My latest finds and trades - Pyrex, Kitsch and More!

I have to start my post out with two of my cute vintage kitschy pieces!  How about a Kewpie still in the bag and an elephant piggy bank!  I literally took the piggy bank out of the attendant's hand as he was looking for something else in the bin.  And no!  I didn't snatch it out of his hand, I just told him I'd take that for him LOL!

I'm really getting to the point in my Pyrex collecting where I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.  Sure, there are things I don't have that I would like, but  if I had it all, I would miss the thrill of the hunt!  I found some things this week I can use and some things I can trade.

I let go of my red 501s to make a primary refrigerator set for someone else, so running into another pair was great!  Finding the 444 Friendship was an absolute surprise!  I have one piece of Friendship left to find--well, I don't have the promotional Penn Dutch, but I'm happy with what I have.  I do have the red 401 and 024 though!  The green figure, one my husband picked up, is made by Kreiss called Psycho Ceramics which started in the late 50s or early 60s.  There is a whole series of them and he's determined to find more.

Had a bunch of great trades again...

This trade included my first piece towards my first JAJ collection.  It's call Harvest.  I recently won the 472 and 473 size casseroles in an auction and used money in my PayPal from sales to buy it!  I get a kick out of generating funds from my unwanted Pyrex to pay for my trade postage and putting it towards buying something special!

I can't fail to mention this wonderful hand painted porcelain enameled Chinese vase. The colors are vibrant and the detail is executed beautifully!  It stands about 12" tall.  It cost a whopping $5!

 

I'm barely making the deadline to link to Sir Thrift-A-Lot!  But not to worry, we can all visit here at Thriftasaurus and catch up on what everybody else recently found!

Great Week! Anthropomorhpics, Franciscan Starburst, Fire King and Lots o' Pyrex!!!!

My hunting the first few days this week produced some exciting finds, downside was some were a bit on the pricey side for the thrifts.  But sometimes we just gotta bite our lip and pay up!  Here's probably the most exciting find (outside of Pyrex!)  I'm glad I got these finds especially since we have a snow storm and I probably won't be able to go out for a few days.

Aren't these sweet!?  I'll have to give hubby credit for spotting them first.  Can't find a maker on these anthropomorphic salt and pepper shakers marked Japan.  I can find them on the net, but no one seems to know who made them.  There are different color variations, I'm so happy that I got a set that not only has one with eyes open and one closed, but also are in pink and blue!

I told the clerk I needed to run and drop off my donation to get a 20% coupon, even then the set was still over $10 which is the most I've ever spent on salt and pepper shakers.

Another nice find at the same store were these Fire King bowls.  Again, priced high.  I only got 10% off the original price--still over $5 a bowl.  Ouch!!!!  But I knew if I didn't get these I would regret it later.  I have the coffee mugs in the pink/white with the gold trim--I've seen the coffee mug in the turquoise before. Oh how I would love some of those too! These bowls are in excellent shape, otherwise I would have just left them.

And I'm a bit freaked out-- know that sounds melodramatic, but I found two pieces of Franciscan Starburst AGAIN!!   I go years without finding a piece in the wild and then in 8 days I pick up 3 bread plates and a cup at different stores in different towns.  Anyway, got these two minty butter plates for 89 cents each! How I would love to find more!

I also found a buddy for my blue puppy Jean-Claude, well, that's what I'm calling him.  I found this sweet long bodied deer salt shaker for 89 cents.

I'm posting at Pyrex Collective III today as it doesn't look like I'll be out to find anything before Sunday. The snow keeps coming down.  You can see my exciting haul here.

Linking up with Sir-Thrift-A-Lot at thriftasaurus!

Vintage Tao Fong Shan Porcelain Lazy Susan

I have to quickly post this item!  I emailed these pictures to my friend last night--had to share!  I found this porcelain lazy Susan tray set yesterday at the thrift and it was made sweeter with a 25% discount.  I have a weakness for Asian porcelain and there was no way I was going to pass up this hand painted set from Tao Fong Shan!  I've wanted one of these for years, at least 10 I think (longer probably), but I WAS NOT going to buy one on line with shipping costs etc.  I'm glad I waited, this is gorgeous!

Peonies and Lotus, the 7 pieces fit into the tray.

 

This is part of the detail of the lid. The lacquered box is exquisite as well!

I told my friend that I am already planning tea with her and I'm going to fill it with special goodies for the two of us!  We don't get to spend enough time together and when we do, we eat and talk for a good couple hours.  Cant wait!

Boo! Sweet Vintage Baby Ghost

 

Hubby spied this cute little baby ghost amongst all the Halloween junk at the thrift.  I couldn't resist this little sweetie!  It has the sticker  'Originals by Erika Japan' and what appears to be the remnants of a Woolworth price tag.  Looks like it could be porcelain and  is about 2.5" tall. 

Happy Halloween!

Vintage Wall Art -- Paintings

I'm always looking for stuff to hang on the walls when I hit the thrift.  And I'm always delighted when I find something that appeals to me!  And I'm thoroughly giddy when it's dirt cheap! Being a lifelong amateur artist myself, I look for things that inspire me and as an artist.  Here is a large painting I purchased for $9.99!  It is wonderfully rendered, professionally framed and the choice of framing material is perfect.  The painting has very nice brush and palette knife work.  Even more, it works with the decor in our den which sways Danish modern.  The cognac color banding in the frame of the painting matches the color of our Norwegian leather Ekornes recliner--love it when things come together!

