thrift shop project

2008-05-08T06:14:00.001-07:00

Goodwill, Somerville, MA.

Silkscreened Cow Art, $1.49.

This is for my friend Arthur. He will soon have a new room, and I hope he will like this. It reminded me of Ferdinand, even this is a lady cow and Ferdinand is a bull.

There have been a lot of changes at my local Goodwill in the past few months. It's been tidied a bit and nearly all the staff has changed. Ediba, where did you go? And, for the Davis Square faithful, don't you miss Wayne's excellent shopping soundtracks? A Goodwill run without Screamin' Jay Hawkins just isn't the same.

2007-10-04T22:48:00.000-07:00

Bloglines had a little blip and showed that the TSP had a new post. "Thank God", I said to myself, "It's about time I updated this damned thing."

2007-06-28T08:51:00.000-07:00

I've always had good thrifting adventures in NYC. The thrifting is different than in other parts of the country (so much H&M clothing!), but there are still some great things to be found.

Salvation Army, Astoria, NY.
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Goodwill, Astoria, NY.

The Steinway St. thrifts are nice, because they are close together and there are excellent places to eat nearby. They're also close to the subway, which is convenient for lugging purchases home.

Three Quilted, Embroidered Butcher's Charts, $4.99/ea.
Mere words cannot express how awesomely excellent I think these are.
Orginally, these were still framed and glassed, but I had to have them. Had to. I wasn't looking forward to schlepping them around all day, and said so to Henry, the cashier. Henry, my new good friend, suggested I re-donate the frames (they weren't my taste at all) and take out the innards. Thank you, Henry!
These may be the thing that overthrows my 'nothing on the walls' rule.

Pantone 'Blue Nights' Shoulder Bag, $3.99.
I've drooled over the Pantone Universe bags for years. My current bag is in (desperate) need of replacement, and this should do the trick. It's in great shape.

I also hit some thrift stores in Manhattan, and was pleasantly surprised. More on that later.

2007-06-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

Some things of note:

In the Julie and Julia vein, Carol is cooking the French Laundry cookbook. I'm a total Keller disciple, and think this is great.

There was a set of Town & Country bowls at the Goodwill last week, but I chose to lug home beer instead.

Two California thrifts, the Robin's Nest in San Clemente, and the Well in the Desert in Palm Springs, are closing. It will be interesting to see, as rents escalate, what stores will last and what won't. Will we be left with the thrift equivalent of Wal-Mart, Target, and Kmart?

Urban Renewals, June 15, 2007.

Ann Taylor Cashmere Sweater, $3.99.
Man, I used to be cool, and now I buy Ann Taylor things. Indie cred, where did you go? *weeps*
This sweater has seen little use, and I'm going to unravel it and use the yarn for something else.

Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook, Ruth Berlozheimer, Ed., $1.99.
We all like the CAI booklets. This is in amazing condition! No splatters, smells, or warping. The 1950 edition. I can only hope the same for me when I'm sixty-seven.

Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, $1.99.
Not one, not two, but three of these were at UR, all priced differently. Weird. Fron 1951.

Aprons, aprons, aprons. I recently did an inventory of my aprons and the number is a little...Collyer-esque. Work aprons, house aprons, this place is full of them.
Much to the consternation of friends and co-workers, I have decided to wear an apron as part of my daily ensemble. So far, I've been complimented by postal workers, a bus driver, a Central Square crazy, and three old ladies.

Nifty things seen:

Old Jantzen Bathing Suit, $5.99.
A cute hipster girl had this in her cart, and was kind enough to let me photograph it. Hi, Kara! I hope all your bathing beauty dreams come true.

2007-06-14T07:39:00.000-07:00

It's been very turquoise around here lately.

Portable Royal Typewriter, $2.99, Goodwill, Somerville, MA.
I saw this one day, and said to myself, "No, no, young lady, you do not need another typewriter. Yes, it is lovely, and yes, in wonderful condition, but you do not need it, missy. Go upstairs and look for a pair of black linen pants instead."

How I love portable typewriters! They're so practical. A few years ago, I found this shiny Royal beauty at the Goodwill in Cambridge.

