday I was on my lunch break, at the Salvation Army thrift store perusing the housewares and toys when suddenly I started to smell... HEAT. Electric heat. Fried heat. Like a light socket that's gone bad... wiring that's fritzed.

This wafted to the cashier and I at about the same time and we exchanged glances. Concerned about what I'd see, I peered down the aisle. The cashier said, "I smell something on fire," hoping someone would pipe up. And the customer, a middle-aged woman sitting on a couch nearby, shrugged a shoulder. "I tried out that toaster. It didn't work. I think it shorted out."

"Where is the toaster now?" the cashier asked, becoming increasingly panicked.

"Oh, I put it back," said the woman with a casual wave of the hand. She hooked a thumb behind her. "It's over there on the shelf with the other ones."

The cashier and I just gaped. So something shorted out and caught fire... so she put it back on the shelf with the other ones??? She didn't, oh, mention it to anyone? To prevent the place from burning down? To prevent someone from bumping it and getting burnt? Or the next person to test it from getting a bad shock?

The cashier ran over to find the offending object and remove it before more problems occurred And the customer?

She just sat there, playing around with something else in her hands, completely unconcerned.

It was one of those moments where I wondered about some folks' common sense. The thrift stores are great for finding memories, and making new ones... There's a lot less chance to do that when, oh... the building burns down....

Thrift safetly, folks!

Before I go today, I'd wanted to let you all know about a nifty little interview I got to do with Gloria of Decorating Room-by-Room. She asked some really good questions, and I think you might get a kick out of the piece. I had an absolute blast answering them-- thanks so much, Gloria, for asking me. You can check that interview out by clicking here.

Otherwise, if you missed Wednesday's post on my last weekend's trip to the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, you can see that here.

And one last order of business-- you might have noticed, The Thrift Shop Romantic blog is now available on Kindle readers, for folks who have a Kindle and wish to subscribe. Just click the button in the sidebar above, or click here. And even if you're not a Kindle customer, if you enjoy TSR and would care to give it a review for the Amazon folks, I'd be much obliged. (It's very weird seeing my blog on Amazon... Haven't quite gotten used to that yet.)

Okay, I think that's it for today. I hope you all have a super-duper Memorial Day weekend, that your barbeques are really cooking, and the memories are, er, memorable!

And PS- if you have a favorite thrifting or garage saling story you'd like to share with us this week, I'd love to hear it!

Grand Times at the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon

2009-05-20T03:00:00.000-07:00

Friends, food, fun and more natural beauty than you could shake a pine branch at... Such was this last weekend as I road-tripped to meet Pennsylvania blogging buds, Kim, Bryan, Lisa, and Kathy.

I headed eastward... Kathy, west... Lisa, an hour-and-a-half behind a tractor, the poor dear... and we all met in the middle for a three-day weekend adventure. And folks, let me tell you-- you were not forgotten! So this Treasure Box Wednesday, journey with me to a charming B&B, and all the spring spirit of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon.

I'd never stayed at a B&B before, and it had all the vintage feel I could have hoped for...

The cute black and white toile room above was mine. And Denise, the lovely owner of the place, let me go ahead and explore. I'm afraid I didn't get a shot of Kathy's room, but this was another of the bedrooms...

There were a lot of antique and hand-tinted photos on the walls... This little vignette was in the upstairs stairway...

And this was a cheerful corner in one of the rooms. I love how the light is hitting that chair. Couldn't you just read there?

Because it was a B&B there was...B. Breakfast. Oh, was there B!

One morning breakfast entailed apple pancakes and fresh fruit. Another, this astounding scrambled egg, ham and crescent roll wrap that Kathy and I both spent more time lingering over and laughing how we were trying to savor every single bite.

B, I might add, also stands for "bad." Because we were both calorically bad and accepted a slice of this strawberry cake when we were offered.

It looks a bit nibbled on because, well, it was. Would you have said 'no'? I mean, really! But between this and Kim's terrific homemade pasta, soup and bread, I probably should have jogged the five hours home.

Anyway, Wellsboro, location of the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, has a lot of shops with primitive decor, handcrafted jewelry, candies, books and other goodies. This was just one shop we investigated...

