Tuesday, March 2

thrifty tuesdays...


ah yes indeedy! we are mixing it up a little dearest readers...
we are not ones to be dull and predictable,
no sirree!
we crave excitement and an element of surprise
and i can't think of anything more exciting and surprising than to take
and make it
thrifty tuesdays!

("oh Tif" i hear you exclaim "how simply thrilling, ney exciting, ney surprising of you, you clever thing"
"why thanking you kindly" i reply "i aim to please")

but before we delve into what 'devilishly exciting' thrifty goodness i have acquired of late i must just say i have not been idle this morning.
despite having volumizing hair issues of the worst kind, causing me to be weighed down like i have not been weighed down since the 80's and my perming addiction.
i am delighted to report, that yes indeed, Miss Ethel and i have been getting it on again.
it would appear she is rested and ready for action...


i can also report
my thrifty finds have reached an all time high,
(or low, if you are my man)
not content with my usual cravings
i have now taken to giving lost thermos flasks a home.
then there is the usual attraction to lovely colored fondue pots,


because of course one never knows when suddenly one may wish to 'fondue'.
i was also spoken to recently by a pair of salt and pepper pots.


sporting rather fabby green plastic tops complete with springy hinges...
seriously, how could i ignore their telling beauty

a pair of sticky hooks in wonderful avocado green complete with original packaging.
i have yet to stick them on anything as they are so terribly wonderful i want to be sure to get it right.

and then finally but by no means least
two forsaken little souls...
it's been a while since a true forsaken soul has found me.
but these two had brilliant potential upon perusal,
and so it came to be that
and
have made themselves at home in mossy shed



my man has noted that i appear to be bringing home way too many waifs and strays for his liking.
dearest readers, i told him he was indeed right, my finds are at a fearfully high quantity of late,
and then i asked him, how does one refuse a little forsaken soul that has the ability to make a wall smile...



i rest my case.

she is thinking that Miss Ethel is sounding a little croaky, she is thinking that may not be good news ~ Tif

48 comments:

Renee said...

Oh I love that little tree! How very, very lucky you are to have found that! And I love your home - beautiful!

My Farmhouse Kitchen said...

love all of it....

kary

Rubyred said...

How do you manage to have such fabby arrangments!Love the freshly painted tree, you have such foresight!
I fear as the weather improves and the car boots do too, my man will be raising objections to my little finds!As my summerhouse is FULL, I need to find a new hiding place!
Rachel x

Donna said...

I LOVE your blog...it is so inspirational!!!

Monique said...

I love you. I believe that we are long lost kin. I've been quietly following for quite some time, but I'm totally ready to JOIN your Challenge of the Utmost Kind. However, I ask in advance for permission for one exception: I have a new TV and blueray player on layaway. It's not thrifted or handmade, but it's going to make my husband's year and it's already half paid for. He's very patient and puts up with my crafting, thrifting, and overall cheap-skate-ish-ness. (He even wears the army surplus pants I bought him!) So he probably deserves the TV...poor man.

Lora said...

i LOVE that blue tree. oh my goodness. amazing!
lora

cocosparkle said...

Your blue tree find is absolutely thrilling!!! Your man will learn to love every gorgeous little thing you give a home...I just feel it will happen :) You inspire me and make me giggle...thank-you! much love

Sam said...

that tree is incredible. If I still had my eye teeth I'd give them for it!

Lise said...

I can't believe what a transformation a bit of turquoise paint made! Your wall is smiling for sure!!

Annie B said...

I am so envious of your special finds. I have been stuck at home since last Monday after having surgery on both my knees. I can't drive yet and of course my bethrowed doesn't think that op shopping (thrifting)is a necessity( too much crappity crap already he says, and won't take me within 10 miles of any op shops. I am having withdrawls badly but reading your blog has lifted my spirits. As for the thermos addiction - you can never have too many. I must also confess to a wee addiction but I do use them regularly to take to hockey games, school pickups,trips to the beach and sometimes I just fill one up and sit out in the backyard with a book and a little picnic- it doesn't get much better.......

mel @ loved handmade said...

