Went thrifting today and just found a few cute things

[eleny]

After reading about that 40K painting, my finds are meager. But I always liked a wooden kitchen shadow box scene an uncle made for my aunt about 50 years ago. And today I found one that reminds me of that one. It's missing something on the "floor". Maybe it's a second bowl. There's an oval glue outline of what could have been a dough bowl. Easy to replace if I scuff up one from the craft shop. They have lots of small wooden items for people who make dioramas. And I believe there should be something hanging above the door from that little piece of wood. I'll make a small dry hanging to replicate herbs drying upside down. That should work.

It was only 3 bucks. After having waited 50 years to get one, a good deal.



Then there were two metal plant things. A curly, Frenchy looking black metal one and a chipped metal green & white with a wooden finial. I hung them in the outer part of the old shed under the overhang. They fit right in. I can keep my garden gloves and other "stuff" in them. The black curly one on the left is kind of hard to see.



It was 1/2 price day for white tagged items, so I got away cheeep today. Tomorrow and Saturday everything is 1/2 off. Hmmm.... :dilemma:

[Duer 157099]

1. I have a soft spot for those 3D art pieces

I never knew what to call them though. That one is so cute!! Looks Swedish to me. I've got an old one packed away somewhere that I just am reluctant to let go - and it also has one piece missing, a table I think. I remember I tried to do what you mentioned, looking at the mini furniture at the craft stores, but I never found one that would work (but I probably really didn't try too hard either).

Heh, love those half-off days. Today the "blue" tag items were half off at a store I went to, so I made sure to buy a few blue tag items.

You're so lucky you had the perfect place to hang those! They fit right in :thumbsup:

[eleny]

2. Yeah, you would probably need to cut the table n the right angle to make it fit

But even a piece of balsa wood might do the trick being easy to cut and shave off.

After us gabbing about thrifting I figured to make a stop at the ARC store. I had to get over to the library anyway.

I'm interested in going back tomorrow because I left an Italian made lamp there. I don't mind having left it there but I'm tempted at 1/2 price. It's a very tall rough unpainted ceramic column. Then it's got a 60s style carvings of tall buildings with many levels of arches - and then some 60's style flowers carved in. I just don't know where I'd put it. It looks easy enough to rewire. One nut to take off and it all should fly out the bottom. Finding a shade would be the tough part of this deal. I think a tall column shade would be the only thing that would work. I'm hoping the thing is gone by the time I get there. My house is just not 60s modern!

[Duer 157099]

3. LOL, the lamps, the lamps

Those are tough. I've started looking at them, and I've only succumbed a few times so far -- they are just too big to either absorb or hide away. How big is this one? And is it heavy? Sometimes I can't even lift them to look at the bottom. There was one today in fact, I desperately wanted to see what the bottom looked like, but it kept swinging all over the place, pieces moving here and there (and then I finally figured out why and fixed it, and then I really liked it even more). But all it takes is for me to see the "Made in China" sticker and it's over. So I still don't know if this one had it or was a real designer lamp.

I did bring a couple floor lamps home last week. They are both still in the garage awaiting cleanup. One is going to be awesome, I need it so badly behind my couch - it's one of those arc lamps, has 3 arcs that had paper lantern shades (which were all messed up, so I have to figure out a replacement idea - thus when I saw that dunce hat shade I brought it home, but I doubt I want that hanging in my face when I'm sitting on the couch, lol.

I'm slowing replacing my decor (a very liberal use of the term in my case, lol) with mid century. It's still a mix, but the trend is becoming clear. I just need to pack my car up and drive it over to the Goodwill - an exchange if you will, lol.

Do you know how to rewire a lamp? That's something I should probably learn but I'm such a chicken when it comes to electricity.

[eleny]

4. "they are just too big to either absorb or hide away"

Honest to god that made me laugh to tears. I'm not kidding.

You see - I went back since I last posted. That damned lamp is now hidden away in the trunk of my car. I can't face it. Tomorrow is another day. A better day to deal with an obsession when hubby is absorbed watching old movies on TCM. Right now I couldn't answer the question "Where you gonna put it?" lol It was 6 bucks.

It's tall and it's heavy. To the top of the finial it's at least 30".

I've only purchased 5 lamps over the years. Two are a matched pair of green shabby chic florals. They're medium sized and we use them on our night stands. Another is on top of this computer desk. It's like a bomb, a sand colored ceramic bomb. It has an interesting ethnic look but it's very plain. The next is a figurine lamp with a Minuteman soldier complete with musket, it has a cloth shade with Americana motifs. That's one I saw from a distance, walked "casual-fast" and snatched it quick. The store was crowded so I was in full paranoia mode. Months later, husband saw it in a movie once in a boys room. We still can't figure why anyone ever gave it away.

I'll take a pic of the Italian lamp tomorrow. The thing is that I like the buildings and flowers carved into the body of it. But there's an orange ceramic band at the top. It's only a couple of inches of orange and I can maybe mask it somehow. Orange is so '60s!

One last thing. I was rewarded for going back because on the way to pay for the lamp I found 2 vintage tablecloths. I rarely find them these days. They were hanging in with the bedding. One is clusters of cherries on a white background and the other would go with the lamp. It's yellow and green brights with all sorts of recipes printed all over. Maybe I could use the lamp in the breakfast nook of my kitchen. It might just work. Things are looking up.

[Duer 157099]

5. Oh good! I can't wait to see pics of it

OMG, and speaking of hiding things away in the car. Last weekend I was driving past some garage sales and next thing you know, I have a dining table in the back of my car. And it's still there. Well, that's not altogether accurate. The *top* is still there, cuz it's laying flat, but it's heavy as hell, which I didn't notice cuz the guys at the garage sale put it in my car for me (tricky tricky). Swear to god, I got my screwdriver out and detached the base just so I could get part of it out of my car (so I could fit more stuff in, lol. Well, and see behind me when I'm driving).

