Blue Monday and Today’s Thrifty Treasures – Enamelware Pitcher

Blue Monday is sponsored by our gracious Sally at Smiling Sally.


Please visit Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for more thrifty treasures.

A stop at the hospital thrift shop on Friday gave me another blue item to share. It is an enamelware pitcher which I got for one dollar. Such enameled metal kitchenwares were popular and affordable household items.

The deep blue background is spattered with white blotches, hence the term spatterware.

The lid is hinged

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Blue Monday – Diana Princess of Wales 1961-1987

Blue Monday is sponsored by our gracious Sally at Smiling Sally.

Reading Gloria’s post today at Happy to Be and Katherine’s post at Yellow Rose Arbor, I was reminded that today is the twelfth anniversary of the death of Diana Princess of Wales on August 31, 1997. Katherine shared a lovely doll and many quotations of Diana’s words regarding the need to give of oneself to those in need. Gloria’s post shared her extensive collection of plates, cups, dolls, books and other items celebrating the Princess’ life.

This reminded me that I also have a large collection, though most of it is in boxes. For several years the collection was on display in my guest room, which is now used by my nearly 91-year-old mother.
The books, however, are on display in and around a small stand for the tv in my bedroom.

The books include biographies, photo books, mostly on Diana, but also on the royal family.

On of my favorite books is A Dress for Diana, which tells the story of how her famous wedding dress was designed and made.

Here is a photo of one of the plate series, this example showing her in her wedding dress:

Many books have been written about her fashion sense. One example is Diana: Queen of Style.

Inside another book, Diana: HRH The Princess of Wales we see her dressed in a blue outfit, including her hat.

Here are three books written by people near her: A Royal Duty, by Paul Burrell, The Housekeeper’s Diary by Wendy Berry and The Bodyguard’s Story by Trevor Reese-Jones. It was fascinating to read the different perspectives on Diana's personality and character.

The Diana I Knew is by Mary Robertson, an American whose son had the young Diana as his nanny.

Diana: Collecting on a Princess by Charles Nobles is a guide for would-be collectors and shows items in the author’s own collection. It also suggests prices.

This post is also for Today’s Thrifty Treasures hosted by Rhoda at Southern Hospitality.


All seven books listed below were from the local thrift shops. Most cost about 10 cents each since I usually bought a bag of books for one dollar.
Diana: The Last Year by Donald Spotto
Requiem: Diana Princess of Wales 1967-1987 edited by Brian McArthur

Diana: HRH The Princess of Wales [Photographs] by Tim Graham, Introduced By Clive James.
In Public – In Private: The Prince and Princess of Wales by Alastair Burnet. Photographed by Tim Graham.
The Princess & the Duchess: Inside the Lives of the World’s Two Most Dazzling Royal Women by Josephine Fairley.
The Royal Year 1989 Photographed by Tim Graham
My Story: Sarah, TheDuchess of York, with Jeff Coplon

Enjoy more Blue Monday posts at Sally’s blog, Smiling Sally.
Also, please visit Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for more thrifty treasures.

Today’s Thrifty Treasures – Figural Lamps

From July 30 to August 6 I was privileged to visit my sister, her husband, three grown children and four grandchildren. They live north of Tampa, Florida.
As hosts my sister and her husband exhibit great warmth and joy of living. So this week my blog posts will celebrate their lifestyle, their home and garden décor and their entertaining. Despite the fact that just a few days before my arrival my sister sustained a serious injury that made her unable to walk, the couple outdid themselves in making me feel at home.
Since they both enjoy finding bargains at yard sales, antique shops, and thrift stores as much as I do, that will be today’s topic.

At a yard sale my sister and her husband found a pair of figural lamps. The asking price was $2.50 each. The female was is great condition but the male figure had a damaged hand, that is, it was broken off. So they asked for a reduction on the male figure and got it for $1.50!
Here is a photo of the gentleman figure, with his hand now glued back on by my brother-in-law:

This is the lady figure

A pair of suitable lamp shades were found at Lowes. The lamps look great in their master bedroom with its light finished bed and side tables.

It is also suitable with the two French style side chairs.

Please visit Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for more thrifty treasures.

