Bucket Lists

We've all got them. We are in the process of planning a trip to Cincinnati, OH to attend a Reds game.  We are trying to visit all the MLB ballparks (we didn't make it to one last year though), we've been to few on the list so far. But now we have to go back to NYC & MN, because we saw games at all 3 of the old stadiums.  Below is a list so I can keep track: Team, name of ballpark & year that it opened. (thank you mlb.com)

Baltimore Orioles: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, 1992

Boston Red Sox: Fenway Park, 1912 - planned for 2013

New York Yankees: Yankee Stadium II, 2009

Tampa Bay Rays: Tropicana Field, 1990

Toronto Blue Jays: Rogers Centre, 1989

Chicago White Sox: U.S. Cellular Field, 1991

Cleveland Indians: Progressive Field, 1994

Detroit Tigers: Comerica Park, 2000

Kansas City Royals: Kauffman Stadium, 1973

Minnesota Twins: Target Field, 2010

Los Angeles Angels: Angel Stadium of Anaheim, 1966

Oakland Athletics: O.co Coliseum, 1966

Seattle Mariners: Safeco Field, 1999

Texas Rangers: Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, 1994

Atlanta Braves: Turner Field, 1997

Miami Marlins: Marlins Park, 2012

New York Mets: Citi Field, 2009

Philadelphia Phillies: Citizens Bank Park, 2004

Washington Nationals: Nationals Park, 2008

Chicago Cubs: Wrigley Field, 1914

Cincinnati Reds: Great American Ball Park, 2003

Houston Astros: Minute Maid Park, 2000

Milwaukee Brewers: Miller Park, 2001

Pittsburgh Pirates: PNC Park, 2001

St. Louis Cardinals: Busch Stadium III, 2006

Arizona Diamondbacks: Chase Field, 1998

Colorado Rockies: Coors Field, 1995

Los Angeles Dodgers: Dodger Stadium, 1962

San Diego Padres: Petco Park, 2004

San Francisco Giants: AT&T Park, 2000

& for closed ballparks:

Minnesota Twins - Metrodome - 1982-2009 (visited in 2009)
New York Yankees - Yankee Stadium - 1923-2008 (visited in 2008)
New York Mets - Shea Stadium - 1964–2008 (visited in 2008)

I'm also trying to visit all the Hard Rock Cafe locations. I pick up a pilsner glass at each one I visit. Here is a US list, I have so many left still! I've talked the hubby into going to the Louisville KY HRC while we are in Cincinnati, so I hope we make it.

 United States HRC's
- Atlanta
- Atlantic City
- Baltimore
- Biloxi

- Boston - Planned for 2013!

- Chicago
- Cleveland
- Dallas
- Denver
- Destin
- Detroit
- Foxwoods
- Gatlinburg
- Hollywood at Universal CityWalk
- Hollywood, FL
- Hollywood on Hollywood Boulevard
- Honolulu
- Houston

- Indianapolis 

- Key West
- Lake Tahoe
- Las Vegas
- Las Vegas at Hard Rock Hotel

- Louisville -

- Maui
- Memphis
- Miami
- Minneapolis
- Myrtle Beach
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Niagara Falls USA
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- Seattle
– St. Louis
- Tampa
- Washington DC
- Yankee Stadium

I've got the Blues...

I've had some luck finding some blues recently:


Pyrex Embroidery! This was found at an antique mall, I paid $8.00 for it. The tag incorrectly stated that it was a "single Pyrex Butterprint bowl", I couldn't believe it! I have wanted this one for awhile now, and I'm very happy with it.

 

The baker & pie dish were from a trade, and the loaf was found online for around $9.00.

 

I got a super great deal on 6 Chinese Grass (Sea Isle) dinner plates, & 5 side plates. Worked out to be $1.66 per plate! I have some mugs in the matching blue, and saucers & mugs in pink that are packed away for now. The yellow 8x8 was ebay'd. 

 

I also have a small collection of Franciscan Starburst. It can be very expensive to try & collect pieces from this set, so I only pick them up when they're at a reasonable price.

I was surprised to come across these HTF candle holders for only $5.00, at an estate sale on my own block.. of all places!

We went to a flea market last weekend. I found these 4 pieces, & happily added them to my humble collection.

I also LOVE Liberty Blue, and came across the covered vegetable bowl awhile ago. Finally photographed it. Top view: 

& side view.

I'm on a utility dish kick lately & have recently added the yellow loaf & desert dawn cake dish to the mix. Love!

