Thrift Store Shopping In Wisconsin

So I have been in Wisconsin for the past 5 days visiting my Dad, Molly & Maddy (my sis) for a family reunion.  While I was there I took my little sister to a few different thrift stores to find a project for us while I was there.  I didn't want to do a piece of furniture because they really didn't have a need for one, so I convinced my little sister that she needed a chalkboard for her room.  And while we were at the thrift stores I figured I might as well look around for things for me right?  so I bought all the stores out of everything they had in milk glass...apparently this is a sickness.  Not only did I end up with like 5 bowls, 4 compotes and 12 vases, I then had to ship out to California 5 bowls, 4 compotes and 12 vases!  Lucky for me all of the piece were like $1.00, so I could afford to do that.  I can't wait until they show up!  I will post some pictures soon of the mirror-turned-chalkboard for my sister soon...as soon as I get them from her!

Kitty Grass - Milk Glass Planter

So I have a terrible knack for buying beautiful flowers and foliage for my home...and then precede to kill it off quickly.  Lately I have kept some herbs alive in my kitchen, and some potted trees in my living room.  the problem that I have been having lately is that even if I am able to keep these plants alive, my cats have been eating the leaves and then preceding to vomit all over my house...lovely right?  So I have bought kitty-grass in the past, but neither of my cats would touch it...they would still eat the houseplant, just not the plant I bought specifically for them to eat...go figure?!?

A week or so ago, maybe two, I tried buying some more kitty grass and they both seemed to like it better.  My male cat has been eating from it frequently, but my female cat will only eat from it if I don't have fresh flowers cut and placed on my console...because if there are roses available for her to eat...she apparently prefers those!  So my dresser/buffet has recently looked like this:

And while the pink flowered saucer under the kitty grass is cute...it isn't really the look I am going for.  Now I found this really cute compote this weekend while thrift store shopping and it seems like it will be a good fit...and it was only $4.00!!!

Isn't the grape leaves pattern adorable???

And so I tried sitting the kitty grass container directly in the compote to gage how much potting soil I would need...and it fit perfectly...really...like a glove! (I can't believed I just typed "like a glove" haha...what a lame saying...and the funniest part is as I type it I can just hear Jim Carrey's Ace Ventura character saying it)!

so I threw in a little potting soil and some herb fertilizer and voila.  An adorable little kitty grass - milk glass planter for the kitties!

And even the buffet looks better now!

Want to know the real kicker though???  Ever since I potted the kitty grass, I haven't seen the little buggers eat from it once!!!  Although I have yelled at Buddy (my male) three times to stop eating from the Madagascar dragon tree, and Princess (my female) twice for eating the roses.  No vomit yet...so hopefully they are just not eating it in front of me...only time will tell I guess.  Picky damn animals!!!

Treasures From Thrift Shopping at Lunch

So here are some pics of the WONDERFUL things that I found while thrift store hunting this past weekend!  I got some really great stuff, and enough stuff that I was able to keep busy this whole weekend...even though I should have been preparing for my trip back home to Wisconsin...OOPS!

Here are my tables full of loot:

I got some great antique cast iron trivets...and I think I am going to spray paint them (with high-heat spray paint of course!)

 

And I got this great silver plat that I am going to spray paint and stencil.  I will probably use it for keys on my console table...but maybe I will list it on Etsy...

And I got this wonderful little cast iron sign...so I put it above my kitchen doorway in my dining room!

I got these candle holders because they have the best shape!  Such great ornate detailing and the cutest lines. 

Funny thing is that they are apparently old Avon candlesticks...who knew???

I actually spray painted them a bright aqua color to match this cup...

I also got these very sweet little terracotta bird candleholders.  I painted them white, glazed them and then distressed them...they ended up coming out really cute!  They will be in another post following shortly.

I also got some great frames!

The oval ones I painted a mocha color and distressed, the square ornate ones I painted black and are going to go in my bedroom above my hot pink nightstands, and the last one I don't know what I am going to do with.  But it was half-price frame day at the Leftovers thrift store in WC so I couldn't not buy it! 

I also got this very sweet little saucer plate that I think I am going to put up in my kitchen...

And I got some really great milk glass pieces!!!

 

 

I used the grape leaves pattered one to plant my kitty grass in...it turned out very cute...much better then the cheap black plastic planter that came with the kitty grass...that's for sure!

And I also picked up a few very nice pieces from a local antique store.  Usually this antique store is just RIDICOULOUSLY expensive, but the few pieces I picked up were actually fairly reasonable.  the traincase is probably my favorite...it is going to make a great makeup holder.

This vase and compotes were just too cute to pass up...

And these beautiful porcelain Japanese birds were actually my luckiest find I think...aren't they just beautiful?

And with a little help from the stuff you see below...I was able to keep myself busy this weekend!

More posts soon showing some of the transformations!

Milk Glass Herb Planters

So I was inspired by Miss Holly to plant some herbs in the milk glass compotes that I have been picking up.  I saw this picture on her blog and I knew that I had to plant herbs in my compotes!

I planted some herbs in my smaller compotes (English Thyme & Oregano) and a houseplant in one of the larger compotes.  I simply used some of the Miracle Gro potting soil I had in the backyard...

added some Miracle Gro Houseplant Food where appropriate...

and I ended up with a cute little potted plant!

my cats already seem to be enjoying it...

so up on the mantle it goes!

And with herbs planted in the smaller compotes...

I know have a nice little fresh herb garden going in my kitchen!  The larger plant is basil, and the herb in the biohazard container is garlic chives.

My kitchen now has a little herb pizazz!

Thrift Store Finds

As I mentioned in my previous posts, I went to the two local goodwill stores in my area (both of the Concord locations) on Saturday afternoon. And while I didn’t find a super large frame like I wanted, to create a customized bulletin board for my boss’s office, I did find some REALLY great stuff!

Like these two milk glass compotes, which I used to plant herbs in...

And I picked up three of these 8x10 frames for just $3.99 a piece!  I have already spray painted one pink to hang some artwork in my kitchen.

And all of these milk glass bud vases which I instantly filled with yellow roses from my rose bushes out front.  I think I spent a total of $10.00 for 6 vases!!!

Linking with:

http://apronthriftgirl.typepad.com/apron_thrift_girl/2010/07/thrift-share-monday-july-19.html

http://southernhospitalityblog.com/