Style Spots: It's Rummage Time

Happy Monday, all! How was your weekend? Saturday was a crazy-busy day for me. I got up at 6 a.m. to meet my mom at a biannual church rummage sale that is by far the best in the city. We always find goodies there, and this time we thought we'd get there on time to see if we could increase our odds. After that we stopped by a couple estate sales in the city before meeting up with some friends to go to garage and estate sales in Kirkwood.

By the time I got home, I had an hour to rest before heading to the park for a friend's birthday party. The weather took a turn while we were there, and by the time we left a couple hours later, it was to the sound of tornado sirens (eek). I had just pulled onto our street when golf-ball-sized hail started pouring from the sky, and I was shocked none of them shattered my windows (although I know several people whose cars did not escape unscathed). I was pelted several times on the run to the front door, and we'll just say it wasn't pleasant. Once inside, we spent about an hour in the basement until the weather report said the coast was clear. A quick dinner after that, and I think I passed out around 9:30 p.m.

But I did find lots of goodies that morning. Shall we take a look?

Who can pass up smiley face stickers from the '70s?

More Thrifted Kitchen fodder: A box of Betty Crocker Library recipe cards.

A Polaroid Land Camera, Model 150, in really, really good shape.

Another Pyrex Flameware piece, which means I have two now,
which means I officially have a collection going. :)

A baby blue Samsonite travel/train case, for sale.

Some tin gold birds that can be hung on the wall, for sale.

A pair of cute brown velvet boat shoes, conveniently in my size.

A caramel/camel-colored travel bag, for sale.

A cobalt blue glass tumbler.

Set of four glasses with white antelope (one glass is a straight cylinder and three are the more conical), for sale.

A men's red blazer with white buttons...great the for the summer (size 39 regular), for sale.

An old jar opener.

Another great vintage purse, for sale.

This vintage purse, for sale, is my favorite: You can adjust the height by clipping it onto three different levels of clasps.

And a white Pyrex pie plate.

And that's the show! How about you? Find any goodies this weekend?

Linking up with:
Thrift Share Monday
Thrifty Treasures
Flea Market Finds
Magpie Monday

Happy Week

via Chase This Light

Whimsical Weekend {Spring Fever}

Image by Ben Giles.

Vintage 101: Jadeite

If you tuned into Style Spots this past Monday, you'll remember I happened upon a gorgeous set of Fire-King jadeite mugs and three divided plates, something most thrifters want to do a happy dance over because of how popular and collectible these pieces are. It's funny, though, because, like Depression Glass, when companies starting rolling out jadeite, it was made from scrap glass in molds, meaning it was really inexpensive to produce. As such, it was usually sold at dime stores or through promotions as an incentive for people to buy more of a product to get more of the pieces (i.e. Buy this box of cereal and see what jadeite piece is in it, then buy some more to collect the set). Now, more than 50 years later, one little mug is fetching a minimum of $25 online. Crazy.

Since I've decided to sell the plates and a smaller set of the nine mugs I have (I mean, come on, what vintage-lover doesn't want to keep a little of this minty goodness for herself?), I knew I'd better do some research to find out when the pieces were produced. There has also been an insane amount of reproduction pieces floating around (as so happens when something becomes super collectible), so I wanted to make sure these weren't some of them. I figured I was okay since all the pieces have some form of Fire King marked on them, but you never know.

