Sir Thrift-A-Lot ♥


Saturday, June 29, 2013

Thriftasaurus

Thriftasaurus

I don't know about you, but I didn't get out much this week. I'm back in my home city this weekend for my grandfathers 90th (!!) birthday party! Can you imagine? My great grandfather lived to be 104. I am too young to remember quite how his life ended, but he was never lost his mind, lived alone & gardened well into his late '90s. Some time after 101 he went into a nursing home & I believe he made a personal decision to stop taking his medication & died naturally. I wouldn't want to spend my end days, totally lucid in a nursing home. The celebration begins in a few hours, so I am doing Thriftasaurus early this Saturday. 

I didn't thrift in Toronto this week. I don't really thrift on weekends, Monday was 50% off sale, Goodwill is practically empty, Salvation Army is useless & I'm still taking care of my dog. What's it been, a month? He's healing, but he's still gotta wear the cone for some periods (like to bed & when we're not home). I did thrift when I got to my home city, found some 2 pieces of not so common Pyrex, 2 pieces of common Pyrex & 4 pieces of something by Holt Howard (all the same). I will save those for next week. 


Bought from Erica of Golden Egg Vintage! These cute Pyrex dishes. 


Not so vintage cards by Carlton, fun enough that I'll be able to use.


This lamb Ulster tea towel. I forget what it's called.






Tuesday, June 25, 2013

The End of An Era

The End of An Era:
My local Goodwill closing. 



In 2005, a not so well known Goodwill store closed on Gerrard. I had been frequenting this store for awhile, the only things I remember buying were a mint set of boxing gloves, a vintage scratch & sniff ginger bread man Christmas card (which I gifted to my ex) & a distasteful serial killer shirt. I hadn't quite gotten into collecting anything retro or vintage at that point, I was shopping for more practical items & at one point, had nowhere to live. Well, Goodwill opened up near the subway station & a tiny little area called St. James Town, - which houses 19 highrises, officially 17,000 (knowing & living in St. James Town, you know it's more) on one (large) city block.

I remember the first time I tried to find it. I was on a date with a sn Italian guy, he had surprised me with white roses under my seat, it was the middle of winter & we went to the beach & were in the parking lot for like two hours (hah). It was Sunday at like 11:00PM & I told him I wanted to go to Goodwill. He heard it moved to Bloor, so he was driving around looking for it. We pinpointed the address, but hadn't expected it to be in the mall with a chain drug store & McDonalds. So kept driving around... clueless. Don't ask me why I thought it would be open Sunday night at 11, I think he only took me to please me. Ya know? Musta been crazy. 

The Goodwill had been good to me in the past. Lately, though, not so much. Like in the last year. Too many people spending their daze there hiding by the door, I guess. Not so much dealers, just hoarders & collectors. At one point I was going there 2x a day when I lived down the street at 666. The same people have been going there for the past 8 years buying buggy loads of garbage (treasures to them, I guess).

They say their lease expired. I reckon they raised the rent & they decided not to renew. Rent is skyrocketing around me. Shops are closing! I guess you can only peddle so many chipped tea pots, old spaghetti jars & overpriced Ikea plates to make a profit.

Anyways, thought it would be fun to look back on my favourite finds from this particular store! 









 This particular Goodwill played a major roll in my life. I have been there with no exaggeration - over 1,000 times. I used to go 7 days a week, sometimes 2x a day 7 days a week. Sure, there is still tons more around, but where else can you see all the local drag queens out of drag trying on the largest bras you've even seen? Guys moving book shelves to get 50% off on that trucker hat on Friday. Anyways, the world moves on..

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Thriftasaurus

Thriftasaurus


Can finally cross this one off my list! & got 2 extra lids in case another bottom part happens along. I bought this weeks ago, at the end of May when I went to Ohio. 

Some other Pyrex finds this week, probably bought out of desperation or "empty hand syndrome". I don't even think the 471 I'm not very educated on (I am guessing Homestead & didn't come with a clear lid?), but the size comes in handy for me a lot, so I decided home it comes. The 024 turquoise, well, it had obviously been discarded by someone else.. utensil marks, a couple of see through parts.. no lid.



I found 3 bags of McDonald's promo crap - they also had a couple more, one with floss & Pizza shoelaces. My favorite is the wrapping paper, Christmas cards & the puffy stickers. I listed some of the McDonalds stuff on eBay. I'm not sure if this was just a Canadian thing, but I remember going to McDonalds & you ask for "Treat of the Week" & it was just some random junk that made the kids happy that was free - stuff like the stuff below. No one I talk to remembers it.






My favourite find this week is below.. two very good condition Hole t-shirts from 1994. I very seldom look through the t-shirts at the thrifts because they are vintage picked, but I guess they do miss some, but generally, it isn't worth my time. When I was picking up my new in box Friendship Pyrex this Monday, I had moments to spare at the thrift store by the guys house, so I headed for the tees. As I was getting to the end of the rack, I was smirking inside thinking, "figures, vintage picked, as always!" Couple shirts down - this very shirt I need for my Hole t-shirt collection! I owned one in the 1990's, bought for $9 at Giant Tiger (a discount store). I was psyched! I haven't bought a Hole shirt at a thrift in 13 years, but, I did stop looking at tees a couple years ago. About 15 shirts down, another one! What are the odds!? Hole is hands down my all time favourite band, my originally pressed Hole CD collection is around 100 discs. Besides my coin collection (which only a few special ones remain, I sold off the bulk of it a few years ago), this is my oldest collection. 




WWF glasses.


