Thrift Finds: Miscellaneous

Some recent thrift finds are what I am sharing today.
First up is this linen tea towel with cute koalas that could also be used as a wall hanging - they won't mind.
They'd be happy to hang around any old place:

A Pyrex Friendship design lid, three great mugs, a yellow egg slicer to go with my identical orange one, and another, smaller Pyrex lid:

These mugs - how could I pass them up at thirty cents each? I love these colorful vintage flowers!

More stuff - another Jiffy Stitchery kit, a wooden Tiki, a hand-painted pencil holder from Mexico,  a nice tooled-leather wallet, and two colorful straw mats:

I love these drawer organizer boxes with the compartments, like the floral one below. Usually I find the quilted satin ones. I have never found one like this before, and I was excited when I saw it!
 I also found four bright orange napkin rings, and on the same day at a different store, four orange linen napkins to go with them:

A needlepoint wall hanging.....

...with pretty poppies and daisies:

A very nice cheese board tray with a pretty tile insert:

I also found a lovely hand-hooked rug, most likely from the 70's or 80's. It didn't look too great when I found it, but after a nice wash, it looks great:

It has such nice, rich colors, doesn't it?
And last of all, I found a number of nice packages of  vintage skinny taper candles:

 That's all for today - but you know there will always be more where these came from!

The Pink Of Perfection?

 I went and had my very first pedicure done the other day.

Although I did not quite know what to expect, (because I'd never had one before), it was still,  somehow, NOT what I expected.

I expected to enjoy it.
And I really did not.
I thought the whole thing was just sort of strange.
I didn't need my calves massaged.
I just wanted my feet pampered a bit, and my toenails painted.
It took longer than I thought it would.
And yet, I didn't say I was in a hurry.
I didn't say much of anything.
And I guess I expected my nails to look perfect when they were done.
As you can see, they did not.
It was just all so foreign to me.
You see, I am a VERY low-maintenance lady.
I guess I'm just weird.
The pink of perfection?
 Nope, not so much.

What's Penny Wearing? #93 A Floral Warm-Weather Dress

This cute dress was picked up at a thrift store - not by me, but by my friend Jamie.
I paired it with a vintage bead necklace:

I love the colors (you knew that already, right?)

Big, bright,beautiful blossoms:

Wear sleeveless and keep cool!

Dizzy On A Chair, Past And Present

More kitty pictures today, and this time it's Dizzy, when he was just a little baby kitty, back in 1998. He is perched atop a little velvet pillow:

And all these years later, he's a bigger kitty, shown on the same chair.

The chair happens to be one of the very first pieces of antique furniture I ever bought. It was made by Karpen. It had been reupholstered, of course, but it was - and still is - solid, well-made and comfortable for cats and humans alike.
It's still in very good condition (I've had it for about 35 years), and I still like it:

And the kitty on it?
Well, him, I LOVE.
But you already knew that!

A Visit to The Vineyard House, Coloma, California through Postcards

The Vineyard House. 

What memories this place evokes, and that is just my reminiscing. Chicken and dumplings served by a tiny elderly lady who might be a spirit; discovering beer so dark it tastes of molasses; a co-worker who caretook there keeping the PM shift (and some elderly patients) at the local convalescent hospital enthralled by tales of unhuman footfalls overhead, a cozy woodstove and a warm bread pudding; an entire side room filled to the brim with forever friends and a bursting dining table; an anniversary bed upstairs and not one ghost (darn!).

The old real photo postcard (RPPC) above reads at the bottom (written in ink)  "Native Sons Home, Coloma Cal." On the top floor it looks like all the shutters are closed.

This RPPC also reads Native Sons Home Coloma Cal. Most shutters open.  Watch out for those front stairs!

This great old RPPC has "Hotel Coloma   Former Home of Robert Chalmers" written in ink. Note the cot/lounge chair on the porch on the second floor, and the river rocks bordering the garden pathway. Some shutters open, some closed.

This postcard above, and the one below, were printed by Great Western Litho, Inc. Auburn, California. I can find no signature on either of them, but it might be worked into the design where I haven't noticed it. The information on the address side reads "Historic Vineyard House, Coloma, built in 1878 by wine producer Robert Chalmers.  President Grant made a speech from the balcony. Cocktails, food and gifts."

