the art of peace: Last of the Great Thrift Scores of 2011

Sometimes I hesitate to share my thrifty finds after seeing some of the fabulous fancy things my fellow bloggers share. I tend not to buy antique $80 cherubs and the like, and I am no awesome photographer. But I like looking through other people's stuff (not medicine cabinets or underpants drawers, you know what I mean) so I do it anyway 'cuz I know there are a few looky-loos like me with time to kill even on New year's eve. I've spent most NYEves taking down my Xmas tree, actually quite a few of them have been completely sad and lonely so the 'holiday' takes no special place in my heart other than The Deadline To Have Xmas Gone Or Imma Feel Lousy About It.

So while gathering up stuff to cram (most gently) back into boxes in the process of Unmaking Xmas, I'm sharing the last minute pics of a few new things I found when I accidentally ended up at the ARC before the grocery store this week, plus a couple of things I picked up last summer that finally got to participate in the Xmas festivities. BECAUSE I CAN.

Metal tray. Cuteness & pink, irresistable. Found last summer, looked perfect with a vintage Santa cookie tin and a red HO HO HO on a plate shelf. A picture would have been nice. :OP

I have a thing for sparkly Churches so I could not say no to this. Did I mention the thrift had all Xmas marked 75% off? This was less than dollar. The windows have LED lights in, which I didn't even notice when I put it in my YES pile, but they don't work so I'll probably put some cellophane behind them next year. It's much glitterier than this picture relates. I may have made up a word just now. Someone gifted this to someone else in 1989, which is ridiculous to think that was over 20 years ago. It seems like bad shoulder pads were just yesterday.

I used the stand from the church to try and get a pic with no glare of this Houze Art glass. These things just SCREAM vintage, and my childhood, to me. It's black glass. Only this year I learned to not hate the color gold. I've always been a silver girl. I still wouldn't choose gold for jewelry, but it's so vintage feeling every place else.

For $2.50 I scored these 8 plates, (4 dessert & 4 dinner) which according to the backs, are called "Christmas On Ice, as interpreted by Georges Briard". One of the fun things about thrifting is finding out what the heck you found, so I was happy to learn a lot about Georges Briard, who designed a lot of wonderful vintage and very collectible glassware from the 50's through the 70's. Unfortunately I could find ZERO about this particular design, not even any pictures except for a chip & dip plate for sale for $50. Of course I love them because they have ICE SKATING Santa, duh? These are actually my first Christmas plates, even though I am OLD. I don't count the snowflake ones from the dollar store that all chipped.

DUH!

OMG, how stinkin' adorable are these Moppets? I found these two Fran Mar collectible china plates by Gorham for $2 each, pretty reasonable after hunting them down online, where they sell for an average price of around $10. Of course there are some real a%^h&les on ebay trying to get $50-$80 for each of them...rather silly when there's one for $3.99 there also. Is the original box really worth that much? I despise overpriced resellers of vintage on ebay, just sayin'. Innyhoo, yay, the 70's! I was there! I plan to display these next year!

Who among you could have resisted this awesome pinky purpley plastic wreath candle thingy? That's what I thought.

Snowdude made from that stuff you put under your Xmas town for snow, new in a bag for 50 cents.

Found this little group last summer too. L.O.V.E. No markings. I wish I knew what used to cover the light in the back -see it behind Mr. Caroler? Works! I may re-glitter the snow on the ground next year as it seems to have several years of uck on top.