I wiped away the weeds & foam. / I fetched my sea-born treasures home... Ralph Waldo Emerson







Saturday, December 9, 2017

Christmas Thrifting and Some Snow!


Hi! Only two more weeks til Christmas! I haven't bought any gifts at all. I'm so stressed. And we may have snow! Now snow can be an annoyance, but I love the first snowfall of the year. So exciting, for some reason. Mo and I have been diligently watching out the window, hoping the see the white ''stars'' floating down.



I'm a bit dubious though. With a low of 39* I think it just will be cold rain.



Mo is all set! He's wearing his wind cheater fleece and a glow in the dark ribbed neck warmer from Mel.






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Earlier this week my friend B / Bea came to visit. We always get together for a December holiday visit. And yes, I am not above finding gifty treasures in the thrift shop or discount stores.


We had fun! But no gifts were found, except the finds that I will turn into etsy shop treasures maybe.
Aqua Mason jars.


New , repro. This is the actual color, the camera flash made it look greener in the other pics.


Off brand. Painted or ''enamelled'', not aqua milk glass. But oh my that Tiffany blue, my color! My Kindle is that color, my phone is that color , even my stairs are that color,  you get the idea. Maybe I'll keep one/ sell one?
Sweet little crescent side dish with tiny yellow roses.


The label was covering its makers mark and I briefly saw the word CHINA, said to B, oh look, made in China, not so good. But so sweet? When I got it home I found out it said Carlsbad China, made in Austria. Much better! And what I originally had expected.


It will get a magnet underneath for holding small scissors, thimble, needles. I have a perfect strawberry pin keep to go with it. Maybe some lucky quilter will gift herself?


I always look for project baskets. I love square baskets, they're just right for quilt blocks in work.


This is a faux Nantucket basket.


And this sweet little Vera Bradley-like quilted pouch. Another sewing kit? To tuck in one's project bag, for a quilter on the go? Or for me for the beach?




Look at the adorable gingham lining!


And this is so sweet--an English? ironstone sugar bowl.


 Too bad the lid is missing. It has the most darling violets. I can't wait for it to have a tiny pot of mini  daffs, or blue and yellow crocuses, right after the holidays. In fact I almost bought it a pot of rosemary today, but decided the extra kitchen clutter isn't a good thing right now.


I can't make out the mark, looks like and eagle with the Earth in its claws, crossed flags below. More research needed. The image seems more American than English but the look is classic late Victorian England. [can't you see this as a tattoo!? Grinning skull with screaming eagle above and no doubt Confederate flags below! Though the flags look faintly Stars and Stripes.]


Behind everything is a very nice XXL blue plaid shirt for my Blue Baskets project.



And pans and spatula, brand new. Though I suppose Teflon is a no-no now? And not a great deal, either.  Fail?





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Then we went to Marshall's. I found some gift tags for etsy bags but no family gifts. Instead I got myself these two display pieces for my workroom. The solid one is for works in progress etc; I like to be able to see the ideas I'm planning.  14.oo


This one is larger, a faux window. It can be used to display  a small quilt. I got it just for Mel bec she always wants me to hang up my little quilts, lol.  20.oo









We ended our day with Thai noodle dinners. I had pad thai, B has mee krob. Oh and always spring rollls. We were the last ones at our hole in the wall fav restaurant, long day, late night. Oh those noodles were good on a cold night!
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Tomorrow I am doing some Christmas cooking; Pasta sauce for C. Eve lasagna and the horseradish baste/ rub for the rib roast. These will be frozen. I also got a gluten free sugar cooky mix so my guests maybe will nibble on a cooky. Not sure  how white rice flour, gum something, and other weird ingredients are better than classic flour, cane sugar, vanilla, and butter. A Christmas cooky is a confection of which one eats one or two, once a year...but I am willing to try. [Calorie count is same.]

Have a fun weekend!





love

lizzy

gone to the beach..............