by Carrie on December 25, 2009
I hope you had a lovely Christmas day like I did.
Several years ago now, I picked up this cute 3 foot tall lime green tinsel tree for $5 from Urban Outfitters in their after Christmas online sale. Keep your eyes peeled for awesome decorations at great prices in the days to come. (And don’t forget to click through eBates if you’re shopping at Urban Outfitters.) This year I spent $20 on new tiny glass ornaments from Michael’s (partly because they were cute and partly because I have no idea where the tiny red glass balls I’ve used in years past went).
If you’re inquiring mind would like to see what I got for Christmas this year, you can check that out here.
And if you’d like to add to my holiday cheer, I’d love to have you subscribe via RSS or email, follow me on Twitter, or become a fan of It’s Frugal Being Green on Facebook. If you’ve already done one or more of those things, consider spreading the word about It’s Frugal Being Green to a few friends.
by Carrie on September 22, 2009
by Carrie on August 27, 2009
Hand Built Vintage China Cabinet
Today I’m excited to share with you my latest in vintage treasures.
This piece is a china cabinet built by a family member in the 1800s and transported via covered wagon. We’re not 100% what the wood is but we believe it may be American Chestnut which nearly went extinct in the early 1900s due to a tree blight.
I’ve spent a good 10 hours over the past two weeks getting the china cabinet moved into my house and bolted to the wall (I’m in earthquake country) and hand washing and arranging everything in it.
Everything inside is vintage too save for the Peter Rabbit mug on the bottom shelf that I received as a baby gift and the glass pumpkin which I purchased at The Great Glass Pumpkin Patch which is a fabulous local art event that takes place in Palo Alto, California every fall (the event is free and worth seeing even if you aren’t planning to buy).
On the top two shelves we have my grandparents’ lead crystal. I only have champagne glasses (used as sherbets) and water goblets because my grandfather did not drink. I am planning to pick up wine glasses as well as they become available on eBay. (Because the pattern is hard to find and I’m still looking for pieces I won’t be sharing the name of it at this time.)
On the third shelf we have pieces from my grandparents’ fine china which I told you about when I go that a few months back.
On the bottom shelf is a variety of pretty other trinkets. On the left are some pieces from my Sharon Cabbage Rose depression glass set. Depression glass was the stimulus package of the 1930s, you’d get a bowl in your cereal box or a plate for seeing a movie. The set has no dinner plates (makes it less painful to be eating those smaller portions as you literally tighten your belt). All of my Sharon pieces were purchased at antique shows and shops or on eBay. I’ve also got a few cute salt, pepper, and spice shakers from my great grandparents and my two member glass menagerie.
There is a cabinet further below that contains the rest of my Sharon and a huge assortment of Hobnail and pressed glass platters and bowls from my grandparents and great grandparents.
I’m the second or third owner of almost everything you see here and what I hope you get out of this is that
- quality items that are well cared for can last more than a lifetime
- used doesn’t have to mean ugly or in poor condition
- these items don’t even have to be expensive (the vintage crystal runs about $10 a piece which is the same as new lead crystal at Target)
by Carrie on August 14, 2009
First things first this time around, make sure you check out my guest post at Saving Cents with Sense: Stockpiling within Reason.
Here’s the rest of the round up:
