More Silverware

I bought more starburst silverware while thrifting over the holiday weekend. I couldn't resist, really. It was six pieces for a dollar and there were tons of forks and soup spoons and, well, I thought I didn't have enough of them. 

One look at my silverware drawer (and the look on Manfriend's face when he found me at the checkout, silverware in hand) reminded me that I was wrong. 

But! (There's always a but when thrifting, isn't there?) But! There were patterns that I didn't have: 

I'm particularly loving the closest pattern, with the nebulous stars. I wasn't able to track down much information about any of the patterns, save for the one farthest away. It's a pattern from Hull called Enchanted Star. I only know that much from the stamp on the back. 

So: I have too much silverware. 

But: I will be prepared for the next large gathering. That's it. Eco-party planning. That's what I will call it. 

Thrift Breaking: Fiesta and Silverware

I've collected Fiestaware for about a decade now, buying my first pieces in a Mervyn's store in Grand Rapids, Michigan the summer after my sophomore year at university. While my passion for the colorful dinnerware has waxed and waned, I always keep my eyes open for it in thrift stores. Up until Friday afternoon, the closest I had ever gotten to actually finding Fiesta at a thrift store was a mismatched teapot I found at a rummage sale for $5 more years ago than seems proper.

All in all, I found two plates, one dinner-sized and one bread-sized, and four mugs. Grand total: $4.46. Yep. I think that makes these pieces my least expensive Fiesta pieces ever. Granted, the plates, as seen above, are decently scratched. They have been well used but have much more life in them yet to live. They won't stay with me for long. Save for a lone coffee mug, I have plans for these pieces. I am not their forever-owner. 

Rounding out a good hour of thrifting Friday, I came across three more pieces of starburst silverware - including a fork in a pattern I've yet to identify. And spoons. Can you ever have too many spoons? 

On second thought, don't answer that. 

I Might Need An Intervention

I need to buy a video camera for my dissertation research. So Friday, I set out to see what was available in the wider world of Bloomington and happened to stop into the Goodwill on the far side (at least from where I live) of town. I was talking with my aunt on the phone when I happened across the silverware section and audibly gasped. 

"What?! What?! Are you okay?! What happened?!" 

I was inaudible for a moment, overcome with the stack of Oneida Twin Star flatware that lay before me. There were spoons, large and small, and knives and - blessed be my heart! - forks! It was one of those finds that you dream about when you are collecting starburst silverware. Twin Star! For 20 cents a piece!

"Um... I just hit the motherlode of starburst silverware. You're going to have to talk louder. This might be a while."  

I started gathering starburst silverware toward the end of the summer. I was in a thrift store in Michigan with the same aunt who was on the phone when I happened upon the silverware and began casually going through it. I had dabbled with the idea of collecting Oneida Twin Star right after college, when the now-defunct Betty Crocker catalog resurrected the pattern for exclusive sale through that particular venue. Within a few weeks, the Betty Crocker catalog was no more and I hadn't thought about the pattern much since. Going through that tray of silverware, I became smitten all over again and not just with Twin Star. It seems there was a wide variety of starburst designs and I quickly found a spot on the floor and began sorting out the silverware. My aunt, she has patience. 

Having gathered about twenty pieces that first outing, a bit of an obsession was born. I began haunting the silverware bins at the local thrift stores, hoping I would find those familiar little stars. Some days, I would find just a piece or two - mostly butter knives and spoons, very rarely forks. Other times, I would find a multitude of pieces, close to thirty pieces - including forks! - of a Mar-Crest starburst pattern at a Goodwill in Springfield, IL. When I was driving home for the holidays, I stopped at Goodwill stores along the way and collected over fifty pieces. That's the thing about flatware: it's cheap and the ideal thing to thrift for when on the road due to it's portability. 

So far, I've collected twenty-eight different designs. For quite a few of them, I only have butter knives, but it sounds impressive, no? I love the idea of setting a table with mixed-and-matched sets, cohesive in the midcentury modern starburst fabulousness. There are still designs out there I would love to stumble upon (like this!), but isn't it all about the thrill of the hunt and the serendipitous finds of the thrift store? 

I took some time last night to identify as many of the patterns as I could. They're noted in the photos over on Flickr, should you be interested. 

Thrifty Finds: Embroidery

I've had some decent luck finding some really adorable pieces of embroidery at the antique malls and flea markets lately. I found the above last weekend, which is ridiculously adorable and earmarked to be a holiday gift for a friend. There's something about the cheerful flowers that just makes me smile - hopefully, it will make the recipient smile as well. 

This is a slightly older find. I think I found this at one of the antique markets in Coldwater, MI when I was traveling over the holidays. I originally bought it for my Aunt, who collects samplers, but have been second guessing this as I find myself wanting to add it to my repertoire of wall hangings. It was a ridiculous $2.00 with 60% off, bringing it down to an unbelievable $.80. Obviously, it needs to be cleaned, a task I will take on once I figure out how to remove it from the professional framing with the least amount of damage. But those colors... seriously awesome. 

Come to think of it, I picked up another embroidery piece at an auction over the holidays, although this was Christmas-related and is already packed away with the holiday things. Part of me thinks I'm on the look out for these since I'm making no progress on my own cross stitch projects...