$5 plus shipping

Steve is addicted (yes, Steve; you are!) to Goodwill´s online auctions. Usually, he´s winning obscure camera parts but he looks out for me, too. He found this solid-as-a-rock paper cutter for me us last week and it arrived yesterday. The size of the thing (8.5¨ x 8.5¨)is pure delight - wonderful for getting straight cuts on those smaller, slippery papers. I love it! The plastic behemoth paper cutter at my job doesn´t even come close to the quality of this little vintage baby.

$1.50

I first found this Walker China pattern at a Goodwill last year, and I felt so lucky to find 3 more pieces at another Goodwill last weekend, for a mere .49 each. They just happen to be bread and butter plates - my favorite size.



It has taken me long enough, but I´ve stumbled upon the whole wide world of date codes - the numbers and letters used by companies to date their products. In this case, the 12-42 on the back stamp pictured above means these plates are from December, 1964. Ohh, delight! [source]

.49 x 6

I´m still never sure which spelling of gray/grey I prefer. According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed., grey is a variant of gray; gray having the far healthier definition (: of or relating to an achromatic color of any lightness betrween the extremes of black and white, etc.). At any rate, it´s a fabulous color with two spellings that has stolen my heart in terms of vintage bread and butter plates. Last year, you might remember I found a small steal of gray/grey Fiestaware bread and butters for fifty cents each. The color was so inspiring, in fact, that we painted our interior walls with it in mind last year. Long story short (or short story long, at this point), it dawned on me that I should look for other makers of vintage ceramic plates in gray/grey glazes. Hello, new collection. I found six pieces of the Harkerware plate photographed above on my latest thrifting excursion - and oh, I love it! Also, it looks great with the Fiesta.

Two questions:

1. what spelling of gray/grey do you prefer?*
2. do you know of any American china companies that used a gray/grey glaze, 1940s - 1950s?

*to me, gray seems like the feminine, grey the masucline

$1.60

Steve and I were on our way out of the most eccentric local thrift shop but before we slipped out the door, I decided to dig through the overflowing scarf bin. I unearthed this small treasure and was intrigued. A hand-woven scarf from Kentucky? I´m sorry, did you say fireside weaving? Oh, delight! Look, the artist even signed the original tag:



It´s called a snow white scarf and I just adore it:



What´s most wonderful, though, is what I learned about where this scarf was woven. Take a look at all student crafts. So cool.

.29

Usually, this wouldn´t be my thing. But? It was goofy and irresistible. And, it just may have stumbled into the wrong hands!

$2

A rare pattern...in terrific condition!

$5

I have a lot of thrifted clothes that I don´t share here because they are sort of boring, utilitarian. Jeans, for example. Who cares about my jeans? You probably don´t. You might be intrigued in this lovely red SONIA RYKIEL sweater, however, so here you go! It is like, brand-brand new. Possibly the greatest thrifted clothing gem of my career, folks.

And, Happy Labor Day! My most favorite American holiday, ever.