I was very pleased with it and put it on my lap to admire it on the subway home. A late fifties-ish businessman looking gentleman sitting next to me also admired it and joked about my new laptop. We had a spirited talk about cool old stuff and second hand shopping. He loved yard sales and flea markets, but his wife thought they were terrible. As I got off the train in Davis Square, he offered me thirty dollars for the Royal. I laughed, said no, and suggested that a typewriter hunt would be a fine thing for him to do. I hope he found one.

Pyrex 'Butterprint' 1 Pt. Casserole, a quarter at the Methodist Church's rummage sale.
Sometimes I'm just horrified at the behavior I see at sales. At this sale, there was a terrible kerfuffle over the price of a television set. *sigh*

Craigville Inn Linen Dish Towel, $0.25/ea at the Goodwill in Somerville.
I'm not sure if the Craigville Inn even exists anymore. My mother would know.
I found three of these towels. Two had never been used and still had the price stickers on them. Forty-nine cents, in case you're interested.
It's always nice to find Cape Cod kitsch.

Another Linen Dish Towel, a quarter.
For a project. The images are wonderful.

Thrifting never lets me down. In the past year, my shampoo, pasta sauce, conditioner, face lotion, jelly and moisturizer have all been discontinued. The perils of modern life, I tell you.

2007-06-02T23:16:00.000-07:00

The above gentleman is an insane beloved part of my life. He:
1. Cannot pronounce the -ch sound.
2. Sends hysterical text messages.
3. Rushes to pour you a glass of Port if you are under the weather.
4. Teases Hassan mercilessly.
5. Calls the Goodwill the 'poor store'.
6. Can see small things!

Happy fiftieth birthday, Amandio! You drive me up the fucking wall, but my life is a far better place for having you in it.

2007-06-01T08:18:00.000-07:00

From the Cape Cod Times, Thursday, 24 May:

Offered without comment. I got some terrific things. 'Nuff said.

2007-05-29T06:18:00.000-07:00

The usual notes before the thrifted goods:

A good thread about thrifted cooking things. As a restaurant and food person, I usually read chowhound before I even check my email in the morning. It's a great reference.

The TSP was mentioned on both the Cambridge and Somerville Townonline blogs.

Scott is curious to know if anyone knows of any good Vera sites. Does anyone? I haven't been able to find much, besides his (always) great info. I really wish I'd come up with the phrase thrift store archaeology first.

Vice Is Bad for a Reason
Woman Drinks 12 Diet Cokes a Day
Sent to me by lovely pal Emily. My Diet Coke addiction is well documented in these pages.

Square is taking a week long thrifting road trip. It will be interesting to see what they come up with along the way. Thank to Kevin for the link.

Two thrift shop myspace pages, Out of the Closet in Los Angeles, and Circle Thrift in Philadelphia.

Everything came from the Goodwill here in Somerville.

Flowery 45 Case, $1.00.
I've wanted a 45 case forever, but, when I've seen them, they've been in a condition I call 'extra-loved'.
The only other case I've seen in good shape was, oh, five or six years ago? We were still living in the downstairs apartment, that much I do remember. I'd seen a swish turquoise and white case at the Goodwill, but talked myself out of it. What did I need with such a thing, anyway? I don't have any 45s. When I arrived home from the
Goodwill, I changed my mind and dashed back out. While walking down Elm St., I passed two little punk rock girls, one of whom was carrying a swish new turquoise and white 45 case.
Eddie Bauer Brown and Pink Flowery Linen Skirt, $4.49.
This skirt is swell. I wore it twice this weekend, and Gram complimented me on it. She did, however, have plenty to say about my orange Crocs.
No Drinking Before Five Coaster, $0.25.
We here at Casa Beaucoup-TSP are often accused of being boozehounds. We prefer to think of ourselves as bon vivants.
iSi chargers, $1.00.
These were great to find, because seltzer season is starting and chargers are $15 a box at Kitchen Arts.

Radiohead Shirt, $1.99.
It's for a friend. Radiohead makes my head hurt.

