Storage Wars

A friend of mine told me about Storage Wars. In case you haven't seen it, here's the scoop: A bunch of misfits bid on storage containers around L.A. They take a look inside the container for five minutes, but they can't go in or touch anything. The highest bidder gets the contents of the container. Sometimes the container is filled with valuable treasures, other times they end up with a bag full of bedbuggy pillows.

I like it more than my husband because the characters seem to be right out of an Elmore Leonard book - especially the aging hipster collector Barry. He's got a zillion cool '50s shirts.

The downside of the show is that the A&E show producers feel obligated to weave in a contrived narrative each episode. I can't believe the station that once showed arts and entertainment now shows Gene Simmons Family Jewels marathons every other day. The plus side is that you do get a close up look at some cool vintage gear. I'd never want to live in L.A., but you can see that there's a thriving thrift/antique scene. There is a store for every oddball obsession out there.

Any thoughts?

Hey, two more days of teaching and I'm off for two months. I hope to get my thrifty self back in action.

Taking One for the Team

While visiting Daddy-o for Father's Day yesterday, I was lucky enough to score this not-so-common Pueblo promo casserole dish, that comes with a cradle. It was only $5.00. The lid slipped out of my hands and I had to stick out my shin to cushion the otherwise lethal blow of the lid hitting the floor. I now have a bruise and a great piece of Pyrex. It's always worth a look.

Bits & Bobs

Here are a few pieces that have slipped betwixt yonder cracks. At the bottom, you'll see some of today's finds. Man, the yard sales are pretty dire in my neighbourhood this year.

Above and below, "flower fashioners." I saw this little time-stained box at Vincent de Paul's Value Shoppe a few weeks ago. I was prepared to buy whatever was in it for .25 just because the box held so much promise. I know, I'm crazy.
If you're forming a band, feel free to use any of the names mentioned on the box.
This is what a quarter bought me. The base is a little suction cup. I can actually see me using these down the road. My ham-fisted flower arranging can only improve.
At Southworks Antiques last week, I bought three cards dating from 1910. I'm so sick of seeing people texting and surfing Facebook instead of talking and looking where they're going. Bring back the pretty cards, I say!
This Easter poem enchanted me.
The lighting outside washed out the detail on the above card, but you get the idea.
I bought this puffy, stuffed nativity set at a yard sale this morning for $2.00. I already have my Mexican folk art nativity set for our home, so I may take this to school next Christmas.

The back of the backdrop had "Away in a Manger" printed on it.
A bird in the hand costs .10 in East York. I'll likely attach this to something in my class. I always have people saying, "Your classroom is so much fun to be in. How do you do it?" I guess it's down to creativity and being a thrifty-minded teacher.
We hit a yard sale thrown by a slightly gruff elderly Greek man with a cigarette hanging out his mouth - not that all Greek men are like this, but that's who he was. He turned out to be a decent guy. He sold us a ton of Hot Wheels' track pieces and threw in a truck for Duncan. I also got this vintage souvenir Centennial glass from 1967. The whole enchilada cost me $2.00. I'm hoping to head out this afternoon to do some thrifting or post-yard sale pickin'. How's your day working out?

Kingsley's Chair

Three years ago, an elderly gentleman who lived across the street from us passed away. His name was Kingsley. He was a classy man who sat out on his porch reading the paper. I loved the way he slept in late and seemed to enjoy his little East York garden so much.

His relations are still clearing away some of Kingsley's furnishings. I garbage picked this chair the other day. I just loved the style and the colour of the seat covering. This looks sixties to me. What do you think? My husband didn't love it as much as I do, but he told me he'd help me fix it up.
There's a little bit of wear and tear. I'm wondering if I could get it professionally mended.
There's a tiny bit of wear on the wood, but this is an easy fix. I guess I'm a bit of a sentimental picker, but I had to have it.

Cambridge - the Pyrex Capital of Canada?

Today, we took a day trip to beautiful Cambridge, Ontario.

It's difficult to take a bad photo in this town. Everywhere you look, you see old churches and limestone houses. They've done a better job of preserving their buildings than Toronto.

Oh yes, and they happen to have the best antique market that I've come across within an hour's drive of Toronto. It's called Southworks. As the sign says, it's filled with over 30,000 square feet of collectables. We'd been there before, but I hadn't become a Pyrex collector. This time it was different.It didn't take long for my Pyrex radar to go off. I was scared to look at the prices, but you know what? They were reasonable, considering it wasn't a thrift store.
There were so many other treasures. If I had unlimited funds and a huge house, I could have easily bought many other items. Check out these old time leather photo albums.

A very old enamel colander.

Barber's chair

Very old Pyrex science lab kit.

I know, I know. Contain yourselves. I'm really regretting the fact that I didn't pick up the Delphite (?) fridgies. One was $8 and the other was $10. By the time I got to them, I'd already amassed a few pieces. The workers clued into my Pyrex quest and began telling me about Pyrex locations. They also took my heavy loads to the counter for me. Talk about service!
I didn't realize that there was a Friendship casserole dish in this oval shape. I think it was $16 and pretty scuffed up, so I didn't buy it. Underneath was something unremarkable and pricey. Possibly a solid blue casserole.
Here are the aforementioned fridgies. I'll cry myself to sleep tonight.
Does anyone know what this is? It looked like it had survived one too many runs in the dishwasher to be worth the money. Shame.
So here's what I did buy. Before we even hit the antique market, we went to the Cambridge Value Village. They had a few Pyrex pieces I already had, but I scored this Spring Blossoms divided dish for $7.99. The cashier told me she like it. That's never happened in Toronto. Maybe we should move to Cambridge.
I did get these two red fridgies and a longed for Butterprint fridgie. Each cost $8.
I also bought this pretty Horizon Blue 409 (or 407) Cinderella bowl for $10.00.
YES! I thought this day would never come - the 444 Butterprint (4 qt) bowl for $10.00. I thought it was worth it.

I couldn't resist this little blue 409 for $4.00.

And more Spring Blossoms. This 402 bowl was $7.00.
Last but not least, we've got two of these Atomic Age drinking glasses which I bought for next to nothing at Value Village in Toronto last year. Because I had bought those for such a small amount of money, I didn't mind forking out $5 each for these. At least we have a small set now.

How was your thrifting/antiquing weekend?

Erin

At Long Last

Hello there,

What I've wanted more than anything recently is to be able to shop for vintage treasures and blog about it. I've been doing another reading course and teaching full time, so when you factor in motherly duties, it doesn't leave too much time.

The good news is that I hit the Goodwill in St.Catharines when recently visiting my folks. Here's what I found:

$2

$3

$4

I'll be blogging about my adventures in Toronto architecture last weekend on one of my other blogs, so stay tuned if you like that sort of thing. Looking ahead, I've got thrifty plans for the weekend, if we don't have big thunderstorms in T.O.

Welcome to my new followers. I can't believe this many people are reading. I'm the Lady Gaga of thrift.

Cheerio,

Erin