Gotta Love Thrift Stores...And This Gorgeous Blue Plate!

I am a dedicated thrift store shopper and it has paid off in savings 

and truly unique finds over the years.

We got this sturdy and well built but oh-so-retro coffee table for $7.50 way back when. 

It has held up well for decades and it's latest look includes 

turquoise chalk paint and a painted top.

After a house fire we bought the Flexsteel sofa for $25 that shows in the bottom pic.

It has down filled cushions and an easy to slipcover design.

 It is now on it's fourth life, reupholstery wise, 

in chocolate brown ribbed twill.

And here's what I found today for $2.50....

a beautiful fused glass plate in shades of blue by Galvin Glass Works of New York.

As a serious cobalt blue glass fan girl, this glass plate is right up my alley.

I put together with my other thrift store finds and gifts of colored glass, 

you can see why it caught my eye.

And then I turned it over and saw this....it's engraved with a signature by the glass artist, 

Andrew Galvin. It is #1794 of 2640. I think "Oracle" is the name of this particular design

 in  his fused glass catalog.

You can bet I'll be hitting the thrift stores again and soon. 

I may not find something this stunning, but I'll keep my eyes open.

And, anyone that knows me can guess, 

I HAVE A LIST.

What is your best thrift store find? What are you looking for?

Cobalt Blue Glass in a Sunny Kitchen Window

The Welding Man made me this pretty baker's rack over 15 years ago and I placed it

 in a big window loaded up with my blue glass.

Loved it!

When we moved to our retirement house there was not a window just right 

for the baker's rack. So I decorate it seasonally. 

On Pinterest the photo of my rack with blue glass in the window keeps popping up all over and reminding me how gorgeous it was, so I asked The Welding Man for some shelves to 

display my blue glass again. 

He built shelves in the west facing window at the end of our kitchen. He used cedar boards with old yard sticks for the molding on the front of each shelf.

Now that end of our kitchen and especially that window are just aglow with beautiful 

cobalt blue color. I added a few green bottles also.

Loving it!

I have not bought any new cobalt blue pieces for years but now I'm going to start keeping my eye out for new glassware.  Thrift stores, church sales, estate auctions and yard sales here I come!

At least for me, everything old is certainly new again.

This was a fast, easy and inexpensive project that is paying us dividends 

in pleasure and beauty.

That's a win win in my book!