Maps and Such

I'm sorry I haven't been able to post much but I started a new job last week and I haven't been out thrifting very much so there hasn't been much to blog about.

For as long as I can recall, I've loved maps - maps of anything. And even more than maps, I love globes. I especially love raised relief globes, the kind you can run your fingers over and feel the mountain ranges on. Double axis globes are even better because you can flip them upside down and sideways and get a closer look at the countries.

Every time I go to Goodwill, I lust after globes. Sadly, most of them are either not quite right or too expensive. Often, they are broken AND expensive. Finally, after months of wanting and hoping, I found one that was not broken, AND half price ($3.78). It got to come home with me and sit on the "buffet" (translation: dresser) in our living room until we can find it a permanent home.


It's a beautiful raised relief globe with a double axis, exactly what I wanted! The globe does have one condition issue, but it's a small one. The equator tape is missing. But I've always been bothered by the tape covering up names and places, so I'm not sure I would replace it if I could.

Here's a bit of the South Pacific. You can see from the glue residue that quite a few islands are hidden by the tape, including, ironically, Howland, the island Amelia Earhart never found.

Did you know that unlike maps, globes don't usually have a date on them? You have to examine the globe and look for name changes or border shifts, and things like that. For example, after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, a lot of new countries were formed.

As you can see, my globe has the U.S.S.R, so it was made earlier than 1992.

A close look at Western Africa shows the countries of The Ivory Coast and Burkina (Faso). The Ivory Coast became Côte d'Ivoire in 1986, and Burkina Faso was known as Upper Volta until late 1984, so I would date this globe to 1985.

If you have a globe you'd like to date, HERE'S a webpage with a list of things to look for.

Did you also know that the airplane was invented long before the Wright brothers were born? I know, because my 4 year old self told me so. She knew that there had to be airplanes so that cartographers (she loves big words) could see what the coastlines looked like. She also told me that France is supposed to be pink in every atlas, but some people do it wrong. Nice to know.
But I digress...

Not too long after I found the globe, my mother was at an estate sale and found a bunch of National Geographic maps.

There were two giant political World Maps, and more than a dozen assorted other maps.

I've thought for years that colorful maps would make great wrapping paper. I'm sort of a "wrapping paper snob" and terribly particular about the weight of my chosen gift wrap. Maps are just heavy enough to stand up to the rigors of wrapping and not be torn easily or by accident. My father has been receiving National Geographic magazine for years and has painstakingly saved every map, but NO, we couldn't possibly use any of HIS maps. They must stay untouched. In their GIANT envelope. In the drawer of the desk that no one touches. Just because then he'll know they're safe.

So when my mother found these maps, she bought the whole lot for $1.50 to use as wrapping papers. In addition to the world maps and a map of Europe,

there are country maps, state maps,

historical maps,

blue and green maps,

brown maps, charts, illustrations,

even dinosaurs! These will make for some very cool packages.

And then we made a trip to the Goodwill Outlet where we rescued this huge book from the landfill.

It's 19.5 inches tall, 14 inches wide, and full of maps from The National Geographic Society.

The folio was bound in 1957, and consisted mostly of strips of gummed paper, to which individual maps were to be glued, as they were printed and issued by The Society.

This book contains 51 maps,

almost a full set,

dated between 1958 and 1965.
Each map measures 20" x 25". We paid $2.00.

It appears, according to the list in the front of the book showing what maps you could have, that not all the maps were put into the folio. We seem to be missing three maps: the Indian Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and Western Africa.

I'm not sure yet what to do with this book because I can't bring myself to take it apart and they're not the right weight for wrapping packages. I just couldn't let it go to the landfill. I would consider putting it on Ebay but they don't seem to sell. I guess I'll just save it until I have an idea.

Does anyone else collect maps or globes or have a special place in their heart for them? The Holy Grail of maps for me would be an old pull down map from a school. I saw one at the bins recently but had to pass on it as I just don't have a place for one.