And then we met Kim and Bryan, our kind host and hostess, and headed off to the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. Step inside with me!...

This is one of my favorite views... No, don't worry, there was a railing there!...

It reminds me of a backdrop for a Lord of the Rings set, in some ways. Just so much green depth!...

I understand it's gorgeous in autumn, too, as the trees go kaleidoscopic. Here... Let's take a look far below with our bird's eye view...

Oh, and here we have Bryan!...

We don't have photos of Kathy here because she's in the Witness Protection Program and it would be at risk of her life for me to share them with you. (Or just doesn't like having her picture on the web and made me promise I wouldn't post them... hm, I can't remember quite which. :)

Well, it's time to make the journey back up...

Later, we took a tour of the Wellsboro library, which had some very nice architectural elements. Like this Tiffany-styled stained-glass window...

And this carved cherub frieze...

And this statue of a lady...

Oh, wait-- that's Kim! She's sitting in one of her favorite reading spots there in the library. And who could blame her? Great lighting, lilacs and peaceful benches can be found.

Speaking of peace... I had to include a shot of Bryan and Kim's cat, Seamus, since he'd posed so nicely...

He became my buddy over the weekend. And Kathy's. And anyone who was new and interesting. I got smooched up a bit by him... Lovely fellow. (He's so friendly, he may think he's a dog.)

Well, folks, that winds up the weekend. And here, I must leave you as I wended my way home...

If you missed Sunday's post on Popping Up at Rossi's Pop-up Flea Market, click here.

And I hope you all have a clear road ahead of you this week, too!

Popping Up at Rossi's Pop-up Flea Market

2009-05-17T03:00:00.000-07:00

Rossi's Pop-Up Marketplace and Flea Market, located in North Versailles, is a wholly unique experience. The outdoor flea market also has an indoor marketplace, and the carnival-like atmosphere never ceases to raise an amused eyebrow and put a smile on my face.

The outdoor vendors offer a wide range of items...

Everything from the sorts of things you'd find at a family garage sale, to new items, produce, flowers, car parts, motorcycle gear and... well, just about anything.

As you stroll its aisles, you'll hear the announcer come over the PA system and tell you a little bit about some of the indoor vendors...

"Get your slushies today at the Slushy King... All kinds of flavors, folks. It's hot out there, so come on in and get one!"

Or:

"Brenda's Pastries is just about ready to pack up, friends. Strudels, breads, muffins and doughnuts... They're delicious! But when Brenda's gone for the day, they're gone, too, so don't miss out!"

And my personal favorite:

"Get your Shammies at ShammyWorld! All sizes, all the shammy cloths you could want at great prices. For all your shammy needs, it's ShammyWorld!"

I didn't know I had "shammy needs." But apparently, I've been missing out on a whole great big, beautiful world of shamification.

Inside the marketplace, the state fair feel continues. In addition to things like slushies, and pastries and shammies, you can buy... oh... bling. Or AVON products. Or craft items and antiques. There's a room of dollar store goodies in boxes on the floor. There's tacky pseudo Native American art... And tchotchkies from around the world. From sports memorabila and comic books to stand-up cardboard cut-outs of Marilyn Monroe and James Dean, it's all here in one crazed Sergeant Pepper's album cover kind of jumble.

And because the place used to be a movie theater, the layout means that vendors have replaced the concession stand... Vendors line the theater halls... And vendors lurk behind doors down long hallways in dozens of rooms where the actual movies had been shown.

These theaters are still sloped, stadium style, where the seats once had been, and on the floor is art deco movie theater carpeting... It's a surreal detail that just adds to the experience. Vendors have taken advantage of this space by tiering their wares on these seating terraces, so a bit of climbing is in order to investigate everything.

Now you're probably wondering just what I found among the madness and mayhem. Well, one thing was actually for my friend Scoobie who collects cowboys...(heh, she wishes!) Er, rather, cowboy/Western things.

The print on the front is a Remington reproduction and she has a few of these sorts of bottles, but as luck would have it, she didn't have this one. This was a whopping $1.

Then in one of the movie theater rooms, I found a couple of goodies for myself. Based on its style, this tray looks like it might have been made in the 40s...

The roses are actually on fabric. It was pretty pricey-- $3. My most expensive purchase of the day!