Here's what I was able to dig up:

According to a handy guide written be eBay seller screech109, there are three main companies that produced these pieces: Jeanette, McKee and Fire-King (Anchor Hocking). Because they were made with scrap glass (green glass melted down with other glass) there can be differences in the shade of green (i.e. some of the pieces might be darker), and there might be slight swirl-like patterns in some of the pieces, like the one pictured below, on one of the plates I picked up:

Screech also gave a quick guide to dating the Fire King pieces, which is as follows:

> FIRE-KING (block letters) is 1942-1945
> OVEN FIRE-KING GLASS is 1942-1945
> OVEN FIRE-KING WARE is mid-1940s
> OVEN Fire-King (in script) WARE MADE IN U.S.A. is mid- to late '50s
> ANCHOR HOCKING OVEN Fire-King (in script) WARE MADE IN U.S.A. is 1951-1960
> ANCHOR HOCKING OVEN Fire-King (in script) DINNERWARE MADE IN U.S.A. is 1960 to late '60s
> ANCHOR HOCKING OVEN Fire-King (in script) OVEN-PROOF MADE IN U.S.A. is late 1960s to early 1970s
> ANCHOR HOCKING OVEN Fire-King (in script) Suburbia OVEN-PROOF MADE IN U.S.A. is mid- to late 1970s

Based on this, the mugs I have are from the mid- to late 1950s, and the plates I'm guessing are maybe mid-1940s because they only say "OVEN Fire-King WARE," but "Fire-King" is in script.

I also learned that, unfortunately, Jeanette and Fire King didn't mark all of their pieces, whether it was because they were made for department stores who wanted to use their own logo, or for promotions where the advertiser wanted the piece to be unmarked. As such, just because you have a piece that is unmarked, it doesn't necessarily mean it's a repro, you just have to do more research.

Such is the case with this juicer I picked up at a flea market (luckily for a low price). It has no markings on it whatsoever, but it also seems a bit too "moldy" for me; the edges and the handle have a weird unevenness that isn't there in the other pieces.

I'm leaning toward this being a fake, even though the color is spot-on. What do you think?

Are there any other jadeite-lovers out there? Anyone who has gleaned more identification knowledge that they'd like to share? Please do, so we can all avoid those sneaky sellers! :)

Bites {Deep-Dish Cookie Pies}

Back in February, we took my mom out to eat for her birthday at Tavern in Valley Park. After an amazing dinner (this restaurant is easily our favorite one around these days), we all split a ridiculously sinful dessert: a soft-baked cookie cake with ice cream on top, as well as peanut butter mousse and mini M&Ms. I've been dying to recreate it since then, and pinned the recipe for these deep-dish cookie pies, via Blue-Eyed Bakers, several months ago. This week we finally had a chance to try it, and it was SOOO good. You slightly underbake them, leaving the middle so ooey and gooey I couldn't get my spoon in there fast enough! Now I just need a recipe for peanut butter mousse, and my dream dessert will be mine (mua-ha-ha)!

{Photos by me}

Sustainable Style: Hand in Hand

It's not often you stumble across a company that has brought sustainable practices to almost every corner of its business. Some produce products that benefit others, but the way they're made doesn't quite help the environment, or it's tested on animals; other companies take the opposite approach and use eco-friendly practices when producing their goods, which is great, but there is no sense of social obligation to accompany it. Bill and Courtney of Hand in Hand soap, however, have it going on.

Started in 2011, the soap company produces natural soaps from sustainably harvested materials, and also participates in the increasingly popular one-for-one mantra, where for each bar of soap purchased, they send one to someone in need.

Some of you might think that a bar of soap for people living in an impoverished area of the world might seem less important than, say, food, but according to Courtney, that is not the case.

"The goal was to come up with a household product people use every day, that had the power to save lives," she says on the company's website. "After 3 years of brainstorming, we came across an article reporting that each year over 5 million people die of diseases caused by poor water quality and lack of proper hygiene. After further research, we discovered that half of those deaths could be prevented with just a single bar of soap. It was at that moment that Hand in Hand was conceived."

On top of that, each bar is 100% eco-friendly, biodegradable, contains ingredients ethically harvested from sustainable resources, is fair trade, cruelty-free and palm oil-free; the packaging is made from 30% recycled materials; the shipping boxes are certified at the silver level of the Cradle to Cradle standard of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and with each purchase, the company works with SeaCology.org to save 50 square feet of rainforest in Southeast Asia, and purchases corresponding carbon offset so each shipment becomes carbon neutral.