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Pink and Yellow (and Green and Blue)

It's Mary Engelbreit Monday at Cherry Chick's blog, so it's time to show you my recent ME finds. I just love the $1.00 ME items at Michaels.

Yellow cherry socks.

Pink flowered socks.

Some for me and some for my niece.

And if $1 isn't thrifty enough, I can use my 40% off one item coupon that comes in my weekly email from Michaels.com.

Speaking of $1,

I found this well-loved blue Pyrex primary 401 bowl at an estate sale. Now I just need the 402 red bowl to complete my set.

I also found this pretty blue divided server,
with a not-quite-matching clear 2 Qt casserole lid for $2.00. I think the pattern is Blue Horizon, but since it didn't have the patterned lid, I'm not sure. The actual color is more of a cadet blue than the blue in the picture.

Some day I hope to have a pink and yellow kitchen of my own, so I am always on the lookout for pink or yellow kitchenware.

14 inch Boonton melamine platter - $1.50.
Isn't that a cool shape?

Pearlized white and yellow Tupperware cold cuts keeper with 2 deviled egg trays inside - $2.25.
I already had one of these, but not in this dreamy color. I can't wait for picnic weather.

And my Mom found these cute little juice glasses for $4.00.

I couldn't get a picture that didn't distort the lines; they really are straight.

This green cake plate was $3.00. It's not vintage, but I really like the color.

These last three are for my mother.

She didn't need any more depression glassware, but she has a soft spot for grill plates, and these were only $5.00 for all three. The pattern is called Florentine No. 2, made by Hazel Atlas between 1932 and 1935.

The weather has been really cold here lately,
so I'd like to leave you with this sentiment.

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Not Without Your Ticket

One of the first things I blogged about finding (and arguably my favorite) was my Remington Quiet-Riter typewriter. I found it at a church rummage sale for $5.00. When I was about four years old my sister had a typewriter. I couldn't tell you what brand it was, but I used it to type up "movie tickets" that I would slip under my mother's and sister's bedroom doors on Saturday mornings, inviting them to watch various Disney movies with me, usually The Little Mermaid. I was a very insistent child and, at least once, refused my sister access to the living room because she had left her "movie ticket" in her bedroom. I also would consistently deny tickets to my brother and father because we were watching The Little Mermaid which was a "lady movie" and, seeing as how they were not ladies, it was not for them to watch. At least once my mother told me that I had to show a "boy movie" so that they could watch too.

Recently, multiple friends of mine have expressed interests in owning typewriters and, me being the thrifter, I offered to find them.

This is an Olivetti-Underwood Studio 44 that I found at the Goodwill bins for my friend, Michael. He is very pleased with it and for a small price he became the proud owner of a mid-60's typing machine.

Not shown in the picture is the very nice vinyl case that came with it.

In news of other things I've found at the Goodwill bins, this lemonade glass was sold by Dollar Tree stores everywhere (except of course where I live).
I saw a picture of them on someone's blog a while ago and have been wanting some to go with my Pyrex lemonade carafes. Now I own two. If I'd been able to find them at our local Dollar Tree they would have cost me $1.00 each. At the bins they cost a mere $0.25 each.

This Mary Engelbreit tin is the first M.E. item I've found at the bins so far. It's slightly dented up, and had an original Goodwill sticker price of $0.99 on it. We got it for $0.76. A pretty good price if I do say so myself.


And because it's Mary Engelbreit Monday and still February, here are some fun love-themed prints from the little book I showed last Monday.

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A Purple Vinyl Sofa

Two weeks ago, after having little luck at the thrift stores and with no estate sales in sight, Mom announced she needed a vintage fix and invited me on a trip to the Big City close by. She had heard of a new-to-us store that specialized in mid-century furnishings, and that was known to have a good selection of Pyrex at decent prices. So it was over the river and through the neighborhoods we went.

The entire store was full of beautiful mid-century furnishings, especially the lamps.

I've never before seen so many lamps that I loved in one place. I more often see horrible lamp after horrible lamp at Goodwills everywhere. I even like to play a game where I look at all the lamps in the store and decide what the ugliest one is, have my mother do the same, and compare choices. No chance of playing that game here.

