$0

...From a secret source! Sheet music for the piano in stacks and stacks, dating from the 1910s - 1940s. I have so much, I don't know what to do! But I couldn't turn it down; do you see how pretty these covers are, all these years later?

valentine gift

And there's more...



I LOVE THESE PIECES! THANK YOU ANNIE!

$2

I'm quite fancy on Pyrex accessories. They just speak to me. Especially when they involve sticks of butter.

$2

This Pyrex pattern is Golden Bouquet (it pays to Flickr!)

$5.95

I mentioned earlier that I had a horrible time thrifting in January. I know you know the feeling; isn't it the worst? The unlucky streak ended on February 1st. I'd been putting off errands all day because I had so many things to do at home, but when I finally got out, I decided to go to my favorite shop right before it closed on my way home from the bank (phew, that was wordy and I'm afraid it doesn't even make much sense!). I almost missed these; not because they were hidden but because I was so deflated from my bad luck that I think it ended up affecting my vision. But I spied something pink and white, and then zeroed in on this set -- all nesting together. I picked them up like an Oscar winner that no one predicted, a come-from-behind winner, the type that gets to the stage and cries, or can't think of anything to say aside from "Thanks MOM." I then cradled them close to my chest until I came back to Earth and paid for them.

There's something about pink Pyrex.

.49 x 7

These are Pyrex coffee cups, for which I had absolutely zero need! I was drawn to the color - milk - and I was drawn to their weight - solid. It turns out they're a lot of fun to take pictures of, which is about as satisfying as my morning coffee.

i'm actually *saving* my money, but not by choice

It's no mystery: I love to thrift because it's something my mom had me doing at a very young age. Also, it was something I still enjoy doing with her when I'm lucky enough to in her company! I was home in Portland recently and a short stack of her mostly Lu-Ray Pastels had me tremendously inspired. I just love them. And my mom.

Yes, I know: things have been quiet here lately. I think the month of January will forever be known as the Great Thrift Drought of 2008, because it certainly had me in moments of Great Depression.

I was really lucky today and will post my recent find soon. Also, my younger sister surprised me with three pieces of Pyrex for an early Valentine gift. I've been dying to share, but I think I'll hold off until the 14th.

Hope you've had better luck than me! (I should say here that Steve has had tremendous luck lately -- photo enlargers, serious-hiker backpack, heavy-duty portfolio case -- everything in like-new condition. All for less than a dinner out!).

(before) and after

Another salvaged door Steve turned into a table -- this time, though, it's a desk for me! I didn't manage any before pictures, but please know that Steve spent a lot of time perfecting this table -- as a door, it was in rough shape. As a desk, it is just what I wanted. The height, the length, the width! And the cypress? It is gorgeous. Gorgeous. The legs are pine -- painted white. After much consideration, I decided it was time to ditch a desk with drawers. I'd rather have a table; it promotes less accumulation of stuff.

Speaking of accumulating stuff!, I've been to the thrift stores every single week since the beginning of the year and they are turning up nothing! I think this is because the seasonal, retired folks are down here with nothing better to do than go to my stores. How dare they! (I'm not territorial or anything.) So, I continue to search...and the next time I find lovely Pyrex, I'm going to break into song.

before & after

Happy New Year!

I hope each of you had a lovely holiday! We have ourselves a clean slate of sorts, don't we? I'm dreaming of a new year full of good finds...what about you?

***

We're definitely *not* the first people to use salvaged doors as something other than, well, doors. But this door? Steve and I realized this was a door with tabletop possibility. I regret this was the best picture I took of the door before we gave it a new life -- as you can see, it was covered in white paint before we transformed it:



We softened the paint with a heat gun and it peeled off in long, satisfying strips:



After that, we began sanding it and uncovered a solid cypress door:



At this point, we went back and forth between oiling or varnishing it -- we decided on varnishing the top. Skip ahead a few dozen steps that Steve did and voilà! I think it looks sharp, no?



The legs were designed by Steve -- they're lovely, lovely cedar:



And that's what you can do with a door from a salvage yard.

$3

This pattern is so ugly! Emphasis on ugly. There's no other word to use. However, it's Pyrex. In excellent shape. What more could a Pyrex-obsessed girl like me want? I think one piece in this pattern is quite enough, thank you!

$2

A piece I spotted at a Goodwill in Portland.

christmas surprise from little sister

Best present ever! (All thrifted.)

.89

...We were running some errands this morning and stopped into a Goodwill for kicks. So busy! I found this piece. Hoorah! Hoorah! My second piece with pink!

$2.95

A favorite pattern, a favorite piece. Saw a lot of this pattern in Portland at fancy little shoppes but just couldn't splurge. When I was back in West Palm Beach following my Portland holiday, I ventured to my favorite thrift store and sure enough: it paid off to hold off!

outtake!

Not every picture works out to my liking (flash!)...but this one was just too adorable to delete. I'm not the only Pyrex lover in the house, apparently...

Hope you all had lovely holidays and you weren't too stressed! I did some thrifting in Portland, OR in early December. I've got some pieces to share. And, my younger sister surprised my stocking with some great finds! Will post soon. I have some time off!

