Home again, home again, jiggety jig

     After a few days of playing in the snow near Bear Valley, we are now back home and settling back into our old routine.  It was quite an experience taking the new guy on vacation.  Some of our activities were cut short to allow for Kieran's nap time, and now that he's mobile, much of the vacation was spent keeping him out of trouble.  Still, the kids had a great time (I think), despite a few meltdowns (parents included).

    One drawback to the cabin we rented was there was neither trash nor recycling services.  We had to haul our garbage to the "refuse site" in the next town, and our recyclables came home with us.  Other than that, we liked the cabin and would consider renting it again in the spring or summer.  It sleeps up to 12, so we may do a joint trip with some good friends with kids the same ages as ours.
    Of course I had to check out the local thrift shops.  The shop in Angel's Camp huge, but the selection wasn't great, and it was overpriced for thrift shop merchandise.  I scored big at the Humane Society thrift shop in Arnold- small shop but a better selection and even better prices. 

Thrifted finds

    I've been looking for a big-ass glass juice reamer, and this one's the size of a boat (a gravy boat, that is).  And, yes, that is a vintage Vera Neumann scarf, as well as vintage Trifari Crown earrings.  Love! 

New dishware

Canonsburg Temporama

     Like my new vintage dishes?  This dinner plate was purchased at an estate sale last weekend.  It will be joined by three more from an ebay battle I won last night.
     I just discovered a wonderful blog near and dear to my heart (see previous post).  Jennie at Wedgwood Tulsa blogs about the return of her 1955 ranch house to it's former glory.  I want a ranch house!  Anyway, she's having a giveaway of a platter that matches my new dinner plates.  Sigh... I never win stuff.  Get the scoop here:

Wedgwood Tulsa: Temporama Giveaway
    Fingers crossed :)

Kitsch'n Bitsch

     Staying home makes you realize how tired you are of seeing the same thing day in, day out.  I'm over the black/espresso furniture.  It makes the house look so dark and depressing.
     So the kitchen and living room are getting a cosmetic makeover.  Gradually.  Like a child that's outgrown it's old clothes.  Which we replace piecemeal as we find things we like on Craigslist, or from thrift shops and estate sales.  
     In turn, we are listing what we are replacing on Craigslist or Freecycle.  The goal is to buy our furnishings used (and inexpensively), but keep our cast-offs out of the landfill.  Plus it's fun trolling Craigslist.  And I've already posted about my love of thrift shops and estate sales.
     Part of the reason we're updating our place is that we really like the mid-century modern look.  I keep finding pieces from the 50's and 60's while I'm out thrifting.  I guess we're really out-dating, not updating.  We're okay with that.  But the pieces I bring home have to play nice in our modern looking home.  Here's a preview of some of the kitchen stuff I've found:

Vintage tea towel

Georges Briard-styled enamel pot

same pot, another view