How to Enjoy Playing Cribbage, $1.00.
New Englanders are nutty for cribbage. I learned it when I was a small girl, and love to play whenever I can. Linda Greenlaw writes in The Lobster Chronicles:
The ever-present cribbage board and playing cards rested on the table where Mom and I had left them after counting our final hands last night.Cribbage boards are as common as wooden spoons in the kitchens of this island. Children raised in this part of Maine often learn to play cribbage before they can tie their own shoes. Some people might find that backward, but it's actually quite advanced. Long before I knew that one plus one equals two, I understood that seven and eight are equal to fifteen, and that fifteen is good for two holes on the cribbage board.
The inside of the box:

The back:

Now this, this is what always amazes me about thrifting. Did someone keep this in their house for forty years before taking it to the Goodwill? Can you imagine the hope someone may have had, thinking, 'someday I'll have time to sit and learn to play cribbage', only to have those hopes dashed? Why was this kept, and never opened?

2007-05-18T17:02:00.000-07:00

Some things I've seen recently, worth noting.

Urban Renewals, yesterday:

Imagine keeping all your sewing notions on such a geographically correct likeness!
I was so amused by this I had to call my mom and tell her all about it. It wasn't until after I realized it wasn't for sewing thimbles, but decorative porcelain thimbles.
No offense to any Canadians in the audience.

Also at UR:

Oh, the Skotch Kooler. We'll still be seeing these fifty years from now, along with the Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Old Navy Holiday tee shirts, Holly Hobbie (did you know Holly Hobbie was a real person?*)bed sheets, and Mardi Gras beads.

Cambridge Goodwill, today:

I nearly died from the utter cuteness of this knitting bag. It still contained some acrylic yarn and a half finished project.

Somerville Goodwill, last week:

Forty kinds of scat! If only I knew someone interested in elimination identification.
The background fabric is from a pair of curtains, now hanging in my (very small) living room.

If my sister gave this to me, I wouldn't know what to say.

A Last Supper paint by number accented with glitter? Mere words can't express the emotions I had for this.

*Thanks to Rebecca for the link!

2007-05-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

May 10, 2007

I'd met Rebecca for lunch, and, since I didn't have to work that evening, decided to stop at the Goodwill and Salvation Army in Central Square on my way home. I hopped on the #1 bus bound for Cambridge.

From top to bottom:
Three Pyrex Refrigeratorware Pieces, 'Spring Blossom Green', $2.00. I already have the larger bottom piece of the set. I think I'll lot and sell it, as I have a pile of SBG pieces.
1.5 Qt. Pyrex Cinderella Casserole , 'Woodland', $1.99.
This is for a friend. There's a small chip in the lid, but lids are easy to find.
2.5 Qt. Pyrex Cinderella Casserole, 'Spring Blossom Green', $2.49.
What's with all the SBG? Someone is either:
1. Rethinking their kitchen decor.
2. Moving.
3. Dead.
This is missing the original top. The top to this is a opaque frizzled lid, not a clear glass lid, and will probably be difficult to find. I'll keep my eyes peeled. If you happen to have or see one, drop me a line.
2.5 Qt. Pyrex Casserole, $2.99.
Pyrex Love calls this the 'Tree of Life' pattern, but Pyrex Pattern Finder considers it un-named. Hmmm.
I haven't yet been able to find a 2.5 qt. casserole in 'Butterprint', so I'll use this until I do.

After stopping at the co-op for a few things, I went down into the subway to head home. My subway pass isn't where it should be! I put down my bags and search further. House keys, yes, wallet, yes, tissues, phone, iPod, all there. Where's my f****** Charlie Card? I used to keep it my iPod sleeve, but, when charging it the day before, noticed it was scratching the back of it. I put it in the front pocket of my bag instead. I'd used it to get on the bus, so it couldn't have gone far. Darn it! I paid $59 for this stupid thing! I need it!
My steps retraced, no subway pass found.
I buy a fare and go home, mad as mad can be.
When I get home, I realize, not only is my pass gone, so is my umbrella. I must have left it somewhere in my furor.
Fare thee well, Charlie Card and nice red umbrella! I can only hope whoever found you needs you more than I.

2007-05-11T06:47:00.000-07:00

Due to neurologists, bio-techers and college graduations, it's been awfully busy here lately, hence the lack of posts and/or thrifting.

All items came from the Goodwill in Cambridge, MA.

