The Perils of Collecting - Pt II

So, like I was saying before, one of the perils of collecting I've encountered is that I can't spell worth a flip. Vintage glassware is pretty notorious for exposing one to un-spellable, un-typeable words, such as

Chartreuse

And how about this humdinger?

Iridescent

I've come to accept these words by brain-training, hooked-on-phonics style:

chart + re + use

I + ride + scent

***

I was SO sure before I started writing this post that there were more than two new words that I had since come to realize gave me google-fits. But nope, that's all I can come up with.

Maybe the next Perils post will be about what REALLY gives me google-fits.

UNMARKED everything!

Decades

It was Christmas of 2000 got I got my first actual computer. I realize that's pretty late in the game to be getting a first computer, but honestly, I had yet to develop a real 'need' or taste for having my own until that point.

Back then, it was used primarily to take personality tests, play the Sims, and check email that pretty much still contained nothing more than goofy forwards from other folks like me who had yet to develop a real 'need' for a computer yet either.

Flash forward to now. 2011. (I'm typing "2011" for practice. It will still probably take me 6 months to get used to, and by then, it will be almost a whole 'nother year)

So, it's 2011, and computers have practically obsoleted things I used to 'collect' with some passion. Namely, CD's and DVD's.

It really wasn't all that long ago (okay, maybe longer ago than I care to admit) that you kinda had to have the album in order to listen to it. Sure, you could find certain songs. But what about those rare European live tracks on the super-rare gold foil edition?

Or, you had to have the DVD. There was little of this 'streaming' jazz (Hello, dial-up!). And forget about having too much of your video library actually ON your computer, because it took up too much space.

Perhaps it's simple. I just don't adapt well.

I see myself as a member of Gen X in a world that now belongs to Gen Y. My sister-in-law (who is 12 years my junior) is an ever constant reminder of this.

And I realize that I need to be (and AM becoming) more much choosy about what media actually warrants keeping a physical, hard copy of.

But here, in 2011, (still practicing, lol), I am excited to be able to choose pretty easily and readily, what I believe to be the best, most timeless, greatest things made in this country from over the course of the last hundred years.

I can have the best computer (manufactured yesterday), the best cookware (manufactured 30-70 years ago and some more recent bright spots) and I can make up the rules as I go along, mixing and matching decades, enjoying them all.

So, I am grateful for the times, whether I adjust well to them or not. But equally grateful that this year was the year I really opened up to the 'before my time's. And I am truly looking forward to the times ahead!

Happy New Year!

Blessings too numerous to count

What a wonderful Christmas! I feel very blessed to have a such a wonderful family, and amazing in-laws. There were so many highlights of the day that it's hard to single them out, but by far and away, the best feeling in the world is when the people you love know you so well that they can give you gifts that are so thoughtful and insightful that they almost transcend even being objects. They are treasures! It's the best feeling in the world to be able to hold something in your hands that is amazing and awesome just exactly for what it is, but what you really feel is their heart & their love for you.

And I can't even express how wonderful it truly is to have not just one loving, amazing family, but to have 2 of them. I am one fantastically blessed and lucky girl!

Hope this holiday found everyone well! Healthy, happy, safe and loved. Onward and upward to a bright New Year!

Merry Christmas to me!

Christmas came early this year! Ever since I started collecting Pyrex dinnerware, I've been dying to get the other colors and make a mix-and-match set. So, my dear husband, ordered me a place setting in both the lime green and turquoise.

And like a little girl playing tea party, I spent the better part of two hours trying out all the various possible color combinations and taking pictures of them.



Watermelon-y. Yum.

He also bought me a lovely turquoise blue square chip and dip set. It's gorgeous. Every time I look at it, I almost cannot believe that it dates to the late 1950's. It's in wonderful shape, but like a lot of these sets, it's missing the brass holder that would hold the ramekin bowl above the larger bowl. (Shown here with yellow ramekins from the same era)

I want a china cabinet, so that I can look at these guys all time. So cheerful, and exactly what I wanted for Christmas!

A Christmas Rant

Over the last 6 months, I've become a frequent thrift shopper. Some of these places are chain thrift stores, but about half of them are mom-and-pop private owner shops.

In the chain stores, the employees know us, at least by face, smile and speak to us warmly.

In the mom-and-pop places, same treatment. We get good deals and are treated well. We've been given small items just because we've shown interest in them. We've even been trusted to 'mind the store' for a few minutes while the owner ran down the road to the Dollar General to buy some tape.

