in-and-out thrifting

 Some quick in-and-out thrifting yesterday

netted me this sweet vintage frame.

(I've already removed the unexciting oil painting that was inside.)

 I was equally thrilled with this vintage lamp shade.

I was able to remove many of the brown spots with a serious scrubbbing.

A few remain.  I don't care.

 Inspired by my new finds,

I paired an empty vase with some shoe-shapers

(not sure of their real name).

Made for a little wooden bouquet!

gifts ~ not from the sea

 I almost never pass up a copy of this book when I find it.

Not only do I try to reread it every year,

I pass it on enthusiastically to friends.

It will be a birthday gift to a special friend.

(I hope I haven't already given her a copy!) 

I found THIS copy today during a morning of thrift store shopping...

In another store (where prices were noticeably higher than during our last visit),

my husband held this one up for me to see at the end of an aisle.

HE had seen only a sweet, framed doily.

I, on the other hand, saw the NAME.

It, too will be a gift - anniversary - to a special couple.

I don't think either one of them read this blog.

I hope not!

Isn't it charming?!?

it just happened

Have you noticed?

Sometimes collections "happen"

when you're not even thinking about it?

Case in point - these canes.

(And I have four others that I decided to keep.)

Recently, someone said they were looking for some old wooden canes.

I thought to myself, "I have a few canes out in the corner of our garden shed."

I had no idea that I had 14.

Apparently these were all canes at prices I couldn't say "no" to.

One at a time, gathered from

thrift stores and garage sales, I guess.
I actually can't remember buying any one of them specifically.
*~*

Do you have any collections that just "happened"?

better than chocolate and/or flowers

 We're pretty nontraditional around here...

so here's how we chose to spend our Valentine Day.

Late in the morning we headed to an estate sale.

My sole purchase was the frame (above).

 Then we headed to a thrift store where we basically shook our heads

over the high prices.  Noting that we would not head back to THAT one soon,

we headed to a second.

To our delight it was a 50% off day.

So we came home with the doll bed (above) that needs some repair,

 the desk which needs a little attention,

and this empty sewing machine cabinet which will make a fine occasional table,

thank you very much!

 We enjoyed a pan taco pizza at Pizza Hut for lunch,

and later in the afternoon, My Man went to our local cafe

and came home with their last two pieces of cherry pie

for us to enjoy with a cup of coffee.

Then a cozy game of Split (a card game we enjoy)

which I won.

SO much better than chocolate and/or flowers as far as I'm concerned.
(And probably less expensive, too!)
♥♥♥

hearts

 a recent gift from Michelle,

 two thrift store finds from past years (above and below),

 and a couple of broken heart-shaped Christmas ornaments

still hanging out with some stray buttons waiting for a place to go

(or someone to put them there).

girls just want to have fun

 It was impossible for me to pass up this piece of needlepoint

at the thrift store last week!

Why would anyone go to the work to finish this

and stop short of framing it?

I had a white frame all ready for SOMEthing--

and my husband did a great job of stretching the

needlepoint canvas over a board,

inserting it into the frame,

and covering the back to look quite professionally done!

Girls just want to have fun.

wooden fruit

...currently a centerpiece

 in a wooden bowl on our kitchen table.

Fruit gathered from various thrift stores,

unrelated to each other except by category and material and source.