collecting: adventures in thrifting

the color of these cheery flowers looks pretty from summer right into fall.

Do you have a collection you love to add to? What is it about certain things that just strikes a chord with us, deep down inside? Maybe it’s a combination of several things, like something you remember from your childhood, items that look amazing with your décor or just something you saw on pinterest recently.

Lately, interesting pitchers are at the top of my list for collecting. They’re so useful for beverages, of course, but they also work quite easily for displaying a pretty bunch of fresh flowers.

This little grouping of flowers transitions easily from the super market straight to a lovely pitcher awaiting them at my home. Simply unwrap, add water and voila!

Over the last few months, I’ve been adding to some of my  other favorite collections, and I’ve also started some new collections, or “subcategories” of some of my favorite vintage things to look for.

You probably know, I love to collect vintage china, especially to use in unique tablescapes, and on my recent trips to Geneva, Illinois and Hilton Head, South Carolina, my love for thrifting has grown!    

The above photo shows a few of my latest acquisitions from the midwest, the south and locally here in Costa Mesa. I’ve always loved ironstone and have picked up pieces here and there over the years, but this week I found four amazing, and useful, pieces at one of my favorite local haunts. (see a. & h. above)

To add to that, over the past months, I’ve been picking up fruit patterned china whenever I find it… if it’s cute. They can usually be found between 25¢ and $3! A collection of mismatched dessert sized fruit plates is super chic for a large dinner party or an outdoor soiree! (see b. & f.) I now have at least three dozen of these...

 time for a party!

vintage hand-painted fruit plate 

vintage ironstone pitcher
(needs cleaning, but I have a special recipe for that)

Roses, flowers and fruit plates… always on my radar these days. Collected items with a common element usually look great together. (b. e. & f.)    

I’m always on the lookout for white or ivory English bone china plates that have pretty embossed borders. (g.) They’re always useful when layering different plates for a tablescape. These little bread plates feature pineapples, acorns and other fruit.

Chintzware with roses, always a yes! This adorable tea set was found at the Tustin Antique Market. (d.) Don’t you love how the chintz pattern covers every inch of surface area?

An up-close look at the floral plates; these look like apple blossoms to me. A little crackley craze in the porcelain gives off a vintage vibe. (e.)

And here’s a detail of the rose dinner plates I found in Hilton Head. These would look amazing with all my other rose-embellished dishes. (c.) Remember the tablescape I recently put together for Romantic Homes?

Keep your eyes open for similar plates because a lot of times they’re a real bargain!

Detail of the chintzware

Here’s my favorite find of the week, a pretty little red transferware cup and saucer by Royal Staffordshire. So perfect for a cup of Christmas tea!

I love it when the hallmarks on the underside of the china are almost as interesting as the designs on the “right” side of the cups and plates.  

In addition to these items, I’ve also been acquiring lots of pretty hand embroidered, monogramed and embellished vintage linens. Another favorite to look for, vintage books with interesting covers and titles.

What do you love to collect?

 ciao! fabiana