Mats Jonasson Chickadee Glass Sculpture

Cathy bought some stuff at a yard sale, and they threw in this glass sculpture for no extra cost. It had some sticker residue on the bottom, but once that was removed the signature "M. J. Sweden" became clear, along with a limited-edition number 9193.

That's Mats Jonasson, Swedish glass artist. It's 3½ inches high. They go for a lot more than "free" on eBay.

Pink Wedgwood Jasperware Basket

Cathy bought this Wedgewood Jasperware basket at a yard sale for about a dollar. Pink is unusual -- usually they're pale blue. It had some marks on it, but it cleaned up good as new.

Oscar de la Renta Vintage Cosmetic Bag

This Oscar de la Renta cosmetic bag possibly dates to the early 1980's. It was no doubt given to a shopper buying a lot of very expensive products.

Cathy bought it at a yard sale for about a dollar.

Fossil Leather Wristlet/Wallet With Enameled Metal Appliqué

Cathy scored this Fossil wristlet at a yard sale for $5. The doe figure is enameled metal, and the rest is leather.

"Glen Cree" Blanket, 100% Scottish Mohair

This Fuchsia "Glen Cree" 100% Mohair Blanket was made from Scottish mohair by Cree Mills Ltd. of Great Britain. It measures four feet by six.

Cathy found it at a charity shop. Seven dollars.

Gallo "Romeo and Juliet" Pewter Wedding Chalices, by Bob Maurus

These Romeo and Juliet pewter toasting goblets are often known as "wedding chalices". The artist is Bob Maurus, and they were manufactured by Gallo Pewter Sculptures, dated 1988. Cathy picked them up at a yard sale for $10.

On the bottom they say "More than Yesterday, Less than Tomorrow", referring to the line in a 19th-century French poem "For, you see, each day I love you more, Today more than yesterday and less than tomorrow." (link).

Cathy likes to give me a shooting challenge, and these were really tough. It's all about the reflections. Ideally I'd have a huge studio with black walls. The photos are not bad considering I only have a small "pop-up" home studio, I think.

Portmeirion Rose & Passion Flower Canister, Early and Rare

Cathy won this Portmeirion canister in an auction for $7:50. It had no lid, but still seems like a good deal.

Hand-Made Needlepoint Cushion

Hand crafted needlepoint throw cushion / pillow, 13 by 13 inches. Floral bouquet design. You can get a lot for five dollars at a yard sale.

Small Pottery "Welly" (rubber boot) Vase by "The Topstock Company"

This small (5¼" high) pottery boot is from The Topstock Company in England, where they are known as "Wellies" (short for "Wellingtons"). Cathy got it for fifty cents at a yard sale. Score!

Him and Her Winking Face Teacups, circa 1950

Cathy bought these winking him & her face teacups at a yard sale: five dollars for the pair. We think they date from about 1950. The Ridgway-style mark on the back says "STERLING Made in England". That's Sterling Pottery Co. (Ltd), a Staffordshire pottery company acquired by Ridgway in 1950.

Looking on the internet, the lady is fairly common, but the gentleman seems to be rarer. Maybe that's because guys are harder on their teacups, so their cups get broken more often.

Some websites say both cups are women, but when I see the two together, the differences in the lips and eyebrows really seem to indicate he vs. she. Furthermore, ladies rarely wore bow-ties in 1950. That's the clincher, in my opinion.

Some Random Purchases

This and that from yard sales.

A Few Perfumes and Soaps

Cathy's been getting a lot of bargains on perfumes and colognes lately. Sometimes they're amazingly rare vintage ones, still in the cellophane. She's a fan of triple-milled soap and other fragrant soaps as well, and those occasionally turn up as part of an auction lot or at a yard sale.

First photo shoot of Cathy's Melamine Trays

Most of Cathy's Pinterest boards are all about collectables, including her personal collections.

She's accumulated a fair number of interesting and decorative melamine trays, and wanted to add a Pinterest board to display those. She says it's "just plastic", but it's so much more! The trays are practical and useful, but they're also works of art.

Here is the first batch of photos we took of her growing collection. She also have a pile of smaller tip trays, and I'll shoot those later.