And last I got this print, dated 1941, of a bleeding heart floral arrangement...

That was $2.

So, all-in-all, it was a lot of fun, a quirky way to spend a few hours, and for those folks in the area who haven't visited, just check it out once and see what you think.

And now you know... if you need a shammy cloth, Rossi's has you covered.

For those who missed last Wednesday's Treasure Box post, and wanted to check that out, click here.

Otherwise, perhaps I'll see your smiling faces again this coming Wednesday.

Treasure Box Wednesday: The Glass Menagerie and Other Thrifty Finds

2009-05-13T02:00:00.000-07:00

You all will laugh... Here I am, a fan of antiques and art, and the find that made me happiest this week was a plastic take-out container of small glass animals.

"Why on earth?" you ask. Well, it's a funny thing-- I had these very same glass animals when I was a child, my dad having won them for me on my family's vacations in Cape May, New Jersey. Unfortunately, mine had gotten some kind of problem due to moisture, and they clouded over and were ruined. As much as it had pained me, I eventually had to throw them out. My beloved little Boardwalk arcade prizes were gone!

But oh, I saw these and this flood of wonderful memories overcame me. And at just a few bucks for the lot, I couldn't help myself. It made my day.

It's remarkable to me because they're in the same colors I remembered, same characters... everything. Anyway, it was a cheap, cheerful reminder of a lovely period of my life. (If you'd care to read a tale I'd written about it, you can check it out in "Magic Fingers Ma and the Quest for the Mega-Blender." Just click here.)

Other goodies this week were these chirpy Commodore bluebird salt and pepper shakers, probably from the 50s...

Such happy little fellows, I think looking at them will make cooking seem like less work.

I also found this 60s/70s blue carnival glass compote...

I hadn't seen this particular size before.

And lastly, at the Goodwill thrift store, I got this super-soft leather jacket. It still has its extra button sewed inside...

So, that closes the Treasure Box for this week! Thank you for sharing in my little joys.

And just so you all know, this Sunday's post will appear only here on http://thriftshopromantic.blogspot.com and NOT on www.thriftshopromantic.com . I'm going to be traveling, and won't be able to update the project site with the fresh post until Monday.

Until next time, friends!

Decorating with Mother

2009-05-10T05:33:00.000-07:00

Decorating with Mother... No, no, for me it doesn't involve hanging drapes and arranging vignettes with my mom. My mom passed on before she could see my home, Waterhouse-- and anyway, she was much more of a 70s Colonial gal in harvest colors than a Victorian gal in purples, pinks and greens.

Nope, I mean decorating with Mother. I took a look around the house this weekend and I realized just how many vintage decorative items were made with moms in mind. Like the print here...

I got this lovely print about a year ago at the St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Monroeville. It's from the early 1900s. And in addition to the soft colors, it features a barely-visible poem:

Her Gift

So wee a gift- yet wealth of so many lands
Could never buy it in the richest marts!
So frail a gift, and yet those baby hands
Take mighty hold upon two human hearts
-Burges Johnson

My spare room bears another vintage Mother print, this one by Marygold from around the 30s...

The poem reads:

To Mother: A Toast
Sweet as the song which the robins sing
Pure as the flow of a crystal spring
True as your faith in the God above
So deep are the depths of a Mother's Love

I also spied another Mother poem sitting on the spare room bed! This one in the form of a World War II souvenir pillow cover from Camp Lee, Virginia...

That poem reads:

Mother
There's a dear little house inviting
In a dear little place I know
And a welcome is always waiting
When to that little house I go
For there lives the dearest lady
The sweetest I ever met
And today, if I cannot visit,
Dear Mother, I don't forget

I like that one in particular, it makes me think of those days coming home from college and finding Mom making her amazing pot roast in that orange Crockpot of hers. A great memory!

And you know, with all of these mother poems lurking around every corner, I also have some actual mothers hanging around...

This is my great-grandmother on my mother's side, holding my grandpa on her knee...

Grandpa looks a bit suspicious of the goings on there, doesn't he?

And this is grandpa, all grown up (and with some rather surprising hair; Grandpa hadn't had hair for as long as I knew him!), standing with my grandmother, and holding my mom...

