K IS FOR KNICKKNACKS

Today is Thursday 

I am joining Alphabe-Thursday 

For today's letter

K is for KNICKKNACKS

Really!  It can be spelled with K's!!

Definition: (noun) a small trivial article intended for ornamentation

So if you are a reader of this Blog you KNOW I have some Knickknack love!  I enjoy using different objects for decorations.  I also believe in change!  Change of seasons, holidays or just because I'm tired of how things look.  I do not display all my knickknacks at one time: a) I have too many and b) too much 'eye candy' spoil the ability to enjoy the knickknacks.

I am also away from home and visiting my Mom in Texas.  I have pre-planned many posts and have also filled in with thrifting I have done here and on the road.  Today however, I am going a different route.  Today I took a trip with Mom's AARP group to visit 

Stagecoach Inn in Chappell Hill, Texas

To travelers in 1850 this Inn was a comfortable and luxurious overnight stop on the way to Austin. Two early stage coach lines used the Inn as a stop on the Houston to Austin and Houston to Waco roads.  The Inn along with the Weems House and Coach House are located on the original three acre lot drawn up by the towns founder and builder of the Inn. 

Now the Inn is the residence of Eileen and Steve Evans.  Eileen is a long time dealer in fine antiques, and Steve is a retired Air Force pilot who now is part of the antique business as well.  Decorated in authentic and reproduction antiques this is a charming look into this period of history.  I enjoyed my visit and hope you will enjoy looking at Knickknacks from the 1800's!

A few pewter candlesticks & a basket

We would call this the sitting room

The lovely formal dining room 

Now these are some knickknacks I would love to own!

Corner table with lovely glassware

Masculine Knickknacks

Feminine Knickknacks

Desk Knickknacks

High up knickknacks

Small little items 

Yellow ware 

Old eating utensils

K is also for Key

Adorable little highchair (hey it could be a knickknack)

This is my favorite photo of the day!

So while I might have stretched the definition of 

KNICKKNACKS

I hope you have enjoyed this visit to the Stagecoach Inn.

Always,
Linda

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHERRIE!

Happy Birthday to my favorite Sister (in law)!  She is married to my brother Richard and has been for 35+  years!!!  She is now my official SISTER!  I love her and she is absolutely the best friend I have ever had.  Today is her birthday and she loves her pets so I am going to show you the 'whole' family....

 This is Gizmo!  He is the sweetest boy and very handsome!

This is Shadow.  She loves to follow you around and also will borrow shoes, pillows, towels....not to chew but to gather! 

She woke me up one morning with that cold nose in my face!

This is Miss Sheba!  She is very sweet and shy. 

This is the boss of the house

Trouble!

Why are you taking my picture he asks?

They have another cat Chole but she is uber shy and hides so I never got a good photo of her! 

Another thing my sister enjoys is her yard and garden

I got her this wonderful Carolina Jasmine since she is from North Carolina!

We planted it by the gazebo!

Here is the birthday girl on the move as always!

She does not like her photo taken but I snapped this one anyway!

Happy Birthday Sherrie! 

(29 again?)

In the interest of full disclosure here is a photo of my brother who is the lucky guy to be married to this wonderful woman!

Love you Richard! 

I was able to spend last weekend with them while visiting here in Texas!  Lots of talking and memories!  IT WAS A GREAT TIME!

Love you both!

Always,

Linda

PRESSED GLASS OR CUT GLASS?

I am joining in three fun parties today...

COASTAL CHARM

for Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays

A Picture is Worth a 1,000 Words

For 2nd Time Around Tuesday

I Refuse to Recede For Tuesday Trivia 

Tie-In with Troy

Today when thrifting I found these three pieces of glass that I fell in love with

 

They are not expensive or valuable pieces, but interesting in their shapes and designs

I have seen many pieces like this one

I like the little handle 

I found this 3 section dish and love the shape and the design at one end

I will call this a sugar bowl, but I am not sure of that

I find the handles very unique

My Question....Pressed Glass or Cut Glass?

I am not an expert on glass, and I hear these two terms used but I'm not completely clear about the exact meaning of each.   Here is what I found...