Fire King Gazelle. It's not 'new', I picked it up months ago, but never blogged about it. It fits in nicely with the blue themed post though. It's one of my most favorite bowls. One of the Flickr Pyrex peeps pointed out an interesting fact that I didn't know about... this was actually a vaporizer!

My mugs & tree that I forgot to include in my "Butterfly Gold" post.

And finally, my wonderful husband painted my aluminum Kromex wall dispenser for me! I love it! The color is "50's aqua" & it has an enamel finish. It looks great with the other Kromex items that he bought me last Christmas. I have a breadbox that I want him to do next.

Butterfly Gold Pyrex

It's been a long time since my last post, I haven't been able to sit down & post in a while, but over the last year, I've made great progress in my Butterfly Gold collecting, along with some other favorite finds.

Here's a pic that I took over the summer:

Since then... came the pitcher & tumblers:

Found my 043 at a flea market:

Lasagna pan was found at an antique store:

 The round 4qt casserole dish, probably my favorite piece:

I have talked the hubby into building me a pie safe like cabinet  with glass doors to display all my Butterfly Gold.


I also finally finished my turquoise on white Butterprint set. (my other favorite pattern), & I finished my pink Butterprint as well! (not the best pic of the pinks, sorry)

My awesome husband gave me these Kromex sets for Christmas!

I've also been picking up Hazel Atlas Candy Stripes, I love them!

My favorite juice set from Hazel Atlas: the glasses are cloudy in person, but not as much as the photo picks up though.They display just fine.

& now...for some randomness. ;)

Hubby bought me a birdcam recently, I'm still learning the settings etc, so while this is on the darker side, I still think it's adorable. Snuggle doves.

My lilacs were in full bloom earlier this week, and we had a butterfly invasion, I counted 12-15 at one time, it was so pretty!

My Hydrangeas. I am waiting to plant these until I am sure that we are past a frost, our weather has been very nutty here. My luck, I'd transplant them, & then it would snow. I'm in Chicago, it can happen. I've been taking care of them in the sunroom for nearly 3 weeks now, this pic was just taken yesterday.

 My kitten Gracie, short for Graceful... when I brought her home, I didn't know what to name her. Then she did things like try to jump on the couch, and miss...by a lot! lol. Or fall off the window sill while walking. She's just about to turn a year old, and thankfully she's much more agile...but still a source of comic relief. I made this poster because she looks innocent, but she's sneaky & steals everything & she's fast! Earbuds, napkins, scrunchies. The other night I turned my back for a second and she ran off with my small bag of cool ranch doritos! She's a lovebug though, I adore her, & she gets along with the older bosscat very nicely.




Have a great weekend!

Online DIY inspiration

On New Year's Eve my resolution was to be more creative. It started when I was transforming the "back porch" to a sunroom. I couldn't find shelves that I liked, wasn't loving the pillows that I was coming across, etc. I love blogs, especially the DIYers, so much inspiration out there to try one of theirs, or to get creative on your own. 

I decided to take some plain white shelves & wallpaper them. The paper I chose was lovely & it had adhesive already in place. I just coated with some mod podge after it had completely dried. I also spray painted the brackets, hubby had some laying around, & it was a perfect match!

It's a sunny room, but for some reason this pic is on the dark side. Let me just tell you guys, I am no expert in photography.  The blue jay plate belonged to my great grandma, she loved birds, & I was given a lot of her stuff when she passed. It's not as crisp white as it used to be, but it means a lot to me. I bought that Oreo cookie jar over 12 years ago at the local Jewel-Osco grocery store (there were bowls that accompanied it). & of course some of my Liberty Blue.

I made these pillows around Christmas time. I haven't made anything like this since high school home ec class. I didn't stuff enough, & I fumbled with closure, but ya live & learn-they serve their purpose when fluffed. Of course the cat (Wilson) thinks I made them for him! (first one was snapped w/my cell). I also have makeover plans for the little dark table off to the right.

I was at Michael's one day & saw some cute bottles, with keys wrapped around them. I forget how much they wanted, but it was along the line of nearly $10.00. I thought, I could do that! I don't have any before pictures, but they were plain old clear bottles. I used scrapbook paper, stamps, stickers, jute, & decorative keys, buttons & voila! I filled them w/some sand, & they sit on the shelf above my sewing/crafting desk.

I was feeling jazzy after the bottles & thought what else can I do? I turned to online for more inspiration, and came across this very cute idea from a blogger called ReCreate. Picture frame turned serving tray. 

