vintage findings

Yesterday it was damp but temps were 52 degrees - which is basically a heatwave for us in January. I opened my living room and kitchen windows to air out the house. The air smelled like the promise of spring. The cats kept sticking their noses in the open windows, too, sniffing all that crisp, fresh air.

Today, we woke up to this.

Ah, Illinois weather...you keep us on our toes.

This weekend, me and my mom popped into one of our favorite antique shops. Not only did we find some pretty treasures, but everything was 20% off. This vintage tablecloth is in perfect condition and fits my kitchen table just right. Monkey gives his approval.

Don't mind the tags sticking out of the back of the chair cushions. Those are new ones from IKEA and I wanted to make sure we really liked them and wanted to keep them before removing the tags. We do indeed like them - they are very comfortable and I think they look good - so the tags are now cut off. Just a heads up to anyone looking for kitchen chair cushions: you can't beat the price at IKEA. These were only $5 each. Our previous foam filled cushions were from Bed, Bath and Beyond and were $15 each. The foam in the cushions flattened rather quickly and became hard and uncomfortable. 

Close-up of the tablecloth. Looks spring-like, doesn't it? Only 55 more days, but who's counting? ;-)

I hesitated about this Limoges dish. I've always been attracted to Limoges. I love the patterns, the delicacy, the gold rims. Limoges was my maternal grandma's favorite, too. I'd never seen a piece like this before.

One edge curves seductively up. So unique. So, why did I hesitate about buying this? After all, the price was only $8. Because I didn't know where I was going to put it. I've been more aware of what I'm bringing into the house, especially since I've been working on decluttering and donating. I had the owner of the shop put this aside for me to think about as I looked around. In the end, Limoges won. And now sits on top of a table in our spare room, showing off its delicate charm and beauty.

Isn't this a cool vintage tin? It was made in Massilly, France. I'm using it to hold pens, a dry highlighter and sticky page markers. It sits on top of my current reading pile and notebook on the coffee table in the living room. Pretty and handy all at the same time.

In a little nook in the back of the shop, sat this rag rug on top of the worn carpet. I didn't realize it was for sale until I saw a tag. The rug was dirty from customer foot traffic, but my mom said I could easily throw this rug into the washing machine. I loved the colors and had a feeling it'd look good in my kitchen. Sure enough, it washed fine and I hung it to dry. I think it looks great by my side kitchen door and it adds cheery color and texture to the room.

Have you found any vintage treasures lately?