Good Thrifting

I've been collecting bits and pieces here and there since the last post I did about my thrift store finds, so I figured it was time to share.

One day, I got this great haul:

Four Pyrex refrigerator dishes, in the Butterprint pattern, mint condition with lids!
Butter dish - "Nordic" pattern by Syracuse
Cool plate - "Windblown" by Salem
Cute elephants - for my growing collection. I just keep finding them, and elephants are such amazing animals, I can't help myself.
Pyrex juice carafe in the "Butterfly Gold" pattern

From other stores, other days....

Got these starburst Miramar Melmac dessert plates, aqua and gold


The coolest little "Thermo-Serv" insulated pitcher, in aqua. Tragedy, though - the clerk dropped it when he was ringing me up, and now it's got a big crack. Oh well, he did give it to me for free.


Pyrex casserole, in the aqua Snowflake pattern I love.


These beautiful vintage wall sconces for $1.50 each!

A Rooty-Tooty Fresh-n-Fruity Giveaway!

The delightful RetroModern Housewife is giving away this very Carmen Miranda-esque bracelet!

Go take a look-see at her blog to enter yourself in the contest if you'd like. She's got a fantastic blog of retro fun!

My Flickr Groups

Quite a while ago, I got pretty caught up in Flickr. Still am, actually. It's another place to link up with fellow mid-century, vintage, retro enthusiasts. Of course, Flickr has members from all over the world, and of every imaginable interest, so if you want to find a group of photos dedicated to "Geraniums of All Kinds" you can (that's an actual group).

http://www.flickr.com/groups/sealife-midcentury/



If you are interested in collecting images along a certain theme, and you don't find a group, you make one! I'm up to five groups that I started. Of course, I'm a member of many, many more. Just can't seem to stop once you've gotten started!

I'd like to share my groups with you, since they are all obviously things that interest me quite a lot, and I'm hoping they'll interest some of you, too. Oh, and if you have a "Contact" on Flickr and you're intrigued by their photos because you share common interests, you can look up their contacts, and what groups they belong to (kinda like a blogroll and followers on someone else's blog). Therefore, the length of the chain you create is probably virtually endless! It's like being a great big club where everyone likes the same weird stuff you do (especially exciting when your neighbors, friends, family, random strangers, perhaps even your spouse think you are nuts).

Without futher ado, the Groups of Tikimama (TikiLisa on Flickr):

http://www.flickr.com/groups/paint-chip-fun/


http://www.flickr.com/groups/mid-century-wood/


http://www.flickr.com/groups/atomic-tea-party/


http://www.flickr.com/groups/mid-century-hostess/

A DeluxeVille Giveaway!

I love giveaways - who doesn't? One of the first blogs I found and followed, courtesy of the mother-of-them-all, Retro Renovation, was Welcome to DeluxeVille by the gorgeous MaryDeluxe. She has the most amazing home, and her collection of lamps is stunning! She is quite the handy-woman, too - she does everything herself around the house, and I'm so impressed. She even dresses vintage, from her fantastic collection of vintage clothing. That's something I've never quite managed, and I'm so envious of the girls who do!

So, in celebration of reaching over 100 followers, Mary has decided to give away this fantastic atomic clock. Isn't it just loverly?

If you would like to enter yourself into the giveaway, go here. But definitely check out DeluxeVille and become one of the loyal followers.

By the way, there are almost 100 followers of Atomic Tea Party, so I'm planning a little giveaway of my own. Hmmmm....what should it be?

Fantasy Look

This is the haircut I would love to get!

Victoria Von Hagen - New York 1952
via parisglobe's photostream on Flickr

Well.....if I looked like this divine beauty.
I haven't been able to find much about Victoria Von Hagen...anyone know more? She was certainly stunning.
Such a glamorous image, even if I don't go for smoking OR fur. Her makeup and jewelry are perfect. And I used to be able to see my collarbone like that, too...sigh.

Luau Time with Tikimama

I cohosted a monthly Supper Club with a good friend on Saturday; we decided to do a Hawaiian-themed barbeque. Everyone came dressed in their best island wear, and I decorated a bit with some of my odds and ends of Hawaiiana. I looked to some of my vintage Better Homes and Gardens cookbooks for inspiration for the vegetable shish kebabs and fruit platters that were my food contribution. You have to keep in mind that for me, this is very fancy!

Veggie kebabs, before grilling. They were yummy!

One of my table decorations. I filled some of my monkeypod wooden bowls with snacks, and others with shells. It was simple and beachy-feeling and very easy.

I made sure to have Daddy-O take a pic of me with my new glasses:

I hit 40 last year and like clockwork needed bifocals! These are the modern version, where you don't get that pesky line in the middle, and I drove the people at the eye doctor's office crazy because I didn't like any but these vintage-look frames. They had to custom sketch and cut the lenses to accomodate my prescription! But, I wear my glasses all day, every day, so I have to like them!
On another note, my hair is at that stage where it's grown out to just blah. I've already trimmed my bangs, and I'll need to recolor, but what I want everyone's opinion on is a good style for me that I could make look a bit more retro. I have very little time to spend on myself with two little girls to take care of, so it has to be simple. I'll probably end up with the chin-length flip if no one gives me any better ideas!

