Thriftshare....

Saturday morning

we just wanted to get out of the house....

I had seen the night before
 that our local Salvation Army

was having a huge indoor yardsale.

I had been to this particular one 

several times -years ago.

It was always packed and had lots of good finds..

We arrived 30 minutes after it was supposed to begin

and when we went in....

WAH-WAH...

There were two whole people with booths

and they were pitiful.

We hopped back in the van 

and decided to stop at Krispy Kreme

so Little keeper could see the

"donuts take a bath".

A long time favorite thrift store is a few doors down so we 
decided to stop there
to see if we could salvage the morning.

Slim pickings again...

However,
 I did spy these as I was on my way out...

I have to admit I bought them

for sentimental reasons...

My great grandmother had a set in her bathroom

and they are one of those things that stick out in my mind when

I remember her house...

I may put them near my desk in my little studio space.

$1.98 !

We headed home to drop off my hubby

and then Little Keeper went with me to run a few errands...

A couple of streets from our house,
 I spied an Estate Sale that had not been advertised.

SO I

dropped off the kiddo and headed back around the corner,

hoping this sale would save my thrifty Saturday morning...

The houses in this particular neighborhood

were built in the 30's and 40's

and a lot of them are still occupied by original owners.

I love stepping inside them because most of the time

they have not been updated.

Original cupboards and tiles in the kitchens 

and chocked full of vintage furnishings.

I think there were quite a lot of items when it opened 

and I was catching the last of the smalls...

 I have always wanted one of these flour sifters

and this one just needs a good cleaning.

$2

The little paper doll was just sitting on a counter so they gave her to me

for .10cents

There are four delicate little baby doll dresses

and 

a bonnet

marked "Linda Baby" on the tags inside...

I figured I could use them in some sort of project or trade them.

$3

There was only 1 tiny baby doll skate

and I took it to use in a shadow box.

.20cents

This velvet photo holder was just too beautifully aged

to pass up.

Definitely will be making a book out of it!

This great little house turned out to

have some wonderful  finds.

I didn't spend much but was very happy with my take home!

Did you find anything this weekend?

Head on over to

Apron Thrift Girl 

and 
A Living Space 

to check out some more thrifty bloggers!

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

Reminisce....

A few years ago

I purchased a photo scanner

for my parents for Christmas...

Back in the Fall I asked my dad if I could borrow it.

 I wanted to have my own copies of some family

photos.

I have several family members who do not want to part with

their inherited pictures for me to bring them home

and copy them.

With this scanner however I can now

take it with me and copy them at their home!

I have had a few chances to sit down and copy

a few that my parents loaned me.

Looking at them I see all kinds of funny things

or remember stories

and I thought that my blog would be the perfect place to

share...

So here is the first in my series...

 These two mischievous lads are

my Uncle (left) and my Father (right)...

It was taken less than a mile from where I live now...

It is part of a Museum complex.

I'm sure when this was taken you could crawl in it and all over it.

Of course you can't now..

someone would get hurt and sue the city right?

Oh the dangers and adventures of being a child in the 50's! 

The Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad was brought through our area

waaay back in 1881 when to bring in coal to the port near our home

 for worldwide shipping!

They are standing on a piece of history that changed our farming

community into a major port and later a "City"...

Most people drive right by it now and have no idea why it is sitting

on the side of the Boulevard.

My dad and his brother have facial expressions and stances

in this picture that speak of their personalities even today!

They may have a few grey hairs now 

but they have the exact same eyes and facial expressions sometimes...

In a world where so many people move frequently

and away from the places they grew up...

I think it is vital to take some time,stop ,and look at where you are.

That strip mall may have had a grand hotel or a dairy farm where

it  sits...

Visit the library archives , use an online research tool

or

 better yet -

go talk to 

and 

make friends with some of your older neighbors .

You will learn history first hand instead of sitting on the couch

staring at a screen.

There is so much to appreciate in the scheme of things

and 

if we ignore history

we lose a sense of just how far our

country has come in such a short time .

I will continue to share snippets and photos weekly...

Have a Happy Wednesday everyone!

Thriftshare...

It's a two latte' kind of day today....

This week my Thriftshare is the best kind of thrift...

things I already own

and 
one gift!

Let me explain...

My husband and I have been working on emptying

out a storage space we have had for years...

I have decided to let go of a lot

and keep what I really love.

No longer hanging on to things just because they are old or pretty...

Do I really love them?

Will I use them?

Do they have a purpose?

So here are a few things I unearthed

whilst digging through the boxes this weekend.

 First is the green enamel pail thingy...

I have no idea what it would be used for 

but 

I know when I bought it years ago,

I did because it was my favorite shade of green!

The enamel bowl is also a favorite I was glad to finally

find in the pile!

If I can just keep my husband from ruining it in the dishwasher!

We like to eat popcorn out of it

and I often mix up cakes in it.

The yellow striped apron was still in the package!

So out she came and straight into use...

a gal can never have too many aprons right?

 My mustached little chef has been found!

Here is perfect example of -

YES

it has a purpose!

I just hope he is handled with care

 by Mr. and Little Keeper.

 I have decided if I keep everything in the cabinet what 

is the purpose of having it?

Hopefully I will find his little mate -a two sided basket/nut cup.

The little pot with the roses

was a gift from my mom.

She found it last month at a thrift store for 3.98!

I just have to decide what to use it for!?

Lots of my Jadeite collection is coming out now too.

That is one thing I won't tolerate being mis-handled...

Mr.Keeper knows if ANY of it gets broken he might as well go

and sleep in his car...

because he will have a LOT to do to make up for it!

I collected Jadeite before Martha made it so popular again..

I still curse her for it to this day!

It used to be so inexpensive 

and I just fell in love with the color and the sweet little designs on some of the sets.

SO anyway,

Mrs.Hen there in the background is going up on the shelf on display!
Check out some more fun finds over at
Apron Thrift Girl 
and

Lastly

A very 

Happy Birthday 

to 

my little sister...

 How cute is that?

Have a Happy Monday everyone!

An outing in Colonial Williamsburg.....

A few weeks ago

my favorite gal pal came to visit

all the way from her mountain top perch

near Asheville, N.C.

 (o.k. this is from a few -ahem- years ago but it is my favorite)

Determined to make overalls sexy!

ahh the 90's..

We have a particular love for

Colonial Williamsburg for many reasons...

so we decided to meet up there.. 

It was a rare 70 degree day in the middle of winter

and we could not have been 

more lucky!

 

 We had to make a stop

into the mercantile...

it always smells so good in there...

handmade soaps,

dried lavender, cinnamon, cloves, rose petals and vanilla..

During our walk we visited some

favorite sites

and 

some we had not seen in a while...

this tree has changed a lot....

 How crazy looking is that?

You can stand right in it...

having a creative mind -every time I look at this I see different things...

Here is a close up of some of the base of the back side of the trunk...

I see one cranky (and creepy) baby?!

Today is supposed to be a record rainy day here...

so recalling a nice sunny day is a help

to ward off the gray!

Hope you have a lovely Saturday whatever your weather!

Dreaming of Spring.....

Just a little photo

to say 

"I am ready for Spring!"

Hope you are having a lovely week...