 

Though I posted the following in a previous blog post, now that I've hung them on the wall I couldn't help but snap a pic!  Here is the set of 1950s Japanese hand painted porcelain tile paintings.  These were sold separately and I managed for get all four at once for $3.99 each.  I have this mentality when I go to the thrifts that I don't spend in the double digits for a single item--so I wrangled with the fact the set cost me $15.96.   Sometimes I can be such a cheapskate--sigh.  But I absolutely LOVE these!!!!!

Vintage Napco Figurine - The Joy of Rescuing (and New Finds)

Can't believe the weeks have gone by and I haven't posted even once yet in December.  There has been a lot of hunting for vintage Christmas goodies.  I've got bitten by the vintage putz houses and I started making my first one yesterday.  Then there is the kit I'm building to make a vintage felt and sequin wall hanging (or something) fashioned after this really nice mid century tree skirt I saw online.

We have bought more Christmas (vintage) stuff than I would have imagined.  Below are some of the ceramics we just couldn't pass up.  Three music boxes that my husband would not leave the store without-- and at 2.99 and .99 I couldn't say no.  They are adorable!  There is the Santa that circles over the house with Mrs. Santa functioning as the flagger, the swinging Santa and the Santa on the rocking reindeer.  The figurines were reasonable at .49, .99, and the angel with the accordion was my splurge at 3.99.  Unfortunately, the little girl holding the candle is/was broken, but I fixed that (see below).  The yellow angel is missing part of her wing, what a shame.  I passed her up a couple times.  In the meantime I repaired the other figurine and since it came out so well, I told my husband if the .49 cent broken angel was there I would get it and try and repair it.  It wasn't there that day, but a couple days ago he found it in an odd spot, so I got her.  The angel with the red cape was very faded so I diluted some red acrylic paint and freshened up her flocking.

 
The object missing from this 1958 Napco little girl's hand appears to be freshly broken off (we think while handled at the thrift store).  She is so precious, I just couldn't leave her on the shelf.   I suspected she was holding a candle and  I searched on line to find out I was right.

I molded a candle and holder from polymer clay--mine is a bit Suess-ish, but I like it.  I only had red, blue and yellow clay, so I used the red.  Below, painted and varnished, I'm very happy with the results.  On to the angel with the broken wing.  I'm expecting a challenge with that as it is broken half way down and it will be hard to disguise where the old and new materials meet. 

More Cute Critters!

Been busy lately,  posting to my blog has been on the bottom of my list.  I downloaded some pictures off my camera, they've been on there for awhile.  A salt and pepper shaker pair and three lamby-kins.  They are so darn cute!!!  Here they are drying off after a bath. All five pieces cost me $3.50.  Beats those auctions site prices!

Sing and Dance! Beautiful Hand Painted Japanese Tiles

The score of the day!  This find made my day!  Still pinching myself.  This is a vintage set of 4 hand painted porcelain tiles.  Each framed panel consists of 3 separate tiles.  Overall measurement of each is approximately 3.75" by 18.75".  I've been searching high and low for art for the walls and it has been slow.  Finally, finally a fantastic find.  Price? $3.99 each. 

I've found some really nice oil paintings also--I'll need to post some of them soon.

Limoge Shakers - Art Deco

Couldn't resist these hand painted art deco Limoge shakers with their blue and red arrows and gold tops.  The price was too right!

Vintage Clock - I Love Lucy!

Good golly!  I have been neglecting my blog!  The new job has put a wrench in my routine, and though I have still been hitting the thrifts at least once a week, I just haven't found time to post any of my finds.  I was just too excited about my latest that I have to tell somebody!

 

I actually bought this non-working clock about a month ago.  Hubby gave me that "are you serious" look when I showed it to him.  He's named it the I Love Lucy clock, because the cherubs remind him of Lucille Ball. The back is inscribed with gold ink "1956". It is exquisitely hand painted and a $4.99 find.

Today he found a working vintage clock so I got it in hopes I could swap out the innards.   Not only does it run, but it has a much nicer face with a second hand and radium painted hands.  I absolutely love this clock.  It's one of my most favorite finds! Oh and, apparently the clock has grown on my husband.

Coordinating my Finds

 (Cat planter and fish salt shaker, Harmony House pottery dinner plate)

 (Lefton dogs, spaghetti poodles and glass chrysanthemums)

My finds are pretty much limited to the thrift shop.  I can't justify buying inexpensive things on line and paying a bunch of postage.  It's kinda neat though--because I'm more limited to what I can buy, I have an easier time deciding on what I will get.  Here are a couple shelves on the wall in my family room.  I have my vintage finds on them and I do change things around periodically.  The Lefton elongated dogs were the most expensive find, but still under $10.  The other items are in the 99 cent to $3 range. I found the glass mums today!  I've always liked jade trees, so I was really excited to find this pot of mums.  They are really nice!

 

(wall at night with up lighting)

Vase and Vikings

I have a weakness for Asian cherry/plum blossom designs.  Spotted this vase at the thrift store.  It wasn't a giveaway , but it was very reasonable and I just had to have it.  The stand I purchased on ebay from a gentleman in England about 10 years ago.  I was elated that the vase fit into it!

It was my lucky day when I found a bag of wood Vikings at Goodwill.  I knew my husband would like them.  Here are a couple of my favorites.  I call them Laurel and Hardy.