reflecting on thrifty finds

Oh how life gets busy, such that it’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve posted. That, and I seem to have once again been struck by that nasty cold that has made its way around Toronto this winter. Barely three months since having a cold for the entire month of November, it’s come back for round two, sending me flat on my back for a full-fledged sick day Friday.

So in the meantime, I thought I should at least follow-up to my last post about the St. Demetrius rummage sale and share my thrifty finds.

Ceramic Lamp – A fellow thrifting friend at the sale had to convince me to buy this lamp. Despite blue and green being my colours, and despite the $7 price tag, and quite a cute little figure for the finial. She threatened to buy it if I didn’t. That’s all the convincing I needed. The original shade is damaged so a replacement is now on the shopping list.

Vintage Oak Mirror – An interestingly proportioned mirror with the silver mirror backing worn off in all the right places, it will be nice complement to my spring fireplace mantle display. I tried to offer $5 for it, but the sweet elderly lady working the cash thought that was far too much for a mirror that is in such poor condition. But that’s why I love it! We split the difference at $3.

1960s Landscaping Book by Sunset – Yes, I live in a condo and my landscaping consists of a planter and a small water feature on my balcony, but I enjoying pouring over true MCM reference materials of any sort.

Silver-Plate Teapot – I love tea, and have a perfectly good teapot (for which I made a quite effective tea cozy from a thrift store wool sweater) but at $5 this 1930s Regis Plate teapot was too good to pass up. A silver teapot takes serving tea to guests upmarket. And I was quite familiar with this design as my mother has the same one, just slightly smaller. St Demetrius is my family church, and my mom worked the sale the days of and in the week of preparation before. When I showed her my ‘new’ teapot she informed me she had taken it home earlier in the week to polish it as it was severely tarnished. Thanks for polishing my new teapot, Mom!

Depression Glass Pitcher – Another good buy difficult to pass up was this $5 Iris Herringbone pattern depression glass pitcher, that dates from the 1930s and can retail for around $40 . Again my mother has the same pitcher (it was my dad’s parents’ – I’m guessing they may have bought it new) for which my parents  purchased the matching tumblers, for serving water at dinner parties. A pretty glass pitcher is always perfect to have on hand for water, lemonade, or iced tea.

Lane Cedar Hope Chest Miniature – This particular salesman’s sample, was made by Knechtel’s of Hanover, ON, and distributed by Snyders Furnishings of Toronto. Purchased for $2, these mini chests can retail for around $20 to $25. It will make a nice, novelty, trinket box. (I plan to embellish a standard light fixture with the chunky chandelier crystals shown in the chest in the top photo.)

Fairy & Tree Stump Whimsy – This sweet, little sprite that I picked up for couple of dollars is also a nice addition to my spring decor. A 1950s Treasure Crafts of California bud vase, it would retail for around $25.

So a pretty good morning of thrifting overall. I love church rummage sales not only for the thrill of the hunt and fabulous thrifty finds that can be had, but also for the support it provides the congregation for all the good that they do.