Thrift Scores ~ Dishes and Light switch plates

G and I went to a local thrift store to look for supplies for a project (I promise to post it soon as we're finished). While we were there I found another set of dishes and fell in love. Because the pattern looked rubbed in places and I because I was trying to be frugal I only bought two. I planned to use them decoratively but then once they had been through the dishwasher they didn't look so bad after all. So I went back to buy the rest because I figure since there already a bit used looking it wouldn't matter so much if they get broke or chipped. Sure enough the first time I used them one of the kids dropped one, he was worried he had broken it I kept reassuring him that I paid only .50 cents for the plate and it was no big deal. He hadn't broken after all. I bought 6 plates, 6 salads, and 4 fruit bowls for $14.

For me that's the great part of thrifting. If it gets broke I haven't lost something valuable and I get to go shopping again *smile*

When I went back to get the plates I discovered another great thrift score. The store had a

whole display of light switch covers of different styles. I bought 4 ceramic covers for $2.50 each. I would have bought more but these were the only styles they had that would fit my switches and my decor.

Before

These are plastic but at least they're not pretentious like the fake brass switch plates (they further down in this post). Please ignore the peeling paint, we had a very mischievous cockatiel for awhile and just haven't had the time to repair the damage.

After

Before

Ugly pretentious brass switch plates.

After

Pretty ceramic switch plates.

Aren't they nice? I think they look so much better than the others, btw I did not choose those fake brass plates, I think they look tacky. I'm a bit of a purist and if I had decided on brass I would have bought brass, not fake brass. The fake brass plates begin to rust over time and rust is not a petina I care for no matter how fashionable it may be right now.

Another view of the after.

PS; the curtain is tied that way to keep the cats from

shredding it while trying to look out the door.

I'm adding this to BNOTP for Met Monday. There's lots of great transformation so go check them out.

Hot Peppers

For the past couple of summers G and I have been selling produce grown in our garden at the local farmers market. We usually only sell for a couple of months when the tomatoes are producing at their peak. Once they start to slow down I don't have so much excess so we call it quits until the next summer rolls around.

Last year I also did very good business with hot peppers. Most of the vendors don't offer hot peppers because for some reason this area hasn't caught onto the love of hot foods, ( I mean the truly tongue blistering hot that some crave). And I will have to clarify this by saying hot is not my favorite flavor either but G loves it, so we grow them. I figure to each their own and with the turn over I was doing in peppers last year I decided to look into other ways to use and sell hot peppers.

Since the vendors at the market where we sell don't offer a lot of hot peppers I don't have a lot of competition. It's a niche market that I plan to explore more this year.

Once the tomatoes were finished producing the peppers where still going strong but I didn't really have enough of them or do enough business on peppers alone that I could justify booth rent, not to mention getting up at 4am to make it to the market on time for opening. But I couldn't allow my peppers to go to waste either. so I made 'pepper sauce' with some, pepper jelly with others and dried the rest. I plan to add these things to my booth and see how they do this year.

G identified the variety of Cayenne that were the hottest, I sorted them out from the rest and dried them. Once they were dried I cleaned the seeds from the inside and dried them a bit longer, until they were as crisp as old parchment. Then I ran them through a small coffee grinder I use just for herbs and made a powder for seasoning chili from them.

I can't tell you how pleased and impressed I was with myself. I planted those peppers and took them form garden to spice rack all on my own. But I'll admit I did "re-learn" some things the hard way. First of all, always and I do mean always, wear gloves when handling hot peppers. I got the oils from the peppers under my nails and in my cuticles and it stayed their for almost 10 days. Needless to say I also got it in my eyes and mouth.

Shelf Edgings

I finally got around to putting up some of the edgings I crocheted months ago. I bought the little cloisonné' cricket at Pottery Barn for .99 cents. He was being sold as a Christmas tree ornament and was originally $10. I wanted him very badly but couldn't bring myself to pay that price. So I left the store and forgot all about him. Then one Sunday in Feb. G and I were in the mall and I wanted to look around in Pottery. There was my little cricket for 90% off. I bought 5. In the language of totems crickets represent travel.














The edgings are in my office. This is what my office looks like most of the time because I always have more than one project going; that's why it takes me so long to complete one.















I put the edgings up with light duty staple gun similar to this one. I was careful not to damage the crochet work and the nice thing is you can't even see the staples. I still have one more piece to crochet and then I'll be through with these two shelves. I have two more edgings in cream that I crocheted for the Welsh Dresser in the dining room but I'm not putting them up with staples because it's an antique and I don't want to damage it. So I've decided to buy a nice piece of linen to line the shelves and sew the edgings on to it the old fashion way. The linen will brighten up the shelves and I can display my edgings without damaging the shelves.














