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Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Recent Finds

I've had a good run of thrifting finds of late, so let's have a look inside the Vermont Basket Company hamper ($5.99-Hand Me Ups) and see what I've brought home.
 Hats galore!
The woman at the thrift store mentioned that I always buy such unusual items, and she wondered if I am an art teacher. It took me a second to reply, because I do teach art, but more from a history perspective than a, "get out the manila paper and tempra paints, we're going to make art!" direction. If my mother had been there, she'd have let loose with a boisterous laugh at someone mistaking me for an art instructor. My first day of school, I brought home some drawing we'd done in class expecting it to be displayed on the fridge like I'd see at friends homes. Mum took a look at it, binned it, and told me my time would be better spent doing useful things like cleaning my room. It was the era of "no colouring books for children because it inhibits their imaginations", but as mother pointed out to someone once in response to why I had such books, "She needs the lines." Sure, she could have been a bit more sensitive about it, but if I'm being honest, she had a point. Anyway, in Omaha wearing nice clothes and hats gets you pegged as the art teacher.
 
Speaking of tasteless art-a foil picture! I adore these, and this one must have been expensive as the owner went to the trouble of taking it to the expensive shop for framing. Mr. ETB groaned at the sight of it, knowing it will end up in the bedroom with the freaky lions and the pair of children painted on burlap (that will be another post). I offered to have him a poster of Barthes made, to reflect his tastes in our home, but he just shrugged and told me to do as I like. I like foil paintings, thanks very much.
 Tablecloths...
 ...paper laminated trays...
 ...Americana note cards...
 ...and a brass lamp that must weigh 25 lbs.
I also like a nice pair of mid-century wall sconces. You never know when the power will fail, and you'll be forced to resort to candles. Easier to strike a match in the dark than fumble for batteries in the torch, and let's be honest-Mag Lights are durable torches, but not terribly flattering to skin tone. No one ever says they fell in love by torchlight, do they?

Finally, I found this lingerie bag/mending kit/hankie bag in a last-chance bin at the thrift store. A bit of research about the company Victoria Vogue indicates they've been around for a while making things like makeup applicators and powder puffs, but I wasn't able to find out much about this particular rayon bag. Worth .25 cents at any rate.
 The original pins and needles are still neatly arranged in the case.
 Hard to imagine anyone darning hose post-war, but perhaps old habits die hard.


 The clothing finds have been exceptional of late as well, and hopefully I'll get a chance to wear some of them soon. We haven't been out much as Danny is still sick, and though the antibiotic took care of the sinus infection/lung stuff, the poor kid is now house-bound with a nasty reaction to the medication. This makes three weeks? He rarely gets sick, but this has been a doozy. He's getting tired of plain toast, baked potatoes, and ginger ale.

Anyone finding great items recently?

9 comments:

  1. Alrighty. I don't want to mess with your Mom because she sounds a lot like my Mom. No nonsense. But I must disagree. You ARE an artist!! You have an amazing eye for the beautiful things that everybody else leaves behind. That is TALENT my friend. Those mid century sconces are works of art....found by you, Goody L'Artiste. I hope Danny feels better. I had a horrible reaction to antibiotics the last time I took them. Bleah.

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  2. @Connie

    Thanks hon, that's sweet of you to say. Maybe it was generational, but I think many, many mothers were so matter of fact back then. I'm sure it sounds like child abuse by today's standards, but I really don't feel like I was harmed any by her straightforward manner. It would have been worse to be smothered in false praise like these children today.

    Funny thing with the antibiotics is that the pharmacist called the Dr's office wanting to switch it because of Danny's allergy to penicillin (similar drug) and he gave my husband this 10 minute lecture on the phone about how he knows all this and the pharmacists just want to scare people, etc.

    Yeah.

    Anyway, he's taking probiotic capsules so that ought to at least help with the runs.

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  3. @ Connie

    And I hope you're feeling better. Reactions are no joke in adults either.

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  4. Your mum sounds like ME! Oh I can't be doing with mollycoddling, I'm quite straight-talking with my kids too. (If they all end up in therapy, I might have to reassess my approach...)
    But I like Connie's view that your talent for spotting beautiful quirkiness is an art in itself - she's right.
    That brass lamp would be an excellent murder weapon, the hats are superb (ans so many!) and those wall sconces are fabulous. I disagree about the darning though; my mum always mended her tights, well into the 1970s (actually, she probably still does). She was part of the thrifty war generation, and old habits die hard.
    Poor Danny, he's had a tough time. Hope he's on the mend soon. xxxx

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  5. @Curtise

    They may end up in therapy (discount for group sessions?)but it won't be your doing.

    Self-esteem is overrated anyway-our generation didn't have any, and we're (ahem, *clears throat*) no worse for it!

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  6. Get well wishes.

    I have the twin to the laminated bird tray. If you find yourself in need of a matching set, let me know and I'll drop it in the mail.

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  7. Love your lovely finds! I adore vintage hats and have quite the collection myself, yours here are beautiful! Your mending kit is pretty awesome too! Your mom sounds pretty cool!

    Rebecca
    www.winnipegstyle.ca

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  8. What a collection of fabulous hats there honey!! Cannot wait to see you wearing them. I wouldn't mind be mistaken for an art teacher, the best sort to be mistaken for. Your mum, OMG!! Did it not break your little heart to have your art work binned?? There is constructive criticism and destructive criticism. But I think you were right about the older generation and how now it would all look like child abuse. I think you are arty, because you have a talent for finding the best things!!

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  9. @Janice

    I have the pair already...so perhaps I could send YOU the extra?

    We have great taste, eh?

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