My New Motto

I have developed a new motto–born out of trial and error.  After letting too many good opportunities pass me by and later regretting them, my new motto is:

Always buy vintage Pyrex you come across.

I have seen quite a few pieces at our local thrift store but for some reason have passed on the opportunity, and now I have visions of them (probably greatly exaggerating their beauty through foggy memory) which make me want to kick myself.

This beautiful set of Pyrex dishes I inherited from my grandmother.  They were lovingly used in her busy kitchen, and I am ecstatic to have them.

I especially love the rooster.

The pattern is Amish Butterprint in turquoise, and was manufactured beginning in 1957–not long after my mom was born.

This last week as I came across another set of Pyrex bowls, I hesitated.

These bowls looked in very good condition–maybe not very “vintage” at all. But they were a matched set, and finally I just decided if I didn’t buy them I would just kick myself later.

Thus my new Pyrex-buying motto was born, and I came home with two new bowls.

A little research tells me that they are “Cinderella bowls” with a handle on one side and a spout on the other.  That was something I noticed and liked about the bowls.

The pattern is called Shenandoah (though it was also sold in Canada under the name Wintergreen).  And it looks like they were made between 1982 and 1986.  So being over 25 years old I suppose they can qualify as “vintage”.

I just know that I have used them many times already, and I just appreciate the beauty that they bring to the function of a “plain old” serving bowl.

 

Vintage Sheets

I got on a little vintage sheet-buying obsession, and had to work really hard to rein it in.

They come in such pretty patterns and they are so cheap for such large amounts of attractive fabric.

I love the little lace trim on this one.  I don’t know If I can bear to cut it up for a sewing project.  I may just have to use it as a sheet on the guest bed.

I love the colors of this one.  I’m thinking of sewing it into a (fully -lined) summery dress for myself.   If I get lazy I may have to settle on just a skirt.

This pattern is just fun if not really very vintage-feeling, I’ve actually seen it online quite a bit, so it’s a common print apparently.  I’ve already used it to make one project–but the thrift store had two sheets. .  . and I bought them both.

But $2.50 for a new set of living room curtains really can’t be beat.

This fall I bought a thrifted flannel sheet to sew robes for my boys, and I also bought a large dark green sheet for the backing of a quilt I’ve been working on.  I love finding frugal and conscientious ways to continue working on my hobbies.

Sustainable Shaving

I distinctly remember wondering why razors were called “disposable” razors, because specifying “disposable” would imply that there was some sort of alternative–right? But there’s not–right?

There is. Safety razors, emphasis on the “safety” as opposed to traditional straight blade razors, are the alternative.

We recently bought Jeremy a vintage safety razor on e-bay–though you can actually buy contemporary models. But on e-bay they are cheaper–and the truth is–they were meant to last–so they are still around.

The only part of this razor that is disposable is the blade. But they are significantly less waste than the entire disposable razors, and it’s way cheaper to pay for replacement blades rather than replacement razors.

Jeremy’s is a travel razor that disassembles, so his handle is a bit shorter than other models you’ll find.

We also bought him a badger hair shaving brush. Sources say you can buy a couple-dollar shaving brush from the big box store, but the natural badger hair bristles will get you the best lather.

(My homemade shaving soap in a mug.)

All of this research of course comes from our internet sources, which we consulted to learn about how our grandpa shaved, and how do you use a shaving brush and safety razor anyway?

I was happy to see that my homemade shaving soap made a decent lather.

For our first trial run everything turned out pretty well. There is a learning curve for using a new type of razor. Jeremy did feel like his second shave was cleaner than his first, but he also did his second one straight from the shower–which is recommended.

I guess the next step is for me to give it a try. I’ll admit–I happily let Jeremy be the guinea pig on this experiment. But we’ve got a whole batch of cold-process shaving soap so I guess I’d better get myself a safety razor.

 

Thrifted Christmas

We found two complete classic games at the thrift store. Stratego (the old school Napoleonic one from Daddy’s childhood memories. This edition is from 1970.)–we were just, um “making sure all the pieces were there” before wrapping it up.

 

We also found Clue including all the little weapons, cards,  and blank clue sheets to write on.

 

Both games were $4.00 each–which is a steal compared to what the “updated” versions of these same games go for in the store.

 

I’m sure Jeremy won’t mind that his Stratego game box says, “Thomason’s” on it.  Hooray for thrift stores.