Artistic Landscape and Happiness

I can't resist art at the thrifts. Today's find came from Holy Family's store. I knew I liked it, and when I got to the counter to pay, the ladies both pointed at the signature and shared a happy glance. We were all yacking, and I forgot to ask them about that. My thrifting friend Marion is a member of that church, so when she called me when I got home, I mentioned the art. She was thrilled. Apparently the artist, "DeCapite" is a friend of hers, and long time church member and lifelong artistst! Marion can't wait to come over and photograph the painting, as she will see this lady this week at the assisted living where she has now moved! I have it in mind to make a gift of this beautiful painting to Marion. Though I love it, she knows the artist and loves her. I don't think I can keep this one, but I am so happy to have found it.

Random thrift junk

We decided to stop in the Animal Shelter Thrift Store today on the way home from lunch and found all this great junk:
Stephen has actually been wanting this silly carrot for some time. Not sure why? Today I finally let him have it, if you want a 25cent carrot for long enough I'll buy it for you.
And what do you do with an enormous white tiger? You give it to this guy! Ethan has a huge collection of tigers, but this is his first white one.
Other than that I got a bunch of random books, Brian got a few ties and I got one length of cute fabric. Not a bad haul.

I need to start bringing a camera right into the store. There was this thing Kim would have freaked for. It was an old cashregister. Like really super old with stand up keys and I honestly couldn't quite figure out how it was used, it hand a pull down crank and all. Interestingly, it was in the "office supplies" section, not the "adorable antique" section. As if someone was to come along and buy it for their store or something. I wish I could have taken a photo.

OH and Brian went back and got some edger trimmer thingie for the yard. So that's a good find too.

Happy times on two dollars

Yesterday my boys and I went to Goodwill. The first thing we found was a Thomas the train take a long set- with lots of extra trains! All for $1.98! If you know anything about Thomas you know an incredible deal this is! I happen to have a Thomas FREAK in my house!














- it folds in the middle to take with you!













-close up of Harold and his friends

Next was my favorite find. First, let me start by saying ...I love fall and I love watercolor. So when I found this water color painting of a fall scene...I got weak in the knees! It was only a $1.98 too!




















Hope to hit some more sales this weekend! Wish me LUCK!

Big Bowl, Little Bowl, Big Mistake.....

So today I had a happy thrift expedition with Pat. She got loads of books and a great tea towel. I found, first, the big bowl. It weighs a ton, is extra large and has seashells all over it. Seafood salad at a party? Pasta salad on surf and turf night? Great deal. Then I found the little bowl which didn't photograph too well, but it has fleur d'lis and pressed roses all around it! It is beautiful. And the little one was only $1.00. Katie loves all things French, and cranberry sauce, so I guess this is going to be how I serve her holiday sauce. Then the mistake.

I am almost out of gas. I think I have to call Triple A soon if I don't get gasoline. I go to a Citgo and the pumps will not reset or read my card. I'm flustered, so I leave, drive five miles and find a Hess which would have been perfect ($4.01????) but realize, I left my gas cap at Citgo. So I put some gas in the car and drive five miles back north and - no gas cap at the station. So, it's somewhere on US1. I look. Nowhere to be found. So now it's time for a trip to Napa Auto Parts, which, luckily, had my gas cap for a mere $6.37. I'm happy about this, but it sucked the joy out of my thrifty bargains. Oh well. I never have done that before, zoomed off in a huff and left the gas cap on the trunk. Live and learn. Nice bowls though.....

Hand Made Envelopes

First I'd like to note that this post introduces a new category label for us. Both Kim and I make lots of handmade items from our thrift finds, so we have decided that it's appropriate to share some pics of those too. We both do have blogs dedicated to our crafts if you want to see more. :) So the new category is "Thrift Creations".

And here is mine for today. I found this book at the flea market. (which was suprisingly fantastic this weekend, I could have stayed there all day) I then made this stack of handmade envelopes from the pages inside. There are tons more pages, I just did the ones for the 3 Bears story. Isn't the art on this book fantastic?

Santa, Sauce Bowl, Ashtray

I ended up at Gary's Old Curiosity Shop yesterday. He's going out of business, for a while anyway, and having 50% off everything in the store. I've been looking at this old 1950s Santa in there for a while and at half price, well.... And the sauce bowl/gravy boat is just like the one I grew up with, so that is handy. I didn't need the ashtray, but it has pressed roses on it and I do love roses. Big day of shopping, $6.00 grand total.

Gump in English and Cap and Plate

Today, I had to go to Stuart on business. And there are great thrift stores there, so Pat joined me. She got a very cool Hello Kitty umbrella and a good quilt book. I was so happy to be done with my business, I enjoyed the thrifting later than she did. ( Or else Erin, I would never have let her get away with a 50 cent Hello Kitty Umbrella!!!) Anyhow, I got a neat book for myself, no photo, and I got Jeff an English version of Winston Groom's "Gump Ka Kumppani". Too funny, he got it on vacation because of the "Gump" in the title, and I found it later... anyway, one of his favorite movies. Turns out, this is the sequel to Forrest Gump. He will be thrilled.

And, I found a ball cap. Jeff wears them from time to time, but for a whole dollar, I got it. "Brown and Brown" turns out to be an insurance company specific to the real North. Anyway, Jeffrey, today was all about you.

And the plate: My pattern but pastel green. Hmm... And really Buffalo China. Pat found it to give me and says, "Well honey, it's Florida Green".... That works for me.