Thrifted Thursday - Books

Most people purchase thrift store books to read. I, on the other hand, purchase thrift store books for decor purposes. They have fantastic content, and I do read them, but often I will (literally) judge a book by its cover, and purchase it initially because I find it to be beautiful.

Do any of your know Chinese? What does the blue book on the right say?

Texture, color, size; they're all taken into consideration when I'm choosing books -- and when I combine them on a shelf with other objects.


*swoon*
Paige

Thrifted Thursday - Ceramic Funnel Strainer (?)

Today's Thrifted Thursday is a bit of a mystery. Perhaps you can help me out...

I purchased this item simply because I had no idea what it was. I was definitely intrigued. It's sort of a combination of a funnel and a strainer, but it looks like a shower head, or a ceramic end to a watering can.

If you look closely, however, you'll notice the words "COORS USA 2A 7-14" printed in tiny letters on the outside edge... Could it have been used for brewing? (Click the image below to enlarge it, and check out the bottom photo.)



The Boyfriend and I used it to juice pomegranates! It worked perfectly: We mashed up the pomegranate bits in the top, and because the holes are so small, the pulp didn't fall into the juice. If I never find out its original purpose, I'm happy using it as a container/strainer for juicing (and it looks interesting sitting up on the display shelf above our stove!).

Do you have any idea what it could be?

*swoon*
Paige

Thrifted Thursday - Bell Jar

I've always enjoyed thrift shopping, but when I started to get really into it (circa 2006), I kept noticing bell jars on thrift store shelves... but I didn't realize what they actually were for awhile. (Yes, silly, oblivious me.)

"That's the stupidest candle holder I've ever seen! The flame won't burn because it won't have any oxygen!"

"How is this cup supposed to work? It doesn't have a flat bottom!"

I promise I don't usually have such stereotypical blonde moments. (I still can't believe I'm actually admitting this happened... *smacks forehead*) It wasn't actually until 2007 when I returned from studying abroad in India that I realized these strange glass cups' true purpose.

Near the end of my trip, I had purchased a perfectly sized little Buddha. It was a typical tourist gift, but it really is beautiful; and because I had perfected my bargaining skills after five months of speaking Nepali, it was really inexpensive! *proud grin*




A few weeks after I got home, I found myself in a thrift store (of course), and came across an odd-looking jar that would fit my little Buddha perfectly. It was then that I finally realized what it was for. (It's still so embarrassing to admit how stupid I was...)

So I bought it, and voila! He is now quite happy and dust-free.




*swoon*
Paige

Thrifted Thursday (a day late) - Mismatched Silverware

I love mismatched cutlery, as long as each piece is beautiful on its own, and there are rarely duplicates (I promise I'm generally not so high maintenance when it comes to my table settings!).

Photo by Twin Lens Images (via Style Me Pretty)

You can scour eBay or antique shops looking for heavy, hotel-style pieces made of real silver, but surprisingly (or not so surprisingly) this can get rather pricey.

via Absolutely Beautiful Things

The Boyfriend and I just went to Goodwill and found some pretty ones. We initially did this because we were going camping and we (ahem, I) didn't want to bring any of our current silverware set with us in the event they got lost or somehow ruined; it turned out to be a wonderful idea, though, because now we have a set of mismatched beauties that can add a more eclectic feel to any table setting, camping or not.

My new collection (click to enlarge)

Collecting silverware just might be a new-found obsession of mine and could be quite dangerous... but hey, if we have a lot of people over, having a lot of silverware on hand is always better than plastic cutlery!

It's too bad we don't have a dishwasher.

Happy Weekend!

*swoon*
Paige

P.S. The linen tablecloth in my photo is also thrifted!

Thrifted Thursday - Owl Paper Holder

I imagine this little wooden owl is actually a napkin holder; however, I use it as a place to store my current stationery and thank-you cards.


On its own (or against to knotty pine wood paneling), it could be considered dated; but I have it on my desk alongside various white ceramic containers that hold my other desk supplies - a milk glass mug for pens, a white ceramic plant pot for scissors, rulers, and X-Acto knives, and a Jonathan Adler-esque white ridged mini-vase from Ikea. The little wood owl pops rather nicely against the collection!