Three books, all $0.79.
Love in the Time of Cholera,, Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
I picked this up for Jason, who has never read it in English. He is my favorite Colombian, server assistant and twenty year old. A lot of superlatives for just one person, and he is worthy of it all.
Chasing Che, Patrick Symmes.
The author retraced Che's 1952 motorcycle journey through South America, talking to people who met him and what his work means to those today. I'll read this, then give it to the aforementioned Jason.
The New England Berry Book, Bob Krumm.
There's a chapter about beach plums. Some think I get about nutty about rhubarb, but prunus maritima so sets me off, sedation would not be the worst idea.

Vera Bradley Tote Bag, $3.99.
I've noticed some of thrifts have started to put VB bags behind the register, as they are considered valuable. This was in a laundry bin with a lot of old backpacks and convention tote bags. I also found two quarters.
This is on eBay as we speak. I'm always happy to find a VB bag, as they always sell well. It's in excellent condition.

Two Big Curtains, in a Fun Brown Floral, $1.99.
I'm working on Big Fabric Ideas, and this will fit nicely.

Black Eileen Fisher Pants, $4.99.
I need a new pair of work pants. I tore mine last week in a ridiculous bit of hysteria (please don't ask, it is too silly) with Hassan. The tear is in a very conspicuous area (left buttock) and can't be mended nicely. Would you buy a hundred dollar bottle from a girl with visible undies?

Sage Green Gaiam Organic Cotton Baby Blanket, $0.99.
For a friend.
One day I was reading the Gaiam catalog on the subway, and nearly died laughing.

Neato Platter, $1.99.
It's nuclear housewife-y cool. It'll probably get sold at some point.

Mad Flowery Shirt, $4.99.
I bought this for Hassan, even though he ripped my pants. I am a very good friend, and he looks quite handsome in it.

One important note:

Lisa's fourteen year old son Cody has a wonderful opportunity to visit the Domimican Republic in June, sponsored by the University of Illinois's Center for Global Studies. Some of the cost is subsidized by the university, and some by his family, but he needs to make up the difference. Why not skip a trip to your local Goodwill and give him a few dollars? It gives me hope to see people his age taking such action. There's a paypal button on Wordy Diva if you'd like to help.

2007-04-24T09:08:00.000-07:00

Happy Newman's Day!

If I were celebrating, you can bet I'd be drinking some...

I have to thank whoever left the terrific user note on del.icio.us. It made me laugh, thinking about being a sort of person who has a reverence for potholders. Without them, my hands would be a mess!
Fifty cents at the Goodwill in Somerville.

Good books have been hard to come by lately. The book pickers have been fierce.
The Sallie Tisdale book has a big crack in its spine. I usually don't buy books in bad shape, but I'm going to pass it along to boys, and they are not as picky as I am.
Why would anyone get rid of a Paul Theroux book? Or John Cheever?
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio is for my grandmother. She'll like it.
How to Do Things Right is a book I first read years ago and loved, being rather fussy myself.

If you are celebrating Newman's Day, you'll need some:

tomorrow. A new member of the Diet Coke family! It has both vitamins and minerals! It's healthy, like a salad! Well, if salads were brown, caffeinated and full of artificial sweetener. Really must stop trying to justify my DC habit.

2007-04-23T09:39:00.000-07:00

A few links:
From the Madison Capital Times: Diamonds in the Drop Box.

How'd I miss this? September 4, 2006, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Not Every Thrift Store Is a Nonprofit.

Plastic Free in 2007.

Malls of America. This is a wonderful site!

Goodwill, Somerville, MA

Clockwise, from top left:
The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, Ina Garten, $1.99.
Ina and her Food Network cronies irritate me beyond belief. Yes, I know her recipes work, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to stick her with pins repeatedly.
If you're of like mind, read Bourdain's (Tony! I love you! Call me!) review of the FN awards. It's the best thing I read last week.
This sold (for $19) in ten minutes on amazon.com. I'll use the money to buy beer. Ina, you drove me to it.
A Package of Big Bubble Mailers, $1.49.
I've needed these for a week, but have been too lazy to go to Bob Slate. Excellent!
Why on Earth would someone get rid of such things? These are so useful. It's not like a pair of jeans you've gotten a little too chubby for, or a book you didn't enjoy. Those are the things won't need anymore.
Pyrex Grab-It, $0.50.
This was for my mother, who likes Grab-Its. We are a strange breed.
Blue Fused Glass Necklace, $1.49.
This will look nice with my work clothes. My co-workers were recently teasing me about my dazzling lack of accessories. I wear three silver studs (two ear, one nose) and my bracelet. Sometimes I'll wear a pin. Isn't that enough?
An Old Girl Scout Pin, $0.50.
I liked it. Old Girl Scout stuff sells well. Check out this swell Brownie pin.

