Tuesday Thrift Therapy

I went thrifting today. I needed to stay home and educate my poor child. I needed to do the laundry and make preparations for tomorrow. But, it's the preparations for tomorrow that made me need to go thrifting. Tomorrow is the funeral. I hate going to funerals. I know no one is all, "Ooooo, a funeral. Yippee. What fun." No one likes to go to funerals. But, I hate them. Skin crawling hate funerals. but, you have to do what you have to do. I go. But, I sit in the back. The way back. The "so far back no one even know you were there so you sign your name really big in the guest book to compensate for it" back. And, when they come to the aisle for you to go "up front" I go "out the back". I have a lot of hang ups about the "D" word, and rightfully so. I had several very bad experiences involving death and bodies that sort of left me messed up in the head about the whole thing. (Hey, hey, this is a super fun post so far isn't it!) So, knowing I have to go to a funeral tomorrow has really gotten me uptight. Therefore, thrifting was neccessary.

Now, this will sound insane to some of you. (Not the stuff you just read - but what you are about to read). But, to the die hard thrifters reading this you will completely understand. I knew, do you understand? I knew that there was a vintage tablecloth waiting for me at the thrift. And, I knew I had to go get it. I just felt it. Was I right? Hmmm, let's proceed.

My first find were these five very big and fun cupcake shaped invitations. The invite slides out of the paper liner. I don't plan on using them for invites - I will reuse them into collages or something. 25¢ for all five.

I seemed to have a party theme going today. The "Happy Birthday" tablecloth is a flannel backed oilcloth. I've seen them for every holiday and season, but never a birthday one. I'll consider this my "Going Green" tablecloth as I buy a cheap disposable for every party and now I won't have to do that again. It was 75¢. The vintage "Happy Birthday Book" is just precious. It is by Charolette Steiner and dated 1953. The illustrations are wonderful.

"Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday to you. Happy Birthday dear ________, Happy Birthday to you."

See the little pixies decorating the cake? Wouldn't this make a sweet gift or a wonderful swap item? Yea, too bad - it's mine. ;o) I have this one shelf that I keep decorated year round for each holiday. And in August I have trouble finding something to put on it. And, well, my birthday just happens to be in August, so I think I have a new theme. ME ;o)

This quilt top isn't exactly stunning or anything, but I just cannot seem to leave handmade items at the thrift. Not things that took months to make anyway. I have no problem leaving crocheted toilet paper covers and hot glued sunflower wreaths and those god awful safety pin, plastic bead keychains behind. This quilt top has all sorts of materials. Some squares are several materials within themselves. It was $2.00. I sometimes put these in my garage sale just to use as table covers and someone always oogles it and wants to buy it. I say, "Oh, it isn't really for sale" and they pout and make an offer of like $10.00 or $15.00 and I take it. I think they think I don't appreciate it and they are saving it. Hello, I did that in the first place!

Well, I guess that about wraps up my finds for the day.

What? A tablecloth, you say?

Did I find one?

Uh, yea.

I looked in the ROUND TABLECLOTH bin and found nothing. I looked in the SQUARE TABLECLOTH bin and found nothing. So, I thought my psychic tablecloth jou-jou was off. But, then ----- Zsa-zsa-zu!

I don't know how I definded my powers of "vintage vibe" but I spotted that cloth from three aisles over and knew it was a tablecloth. The tablecloth. My tablecloth. Not a piece of cloth, but a tablecloth. It is amazingly bright and clear. Red with white vintage roses on it. Not a hole or stain or anything bad at all. It is rectangular and quite large. And, since it was at the Super Cheap Thrift, it was a mere $1.50.

I know this pictue just doesn't do it justice, but it is really so very pretty. If only I had a big table for it or I used tablecloths. Or ate at a table. Or didn't watch "Wheel of Fortune" on the couch with my plate on my lap. Oh, well. It's still pretty and oh so vintagey.

We went on to the Salvation Army, where I rarely find anything very interesting. I usually buy baskets, books and videos there. As we were paying for the very large poker playing dog I bought for my Dad's bar (What? No picture? Gasp!) I spotted a box in the sacred glass showcase. I asked to see what was in it. I found this set of silver spoons from Brazil. Each one has a large stone in the top to make them different. The larger one is more of a scoop. I think that the bigger one is for scooping sugar into the coffee or tea and then the smaller ones are for each person's coffee or tea. I looked at them as the checker watched me, (they were in the sacred glass showcase, you know) I said, "I have absolutely no use for them whatsoever. I'll take them!" She laughed. I figure but them now, figure out what to do with them later. They were only $3.00. Surely I can fool someone into thinking I am a world traveler with my fancy Brazillian spoons.

I picked this tin up at a thrift last week. It was sort of a splurge at $2.00. I know that isn't much money, but I literally have hundreds of tins and do not need anymore. But, this one is heavy and old and I have never seen a hillbilly themed tin before - what do you suppose was in it originally? Or did all tins come with something in it or could you just buy an empty tin? Why did things come in tins? How come other things didn't come in tins? These are the questions that keep me up all night. Okay, not really.

(Aren't off centered photos all the rage???)

P.S. - Don't be worried about me and the funeral thing. I'll go and be fine. I just don't particularly look forward to it. But, does anyone? Beisdes. There's a thrift between there and home. Thrift therapy. Ahhhhhhhhhhh.....