Wow.

Here's hoping the have more products in the works.

{Photos courtesy of Hand in Hand}

Fav Freebie {Vintage Paper Placemats}

I love, love, love vintage-inspired sketch graphics like this that rely on details instead of color to draw your eye. Now I just need to think of a dinner party to plan around these free vintage paper placemats, made available to us by The Pretty Blog. Head over there to download these pretties, and click around for other wedding- and party-centric inspiration!

Style Spots: Vintage Glassware Galore

Hey all! Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Ours seem to go by in a blink these days. Friday night was my sweet, sweet grandma's birthday, and we all gathered at my cousin's place to celebrate with tacos, an impromptu dance party and lots of fun. We also were a bit obsessed with the camera, unfortunately it wasn't mine. So I'll be sure and post some pics once I get them from my mom.

Saturday I spent pretty much all day working on a big exciting project for Parsimonia, and guys, I'm seriously dying to tell you what I have going on, but it will have to wait a little longer until it's almost finished. :) However, there certainly is something to celebrate right now: The Blues are headed to Round 2 of the playoffs! The game on Saturday had me on an emotional roller coaster, but we ended up beating San Jose to advance, and I could not be prouder of this team. It's been so long since we've made it past the first round, and I'm trying to keep my cool, but I think we really have a shot at the Cup this year. We just have to take it one round at a time, and next up is the team of my former home, Los Angeles. They beat Vancouver (seeded #1) in five games, so it will be no small feat.

Sorry...I digress.

Sunday morning I was finally able to get to a couple estate sales, and one thrift store. The first one was a little picked over, but I found some goodies to bring home. The second was even more sparse, and I only left with one thing. After that, my mom and I went to a nearby Goodwill, and it was a GOOD visit! I found some stuff that still makes me squeal with glee a little. Want to see?

I found this handmade basket in the basement of the second sale.
Will work perfectly in our dining room.

Two stainless steel canisters from Goodwill. Can never have enough of these to store baking ingredients!

A really pretty vintage bolero jacket. Has two big buttons in the front and a shimmery tan pattern.
Would looks especially cute over a vintage dress. For sale, if you're interested!

A vintage juice/iced tea pitcher for the store. Chrome top with the kind of spout you see on vintage
syrup dispensers (pull a knob back and a piece of stainless slides back to let you pour).

A set of four pedestal dessert dishes. I'm starting to get really into the clear textured glass, and these
will be great for some upcoming parties!

Another super cute serving set, but this one is for sale. Four juice/water glasses with a pitcher and serving tray.
The gold bands are in really good condition.

The hubs found this chair on Friday and brought it home. The fact that he got this even though he always scolds
me for bringing home new chairs we don't need shows he really loves this girl. :)

My find of the day! A set of nine Fire King jadeite mugs, spotted on a cart at Goodwill.
I think I'm going to sell a set of 4 or 6 and keep the rest.

And three of the divided jadeite plates.
(I thrifted one a while ago, so now there is a set of four for the store!)

I was SO excited when I spotted that jadeite. I didn't have a cart, but grabbed everything and looked like a psycho as I carefully maneuvered my way to the front to get a basket. But I've learned my lesson before: If you leave it alone for even a minute, it will be gone when you get back. :)

How about you? Find anything good this weekend?

Linking up with:
Thrift Share Monday
Thrifty Treasures
Flea Market Finds
The Penny Worthy Project
Magpie Monday

Happy Week.

Pinned here.

Whimsical Weekend {Pretty Portugal}

Photo by Dacian Groza.

The Thrifted Kitchen {Pop-Up Bread}

As I leaf through my cookbooks these days, the recipes I end up trying seem to gravitate more toward interesting cooking techniques rather than interesting ingredients. You can especially find this kind of creativity in baking, where vessels for bringing these confections to life can range from the standard pan to a Pyrex mixing bowl (wink). This week, however, I was excited to finally try a technique I've had filed away for a couple months: baking in a coffee can.

