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...a glimpse into life on Vancouver Island, needle felting, photography, food, gardening, etcetera...etcetera
"Happiness always looks small when you hold it in your hands, but let it go, and at once you learn how big and precious it is."
Maxim Gorky

Sunday, May 26, 2013

A-Thrifting we will go...

Yesterday was my friend Norene's birthday so we decided to do
one of our favorite things and go out to some
of our favorite thrift shops in Brentwood Bay and Sidney.
We've both had 'linens' on the brain so that was our main focus.
You see, you need a focus or you're going to end up coming home with
something like the one cup coffee maker for your car still in it's
original box from the mid '70's...not that there's anything wrong with that!
And sometimes you do come home with those unexpected treasures which
makes it all the more fun...here's what I came home with...
First off WE DID FIND LINENS...this pretty scallop edged tablecloth
perfect for a summer tea party...
 And these small hankies which I want to make into a little summer banner to hang
on the porch...
 or they can be cut in triangles...
I even found one with my initial on it!...
...look at this tiny little one... 
 Norene said it reminded her of going to church on Sundays and they would
bring a tiny little purse with always a little hankie in it...
 I believe these were for men...not so lacy and feminine...more rugged for 'man boogers'...
 I found this nice leafy brass candlestick holder and Norene reminded me
that she found one just like it around Christmas...perfect for handmade beeswax candles!
 I couldn't resist this take on nesting dolls...
 I think I'll give it to my niece when she comes in the summer.
I was always intrigued by them.
When I was a kid my next door neighbour had a Russian one with
about 20 inside! I used to love taking them all out and lining them all up
from the tiniest 1" one to the biggest at about 12" high.
 Speaking of measurements...loved these classic school rulers, made in Canada
with NO METRIC on them!
 The 'Nabob' one dates from 1937 and has the names of all the Kings and Queen of England
up until King George VI...a reminder of Canada's Commonwealth ties...
A little brass bell to add to my collection which hangs in the garden...
 Some books you gotta get just for the title...anybody read this?
 Norene found this one for me...it's from 1915 and is exactly what it says...
It's full of beautiful illustrations of what your chickens, ducks and game birds SHOULD look like...
I imagine some of these breeds are rare now...

 I wonder if it's still the same standards?
I've been to many country fairs and breeders of birds take
this stuff quite seriously...
 Going back a few days ago, I found this cute little retro recipe tin and when
I opened it I had to have it just for the first recipe...
Some of the recipes were hilarious with lots of use of 'canned fruit cocktail',
'Velveeta cheese' and 'Parkay Margerine'.
I gave a few of the choice ones to Norene for her next dinner party to impress her guests!
This picture was a great find a month or so ago.
It's hard to take a good photo of it because of the reflection in the glass but
I love the sepia toned colours and the subject matter.
It's chalk pastel so when I took it out to clean the glass it was VERY delicate.
It's quite large too, about 3 feet long by 18" high...something I just couldn't pass up!
So there you go...a great way to spend a friends birthday without breaking the bank...
Happy thrifting everyone!


7 comments:

the wild magnolia said...

All I can say is WOW, and I need to go there, and go thrifting.

I haven't see those linen beauties in years.

Mairéad said...

You got some great treasures there. Would you believe it, I found some pretty hankies tucked away in the drawer of an old chest of drawers that I'd forgotten all about just the other week?
I particularly like the pastel painting. I've only started thrifting - must show my finds if I ever get time to start blogging again.

Megan Elizabeth said...

I love thrifting SO MUCH. One of my favourites is a shop in Brentwood Bay - the SOS, I think it's called, with all the trinkets. The recipe box is fantastic!

M.

farmlady said...

You focused??? This looks like what I do when I go thrifting. I say I'm going to look for one thing and I come home with many more wonderful finds because I find something that I just can't live without.
Glad you had such a fun day.

Cobalt Violet said...

Love the hankies! I have some that were my grandma's.
Lovely pastel! You do really well thrifting! I love it but I need to leave LA for bargains.

Melody said...

LOVE the hankie banner idea, and cloths pins mean no sewing necessary! YEahh!!!
Looks like a VERY successful thrifting trip indeedy!
Makes a girl want to run screaming to the nearest thrift shop!

p.s. focus is over rated. :)))

Anonymous said...

loved this trip with you! last summer i came home with a fifty cent box from a garage sale that was filled with delicate linens! your post gives me ideas about what to do with them. so lovely to come see you here- you recharge me!