Three Frizzled Glass Flower Pots, $0.50/ea.
The two matching pots are by Hazel-Atlas, the other has no maker's mark. They'll look great with the snazzy metal tray I picked up last month. 'Tis the season to plant.

I also picked up some fabric for Abby, but it's in the washer.

2007-04-17T10:35:00.000-07:00

I'm a chilly woman. It can be June, and I'm hunting for a cardigan. Some may say it's because of my poor footwear choices, but I like to think it's got to be more than that. What I'm doing in Boston is a mystery to me, I should be a resident of Key West.

A Lovely Quilt, Urban Renewals, $14.99.

This was a lot of money for me to spend. It's the most expensive item I've bought since I started the TSP.
Said lovely quilt is in superb condition. It measures 40" by 60" and has seen little use, if any. I'll have to lug it to the laundromat and give it a bath, and then it will be used in my (very small) living room.

My favorite block.

Another, Not-So-Lovely Quilt, $2.99, Goodwill, Cambridge, MA.

Now, this quilt has seen lots of action. Some of the blocks are starting to fall apart, and the fabric is faded. Doesn't it look like a Girl Scout project from 1973?
Hmm, I'm not sure what's to become of this. I thought perhaps I'd mend it and use it as a beach blanket, but it weighs a ton (what is this thing stuffed with, lead?) and what, with books, fruit, water, lip stuff, a towel, and my phone, I have enough to tote already. We'll see.

When I was at Urban Renewals the other day, I was thrilled to see this!

An autographed photo of Bert and Ernie!
I almost bought this, but:
1. I am a thirty-eight year old grup and would have been mocked mercilessly by friends and strangers alike.
2. I don't like things on my walls. I like them in other people's homes very much, but my apartment is small and it seems even smaller with things hanging. I feel like the walls are closing in.
Still, autographed by Bert and Ernie! I'll kick myself one day.

2007-04-09T16:22:00.000-07:00

Caution! Non-thrifting content ahead.

Now, I'm not afraid to tell anyone who will listen that I'm a big dork. I am also quite passionate. Combine the two, and it's a frightening combination.

One of the things I get all in a twist about are grocery stores. When I travel, I love to see the different products for sale, and how much they charge for things I buy at home. Why is Stonyfield Farm lowfat vanilla yogurt twenty cents cheaper at Hannaford in York, Maine, than at the Stop 'n' Shop in Somerville? Cub Foods, you really need to be more vigilant about monitoring your bulk bins. Frying cheese is readily available at the Hy-Vee in Mankato, MN, but darned if I can find it here.

When Rebecca invited me to go to Baltimore with her, I readily accepted. After thinking about Charm City for a few days, it seemed to me that Wegmans had a store there. Checking the website, I found I was right! It was in Hunt Valley, on the light rail. I wouldn't even have to rent a car. Wegmans wanted me there, dammit! Who was I to let them down!

Friday, March 30, dawned bright and clear. It was to be a lovely day! I showered, drank some Diet Coke with Lime, and made myself look pretty. It would not do to be any less than my best on such an important day. Armed with my camera, I said goodbye to Rebecca and headed up the street to catch the train, fraught with anticipation.

A half hour later, I was there.

I grabbed a basket (since I was traveling, I was only getting a few souvenirs) and felt like Dorothy entering the Emerald City. Wegmans is wonderful! There's macaroni and cheese! Jelly! An enormous selection of croutons! I wandered the aisles, taking photos and basking in the warm Wegs glow.

After a while, a gentleman wearing a tie approached and asked if I needed help. I introduced myself and said I was a Wegmans enthusiast visiting from Boston. He was very pleasant and we spoke for several minutes about the store, my trip to Baltimore, and the Boston grocery market. We shook hands and he wished me well. I was sort of disappointed he did not offer to give me a tour, but, hey, I was at Wegmans, and really, isn't that enough?

Two hours later, I was ready to go. My feet were a little tired and I was hungry. Thank goodness Wegmans has a wonderful cafe and comfortable seating! They really do think of everything.