*swoon*
Paige

Thrifted Thursday - Longhorn Pendant Necklace

Whenever I wear this necklace, I get excited, southern-accented inquiries as to whether or not I'm originally from Texas. Nope, I'm a born-and-raised Seattleite, but I love this longhorn pendant.


I found the pendant at Value Village, a Pacific Northwest thrift store chain, and simply strung it on a thin gold chain I already had. I have no idea of its history, how old it is, where it comes from; but it always manages to add a little bit of kick to any outfit.

*swoon*
Paige

Thirfted Thursday - BCBG Gown

This is one of my most favorite thrifted items. Ever. Not just because it's absolutely gorgeous and well-made, but because it was probably the best deal I will ever come across in my lifetime.

Personally, living in Los Angeles was a bit rough, especially after I was so accustomed to lush and compact Seattle (if you have never been to L.A. let me tell you it is entirely based on car culture because everything is so darned sprawled out!); however, there were a few perks...

...such as the fantastic Fairfax flea market once a month. Somehow I only managed to go once but the memory will stay with me for the rest of my life in the form of this dress:


I had been searching everywhere for the perfect dress to wear to The Boyfriend's company's 2007 holiday party. I thought I had found one (a brown, ruched, satiny cocktail dress), but felt it was just too casual for such a fancy affair (it was, after all, at the Fairmont Hotel in Downtown Seattle).

One Sunday, a few weeks before I would be flying to Seattle for the party (I'm really not a jet-setting socialite, I swear), some friends and I decided to take the drive into L.A. and go to the flea market. Once we arrived, we spent some time perusing the wares, but nothing really screamed "You need to buy me." It was an entertaining trip, but after a couple of hours we were ready to go.

We were on our way out when I noticed a rack of long coats and dresses and popped over to take a look. I immediately spotted two dresses, one vintage-but-not-too-cute dress, which I passed up, and another, which I new I had to have. To by disbelief, it had never been worn. The original tag was still on it - with the original price: BCBG Max Azria, $496


I nearly gasped. I nonchalantly turned to the shopkeeper and asked him how much he would take for it. He said his wife had just gone on her break, but that she said one of the dresses was $150, and the other was $50. "I'll give it to you for fifty."

I tried to contain my excitement. Sure, the "ugly" one was vintage, but definitely not worth $150. To this day I'm sure he had confused the two. All I had with me was $50, so it must have been meant to be.

*swoon*
Paige

P.S. At the party, I got compliments on my dress all night long! Little did they know it was a steal!

Thrifted Thursday - Belt & Boots

Today's Thrifted Thursday is the first dealing with fashion!

This woven grass belt and burnt sienna leather boots originally belonged to my mother in the 1970s.


I get compliments on these boots all the time, and I love that I can say they're "originals" from the first Frye boot "trend" over 30 years ago. The toes are pretty scuffed up, but I like the worn-in look.

Regarding belts, I like belting them at my "natural waist" instead of using them to actually hold up my pants... much more fun (and flattering), and you don't end up with a weird lump under your shirt.

Sometimes I like wearing dresses with pants, too (as seen above). Maybe it's because of my time spent in India, wearing my kurta suruwal, but I guess this is a little different...

And thanks to the Boyfriend for being such a patient photographer, and for not rolling his eyes when I said, "Gah! I almost forgot, can you take my photo for the blog?!" on our walk this weekend.

*swoon*
Paige

Dress - Forever 21
Jeans - Citizens of Humanity
Boots - Frye
Belt - unknown brand

Thrifted Thursday (and Cooking!) - Cut Glass (Crystal?) Punch Bowl

These pictures disguise the true monstrosity that is this punch bowl. It appears cute and tiny in the photo, but it's actually the size of a large globe (but way heavier)!


I found this punchbowl at Goodwill back in December while scavenging and prepping for our New Year's/apartment-warming/Paige-is-cancer-free party. Some may find it a bit dated, but I thought it would work for the occasion (I also really liked its perfectly scalloped edging).


It has held various beverages at different events, such as Martha Stewart's Southern Comfort Punch and Poor Girl Eats Well's Sweet & Fruity White Wine Sangria (with mango, berry, and pineapple chunks - perfect for transitioning into summer!). Hmm, I just realized I'm sounding like a bit of a lush... My friends would laugh because I'm always the most sober at parties. I guess I just like making new concoctions.