We've been thanked, out of the blue, just for being regular customers, despite the fact we never really spend much money.

And I'm finding that these things are truly effecting my shopping habits. I've found myself putting off shopping for the stupid little things, like hair conditioner, razors, paper towels, etc. Or find myself picking them up at the grocery store because I don't want to have to go to a separate store to get them.

Last night, I decided that I wanted to get some of my Christmas shopping out of the way. I've gotten specific requests for some of those pre-fab gift sets that are all over the place this time of year, so I wanted to go ahead and get those out of the way, figuring that doing it midweek when it was slow in the stores might save me some trouble. I also opted to shop at Kmart, thinking I would deal with even fewer people.

The trouble is, I was overtly treated like a shoplifter. In a very short period of time, I was followed, and there was not just one, but two separate pages over the PA system of the "scan and record" variety. Was it because I was wearing a coat? (Sorry, Kmart, I was wearing a coat because it's mid-November, NOT because I'm trying to yoink Rock Band 3)

-The following paragraph should be read with sarcasm dripping like a black, oozing heart made of maple syrup:

Or was it because I had a *GASP* 10 dollar Stetson gift set in my shopping basket? Because, you know, NOBODY actually pays for cologne. It all gets STOLEN and that's the REAL REASON why your chain is always BANKRUPT.

-My apologies, dear reader. I had to get that off my chest.-

So with this concludes my Christmas shopping at all stores chain and box. I will order online from now on, even if it makes me feel stupid paying shipping on something I can readily get in store. And there will be no more shopping at this particular Kmart, ever again.

Oh, and did I mention that even though I was overtly treated as a shoplifter, I was solicited for a charitable donation 3 times in that one very short trip? Nice, huh?

I'm entering into this holiday season with renewed dedication to buy local whenever possible. And not just local, but handmade and vintage as well.

Watched this documentary last year. It's funny, sad, poignant & crazy. Definitely recommend it if you are feeling the pressure to overspend this year.

The Perils of Collecting

As a newbie to collecting Pyrex and other types of vintage glassware, I've found out two important things:

A) I can't spell worth a darn.

B) This shows no sign of improving.

And despite countless and frequent Google searches:

The word restaurant I will continue to spell restaraunt.

The word burgundy will continue to be burgandy.

The word refrigerator will continue to be refridgerator.

The word turquoise I just couldn't spell at all until I tried to make myself remember that I will type two U's before I get to the O & I.

And frankly, some people may prefer to call it Aqua, but I think it's because it's easier to spell, lol.

And finally, here I've managed to write a blog about spelling without covering the word I'm still never sure I've spelling correctly: Misspell.

Oh, the irony...

1950's Vintage Love

Yellow Cronin teapot I mentioned in my last post. From what I saw, the yellow is less common than the blue (but they are both perfectly lovely in my opinion). This dates to the 50's and was an A&P grocery store premium.

This pattern also coordinates with DRU Holland enameled cast iron from the same period. I've been wanting to try enameled cast iron but am gollywhopped by the price. This may end up being another thing were the vintage alternative is actually better (and cheaper even!) than the current. *ahem*cough*LeCreuset*holymoly*cough*

Two early Pyrex patterns also dating to the 1950's: Pink Gooseberry & Sandalwood.

Pyrex dinnerware in Dove Grey. Cream & sugar in Regency/Forest Green. The cream & sugar are the only pieces I have in this color. They are gold rimmed and I'm trying to collect pieces without it. But they were 4 dollars at an antique store, so I could not resist.
And finally, all the rest of my Pyrex dinnerware. Flamingo pink. 4 of these saucers have the mark in-mold and are a slightly different color. I suspect these could actually be a part of the restaurant ware line. The color name is Coral. I don't know how to find out for sure other than post these to Pyrexlove on flickr and see if I get any feedback from the restaurant ware collectors.

The casseroles above are Blue Stripe/Blue Barcode & the green is called Square Flowers. I got the two smallest pink gooseberry fridge dishes and the two blue barcode casseroles the same day, same place for 15 dollars. On a different day, I got 5 of the Flamingo plates and the cream & sugar set for 15 dollars as well. The funny thing is, it's this crazy little store that mostly specializes in comics, cards, toys and general fanboy fare. But the guy who runs it always has at least a tables worth of Pyrex, Fire King and other vintage glassware. A real his-and-hers kind of place if you are into vintage glassware. Definitely a one of a kind place to shop, and reasonable prices to boot.