Blue and White China

I love how much mileage I'm getting with my mismatched blue and white china pieces.

I've been doing some experimenting with photography and props, and I love how the blue print elevates without making it prissy. Maybe it's because the combination of blue and white is so clean-looking.

Tea Party, Anyone?

I've been thrifting. Like that really needs saying at this point.

I bought this crisp white and blue china set and some coordinating pieces and now all I can think about is throwing a tea party. Does that sound antiquated? Does anyone else feel feel like the tea party is in need of some modernization?

You know what I'm envisioning? I'm seeing some nice fall-ish sort of teas with some spiced applesauce cake, not served on pristine china plates, but on mismatched, coordinating pieces. Like, these, for instance. I'm feeling a shoes-off-feet-up-on-the-ottoman kind of party, with some jazzy piano music (Vince Guaraldi?) in the background, and autumn light streaming in with children playing in the background. That kind of tea party.

But I haven't the space to throw a tea party... so I just bought these china pieces instead. This makes complete sense in my head.

Thrifting: Pottery

I am completely in love with this blue glaze. 

I've developed this thing recently where I go into a thrift store and buy every handmade piece of pottery I can find. I call it treasure hunting. A certain brother who shall remain nameless calls it an addiction.

For Eleven Dollars...

This is the best eleven dollars I've spent in a while.

Thrifted

I've been thrift shopping. I bought a marble rolling pin for $1.50. I feel this is such a significant statement that I could stop right there, but there's more. So much more. 

Lessons Learned from Baby #1

1. It's the weirdest, most wonderful thing when your baby starts to kick. It feels like a little flutter at first because they are so ridiculously and adorably tiny, but as they grow, the kicks will get stronger. I'm not going to lie; I thought it felt kinda strange at first because hey, there's an entirely new person  in there, and he's kicking you, and you have no control over it. Wrapping your mind around that is a mysterious, amazing process.

Winston the Owl

This little guy's name is Winston. He's a guardian of good books, and he takes his job very seriously. 

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree . . .

I painted that partridge I thrifted the other day. Here's the result! Isn't she gorgeous?

The before and after is pretty dramatic.

In Which I Rediscover the Joy of Thrifting, Part II

Dear Thrifting, 

You and I shall never be parted again. It's been way too much fun. Particularly on the book end of things. (Pun entirely intended.)

I love books. All books (trashy romance novels excepted). But my very favorite books are ones that I get for the price of a soda. 

Just a few Calvin and Hobbes in pristine condition. 

In Which I Rediscover the Joy of Thrifting, Part I

So I went thrift store shopping today for the first time in about a year and a half. It was glorious.

I had completely forgotten how thrilling it is to get lots of things you love for a pittance. And how exciting it is to see potential in things. And how musty some thrift stores smell.

But there was treasure to be found amid the mustiness. And I found it. Oh yes I did.

My loot.