did you buy that new?

tick-tock.

Posted by Debbie

I used to love a (Portland) thrift store that was situated on 82nd Avenue and Holgate; it no longer exists.  I pulled up one day several years ago, my friend P-starr, visiting from San Diego, in tow, all lathered up over what lay in store, to see them rolling the very. last. rack. out the door.  The empty wasteland of dust bunnies and bent hangers and the forlorn dressing rooms with those wussy little doors waaaay in the back, lonely as hell.  I cannot remember its name. 

I found this clock, along with its twin, pristine and gleaming, on one of the shelves one rainy afternoon.  The clerk, a young, zaftig boy who set my gaydar a-clangin', experienced a bout of mild hysteria when I went to pay for it, especially when I pointed out the other one - which he instantly claimed. 

Eclectic or schizophrenic? Yes.

I'm thrilled to be contributing to "did you buy that new?" with some of the most fabulous people (and talented bargain-hunters) in all the interwebs.  By way of introduction, let me tell you a bit about myself and my passion for vintage-y things -- and I'll share one of my reasons for contributing to this site.

I live with my husband, two girls, and two cats in a sixties townhome in the Washington, DC 'burbs.  My home reflects my need for comfort -- no stuffy furniture showroom or magazine-cover decor here -- and my sentimentality for beloved (and well-loved) objects.  My decorative accents include the ancient chalkboard that used to hang in my grandmother's entryway, the vintage flatware we use on holidays, the old metal cracker tin that brings a bit of color to my all-white kitchen.

But in my house, the vintage pieces must peacefully coexist with newer things.  I love the aesthetic of my grandmother's old cane chairs -- however, they don't work well in a household with two young children.  So at least for now, the chairs are relegated to the basement in favor of a sturdy, modern dining room set.  (Their partner, the drop-leaf table, remains in the dining room -- it's a great sideboard.)   

This whole peaceful coexistence thing works well, for the most part.  Vintage and modern items don't need to be mutually exclusive.  But I do sometimes wonder if my decorating style is less "eclectic" and more "schizophrenic."

For example, observe my spice collection:

Of course there's a story here.  When J and I were newly married, I felt I needed an organized system to display our spices, and I bought the spice rack at left.  But recently I repurposed the old metal rack at right, which I'd snatched years and years ago from my parents' home.  It's old, it's battered, but I love the way it looks -- and it holds twice as many spices as its partner at left. 

Anyway, this is my ongoing challenge: finding a way to showcase my favorite vintage items, while ensuring they live in harmony with the more modern design elements of my action-packed, dust-bunny-filled household.   I really hope to glean some ideas from you all -- I'd love your thoughts on how you're creating what Deb describes as "a pleasant mash-up" of things old and new.   And in exchange for your advice, I look forward to sharing pictures and stories of my thrift store finds and family heirlooms. 

(Now I'm off to weed my spice collection.  Anyone need an extra jar of cinnamon?)

Posted by Nancy

Platter fabulous

Confession: I have a thing for platters. I have several, many that were handed down to me by my mother, and a few that fall under the prestigious 'display-only' status.

Of the lot of them, this one is my favourite. The funky brown sixties-ish trim is what drew me to this beauty, peeking out from 'neath a pile of battered bread and butter plates at a thrift store, but I love its size and shape - not too big, not to small; a perfect oval.

We use this little platter a lot; it's mainly our corn-on-the-cob plate, but truth be told, I'll serve pretty much anything on it if it means I can put it out on the table.

The best part about this delicious piece of thrifty goodness? The price tag. A buck fifty, baybee! It don't get much better than that.

posted by Mama Tulip

Five reasons I'm in "PYREX LOVE"

posted by Marcie

• Pyrex is still cheap and fairly easy to find at the thrift shops.
• If you don't have time to search the thrift stores you can find tons of vintage Pyrex on ebay for reasonable prices.
• Pyrex is green! The refrigerator dishes offer a food storage alternative to yucky, phthalates-leaching plastic food storage.
• Pyrex comes in so many different patterns and colors. There is something for everyone.
• Pyrex displays beautifully. It's an easy way to decorate your kitchen with design and function!

For more delicious pictures of Pyrex check out the Pyrex Love flickr group

Bluebirds

Cleaning out my grandmother's farmhouse was a difficult task - exhausting, emotionally, as well as physically - but it was, for lack of a better word, neat. Closets were opened, drawers were emptied; things that hadn't seen the light of day in years were pulled out and displayed, in all their glory. Some were mysterious in their history while others took my father right back to the days of his youth.

As we packed box after box of trinkets and tchotchkies and fine bone china, I noticed these salt and pepper shakers nestled between cups and saucers, salt cellars and fruit nappies, and thought they were too sweet to pass up.

It occurred to me that they may not be bluebirds, but no matter, they are deliciously cute, and they live in my china cabinet, where I can peek at them every day and think of my grandmother.

posted by Mama Tulip