The Vineyard House as seen through the arch. "The old winery arch at historic Vineyard House, Coloma.  In 1872 40,000 gallons of wine and 12,000 gallons of brandy made here helped to cheer thirsty Virginia City miners.  Coloma then had a population of 10,000."

This is more what it looks like now (no shutters!), what can be glimpsed from the gate as you drive by. Although I am sad not to be able to belly up to the bar in the basement and order a martini, then climb the curving cave-like stairs to the rooms above as my stomach growls in anticipation, I also understand a family loving living here and enjoying their home and privacy.

This card reads "Historic Vineyard House, Cold Springs Road,, just off Hwy. 49, Coloma, California. Built in 1878 by Robert Chalmers as his private residence, house has 18 rooms, and a 25 X 60 Ft. ballrooms.  Restaurant, Country Inn, Gift Shop, Saloon and Museum open all year.  Color photo by Bernie Long." Written in ink "A great place to eat."

What a great place it would be to live, and host a holiday gathering in!

Unless you aren't too fond of ghosts... but that is a story for another day.

Banana Cake

I had some very ripe bananas to use up and I decided I wanted to make some kind of a cake rather than banana bread. Even with the help of the web, I sometimes have trouble finding the exact type of recipe I have in mind. It seemed as though every recipe I found called for shortening, and I didn't have any.  Anyway, I prefer to use butter when I'm baking. I was not one hundred percent certain that if I used all butter rather than shortening is a few of the recipes I found, whether it would turn out all right or not. I finally found a good one.
It's from Lucinda Scala-Quinn's cookbook "Lucinda's Authentic Jamaican Kitchen", and I found it on the  Martha Stewart website (click here to find it).

As if the streusel-type topping on the cake was not enough sugar, I also decided I wanted to add frosting. I had planned to do a cream cheese frosting, but I changed my mind.
I made a simple frosting with browned butter instead:

It was delicious:

It did not take my husband and I too terribly long to make it all disappear!

 

I was kind of sorry when it was gone.

Thrift Finds: My Two Favorite Veras, Again

You know I love it when I find things at the thrift stores with the name "Vera" on them!
Like these super vintage Vera Neumann napkins with an orange and yellow bamboo design:

And this lovely Vera Bradley tote, complete with tag:

The tote was rather high for a thrift store find - but MUCH less than it would cost brand new at the Vera Bradley store.
It works for me!

Because I Like The Cover

I picked up this book recently....

Yes, simply because I like the cover.
"Jacket design by Arthur Wallower".
Arthur, I like your style.

Didn't Have A "Clue"

"Clue", the Parker Brothers board game, that is.
But I found one at a thrift store - and now I DO!

It's the original one, just like the one we had when we were kids.

 The assorted "Clue" characters:

 The "Clue" board layout:

 And all of the "Clue" rooms:

 It makes me happy, now that I have a Clue!

My little lead pipe is missing, and one of the cards, as well. I feel fairly sure that I'll probably be able to replace them some day. It was cheap, so I actually didn't even care. I am surprised more parts weren't missing, to be honest with you.
I have fond memories of playing this game when we Gold Country Girls were growing up.

Thrift Finds: Things To Wear On Top

I have found some pretty cute tops lately, like this one, a Lucky Brand:

I really like it:

The one below is cute, too. Somebody cut it off to make a little tunic halter-style summer top. Cool and comfortable - nice, because our warm weather is here!

Another cool sleeveless, this one from Old Navy:

It appears to be unworn - trimmed with sequins and some gold

for a hint of sparkle:

A sweet green peasant blouse:

With gorgeous, colorful embroidery:

And yet another simple peasant blouse in cool cotton:

Just one more - a shirt from Coldwater Creek, in a riot of paisley and colors I could not resist.
It is too big in the shoulders for me, but for this one, I will pay to have it altered. I doubt that I will be wearing  long sleeves before autumn, anyway. I fell in love with the beautiful print:

I am definitely liking what I'm finding around here, lately!