Thrifting for Thrills!

I’ve been doing a lot of thrifting lately.  It’s hard not to, GW has opened an outlet next to the building where I work 5 days a week.  I’m not really good at identifying true vintage, so it’s a good thing that the prices are so very reasonable.  I am so easily influenced in what to collect.  I see a display on a blog that I like, and then I am spying similar treasures at the GW, and the next thing I know I am taking them home, and trying to re-create the vignettes I’ve seen on my favorite blogs. 

In an unabashed declaration of my admiration, I direct you to my latest blog infatuation:  Sweet Cottage Dreams.  She does some especially delectable Christmas decorating, and caused me to fall in love with chippy, vintage-looking Santas.  (Although I do think I had a tendency in that direction already!)  Check out these kitschy vintage Santa mugs on etsy.com   This Santa is actually a planter, with an opening in the sack over his shoulder.  I think it’ll be perfect to put candy canes in.  As I look at this picture, I realize that it is too cluttered to see all the great finds individually.

      So, here are a couple

 of views showing Santa’s cheery charms.

And check out this happy mug!  (Get it?  Mug?! Heh-heh!)

And another view of the Christmas-y things.  That box with the tree stand really has the tree stand in it – score!

The vase that looks like old mercury glass probably isn’t, but I wouldn’t know.

Do you love the doll-sized park bench?  It’s really painted cast iron and weathered wood.  I think somebody had a front porch display because there were a couple of pine needles still on it.  I’m considering ways to use it, including using it to display my treasured Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls.

The crescent bone dishes are green transferware, and bear the marking:  “Genoa J&C Meakin Hanley England”.

These don’t appear to be too terribly old, but I think the bright red cards with the charming illustration make a good accent piece in a vignette, and the Bingo cards will be terrif for various crafting projects (at least I know that I’ve seen others do clever things with them!).

Again, these items aren’t particularly old, but made it into my cart by virtue of their timeless charm.  The fabric is a curtain, rather small.  I will not use it for a curtain, it is quite loud when you stretch it all out.  It will be better suited incorporated in pillow tops, tote bags, that sort of thing.  The colors are so cheery, no?

That’s all for now!