Thrifty Finds and Creations -- Last of 2016

The new year is right around the corner and I decided to look through my photos and see what I haven't posted.

Hubby spots vintage at the thrifts even though he doesn't necessarily know if it is for sure.  Vintage Hazel Atlas striped glasses, good find in my parts as Hazel Atlas doesn't come up often for me.

These vintage hand painted eggshell mini lights were a super find!! I love the graphics, couldn't believe my luck.

Not that I intended to have a collection of vintage made in Japan birds, but I keep finding them. This year I found the peacocks.

Some glass work I did before the holidays, I was quite busy the weeks before Christmas this year.

Pyrex Terra earrings wired in sterling silver with carnelian, agate and amber beads.  (All my vintage glass work is made from shards sent to me by collectors.  I don't break dishes for my work, there is plenty broken in shipping unfortunately).

Vintage Jeannette Jadite glass wrapped in 14/20 gold filled wire with cultured pearl.




Very little of my work is created with the intention to sell. I either make pieces in exchange for broken shards or as custom work on request. More of my ornaments are requested these days. They are fun to make and some glass is better suited to ornaments because of the scale of the pattern. My ornaments are generally 3 to four inches long.

JAJ Pyex Shamrock Ornament

Pyrex Black Gooseberry ornament

Fire King Tulips Ornament

The following are jewelry pendants.

Vintage Pyrex aqua bowl shard wrapped in sterling with lamp worked bead.

Pendant made from Pyrex Balloons Chip bowl.

Pyrex Butterfly Gold with cultured pearl.

Pyrex Pendant and magnets in Colonial Mist.

Pyrex Early American.

There was Pyrex over the holidays.  Charcoal snowflake Thanksgiving leftover dish to slowly reheat in the oven on black Friday.  Nice to come home to hot lunch after shopping!

Played with some filters and made a retro picture.

Isn't she peachy?

Pyrex Fun - Christmas Diorama

A little Christmas fun in my Pyrex. Love putting together those little thrift store finds I've collected over the years.

Santa's Elf  !

Festive Foods in Vintage Dishes - Pyrex and Hazel Atlas

Some traditional German holiday treats in a vintage turquoise Hazel Atlas bowl.  I thrited a complete box of mid century Christmas cards a couple years ago, I set one up for this picture.  Each of the 12 cards in the set has a different illustration.

There are a lot of Pyrex snowflake colors,  but it was so dreary out that I had to pick a color that would cheer me up.   Hot lunch for two in Franciscan Oasis with Americana Star flatware.

Oh Tannenbaum - Traditional Noble Fir and Lametta

This year I gave my husband a noble fir for Christmas and used the Lametta (tinsel) we used on our very first Christmas tree together (decades ago) in Germany.  He loves C7 lights on a tree and so do I! I dressed it with vintage ornaments we thrifted together over the years.  He's been so good about me putting up the aluminum trees for years, I wanted to do this just for him.

Vintage Finds - Pyrex, Christmas

I've been thrifting more practical items and trying to keep collectibles to a minimum.  Here are things I couldn't resist!!!

These glass ornaments and bottle brush tree were $1.75 for the bunch.  Great deal!

I often see Ice-O-Mats in various colors with broken blades. This two color with a chubby cutie has perfect blades and fits in with my kitchen decor.

I don't pick up much Pyrex though there always seems to be some out there.  The yellow bowls are from the hard to find 'all yellow' set. I've let go of almost all my bowls, so the butterprint just had to come home with me. All this Pyrex was together at the store so I just scooped it up.

I have collected quite a bit in the way of vintage ornaments and weeded many out so I'm super picky now.  Pink and turquoise are always on the want list. Aren't these wool bluebirds precious????

Lovely boxes of Shiny Brite pink and turquoise balls at real thrift store prices.

Vintage Christmas Decorating and New Drapes - 1958 Ranch

I've been extremely busy with the holiday season here.  I decided to post these pictures of the front room I've been turning into girl vintage.  Last time I posted I was waiting for my drapes.  They are here and hung and I'm so excited.  The room feels so cozy now.