The recipe comes from a random magazine clipping that was tucked into a recipe box I'd picked up a while ago. It's called pop-up bread, and essentially you make a simple bread dough, let it rise in the can (make sure it's well greased, then you should just be able to pull it out after it has cooled), then pop (ha) it in the oven. The result is a cylindrical loaf of cheesy, savory bread you can cut into cute little rounds (who needs a biscuit cutter?).

The only tweak I would make is adding a little more salt. The cheese and the salt already added didn't quite give it enough for me; but I tend to like things on the saltier side anyway, so proceed as you wish. Also, a tip for helping the dough to rise: I set my oven on its lowest setting (170 degrees) and set the can on top of the stove for about 45 minutes, maybe a little longer, giving the dough enough warmth to coax it up. It actually rose so much it popped the plastic lid off (oops!), but I have had too many bouts with dough I didn't let rise enough, so I don't take my chances anymore.  :)

And now that I've tried this recipe once, I'm imagining all the different flavor combinations to try. You could also use soup cans to make mini loaves, then serve them to guests while they're still in the can. Wouldn't that be SO cute, maybe with some hearty tomato soup? Or perhaps make some mini grilled cheese sandwiches, using the sliced rounds as the bread? The possibilities seem fairly endless.

Probably the most difficult part of the process was finding a company that sold coffee in metal cans anymore. At first, I was going to use one of my vintage ones, but I wasn't convinced I could get the inside clean enough, plus I was pretty sure the only one-pound can I had once housed some sort of chemical liquid. So my quest for a modern metal one landed me with what turns out is a local company called Thomas Coffee, which happens to subscribe to fair trade and eco-friendly practices, so I guess this could also be considered a Sustainable Style post.

So if you find you've drained your coffee can of the caffeinated goodness inside, be sure and save it so you can try this fun way to bake some bread! Enjoy!

Pop-Up Bread
Yields 2 loaves

3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour and yeast.

Heat milk, water, oil, sugar and salt until warm (120 to 130 degrees), stirring to blend; add to flour mixture along with eggs and cheese.

Beat with electric mixer or by hand until batter is smooth. Using a spoon, mix in the remaining flour (batter will be stiff).

Divide batter and spoon into two well-greased one-pound coffee cans. Cover with plastic lids. Let rise in a warm place until batter is about 1/4 to 1/2 inch below plastic lids, about 45-60 minutes.

Remove lids and bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes in can before removing, then cool on wire rack.

DIY Friday

Some of my favorite DIYs from the past week...

1. Stacking Bench // by Marjan Verboeket // via 101 Woonideeën // Apartment Therapy
2. Neon Planters // The Proper Pinwheel // via 2Modern Blog
3. Horse Throw Pillows // A Beautiful Mess
4. Aluminum Can Flowers // The House That Lars Built
5. Veneer Tree Mobile // You Are My Fave // via Poppytalk
6. Mail Basket // Matt // Design Sponge

National High-Five Day

1. High-Five Me Art Print // Pretty Little Thieves
2. Bride and Groom High-Five Invites // Girl*n*Gear Studio
3. High-Five Nifty Note // Knock Knock
4. High-Five Cross Stitch // Gracey May
5. High-Five Card // Two Paper Dolls Shop
6. High-Five Typography Print // Designs by Tenisha
7. Narwhal Friends Art Print // My Zoetrope

'Wife Dressing' Winner

Winner, winner, chicken dinner! 

I'm excited to announce that the winner of a copy of Anne Fogarty's Wife Dressing is....

The Calico Corner! 

(Yay! Woo-hoo! Party, party!)

Please email me your name and address so I can send this lovely little style guide your way! And thanks to everyone who entered. I have another giveaway lined up for May that I think you guys will love! So keep your eyes peeled! :)