I have no idea what I'm going to do with this thing. But it had such an interesting pedestal design, I couldn't resist. Still haven't identified it either.

I rarely look at the fabrics, there could be tablecloths galore and I'd never know.

I spent some time tonight hiding some stuff away, it was just encrouching on me. Ahhhh, now I have space again, what shall I do with it I wonder...? :evilgrin:

[eleny]

7. Didn't George Carlin say that when we have space we get more stuff?

So you know what to do. Go check out the fabrics.

Seriously, with your luck you'll find vintage tablecloths in perfect condition. And I hope you do.

Today we decided to go grocery shopping. So we go into the garage and I realized that the lamp was still in the trunk. I didn't have my keys so I told husband to open the trunk. I took out the lamp, put it on his work bench and he never said a word. Maybe he likes it.

Now, I have to be honest. I started reading your post and got to the part where the table was laying flat in the back of your car and I let out a laugh and then had to run. If I stayed sitting here I would have wet my pants. That is so funny. They got it in the car for you. That was special. Where are they now?! I hope you can get help with it. Warn me if you wind up having to saw it in half. I'll keep some Depends handy for that eventuality.

[Duer 157099]

9. Depends alert! (not really. but who knows, maybe)

So hubby just really knows you, he didn't have to say a word. Did he even give you a look of any kind? Rolling of the eyes, shaking of the head, perhaps a thumbs up? Or he's so used to it, he didn't even give it a second thought?

Funny you'd bring up sawing it in half (quick, go take a bathroom break, I'll wait)

Hah, false alarm, I didn't really saw it in half! But.... it's one of those that has a leaf extension, so it actually *does* pull apart, and don't think I didn't already try taking it apart, and I may yet do so. It's got this fancy schmancy tension wire rig thingamajig that locks the two pieces together, which I figured out how to disengage, but the stretchers/sliders on the underside would have to be removed, another dozen or so screws. It's probably what will end up happening, because I don't have room to put it in the house now anyway, so will have to store it on it's side in the garage, and it'd probably be better having a flat end available (it's a round table) so I can lean it against something.

Here's a photo I took before I took the base off. Bear in mind I flipped this photo upside down, because the table top was lying flat and the legs were up in the air. So that light you see near the legs, that's my roof light in my car, lol. There are two images clipped together since I couldn't get it all in one shot, so it looks a little odd.

[eleny]

10. Seriously, do the guys who sold it live near enough to come back and help?

Since they got it in there and have the brawn, maybe they'd be willing to drop by and lend some muscle.

The legs are some nice looking wood and I can see that the metal housing the mechanism is serious business. Frankly, I'd try to avoid messing with it. Hope it all works out and soon.

As for hubby, I got no "looks". He was totally neutral. Maybe he was thinking "Thank god it isn't a giant table". :D

[Duer 157099]

11. LOL, now you got me ("thank god it isn't a giant table")

Indeed, indeed, I bet that is exactly along the lines he was thinking.

Nah, I'll manage. I have this sort of rule for myself that if I cannot manage something myself (or with my son) using my vehicle, then I cannot get it -- it keeps me out of trouble for the most part - although I do have an exception on the receiving end, I let them help load it just because it's more time efficient (I doubt they'd want me in their driveway with a screwdriver taking the thing apart, lol)

It's also as much about where do I put it once it's out. Often, keeping it in the car for awhile gives me time to reflect on how much I really need it or want it -- or don't.

I did once buy something where the seller put it in my car and I could not get it out, even with my son helping. After a few weeks, I ended up driving it straight to the donation drop-off, lol. It wasn't just the weight, but I could not figure out where I'd put it in the house, so I wasn't willing to get it out of my car and then have to think about putting it back in to drive it somewhere.

[Duer 157099]

6. Turns out mine is unpacked after all, here's a photo

It's in my :ahem: "storage room" sitting on some carboard boxes (those are flattened boxes, separating pieces of artwork), it's as dusty as when I first got it, I never cleaned it up, lol (and I've had it for at least 15 years). But I just really love it. You can see the two spots in front of the window where the table legs went (I assume it was a table anyway). Oh, I just noticed a ceiling beam is missing too.

[eleny]

8. That is a terrific one!

The scenery out the window is fabulous. The beam would be easy to replace. But it almost looks perfect even with pieces missing.

Is it supposed to be a kitchen? I can't quite tell. With the big barrels up on the shelf, it almost looks like it could be a tavern. This is very special and fun because it's so different. There's even a clock over the picture window.

I like the shadow box rooms with the frames that go inward on an angle like this one, too.

[Longhorn]

12. Well, I checked out one of my local thrift stores today.

It was nice and I found a few things but it still wasn't as nice as that one in Lakewood, Colorado!

I got a couple of towels, some schools supplies, and various specialty hangers for drip-drying clothes, hanging belts, etc. I remembered your advice, eleny, and put a couple of things in my cart that I was considering, then took them back when I changed my mind. I passed on a brand new king-sized jersey sheet set for $12.99 and a $39 rocking chair for my porch because it looked too new!

I had a nice time and will visit again. :hi:

[eleny]

13. I'm glad you had a good time

You did well. Those hangers sound helpful for drying clothes without the dryer. That can make the house pretty hot right now. Even with some cloud cover yesterday and today it was almost 100' up here.

I checked out the map and found the thrift down at Evans. I see that Evans narrows down going west after it crosses Federal Blvd., then it hits Sheridan. And there's the thrift right across the Blvd. I noticed that there's an ARC just north of Evans on Broadway. So when I visit my chiro I can see her and stop at the two thrifts on the way home. Three birds with one stone feels just right!