I covered the hearth in Flor carpet tile and topped it with a flokati.  I like that it can be used for seating. The fire place screen was cheaply made and I ended up having to spray it with two different types of gold spray paint. I attached the pink wreath I finally made for myself this summer.  Ubiquitous made in Japan vintage angels and a strand of pine cone lights from the thrifts.

My new drapes.  I was fortunate to have someone offer to sew drapes for me.  I picked a retro style pattern that I felt I could live with a long time and not tire of.

As funny as it might sound, I'm glad I have a tight budget.  I really enjoy the hunt for little vintage treasures.  It's fun to find things you fall in love with that you can get for a few dollars or so.   If I had a much bigger budget, I would find it hard to make decisions on what to buy.

I made this little putz house from an on line pattern a few years ago or so. 

Vintage Style Front Room in my 1958 Ranch

I'm slowly decorating my front room since I decided to go girly with it.  Here are some pictures.  My custom made drapes (sewn by my friend)  are going to be delivered today, so there will have to be an update in the future.

I always work on a budget usually figuring out how I can spend the least amount possible. Some things I found at the thrifts...some things like the Pyrex Starburst and Hip Haven planter were special occasion purchases and the Haegar lamp I got in a trade.  My friend made me pillows from vintage fabric and I made the slip cover from vintage heavy polyester.  Sofa table is actually reconfigured from one unit into two pieces of the same height.  Vintage runner, ceramic figurine and planter are more little thrift store pieces.

The sun came over to this side of the house and lit up my room.  Yes, I already have a tree up and it is only December 1st.  I found this tree and light wheel at a local antique store.  I rarely go to them so I got lucky on this day as they were on sale. Vintage thifty finds and a late 18th century table I brought back from Germany many years ago are all things I've fallen in love with.

Close up of goodies under my tree.  Thrifted items like the German hand embroidered Christmas table cloth, angels and star ornament are typical of the little treasures I love to find.  The bunny ballerina was a stocking stuffer from my husband many years ago. I still have work to do in this room.  I can't wait to hang my new retro drapes!

Evergleam Crimped Aluminum Tree and Turquoise Balls

I'm keeping it simple this year.  My 4' Evergleam aluminum tree with thrifted turquoise glass balls.  I redecorated my front room this year with mid century finds and styles and excited to add the tree this holiday season.  

Thrifty Vintage Christmas - Plastic Deer

Quick post--my days seems all to short.  Hubby spied some vintage deer at the thrift and they ended up on my coffee table with last years bottle brush tree I decorated.

Hazel Atlas Glass Ornament

I made this lovely ornament from a shard of a Hazel Atlas punch bowl.  I continue to receive shards from collectors who can't bring themselves to tossing them in the garbage. I drafted this post last year and never published it.

Vintage Ornament Wreath - Pink and Aqua

I went ahead and worked on what is probably one of the last large wreaths I'll make.  This one is in pink and aqua with vintage reindeer, putz and angel. I'm going to focus on making wreaths smaller than 12 inches as it is easier to ship.

Project -- Vintage Felt Applique Tree Skirt

Christmas day has passed but working on next years felt tree skirt has begun! I have spent the past few years collecting vintage goodies to design and construct my own vintage felt tree skirt. I've aggressively sought out vintage felt, trims, sequins, beads and spangles just for this project. I have never done any felt applique and have been waiting years to give it a try. Here are some pics of what's happening. I've decided to just enjoy designing and completing the ornaments without too much planning. Later on I'll just pick and choose which ones will make it to the skirt.

Half of the fun of making something in a new medium is learning about the process. I love the research and planning stages.

I will finish the red/gold today.  I am just doing whatever comes to me.  I want to enjoy the process and not fret too much over the design.

Vintage Pink Christmas Tree

This is my little 4 foot Evergleam crimped aluminum tree dressed in pretty pink vintage ornaments I have collected over the years.

Bunny from my honey in 1996.