I can't imagine that anyone would be interested, but there's a flickr set about the excursion.

2007-04-09T08:51:00.000-07:00

As usual, I'm behind on posting. I've been way busy, and been feeling the blog blahs.

Goodwill, Cambridge, MA.

A Nice Collection of Pyrex, 'Spring Blossom Green' Pattern.
It is nice to have some spring, somewhere. The weather has been cold and not springlike at all. One of the nice things about being in New England is that there's always the weather to talk about.
The top is an oval casserole, the bottom two are Cinderella mixing bowls. All were a dollar ninety-nine. These were clean, clean, clean. No scratches or nicks in the design.
I'm not crazy about the Cinderella style. Rebecca pointed out that the ears would be very handy for pouring out the contents of the bowl, and, yes, while useful, I just don't like it. I feel the same about mushrooms.
These will be sold, sooner or later. I'm still tossing about the idea of joining an antiques co-op, or maybe doing a table at the South End Open Market. Does anyone have any experience with these sorts of things? I'd love to hear what you have to say.

Two Lovely Mixing Bowls
Now, I think these are Depression, and could possibly be by Hazel-Atlas, but there's no maker's mark and can't be sure. Time to visit the bookstore and peruse the Gene Florence books. Has someone else seen this design? Here's a close up of the pattern:

The bowl on the left is 10" and $2.99, the right is 8" and $1.99.

After I left the Goodwill I went to Harvest for some kombucha and a brownie. Then I had to lug all this stuff to work, then home, on the subway. While I pride myself on not needing a car, some days I long for an automobile. The orange FIT is especially snazzy!

2007-03-21T08:05:00.000-07:00

I'm doing some knitting spring cleaning. This has been used twice. I like hand winding my yarn better.

Save me from putting this up on eBay! It can be yours for $30, and that includes priority shipping. It's been selling for around that, without shipping, so $30 seems very fair.

Drop me a line at thriftshopproject at gmail dot com if you're interested.

2007-03-20T08:46:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all for the birthday wishes! There was Champagne, shocolate (not a typo) sheesecake, and lots of fun. It was a good day.

Goodwill, Cambridge, MA.

Rubber Stamp Holder, $1.99.
I saw one of these of flickr a while ago, and thought it would be nifty for holding kitchen things. I'll have to put it away for when I have a bigger kitchen, though, because it takes up too much room! The kitchen is the biggest room in our apartment, but has very little counter space. Sometimes I have to open the ironing board and use that as a surface if I'm doing a lot of cooking.

Little Glass Lamp, also a dollar ninety-nine.
I had a box in the basement with oh, ten or twelve of lamps similar to these, and it was stolen, along with three old GE fans I'd bought at a yard sale on Woodland Rd. OH, was I mad!

Salvation Army, Cambridge, MA.

Pyrex 1.5 qt. Casserole, #474, 1.99.
This was a promotional item from 1961 called the 'Bride's Casserole'. It's in remarkable shape. There were a lot of other casseroles in the 'Gooseberry' and 'Daisy' patterns, but they'd been put in the dishwasher and were not in the best shape.
I'll sell this. I have two Pyrex casseroles already.

Not pictured:
Salad Blaster, brand new, $0.99.
John was so taken with this I gave it to him. It's sort of nifty, your salad goes in the cup and you put dressing in the reservoir on the top. When it's time to eat, you press the button on the top, and BLAST! your salad is dressed. I thought it would be fun to do this with adult beverages, too. Put your mixer in the bottom, the booze in the top, and BLAST! It's cocktail time!

After I got to work, I put my purchases on the bar for all to admire. We talked about them and we thought it would be great to have a bar/antiques place, where you could have a great drink and play with neat things. I'll put that in the 'ideas: someday' file.

2007-03-18T08:10:00.000-07:00

More at Colorstrology.

Today I am thirty-eight. How this happened is a mystery to me.

Note to co-workers: You're off the hook!

2007-03-16T06:10:00.000-07:00

Fellow rhubarb enthusiast Katie commented the other day about her copy of the Better Homes and Gardens Junior Cook Book. Now, in a strange twist of fate, I have one, too.

March 15, 2007, Goodwill, Somerville, MA.

This copy is the fourth printing from 1963.

