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Vintage and antique ironstone has gained popularity in the decorating and thrifting communities over the last decade. It’s considered classic and desirable (I agree!). While vintage ironstone can often be found at thrift shops, antique stores, and is sold by online sellers like Etsy and Ebay, you do have to keep your eyes open for fakes and reproductions! Sometimes sellers don’t even realize they’re selling you a fake.

First let’s define a few terms.

What’s the difference between a reproduction and a fake?

For the purposes of this blog post I’m defining a reproduction as a piece that was made in the style of vintage ironstone but doesn’t pretend to be vintage or antique. It is a modern piece and is marketed as such.

I label some pieces as “fakes” because they are intended to deceive. When an item is made to look old and is marketed as old when it is a modern piece, that is deceptive and the piece is a fake.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying a modern reproduction!

Modern reproductions are beautiful too and there is absolutely nothing wrong with liking them! The trouble comes when a buyer thinks they are getting something vintage and they’re not. The entire purpose of this post is to inform you so that no one takes advantage of you either purposefully or mistakenly.

What’s the difference between vintage and antique?

It depends on who you ask, but it is generally accepted that vintage is 40 years old or older and antique is at least 100 years old. However, places like Etsy only require items to be 20 years old or older to be labeled as vintage, so keep that in mind when shopping!

What is ironstone?

Ironstone, also called “stone china,” “semiporcelain,” and other names, is a special type of pottery that was developed with the intent to make beautiful yet highly durable pieces more widely available. It was “harder than earthenware and stronger than porcelain” (Kowalsky & Kowalsky 1999). It was first developed around 1800 by William Turner, but patented as “Mason’s Patent Ironstone” by Charles James Mason in 1813 in Staffordshire England. Mason’s patent only lasted 14 years and many other makers quickly jumped on the ironstone wagon and began to produce their own varieties using their own formulas.

What types of pottery are considered ironstone?

The oldest types of ironstone are those that were produced in England in the beginning to middle of the 19th century. These include but are not limited to:

• White ironstone china (blank, undecorated)
• “Flow Blue” (cobalt blue decoration on a white background, often with blurred lines)
• Transferware (patterns and images printed or “transferred” onto dishes)
• “Mulberry ironstone” (decorated with shades of gray, brown, purple-black)
• Copper Lustre Decorative Motifs (have shiny copper bands or shiny floral & geometric patterns)
• and others

Ironstone was mainly imported to America for much of the 19th century, but in the mid-late 1800’s American makers began developing their own formulas for ironstone. They produced their own versions of white ironstone, flow blue, and other types.

What about restaurantware, railroad china, and hotel china?

What are those? They are just what they sound like – highly durable china developed in America for use in restaurants, hotels, and on trains! While these might be grouped in the same general category as ironstone because they have a lot in common, they are truly a category of their own. Collectors may collect both ironstone and restaurantware, but there are many collectors who will only collect one or the other. Manufacturers of these types of pottery included names like Buffalo, Shenango, Homer Laughlin, Syracuse, etc.

Is there a noticeable difference between English and American ironstone?

Generally speaking, old white English ironstone has a cool almost blue undertone to it. American ironstone tends to have more of a creamy white or yellowish undertone.

How do I know if I have real ironstone?

I’m by no means an expert, but here are several ways to tell if you have the real deal:

1. It has a legitimate backstamp.

What is a backstamp? It’s the maker’s mark – a stamp or embossing typically on the underside of a piece of pottery. Not all ironstone is marked, however, so this will not always be the giveaway. Markings also changed over time even within a given manufacturer. This may seem confusing when trying to identify a marking, but it can be extremely helpful in determining the age of a piece! But remember: just because there is a mark doesn’t mean it is legitimate.

Fake ironstone sometimes has a backstamp that is intended to deceive.

Unfortunately there are people out there who will produce pieces meant to deceive. Take a look at the name of the maker. If you’re not already familiar with it, search online – see if you can find a history of that maker or something about it from a reputable source.

Fake ironstone will often use names that never existed such as “Victoria Ware” or “Iron Ware.”

Victoria Ware and Iron Ware were never a thing – those names were simply created to sound legit and get people to think the piece was old. Sad but true.

Fake ironstone will sometimes have added “crazing” to make it appear old.

What’s crazing? It’s all those little lines you sometimes see on pottery, especially old pottery. It happens in the glaze layer when the piece has been under stress (working too hard on the job, eh?).

Fake ironstone will sometimes have a date printed on it to make it seem old.

Real ironstone would never be printed with something like “1890.” The date of true ironstone can sometimes be determined by the backstamp, pattern, and shape of the piece.

Look out for historically inappropriate wording.

For example, the term “Flow Blue” was never actually printed on flow blue pottery. That was a popular term used to refer to a certain style. If you see “flow blue” on the bottom of a piece, just know it’s reproduction.

Fake ironstone sometimes has an overly large backstamp.

Sometimes the manufacturers of fake ironstone will put a backstamp on that is way too large and blurry – almost like it’s been scanned and printed. Real backstamps vary in size, but they will not typically be unusually large. Use your gut – if it feels off, it may be a fake.

Fake ironstone uses markings similar to real ones, but just slightly “off.”

