My sister and her kids are in town, which for the Wolk-Stanley sisters means Goodwill adventure day!
Of course, there were the usual suspects such as the wooden shoes sold to gullible Dutch tourists. Apparently they’re not so cherished once they hit American soil, as they inhabit every single thrift store. Always.
Exhibit A:
Exhibit B:
Exhibit C:
Not to take a backseat are the inevitable targeted savings banks.
For College Cash:
For a Harley Fund:
Or simply for your next Get Rich Quick Scheme:
But then I spied this “Master Piece” liquor dispenser. Notice anything odd?
How about now?
Perhaps you need a close up?
How about an extreme close up? Mountain Dew anyone? š
Perfect for a fun selfie!
Of course, I was able to snag a treasure, which was this adorable vintageĀ Catherine Holm Lotus Flower saucepan. Soon to be available at an eBay near you!
Oh, Goodwill, you never fail to provide!
Katy Wolk-Stanley
āUse it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.ā
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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m totally guilty of buying those damn Dutch clogs! I did put them to use and did gardening in them. But there’s a reason we don’t wear wooden shoes anymore–galoshes are more comfortable!
I’ve always been meaning to check out my local Goodwills on a regular basis. š I’m still fighting my old impulse-buying ways, so it can always be a little dangerous!
I love Goodwill, but am still learning not to buy things I like just because they’re cheap. LOL
From my summer as a foreign exchange student in Limberg province of Belgium, I discovered that farmers actually still do wear wooden shoes. And blue smocks and red kerchiefs and caps, and own Belgian draft horses.
My host family bought me a pair. The ones you wear are unvarnished, because you clean them with sandpaper. And you use woodworking tools to adjust them to your own feet. I still have my pair in a storage bin in the basement.
I think a pair of real wooden shoes crafted to fit one’s feet would be far more comfortable than those old wooden-soled Dr. Scholl’s sandals everybody wore for a while in the 1970s. So loud! So painful! š
I’m not thrifting this week because I usually buy clothes or housewares to use, and we’re well-stocked on both. Since taking a desk job six months ago, I’ve gained a few pounds and am doing the frugal thing and losing that weight instead of buying new slacks.
The liquor dispenser is modeled off of Mannequin Pis, a statue of a little boy that “pees” in Belgium- the original is a fountain.
Yes, but does he urinate beverages?
hahaha, i (still) have one of those. No idea where i got it but i have put it out before when i used to have parties. Was good for a laugh. Didn’t find out til years later what it was modeled from.
Don’t care for the liquor dispenser. Nor do I care for cow-shaped creamers where the cream comes out of the mouth, or chicken-shaped pitchers where the beverage comes out of the beak. I find even the suggestion of imbibing another creatures bodily fluids pretty revolting. And don’t even get me started on the candy dispensers where chocolate comes out of something’s butt! http://www.instructables.com/id/Pooping-Reindeer-Candy-Dispenser/
My son had a pig that pooped out candy. My husband gave it to him!! (Grounds for divorce?? š ) I can’t believe Earth’s precious natural resources are being used to produce this stuff. The people in the factory overseas must think Americans are nuts!!
Hilarious!
Katy, I love that pot! You always find such cute stuff! Do you have an eBay seller account people can follow?
I love the saucepan too. What a great find.
My latest GW forays have been so dull! I’m relieved to see that they aren’t all that way although the liquor dispenser was a bit too much for me. What I see lately are Partylite, partial sets of old dishes, none valuable, and bread makers by the half dozen at a time. Did everyone quit making bread?
I didn’t quit making bread. In fact, I wouldn’t mind an extra machine on hand but have yet to find one that meets my specifications. And I’ve never seen wooden shoes in a thrift store around here.
I still make bread. Four to six loaves a week. I use three machines at a time, all purchased used from thrift stores. They usually work great. When they do give out, after several years, it’s easy to replace them for about $12. The part that usually gives out first is where the paddle fits into the bottom of the bread pan. Which is very annoying because then you have a still working electrical unit and no pan to bake in. I love thrift stores. There are about 6 in close driving distance that I try to visit several times a month.
I can’t even imagine wearing wood shoes, how uncomfortable it must be! Always thought those were just decorative.
Katie,
That saucepan is a great find! It is Cathrineholm in the Lotus-series, by Norwegian designer Grethe Prytz-Kittelsen, and it looks to be in good condition, too. It should fetch a nice price on Ebay. A real collector’s item. You have a real eye for the good stuff.
I’m trying to stay out of the thrift stores these days — working more on uncluttering at this point. We moved into this (larger) house 5 years ago, and somehow have managed to fill every nook and cranny with stuff. OK, that might be a bit of an exaggeration (my daughter always complains that ‘our living room is so bare!’), but still, the closets and shelves just seem a lot more full than they did when we moved in. I’m trying to rectify that, so I’m staying away from the thrift stores.