Some of the recipes are illustrated in blocks of pink, some in blue, and others in harvest gold. I'm curious as to the reasoning behind this. Are Party-surprise Sandwiches for boys, but Yummy Chocolate Squares the province of those with two X chromosomes? With its deep yellow page accents, Cinnamon Toast must be fun for all!

The Mother always made jelly muffins when she would make chowder (corn for me, clam for everyone else) for dinner. Much to the chagrin of everyone I've ever been related to, even distantly, I can't stand shellfish. If you want to hit a low tide and go dig clams, I'll be the first one there, but eat them? Eeewwwww!

A doughnut sundae? 'Nuff said. I am sorely tempted.

Note to co-workers: There had better be a nice cake tomorrow, with candles and singing, or you people are in big trouble.

2007-03-14T08:49:00.000-07:00

August 23, 2006

I realized that I'd posted this on Flickr, but not here, and it certainly deserves it.

This was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. First, we were still in the throes of summer Restaurant Week (actually two weeks, which was brutal) and I was dead tired. Second, Sean was going back to Ireland today, via South Africa, and I was upset. Who would I drink Magner's and ice with? We'd been friends for four years, and seen or texted* each other nearly every day. I'd even proposed to him! How could he leave us?
Patty called to see when we were meeting at the airport. I started to sob, saying I couldn't go, I just couldn't do it. I am not a cry-er at all, having adopted a British Naval 'worse things happen at sea' attitude in my early twenties. In order to avoid further weeping, I left my phone at home and headed into Davis Square.
Alas, weep I did. I cried all the way down Holland St., at the bank, and managed to stop before I got to the Goodwill. When I found:

A Cookbook for Girls and Boys, Irma Rombauer, $1.99
my spirits cheered a little. Look at the happy pink and white cover! Then, reading:

the floodgates opened again. Who would get rid of something with such a tender inscription? Heartless!
With my faith in mankind lost, I headed to meet Kevin for beverages. I cried on the back couch at Diesel. I cried over beer and plates of meat and pie. The only thing that cheered me up was reading this book at the end of the day, and feeling thankful that nobody had ever made me eat such culinary wonders at 'Rice Ring with Creamed Food' or 'Tuna Fish Fondue'.

*When Sean returned to Ireland in November we started our 'trans-Atlantic textual relationship'. A word of caution, if you're thinking of having such a relationship, check with your wireless provider first. I'd hate to have you shocked by a $341 phone bill. At ten cents per text, and multiply that by, oh, a few hundred, and you're in for a nasty surprise. I would like to thank the excellent customer service at T-Mobile for their help in this matter.

2007-03-13T10:26:00.000-07:00

Spotted on Tuesday, March 6, 2007 at the Goodwill here in Davis Square.

If this hadn't been so beaten up, I'd have bought it in a second. Look at the color! The swell graphics! Fill it up with some Las Noches Locas and I'm good to go.

2007-03-12T08:41:00.000-07:00

Now that the Hell of Restaurant Week is over I can get back to the important work of posting.

Notes before the thrifting:

Happy birthday to Oldest Friend Caroline, and belated to Excellent Friend Rebecca and Landlord Friend Bill!

I was at Target on Saturday, a rare weekend off for me, and spotted stuff from Boots the Chemist! There were testers, even! I picked up the Radiance Beauty Balm and the Fresh Faced Tinted Moisturizer, a little too smelly for me, but a great color match.
Method also has a new line of unscented products called 'Go Naked', and I picked up a bottle of the dish soap, feeling guilty. Please forgive me, Global Balance, I got sucked in by the gorgeous packaging.

$1,300 book! Thanks to Rebecca for the link.

Clockwise, from top left:
Ransburg Yellow Tissue Box, $1, Chatham UMC Thrift Shop, Chatham, MA.
The ladies at the shop were happy to see this go. They told me it had been there for quite some time.
It's in beautiful condition. It's for re-sale.
Vera Scarf, $0.25, Hospice Thrift Shop, Barnstable, MA.
God, when isn't there a Vera scarf?
Flowery Old Fabric, $0.10 and $1, Church Benefit Shop, Chatham, MA.
For a sewing friend.
A Variety of Old Bernat Knitting Books, $0.10/each, St. Joan of Arc, Orleans, MA.
Full of notes in the margins. I should scan some of photos inside, they are a riot.
Chiquita Banana Cookbook, $0.10, also from Joan of Arc.
While you're in Orleans, you should stop by the Ho! and have a beer. We did.
Betty Crocker's Hostess Cookbook, $1, St. Peter's, East Harwich, MA.
Copyright 1961. I can't wait to unearth the culinary masterpieces within these pages.