This happens to be just one of many Standing in a Field shots my family tended to take. It just wasn't good photography unless everyone could see your feet in the shot. I bet some of you folks have a few of these sorts of photos, too!

And then this was my mom, in the late 60s, early 70s, looking a bit Audrey Hepburnish...

She's wearing what I always referred to as her "referee shirt." (She hated that-- heh-heh.)

Well, that's the tour of mothers today!

If you have a moment and care to read a little tale of my Mom and her mad sewing skillz one Halloween ("Nightmare on Sesame Street, Part 1"), click here.

If you missed Wednesday's Treasure Box post, you'll find that here.

Next Sunday, I'll take you all to Rossi's Pop Up Flea Market with me!

Happy Mother's Day to all you nice moms out there-- and to any Dads, too, 'cause you're pretty spiffy for visiting, too! :)

Treasure Box Wednesday: Summer's Promise

2009-05-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

With the Pittsburgh Marathon on Sunday and every major highway in the whole of the 'Burgh, it seemed, either closed or down to one lane, your intrepid Hostess this week was... well... frankly, trepidated. And I didn't brave the traffic and long waits for the more thrifty pursuits in life.

Instead, I stayed home and tried to be productive writing on my novel-- up to page 259 in the manuscript so far... and like the traffic, it's been a long journey. So today's Treasure Box also keeps us close to home, with the beauty that lurks in the flowers of the season.

I liked in particular, this little viola which has worked itself into the cracks in my driveway...

They pop up every year, and every year, I just can't bear to remove them. I pull the weeds, but let my little purple friends greet me each evening when I come home. They're rampant all over the neighborhood.

Here in the backyard, the mossy phlox are wet, but still lovely. I enjoy this nook with my statuary, rosebushes and creeping phlox...

There just seems something a little magical about all that color.

And this... I just wish the creeping phlox could flox like this all summer long...

What a carpet of tiny flowers! But alas, they'll only be around like this for a few more weeks. By mid-June it's guaranteed to be gone-- and green.

And the bleeding hearts have come out in full force this year! Every year, the planet gets bigger and with more and more hearts dripping from its branches...

Here you can see a few of these pretty things just a bit closer...

The lilac is well on its way, too. You can see all of those flowers just about ready to come open. In another week or so, the backyard will be smelling like heaven. (Achhooo!)

And my very first rose was popping today... This is the Rose de Resch, which is an old-fashioned tea rose, and has an incredibly strong perfume-like fragrance...

If you remember the old Avon Roses, Roses perfume, this rose smells just like that.

And lastly, we have roses to come... Like the lovely Helen Hayes here...

Helen is one of my absolute favorites. She gets big yellow flowers that turn from yellow to pink to orange to mauve... It's a bit like having a sunset on a shrub.

Well, that about does it for today's Treasure Box.

If you missed Sunday's post on Actress Postcards from the Late 1800s and Early 1900s, click here.

Otherwise, make sure to give yourself enough water, a little sunshine and some decent meal, and I'll see you next week!

Spotlight on Actresses from the Late 1800s and Early 1900s

2009-05-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

Since we'd had so much fun in the past, bringing to light forgotten stars of stage and the early silver screen, I thought it might be nice to showcase just a few more Victorian and Edwardian actresses as found on collectible postcards.

Born in Feb 12, 1886 in Missouri Valley, IA, veteran stage actress "Babe" Fischer, stepped onto the silent screen as Margarita Fischer in 1910. By 1913, this leading lady/ingenue had starred in a wide range of films including Robinson Crusoe, and Uncle Tom's Cabin-- the latter, interestingly, in the role of an African-American slave girl. When America entered World War I, the young actress, like others in the industry, made a move to assist her career-- she changed her German-sounding name to the more Americanized "Fisher."

She married actor director Harry A, Pollard , and went on to do a number of one-, two- and eventually five-reel motion pictures, which the AllMovie database refers to as "of negligible quality."

By the 20s, Fischer's career was in decline, so she and her director husband attempted to jump-start it again with a "lavish remake" of Uncle Tom's Cabin, where she was now cast in the role of the character "Eliza." The reviews, regrettably, were largely negative. And this disappointment, along with the introduction of the first talkies, pushed the prolific silent film actress, Margarita Fischer, into a final retirement. She died March 11, 1975 in Encinitas, CA.

