Thrift Therapy

Thrifting time has been scarce this fall as I settle into my new surroundings and new routine. And although I recently have discovered a couple of shops nearby, it takes effort to get there and so I have found myself in withdrawal. What was needed was a whole weekend devoted to nothing but treasure hunting. Thankfully, my dear friend Gina has been bitten by the thrift bug and she was willing to meet me halfway (or almost halfway) to scout out some new territory.

And what treasures we uncovered! On Saturday, we hit several small thrifts shops before practically closing down (and cleaning out) Savers. Here are some of my favorite finds of the day:

A vintage sewing instruction book on how to lay out and cut a pattern. I can't imagine that this process has changed much over the years and I could certainly use the help.  I also found a few cute '70's fabrics that I will give to my daughter who is working on a nine-patch quilt inspired by the Little House books.

Next up, the only purchase I regret from the trip...a rooster covered dish. We had hoped it was vintage (Westmoreland roosters fetch around $35) but alas, after a bit of research I am pretty sure he is a knock-off. Not sure yet what his fate will be. I paid $4, and ebay tells me that even the no-name look-a-likes can command $15, so maybe his life will be spared and he'll reappear in my future vintage shop. 

This next find will look like nothing to most people but is precious to me. My mother, an excellent and prolific baker, had several of these forks that she always used for baking. They are heavier than the average fork and excel at mixing butter-based batters. My mother's forks originally came from the dining hall of my uncle's Black Hills inn. Anyway, when my mother died, I inherited one and I treasure it. The edges of the tines are worn thin from years of mixing and I love using it to bake, especially with my children, because I feel like my wonderful mother is right there with us. I was thrilled to find an identical one in the junk section of a large thrift we visited on Saturday. I believe it cost me all of a quarter. As you can see, the tines on this one are nice and even, just waiting for me and my children to bake up a storm and wear them down with memories.

I found this lovely vintage basket style purse hiding in the windowsill at a small but lovely thrift shop. It was marked half price and I simply had to have it at $7.50. I especially love the metal clasp with its unique detailing. It reminds me of a Nantucket basket but I have so far been unable to determine its  age, maker, and value. Nevertheless, it will look charming in my bedroom, holding bits of my vintage costume jewelry collection.

After we hit up the small thrifts, we headed over to the thrift paradise that is Savers. Three hours later...I had a basket of treasures and some adorable fashions for my children, from mini Boden, Crewcuts, and Baby Gap. These flower power pants from mini Boden were a major hit with my daughter.

I also left with a huge stack of books, including a large supply of my girls' favorite American Girl books, many seemingly brand new.

This is actually the tip of the iceberg in terms of what I brought home. I will spread the spoils out so that I can get multiple blog posts to tide you over til my next outing! Until then, happy thrifting!