Here's my before:

& here's my after:  I use it on my sewing table w/a knick knack & a teacup candle.

I want to try this ornate frame pin cushion from another blogger, Beach Vintage- I love her blog!  I have the frame & a hankie that should do the trick.

So yes, I'm a beginner, & here's some of my arsenal:

Yes, that is a Hello Kitty sewing machine! When I decided to try out sewing, I didn't want to spend a lot of money & not like it. I got this online at Target & had a gift certificate to apply. I actually love this cheerful little thing!



I love youtube as well (I'm a visual learner). But I found this at a store, & will use it as a reference.

Everything else (minus the pillow stuffing)

Now... all I need is some extra time! Little by little...


And as previously stated in other posts, I love glass! I'm dusting today & photographed my little collection of Wheaton Glass decanters. Some were found, and others were handed down. Bitters, Paul Revere Cabin, Ben Franklin (found w/box), Liberty Bell, RFK, & an ink style one.

Have a great day!

~Steph

Recent Finds

Hello! So I never made it to that antique fair due to my schedule. I did stop at a couple shops during the week though.

First I'll start with the antique mall. When I walked in I didn't see too much, some cute stuff...but then I walked through another doorway & around a corner. I saw this & I know I gasped out loud, pretty sure I cupped my mouth too. lol. Sorry for the quality of the cell phone pics.

They wanted $115.00 dollars for the Friendship casserole dish! They called it a 4 piece set because it came with the original box. I'm not a Friendship expert, but I think that's not the correct lid?

The peach was so pretty, I almost bought a couple of the handled bowls, but decided against it...for now.

Dots, all sizes & colors... $28.00. I didn't ask if their prices were firm or negotiable. We'll see.

On the lower shelves not pictured were just about every promotional dish you could think of, except pink. Not much pink at all actually.

There was a man sitting in a chair & he asked if I needed anything. Um yeah, a moment to process all of this! ;)

I did find a pink Desert Dawn Pie dish. The outside was in excellent condition, inside needed some work. It was buried on a bottom shelf & not even near the other Pyrex.

Then I also stopped at a retro boutique. They had a ton of cute stuff there (including Pyrex), but again... most was overpriced. I did find a deal on a Ponderosa Mug & plate, a pink retro teabag holder, & on my way out I spotted Liberty Blue! The owner gave me 10% off at the register.

Here's everything:

 

I found the casserole above on ebay a couple of weeks ago, & it was very reasonably priced. I think it's 1 that slipped through, there was only 1 other bid, & shipping was very fair as well. It's in excellent condition. There was another one w/2 pints that recently went for $80.00 (not including s&h), so I think I lucked out. I REALLY wanted that pink!

I took a pic of all the Butterprint together too!

This post is pretty lengthy, I was going to share some of the little DIY projects that I've tried out, along with future plans, but that will have to be another post at another time.

Have a great day!

~Steph

Weekend Thirifting & completing a Pyrex Butterprint set.

Hi, hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day. I worked this weekend, but after my shift Sunday morning I headed to the flea market w/the hubby. The weather has been gloomy around here for awhile & I didn't want to sleep through such a beautiful sunny day. I gave myself until noon since I had to go back in at 11p on Sunday night.  I made the best out of it though.

The flea market we go to (the same one that I got the gumball machine from)  has a lot of "newer" stuff, but there were several tables w/nice vintage items. I found some Pyrex Bluegrass. 2 mugs & 4 saucers. 50 cents ea.

 

The hubby was looking for tools when I spotted a Butterfly Gold Vegetable Bowl on another table. Excellent condition & for only $1.00. 

 

On our way back we stopped at the Goodwill. (There are 2 in the area that I always stop at). I found another Pyrex casserole lid, an 8x8 Spice of Life Baking Pan, & 2 CorningWare Petite Pans.

The weekend was capped off by completing my Yellow Butterprint set! I found the 442 that I needed online, & it arrived yesterday. Found it online, but there was no typical description, instead it had the measurements. I didn't want to contact the seller & risk losing the bowl in the meantime (price was very reasonable), so I ordered & hoped it was the right one. I also kept measuring the pink Gooseberry 442 just to be sure. lol. It was the right bowl needed!

  

and here it is with the rest of the gang, one big happy family! :) 

There's a big monthly flea market/antique fair this weekend here, so I hope to find some more good stuff. Thankfully hubby is always looking for tools, and is happy to join me. Good to have an extra set of eyes with you. 

Have a great day! 

~Steph