The tea cups in the photo above are some I bought to make into pincushions or candles to sell at the farmers market during the Christmas season. The jars in this photo are some of my collection. I like old jars for storing/displaying the bits and pieces I use to sew or craft with. They all come from thrift stores and it's my personal rule to never pay more than $2 for one. At first I bought any glass jar with a lid I could find but then I realized they were very plentiful so I started buying only those that have patterns in the glass like the one on the right.


I tried really hard to format this better but blogger would not cooperate.

Sorry I forgot to add this earlier; You can visit kootoyoo to find other creative spaces. Looks as though Kristy is about to get an awesome "Creative Space" all her own.

Tablescape Monday - Thrifted Fruit Bowl

This not truly a tablescape but I am very proud of this composition because I bought all the parts at a thrift store at different times with no exact purpose in mind just that I liked each piece at the time.




I discovered the glass fruit about 2 yrs ago. It was love at first sight (I’m a sucker for pretty glass). I hadn’t seen glass fruit like this before but I’ve since learned that it was very popular in the 70’s.





I tried displaying it on a cake plate but it just didn't work. It kept rolling off and I was worried that it would get chipped or broken. So I wrapped it up and put it away until I could find a way to display it.




About a month ago I discovered the table runner but I didn’t buy it because it really doesn’t fit my color scheme. But I kept thinking about it and each time I searched through the bin of domestic goods there it was as if it was saying “I’m still waiting”. So finally I bought because it has a masculine feel to it and I thought that might come in handy for men’s events at church and/or birthdays.








Then about 2 weeks ago I found the white bowl, I didn't have a clue what I would do with it either, I just knew I liked it a lot and at $3 I just couldn't walk away from such a nice piece of milk glass. So I bought it, brought it home and cleaned it up. As I was drying it off I suddenly had the inspired thought that it was prefect for my fruit. I was so pleased with myself for following my instincts by buying things I love because I’ve found that if you love it you’ll find a way to use it. The trick is to only buy things you love or know you can use.

When I saw the green of the pear I knew the runner would be a good complement although it doesn’t truly fit my color scheme of blue and yellow. But there is some green in the dinning room and it looks very nice on the table. Later I’ll make a new runner in my colors and I might add to my fruit collection via ebay as well, I’m thinking I need some grapes.

More tablescapes can be found at Between Naps on the Porch. Her scape this week is a elegant and serene blue and white beauty.

May Thrift Report

Sorry I’ve been gone for so long but life gets in the way sometimes.

I thought instead of sharing my thrift scores with you each time I find something I would start doing it once a month. I’ll take pictures as I find things and tag them as thrift and then at the end of the month I’ll share them in one big post.

Switchplate I found at Goodwill (Gw) for $2.

Plate and doves I found at Gw, plate $4, doves $2 each.

Gladiolas in the background are from my own garden.

Pillow found at Gw for $2, simply needed washing and ironing.

Found these at Gw for .25 cents each. I'm particularly pleased with finding the

Lords Supper because that's one I've wanted for a long time and almost bought

on several occasions. Just proves that if you're patient and wait long enough

you'll find it either in a thrift store or a garage sale.

Would you believe I paid $4 for this sewing basket full of thread and vintage buttons? If not just look closely at the top photo and you'll see the price stickers. The bottom half of the basket is full of knitting needles and crochet hooks. Look at the buttons, their marked .40 cents and one of the threads is marked .25 cents. Not so today.

This little terrarium was inspired by the one I saw in the Vanderbilt greenhouse.

I found the little farmer boy at Gw for $1.

These plate cost me .50 cents each. They sell on replacements.com for $5.99.

This was the table setting I used for G's birthday. I picked up these salad plates at Gw for .50 each as well. I also bought 10 of the blue glasses at Gw for .50 cents each about a year ago. I made the napkins myself using my serger. I think it made for very nice place settings.

Found this lovely cake topper at Gw for $4.

I'm hopping to use it on one of the girls wedding cakes.

Can you believe I paid $1 each for these pillow cases at the Salvation Army?

I was pretty blown away as well. They're pristine and never been used. Not sure where I'm going to use them but I'll think of something :o)

Picked this up at Gw for $3. My plan is to put together a romantic picnic basket

using real china (some with roses or really pretty flowers)

for G and I to use when we go to the mountains by ourselves.

Picked this up at a garage sale for $4,

the color is fabulous on me, makes my eyes glow.

Picked these up at the same garage sale. I plan to spray paint them white

and then do a little antiquing to give them a romantic shabby chic look.

Then I'll put some of my cross-stitch in them.