Wednesday, July 02, 2008

More finds

Just in case you've come over from looking at Rachael's smashing new dress and you're into thrift shopping, I'll give you some thrift shopping. (And if you didn't click over from there, I'll happily wait while you go and look at Rachael's smashing new dress.)


Melamine (a.k.a. Melmac, although I think that's a brand name) is a relatively recent collectible for me. For many years I've collected vitrified china made for use in diners and hotels, but that stuff is harder and harder to find nowadays. Melamine, however, can often be found -- although the prettiest colours are harder to come by -- and it's often cheap because the people who set the prices figure it's "just plastic." The photo above shows my haul from four different thrift stores in Vancouver and Penticton, B.C. Most pieces were 25 cents each, but I paid $4 for the cream-and-sugar set. Now I've added these to the turquoise bowls I already had at home, as well as a mint-green cream-and-sugar set, a black lidded bowl, two yellow cereal bowls, some avocado-green bowls, and a pink covered butter dish. It's such a cheerful collection!


(Click that one for a closer look.)

13 comments:

spajonas said...

i love melamine! if only i had the room to collect :( great finds!

Elizabeth said...

Wow. Those are amazing finds. In my favorite colors, too! You're my thrifting hero(ine).

Steph VW said...

My friend's parents had the turquoise set at their cottage. I always loved eating Fruit Loops out of those bowls.

Jody said...

Wow those are gorgeous! I will have to check my local thrift shop for some of those!

melissa said...

i love melmac! i have some pieces in the same blue as yours, as well as some awesome corally red teacups and saucers. :) my friend once found a HUGE set of like 50 pieces, all different colors, for something crazy like $4 at a value village here. i've never had quite that much luck with it! i would like to find a little sugar bowl like yours though...

diandra said...

it's weird because i can usually convince myself not to buy this yarn or that delicious organic/vegan food, but put melamine in front of me and i can't say no. it's not even worth trying. i just can't. i love it so much. my favourite part is finding it all in that beautiful green colour. oh avacado melamine. i love you. great finds, btw.

Anonymous said...

I want to make sure that you know melamine can NOT be used in the microwave. IT WILL EXPLODE!

I was warned in my class when I bought my first microwave, and in the user's manual. It would be a shame to loose one of your beautiful pieces.

Use your melamine, but heat in something else.

Anonymous said...

All I can think is: "Melmac...isn't that where Alf is from?"

Nice finds!

yaiAnn said...

Waaah! I'm so jealous! If you see some pyrex in the spring blossom, horizon, or friendship birds pattern, snag it for me! ;)

Anonymous said...

Nice finds! I love a good thrift store find.

Anonymous said...

Wow melamine is cheap out there compared to the East Coast. I bought some tiny saucer bowls for 25¢ at a yard sale eons ago. I was using them as cat food dishes. Than, about 5 years ago, I was at a local antique shop and saw the same tiny bowls for $5.00 & more each. I think I insulted the shop guy when I giggled and said, “Oh, I guess maybe I shouldn’t be using the bowls I have for cat food anymore”.

.

Dr. Steph said...

Great find! I love the colours. Melmine makes me think of camping dishes which makes me think of fun!

Anonymous said...

Those melamine colors could be a quilt. Cool score!