Time passed and then there was jadite.....

I've Been....Working!

I realize it's been a while since I've posted to my blog.  After a year and a half of enjoying exchanging for vintage glass shards from other collectors and making numerous jewelry items in return, I amassed  an inventory of shards in a wide range of patterns. I've been making exchange pieces, custom pieces and just pieces I want to make. It's been hectic, fun and rewarding.  I'll post some of my favorites.

Pyrex Brides 474 promotional casserole pendant.  Customer request.

Sears Maid of Honor mixing bowls. I received shards through an exchange.  The sender loved the picture of the pendant and requested matching earrings.

Request for solid pink Pyrex earrings. These are from a mixing bowl

I was in the mood to make a cheerful pair of earrings from the Pyrex New Dots 401 bowl.

I laid in bed unable to sleep one morning and designed these, a few hours later I was on the bench starting them.  Pyrex Spring Blossom 475 casserole in the second design version.

A Pyrex 575 space saver in the turquoise Snowflake pattern in earrings. It's one of my customers favorites and I can see why.

Some of the Pyrex Early American pieces have a kitty in the pattern.  Here are a few from several different dishes.

Pendants in the Spring Blossom and Trailing Flowers bowl and casserole.

 These earrings from the Pyrex 043 Golden Bouquet casserole dish were made by request to match a pendant purchased from my Etsy shop.

Another requested pair of Golden Bouquet earrings.

The shards get smaller...another set of Golden Bouquet.

I've made numerous pairs of earrings from Pyrex Pink Gooseberry dishes.  It's been the most popular to date.  These are small, smaller than a dime.

A variety of glass patterns from Pyrex, Australian Pyrex and Hazel Atlas (red maple).

 Pyrex Orange Daisy and White Snowflake...

I offer larger pendant ornaments as well as jewelry pendants when I do glass exchanges.  Not every collector wears pendants.  It's a lot of fun for me to see what comes in the end.  Pyrex 473 Pink Gooseberry.

 Pyrex Woodland casserole .

I managed to make something in anticipation of a holiday, which is today. This is from the 444 size Pyrex JAJ Shamrock chip and dip bowl.

I had the shards for a year, It was fun to have them in the hands of others well before St. Patrick's Day.

Naturally all those other things in my life continue..house and home and my corgi who makes sure he's the priority!!!

My New Girl - Anchor Hocking

I am over the moon!!!!  I found a lid last year and I knew exactly what it went to.  I really never thought I'd be so lucky to get the bottom.  I got the bug to ask in one of the Pyrex groups if anyone had ANY pieces to this pattern.  Lo and behold, I was offered the mate to my lid.  It is Anchor Hocking, painted on clear glass in a beautiful orange red.  The pendant light on my table just makes it glow.  I haven't found or traded for anything exciting in quite sometime.  Kinda of glad I haven't, it makes this that much more exciting! This piece is a generous 9.5" in diameter.

This Week's Goodies

Another week, another bit of thrifting and another handful of finds.  I also did a bit of Pyrex trading, lots of fun and lots of work!  I simply haven't had time to also post on the Pyrex blog with all my finds.  It's all I can do to get things washed up and put away.

I resisted a lot of kitsch this week.  Had to nix a number of things hubby brought to show me.  I'm staying strong!  But of course, something always seeps in anyway.

Check out the kangaroo with the wild rhinestone eyes!  And the little babies that look like fruit bats.  It's one of those 'it's so ugly it's cute' kinda things.  For old times sake, we couldn't leave this nicely made in Japan confirmation figurine.  And also in the picture is a Fire King lidded jar.

I've never seen one of these jars, never knew they existed.  I'll guess it's 5" in diameter.  It's in great shape.  I need to go look it up, see if there are other colors and sizes.

I picked up 3 of these iridescent drinking glasses.  I found one about a year and a half ago, now I have four.  They were cheap and a good size for everyday use.  Hoping to find more since I know they'll fall victim to getting broken.

