Love at First Sight!

Yesterday I remembered that this weekend is one of our yard sale weekends....

But I didn't really feel like thrifting....keep on reading folks....I didn't have a stroke everything is fine!!!

It's just I'm tired of seeing greasy Tupperwaes, jig saw puzzles and kids clothes.

We drove pas a few, but I didn't stop. We had a lot of shopping to do: drugstore, hardware store, bank....

But I did stop at a church run thrift shop. This thift shop is strange because the volunteers decide what they will be keeping to sell and throw away perfectly good vintage things that they don't like!

Once in a while I get Pyrex there but not this time. I almost walked by it. Then I did a double take and just grabbed it.

Isn't she a beauty?

A handpainted made in Japan appetizer plate.

By the look of it she's from the 60's

(just like me)

 



  Check out the foot with the crocs!

 I totally fell for that plate...

Also at that thift shop I saw this

This is a cute telephone table.

 



                             I wish this coffee room table was in real wood

 

 This is one of the ugliest painting I've ever seen, no joke!

 

You know that patio furniture we got a while back? Well we're looking for a cover

for the loveseat....Nobody sells one!

Not Wallmart, Home Depot, Reno Depot , Patrick Morin (a Quebec based hardware chain), Rona,

Canadian Tire....NOBODY SELLS THEM!!!

And when we ask for it, we get looks....like you is crazy people looks!

 

But thank God for the internet! I found one reasonnably priced that will be coming my way from Texas....

 

Can't wait!

 

AWFUL!

The thrifting situation has been awful and dismal. Yes those are strong words! I read your blogs about the thrifting riches, the Pyrex cornucopia, the plethora of vintage linens all because of something called spring cleaning......

So I was realy psyched when I saw that there would be a flea market in a church basement in Verdun! Oh JOY OH BLISS!

Not what does a flea market in a church basement mean? Usually it's vonlunteers from the church that gather second hand stuff and also sell tables for commoners to sell their unwanted wares.....usually there's a counter with snacks and coffee.

 NO SIREE! No church vonlunteers, no snack counter, no thrifting joy....Just cheap dealers, selling leftover cheap new flea market stuff and vintage expensive stuff. At one table a guy was selling Star Trek glasses @ 5 $ each (the new star trek)....I got those glasses new in box shipping included for 20$ on ebay (a gift to my lovely Dan). I saw boxes and boxes of mood rings and cheap jewelry and at one point I could not take this a single minute more!

I ran to 2nd avenue for some respite and came across my old appartment....

It was in 1992. It was a large 6 1/2 with wood floor and the rent was....

Are you ready? 450.00$ a month. No not heat included.  

Here is my balcony on top where I grew herbs.

It was a nice place to live but the neighborhood left a lot to be desired....lots of poverty, social welfare,unwed mothers, drugs, crime you name it they had it!

Across the street I was remonded of something else....

Yes there are still Xmas ornements in the tree!

Here lived a really LARGE woman who would come out every morning and pick out the trash from her lawn. In her night gown WITH NO UNDERWEAR. Yes I saw some things no unwilling person should see! I wanted to gouge my eyes out and scream at the top of my lungs OH THE HUMANITY! GOD TAKE ME NOW! 

By the looks of grass she's not living there anymore!

On a more palatable note....

 Yes Barbie cakes still exists!

For all you french fries lovers I took a pic of Patate Normand; a Verdun institution. Just the prospect of a fry from that joint would put me in a transe! Those were amazing patates! Since the name is now Casse-Croute (Snack Bar) Normand they probably changed owners and I wonder if the fries are still amazing....Maybe another time!

And last but not least.....

A Pyrex sighting!

A Woodland bowl hidden in a flea market (small thirft). I didn't see the price but I bet it was at least 15$. NOT THRIFTY AT ALL! DID THEY READ COUNTRY LIVING? DAMN YOU COUNTRY LIVING!

I now must go, the open road beckons and the possibilities too!

Good saturday and good thrifting :)

The Recipe plus other stuff

For those of you who lusted after the granola bar recipe...Here it is

 Homemade Granola Bars


1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup sugar substitute
2 tsp baking powder
¼ cup All-Bran or Bran Buds cereal
1 tsp each ground cinnamon and spice
½ tsp each ground ginger and salt
1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup finely chopped dried apricots
½ cup shelled sunflower seeds
¾ cup applesauce (unsweetened)
1/2 cup apple juice (unsweetened)
3 omega-3 eggs
2 tsp vegetable oil

Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a shallow 8 x 12 inch baking dish with parchment paper.

Mix the flour, sugar substitute, baking powder, cereal, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the oats, apricots and sunflower seeds.

Mix the applesauce, apple juice, eggs and oil, and add to the floor mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly.

Bake until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool and cut into 16 bars.

The first batch I made I put in a tin box, however I had to throw out the last 2 because they were moldy. I suggest keeping them in the fridge or freezing part of them individually wrapped. They are usually served with a cold glass of skim milk.

 Lately I discovered a treasure in my backyard...a big old sorrel plant. I'd save it 4 or 5 years ago at the end of the season of a certain death. I planted it in my vegetable garden and just watched it grow and grow. I was scared to use it, I didn't know how to prepare it. Last year I ate sorrel soup at a french bistro in Montreal and it was real interesting. So finally this year I tried it at home and loved it. Pictured here is a big Pyrex Turquoise bowl full of freshly picked sorrel....It will become 'Creme d'oseille' sorrel cream.

I have to tip my hat to all women who work outside and inside the home, have kids and try to put nutritious food on the table. This week food has been a real struggle for me. I'm running all over the place.I need to follow the GI diet where everything is made from scratch and it's still new so I'm running out of ideas, I work everyday, take care of the lawn and garden, shopped for a washer and dryer and tonight it's the vet.

I'm so not used to that! I need to marry my 2 lives: Blogging , thrifting and web surfing Miss V. and working Miss V....

I know ,I know it will all settle down in a couple of weeks....I already feel more confortable at work and I laugh a lot with the customers. So that is good!  

 If you want the recipe for the soup, let me know!

Gotta go, gotta cook some steelcut oats and go to the church basement!

The way home part 3

I can't believe I almost forgot to write about the little church in Oxford ,Maine !

I just was too excited to
write about the Pick 'n' Paw!!! I discovered the little church in 2007. I bought one of my first Pyrex bowl there. I was trying to complete the Primary colors set (I only had the green one from my mom). I still didn't know about the colors, so I bought a minty blue 402.....When it should've been a red 402 (oh well). It took me quite a while to figure out that the bowl belonged to the Horizons set!

You could visit the 2 floors before and it was full of really interesting things. Everyday vintage things that nobody really kept, but were so full of charm today! Glassware,metal boxes,egg cartons....I remember falling in love with a refrigerator water bottle...I thought it was too expensive...and it hunted me until last fall when I found a really affordable one!

Anyways, now the church has a new owner and he decided to sell everything at rock bottom prices!
You picked out the stuff you wanted and he gave you a price. I found some great stuff that I don't need (what else is new!) but will share in the shop. A pink planter, a salmon peanut dish

and a tea set (a small tablecloth and napkins) super cute.

I wish I could've gone through more boxes there, but a lot of things were underwater....and covered with muck. I just don't want to get dirty sometimes! I guess I was getting tired as well, this was after the Pick 'n' Paw!

The owner wants to live in the church....so byebye cool antiques shop!

If you go soon you probably can still find some cool stuff!