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Good Morning everyone!

I hope you'll join us in sharing favorite and/or recent finds. If you're able to share pictures please do if not, just tell us about your treasures. Prices are fun to hear too.

I hope everyone has a lot to share since I've turned up empty

Okay, please play...

My finds from Italy --

A ravioli cutter -- at a market in Livorno -- 2 euro

A garlic grater. Never seen one like it but it should be fun. It's ceramic and actually, it didn't come from Italy but rather from Barcelona -- at a market.

Martha

A silver server -- the blade is worn through to the copper which really makes it neater. It's Spanish as well (or bought in Spain) -- in Barcelona and the one and only "flea market" that we went to -- cost 5 euros!

And the one thing that I knew I was going to bring home -- some wonderful Italian table linen -- a luncheon cloth and six napkins. It will be used next Tuesday for my monthly Lunch Bunch luncheon --

Linderhof!
Ravioli cutter, GREAT find!

I have never seen a garlic grater like that either! Beautiful! I don't grate my garlic, I press it or chop it (Cuisinart)

Great Euro prices! And I love the worn look on the server too! beautiful.

NICE linen, oh I would be nervous to use... BUT that is what it IS for... to use!


Nothing yet for me, looking at something on CL Wednesday if still there, lady can't meet till then, but you never know... sometimes they sell fast (so I won't mention till I OWN it! LOL)

Martha, as always, I love your finds. I didn't know there was a specific grater for garlic. I use my Microplane. The linens are gorgeous. I have linen envy...LOL!

Mary Ruth, another teaser of things to come? Love it.

It's daffodil time at Trader Joe's. I always buy a bunch to welcome spring. I also found this little tussy mussy of beaded silk flowers and it fits perfectly into the vase my mother gave me for Christmas.

Gracie -- I love daffodils, too!!! Would you believe "Whole Paycheck" (Whole Foods) had tulips -- 3 bunches for $10 -- 10 or so in a bunch!!! I bought all three so Linderhof is filled with tulips.

I like your beaded flowers in your vase.

Very pretty!

Martha

Lindorf great finds. I am into primitive style so those pieces all are right up my alley. Nice finds.
Love the flowers...they say spring!!!
I don't have a picture but I bought a picnic basket. It was not an old one but was in such nice shape I couldn't pass it up for $10.00.

Gracie,
AW, I MISS Trader Joe's!!! I have not been to one in two years! There are none near where I live, I have to drive to the other coast to get to one.

LOVE the flowers! Spring is in the air!

Love those beaded flowers.... nice....and a vase from your mom, how special...!


I don't mean to be a tease about my CL find, but IF she does not come through, I don't like to get worked up about it... then not have it happen... have not heard from her today yet...

Martha,
Too funny! 'Whole paycheck'!!! LOL
I think ALL grocery stores are that way now!

Lisa Ann.... a picnic basket? Cool, you pack it and then take it on your land somewhere to picnic? I would travel to that covered porch no problem!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mary Ruth,

Lovin' the fresh flowers. Wish I weren't so cheap!

I found a bag of slats from an old broken door from an old rental and made a tabletop "runner" for a small chairside table in the living room. I wanted to lighten up the area but was unwilling, at this time to paint it. I cut the slats into strips, painted them, poly'd them, and glued them to a strip of felt fabric. Some of them stuck, some didn't, so that's where the handy dandy duct tape came into the picture ;-).

Also, I used craft paints. I painted a few strips with white, then added some dark brown, painted a few more, then added more dark brown to the mix for a third shade. When it was finished and in place, the slats that were supposed to be tan and tanner were light lavender and darker lavender. Don't know why. But I did have some pine polyshades stain on hand, and that brought the strips back to the planned colors of tan and more tan.

I plan to paint the chair next to the table with the free paint I got from Ace on Saturday. Clark and Kensington, Ostrich Egg.

Don't know what happened, but my post went 'poof'! gone...
Starting over...
MyLifeVacation,
HOW COOL IS THAT? And FREE.. no monies spent!
What a neat look and can be changed out whenever you want to! Don't you just LOVE Duct tape?

Gracie's post reminded me of my "Saturday morning" find. We went to the new house this weekend and when I looked in the backyard I was surprised to see these, it made me smile. I didn't get a picture because he was too quick, but we also had a visiting bunny.

I love this thread and enjoy seeing all of the neat things everyone finds. I learn somthing new on this thread almost weekly. Congrats.

annie,
Nice find... we get bunnies in the yard too... DH does not like them in his garden even though they are cute!

busyjo,
Isn't it a GREAT thread idea and Sklyer keeping it going for us all this time!!!