One little Easter piece this week and I was thrilled to find it.  I need to get a pastel pillar candle for this sweet make in Hong Kong candle ring.  It has flying flocked ducks and flocked eggs--it was 40 cents!

Oh and hubby found me a cute little vintage bunny from Japan, she's in my new blog banner!

It wasn't a lot this week but certainly enough!  I still have to sort through and thin out some stuff that I never got around to this week.

I'm linking up with Sir-Thrift-A-Lot at thriftasaurus, he's having a party over there where you can check out everybody's vintage finds for the week! Check it out here!

Fruity Vintage Finds and a Handful of Characters!

Thought I'd post some of the little fun stuff we found recently.  Trying to hold back on the kitsch, but some things are just too cute.  I'm still working on thinning out some of my stuff!

But wait!

I have to interrupt this draft post to update and include my most recent find! Just got home an hour ago, wasn't feeling so hot today, but we went to a few thrifts.  Last one, I'm standing in the aisle looking at pots and hubby says "now, contain yourself". And oh my gosh--from behind his back he brings out a pair of mermaids!!!!  This is the first time we have ever run into any and save a small chip, they are perfect.  The fish have a pearlescent finish, they are marked Japan and appear to be either Norcrest or Lefton.  They came from one of our thrifts that prices things reasonably, so that made it even sweeter! I can't wait to get these hung up!  I'm so excited! 

Picked up this sweet Hazel Atlas apples bowl.  It is so tall and narrow!  I don't need any more mugs, but this flower footed Fire King mug is the first I've ever seen.  A slice of lime Wondermold trivet.

What luck!  I found the whole set of these made in Japan vintage ceramic towel holders.  They are flawless  and the price was nice!

 I couldn't pass up this Fire King Gay Fad loaf pan,--so pretty!

Here's one of the vintage Easter pieces hubby found, love it! It's about 4" tall.

These little devil salt/pepper shakers still have their Japan paper labels and their chenille stem tails.  Unfortunately their pitch forks are missing.  Guess making a couple of those will go on my to do list!

These vintage Enesco shakers are too funny, I picked them up for a friend.  I remember my mom's friend at the age of 45, getting pregnant.   They had 3 children already, the oldest was 20--they were "done".  Well, mom said she wasn't too happy when she got pregnant, imagine how she felt to find out she was going to have twins!

I'm linking up with Sir-Thrift-A-Lot at thriftasaurus.  I have to hop over there and see all the neat stuff people are posting this week! Click the link and you can see what's happenin' too!!

Practical Thrifty Finds!

My main focus when I go  into the thrift store is first on vintage things I collect.  I have a list of practical items I keep a look out for like vacuum cleaner bags, household things like light bulbs, dusting clothes etc. One of the things we have found at the thrift are cardboard coasters.  These are a staple in our house.  One of those things I grew up with (like house shoes) and even hubby has become accustomed to using them through the decades of our marriage.  Those coasters I've picked up haven't worked out, they get moldy and don't last very long, so we use them only a short period of time.

My friend asked me what I wanted her to bring me back from her trip to Germany and I said 'deckels'.  She brought me some from the various establishments they dined at and we used those until they disintegrated!  Well, yep, when hubby was bored waiting for me to finish looking at stuff at one of our dry thrifts, he came to me with this!

This is great! Two packages of German restaurant deckels, each have 100 deckels in them!  And the Paulaner is special to me--I have many memories and connections to Munich.  Thrift price of $3 a stack was a little shocking, but they will last us a long long time! (Do I sound cheap?)

One of my other practical items I've been on the look out for is an everyday set of drinking glasses.  Naturally, I don't want just any drinking glasses, I want something that would go along with my dishes. I don't look every time I walk into a thrift, but I did today and found some I couldn't pass up (even if I thought they were priced high).

I don't know that they are old.  They have that 50s kind of feel.  There are 8 of them -- it was nice to get so many at once.  I think they go great with my Grant Crest Tempo and Vernonware pottery dishes as well as my Fire King mugs!

Franciscan in the Air! (and other miscellaneous finds...)

I've picked up some things the past few days.  A lot of looking, but there wasn't much out there.  That was okay because I found some Franciscan pottery, the patterns I won't pass up.  It's hard for me to come across the pieces of Franciscan I'm interested in (or weak for), so any of those finds are always great finds for me!

I will pick up any pieces of Franciscan Duet that I come across.  Of course, Starburst and Oasis are at the top of my list, but I never expect to see them.  I got this divided child's plate in Duet.  I'll use it for a relish dish.  I will pick pick ANY Franciscan pottery mugs when I find them, again--it's rare I run into any.  I found these two Autumn Leaves patterned mugs for 89 cents each!!! I have one already, that brings me to three!

Kitsch is always in order.  Hubby picked up these guys.

Cute Napco mouse piggy bank and a porcelain whale diving into a wave.  There are no markings on the whale thingy, I haven't tried to look it up, but it's just cute.  We'll have to work that into the marine themed bathroom.

I found a couple cute things myself...

Who could pass up a reclining Kewpie?  Well I did, last week.  It was priced way too high.  Someone must of donated a collection as they had them all up on the glass case.  I just happened to see this one in the toy section yesterday, guess it got dumped there once it went half price.  I also got this Fire King cup for 40 cents.  It's very brightly colored and cheery (picture isn't so good).  I'm planning to make a little Easter decoration with it.

I got Pyrex thrifting and at the antique/vintage malls.  I posted those at the Pyrex Collective here if you wanna see!

I'm linking up with Sir Thrift-A-Lot at Thriftasaurus, he's got some sweet finds posted today!

Well Eat my Words! My Coolest Find Today!

In my last post I recall saying I tend not to buy Glasbake.  Well, now I know why!  I haven't been fortunate enough to run into this gem that I found today!  Now I have to go research Glasbake patterns--gotta know what else I've been missing!

Yep!  I found this beauty starburst/snowflake patterned dish! Fortunately there is a Pin on Pinterest that shows one of these with the lid and I'll be on the hunt for it!  I really think I've seen one before, but that was months and months ago at the very least.  I also picked up a Fire King Primrose patterned dish, it was cheap and I like this pattern and colors.  My other cool find for a mere 40 cents is a Dream Pet Valentine's squirrel!  It was the first thing I found today and was totally fine if I didn't find anything else.  Couple of cute little vintage pottery Easter chicks for decorating.

I went to put the squirrel on the shelf and realized I had not included the Napco July angel in my last post.  I have a December one too.  Hope I run into to some of the other months.

I got a package of mixed cards yesterday that had these oh so 70s cards. The card stock is embossed like linen.

 

Oh so cute!!

Hubby came to me with an excellent find.

This is a set of four framed Uchida (of Koyto, Japan) vintage Christmas card woodblock prints.  They are outstanding. The backgrounds are all gold.  The colors are beautiful.   Whoever owned these had them nicely framed in gessoed frames.  They were kinda spendy for the thrift--$18 for the set, but of course still a great bargain! We are so pleased to give them a new home!

It's been non-stop today.  Tomorrow I'm going to try to squeeze a two pound sausage into a one pound casing.  I'm finally putting the majority of the Christmas decorations back in the Christmas closet!! 

Star of the Show - Pyrex is a Hit at Movie Night

Friday night and us boring folk took to our recliners to rest our dogs and fill our bellies!  We hit the thrifts all afternoon and stopped by the store on the way home to pick up deli chicken and a bag of those frozen fries (never had them before, but they were pretty good!)  Yes, this is our idea of partying on a Friday night.  I think there was even pop from our soda maker.  This activity was accompanied by an old corny monster movie which will remain nameless.  It was a great Pyrex hunting day and how better to celebrate but to enjoy our grub in a couple Pyrex divided dishes!

Pyrex Finds of the Day! Yipee!!

Boy was I jonesin' to find some Pyrex today!  We are going everyday this week as a blowout before school starts next week and hubby is busy teaching.  After a couple days of nothing, I was literally getting anxious!  Still didn't have much luck here in town so we went to our neighboring town about 10 miles away and had some success.  I was so excited to get some nice colors and patterns (other than Butterfly Gold and Spring Blossom)!