For more information on Margarita Fischer, you might be interested in the following resources:

Born September 10, 1872 as Caroline Maria Lupton, English stage actress Marie Studholme played in both supporting and starring roles in musical comedies from 1892 to 1915, and was one of the most photographed actresses of her time, appearing regularly on postcards.

Studholme's theater career spanned from 1892 to 1915. She was one of producer George Edwardes' famous Gaiety Girls and originated several roles in British musical comedies.

She met her first husband, actor Gilbert Porteous, on the stage while working on the musical comedy Morocco Bound at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 1893. And it was her work there that prompted manager, George Edwardes to include her in his popular chorusline production, "The Gaiety Girls."

While her marriage to Porteous resulted in divorce, her personal life included a wide span of interests. In 1907 she study Jujitsu with Yukio Tani; she also loved animals and was often photographed with them, even donating the proceeds for autographs of her postcards to animal and theatrical charities. Upon marrying her second husband, Harold Borrett on September 4, 1909, she adopted two children-- Peter Lupino and girl four years his younger, named Jill. .

She died of rheumatic fever at age 57 in March 1930

Additional resources are available for you on Marie Strudholme here:

For as colorful and dramatic as the postcard is above, you would imagine there would be more information readily out there about Queenie Leighton. But after a quick search, here's the little I learned...

Born July 1872, in Auroraville, Wisconsin, Queenie Leighton was the the daughter of Dorothy Gerard. Sometimes going by Lillie Leighton, Queenie's screen credits include the character of Polly Piecan in Screen Struck in 1916, and Under the Greenwood Tree in 1929. Given the gap between the two films, I'm wondering if she hadn't participated in other films or stage productions in between those dates, that have simply been lost to time.

She was married to Lieutenant Frederick Cockerill, date unknown, and she died November 19, 1943 in Farnworth, Lancashire, England.

Here are some resources on her-- unfortunately equally sparse:

The British stage actress known here as Mrs. Patrick Campbell was born Beatrice Stella Tanner in Kensington, London, on February 9, 1865. She married Patrick Campbell in 1884, which would be her first of two marriages. She made her stage debut in 1888 in Liverpool, and then in London shows such as The Second Mrs. Tanqueray, The Masqueraders, and moving on to juicy Shakespearean roles such as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Ophelia in Hamlet and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth.

From there, she moved to Boardway performances, including The Joy of Living, acting alongside Sarah Bernhardt, and she played Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion, a part which George Bernard Shaw, her friend, wrote specifically for her.

Even after her husband was killed in the Boer War in 1900, and she remarried (one George Cornwallis-West) the actress continued working under the name of "Mrs. Patrick Campbell."

She died April 9, 1940, leaving behind two children, Beo and Stella.

For more information on Mrs. Patrick Campbell, check out these links:

Now, interestingly, there were two cards in my batch that I wasn't able to find anything about...

This lady has the name "August Buty" written just under her picture. But the funny thing about it is, when you read the back of the card, you discover the sender is actually August Buty, and not the unnamed actress/model here.

And then there's this card...

"Léo Daltys" is the name listed above... But whether that is the name of the photographer, the card company, or the stage name of the lady shown above, I do not know.

Well, that's a wrap for us for today!

If you missed last week's Treasure Box Wednesday on This and That click here.

Otherwise, guess it's time to head backstage to the dressing room and get comfortable! Hope your upcoming week is a smash hit.

Treasure Box Wednesday: This and That

2009-04-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday proved to be a beautiful day here in the 'Burgh-- balmy breezes and bright clear skies-- so it seemed like the right time to make a little jaunt to the Bellevue/Avalon section of the town.

Also, given the spring construction that's popped up-- and major thoroughfare's closed left and right-- it was about the only place I could go without being trapped in orange barrels and cones!

So let me show you one of my favorite things from this week... this lovely tin portrait plate I found at the Ohio River Boulevard antique mall.

And at 40% off, too! Now how lucky is that?

At the Red White and Blue, I found this excellent pink depression glass sandwich server...

I guess I better get cracking and make some nice crisp cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off, huh?