Long winded but... MY FIND this WEEK

|had seen This teapot warmer on the World Market sale page. I bought my small cast iron tea pots when in Virginia. There was a great restaurant we used to go to in the Marketplace in Williamsburg called the Trellis. The man who wrote 'Death by Chocolate' cookbook owned that restaurant and if you ever go there, you MUST order dessert to try the chocolate masterpieces. Well, they served their tea in these pots, you would get refills in the tea pots. I loved that quaint way to serve tea, and we sat outside in the garden wrought iron tables... with umbrellas over them.

You get the idea... BUT the cast iron tea pots (polished on the inside) cool down fast in A/C rooms here in Florida (not in the winter months). So, I wanted a warmer for it, but didn't want to have a plugged in coffee cup warmer on the table and sit the pot on it. The matching warmers sold for much money. When this style of tea pot came out, you had to pay over a hundred dollars for the pot and matching warmer. Well TJMaxx to the rescue! Home Goods had them too... I bought a couple of tea pots for under $10 each. And got some for gifts.

Well World Market had the warmer on sale for $9.99. My new neighbor and I went to the store the day the sale started. They had not unpacked them yet. I told the guy who was in charge of the stock that I drove 30 minutes (27 miles up the highway) to get there and the add said sale started that day. He took my name and number and told me he would save one (they showed on the delivery sheet they were getting 8) That evening I got a call and the young man had opened and reserved one for me for whenever I could get there. I told him I might not get back there for a few days, he said it was OK.

Well, life got in the way and I could not return till Monday (sale started Saturday). I got there yesterday and the young man remembered me. The price had returned to $12.99. Meanwhile I had signed up for the rewards on their website. I got a 'birthday' special for 15% off my order online or in the store!

When I got to the register, my warmer was the adjusted price of $9.99 minus the 15%! So, I got it for $8.50!
Long story I know... but I was so happy to get that little warmer, now crossed off that 'looking for' list in the back of my mind!

Gracie, this is NOT the find from CL I was waiting for, I DID NOT hear back from the lady so I am guessing it is not a go... That is what happens when they have a 'narrow' window for me to view item and want me to go in the evening... I would rather view in the daytime and in a garage if possible. More open place for an older woman to feel safer.

Photo attached, Tea pot warmer for the cast iron tea pots. You use one tea light inside the warmer. The top is removable to place the tea light inside.

This is the AD PHOTO I wanted to show you how it works. My teapot is black with same decoration on it as the warmer.

I have two of those but didn't know about the warmer. I don't really use mine (the tea pots) but you have got me thinking . . .

Martha

You will have to set it on a trivot and I would also put that on top of a heat pad protector for you table and linens.

It is a great one serving type pot as it does not hold much more than a large serving for one.

I have other pots I use for more than one serving like this one I got at a thrift store one time in Virginia for $9 I think, I know it was not more than $10.

Just found a picture of two of my teapots, the silver cozy is the one I just mentioned above. The black pot is the one that I will use with the warmer.

*

I got these wire baskets for $10 each. That was 50% off.

I also got this file box. The lid was bent so it was on clearance for $15. I was able to straighten the lid.

Thank you everyone for sharing your wonderful finds with all of us. Some very unique goodies this week. I think I learn something new from this thread too. Such smart members on this board!

The flowers made me smile. It's expected to be 80-86 degrees all week so I think I'll have some bloomers soon.

daciaB,
GREAT baskets! I LOVE the one on the top of the unit, where did you get them? And what a great DEAL you got!

Thanks Skyler! And you NEVER turn up empty!

Thank you again for keeping this, MMF's my favorite thread... going! You are so sweet to do this for us!

We have GREAT members here for sure!

ENJOY your warmer weather, FREE HEAT!

Thank you Mary Ruth and you're more than welcome. It's all of you guys that make the thread work

Great finds everyone. Love them all. You guys are good.

Skyler, did you get your new woods floors yet for your condo. We are all waiting for a Pic of that. You know we don't forget. LOL

quote:

Originally posted by daciab:
I also got this file box. The lid was bent so it was on clearance for $15. I was able to straighten the lid.

Ahhh...That is exactly what I need. I just organized some file folders this past weekend and I just stood them between a stack of books and a thing I have the copy paper stored in.

Was the basket made for file folders or did it happen to just be the right size?

Mary Ruth, Sorry I thought I said. I got them at Shopko. I believe their sale lasts through Friday or Saturday.

Always, It was set up that way. They also had some bright colors in their clearance purple and teal if I remember right. Original price was $40. If you have a Shopko, head there today. I walked the whole perimeter of the store. These were on an odd end cap near the snack food in my store.

Here is a photo with the lid so you know what to look for. It is quite large.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: daciab,

DaciaB,
I never heard of Shopko! So even if you had mentioned it I would not have recognized the name! LOL Thanks!