I am also linking this post to to Donna's "Second Time Around" at A Picture Is Worth 1000 Words. See more participants at her blog.

Additional Thrifty Finds

Blue Monday is sponsored by our gracious Sally at Smiling Sally.
This post is also for Today’s Thrifty Treasures hosted by Rhoda at Southern Hospitality.

On a recent visit to my consignment shop I found a blue and white ceramic table lamp costing $2.38. I have placed it on the breakfast table, and turn it on when I want softer light in the kitchen than the bright ceiling lights. It is hooked up to an extension cord with an on-and-off switch on the floor, operated by one’s foot.

For now, a white shade has been borrowed from another lamp not in use, until I can buy a smaller, more suitable one.

This oval pressed glass platter was $4.75.
I like the pattern around the border,
and the starburst in the center. (The camera angle makes it look distorted.)

Another pineapple item for my collection is this crystal dish which cost $1.13. It can be used as a candy or nut dish.

This eight-piece set of ceramic shakers with tiny pink flowers and gilt tops cost $2.76. There are four individual salt and pepper sets.
These are vintage and are in their original box.
Last is a pretty blue tablecloth for a round table cost $1. I found this at one of the thrift shops in town.

It has pretty yellow tulips and green leaves.

It was nice to have you visit today. Do come again as soon as you can, and do leave a comment. I love to read your comments.
Enjoy more Blue Monday posts at Sally’s blog, Smiling Sally. Also, please visit Rhoda at Southern Hospitality for more thrifty treasures.

Celebrating Presidents of the United States

Blue Monday is sponsored by our gracious Sally at Smiling Sally.

I’ve been watching programs on the History Channel on various presidents of the United States – Washington, Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln. This brought to mind some miniature books I have which were published by Achille St. Onge of Worcester, MA. The books were finely printed in Holland and bound in genuine leather in France. The sizes are approximately 3 inches high by 2 inches across. The subjects chosen by St. Onge for his books included many titles relating to presidents of the United States:
Here are two bindings of the text of The Declaration of Independence, one in dark blue the other in light blue:

Paul Revere’s Ride: A Deposition – The personal account by Revere of his famous ride with an introduction by Esther Forbes. The cover is blind-stamped with an illustration of Revere on his horse.

Historic American Stamps are illustrated with actual U.S. postage stamps in the Historic Flags Series. Alongside the leather bound St. Onge book is a knockoff on cheaper paper and cardstock made by the Merrimack Publishing Company. Both have blue covers.

Two books by U.S. Presidents – Science and Freedom by Thomas Jefferson, and The Wants of Man by John Quincy Adams.

Two books on Abraham Lincoln. The first is the text of an address by Carl Sandburg before the U.S. Congress on February 12, 1959. The second, Abraham Lincoln: The Song in His Heart by Kenneth A. Bernard, tells of his love of music.

The next three books record the inaugural addresses of presidents Eisenhower, L.B. Johnson and Nixon. LBJ’s is bound in light blue and Nixon’s in navy blue.
The Inaugural Address of John Fitzgerald Kennedy was published in three editions, with slight changes to the bindings which were all navy blue leather. On the back covers of two a gilt-stamped wreath surround the president’s famous initials and his birth and death dates.


From another miniature book publisher, Ward Schori of The Schori Press in Illinois, comes another Lincoln book – Lincoln the Literary Genius by Jacques Barzun.

The first book I got from The Schori Press was Washington’s Farewell Address. Note the gilt-stamped portrait of Washington in a decorative oval and the floral motifs on each corner or the brown leather cover.

Each Independence Day gives us another opportunity to enjoy focus on those who made contributions at the highest leadership levels to the development of the United States of America.

I am also linking this post to Today’s Thrifty Treasures hosted by Rhoda at Southern Hospitality.

I made a brief brief visit to the thrift shop on Thursday hoping to find some patriotic items. I found three wooden items:
A wood star painted yellow with a flag motif heart cost 25 cents. The 7" high star has a wire hanger. The tiny 1" wooden star was free.

The other item is a 15" tall wall hanging. A girl with red white and blue clothing has a flag-motif heart and is suspended from a banner which declares, "Let Freedom Ring"

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