I love the detail on this handle... I've zoomed in so you can take a closer look at that, if you'd like...

I also found a milk glass bowl-- quite ornate!-- for the lady I know who collects milk glass. I'd already gotten her a huge batch of it for Christmas... But I liked this bowl so much, I couldn't resist.

I hope she'll like it, too!

And, and of course, you already are probably familiar with this animated figural clock, from Sunday's post...

And lastly, I thrifted a couple of books.

You know, interestingly this week, was how much fun people seemed to be having thrifting. At the Red, White & Blue in Bellevue, a group of 20-something gals were there having the time of their lives-- laughing, trying stuff on, chatting to everyone.

One of them had found some flamboyant pink sparkly shoes and she was bubbling over, saying she simply couldn't resist them-- it was like being a kid again playing dress-up.

And I got to thinking that that's one of the best things about thrifting-- you get out of it what you bring into it. So if you're looking for something to educate... to entertain... to inspire... or just to comfort like when you were a kid... you really can find it there.

All you have to do is look!

If you'd care to check out Sunday's post on animated 40s clocks, click here.

And iff'n not? Perhaps you'll pop by Sunday for a brand new, not even previously-worn post?

Time for Some Clock Talk

2009-04-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

You might remember my purchase of the little vintage clock with the swinging girl on the right a few months ago. I found it at the L&L Fleatique for $15, and it needed a little work to get it running again. (Cheers to my dad, for his handy-dandy MacGyver sensibilities that helped it to do so).

Then yesterday, at the Ohio River Boulevard antique mall, I stumbled upon another clock in the genre, and at an even lower price... well... I simply couldn't say no.

Of course, this got my brain ticking over just when these were made and what kind of trends spurred them on. So today, I thought I'd share that information with you.

According to the Jitterbuzz antique clock web site, from the 1700s onward, clocks had become a symbol of status and taste, leading to the creation of tall, elaborate grandfather and grandmother timepieces. But as homes transitioned from large family mansions to city apartments and more modest homes, there suddenly was no longer room for the great tall clocks of previous generations...

And this meant that the clock began to double-up with other decorative items-- y'know-- tchotchkies.

By the 1940s, clocks were elaborate figural displays for mantles or walls, including everything from ships and steering wheels, to stagecoaches and horses, and little animated figures like my children on the swings.

The Jitterbuzz site claims that the United Metal Goods company of Brooklyn, maker of my newest clock, "put the schlock in clock." And certainly the appeal of these clocks is subjective. But their depiction of the trends and interests of the 40s or 50s makes them very much a part of their... er... time.

Meanwhile, I found out a bit of information on the clock I already had. According to Roger Russell's well-researched site, my green clock was produced by Mastercrafters Clock and Radio Company in the 1948-49 timeframe.

It's Model 119, and called "Mantle Swingtime" or "Girl on a Swing." It was also the first motion clock to be made by Mastercrafters. Where auction information indicates the United Metal Goods clock plays music for the tiny couple to swing to, this one-- as far as I know-- never did.

But like the United Metal Goods clock, this has a little light, which lights up the scene behind it. And the figure swings in time to the clock motion.

Each clock uses a landscape print-- popular of its time, to create the background for the figures making up the pendulum.

Roger Russell indicates there were two types of prints used in the "Girl on a Swing" mantle clock. One, like mine here, has the little girl sitting in front of a little country house with a separate plastic fence in front of it. In another scene, apparently, she sits in front of a more modern-looking ranch home.

The print is in the Atkinson Fox style-- one of the things I liked about it-- though I have not been able to identify that particular print in my Fox book.

This clock came in two finishes-- "green onyx" as shown here and a "walnut," similar to the faux wood look of the United Metal Goods clock. The Girl on a Swing also came in a wall clock version.

I've also seen the Girl on a Swing clock case used with a bird-figure on a perch.

The material these clocks are made of is called "tenite," which Wikipedia indicates was an early plastic-- a cellulosic thermoplastic, to be specific-- first created in 1929 . It was manufactured by Eastman Chemicals, using softwood as a raw material.

It thought it was also interesting to note that Mr. Russell located the "Girl on a Swing" clock in a Joseph Hagn wholesale catalog around 1950, and it retailed at $15.95. More than I actually paid for the item in 2008!

