Thrifty Treasures

I thought I'd show you a few finds I've come across at the thrift stores lately. I've been trying to walk through with blinders on when I'm near the housewares aisles--I just have nowhere to put more "stuff" right now since some of the "winter" decorations are still up, but that hasn't stopped me from finding a couple fun books and--of course--textile goodness!

I can never pass up a Susan Branch book, and Lindy over at Bearpaws & Hollyhocks sometimes reads little snippets from this book to her classes. It's not one I had in my Susan Branch collection, so I was tickled to come across it.

This cookbook, Margaret Rudkin's Pepperidge Farm Cookbook, was published in 1963, and illustrated by children's book illustrator Erik Blegvad. It's not rare by any means, but the illustrations are charming. I hope to have a chance to look through it a little more closely this weekend.

Now for the textiles. A week or so ago, I checked the aisle of women's jackets and blazers and found these lovely colored wool blazers. The hot pink one already found its way into the flower on the heart pillow!

I also found a women's wool suit in a pretty teal and black weave--the color's a bit washed out in this photo.

All together, they make a very satisfactory pile of wool once they're cut apart, washed, dried, and stacked! (The teal and black wool is there on the bottom of the pile.)

After giving you the heart pillow assignment the other day, I couldn't resist a return visit to the thrift store where I found another lacy white button up sweater and a red knit sweater. More pillows are in my future as soon as I have time to make them--luckily, they don't take very long!

And last of all, I came across this handwoven vest. The background or foundation is a brown that looks much like burlap (it isn't!), but the watercolor blues, purples, and pinks woven into it--well, thoughts of Easter and hopping bunnies are running (or hopping?!) though my mind. I'm not sure what it will become, but I'm confident it will "tell" me what it wants to be before too long!

Have you visited your local thrift store lately? There may be some treasures waiting for you! Happy hunting!