Underneath:
Yet Another Tablecloth with Flowers on It, $1, Fisherman's House Thrift Shop, South Yarmouth, MA.
This still had the original tags. The original price was $2.49, so I got a great deal.

Flour Sifter, VNA Thriftique, South Yarmouth, MA, $1.
It's a uni-tasker, but does its job so well, I'll make an exception.I made two triple batches of cookies (Amandio insisted!) last week, and it performed like a champ.

I'm working on a new group blog idea. If you have a love of old cookbooks and are not afraid of mockery, drop a line.

2007-03-01T10:09:00.000-08:00

Some non-thrifting things:
TSP pal Abby is enjoying some well deserved fame. I am very happy for her! If you're in the area, go see her exhibit.

Yes, spring is just around the corner, but wouldn't it be nice to have a warm scarf, just in case?

If you're a person who eats,

cannot be recommended enough.

GT's Kombucha! How I love thee.

Urban Renewals, Allston, MA.

Pyrex Butterprint Bowl, $1.99.
Pyrex Spring Blossom Green Bowl, $2.99
These will go into my stockpile of Pyrex nesting bowls. Every once in a while, I group and sell them.
'Butterprint' is a favorite pattern of mine. The turquoise and white look so clean together.

Flowery Metal Tray, $0.99.
Loud and flowery, how could I leave it? I'll use it as a coaster for house plants in the kitchen.

Rowenta Powerglide 2, $9.99.
I recently went on
about the loss of my beloved Rowenta. When I priced new ones, I nearly wept. Goodness me, but they are expensive. Although the old one was probably not safe to use, leaking water as it did, I still used it, praying I would not be electrocuted and Kevin would find me dead on the floor. One day, I vowed, I would have another Rowenta.
The old, leaky Rowenta of possible death is on the left, the new one's on the right.

As my habit, I went to Yi Soon post shopping. Truth be told, if Yi Soon weren't there, I'd make the trek to Allston far less frequently. One of the ladies was on the phone, waved at me and held out a gold twist tie and asked what it was called. I told her and listened to her conversation. She looked at me, rather pained, and I asked if I could help. She said the person on the phone didn't understand her. I said of course, and took the phone. Barbara from Joliet, Indiana and I had a great talk about the paper and plastic needs of the bakery. All is well again at Yi Soon, and there are lots of gold twist ties to seal the delicious bags of bread and wife's pastries. Hello, Barbara, if you're reading this!

2007-02-23T10:05:00.000-08:00

February 10, 2007

Nothing says 'dead old lady' like a lot of pins at a thrift, unless it's a lot of carefully pressed linens.

The solid white, pink and blue & green flower pins came from the church thrift shop on 28 in West Yarmouth, what's the name of it? You know, it's right next to the West Yarmouth Library. They were all a dollar. I was debating whether or not to buy the white pin until my mother, rather exasperated, exclaimed, "Good God, Kristin, it's a dollar! Just get it!". The poor mother, she will go to heaven for sure.

The daisy pin came from the VNA Thriftique in South Yarmouth. I saw a girl I went to high school with there, but we didn't exchange hellos or anything. The less said about the high school years, the better. The pin was a buck, and the matching earrings were available, but weren't in the best condition.

The rest of the pins came from St. David's Thrift Shop in South Yarmouth. The smaller ones are actually clip earrings, and I will remove the clips and put pin backs on them instead. The big pin was a dollar-fifty and the earrings were $1 a pair.

We had quite the animated conversation with the ladies at St. David's. As I was being shown the pins, I remarked on the vast quantity of circle pins in the display case. One of the ladies, in a hushed tone, said, that in her day, you wore your circle pin on your left side if you were a virgin, and on your right side if you weren't. Goodness me! We then talked about how co-oh-oh-ld it was, and knititng. They complimented me on my hat, and asked about the pattern. I told them I'd found it on the internet. One of them said "I hear there's a lot of things on that internet." Oh, you have no idea!