Girls gone shopping ... and can you identify these items?

I had the best time last week with my aunt and my sister-in-law.

We shopped from Houston to Austin, stopping at as many antique stores and malls we could find. What a blast! I even learned that shopping at thrift stores can be an adventure that almost matches fancy antique stores. Who knew??

It was fun.

I picked up a few items that I may or may not keep. You know the saying...

"One (wo)man's treasure...."

Here are just a few of my purchases. Let's see if you can identify them... and maybe I'll find out that I am correct!

I bought this only because it reminded me of seeing two young girls in a local

antique store shopping for vintage clothing and purses. Their bright tattoos did

not actually speak to my impression of girls liking this sort of attire, but

I have no experience with young girls' preferences.

A little elbow grease should help with this purse.

Okay... now the jury is still out as to whether or not this is the real stuff.

During the period this pattern of glass was made

some years later it was reproduced.

What say you?

FYI: I do plan to unpack the china and punch bowl soon and when I do

I will feature it on my blog.

It's a promise!

http://www.romantichome.blogspot.com/

Pop over to My Romantic Home to enjoy

more Show and Tell Fridays!

Haviland, Fostoria and a sign from my mother!

Last week in Austin, Texas was amazing. I shopped for vintage items for a booth I may open at a nearby consignment shop. If you have ever done this before you know that it takes a person made of steel not to bring home a "little something" for yourself. A-hah!

Well, one of the best parts of this was enjoying my shopping adventure with an old and very dear friend... Nancy from Nancy's Notes  --http://nancyozema.blogspot.com/

While shopping in an antique mall we came upon a beautiful display of Haviland china .. Rosalinde pattern to be exact. My mother and my grandmother's china pattern they had selected... and was passed on to me. Eight complete place settings were beautifully set on a dark wood table. Fostoria - American crystal, one of my favorite patterns to collect as my mother and mother-in-law had each passed down pieces to me.

It took me a day to decide if I wanted to "rescue" the china. It truly called to me. The next day I returned to the antique mall. The price had already gone up on the china, but the seller honored the previous price.

It was mine!

While shopping at an antique store in downtown Austin, I found a Fostoria - American punch bowl. It was such a bargain I hesitate to say what I bought it for.. but the owner of the shop asked me if I knew what I was getting. I told her I thought I did. (Maybe it was a reproduction as is so common with this particular pattern.) "Fostoria" she said. I replied, softly.. "I thought so".

Feeling a little guilty for my indulgent purchases I returned home with huge boxes with my treasures.

Today as I started to unpack the china, there printed on the outside of the box someone had written "Meme's Room".

Surely it was a sign.. the name was not spelled as we spelled it, but

my mother had sent a sign... "Mimi", my mother, approved!

Thank you, Mother!

Meet Buddy Boy - A Turkish Van

Buddy Boy

Turkish Van

Buddy Boy is absolutely my aunt's very best friend. He is a Turkish Van. He is a cat of rare qualities and being a Turkish Van, he has definite personality traits. A little plaque my aunt has states,

"Thousands of years ago cats were worshipped as gods...

Cats have never forgotten this"

He is the boss of the house!

Turkish Vans like water... which sets them apart from any cat I've ever known.

He provides so much comfort and companionship to my aunt though that

we all love him too.

Make a visit to Mitford!!

I was fortunate to meet Jan Karon in Blowing Rock

Today I am recommending that you jump on over to From a Writer's Kitchen. This truly wonderful writer is describing in story form about her visit to Blowing Rock, North Carolina aka Mitford to all of us Jan Karon fans. If you have never read the Mitford series, please treat yourself to a very enjoyable summer experience!

http://fromawriterskitchen.blogspot.com/2010/05/visit-to-mitford-autumn-stalking_19.html

Ms. Karon was the honoree for the Mitford Days celebration

in Blowing Rock in 2007

Thank you, Jessica@Thoughts of A Bama Belle!

I actually won a prize! Wow! Thank you, Jessica at "Thoughts of a Bama Belle". You can find her at http://thoughts-of-a-bama-belle.blogspot.com/. And check out that fabulous crab salad she has featured right now.
I'll be featuring my prize when I receive it so please check back often to see it!
Karen

Celebrating Foodie Friday with desserts from Guadalajara

This beautiful flan was served with a sugar crystal topping... for lack of a better word. It was not one of the better flans that we have eaten as you can see the textures is a little grainy.

This is a creme brulee served with fresh fruit a stick of white and dark chocolate

and a chocolate wafer. The star fruit was a nice touch as well as the plum, strawberry, dewberry and raspberry.

I am linking to Designs by Gollum

http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/

for

Foodie Friday