.99

I hope all of you had pleasant Thanksgivings with your loved ones! In keeping with tradition, I have managed to stay out of the shops this past weekend! I threw a Frisbee, watched the first season of Jericho on DVD, did enough laundry to get me through a few weeks!, had a lovely Thanksgiving spread with my "in-laws", prepared my crafting space...it was great.

I picked up this Pyrex a couple of weeks ago...it is sharp! How lucky I am that I find pieces that have little or no use! Speaking of mint conditions, I was in an antique mall last weekend and stumbled upon some Pyrex at outrageous prices! Here, in South Florida! I couldn't believe it. If those prices were true, my collection would put my first born through four years of HARVARD with change to spare!

Now, on to the really unbelievable: I've been keeping Solid Cherry for over a year! To those that faithfully comment and those that just pass through: thank you for going through my things! I love your comments and I love this blog. Of course, Solid Cherry depends on 1) my spare change and 2) luck. Here's to lots of both in the next coming year!

.95

I have a tiny creamer in this pattern that I swore I featured here! But I'm not finding it? Well, let me take its picture then:

There. I guess the patterns are somewhat different, but close enough. Same maker: Syracuse. I paid .99 for the creamer; it's so adorable. I realize it's not exactly in focus. My camera was, erm, focusing on the wine it seems! :) All in all, the cupless saucers were a charming find...I love stacks and stacks of dishes in varying diameters. These will go well with my little medium (fine!) GROWING plate collection!

$2

Just another little piece...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, THRIFTERS!

$2

I'm not sketched out that easily, but I do try avoid a particular Goodwill because it isn't in the best location. However, it always turns up Pyrex. And smaller pieces at that. This little piece was tucked away so that I almost didn't notice it...but maybe that's the nature of this pattern. Mystical, magical...mysterious...MINE!

$5

LUCKY ME! Is that gloating? :) I love this bowl! I love a wheat motif in general; to find this was all I could do to contain myself...

elbow grease

I thought I'd mix things up for once and post something a little different than what I usually do.

Read on:

If you've been following the photographs in my blog, I'm sure you've noticed this table at one time or another and you probably thought to yourself, ewww! Disgusting! You actually eat on that thing? Back story: This table is my baby. I bought it when I got my first apartment here in Florida. It was around $12 and painted gold until I could scrape all remnants of that away. I know now that it is nothing special in terms of quality, but for some reason I have it on a pedestal in terms of thrift finds; I loved it then and I still do. Of course, it was in much better condition when I first found it -- over the last five years, it has really suffered from coasterless-beverage disease as evidenced here:

I thought I'd do something about that this weekend, so I did some very involved Google research (*laugh*) and found two down-home remedies worth trying. First, I tried ironing out these spots. Nothing! Happened! Then I did what I already knew of but was avoiding because, well, mayonnaise is messy and stinky! However, I covered the table in a thin layer of mayo and sealed it in with plastic wrap to keep it moist (also, my dog and cats were ready to eat the table):

This worked great -- yes, there are still some spots and I'm sure if I were more patient I could have kept the table sealed much longer than 30 minutes:

Steve and I are in the process of making a table from a salvaged cypress door that will eventually replace this one...but I think I might save this one for my desk? Or sewing table? A circle shape isn't the most efficient form for a table, but did I mention this thing is on pedestal?

$7

My first piece of Butterprint in marvelous condition! Turquoise should be so pretty. I found the Spring Blossom mixing bowl first (two others came with it - I'll post them later). I couldn't resist pairing them together for a picture...great combination of colors.

Seems all I hunt for is Pyrex these days, although Steve and I did find a great mid-century walnut hutch at a Goodwill last week for a sweet deal. Once it is organized to my liking, I'll share!

$5

Ah-ha! Spotted at a favorite charity's thrift store and a favorite pattern of mine to boot! When it all comes together like that, the snowflakes stars have definitely aligned. I can see this as a home for peppermints and candy canes come the season of red and white swirly things. Love, love, love!

$3

The bowls on top and bottom are identical; in every picture I took they turned out red-orange (in the Crayola sense). But they're more complex than that; a touch ombré. They do blend nicely with the Butterfly Gold standard. ;)

Bonus of shame: I don't pay as close attention to price tags as I used to, so my $3 estimate could be off slightly. But I never pay an arm and a leg for anything!

$2.99

A quick find this morning. I almost passed it up because I'm running out of storage! However, this bowl looks fine on displayage!

$2.79

When I realized I didn't have the cash to buy the bottom piece (all of .99), I hid it until I could get back the next day! Thankfully, no one found my secret place! Also, I love playing with Pyrex color combinations!

.79

Cheap-cheap!
I think this is one of my favorite Pyrex pieces.
After collecting a lot of Pyrex (I need to catch up here!), I decided that I am partial to the littler pieces.

$1

Disappear. Reappear! Disappear! Reappear!

In addition to being thrifty, I am also a blog magician! ;)

I found this scarf at my favorite Palm Beach County thrift store. You might say Palm Beach? Scarf? Wherefore? It does get chilly around here. I can't wait for the day!

Bonus: it's North Face! Which reminds me of being in high school in Portland. We tiny things with these mountain-climbing type packs on our backs trekking from one classroom to the next. And another bonus: it has its original tags! Shriek!

$2

I love the holidays. Really. This was a huge score for my Pyrex-collecting ego. If there is such a thing?!

$1.05

Just hopped into a Goodwill last week and found these little babies waiting there for me...