For example, I have been wanting to make ginger cupcakes for quite some time now but haven't had the proper ingredients. I would always get the urge to bake when it was simply too late in the evening to run to the grocery store (read: I was simply too tired and/or lazy). Last weekend I purchased Molly Wizenberg's (the lovely author of the cooking blog, Orangette), A Homemade Life, and have been savoring every delicious word, determined to try some new recipes and expand my culinary horizons.

That book whipped me into shape, and last night I made my little long-awaited ginger cakes with honey-ginger buttercream frosting.

Unfrosted... A little muffin-like, I think...

There were a few mistakes here and there: I used baking soda instead of baking powder, so I just threw the powder in after the soda anyway; I grabbed the almond extract without looking, thinking it was the vanilla until it came out of the bottle clear instead of brown (so I used both of those, too); I realized I didn't have ground ginger so I went about smelling my spices and decided nutmeg would be a fine substitute; and the sugar I used for the frosting was granulated instead of confectioner's so the frosting was a little... sand-like, I guess...

They also weren't particularly pretty (see photo below), but even after all of my mistakes, they still tasted absolutely delicious (although maybe a little on the too-sweet side...), and I was perfectly happy crunching through the little sugar grains in the frosting. They were actually fairly well-disguised by the little candied ginger chunks in the cake.

Frosted! With a hint of nutmeg sprinklings...

I guess the next step, now that I'm getting more adventurous with my cooking/baking (and accepting the mishaps), is to work on my food styling skills. Next time I will have some beautiful foodie photos, I promise!

Thrifting and cooking may not seem like they have much to do with each other; but when you think about it, both often come down to making do with what's available to you. It's a real skill to be a master of improvisation, to make chaos appear flawless, like you knew what was happening all along.

How have you pulled off looking like a pro when you didn't actually know what you were doing?

*swoon*
Paige

EDIT 5/3/09: I am very proud to say I received calls and emails from co-workers who said the mini cupcake leftovers I brought to work were delicious! *grin* Thanks, guys!

Thirfted Thursday - Large Paper Lantern Lamp

Today's Thrifted Thursday should really be called Free Thursday because this piece didn't cost me a dime!

Freecycle is a network similar to Craigslist, but everything is free. Its aim is to keep completely usable items from entering the garbage system and sitting in a dump for the rest of time. I'm not trying to be preachy, but I'm all for recycling, composting, and definitely reusing! Freecycle is an awesome program and I highly recommend checking it out.

This large lantern lamp came from Freecycle when I lived in Southern California. I made arrangements with the original owner to pick it up from her doorstep (which may sound a little sketchy to some, so as the "freecycler," you can specify where you want the "freecyclee" to pick up the item).

I'm not a huge fan of overhead light (definitely not as flattering, and can often be too bright for a space), so this lamp is perfect. It sits atop a long low shelf (Expedit from Ikea, to be exact) in the front window of our living room, and lights up the space perfectly. The cream colored shade adds a warm glow to the room, but is still rather bright so it can be the only one on and still sufficiently light everything.


How do you light your space?

*swoon*
Paige

Thrifted Thursday - Small Metal Cups

After seeing the past three Thrifted Thursdays, you can probably guess that my favorite sections at thrift stores are the dishes and housewares aisles. It's the first section I always head to. I love finding new plates, containers, teacups, everything! Well, today's items continue with this trend in the form of two little perforated metal cups:


I know nothing about these little cups other that when I saw them at Goodwill I knew I had to use them for something (they were only $0.99 for both so I didn't think twice about snatching them up).

Last month I wrote about my daily routine; but I didn't talk about how I organize my vanity where I get ready every morning. Well, here is how I store some of my make-up tools, liners, glosses, etc.


They're the perfect height so the items don't get lost in the bottom like they could with a taller cup.

How do you store/display your make-up? Do you have a favorite container? A make-up bag? A special case like the pros?

Also, if you know anything about these little metal cups, or what they might have been used for, please let me know!

*swoon*
Paige

Thrifted Thursday - Vernonware Teacups

This past weekend, my friend, Eleni, and I went thrifting and I found a great set of six robin's egg blue teacup saucers by Modern California Vernonware. I immediately knew they would make fantastic dessert plates.