Pyrex, Need I Say More?

Okay, it's no secret I'm a Pyrex addict.  How bad my addiction is--I don't know.  Wonder if someone has a self test out there.  Having come to terms with this fact, I have decided I am going to openly celebrate my Pyrex!!!  I'll refrain from shouting from the roof tops, but I am going to shamelessly start posting my hoard.  I might add that dear hubby hasn't helped any in this as he has really come to enjoy hunting for it with me.  He gets such a thrill when he comes around a corner and holds up a find that he's pretty sure I'll go nuts over--yesterday it was a pink gooseberry Cinderella bowl!

I have this really nice sized peninsula in my kitchen where I display some of my Pyrex. We use it daily--it's right there and handy.  I like to change it every so often. I don't buy mine to look at, I buy it to use and enjoy!   I'm going to snap a pic and post when I put up new patterns and colors.  Here are my turquoise...Butterprint and Snowflake collection so far.  I'm missing the two smallest Cinderella bowls and have only one mixing bowl in this pattern.  There is much to find yet!  I'm behaving myself and only buying thrift stores finds and no Ebay or Etsy!!!! 

A Few Vintage Finds

Quick couple of posts today, seems like it takes me forever to getting around to posting these days.  I've been working in the garden a lot, but it still hasn't stopped us from hitting the thrifts.  Hubby found this this super cute frog napkin holder (Sears 1970s) that he sternly let me know was going home with us.  Fortunately, I was able to swap out the vintage acrylic napkin holder that we were using to hold the coffee filters with Mr. Frog.  I'm working really hard to ONLY buy things we will actually use!  You can also see these other items I found a while back.  The salt shaker of a garlic bulb with a close pin on his nose has such character.  I set it atop a vintage lidded glass container I use to keep my garlic.  It works like charm!  There is a knob handle set inside the depression in the glass which fortunately is deep enough for the shaker to rest in.  There is no makers mark on the glass.  The lower half of the container is painted butter yellow.  I love it!

Busy Bees and more!

It was a fun day thrifting and going out to lunch.  The weather is beautiful!  I was good and spent about $6 on the following.  It was stuff I just refused to pass up!

I have a weakness for textiles and these two vintage bee towels are painfully cute!  And we know my Pyrex weakness.  Hubby came to find me with this snowflake refrigerator dish (including lid) at 99 cents, well that's enough to make any Pyrex addicts day!  Salem North Star saucer at 49 cents. I have some of the hottest 50s pottery patterns and one Hopscotch sugar bowl bottom.  I don't NEED any thing else, but I just had to have this one North Star piece!

While I'm here, I'll add a barkcloth curtain I bought on line.  I deconstructed it and am considering resewing it into a valance.  This fantasic pattern is labeled as "Cynda".

Did Someone Say Fire King??? Pyrex???

I hit one of my least favorite thrift stores last Saturday.  They had 50% off everything and I didn't expect to find anything.  I find them to have a lot of junk and be very over priced.  Well slap me silly!  They apparently stocked for this sale and look what I found!!!

Not only did I find these beautiful pink and white gold trimmed Fire King mugs, but I got 6 of them!!!  I'm still dancing and singing over this find  Oh wait, let's not forget...for a total of... $2.94!!

Here are a couple more of the 49 cent Fire King mugs...one is the older 1940s "Ivory".  It is a touch larger and heavy (thicker).  Hubby likes these better for himself than the pink.  A very large custard glass salt shaker, more than I wanted to pay ($2.49), Tupperware measuring spoons (excellent condition in my shade of green) 99 cents, and two Irish linen towels that were previously in an antique store and claim to be hand drawn, 2 for 98 cents.

Last but not least, the Pièce de résistance.  One of my favorite Goodwill stores didn't let me down this trip--this Pyrex addicts one most sought after collections--the primary color refrigerator dish set, for $12!  And in absolutely beautiful condition, hardly a scratch and no chips to the lids!!!  I'm in heaven!