I'm particularly fond of swirly drum lampshades.

I must apologize for the quality of the photographs in today's post. I tried, but I'm afraid my intentions were better than the outcome.

They also had swag lamps and pole lamps.

Hawaii was a popular mid-century theme, from lamps

to sofas,

to barware. They had quite a large selection of Tiki mugs.
My favorite is holding a cheeseburger. It's from the Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant in Waikiki, Hawaii.

This is what we saw when we walked into the store -

a purple vinyl sofa with a fold-down center cushion that hides a table and a radio console. I'm sorry the picture isn't better. Those are champagne flutes on the fold-down table. And if you look at the coffee table in front of the sofa, you'll see a pull-out drawer with a stereo inside.
Very cool.

They had plenty of art, including a large string-art on velour sailboat . I guess we have something similar that Grandpa did in the '70s packed away. Mom says it's staying packed. It seems it's an acquired taste.

And she hasn't acquired it.

We saw a few toys,


and all sorts of fun housewares,


including this lovely blue bar set (tons of other barware too),

a Figgjo skillet in the Tor Viking pattern,

and then there was Pyrex.


Apparently the Pyrex in this particular shop is made of GOLD or something. They wanted so much money for things that I couldn't even afford to touch most of it for fear of dropping and having to pay for it. In case you can't tell from my lousy picture, that's $69 for a primary color fridge set.

(Disclaimer: I am cheap on my Pyrex prices. Super duper cheap.)

But they DID have Pink Gooseberry.

And some VERY pretty blue Snowflake pieces,

including this space saver Mom was drooling over.

Everything was in excellent condition,

including this Spring Blossom bake serve store set which appeared to be brand new. So it was a lot of fun to look at, although we didn't buy anything.

They did have some little ceramic planters that weren't very expensive, and when the clerk asked us if we were looking for anything in particular, Mom mentioned baby planters. (I know, "No More Baby Planters," but she asked.) The clerk said that she had a box of them packed away in the back because nobody was ever interested in them. I don't know if that means nobody else likes them or just that people who like mid-century modern don't like them.

There was another store that we wanted to check out. It had seemed quite promising

considering its name.
and when we got to it, a look through the windows showed a trove of treasures. But we had spent so much time looking at all the cool mid-century stuff, that by the time we got to Really Good Stuff , it had closed. We'd like to go back some day, but we're not quite sure what the hours are.

I replaced the earlier picture of this sign with a better one. It says that on Monday he's open from "always late" until "whatever" and on Tuesday he closes "when the wife calls." On Thursday he's open from "sometime early" until "sometime late."

Even though the store was closed, we didn't leave empty handed. They was a box of free vinyl records out in front and I selected a few children's records to bring home,

such as this one.

A trip to The Big City isn't complete without a stop at a real thrift store, so we went to the nearest Goodwill and found an assortment of things, including

the Mary Engelbreit plaque I showed you last month,

Brigitte, the French poodle,

and even a coconut bra (as a gag gift for a friend).

While at the cashier, I noticed a flyer advertising a new Goodwill in a trendy neighborhood full of vintage boutiques. We still had an hour before closing time so Mom and I decided to go check it out, fully expecting that all the good stuff would have found it's way there.

When we got there, boy, were we right. All the good stuff had been picked out and taken straight to this Goodwill, marked up, and displayed quite beautifully.


Complete with hardwood floors and lovely displays, this location is set up to imitate the best of the boutique stores in the area and the items are priced to match. (And why not? A lot of the merchandise in the vintage boutiques comes from the Goodwill, anyway. They might as well try to make the money.)

I saw a lot of designer shoes and leather jackets and some nice vintage clothing.

Although vintage and nice don't ALWAYS go hand in hand.

Here's something we really liked. Aqua laminate and chrome bar cart - $55.
I would have snapped this up if I had been lucky enough to find it at the regular non-boutique price of $10-$12.

I hope you enjoyed our trip to The Big City, and I apologize again for the crappy pictures.

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