Lilsophie, lol you're right, you ladies don't ever forget No floors yet because I keep flip flopping on what I want. It's such an investment and will need to last me a lifetime so I want to be 100% sure. I promise to share pics once I decide and get them in. Thanks for asking!

MyLifeVacation1, you are so clever. I love your runner.

Annie, that's so neat that you have daffodils to welcome you to your new house. The bunnies are not as much fun because while they are cute, they eat too many of the things I would like to plant.

Mary Ruth, that's a neat warmer. I don't drink tea so I never knew about tea pot warmers until last year when my mother mentioned that she thought she would like one. I was able to find a porcelain tea pot and warmer set on eBay in plain cream that I gave her for Christmas. She really would have liked a warmer to match her existing china, but her pattern is almost impossible to find and I've never even seen a warmer for it.

DaciaB, I love the look of your shelving unit and the addition of the wired baskets gives it a great deal of style. Good find!

Wow, people! Don't suppose anybody wants to hear about my new socks.

quote:

Originally posted by Trudi:
Wow, people! Don't suppose anybody wants to hear about my new socks.

I would love to hear about your new socks! Post a picture and tell us why you love them.

Trudi,
Me too! Me too!
I wanna hear!
Oh oh, this will give my age away...
here goes....

SOCK IT TO ME!

LOL! I well remember "sock it to me" if that tells you anything about my age as well.
No pics, but my daughter was visiting from Texas, and she likes a sock outlet here, so she stocks up when she's here. I couldn't be around all those socks and come away empty handed. Hopefully when yard sales start up this spring, I can contribute something more intersting.

quote:

Originally posted by Graciepj:
MyLifeVacation1, you are so clever. I love your runner.

Dacia - I covet those baskets.

Gracie -- thanks. I really like them. They are not perfectly straight as I had to cut them in the kitchen instead of the garage where I would have had more room to work -- but it COLD out there!

Anyway, I too, was thinking "how clever am I?". NOT! As I was browsing Hometalk.com last night I came across a runner a lady had made for her dining table using wooden shims. It look really nice. If I were a bettin' woman, I would bet that is where I got the idea to make my runner out of the old door slats. But no matter where the idea came from, I like them and today I begin the small project of painting the chair to go with.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: MyLifeVacation1,

Trudi! LOL I think about the body-painted Goldie Hawn on Laugh In!

MyLifeVacation,
Creativity is in ALL of us and there is a quote 'There is nothing new under the sun'. We share a plain of creativity with energy... whether we know it or not... so NO MATTER WHAT an artist paints, whatever we make... it is from the human brain... and shared consciousness of creativity.

Take the credit proudly for your project! It is your effort that made it come to reality!
There is still the effort to get the supplies, gather the tools, materials, alter to custom sizes and shapes, AND then put together to make something custom and pleasing to use in our home. That, my dear, is NOT something to ignore... it is something to be praised! EVEN an exact or near copy is a HUGE effort!

Why do you think we LOVE to see projects and posts about projects! That MEANS... we will NEVER tire of seeing the creativity of expression by the posters!

MyLifeVacation1, I like your version better. Even if you were inspired by the shim version, you improved the concept. Oh, BTW, you mentioned that you were too frugal to buy fresh flowers? Trader Joe's daffodils are only $1.29 per bunch of 9, so for $5.00, you can have a vase full.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Graciepj,

I had never seen a tea warmer like that or else saw one and didn't know what it was. Could you use a china tea pot on a cast iron warmer?

Wanda

gmvj,
Not sure if your teapot can take a candle heat under it. They do sell teapots with this type of heater for it. But this one, not sure if it would also go with a china pot.

Great finds as usual No shopping for me this past week, as all I found was sand in my luggage LOL. Florida was great and I'm so jealous of all of you that live there!

quote:

Originally posted by Mary Ruth:
DaciaB,
I never heard of Shopko! So even if you had mentioned it I would not have recognized the name! LOL Thanks!

I miss ShopKo! It is a Wisconsin based chain.

Neat finds everyone!

Wanda!

I have had my windows open all day! Spring is like that here...LOVING it!

Thanks Daciab...we don't have that store around here, but I will keep my eye open for something like that when I'm out and about.

I did some research for you all. The baskets are distributed by Showtime Sales and Marketing out of Freemont, Nebraska. The company's clients include stores like Pamida, Menards and Alco. So you might want to check in those stores if you have them in your area. It doesn't look like Showtime will sell directly.

Thanks daciaB for the information!

Another lead for you:
http://www.abowlfulloflemons.n...the-dining-room.html

Very similar baskets that she says are found:
Wire baskets on rolling cart & table – Home Goods

I had a real "DUH" moment! The baskets are available online. See here: http://www.shopko.com/home/storage-and-organization

Thanks for the links!