A Little This and That

I learned how to care for an orchid after receiving one from my neighbor a couple years ago.  I finally decided I've graduated to owning more than one.  Our bargain market store had some for $9.99 today and I got one.  It was all white, all pink or this combination which I chose.

After years of dreaming, I ran into the chance to pick up a round Fire King peach blossom refrigerator dish.  These are the only dishes I am aware of, that have the lids with starbursts.

A little lunch in a Pyrex pixie dish this week.  A little pixie that my neighbor brought over.

I've been keeping thrift store finds to a minimum.  Going less frequently helps.  I did find a couple keepers.  Lovely California pottery dish with roosters and 67 pieces of Oneida Community flatware.  

Pyrex in Action - Blue Delphite 501

I've always been partial to vintage Pyrex refrigerator dishes.  This is the blue delphite that was sold in Canada. I made home made sweet potato chips with freshly made guacamole today!

Admiring Some Bits of Vintage

When the sun lights up my front room I can't help but look at some of my favorite pieces of vintage.

Pyrex and Westclox...

Pink Cathrineholm, Haeger lamp, German table cloth and Japanese ceramic deer.

Colorful Vintage on My Table - Cathrineholm

My kitchen table...

Dream Find!

It's really heating up in our parts.  Was out early to make it home by noon.  I'll not complain about summer though!! Little bit of stuff going on like how  I was happy as punch to pick up this vintage bullet planter locally. A very reasonable price at that!

I captured a moment in the kitchen.  Freshly picked cherry tomatoes in a vintage pottery bowl.

After finding pink Hazel Atlas crinoline dishes at the thrift, I traded for bowls, cups, saucers and a salad plate.

I was dusting my china cabinet and admiring my pretty little things.

I've been doing some exchange work for glass as well as filling custom requests.  Of course I always enjoy a challenge and keeping my hands busy is just what I do.

Sometime these little Pyrex pendants remind me of candy :0)

Summer the End of Spring Cleaning

I've been taking it easy--well as easy I can being me. My hands suffered incredibly from these weeks of cleaning out, cleaning, moving heavy things like 1000+ books...more than once and the list goes on. I've been minding my poor little hands trying to give them a break this week. Putting off installing my curtain rods until the last minute. I went through every room in my house and lastly the garage. While I was at it, I revamped my bench space adding more storage area and decorating a little to make it more homey! I like for my garage to be just another room in the house.

Yesterday I gave this sad fireplace screen a paint job. Like they say, you get what you pay for and being girl on a tight budget I have to make due. Part of my front room makeover includes my fireplace. We don't use it, perhaps one day I'll get one of those cool Optimyst inserts!!! Anyway, I liked the mid century feel of this screen--some spray paint really perked it up.

Can't believe I pretty much spent the month of June cleaning through my house, I didn't get out  a lot as I was trying to accomplish so much.  Looking through my pictures I do see I made some things...

A gift... Pyrex Verde earrings.

A custom ornament...

An exchange....yes, sadly someone lost their Pyrex Rooster spacesaver 

Another custom ornament....

Found some bargains thrifting...

I pick up Melmac for a friend, got these Pyrex/Corelle knock off Termo Rey plates for myself.  Something we can use in the microwave instead of our pottery dishes.  We don't use the microwave often, but these come in handy.

It's rare I find pink Pyrex that's not destroyed at the thrifts..but I did!

I squeezed in a couple trades...couldn't resist people contacting me and offering me Cathrineholm for my Pyrex.  This lovely 9.5" bowl is the first for me in the small leaf pattern, it's beautiful and in such excellent condition. And the teapot is so cute--nice size.

My Vintage Dishes

My tea cart..

Sunny Days!

The weather has been changing a lot lately, but the days are getting longer which means I get even more done.  I've planted lettuce starts, snowpeas, strawberries and there is much more to do in the yard!

I've had the best of luck on trades without even trying.  A couple items were offered in exchange for pieces of my handmade jewelry and a couple for some kitsch I had.

A trade that included an Anna Marie enameled plate and another Hocking Glass bowl in a  color I don't have was so exciting.  Sharing my Hocking glass collection on Facebook and here has meant more interest and so it makes it more competitive for me to get additional pieces.  My collection pictures have become a resource for others, but I love to share so it's something I have to accept.  Fortunately I've built relationships with people over the past couple years and they keep a lookout for me.   Finds included Pyrex 045 promotional casserole, Hazel Atlas dish and a cute little donkey.

I've been kept busy with custom orders of my handmade vintage jewelry....

And exchanges....

And I wired my test design bracelet in 935 sterling and waiting on the clasps to arrive. This piece is 8" which is too large for me so I'm starting a second one...

And as always, my days include vintage dishware in the kitchen. I've been trying to decide which direction this is going as I still feel like I have too much in the kitchen cabinets.

Even though I'm not the estate sales type shopper, I did make an exception to snag this vintage lava light for hubby for his birthday thanks to a fellow local collector who gave me a heads up!  Hubby is thrilled about it.

More pictures than words, but such is my life!  haha!

Vintage Dishes!

I gave my kitchen a good cleaning a few days ago and was in the mood to change up my vintage glass display. Needed something a little less visually busy so I went for sorting by color. Here is the orange shelf.  I thrifted these made in occupied Japan salt and pepper shakers recently. They are so nicely done and since I don't have any roosters or chickens in my kitsch collection, I found these to be a wonderful example to add to it.

A view of the entire shelf.

I got in some trading over the last few months.  I'm very selective anymore. I have a lot of glass.  I've resorted to selling some.

The day I found the the chicken and rooster salt and pepper shakers, I also received a trade in the mail and an  Hocking Glass carafe I stumbled across on line.  I generally don't shop on line, but it just so happened that I was a little bored one evening and did a little window shopping.

I have never run into a Bartlett Collins cookie jar at the thrifts until recently, two in less than a week. Fortunately they are two different sizes.  One of the big ones is enough--it is huge! Some other vintage thrift store finds...