Beautiful, beautiful everything! I love it all, my Mr is beginning to find less joy in my thrifty finds these days, I think it's because they are a little too frequent, perhaps bordering on an obsessive, compulsive desire to aquire pre-loved lovelies...

folk city said...

Tif,
It must be Lost Thermos Flask season! I found a dashing one in tartan on my Thrifty Monday:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/folkcity/4398295249/

Cheers!
-Heidi

Flower said...

all hail thy retro thrift queen!!!!

Andrea said...

Good Heavens!
The tree!
LOVE.
xo
Andrea

Bee said...

Hi Tif,

I love what the turqouise paint has done for the little tree.
Its now a great contemporary item.

Bee x

s a n s k u :) said...

the tree's my favorite! and i love the crocheted circle as the letter o.

gypsysticks said...

How lovely. It's always a happy day when you can go antiquing and come home and enjoy all your treasures. Thank you for sharing them with us. I must admit however, that I feel a tinge of jealousy seeing your vintage furniture and home. (My amazingly patient man is not a great fan of my vintage desires and so I walk a fine line...any advice dear dottie?).
Blessings and happiness,

Athena
gypsysticks@charter.net

Contessa Kris said...

I am envious of your thrifty finds! Love the tree wallhanging! Beautiful.

guerrillartmomma said...

I LOVE the tree. Please include me in your challenge. Right now I am searching for a thrifty, flowery,tent for summer.I love Cath Kidstons, but cannot find a single one. If anyone has one that needs a home please give me a yell.

guerrillartmomma said...

Ps. starting the challenge today.

Unknown said...

I wanted to say Hey and I love your thrifty finds! I have the same fondue pot in green :D

cute blog you have

Carrie

Unknown said...

I love your thrifty finds. That painted tree looks perfect on your wall.

dottie angel said...

oh annie b!!! my heart goes out to you... if i was round the corner i would be over hoppity quick, offering a piggy back ride around your op shop :)

thank you my dearies for once again admiring my thrifty haul with your encouraging kind words :)

and gypsysticks, after nearly 24 years of being together, my man rarely raises an eyebrow these days... of course if you asked him, he would be a mimimalist with very modern furniture. but i don't ask... which sounds terribly uncaring and harsh. so to make up for my apparent uncaring and harshness, i cook him wonderful home comfort food in my crockpot or from a frozen dinner :)

dottie angel said...

monique and guerrillartmomma, welcome my dears... you are amongst friends upon my sidebar featuring challengers of the utmost kind :)
and no worries, you are indeed allowed an exception or two. i did myself :)

Cindy said...

I love that tree! But I stopped here to say that you've found my grandma's salt and pepper shakers...I used to make them talk to each other with their turquoise mouths...so much fun! Thanks for the reminder.

Katie said...

You need to send some of your thrifty mojo my way! You find the best things. Not only that, but it's what you do with them. hahaha I just reminded myself of the classic Australian movie 'the castle'. I tried to find the footage on youtube but it's not there so I'll quote it to the best of my memory.

Family sitting around kitchen table eating bowls of icecream. Middle aged, moustache clad, receding hair line husband says to his permed, picture knitted into her wooly jumper wife
"What do you call this Darl?"
she replies proudly, "it's just icecream darl with sprinkles". He replies, even prouder "yeah but it's what you've done with it.

All through the movie he is impressed by her sponge cake 'with cream' and the rissoles (hamburgers) with sauce (ketchup).

So if you ever hear an Aussie say "but it's what you've done with it darl", tap the side of your nose and you'll be an honorary Aussie for life (well in my books anyway)

Unbuttoned said...

Oh wow, childhood flashback, we had those same salt and pepper shakers but in a pale mustardy color. I hadn't thought about them in ages.
Love the painted tree!