Well, I hope you all enjoyed this little venture back in...er... time.

And if you'd care to go back in time to Wednesday's Treasure Box post you can step through the portal here.

And as for me-- it's time to go!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Tops at the Shops

2009-04-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

Well, there's simply nothing to top off a sunny spring weekend like some fine vintage shopping! Apollo and Indiana, PA were our destinations this time. And it was at Denise's Antique Mall in Indiana that I found something I never, ever anticipated...

The top half of a Victorian Eastlake mantle!

Now if you've been reading a while, you've probably noticed that my dining room mantle-- while Victorian-- is missing one of these babies.

Yes, indeed, within its oaken top, there are telltale holes for where a mirror or shelf unit like this used to sit. But it was lost to time during some previous ownership. Instead, a vintage dresser mirror has been hung, to curb the sense of emptiness.

But I never really expected to find something this elaborate for a good price!

It's got plenty of places for Victorian knicknacks... And while you see it here, terribly dirty, it's got all its knobs and curlicues. So I think it should clean up nicely.

So, you'd think this was quite enough for one day, wouldn't you? I mean, really, how lucky can one gal be on a single day?

Ah, but we also hit the "We Miss Back When" Antique Mall in Apollo, PA! And there, I found this excellent McCoy pottery vase in the Wheat pattern...

A fun piece of Judy Garland sheet music ($1!)...

And this super-heavy pink sandwich glass bowl with carnival luster!

Oh, and earlier in the week, the Salvation Army Superstore yielded treasures, too. Like these five brilliantly-bright 50s aluminum bowls for just $0.99 a piece. (I laughed because they were $5 a piece in the antique stores!)

And some gorgeous shell pink milk glass made by the Jeanette Glassworks. This was done in the late 50s to early 60s, and it's not very easy to find pieces in this color.

Oh, and before I go, I thought you all might get a chuckle from this... Every time I go to Indiana, I go past the old Indiana Courthouse and try to get a photo of the Jimmy Stewart statue there. Jimmy was born in Indiana, his museum is there-- sometime I'll take you all virtually with me-- but in all the times my troop of folks sped past on our journeys, I never once got a good shot of the statue.

Well...

You all have no idea how very far away this was, from a moving vehicle and over the top of a minivan, too. He's a tad blurry, but the fact that Mr. Stewart showed up to greet us at all was shocking...

So I got a good snicker when I cropped in and discovered our "Elwood P. Dowd" of Harvey was just standing there as pleased as Punch.

And with that, I leave you with a quote from Harvey I always liked:

"My mother, she used to say Elwood-- she called me Elwood-- she said, 'In life, you can be oh-so-smart or oh-so-pleasant.' I recommend pleasant."

I hope you all have a pleasant week ahead of you!

Oh, and if you missed last Sunday's post on the winners of the Nancy Drew journals, click here.

Take care, friends! I hope to see you this coming Sunday.

The Case of the Nancy Drew Journal Giveaway Winners

2009-04-19T04:44:00.000-07:00

It's a mystery no longer! Who are the two winners of the Nancy Drew journal giveaway? The evidence is in. Let's recap the investigation with dramatic flashbacks.

All entrants left a comment on the original Nancy Drew giveaway post here on The Thrift Shop Romantic, and there were some terrific stories about beloved books-- so I thank you all for sharing them with me.

Then, each of those names was written onto a small folded slip of paper, and put into a Pyrex gooseberry-patterned bowl. Because we did not have a hat handy and believe in improv.

To make sure no evil work was afoot, we had two independent observers to insure the drawing was above board...

They didn't duck out on their duties.

And then the winners were drawn...

Congratulations to Peggy and Caroline on your winning entries! Please email me at thriftshopromantic (at) mac dot com with an address you feel comfortable with sharing, so I can mail you your journals!

And me, I have some actual off-line places to be today, so I'm afraid this will be a quick post today. But never fear-- Wednesday promises a Treasure Box of thrifted goodies to show you. And Next Sunday's post? Well-- that will remain another mystery. For now.

If you didn't get to see last Wednesday's post on April flowers, click here.

Otherwise, I hope you see you this coming Wednesday! Thanks to everyone who participated this last week!