Thrift Store Table Setting

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends! Unfortunately, I had a babysitting emergency to help a friend out so I was unable to complete my assignment for my blog. It's always nice to return a favor for somebody though! In addition, my camera was not cooperating very well. Or it was operator error...not really sure. So I couldn't get many photos. Ugh!



Have a wonderful weekend and remember to keep on junking!

My Thanksgiving Flea and Thrift Challenge

We are having my parents over for Thanksgiving this year so it gave me the opportunity to make a beautiful tablescape. I challenged myself to create a budget-friendly setting using only thrift store and flea market finds. I think I found so many great things and look forward to putting it all together.

Have you set a goal or challenge for yourself this Thanksgiving? I'd love to hear about it.

Please come back to see Rustic Elegance in my dining room.

Tick, Tock. Tick, Tock. I Found My Clock!

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! I can get used to this Indian Summer weather here in Ohio. It's just been gorgeous and I hope you are experiencing the same. Well, my jaunt to a local thrift store and flea market didn't score much of anything in quantity however what I did find, I love.

I finally found a clock! I see so many home decorating books, magazines, websites and blogs with old clocks with fantastic faces. Well I finally found one! A non-working rusty Gilbert clock that is supposedly 80 years old. It's pretty beat up but I love the rusty patina. For $5 what do you expect? It looks great in a great mixed in with a neutral vignette.

I don't collect Fiestaware however when I saw this piece for $4.99 I knew I wanted it. Wouldn't a pretty arrangement of fall flowers look great in this? It has a couple of hairlines but all I'll do is turn the larger hairline to the back and guests will be none the wiser. That fits me to a T...always trying to hide those flaws! Now I own a piece of vintage Fiesta pottery. My first.



I collect vintage white pottery. However, if it is inexpensive, I will buy most any color as long as it's USA made and with a matte finish. As many of you know, this type of collection is very affordable. Oftentimes the pottery I find isn't perfect, therefore, I can buy them for less than $5.00 each.

I came across a white piece of Haeger that I didn't have and snatched it up for $3.99. It is actually pretty close to mint condition which makes me happy.


This adorable piece of USA pottery is gray. I haven't been lucky enough to find many pieces that are gray but would love that collection. At $2.99 it was a price I liked. (A bit blurry...sorry).



My junk breakdown moment of the weekend occurred when I got home from the little flea market I went to. A vendor there had a beautiful 18" apothocary jar that retails new for approximately $35.00. He had a price tag on it for $15 however I got him to sell it to me for 8 bucks. Great deal, right? It even came with pretty holiday decor inside. Well I got it home and was trying to juggle too many things at once while removing it from the box. Needless to say I tipped it allowing the beautiful pointed lid to come crashing down on my dining room table. I cried...literally. Just mad at myself, I guess.



And finally, I got this rusty junk piece of a cheese grater. It's cylindrical which makes for an easy tea-light holder. Any other creative thoughts for this piece of junk...please forward them on to me!





Take care and have a wonderful warm weather week! Keep on junking!

Candy

What does a Stiffel lamp, wire baskets and a vintage crib have in common?

They were all found by me this weekend!

I was able to steal a few moments away alone on Sunday and chose to go to a local Big Brothers/ Big Sisters thrift store where I found a few things I love. In addition, I also came across a wonderful family that was giving away their garage sale leftovers for FREE!


Thought I'd pile my weekend finds on the table for me to ooo and aahhh over.


A real vintage blender. I have this blender in my cupboard but it's a reproduction. I thought a price of FREE was pretty good.


These FREE wooden salad bowls and plates look kind of yucky. I never quite got them either...I mean how do you put food that has oily salad dressing in them? I plan to paint them and use as holiday decor, something I learned from Cherry's Jubilee. Now this is a lady that loves to paint all things...just like I do. Her blog is inspirational so go check it out.


Now what to do with FREE old crusty bread pans? Any suggestions?


This FREE magnolia oil painting is quite pretty. I think It will go in my living room.


Okay, this FREE pheasant print in vintage frame is kind of nice but it also has the look of a pile of dead birds. Is that what it is?


I was thrilled to see they were giving this vintage port-a-crib away FREE! I have tried to locate one ever since I saw photos of a transformation of one in the book Junkmarket Style Decorating. One of the authors, Sue Whitney, heads up a wonderful website that invites people to share their love of junk! Definitely a site to peruse when you have a few extra hours in the day. ;)


NOT free. I paid big bucks for these too...at least compared to what I normally would have spent but I can't seem to find wire baskets around me. $3.99 each!! Eeek! I thought I could do a lot with them though.


This 10" gray compote is just adorable and according to a tag left behind by the previous owner (looked like she donated it after her garage sale), it stated it was "new". $2.99 out the door.

Okay everyone, for my next great find. Drumroll please........







A Stiffel! And what a beautiful lamp it is! Actually I had never heard of the name Stiffel (remember I'm into junk), but I'm being told it's a very well-known company that can be expensive. (The shade was mine though). Let me tell you this puppy is HEAVY! It better be for $4.99.


My favorite part is the barley twist.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope to have a few before and after pictures of the items I hope to transform coming soon!

Take care...have a great week and keep on junking!

Candy

Friday Finds

After sending two of my girls off to school yesterday, my daughter and I sped off to the local thrift stores to have fun shopping by ourselves. Meg is three and enjoys playing with all the donated and castoff toys (even when they're missing all their parts).

Here are some of our finds:


Many of these items will be for resale however most are for my personal use. I can't wait to display the children's black rubber boots with red bottoms as part of my fall display on my front porch! I may even incorporate the black and white enamel refrigerator pan into it as well.


I love this jar with stainless lid! The Dave's Peanuts logo can easily be removed since it is stuck on using a clear adhesive label. I will be adding to my kitchen as a snack jar.


Know anyone that would enjoy these stainless steel napkin rings? What I find is it doesn't matter if the letter "G" has no significance to your name.


The vintage rolling pin with red handles is in excellent condition! The two pieces of white pottery will be added to my own collection and I have a project or two lined up for the stainless steamers too. I also plan on using the meat thermometer in an unconventional way and will post my photos at a later date.


I normally don't succumb to purchasing toys at a thrift store. Oftentimes pieces parts are missing from them and we have enough toys at home already. This time, however, Meg found a new pet dinosaur that I thought was adorable and she absolutely loved it. She was pleasantly surprised when we got it home to see that it actually lights up!

As you can see we found a lot of useful goodies! Can't wait to get out again.

Warm regards,
Candy