Thrift Store Finds

I stopped off at the thrift store on my way home yesterday. (On my way to work I saw a spinning wheel in the window, and I wanted to check it out... but the auction had already ended and the wheel was gone by the evening.)

I already have a hammer, but this one was so strange (and only $2.99), so I brought it home with me:

It appears to have a *bone* handle! The handle *looks* original to the hammer. I had to find out more about it. (I may end up selling it to an antique store, or taking it to the lake, but at worst, it's at least $2.99 worth of entertainment.) Has anyone heard of bone-handled hammers?

Next up, a 100% wool (handwoven!) scarf to felt and use for rug hooking:


I've already stitch-ripped the wide hems up both edges of the scarf. I'm going to sew a narrow zig-zag along those edges to prevent it from shredding in the wash. It's so pretty, I feel a bit bad about stripping it... but it will make lovely strips, and it was only 25 cents. Plus, I noticed some small holes as I was seam-ripping it. (Moth? I'm not sure... but multiple hot washes should take care of any danger from that area.

I'm a sucker for vintage ornaments:

Especially since the ones on the right are just like some ones that my mom has from her grandma. I paid 80 cents. I carefully peeled off the price tag when I got home (and put it on a blank spot on the package, to preserve the history of it's journey), and found that the original price was 49 cents. Hee! :)

Two pretty glasses, 60 cents each:


Fun buttons at two cards for 25 cents:

These are for my thread-spool Christmas ornaments I'm making. (I decided the package of buttons I bought from Michaels didn't have enough variety.) I've taken photos of the first two thread-spool ornaments, and will show them in the next post.

Other things I picked up, but didn't take photos of:
• two *gorgeous* silk ties (for the fabric; I had already put them in the laundry basket, and forgot to take a photo),
• a pair of GE metal mixing bowls (I wanted smaller bowls with steep sides, these appear to be from a stand mixer),
• a Christmas tree stand that can hold lots of water, and adjusts small enough for ditch trees (pricey, at $6.99, but in good condition, and either difficult to find or expensive when new),
• two tins (one for muffins... previous tins are either way too tall for one layer but not tall enough for two, or not quite tall enough for one layer; one for odds 'n ends)
• a pretty fork,
• a grapefruit spoon that my grandma might want for peeling oranges (if not, it was only 10 or 25 cents, so no great loss),
• a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon for my plant fertilizer (I have no idea what happened to the original scoop, assuming there was one),
• a "belt": a synthetic ribbon that would make pretty handles or a strap for a bag (80 cents),
• a yard or so of fabric that may or may not be cotton, but will make decent reusable bags ($1.10).

I think that about covers my purchases. Total: $26 plus a bit of change.