When I circled back to browse the aisle again, however, I noticed a small matching bowl and three matching teacups! It may not be a perfect set, but I think the color is absolutely perfect, and that the little scratches and chips give them character.

(I like to pretend my point-and-shoot is fancier than it is by cranking up the aperture for this washed out look.)

(And a better shot of the ranunculuses I bought over the weekend.)

I have a shelf above my stove and I plan on screwing in some little hooks on the underside to hang them from. What do you think?

EDIT 4/9/09: After some searching online, I discovered that the Modern California design was made between 1937 and 1947! How exciting!

*swoon*
Paige

Thrifted Thursday - Glass Decanters

For today's Thrifted Thursday, I wanted to show off two of my favorite glass finds from my scavenging adventures. (My camera isn't fantastic, so I apologize for the photo quality!)

This first one is a vintage Pyrex decanter with a gold sunburst on either side. What caught my eye was its unique shape - it reminded me of high school science class (you may have noticed I'm secretly a huge nerd)! At first, I actually thought it was a beaker of some sort, but I have decided it's a decanter because of the sunburst and the little tiny spout at the top. I've scoured the internet for its history, but haven't been able to find any hints as to what year it was made, or its true use. Does anyone have any insight?


This next decanter is much taller and has a beautiful, heavy glass stopper with a sandblasted "cork." Some online research tells me it is most likely Princess House Heritage glass, but I haven't been able to find this exact design. My guess is that it is from the late '60s to early '70s. Once again, does anyone have any specific information?



What are some of your favorite thrifted finds? Have you come across any similar glass pieces? Any true collectibles?

Now all I need is some wine to decant! Who's up for a wine tasting party?

*swoon*
Paige

Thrifted Thursdays - Mid-Century Modern Chair

After writing my post on thrifting, I've decided to have a regular feature, Thrifted Thursdays, where I show off a different item I have found during my trips to Goodwill and Value Village (Pacific Northwest thrift store chain), and even things from Craig's List.

Today's item is this mid-century modern chair I bought last fall. It had been upholstered in a strange, fuzzy (sort of like weird synthetic mohair), floral fabric in reds and oranges that didn't quite go with my living room's aesthetic...

But I saw its potential in its beautiful wood lines and bought it anyway for only $25!

I recovered it with fabric I already owned (probably completely incorrectly) for a cleaner look. It's wide and low-slung, making it a great reading chair in this sunny corner of my living room. (And yes, I realize I need to hem my drapes... and the holiday lights have since been taken down from the window.)



What do you think? What are some of your favorite thrifted items?

*swoon*
Paige

Are you a Thrifter?

I know I'm constantly posting outfits made nearly entirely out of designer items - Louboutin flats, Miu Miu dresses, etc, etc.

However... I would like to clarify that, even though I talk about these items nonstop, and continue to list them (and continue to daydream for day on end about them), I don't actually get to dress like this on a day-to-day basis (shocking, I know).

To be honest, I am probably the biggest thrifter I know. I love the challenge of finding "the good stuff" amongst all the piles of junk. It takes a good eye and more patience than most people could ever muster. But somehow I am always complimented on my clothing and accessories. I'm always happy to share that I found a particular item second-hand for two dollars. In fact, the weekend before last was the first time I had stepped into a "real" store in months, and really, it was only because I had a coupon for 30% off, and 5% of my purchase would be donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Some people may be disgusted that I would even consider shopping at thrift stores; but doing so has provided me with a more unique wardrobe (where "unique" is a good thing, not the "awkward, weird, and kitschy" definition). I always make sure things fit properly, and I only ever buy shoes if their soles appear to have never touched the earth's surface (and therefore have never actually been worn).

My apartment is also furnished and accessorized in the same fashion. Proof that this method actually works? When my friend made the comment the other night, "Wow, everything you own is such a wonderful artifact!" I definitely took it as a compliment.

Don't think, however, that this means I'm going to stop posting gorgeous gazillion-dollar totes, or sky-high Manolos! I just wanted to let you all know I'm a normal girl (with a normal budget) who likes to daydream the day away (like all normal girls!). It wouldn't be as fun if I could actually afford everything (well, maybe...).

Stay tuned later today for some completely unaffordable, swoonworthy things!

*swoon*
Paige