I'm listing some stuff on eBay in the next couple days. I listed the Boy Scout patches I got extra in a bag, I made about $40. I am listing some of the McDonald's stuff (including one package of wrapping paper, some window clings, treats of the week, puffy stickers), X-Files tee, Primus tee, Bud Light fabric (LOL). Just a nice mixture.

This upcoming week, I don't know if I'll get out much. Monday is 50% off day at Value Village & Tazlie. The Goodwill by my house is baron, it's closing down in early July. I am going away Thursday. But I did forget to take pictures of a two small things I bought, so, at least I'll have something to show next week.

Link up below if you found something this week!






Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Friendship Pyrex: New In Box!

Friendship Pyrex:
New In Box!

I can't believe I never took a pic of the box & the casserole without the paper!
Oh well, camera's put away.

Late last week, a seller posted online a NIB 943 Friendship casserole. I somehow responded to the ad within 16 mins. I told her I wasn't able to get to where she was at (3 hours away), but inquired whether she would be able to mail it. She said she would find out shipping costs, but asked where I lived, since her son works in Toronto. I let her know, telling her everywhere is accessible via transit. Wouldn't you know, Sunday was Father's Day & her son was headed up there... 




 
He lugged the NIB Pyrex all the way back, to get it to me. Isn't that wonderful? She had offered, since her son was going to be up there anyways. I was ecstatic! This is my 3 piece of Pyrex in the box - I have a set of 3 Spring Blossom Green (with the smaller flowers) & the Golden Hearts promo, along with cradle & candles. Both of those were $15. 




What I thought was a few blocks from his house (ended up being about half an hour!) was a Value Village which I frequent often. & wouldn't you know, I found not one, but two of something that I have been looking for for YEARS in a thrift store. The last time I found one similar was 13 years ago. They can sell for up to $100 on eBay & I had one in the '90s that we got from Giant Tiger for $9. Stay tuned for Thriftasaurus later this week to find out what it is! Some of you probably won't care, but it'll be nostalgic for others.. 

 ENGLISH & FRENCH INSTRUCTIONS.

Now, I know the majority of this casserole is orange with hints of red in the lid, but when I think Friendship Pyrex - I think red, white & orange. So, since people can link up with a box of ritz crackers in their kitchen cabinet, I am going to link up to Rednesday with this beauty.
Also gonna link up with Junkin Joe with The Cottage Market! 

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Wanted Wednesday: Pyrex Passion

Wanted Wednesday:
Pyrex Passion
The Comprehensive Guide to
Decorated Vintage PYREX!


How many of you lucky guys already own this? I am very selective with the books I buy, books aren't on the top of my collection list, but once in awhile a book is lucky enough to find it's way onto my shelves. If the book wouldn't set me back just under $70 with shipping, I'd probably already own it. Now, I sit back & wait until it's either gifted or I somehow get lucky with my thrift store saying, "you just never know...". 

Anyways, how is the book?
If you wanna buy it for me or for yourself, you can buy it here:


BTW... I have an excellent piece of Pyrex to showcase for Rednesday - new in the box!

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Thriftasaurus

Thriftasaurus


Hi everybody, hope you all are having a great weekend & got some great finds at all the second venues we like to frequent this week! My thrifting has been minimal these past few weeks because I have been taking care of my dog. We've spent so much on him, so I guess it's a good thing I haven't found a lot when I do go out. 

I was shocked to find a full set of pink Gooseberry in the thrift.. on a Friday night, at 8:30. I never thrift at this time, but fate brought me into a Value Village & there we have it. Some lovely soul also donated these petite Fire King bowls. Wonder if it was the same person? The #442 Gooseberry I left behind, looks like it was a favourite of the original owner. When I got to the desk, the clerk said there was something wrong with the code.. she wasn't going to sell them to me. WTF? Anyways, yea, not my problem. They are priced right. They are on the shelf. Now they are  home with me.



I also picked up some towels. LOL. Barbie was $2.99 & it still had the sticker barcode - cheaper than a new towel at Wal-Mart!  



This was the first recipe box I bought on my way to Windsor, ditching it for the red Lustroware I posted on Wednesday. Also a 1990 Ninja Turtles tin. RAD!


I bought a baggie of vintage Boy Scouts patches for 2 patches & decided to list the rest on eBay since some of them sell for a couple bucks. Maybe I'll get lucky & be able to buy a nice piece of eBay Pyrex with the profits. 


Some more PYREX! I found a whole set of Horizon Blue cinderella's, but the 444 & 442 bowls had a deep scratch or 2. I left the $7.99 443, too. 


I have seen these on A Living Space. This was only 99cents & made in Yugoslavia. My grandmother was from Yugoslavia. 


Some Fire King mugs & some robot party favors & NIP cake decorations (that looked better in the grab bag, but whatevs). 



Well, I'm still digging out of scores of thrift scores & more stuff keeps coming into the house.. will I ever catch up? 

Next week I have a fabulous find to show you (just have to pick it up!) & am venturing somewhere where I've never ventured before. 








  

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Vintage Elephant Items


Erica, one of the Pyrex Thrifter Sisters had a wonderful birthday & got amazing birthday gifts this year, gifts that made me totally jealous, jealous enough to seek out similar items on eBay!
(her elephant items..)

Tom Collins pink elephant Hazel Atlas glasses? I could entertain with these.
(eBay auction).

Toss in the martini shaker & shot glasses... I'm game.





OK. These ones are my fav.




Cute vintage wall hanging & swizzle sticks!


Vintage elephant napkins (one cloth...).. 




Hate missing out on adorable linens!



& yea, "CANNED PINK ELEPHANTS" ... definitely need this novelty item. I've seen similar novelty items online, but never this certain one. (eBay item).