After last week’s thrifting adventure, I was eager to get back to the outlets to look for more treasures. While it didn’t feel like quite as big of a win as the last time around, I did score some fun finds.

Here are a few notes on the items shown below.

• Various Vases: I found a few jars and a kettle that made lovely flower vases. The one on the far left was actually a find from a little while ago and came from a distillery where the infamous Pappy Van Winkle had worked. Chris and I had fun trying to date it based on various features using information available on the web.
• Two vintage plaid Thermos canisters. The glass inside is intact so I think these will make beautiful vases com tailgate season (which is almost here).
• An Eskimo Fan from the 40s or 50s that still works. Two related tips: Tip 1: use the wall plugs to test out a product to see if it works. I think I’d have bought this one anyway and maybe stuck pictures in it if it hadn’t worked…and I still might do it anyway. Tip 2: ask for a flat price. When you are paying by the pound, something heavy is not a good deal…but I pulled it out of my cart and asked if they could give me a flat price and the cashier offered to sell it to me for $3…a fraction of the cost it would have been if I’d put it on the scale with the rest of my finds.
• Rusty metal treasures! I’ve been collecting various old-looking tins for an indoor gardening project.
• Disney Trading Pin: This treasure jumped out at me because it was HUGE but also because my husband and I enjoy trading pins at Disney. This one turned out to be going for about $50 on ebay, but I’m going to hang onto it and try using it for an epic trade the next time I’m there.
• Awesome accessories: A few vintage hats and an old umbrella with beautiful embellishments
• Old racquets that were pretty beat up, but still good for decor
• Pig Out on Popcorn: A vintage-looking popcorn tin that I plan to repurpose as a trashcan
• Corelle cups: they are so delicate and I was simply amazed that the had survived the bins…so I had to rescue them.
• A Mr. Peanut Tin from the 40s…not worth much but kind of fun (esp. since Mr. Peanut has now been retired by Planters)
• Bulova Watch Case...that looks kind of like a car. The watch wasn’t in it, but the case itself was a cool find.
• Various advertisements – they were carefully preserved by someone and I look forward to incorporating them into future projects (displayed with a retro camera that I also found). The vintage coca cola and seed advertisements were from old placemats that I cut up when I got home.
• A set of little blue books from the 30s on topics such as the “War Speeches of Woodrow Wilson,” “Curiosities of the Law,” and my favorite: “An Exposure of Mediums’ Tricks and Rackets.”
• Vintage family photo from Bedford: I had a blast looking at this treasure…seriously, check out some of the people! There are definitely some great stories that could arise from this photograph. Bonus points for finding the guy with the teddy bear. I’d love to know more about this family.