You know that saying that there is some truth in every lie? Well producers of fakes will use markings that are very similar to real ones. They often incorporate regal imagery like crowns, lions and unicorns, banners, etc. It’s the details that differentiate it from the real thing. Pay attention to the wording, to what is missing such as “England,” or the presence of a legitimate maker’s name. There are many sources online for identifying maker’s marks and backstamps such as “The Potteries.” I own this book and it is a helpful tool!

If it has a “Made in China” sticker, don’t even bother.

Real vintage ironstone doesn’t have “Made in China” stickers. Enough said.

2. It is heavy for its size.

Authentic ironstone should be heavy for its size. It was made to be super durable and it feels like it too! If you pick up a piece and it feels too light or cheap, it’s likely not the real deal.

Now bear in mind that more delicate things like teacups are not going to be terribly heavy by nature. You may want to use other identifying factors when dealing with “dainty” pieces. Things like pitchers, platters, bowls and serving vessels will all be quite weighty.

3. It has a distinct luster.

What is luster? Luster is the way light reacts with a surface, particularly stone and mineral surfaces. Ironstone has a gentle sheen – it’s not super shiny but it’s certainly not matte. It is smooth and glossy. The appearance of old white ironstone has a depth to it that modern pieces cannot mimic.

It is opaque – you cannot see through it. If you hold a teacup to a light and can see a glow through it, it’s not ironstone.

English ironstone tends to have a cooler blue undertone while American and more modern pieces tend to have a warmer yellow undertone.

4. It may make a pleasant sound when tapped.

I say “may” because this is dependent on the condition of the piece and your ability to hold it without dampening the sound. If you take a genuine ironstone pitcher, dangle it [carefully!] by the handle and tap on it with your other hand’s knuckles, it will make a nice bell-like sound. This is harder to do with something like a platter, but not impossible. If the piece has any major cracks or damage the sound may be altered. If you ever have the opportunity, compare an ironstone pitcher side by side with a modern ceramic pitcher – you’ll hear the difference! The modern pitcher will sound quite shrill compared to the ironstone.

Are there fakes for sale on Etsy and Ebay?

You betcha! I am taken aback by the number of fakes I’ve seen for sale on Etsy at antique prices. I am always so tempted to say something but it’s not my place so I don’t. Be sure to always read the item description, examine all the photos, and ask clarifying questions before purchasing! A quick online search for similar items is never a bad idea either.

I have seen a ton of these pitchers being sold as authentic antique ironstone, sometimes priced over $100. I sold mine in my shop for about $25 as an ironstone reproduction likely from the 1980s (when geese were popular!). There’s nothing wrong with selling these so long as you are transparent it is not antique.

What are some of the most common names in ironstone?

There were SO many ironstone producers over the decades and centuries, but here are a few notable ones. In English ironstone:

• Mason’s Patent Ironstone
• J&G Meakin
• Johnson Brothers
• T&R Boote
• Wedgwood
• Wood & Sons
• Burgess & Goddard

In American ironstone, here are a few notable names:

• Knowles, Taylor, & Knowles
• Homer Laughlin
• William Young & Sons (WYS)

Where can I find genuine ironstone?

You can find ironstone lots of places! My favorite place to find it is in thrift stores (I love the hunt!), but you can certainly find great pieces elsewhere like Etsy, Ebay, antique and consignment shops, and other reputable online vintage sellers.

Well that’s about all I have for today! I hope you have found this quick tutorial on ironstone helpful. Feel free to drop a comment or question below and thanks so much for reading!

Sharing is caring! Be sure to save this for later or share with a friend!

Blessings,
Melissa

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

I thought it would be fun this week to do a little tour around my home highlighting everything that has been thrifted, diy’d, and otherwise transformed in a thrifty way! We’ll cover the main living spaces plus a little peak of the master bedroom. I’m pulling photos from all seasons so you’ll get to see a lot of different decor!

I love the creativity and challenge that thrifting and diy offer! The result is as satisfying as the process: a uniquely curated, thrifty home (and a happier wallet!).

Let’s get started on this thrifty little home tour!

My Thrifty Kitchen

The kitchen has to be my favorite room of the house. I feel like it embraces everything I love: cottage style, thrifted and diy elements, and vintage touches. All the plates on the walls and the bowls on my counter were found in thrift stores. The beige vintage crock holds our bananas while the vintage ironstone mixing bowl (from the 1940s) holds sweet potatoes, avocados, or tomatoes depending on the season.

The kitchen curtains are all homemade. You can find the tie-up curtain tutorial here! That little green vintage stepladder peaking out of the corner was an estate sale find for just $20.

Our quirky vintage church pew is another piece that I absolutely adore in our kitchen. My husband was so skeptical when I brought it home from Vintage Market Days, but it has proven to be invaluable. The kids sit there every single day for snack time, to play, the occasional timeout (eek), or just to visit with Mommy. Kids’ shoes and jackets are stored in those baskets underneath as we don’t have a mud room or very functional coat closet.

It underwent a pretty big transformation though! Here’s the before (where my husband was like, “what have you brought into our house?!”):

My Thrifty Dining Room

Technically the dining room is part of our kitchen. When we renovated our kitchen, we knocked down the diving wall between the two rooms turning it into one larger space (best decision ever!). However, this is our only eating space so I’m not sure whether to call it the kitchen or the dining room!

A few months after we got married, my husband and I bought the 1920’s hutch (pictured above) and sideboard (pictured below) from a lady through Craigslist. There was a matching dining table but she had just sold it separately! We paid $250 apiece which felt like a lot of money at the time, but I can appreciate now that it wasn’t too much to ask. I love dark wood mixed with lighter colors and painted furniture. it really helps anchor the space. I will never EVER paint these lovely antique beauties!

The old windows hanging above the sideboard were a Facebook Marketplace score for just $10. It’s fun to change out the wreath that hangs on them seasonally. The pair of lamps were from Goodwill for just a few dollars apiece; I changed out the shades. The vintage crocks under the sideboard were my mom’s – she didn’t want them anymore. The gold mirror on the wall was an inexpensive antique mall find at just $20.

The side chairs were also a Facebook Marketplace find at $15 apiece. I painted and reupholstered them to match the dining table chairs. Can you believe I found 5 different decades of fabric when I took apart those chairs?! Whew! You can learn how to reupholster dining chairs in my tutorial.

My 1920’s hutch is filled with thrifted white ironstone pieces. Amazingly I found a large set of Federalist Ironstone at Goodwill for only $40 and combined it with old English ironstone and other white ironstone pieces – all thrifted!

The biggest thrifty pieces in the room have to be our dining table and chairs! This was the set my husband used as a kid and we got it for free from my In-Laws. You can find the full makeover here, but here’s how it looked when we got it:

Two of the cane back chairs were broken; one was completely busted through. I recaned the two broken chairs, added wood appliqués, painted the bodies of the chairs, and reupholstered the seats.

My husband refinished the table top, I painted the bottom, and it’s like a different set entirely! Paint color is Fusion Mineral Paint “Lamp White” and top is stained in Minwax “Coffee.”

Moving on in our thrifty home tour…

My Thrifty Living Room

By far the most popular thrifty find in my living room is the coffee table. It’s a solid wood Ethan Allen table that I got off Facebook Marketplace for $50. My dad helped me pick it up from a young woman who was making donuts in her apartment with her friends and I swear that coffee table smelled like donuts for months! Here’s how it used to look:

It was good quality, but very beat up. My husband routed the sides to give it a fresh edge then refinished the top in Minwax “Jacobean” and sealed it with polyurethane. I painted the body in Rustoleum Chalked “Linen White.” You can find the post about our coffee table here.

Speaking of tables, our side tables were a Goodwill find for $15 apiece. There is one on each side of the couch.

You can find the blog post and all the details here, but here’s how they used to look!:

The lamps were also a diy project (that involved lots of baking soda!). I got them at Goodwill for $6 apiece and added new shades from Target after I finished transforming them.

Here’s how they originally looked!

You may have seen my recent blog post about my thrifted hutch (that almost wasn’t!). It was a Salavation Army Store find for $50, is solid wood, and is just right for this corner of our living room! The painting over the piano was a Goodwill find for $12.

Here’s a better, albeit Christmasy, photo of the paining. I love the peaceful scene in the painting!

My vintage hutch in the corner is filled with thrifted ironstone and china – all from Goodwill, Salvation Army, and St. Vincent DePaul. Learn how to turn anything into a planter – like this vintage canister – in this blog post!

My Thrifty Family Room

Our family room actually serves as a combination playroom and office. Since our house has three bedrooms and we use them all as bedrooms, we needed a place for our desks and computers alongside the kids’ toys and a space for them to play.

A lot of people assume that this view is my entryway – understandably so! – but it is actually the tiny hallway between the kitchen and family room.

See?

That little black bench (find the story here) was a Facebook Marketplace find that my In-Laws ended up paying for as a birthday present to me. It got a few coats of Fusion Mineral Paint in “Coal Black” as well as a trip to my husband’s workshop for some leg repairs. Here’s how it used to look – it really was that orange/red!

Our family room curtains are inexpensive Ikea curtains that I turned upside down, flipped the top over, and hung with clip rings. You can find the tutorial and details for that hack in this post.

I spy another thrifty diy over in the corner! Why yes, it’s my reupholstered vintage chair! Does anyone remember when I bought it off Facebook Marketplace and it looked like this?

I don’t quite remember what I paid for it – I think $40 – but the lady was even kind enough to deliver it to my house since I wouldn’t be able to fit it in the car with the kids!

This corner of our family room has change a lot over the last few years. The print hanging on the wall was a Salvation Army Store find for a few dollars, the vintage chalkboard was a garage sale purchase for $3, and the floating shelf was made by my husband out of extra wood flooring!

Here’s the shelf being made out of lots of little pieces of scrap flooring! We hung it with black iron brackets from Hobby Lobby.

On the opposite side of the room are our desks. Now I won’t show my husband’s desk (which was made by his grandfather), because I didn’t ask him first, but I’ll show you mine. It’s actually an old vanity. I stashed away the trifold mirror and it makes a great desk! Both the desk and the chair were consignment shop finds back when I was in college. The tulips are in a big kimchi jar!

My Thrifty Master Bedroom

Now I’m not going to share too much in here yet as I’m saving that for a master bedroom reveal post in the next few weeks, but here are a few highlights!

My dresser used to be so dark and heavy for our bedroom. You can find the makeover post here.

We swapped the trifold mirror for a free-hanging round one, painted the dresser, changed out the hardware, and it was so much lighter and fresher for this space!

For some really thrifty and easy decor above the bed I hung a grouping of thrifted baskets. They’re hung with straight pins gently hammered into the wall. This only cost me a few dollars. My “nightstand” is a vintage table from a consignment shop (same one as my desk – I miss that store!).

There is also a thrifted side chair and thrifted vintage art in our bedroom now, but like I said I don’t want to give too much away before the “reveal!”

My kids’ bedrooms also have some thrifty pieces in them but I don’t have any good photos to share right now and you’re probably tired of reading anyway! Kudos if you made it this far!

Well I hope you’ve enjoyed this little thrifty home tour! Thanks so much for reading!

If you enjoyed this, consider sharing with a friend or pinning it for later!

Blessings,
Melissa

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

It’s probably no secret by now that I love buying things secondhand – everything from home decor to clothing to kitchen accessories – the list goes on!

There are several reasons I love buying secondhand from thrift stores and consignment shops:

1. It can save money.

I say “can” save money because it will if you do it right. It won’t save you money, however, if you suddenly feel you can buy more and buy whatever you want because it’s cheaper – believe me, I’ve been there!

2. I love the hunt.

It’s just downright exciting to go thrifting! The inventory changes all the time and you never know what treasures you might find!

3. It’s being a good steward of resources.

Rather than letting things pile up in a landfill, thrifting gives items a second chance at life!

4. It encourages and sparks creativity.

Being forced to think outside the box about how to use an item or what an object could become with a few changes gets the creative juices flowing.

I would venture to say 2/3 of the furniture and decorative items in my home were thrifted or free! But you know what else is true? I have a lot of junk sitting in my basement that was also thrifted or free.

I’ve definitely learned a few things over the years and learned from my mistakes. Now I’d like to pass some of those lessons learned on to you!

Here are my top 10 thrifting tips:

1. Go thrifting often.

This is probably just common sense, but it’s actually the easiest way to be successful in finding good items! The more frequently you go and the more stores you visit, the more likely you are to have success just by shear probability!

That being said, don’t just go anywhere. Visit a variety of stores and you’ll start to get a feel of which ones have the best selection, greatest turnover, and what types of items get donated in those neighborhoods. Choose a few stores that most align with your style and needs and stick to those! I would ideally visit two stores about once a week if I had the time.

2. Don’t assume you’re getting a good deal.

I cannot stress this enough! Just because it’s at a thrift store doesn’t mean you’re getting a bargain price. Some stores are more on top of knowing the value of what they have than others, so I would encourage you to do a quick search on your phone if you’re unsure but really want the item. Paying a fair price for an item is not a bad thing – you just want to be sure you’re not overpaying!

You’d be surprised at the number of times you could get a brand new one for nearly the same price as used but without the wear and tear on the item, especially with certain brands of children’s clothing. Ultimately you have to decide if it’s worth that amount to you regardless if the price is a “steal” or not.

3. Don’t buy it just because it’s a good price.

It’s SO tempting to buy something we like just because it’s a good deal, isn’t it?! When we do that, however, we are setting ourselves up for overspending, cluttering our homes, and the burden of storing items that we may like but not love and don’t have room to display. Believe me, friends, I’m speaking from experience and have the boxes in the basement to prove it.

4. Keep a running list of thing you’d like to find.

Keep it in the notes on your phone, tucked in your purse, or in your glove compartment… wherever you will have it accessible without having to remember to bring it along! This will help guide your shopping to check for certain items and remind you to check sections of the thrift store you might otherwise skip.

5. Keep an open mind.

When considering any item, be ready to think outside the box. Even if it isn’t exactly what you imagined or planned, consider if it could become what you would like. The best way to do this is to ask yourself what CANNOT be changed about the piece. If the bones are good (the structure, the general shape, etc.) then almost anything else can be changed – paint color, upholstery, adding a new frame or photo, repurposing an item entirely…

Here are a few practical examples:

1. A large piece of artwork where you like the size and shape of the frame but not the color of the frame or the print. Paint the frame a different color or use some Rub N Buff to give it a new finish, then replace the picture with art you purchased off Etsy.
2. Repurpose a large vintage enamel bucket as a planter. Just slip your existing potted plant into the bucket, making sure it has a saucer inside to catch excess water.
3. Start a collection of thrifted plates and hang them in a grouping on the wall as decor. You can hang them with these plate hangers (those are what I use – be sure to measure your plates and choose the proper size plate hanger).
4. A wreath that’s the right size for your door but you don’t like the flowers or they’re out of season. Remove the bad flowers and simply freshen it up with new faux flowers.
5. A small vintage table that is the perfect shape and size for your living room but too tall to be a coffee table. Shorten the legs by cutting them or replace the legs entirely with new ones to make it into a coffee table!
6. A lamp that’s the right size and shape but the wrong finish and has an icky lampshade. Grab a can of textured spray paint and give it a few coats (follow the instructions and be sure to cover any electrical parts). Then add a fresh lampshade. Be sure to consider shade fitter type (harp, uno, or clip on).

6. Be realistic when considering projects.

When considering an item for a makeover, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Could this item become exactly what I want by investing time, money, and/or energy?
2. Do I actually have the time, money, and/or energy to spend on this project?

If the answer to either or both is “no,” then you need to move on. Don’t settle for an item that won’t become what you want or will just sit around making you feel bad for not getting to it.

7. Keep a measuring tape and a list of measurements handy.

I keep a very small measuring tape in my purse specifically for thrifting. You might want to keep one in your car or purse if you’re in the market for furniture, paintings and other wall decor, rugs, light fixtures, etc.

It’s also helpful to know the measurements of your rooms when considering furniture. Jot those measurements down on a piece of paper or in your phone for easy reference when shopping.

8. Be aware of color tag sales and rewards programs.

Most every thrift store I’ve been in has color coded tags. I believe this has to do with when the item arrived in the store and is a way they can run discounts on items. This typically changes every week and certain color tags will be 50% off. This is usually announced by signs throughout the store or on the door when entering. Keep that in mind while shopping!

Also, some thrift stores actually have rewards programs (St. Vincent DePaul, for example). You can earn points for money spent and those points add up to discounts. You might not think you spend enough to make it worthwhile, but if the program is free, why not sign up? You might be surprised how little purchases here and there can add up over time.

9. Examine clothing for broken/missing parts and stains.

One thing that really bothers me is when people donate clothing that is very obviously broken or very badly stained. It’s one thing to be missing a button, but when someone donates a baby sleeper where the entire front zipper is broken, it’s not really realistic to think that someone is going to want to fix that when the same store is selling not-broken sleepers for the same price right alongside the broken one…

…if the buyer notices, that is.

Can you tell that happened to me the other day? I was in Goodwill right at closing time and in my haste I threw a cute baby sleeper into the cart without checking the zipper…and of course it was totally broken. Won’t stay closed for anything.

Lesson in this is: Check the zippers and buttons and check for holes and stains, because I’m pretty sure the thrift store doesn’t check (or care?) and they’ll sell it to you for the same price as the nicer ones.

Second lesson: If you’re going to donate clothing, please ask yourself if you’d want to buy it in that condition. If the answer is no, you should probably rethink it.

10. Don’t be afraid to ask.

Did you know those thrift store price tags have a date on them for a reason? It’s so items don’t hang around the store forever. Thrift stores want items to move and if they don’t then they get sent elsewhere or discarded in some fashion (did you know there is such a thing as a Goodwill outlet store?! It’s like the dumpster diving of Goodwill).

A couple months ago I was in one of my favorite thrift stores and spotted a cute side chair. The price was a bit higher than I wanted to pay and I almost walked away, but noticed the date on the sticker was over a month prior. That chair had been in the store over a month. I found an employee who got a manager; I pointed out the date on the sticker and made a reasonable offer – and they accepted!

I’ve been in other thrift stores where they are adamant they cannot adjust prices at all, so it varies by location, but moral of the story is it doesn’t hurt to ask!

Well I hope this has been fun, helpful, and informative for you! Feel free to drop a comment below about your own thrifting experiences or tips!

As always, if you enjoyed this and want to share, it’s very appreciated!

Pin it!

Blessings,

Melissa

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

I few weeks ago I was walking through one of my favorite thrift stores by myself (my parents had the kids), and in my usual fashion hit up the dishes first and eventually made my way back to the furniture section.

I came upon this cute little “bookcase.” I looked it over and it seemed to be solid wood and good quality.

It could make a cute bookshelf for the kids, I thought, so I took the tag off to claim it and kept walking.

I went and down a few more rows of furniture and saw a nice little cabinet. I really didn’t have any use for a little cabinet like that, however, and kept walking.

Now a few minutes later, something clicked in my brain – perhaps a gentle nudge from the Lord who knew I’d been searching for something for a certain corner of the house for about 2 years – but I had a definite “wait a second” moment.

I raced back to the cabinet and pulled out the little measuring tape I keep in my purse. I took a measurement of the top and raced over to the “bookshelf” and measured it. Yes, it was indeed possible that they went together. I picked up that heavy, solid wood shelf and lugged it down the aisle over to the cabinet. Then, as gracefully as possible in such circumstances, using my knee as a prop halfway up, I heaved that thing onto the cabinet and stood back to examine.

Yes, I was convinced they were one piece.

I put the hutch back down on the ground and happily went through the rest of the store, both furniture tags in hand. I didn’t quite know where I’d put it, and figured my husband wouldn’t be thrilled I was bringing home more furniture, but I would find a place!

As it turns out, this little corner was just right for it. I really like it next to the piano.

Plus, it has the storage I was looking for to store family board games! This is real life – I thought it would be silly to reorganize the cabinet just to take this picture.

They were priced separately, placed rows apart, and were almost separated forever.

But now they’re together in the little corner of my living room, holding some of my ironstone collection.

Yay for a happy ending!

Tell me about a favorite thrift store find that you’ve had in the comments below!

Blessings,

Melissa

If you’ve been around here awhile, you may know I’m not the biggest fan of sewing – I can do it, but I avoid it when possible. Many of you have told me you don’t enjoy it either. Thus I like to come up with ways of making things that get good results but don’t require sewing. I hope you enjoy this little tutorial I’ve put together!

~ Supplies ~

1 Square Pillow Form (mine is 16 inches)

Fabric: I used a thrifted bed sheet! You will need 2 squares, each 8 inches larger than your pillow form in both directions. Example: For a 16″ pillow case I needed two pieces each 24″x24″

Linen (or similar off-white material): Whatever size you want for your “embroidered” panel

Fabric Scissors

Measuring Tape

Pencil

Fine tip permanent marker, black

Hot glue (for no-sew) OR needle & thread (for sewing option)

Optional: straight pins

“God bless our native land;
Firm may she ever stand Through storm and night.
When the wild tempests rave, Ruler of wind and wave,
Do Thou our country save By Thy great might.”

~ Tutorial ~

1. Trim off any existing seam from your fabric edges as it will be too bulky to use (I used a thrifted bed sheet, so this was necessary).

2. Cut your fabric to size. You will need 2 squares, each 8″ larger than your pillow form in both directions (for a 16″x16″ pillow form you will need two squares each 24″x24″)

3. Place the two squares one on top of the other. You will be cutting slits 4″ deep every 1 inch around the whole perimeter. To do this, measure 1″ in from the side and 4″ up from the bottom. Cut a slit up to that mark. Because my fabric was a grid pattern, I simply took note of which line was 4″ up from the bottom and always cut to that point. If your fabric doesn’t have a consistent pattern, take a measuring tape or ruler and mark off 4″ up every 1″ over from the next slit.

4. Continue doing this around the whole square. The corners will naturally get cut off when you turn to the next side. Just keep going consistently every 1″ over (and 4″ up from the bottom) – the corners will form themselves as you cut away some strips you’ve already made. Once all your strips are cut, it should look like this:

5. Line up the two squares with the fabric right side out. Take opposing strips from each square – and tie them together in a double knot. Continue doing this around the square until you have just one side open. (Sorry this is such a terrible photo – it was on my lap while I was watching tv and I didn’t want to get up, ha!)

6. Insert your pillow form into the opening. Finish tying to close up the cover.

7. Trim your linen (or other fabric) to the size you wish your panel to be. Mine was a little over 9″ wide by a little over 8″ tall.

8. Pencil in your phrase or design. (This is hard to see – sorry.)

9. Working with a light hand, use the fine tip permanent marker to trace the words/design with even dashes to mimic the look of stitching. Let dry completely!

10. You can either hot-glue the corners of your panel to the pillow for a no-sew option, or use a needle and thread to barely stitch the corners to the front of your pillow, like I did (pictured).

That’s it!

I hope you enjoy this little project! I’d love to know if you try it and how you decorate yours! Tag me on social media (@hymnsandhome) or leave a comment below!

I used baking soda to transform some outdated Goodwill lamps! I’ll show you just how easy it was…

But for just a moment, let’s travel back in time about 3 years – we were finally finished renovating our kitchen and my previous dining room buffet lamps now clashed with our new kitchen wall color (we combined the two rooms). I decided to use them in our living room since we had no lamps in there:

So for the next 3 years I had buffet lamps on my living room end tables. Not just buffet lamps, but permanently crooked buffet lamps since my son miraculously managed to knock one off the table twice and bent the entire frame without shattering the glass.

Every time I looked at those lamps I cringed, but hey, they worked.

A few weeks ago I decided it was finally time for a change. I began scouring thrift stores for a pair of lamps that would be a good size and shape, even if the finish was less than ideal. I finally stumbled upon these at $6 apiece:

I was inspired to create textured lamps as I was cleaning my oven a few weeks ago. Haha, yes, my oven… I was using a baking soda paste to clean and loved how smooth and moldable it felt – I thought why not make faux pottery with something similar?!

Supplies

• Baking Soda (amount depends on the size of your project – see below)
• White School Glue
• White Acrylic Paint (or other color if you want it tinted)
• Water
• Measuring cup & spoon
• Disposable container for mixing (I used a clean old yogurt container)
• Spoon for mixing
• Spray paint or antiquing glaze ( I used Rustoleum Chalked Smoked Glaze)
• Foam Brush

Instructions

Make sure you test your lamps to ensure they work! I forgot to do this before I started, but thankfully they worked fine! Whew…

First I cleaned the lamps well with a damp rag – you can use a cleaning solution like Simple Green if you’d like. Obviously, do all of this with the lamps unplugged, please…

Next, I removed the harp at the top (the part that holds the shade) and sprayed it with the smoked glaze. Then I sprayed the shiny brass parts on the lamps with the same glaze. I liked using this somewhat translucent glaze instead of opaque paint as it left it still looking like metal. The smoked glaze on top of the shiny brass created an aged oil-rubbed bronze look.

If the lamp’s cord is an ugly color, you could spray at least the top part (the part that will be visible coming off the back of the table). Don’t spray down near the plug, please!

Once that was completely dry (I waited overnight), I made up this paste:

Recipe

Per Batch:
1 cup baking soda
~ 3 Tbsp school glue
~ 2 Tbsp water
~ 2 tsp acrylic paint

Mix it all together – it should form a moldable dough that is slightly crumbly if you rub it between your fingers. If it’s too crumbly, add a little more glue. You don’t want it to be too wet or it will cling to your fingers, slide off your project, and probably take forever to harden!

For reference, I made about 5 batches per lamp (they are large lamps). I recommend only making one or two batches at a time, though, as it will dry out pretty quickly as you’re working.

Instructions continued…

Starting at the top of each lamp, I pressed the dough on in little sections, connecting each blob to the previous. You can decide how smooth (or not) you want yours to be – I wanted mine to have definite texture, so I purposely left ridges and dents.

As long as you’re joining new blobs to the previous ones, it should stick just fine. I had no problems with mine sliding down. If you do have that issue, it may be too wet – add a little more baking soda. If it’s crumbling apart too much, add more glue to the mixture.

Once I had covered both lamps, I let them dry and harden 24 hours or more. They should not be wet or soft to the touch at all. In fact, they will be quite hard when they are ready!

Finally, I sprayed some of that same smoked glaze into a disposable cup and used a foam brush to lightly brush all over the textured part of the lamps. Don’t try to make it uniform – just have fun with it. My lamps actually look quite different from one another but that’s okay. They’re unique handmade pieces, right?

Let the paint dry completely and off-gass outside!

Finishing Touches

I found these lamps shades at Target to top them off.

All done! I’m so happy to have “real” living room lamps now and bonus! – my husband likes them too!

Is this a project you would try? Let me know in a comment below! Thanks for reading!

I made mine from a vintage lace tablecloth that I got at a rummage sale for $1, along with other supplies I already had on hand. The tablecloth was stained in many places and really not fit for use anymore, so I didn’t feel too guilty for cutting it up! You could easily use an old doily or any type of lace from the fabric store if you wish.

Supplies

• Cardstock
• Pencil
• Scissors for paper
• White scrap fabric (I used an old sheet)
• Old lace tablecloth (or doilies or other lace fabric)
• Fiber fill or other stuffing
• Optional wooden skewer or thin stick
• Hot glue gun & refill sticks
• Optional rubber glove
• Fabric scissors
• Faux fur, small pom-poms, or cotton balls
• Cotton twine (preferably natural color, not bright white)
• Needle and White Thread (if creating a garland)

Directions

1. Draw a bunny shape on the card stock (or print one from the computer).

2. Cut the bunny shape out (never use fabric scissors on paper – it will dull them!).

3. Trace the bunny shape on the white fabric using your pencil. You will need 2 tracings per bunny. I recommend an odd number of bunnies for a garland – I made 7 bunnies (14 tracings).

4. Cut the bunny shapes out with your fabric scissors.

5. Glue the 2 bunny shapes together using hot glue, but leave a gap for stuffing the bunny.

6. Stuff the bunny with desired amount of fiber fill. The wooden skewer can help get the stuffing up into the ears.

7. Glue the gap closed.

8. Cut a rectangle of lace that will cover the whole bunny.

9. Working quickly, outline the whole bunny in hot glue and lay the lace on top, pressing the edges down into the hot glue. Wearing a rubber glove will help prevent you from getting burned, as the hot glue will seep up through the holes in the lace!

10. Trim the excess lace off from the edges of the bunny.

11. Glue on a small piece of faux fur, pom-pom, or a cotton ball for the tail.

12. Tie a small bow with the twine. Glue it to the neck of the bunny.

13. Use as basket filler, or create a garland with a needle and white thread.

I threaded the string through the center of each bunny’s head, working from right to left. Don’t go too low on each bunny with the thread or the bunnies will tip forward when the garland is hung.

Alternatively, you could glue the bunnies onto a length of twine if you don’t want to mess with a needle and thread. I personally like having the option of pulling them off someday and so prefer the thread method.

There you have it!

I hope these sweet little bunnies bring all the elegant, vintage Spring vibes to your home! Enjoy!

Last year I found this sweater at Goodwill. I thought it would be cute for Christmastime…

…except that I got home and discovered that it not only fit me poorly but also had a big hole in the neck!

I loved the pattern and knew it could be used for something, so naturally it sat in my basement for a year.

Until now… (Cue energetic, dramatic music)

This was a simple one-evening-after-the-kids-were-in-bed project. My favorite kind!

Tutorial

Supplies:

Old Sweater
Paper
Scissors (these are my favorite fabric shears)
Sharpie
Hot Glue Gun & Refill Sticks
Fiber Fill (or similar)
Needle & Thread

To make it easier to work (and less likely I’d accidentally cut through both layers of sweater), I cut slits up the sides and folded the back under. That way it would be like working with a single piece of fabric.

I cut out a little heart from paper – you know, where you fold the paper in half and cut a half-heart along the seam so it’s symmetrical?

Then traced the heart many times on the sweater using a sharpie- sometimes on the Fair Isle pattern, sometimes on the little heart pattern. I found it easier to dab “dots” rather than drag a line, as that may move the fabric as you’re tracing.

Trace 2 hearts for every 1 heart you want on the garland.

Cut them out, just inside the line so you don’t see the sharpie on your heart.

Now hot glue 2 halves together with wrong sides facing inward. Hot glue seems to work well as it also acts kind of like fray check in holding the fibers together at the edges. You could certainly sew the halves together and use fray check on the edges, but I didn’t want to go there.

Leave a little gap and stuff with fiber fill – as much or little as you want.

Repeat for all the hearts.

Now to string them together. Thread a needle with doubled-over thread and knot the end.

Push the needle all the way through from one side of a heart to the other. Keep the thread in the upper half of the heart so it hangs straight on the string. Like this:

Repeat for the rest. I alternated the two patterns, as you can see below.

Done – hang it up and enjoy! I was super fancy and used masking tape to hang mine. (That little house garland is from the Target Dollarspot.)

These would also be super cute as bowl filler – don’t string them and just put them in a little wooden bowl – so fun! Also perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Hope you enjoy! If you try this project, please tag me on social media or send a pic my way – I’d love to see!

Blessings,
Melissa

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This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

I lived with it a few weeks and found it to be great for housing my stash of Ghirardelli peppermint chocolate candies. However, the color scheme was really not fitting into my kitchen – I have absolutely no green in my decor and I just wasn’t feeling that blue railing with the burgundy door and green siding.

So I decided to paint it. For some reason I was a little hesitant for fear of “ruining it,” but I figured I had nothing to lose as I wasn’t fully enjoying it “as is.”

Being torn between blue and white, I decided on a very pale blue – “Little Whale” by Fusion Mineral Paint. It reminds me of snow at dusk – white with just a hint of dusty blue.

It took 4 very light coats to cover. Here’s how it looked after the first coat – not great!

Don’t worry about the first coat – or even the second or third – when you’re using Fusion on a ceramic piece. The first coat(s) are really just to adhere to the surface and get a foundation for subsequent layers. If you end up with some uneven spots, wait until it’s dry and lightly sand between coats.

Voile!

Since I already had the paint, the whole thing only cost me $3. It’s amazing what a little paint can do! If you’re not loving an item, don’t be afraid to try a little paint on it. It fits so much better with my decor now:

Unfortunately all my peppermint chocolates are gone…I guess I’ll have to get more of those…

Blessings,
Melissa

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

No matter what Thanksgiving Day may look like for you this year, I invite you to first remember why we have this day: To give thanks to our Creator and Provider for the blessings He daily and richly provides, and most of all for the salvation He has granted to us through faith in Jesus Christ.

Regardless of your dinner plans, I hope this meaning-filled Thanksgiving table may provide you with inspiration as you read the captions and hymn meditations below.

Candlelight

There is nothing quite like candlelight to bring a sense of coziness, warmth, and peace to a space.

“Light of Light, O Sole-Begotten
Radiance of the Father’s face,
Word made flesh, who lived among us
Full of truth and full of grace,
Shine upon our human darkness;
Pierce the night that shrouds our race.”
– Stephen P. Starke

“Give Thanks Pumpkins”

These easy DIY pumpkins are covered in old hymn pages and adorned with “thankful” hymn titles. The tutorial video can be found in the story highlight “Give Thanks Pumpkins” on my Instagram page.

“Now thank we all our God
With hearts and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done,
In whom His world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms
Has blest us on our way
With countless gifts of love
And still is ours today.”
– Martin Rinkart; tr. Catherine Winkworth

Fresh Rosemary & Pinecones

What better elements to add to a Thanksgiving table than items found naturally in creation? Gathered pinecones and rosemary trimmings add visual freshness and a lovely scent to the table. The napkins are tied with simple white kitchen twine.

“For the beauty of the earth, 
For the glory of the skies, 
For the love which from our birth 
Over and around us lies.
Christ, our Lord, to Thee we raise 
This, our hymn of grateful praise.”
– Folliott Sandford Pierpoint

Thrifted Plates & Ribbon

The large plates (by Hearth & Hand), the small ironstone plates, and the lace ribbon were all found at thrift shops. I love to buy second-hand pieces – not only does it save my family some money, but it can help to reduce waste and support the charities that run the shops.

“Father, providing
Food for Your children,
By your wise guiding
Teach us to share
One with another,
So that, rejoicing
With us, all others
May know Your care.”
– Albert F. Bayly

Gifted Items

The crystal water goblets and silver flatware were wedding gifts to my husband and me. The ceramic cake stand was given to me by my mother-in-law one Christmas. I enjoy using these generously gifted pieces not only because I like how they look, but because they bring fond memories and thankfulness for our family and friends.

“For the joy of human love, 
Brother, sister, parent, child, 
Friends on earth, and friends above, 
For all gentle thoughts and mild,
Christ, our Lord, to Thee we raise 
This, our hymn of grateful praise.”
– Folliott Sandford Pierpoint

Whatever Thanksgiving Day may look like for you this year, I pray it is a day filled with reflection upon all that has been given to us and thanks to the Provider of all good things.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” – James 1:17

“Even so, Lord, quickly come,
Bring Thy final harvest home; 
Gather thou thy people in, 
Free from sorrow, free from sin, 
There, forever purified, 
In Thy presence to abide; 
Come, with all Thine angels, come, 
Raise the glorious harvest home.”
– Henry Alford