Pressed glass is a form of glass made using a plunger to press molten glass into mold. It was first patented by American inventor John P. Bakewell in 1825 to make knobs for furniture.
The technique was developed in the United States from the 1820s and in Europe, particularly France, Bohemia, and Sweden from the 1830s. By the mid-19th century most inexpensive mass-produced  was pressed. 
from Wikepedia


Cut glass generally refers to a glass piece that has been decorated entirely with cutting. Cut glass is decorated by hand by cutting away some of the glass with rotating wheels made of iron or stone. Glass must have at least 40% lead oxide in order to be cut by the rotating wheels without shattering. The higher the lead oxide content in the glass, the better the cutting results. This leaded glass is called crystal. All cut glass is crystal. However, all crystal is not cut glass because a lot of crystal is decorated in different ways such as etching or painting.
Cuts are made on a smooth surface of glass by craftsmen who know just how to hold and move the piece of glass against these rotating wheels to produce the desired pattern. The wheel cuts straight notches with sharp angles into the glass. The more light reflecting surfaces from straight angles, the greater the sparkle in the piece of crystal.
Cut glass, or cut leaded crystal, has three unique characteristics:
< (1) When gently tapped with a finger, cut glass emits a bell-like tone. (2) Cut glass is distinctly clearer and more brilliant than glass pieces made by any other method. (3) Cut glass pieces weigh much more than pieces of the same size made of unleaded glass 
More information about cut glass HERE 

So with out a doubt these pieces are all pressed glass.  I do have some cut glass but much more pressed glass and this has helped me to understand the difference.

Always,

Linda

J IS FOR JUNKIN

I am joining Jenny for Alphabe-Thursday HERE
Our letter this week is J for JUNKIN

And since this post is about my great 'thrifty' finds...

I'm also joining Suzanne at COLORADO LADY for Vintage Thingies Thursday


A few weeks ago Linda @ Coastal Charm had a giveaway in connection with her weekly party NIFTY THRIFTY TUESDAY(check it out) and I was one of two lucky winners to receive $20 (in cash my dears) to go junkin with.  Today was the day.

I took my $20 from Linda (cute card with the L and isn't Linda such a wonderful name) and I had a 50% off the "ENTIRE purchase" coupon for Value Village that my Mom had received in the mail.  Woo Hoo!  I was ready.  Drizzling day but nothing stops a Junker!

I dug and I searched....high and low and rolled that buggy all over that store....this is part of what I scored (well except for the lens cap..anxious to take photos I guess).
I am a true Junker and love Thrifts, Flea Markets, Yard Sales and freebies!  This was so much fun to spend $20 and see what I could gather with that money.
First I must confess I looked at clothes...I don't usually but I did today and I got myself a new 'outfit'!  Pants, shirt & sweater!  

 Hard to see from this photo but he pants are cute Capri's (brand new)white with embroidery, pink pull over shirt and a light white sweater, total price for three pieces $11.00

.

This tea cup, 4 saucers, 2 bread plates & creamer were my first  non-clothing find! 

No markings but I thought they were tres sweet

Two baskets, bright green planter marked Maddux of Calif

cute little milk glass dish & this ashtray

Golden Nugget Gambling Hall, Downtown Las Vegas 60 cents

and the lemon is a salt shaker for 50 cents

 Pink Planter new and very shabby chic and some great old silver

I got two of these little filigree dishes marked Lovelace from International silver company, $2.02 each

Silver sugar bowl marked F B ROGERS and very heavy

love the feet and handles only $3.93

I really like the color of this glass planter 

Books~ Hardbacks (3) were 50 cents each and the paperbacks were 25 cents each (I  got 6)

History of the Marines (my Dad was a Marine) we had this book but someone else in the family got it so this one is mine

This looks like an interesting book about Television

This was a fun find....a bag of patterns for 90 cents

Love these 60's looks....the one on the right looks like something Jackie Kennedy wore!

I also picked up some napkins, table runner and a few other 'gifts' that I can't show you.  

DRUM ROLL PLEASE...total $42.55

HALF PRICE.....$21.27

I am one happy Junker!!! 

Always,

Linda