Treasures! Thrifting! Part One

 Hi! Today is Cyber Monday--but you know me, thrifting for long lost treasures is soooo much more fun than point and click and buying something plastic on a kid's Amazon wishlist! Am I right, or what. Though, for sure, the Amazon lists are very efficient and I finished my shopping last night. Most everything arrived already.  Amazon is pretty amazing.

But back to the fun stuff:

Last month my friend visited and we made the long trek to the big thrift shop we love out East. It has been two and a half years since we got together, and before that were the long stay home Covid years. I was so happy to see her. And she brought lovely gifts.
 My favorite soap. Made in Australia.

And a big sparkling jar of Florida seashells and corals--someone's long ago collection, all carefully sorted into two categories, big shells and tiny shells.  I am thinking I may use these unusual shells in a nature sketchbook this winter. The corals especially are so different and worth studying.

\. Then off over the bridges.

We had so much fun! Though this time I was the winner, much to my surprise.

Here's my stack of goodies.

Details---two Staffordshire polychrome plates. 

We never could decide if the main colorway is black, grey or soft green.

Not super old but not new, pre-1910 ish.

More plates, I just fell in 99 cents love. Daisies. 

Doesn't the pattern look American or maybe German/ Austrian? But no, English. So pretty. I only took one plate.

And the wonderful art deco decorative plate. I always say I do not like green, but then--so lush, so dense, so---green. Yes.

Again, provenance was visually misleading as to me it seems Czechoslovakian for sure. But no--again, English. c. 1920-30s

Fun, fairly large, 1970s pitcher, love the watermelon and spongeware decoration. Of no real value but it's going to look so great next summer filled with little American Flags or blue hydrangeas, so summery.

A little bag of glittery pompoms for the craft drawer. Mix with drieds or make a string of acorns cinnamon sticks and these cuties. 50 cents marked down. I've been doing some art projects with friends' small children and I notice little girls do love pompoms, so I tossed it in my shopping cart.

I never buy used personal items like purses or wallets or shoes, but I really needed a crossbody bag for the winter and this one is brand new, lovely soft pebbled leather, tags still on it. An extravagance at 9.99. But well used already, so I am pleased.

I left the best for last--BOWLS!

Little red cutie for Christmas eve charcuterie platter, etc. 99 cents.

And this yellowware mixing bowl. I couldn't belive my eyes when I saw it there on a lower shelf. It's huge, one of the biggest I have, a big bread bowl.

Perfect condition, though i feel it is ''old'' [early 1900s] as there is a patina of use.

And best, the glaze is not the traditional plain yellow clay color. No, this is a pale soft pumpkin color.

[Some winter day I will show you all my pumpkin glazed bowls. I don't just collect the classic if unfashionable yellowware, I buy blue bowls, dark brown, white, pumpkin, and spongeware.]

 

A few things I passed on-

Tiki goblets, how fun for summer parties.

Crystal seashell, so pretty to gather seaglass and shells. Or serve guacamole, or olives?

Heart bowl.

And I lingered much too long over this traditional [cheap?] lamp. The glass base was the most beautiful pale Tiffany aqua, a Bristol blue, and the ribbed design was so pretty. Picture it with a crisp white linen pleated shade? But I don't use traditional lamps in my house, they take up too much space and also gather dust. So, no.

This store is nice but there are no bathrooms! And it's a long drive. 

Tidy, neat and clean. Smells okay.

So we had to park our carts at the register and drive a few blocks to a restaurant where the lady kindly let us use their restroom. That was serendipitous as it was a great future discovery, home cooked Mexican [Mexican-American, really]. It smelled so good and was so warm and inviting. We plan to return in February.

We had reservations at a place back near my house, very highly recommended. Most of our favorite restaurants closed for good during Covid, so I said, ''culinary adventure---let's try it?" But the reality was not so good for us. I swear I read the menu online and they listed usual Long Island fare like blue cheese burgers and fries, etc. But no. A very ethnic cuisine almost entirely fish or seafood. Octopus stew? Um, no. Though I assume the food is very good, not criticizing. My friend ordered the only chicken on the menu [looked delish] and I made do with a lovely lemony Caesar salad and sweet potato fries. 

Enjoy this last lovely week of November. Such beautiful autumn days. I'll be back in a few days with Treasures Part 2, later in the week.

love

lizzy

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

PS Mo had a baby sitter! Worked out very well. He is not used to being home alone for hours, especially at night.

Bramble Blossom Improv

 

Hi! For my regular readers, you may see, and feel free to skip, some now-and-then Bramble Blossoms Improv updates. BBI is Audrey/ Quilty Folks improv/ learning sewalong. Of course all posts end w a beach and a Mo pic to make you smile.

I am as always far far behind. My sketches exist only in my mind. But here is my painting [computer painted] that is my inspiration.

This photo is prob how the flowers' jug will be, but it will be my fave blue and white transferware pitcher instead of my white white ironstone pitcher in the photos. [pattern by sarah Sporrer, another project ongoing]

Tulips in an antique jug on the coffee table are sort of a signature ''lizzy'' thing.

And here is my fabric pull so far. Busting free of Civil War repros and taking joy in color. Perhaps the borders can be a useful, usable blue and white. Who knows.

                                

Pitcher fabric but may be too pale, may re-choose.

Backing fabrics: text neutrals.

Back to our regularly scheduled stuff tomorrow or Monday. Happy Thanksgiving weekend to all.

love,

lizzy

gone to the beach......

Happy Thanksgiving

 

November WalK and Nature Journals

 

Thanksgiving traditions abound, some fairly universal in the US, others more obscure. One of my favorite traditions is my Thanksgiving beach walk. Usually alone, savoring the quiet, the beauty, the ---yes, even the solitude. This lovely poem is from  codlinsandcream2.blogspot.com  's sidebar. HERE

The dim sea glints chill. The white sun is shy,

And the skeleton weeds and the never-dry,

Rough, long grasses keep white with frost

At the hill-top by the finger-post;

The smoke of the traveller's-joy is puffed

Over hawthorn berry and hazel tuft.

I read the sign. Which way shall I go?

From: The Sign Post, by Edward Thomas.

Come walk with me.

Dune harvest.

  I find the soft colors of seed heads and goldenrod so beautiful.

And the air is fresh---breathe deep, feel the sun on your face, hear the waves, listen for the calling of the winter shorebirds.

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Nature Journals, October through mid-November. Maybe more for my own record than of interest to readers. Almost a year now of entries into the tiny perpetual journal. I am looking forward to adding year two.

Cosmos from two years ago, the deck pots keep on giving! And actually are regrowing and quite green now.

Baker Creek Seeds, heirloom seeds.

Acorn. A redo~

The ugly locust tree. Blog friend Nancy says the honey locust trees are golden and beautiful in her yard. I am trying to see their charm.

Ornamental pear tree

                                                                 The black cherry tree:

Pocket finds.

Beautiful large glossy magnolia leaves from who knows where.

Scribble Journal/ Personal Journal: I absolutely couldn't squeeze November and December '23 into Book 2, and so began Book three at such an odd calendar point. The new book is beautiful, with illustrations by Marjolein Bastin. Found online from a used book seller. Pristine.

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Drying gourds as I await large wooden beads to space them on the drying twine. This year is not the best results, they are softening and getting furry! I wash off the mold and hang to continue the process.

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Wishing you all a joyful holiday season.

love

lizzy

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