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!

Pretty Blue Glass Windowsill Project-Quick, Cheap and Easy

Do you ever look at something everyday and tell yourself you're going to fix it up or do something with it someday? I did that everyday with my kitchen windowsill. Something about the splotchy paint job, water stains and general untidiness made me "itch."

Trust me, I did NOT capture the true grunginess of this area. Even my beloved blue glass and house plants didn't do the trick. I stand here a dozen times a day and each time I would tell myself I would fix it up. Well, today I checked the clock and figured I could spare an hour for a little project to make this pretty.

 Ooooh aaaah! I like this alot! 

Now the unending Oregon spring rain isn't the only thing to look at from this window.

 Nice!

 I cut a piece of burlap to fit the space and took the glass bits out of the tall vase I had there originally. I hot glued the half marbles and sea glass and random glass pieces to the burlap then used a heat gun to tidy up all the wisps and strands.

Now when I am at my kitchen sink this area no longer annoys me. It actually makes me smile.

And the Welding Man put a shelf higher up in the window casing for more of my cobalt blue glass. This color soothes me and gives me a peaceful feeling, so the Welding Man, who is a survivor, puts up shelves where and when I want them. He is a smart (and nice) guy!

So, a wee bit of time and effort and no new cost at all, and I've added beauty and practicality to my kitchen. Gotta love that! What about you, do you have a small project that you could do quickly and cheaply that would lift your spirits everyday? Just do it!

I'll be adding this to the blog party links on my sidebar. Come visit and even join in the fun!