February blows in

It's February, I have a bad cold, and the temps today are -15, or up to -40 with the windchill.  It's a good day to be home, with a cup of tea and a Merchant Ivory film on TV, and show you some thrifty finds!

It's been quite a while since I bought anything vintage on eBay, but one evening I saw an auction that was about to end for this box from the 1920 and, intriguingly, its contents -- all for a very low price.

Inside were some interesting bits of junk -- the kind of stuff I just love to poke through!  First, there was this bejeweled walnut...

which turned out to be a sewing kit!

It's marked "MOSEL" but I haven't had a chance to research it yet.  There were also these kind of fun bits and pieces...

My favorite item, though, was the bracelet, which seems to be a child's souvenir item.  I just think the charms are so kitschy and fun!  They will end up in some of my paper art, some day.

 

 

Here are a few trinkets that I picked up while in Omaha for Silver Bella that I hadn't had a chance to show you yet:

There's a large crochet button, a nicely carved brown shell, and a tiny black and white Mother of Pearl; then a little metal game piece that is a California flag, and a card of crafting buttons (eyes and nose) that I think I got somewhere else but somehow ended up here.

And how's this for fun?  These are all things I bought at the Silver Bella fair evening from various vendors: a lovely crocheted bust, a fun vintage ribbon, some tiny bottles, tags, a little "tree", Silver Bella themed flash cards, and a tiny roll of vintage wall paper border!  They were all a great deal -- and where else can you find such fun assembled together?

Here's something that I remember I bought from my Bella buddy Michelle Geller, who has recently opened an online store full of amazing vintage old stock stuff called Hold Dear.  It's a kit to make paper roses; and then, the other day I found the same kind of modern kit from Martha Stewart, deeply discounted to $3:

I thought it was so much fun to have both of the boxes, modern and old!  Finally, here are three things I bought in a grab bag at an antique store -- all 3 for $1!

a stray ceramic piece that has multiple holes on the sides as well as the top...

a small enameled box...

and, what I was really after -- this little packet of "trade simulator" tickets.

There are lots more thrifty finds to see at these blogs I'm linking up to today: