A collection of small abandoned-house treasures
If you're new: here are all the details about this abandoned house!
You guys know about some of the bigger things I've rescued from the abandoned house (like...furniture!).
But there are a lot of smaller things I've put to use too. So...I thought it'd be fun to do a round-up of those.
little glass bluebirds
I found these because I was trying to open a window at the abandoned house (for some fresh air!) and in the process, I knocked down a curtain.
This was a good thing because hiding behind the curtain were these two little round bluebirds.
I took them back to my house and washed them off:
And then I put these guys in my front window. They look so cute there, and I love how the light shines through the blue glass.
two glass paperweights
In that same window, I found these little glass paperweights.
They were dirty (of course), so I gave them a good cleaning.
And I put them in my front window, next to the bluebirds.
I particularly like the purple one!
a penguin salt shaker
I spied a little penguin figurine at the house, and I knew that Lisey would love him.
In the process of washing him up, I realized: he's actually a salt shaker! He was so dirty, though, I could not even see the holes in his head until I scrubbed him down.
I got him all clean, filled him with salt, and Lisey named him Gepetto.
It's so perfect that I found him because previously, I was salt-shaker-less.
And it's no problem that he doesn't have his mate (these originally came in a pair) because I use a pepper grinder in place of a pepper shaker.
a small plant table
When I saw this at the house, I immediately thought of Sonia and I texted her, "Do you want it?"
After receiving an enthusiastic yes, I put it in my van.
It was super wobbly, and after some tinkering, I figured out that two of the legs needed to be swapped. I unscrewed and exchanged them, and then the table was much more stable.
I gave it a cleaning and now it's plant-ready.
small plates = plant water-catchers
These four little flowered plates are probably way too old to be safe for eating off of (who knows what's in the paint and glaze??), so when I realized this little pot needed a base, I grabbed one of them.
And I'm giving the rest to Sonia, because she is much more of a plant mom than I am. 😉
Trifari bangle bracelet
I spied this little snap bracelet and picked it up because it seemed heavy and well-made.
The coating was peeling:
There was no fixing the coating, so I scrubbed it off, and now it's just a gold bracelet.
It looks like it's this 1960s Trifari bracelet.
But now that the white enamel part is gone, it looks like this one, also a Trifari piece.
It's a tiny bracelet, so it's too snug on me. But it fits Zoe perfectly, and she was delighted to have it.
I like to imagine that the lady who owned this house would be so happy to see her treasures at my house, all cleaned up and appreciated. 🙂
________________________
On another note, you know what's wild? We have taken so, so much stuff out of this little house already...a lot of it is at my house. But there is so much more outside the treasure house.
And the inside of the house still looks like we barely made a dent!
This house truly held an impressive amount of stuff!
The bluebirds are ADORABLE. Love the penguin too!
I love that purple paperweight and the blue birds! How fun to have in your window reflecting light.
Thanks for sharing! I love these “found in the old house” posts.
I smiled really big when I read today's heading. What a fun post! You have breathed life back into some really neat things. Everything you cleaned up looks so beautiful now! I've never had a plant table before but I love the one you found. Gorgeous!
Excellent finds! The paperweights and blue birds made my past glassblowing self very happy. You’ve a great eye, and I appreciate that you choose items for the pleasure they bring you vs resale value.
@N, PS—Kristen, are you familiar with the blog “Things I Find in the Trash”? If not, I dare say you’d love it! https://garbagefinds.com/ It chronicles the finds of a professional trash picker in Canada. Like your treasure house, there are so many valuable things that would otherwise be lost to the dumpster otherwise, from precious metals to historical papers.
Oooh, that does sound intriguing. I will go check it out!
@N,
I like that site, too. It amazes me to see the truly valuable things people throw out. The blogger basically supports himself with what he picks from trash and resells!
@N, yes, I love this guy's blog. He is able to make a living from it.
@Anne, I've been following this guy for a few years now and it amazes me that he makes a living from doing this.
@N, I am amazed at what he finds. The collectibles and antiques I understand people not knowing and setting out. But gold and silver plus the cash just amazes me. Plus his commenters usually has good knowledge to share.
I haven’t been there in awhile I need to go check it out.
@N, I love his posts. He hasn't been posting as often lately as he has in previous years, but it's still fascinating to me to see what he finds.
@N, hey, just checked out the guy, he is from Montreal like me, soooooo cool!
My mother had a pair of bluebirds in our kitchen - bluebirds of happiness. I hope they bring much joy. I wondered if you are putting these treasures out and doing a curb alert. I still see some great things in your photos.
@Bee,
I instantly thought bluebirds of happiness. My sister has 2 in her kitchen window!
Those bluebirds!!
I like how round they are. So cute!
It's so nice to see all the beauty and value coming out of that mess!
Are those nativity figurines sitting outside the house?
I love the purple paperweight, too. Paperweights are one of the things I like but never buy. If I found some like that for free, I would absolutely bring them home.
The little plates remind me very much of some little Homer Laughlin dessert plates I chose from my parents' things. I'm guessing yours are probably safe for eating. You could always look them up to determine age, to be sure.
It's amazing that the penguin was so dirty you couldn't see the holes!
I like everything you found. It looks like the owner loved pretty things and just couldn't stop acquiring more. I love pretty things, too, but thank heaven, I am able to control the collecting urge. To be honest, it's not a strong urge for me, except when it comes to pretty fine china...
I wouldn't buy paperweights either, but yep, I will take 'em for free!
And yes, I think this lady just did not know when to stop buying beautiful stuff. She did not have the space to display or enjoy even half the things she owned.
@Kristen,
I read recently that hoarding disorder is a form of OCD. So it is actually a compulsion. I have some loved ones who suffer from this. Learning this made it so much easier to understand why they live as they do and why they can’t just throw things out or even stop bringing things in.
Oh yes, I've long thought that this homeowner probably struggled mentally. And yes, understanding that helps replace judgment with compassion.
That little house has been such a blessing, after the application of a lot of elbow grease! It's so sweet that the lady who lived there obviously loved pretty things, maybe too much, but now her things are getting a lovely new life with you.
"I like to imagine that the lady who owned this house would be so happy to see her treasures at my house, all cleaned up and appreciated."
Me, too.
And that all of your readers are also enjoying it. Her house and treasures are a gift to all of us, too.
@Molly, what you said. Couldn't have said it any better.
And, Kristen, I like to imagine that if you and your brother and SIL wanted any additional help in cleaning out the house, putting out the word on the blog would bring every TFG commenter living within a day's drive!
Abandoned house party!!
@A. Marie, I'd travel from Minnesota!
@A. Marie, that would be so fun!!
A friend of mine gave me a glass bluebird of happiness at my wedding.
Also, a French company called Saint Louis used to make similar paperweights as the one with the flower. (Worth a ton now.)
Oh, I just googled that now and yep, they made some beautiful ones!
Honestly, all of us frugalistas are so envious about your treasure house. It looks like such a fun project and a cheapskate's dream.
Totally! It's like Goodwill, except free. And way more dirty. 😉
Every one of those things is indeed a treasure and hopefully will remind you some day of how you felt during this time of your life. Last weekend, I found an old silver Timex watch in a box of things in my attic and had no idea who it belonged to - one of Hubby's old gf's or his mom or sister? Who knows. I'm getting a batter for it and am going to wear its vintage self.
@Gina, Your Timex story reminded me of a time when I worked at a treatment center for teens. One of the residents shoplifted a Timex and when a staff member said she needed to return it, the teen ripped it off her wrist and swallowed it! The doctor said we had to monitor her bathroom output to make sure the watch made it out the other end. It did, and, true to the commercial, "It took a licking and kept on ticking."
Oh dear. This reminds me that one of my kids once took a tiny clock, put it in their mouth, and accidentally swallowed it. Luckily (or unluckily?) it was only a few minutes before this kid's stomach ejected the clock and the recent dinner. 😉
@Lindsey, that made me laugh. Wonder what made them think it was a good idea?
Ooh, I love that you are going to make that watch usable again!
@Lindsey, mother of heaven, what a story. Who could get a watch down their throat?
I love all of these treasures!!!! The glass washed up amazingly well LIKE NEW. But, I cannot help but worry about why you are having to paint and reclaim things from the treasure house--I don't know what happened and of course you do not need to share it here, but your readers worry about you. Surely, with an attorney can't you get at least half of the contents and equity from the house you left? We are rooting for you 100%!!!
Well, I have taken some things, like Zoe and Lisey's furniture, some kitchen things, and of course, most of my personal possessions.
But there are some things that there are no doubles of (such as a tea kettle). So, one of us has to go shopping for a duplicate. All the money is still joint, and since I am generally more motivated to find bargains on things, I figure that it is probably better if I lean toward being the one to find duplicates. It keeps more money in the account and that's a benefit to me.
And for things like the stapler that I shared yesterday; the stapler I used to use is actually Sonia's personal stapler. She obviously is keeping that with her while she lives with Mr. FG and so I needed a new one.
Aaaawww that bird reminds me of the one a friend gave me for a wedding gift called a "Bluebird of Happiness" and then on our honeymoon I went to a store that sold all things purple (my favorite color! lol) and they had a little glass bird in purple so of course I had to buy it for us lol So glad you were able to save so many treasures 🙂
Oh, I have only ever been to one purple store; there was one in Myrtle Beach called Purpleology I think.
Those little plates are the Virginia Rose pattern by Homer Laughlin (named for the shape, not the decals), and I've been eating off mine for many years! Yours have one of my favorite decals, although there are many different pink and flowery ones in that line of china. You might look for more, the plates are perfect for little sandwiches etc. for tea parties or for just adding a little fancy to your meal. Yay for your resourcefulness -- everything in my house is second-hand except for the TV and original art. I believe in recycling.
@Jean,
I'm pretty tickled to discover I was actually right about the plates. They are so cute.
Last year, my daughter gave me a glass bluebird to include in some of my still -life paintings. Seeing your bluebirds, all clean and beautiful, has inspired me to do another painting.
The purple flower paperweight is mesmerizing! Your ability to see beyond the dirt on all these things is quite impressive.
I am always curious to see what lies underneath the dust and dirt and sticky cigarette smoke coating!
I have a frugal question that anyone should feel free to answer. What is the sauce that Chinese pot stickers are dipped in? After having COVID right before Christmas, I still can't taste more than 25% of anything savory. I bought a box of them and they tasted sooo good to me. If I can find out what the sauce is so I can buy it or make it, I can buy a big bag of the pot stickers instead of the pricier single serve boxes. Honestly, y'all, other than these and McDonald's crispy chicken biscuits, nothing tastes right or even good. Dinner is often a bowl of cereal or some peanut butter.
@Jennifer, Gyoza. 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tsp rice wine vegar, 1 tsp sesame oil, chili flakes to taste. You can add a pinch of sugar, or ginger, or garlic.
I only wish MY brother would buy an old abandoned house and let me pick through the treasures. I love your posts about your rescues!! That penguin is ADORABLE!!
I know, right? I feel very lucky that he bought this house.
It is really sad that the house is in such a bad state. But good for you with your small treasure the paper weights are really nice now they have been cleaned
2-3 years ago I followed a woman who was cleaning out her hoarder FIL's house, after his death, to get it presentable and ready for sale. It was a large home and every room was filled to the brim with everything imaginable. It was truly amazing what people were interested in buying. He had collections of matchbooks, collections of playing cards, and many, many more items.
I do like the purple glass ball and the bluebirds. And the bracelet is much prettier without the white enameling.
So happy that you are finding so many things to help you in your new household. It is wonderful that these things are not all going to a dump (which happens a lot with these type of rehabs).
The plates that you found are Homer Laughlin and they are antique. Interestingly these plates were often given away as freebies at grocery stores and gas stations. The pattern you have looks like Homer Laughlin Virginia Rose "Fluffy Rose." Here is a link from Replacements:
https://www.replacements.com/china-homer-laughlin-fluffy-rose-1-platinum-trim-bread-and-butter-plate/p/2215071.
Probably if it were totally up to my brother, this would all have gone into a dumpster months ago. But his wife is like me and hates to see things thrown away, so she asked for time to rescue stuff. Whew!
@Kristen, You both have certainly found some amazing stuff! Just curious, have you been able to unearth any info about the previous homeowner(s)... that you’re able to share? Your finds/dig seem so archeological.
Ooh, good question! Adding it to the next Q&A.
This post interested me way more than I thought it would...I have been very much on a minimalist approach - buying less because I don't want clutter, don't want to have to store it and maintain it (keep it clean, etc). But then your pretty little light catching items kind of made me think twice. Especially the purple flower paper weight. If it brings a little ping of delight or a glimmer of beauty into your day, then it's worth it, right? And also, I tend to want to just get rid of stuff if I'm not using it but I'm not terribly creative at coming up with ways to employ things, regardless of what they were meant to do. So seeing you use those pretty plates under plants was a good reminder to just broaden my interpretation of what something is. So thanks!
The abandoned house treasure is some of my favorite content! I love that table!
It’s like you have your own Goodwill there.
Ohhh those plates! More Homer Laughlin! They are very very old!
That's what made me nervous...they seemed super old and so I wondered if they were safe for eating off of.
I can imagine the original owner also taking joy in your rescue. I love the blue glass birds, the paper weights, and the small plates especially.
I hope more smalls are on their way to being rescued and kept or rescued and donated!
Thank you for sharing.
It’s great that you have found some nice items. I’m sure the owner would be happy. Because most people who have lots of things they don’t need anymore try to find homes for them. I’m cleaning out my parents house and have put out lots of items with the hope someone can use them. Most everything has been claimed. I had trouble getting to the thrift store so even though I didn’t want things to end up in the trash I put them out. Happily dishes and such set in a laundry basket was collected.
I have a bluebird and small ceramic bird that sits on a nest in a birdcage in my garden. These came from my grandmother who loved knickknacks which she dusted all the time. As a child I used to help with housework and that was my job.
Isn’t it great how found items can fill a need? Even better than bought items? Love the birds and paperweights in the window-they give a beautiful light
Hoarding is one of those problems that really gets to me at times when I see it. This woman obviously had so many nice things but was unable to enjoy them properly.
After reading your post I actually went around my living room and started tossing out junk and tidying up a bit.
It is interesting how, if you have too much stuff, you can't even really enjoy what you have. It's too hard to see it! Less is more.
I love your happy bluebirds and paper weights!
Amazing how you find beauty everywhere. It is a gift.
Kristen, if you find a foley jar opener(50’s 60’s), grab it. I have one my grandmother had, it’s great especially since I’m her age now and use all the time.
I had to google that to see what it was. I haven't come across one yet, but never say never! The depths of this house can never be fully plumbed. lol
https://www.kandsgiftgallery.com/listing/568711454/vintage-1950s-foley-jar-opener
@Kristen, it is weird looking if I didn’t already know what it was I might have tossed it out. You know that may be why I got it because everyone in the family had been through her house before me.
I am enjoying these posts so much. I love finding treasures!
Be careful with the light magnifying through the glass and hitting fabric as it can start a fire. It happened to me with a craft glass away from the window that burnt a hole in my sofa but luckily no other damage . But they are beautiful
@Nicola, your comment reminded me of this story: https://www.today.com/news/ornamental-crystal-ball-starts-fire-wisconsin-home-t211430
I can also add my own story: Part of an outdoor rug on our enclosed porch melted when I left a large, filled glass water jug on it for an hour or so. Luckily I came back to water the flowers before any further damage (or fire) occurred. Very scary.
Oh man! I guess I'd better move those things when the morning sun is shining in.
I should add that while our porch is enclosed, there is a glass door and windows on three sides. The strong sunlight came through the glass door, then through the glass jar where it melted the carpet. I don't know if I would have figured it out if I hadn't seen the news story about the crystal ball.
@MB in MN, Yow! My grandma charred the wood trim on her window frame when the sunlight came in and hit the magnifying side of her two-sided make-up mirror, then bounced back onto the wood.
So much stuff. Just keep hopping away ! I loooove the stuff you have rescued. The before and after are NEATO!
It makes me so happy to watch you creating a home with items that needed a new family 🙂
I cannot tell you why for certain... but it is an extra pleasure to see you rescuing beautiful things that otherwise would just have been bulldozed out of existence.
Keep up the good work. (And I love those bluebirds.)
I love that God made the contents of this house available to you at this precise season of your life! He is amazing at taking care of us in creative ways. And I love how you are enjoying the treasures you're finding, even though it's tons of work!
Oh the things we abandon -- often insensible of the value -- until another rescues and restores what we think is trash
Love to see you rescuing even the sweet little things. How often that just doesn't happen. It's a lot of work and so often we don't look past the dirt and grime. Made me think of how Jesus picks us up and cleans us off and cares for us.