Vintage Thingies Thursday - My New Canisters

I'm participating in Coloradolady's Vintage Thingies Thursday, so go check out her blog for her vintage goodies, and a list of all the other participants. You never know when you'll discover a new fun blog to read or some vintage item you never knew existed!

I have been wanting a vintage set of kitchen canisters for a long time now. Every once in a while, I'd do a search and find things I liked, but usually too expensive, or not in great shape...or both.

Finally, about 2 weeks ago, I found this set, perfect in several ways:
~ It's chrome, which fits in with my kitchen
~ It's in fantastic condition
~ The price was good
~ It hangs on the wall - no loss of precious counter space!


The individual canisters pull out of the box that holds them all. Yes, that's a reflection of me taking the photo - they were THAT shiny after I had a go at them with Brasso!


I like the typeface used, which I often didn't on other sets I'd find. It's stamped into the metal and has a definite 1950s feel.


Here they are, hanging on the wall above the stovetop. They're a perfect place to show off the chrome creamer and sugar I found for 50 cents at an estate sale, and the nut/candy dish given to me by my parents. You can even catch a glimpse of my vintage recipe box and just a bit of the handle of my new (old) aqua hand mixer! I'll feature those in another post some day!

Now, if the Wallpaper Fairy would just visit my house and swap out the 1980s country-style paper for something mid-century kitschy or atomic, the kitchen would really be on its way to high retro style!

Vote For Real Style!

A few examples of Rejuvenation's Modern lighting and hardware collections:

Love the Boomerang cabinet handles!

If you're not already aware of it, Rejuvenation is having a big contest with a big prize. I first found out about it on RetroRenovation (Goddess Pam's blog), and then two of my favorite bloggers entered their homes. What to do? I was really in a pickle. I love both of their houses and what they have done with them.

Today, Morgan of The Brick House came out with the funniest post here. She was amazed and saddened by the "style" of homes that were getting lots more votes than her entry of her living and dining rooms, so she ranted a bit.

I love reading her blog, because she just calls it as she sees it and has complete confidence in her own taste. She's a bit of a potty-mouth, so those of you who take offense to such things...oh well! Well, her readers rallied and voted, and so far she has doubled her votes from this morning. Ain't blogging cool!

My other blog-friend Gretchen of Eichler Homes in Sacramento entered her amazing front entryway and living room.

She describes her house as half-Flinstones, half-Jetsons and it is sooo mid-century cool! She and her husband own this house AND an Eichler that they are renovating - how lucky are they??!!

Please, if you haven't already voted in this contest, go and check out these two wonderful women's entries and cast your vote. We need to out-vote the bland, Home-Depot-esque, "Housewives of the O.C." remodels and vote for hip, retro, modern, cool, STYLE!

I ended up voting for Morgan, because she is a fellow poor chick struggling to have a fab home on a low budget, her posts always make me laugh or get all envious....and she lives in the high desert, where I only lasted a year! If I figure out how to vote more than once, I'll give Gretchen my vote too :)

Vintage Thingies Thursday

Sometimes it's fun to participate in these blog events and check out what everyone else has posted. Today I'm going to try out Vintage Thingies Thursday, which originated on Confessions of An Apron Queen (no longer actively blogging) and is now hosted by the lovely Suzanne of Colorado Lady. This week's theme is "What Was I Thinking?!" She's got a funny post up today about a daschund boot scraper that she bought - and didn't realize how truly scary looking it was until she got home! Check out her blog for links to all the other participant's blogs if you enjoy looking at vintage finds.

I knew what I was thinking when I made this purchase, but I bet my husband wondered! I picked up this very sad looking lamp at the Goodwill for $5.99 because I recognized the modern shape of the wood base. I was just hoping that the hideous purple fabric would come off and it would shine up nicely. Here are the photos that show the lamp from the way I found it in the store to the end result:



I had to basically take the lamp apart to remove that fabric! I was happy to see the brass underneath was in good condition.







I used Songbirdtiff's recipe for wood cleaning oil and it worked like a charm! I've been using that stuff for all the wooden objects I pick up at thrift stores, and for my wooden furniture. It's great - so easy to make with 2 ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, cheap, and good for the environment. Thanks Tiff!

I had the lampshade on hand from a previous purchase for another lamp (awaiting rewiring) that it didn't fit. I love it when things work out that way!

Happy Earth Day!

I wonder how many people, back in the heyday of the Atomic Age, could forsee the environmental mess we'd get ourselves in?

Remember, that every one of us is important in the effort to save our world, and that we can all do *something* - even if it's small, it will make a difference! Of course, Thrift Shopping and Buying Vintage is one easy and fun way to add less junk to our landfills and less debt to our accounts!

Check out this great article on getting out of the "Retail Mentality". http://thethriftychicks.blogspot.com/2009/04/dump-that-retail-mind.html

The top image, "Thanks for Going Green" is courtesy of Dawn at Sensoria Design. It was one of her freebies! If you haven't checked her out yet, you should!