Do you ever thrift and feel that you are just five minutes behind everything fabulous? Or maybe 30 minutes? My thrift intuition seems to be turned off at the moment. My first hour on Saturday was simply a waste of time. I went to search for an estate sale in a neighborhood sale boasting 45 sales but I found next to nothing. Eventually I made it to a charity sale and found some book inventory and a few mid century modern items before driving another 15 minutes to go to an estate sale in a retirement community. I was pretty frustrated at that point but that disappeared when I walked in the door and found a Swedish paradise.
When I was 16 I spent a year in Norway as an exchange student. I also traveled to Sweden, Finland and Russia during that year and really fell in love with the Scandinavian culture. I even have a 1/4 Norwegian blood in me. When Cerys was 9 months old we took a trip to Sweden. I was hooked by then but it was only when I started getting interested in Mid Century Modern and Danish Modern that I began to collect everything Swedish.
Lots of Swedish Christmas Ornaments.
This is a Lisa Larson gnome.
Santa Lucia. Most Waldorf Schools have a Santa Lucia celebration in 2nd grade. It was beautiful to watch the girls in their white gowns and candles sing the song as they wandered from classroom to classroom.
The beard of the Santa is real fur.
A fabric map of Scandinavia. I love the 60's style to it. I'm planning to hang this in my office/studio or in Keiran's room.
These were in a bag that said "Tomtes for the Christmas dinner table." Tomtes are very mischievousness little beings causing mayhem wherever they are. Tomten is the star of Jan Brett's book Hedgie's Surprise.
Found these three glass bottles of glitter in the garage as I was just about to leave.
It's funny but during the morning with my frustrations I felt rather tired. When I arrived home and began to show Dave my finds, I forgot all about the dreadful sales. These little gifts from Sweden are going to be in our lives for years. Every year we'll bring them out at Christmas and careful decorate our mantel, shelves and displays. Dave actually showed quite a bit of emotion as I showed him each piece. He told me me that his Grandmother in the north of England also had many of these in her home for Christmas. And so begins a tradition for our own family; A taste of Sweden in our California home.
Cerys and me in Sweden. This is where I fell in love with the wooden rocking horse. I found our own thrifted one a few months later in England.
What did you find this week? Don't forget to add your link as well as head on over to Southern Hospitality and join her party.
Gorgeous finds, you found a huge collection! My favorite is the Scandinavian fabric map. Lately I've been into collections too. I'm building up on art (folk, vintage, local, anything unique) and Japanese designs.
Posted by: Van | June 21, 2010 at 07:37 AM
As you know, we found a 1960's Dorothy Thorpe martini set and a brand new Longaberger basket with solid maple lid. The previous weekend we found a 1960's Teasmade, a 30's Sunbeam toaster and a 40's electric popcorn popper. All are either on Ebay right now or will be soon. What fun! Our new name on Ebay is "highplainsthrifters". Bill says he is a born shopper - who knew?
Absolutely LOVE the Scandinavian pieces. Christmas will be a blast!
Posted by: Jeanie | June 21, 2010 at 07:41 AM
Beautiful! My mother's family is Swedish, and we decorate at Christmas with a number of Swedish treasures. My sister married on Santa Lucia day and gave straw ornaments as her wedding favor, along with an explanation of the day.
Posted by: amybee | June 21, 2010 at 07:58 AM
I really like the fabric map! So colorful!
I have been bummed by some unsuccessful thrifting trips recently...they can be draining without good finds!
www.flexyfare.com
Posted by: Kristen | June 21, 2010 at 08:08 AM
This is one of my favorite posts of yours. I love all of the Christmas you got, so sweet.
Posted by: Shara | June 21, 2010 at 08:09 AM
I love the Swedish pieces! How wonderful that they touched Dave so much :) Cary has some Swedish heritage--I think he'd enjoy these as well.
Posted by: Tracy | June 21, 2010 at 08:11 AM
I could almost weep with joy for you. !!!! Fabulously gorgeous finds!
Posted by: Angela | June 21, 2010 at 08:18 AM
hi selena. such beautiful pieces! i was almost not going to post my share today, because it's more of an after-thought to a boring post about cleaning out your microwave... but after reading this, i thought i'd put it up because it does show a favourite thrifted find. which was made in norway.
that photo of you and cerys is lovely.
have a great week, thanks for hosting this.
Posted by: ana @ iMadeItSo | June 21, 2010 at 08:41 AM
I've really starting loving Swedish items too. These are all adorable!
Posted by: Nikki | June 21, 2010 at 09:27 AM
Thrift Share Monday is my absolute FAVE! I always take time to go read all the participants...Thank you so much for having a TSMonday! I'm enjoying thrift adventures all over the U.S. and England! Your pile of tomtes are wonderful...I can picture unraveling them every Christmas to make mischief on the Christmas Dinner Table! The sellers' Christmas treasures found the perfect new family's home!
Posted by: Joy | June 21, 2010 at 10:37 AM
Beautiful items. I love how unique each one is and how special they are to your family! Thanks for sharing Mondays, and for allowing us to participate! :-)
Posted by: Angie of EismanDesign.com | June 21, 2010 at 10:39 AM
Your finds are so interesting! I haven't been thrift shopping for a few weeks, but seeing your finds motivates me to get back to it!
Posted by: Laura | June 21, 2010 at 12:50 PM
I absolutely LOVE the items you found...great score mama! They are all so darling. There's something about swedish ornaments that are so warming. I think my attraction to them personally is the folksiness (is that even a word-lol) and being that most are hand painted :D I'm sure your family is going to love them for many years to come! Thanks for sharing those with us :D
Posted by: Mama Rose | June 21, 2010 at 12:59 PM
Now I understand! You've mentioned finding Figgjo stuff in the past, and that caught my attention because most Americans aren't familiar with it. I used to live in Norway, too. My family moved there when I was a junior in high school, so I finished school there.
Posted by: Anne Marie @ Married to the Empire | June 21, 2010 at 04:22 PM
Oh I loved this! I have lived in Sweden and would have swooned too to find these.
I also just read your post about letter-writing, and I enjoyed it. I still have one pen pal from Germany and write to my best friend (when I was 7) from CA.
In that post, you had a picture of a wooden Castel Pencilholder. I have one I got from Steiner Storehouse online. Sadly it's out of business. I would like to get some as gifts and cannot find anywhere to buy them. Do you know a store that sells them, especially somewhere online in the US? Thank you!
Posted by: Angela | June 21, 2010 at 06:07 PM
My MIL was Norwegian and brought us some Dala horses just before my first child was born - 2 big horses and 1 smaller horse. I love those designs, too. We also inherited her Porsgrund Farmer's Rose china. We think fondly of her every time we open the cupboards and see it. A fun craft for you and the kids might be to make Dala ornaments from felt. It is a pretty easy project, but fun!
Posted by: Ginny | June 22, 2010 at 08:44 AM
They are so cute! Love the Santa Lucia!
Posted by: Wendy | June 24, 2010 at 08:59 AM
eek!! how delightful!! what beautiful treasures.
Posted by: rae | June 24, 2010 at 02:15 PM
There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real!
Posted by: coach sale | June 24, 2010 at 11:42 PM