I think I’ve mentioned before that there are no thrift stores in our neighbourhood, so getting to one requires either driving or taking public transit. So when Nick and I found ourselves in the car with a Value Village Thrift Store nearby, I asked if I could have a quick pop in. He had a book to read, so opted to wait in the car. I said I’d be back in 45 minutes, thinking that this was plenty of time.
But when I looked down at my watch and realized I was still perusing the housewares aisles 30 minutes in, I knew I had to get cracking. Although thrifted kitchen things are my favourite finds, I still wanted to have a quick look at the accessories. I nearly never have good luck with thrifted clothing so when in a hurry, that was an area I just decided to bypass, except for a quick look at the skirts. Nothing struck my fancy.
I certainly could have shopped longer, but having a time limit is kind of cool as it caused me to really make a beeline for the things I wanted to see most, rather than flitting around the whole store. And also, having a set time to shop also impacts how much you spend. I got all this stuff for under $20 including tax (around 13 pounds for my UK friends), which I thought was pretty good.
Here’s what I found …
I thought this blue glass dish was so pretty and would actually come in handy for serving condiments at the table, so I added it to my basket. My research indicates that it is the “KIG covered candy dish”. KIG was a glass company started in Indonesia in 1969.
I like small vases as they allow for the displaying of small bouquets of flowers. Even a single blossom looks good in a small vase. So I picked this one up. And look how nicely it goes with the collection of Majolica-like pottery that I already had.
I am a fan of Oneida stainless steel items so when I saw this sauce-bowl I picked it up. I was actually looking at the same one recently on ebay for $20 plus shipping and handling costs, so for $2.99 this was a bargain. I like that it has an attached saucer plate, which is much better for passing around a table at dinner parties.
The final kitchenware piece I got was this square dish.
You might be thinking, ok, she found a common cake pan … handy but no big deal. BUT this is a big deal, in a very small way. It’s tiny! It will be perfect for serving lemon wedges or collecting olive pits. Or as the saleswoman suggested when I was checking out, to make a single-serve brownie. (not likely)
On to the accessory I bought. I may have only found one thing I wanted in that department, but it was a good one! In all my years of shopping at thrift stores, I’ve never found a mid-century vintage purse, and let my assure you I have looked! This little patent number can be worn with the chain-handle out or as a clutch with it tucked inside.
So there it is. Since I stuck to my time limit of 45 minutes Nick said sure when I asked him if we could do the same thing again sometime. Now I am looking forward to my next mini thrifting trip.
How about you? Any good secondhand finds lately?
xo loulou