Anonymous said...

You have a very cozy and colourful home. I like all your crochet.

Anna said...

such lovely finds, how could you not bring them home. i love the tree it reminds me of Mexican style tree of life

Michelle said...

Oh dear Miss Ethel...
Rug yourself up dear, stay warm and snug...
For I can see much more delightful goodness sitting patiently ready to be whipped up into some lovelyness and gleefull goodness...
and of course Tif needs you!!!

Carol said...

Love the beautiful tree and your lovely house.
I can never visit your blog without preparedness for a smile of the widest kind.
Carol xx

Charis said...

Ohhh you have such lovely things... my other half hates things... he calls it all tat. He is doomed though because i just keep buying more!

Greedy Nan said...

Oh dear - yet again I feel envy yet I can't stop coming by for my 'fix' of tif.

dottie angel said...

oh you lovely sweet things :)

and katie!!!
oh katie!!! i am tres thrilled indeed... and will rub the side of my nose forever more, when occasion presents it's self :)

Stace and Joey said...

I too would love to join (officially) as I have been doing it for two months now your challenge!
Do love the tree! and the colored doilies; Very sweet.
Try giving Ethel a sweep in her bobbin case and a bit of oil. She may just need to get all the crappity-crap thread dust out of her knickers! A nice pat and maybe a pretty sticker on her will help too. I talk very sweetly to most of my girls when I need them to just push it to the limit. Take care!!
Stacie

Elissa said...

your thrifting luck is beyond comprehension. that little tree!!!! and salt and peppers with hinged lids!! SIGH.

mrs mediocrity said...

and you can never have too many smiles, or walls that smile...

Amanda said...

Oh and SMILE your walls do!

There seems to be a lot of favorite vintage find sharing lately and, being an unstoppable force (just ask MY man) in the garage-saling/thrifting world I have to share my own post with all of the fun I've had!

http://mommyinthemaking.tumblr.com/post/193080983/as-much-as-i-hate-to-say-it-and-as-much-as-i

Rose Campion said...

I love every one of your little treasures, but what I love best is the daisy placemat/hot pad under the fondue pot. It's just like the one that my Grandma had.

Also, I find those colorful fondue pots all the time, but as I never fondue, I always leave them at the thrift. I find myself wondering though if they could be used like a regular saucepan. What do you think?

amanda o said...

tif...wht paint do you use when you transform these cuties? do you use brush-on or spray paint???

Anna said...

Oh, I am so jealous of all your thrifty finds (especially the wonderful Pyrex!) I know you live near me and I'm just trying to pick up clues as to which thrift stores you're going to-I don't think you're going to the same ones I am, that's for sure! I find some wonderful things but sheesh, your finds are top-notch! I would love to know...

dottie angel said...

i'm not sure about using the fondue pots upon my stove... i have to say i have no idea on that one!
as to the paint, what allows my little forsaken souls to shine in all their glory is using a coating of high gloss clear acrylic varnish after the paint has dried. the type you find in the artist aisle of the craft store...

Stace and Joey, welcome aboard my friend :)

jessica said...

just adore all of it.

Anonymous said...

Ah!the blue tree and knitting needle holder are très cool.

Anna said...

Tif, thanks for the thrifting suggestions...I always head north toward Shoreline and have decent luck but maybe I should just stick closer to home sometimes. ;)

Unknown said...

Love it all, I not only got fabulous Fondue pot, but Fondue cookbook as well, My friend has housewarming party and it was Fondue Fabulous. Big hit, lots of fun. Happy thrifting and crafting. My Mr. Man has forbidden me until I clear out space, or will report me to horders EEK, I do love a good thrift!

Maize Hutton said...

the joke in our house is that i donate stuff to the goodwill then go and buy it back. well...i did... but only once!

Candy Pop said...

You did such a great job with the tree! :)