Is it wrong to think of yourself around Christmas time? Well...whether it is or isn't, I did it anyway with some new treasures to bring home.
While I was visiting my parent's for Christmas, I made a visit to my favorite little thrift shop (one I'll be living just down the road from when we move in the spring!). They have a tiny closet-sized room filled from floor to ceiling with Christmas all year round. I love sifting through everything looking for the good stuff...I'm talking get down on your hands and knees sifting. The room this time around was surprisingly neat and tidy and I think they had just gotten some fresh drop offs, because I normally don't find anything too outstanding there. This time was different though. I compiled a collection of different types of icicles...I've got a good sized collection at home too and I think next year I'd like to do an icicle tree. Those metal ones and the tinsel one are to die for!
These pretty bells are much more elaborate than I've ever seen them before.
This little shop always has glass balls, but rarely nice vintage ones. I love these!
They even had figural ones too!!
And tiny figural ones! That little bird is precious and very small, and I love the walnut.
Ok...this isn't vintage and it wasn't found at the thrift store. The day after Christmas a beautiful home and garden store right near my parent's house (
Schuyler Pond) has all holiday items 50% off. I was really drawn to this pink cockatoo. A for only a few bucks, why not? I like how it's made out of heavy thick glass.
Back to the thrift store....a collection of vintage candy canes with cellophane stripes never hurts to have (plus I saw them going for 10 bucks a pop at ABC Carpet and Home in NYC!!).
They had lots of pine cones, but I decided to pick out the vintage, painted or unusual ones to use for next year.
Vintage holiday foliage of all kinds is always good to have on hand.
These bottle brush trees aren't too old, but they are quite tall and I had to have them!
Two large Christmas glasses to add to my collection...which I've completely forgotten to take out and use the last two holiday seasons! Next year...
Some random craft supplies that I reckon will come in handy...including a big bag of heart confetti that's getting me excited about working on new Valentine's Day goodies!
Little ornaments and things that I thought were cute...especially the wooden birds singing under a mushroom cap. So cute!
Not sure what I'll do with these decorative bulbs, but the shapes were pretty and the price was right.
I've decided that my rotating holiday decor will include themes of seashells which will be displayed around the house all summer long and then stashed away for the cold months come fall. This little box was a must have for my collection.
This pretty shallow milk glass cake stand was the first thing I spotted when I walked in the door. I love it!!
And last but not least, these tiny thread covered balls have me thinking Independence Day and Hanukkah. I love the stripes!
I've been really itching to do even more treasure hunting, but winter is definitely here and the treasures love to hide during the cold months. Sigh...maybe I'll snoop around in an over priced antique store downtown just to get eye full. :)
What's inside? That's exactly what I've been wondering ever since I got this little party cracker at the Brimfield Antique Show a few years ago. I didn't dare ruin it, so I tried to put it out of my mind. Until..... Laurie from Magpie Ethel opened up one of her crackers! Sheesh! The nerve she has opening a sacred vintage party cracker! Well, I figured if she could do it, then so could I! :) 
Whom whomp....
I was hoping for a cool charm like Laurie got, but instead I got a yucky pink balloon and a sheet of blurry fake "tat-oos". Oh yeah...and a little fortune too. Sigh...at least I was able to put my cracker back together easily and no one would ever be none-the-wiser.
