My first Fire King
Did I need another retro mixing bowl? Probably not…actually definately not.
Why then did I pick up this vintage Fire King from the Op Shop? It reminded me of a baking bowl Grandma had.
Have I used this Anchor Hocking goodie? (thrifted from the Boys & Girls Club Thrift shop in Spreydon Christchurch)
Yes, several times in fact. Most recently, to marinate steak for a beef fried rice (not something Grandma would’ve made, she was a meat & potatoes kinda gal) & in prepping an apple crumble (a frequent dessert at Grandma’s).
“Am I going to use this?” is muttered frequently when I hit the Op Shops. Most of the time it keeps me from making silly purchases.
Then there are the times when I get home, scratch my head & think,
” Whaa? What were you thinking?”
Case in point:
Umm, what should I make/bake with this Pyrex piece? All yummy suggestions considered.
I must have been attracted to the maple leaves… bloody patriotic Canadian , LOL!
It actually coordinates nicely with the “greige” kitchen. But I’m not really into neutral palettes (my last kitchen had awesome red cabinets)
*****
I was lucky enough to find 2 more of these vintage Pyrex cereal/ice cream bowls, to make a set of 4. I’ve seen several in charity shops, but most have been chipped & I’ve been warned of the deep cuts one can get from chipped or broken Pyrex.
After taking this pic, realised these bowls would also be good as part of an antipasti plate
A burst of colour amongst the white
Of these thrifting finds, the most useful piece is going to be this little green chopping board. Its a perfect additon to the crestaware picnic set I picked up awhile back.
Best part: it was in the Free Bin!
There will be many salami and cheese sammies made on this puppy.
What’s been your strangest op shop purchase?
Any finds that have surprised you with their frequent use?
I’d love you to share your thrifting strategy or your own op shopping experiences in the comments below. I’m all about sharing the knowledge, but if you’re one of those Op Shopping Ninjas who thrives on a stealth mission, I get and respect that too!
Linking with the lovely hosts of:
Op Shop Show-Off, The Nifty Thrifty, Thriftasaurus, Remnant, Thrift Share Monday, Magpie Monday
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This Mum Rocks 
when i look at your ever-growing collection of kitchenware, i grin. it’s like, “look, she has scored another tupperware! and (yet another) pyrex dish!”
seriously – i’ve got a wide smile over here. it’s so thoroughly amusing what you do, in a cute way =D
Cheers Maria! Because I am fairly new to cooking and spending any decent amount of time in the kitchen, I am trying to really stop and think about what I actually need and will use. By op shopping carefully I’ve been able to pick up some good quality pieces that should last me for years, pieces I’d never afford if I bought them new. I gotta say I’ve been laughing at your posts about your puppy. Our lab/collieX was exactly the same. He’s still full of beans, needs a run every day, and he’s 7 now!
I have one of those divided Pyrex dishes.I like to put a dip on one side and whatever you want to eat with the dip on the other.Like hummus and pita chips.Or ranch dip and baby carrots.Perfect size for family movie night.
Hi Marla, great idea about the dip and veggies…here I was thinking about baking and using it in the oven. I know someone in our household will be mad keen on dipping. (Just about anything these days!)
I thought of you the other day – we went to a garage sale and just as we arrived the neighbours was putting free stuff at his gate, I picked up two beautiful crochet blankets….I often see these in the op shops but don’t buy them as I really don’t NEED them lol
My strangest buy was probably a shocking pink negligee set with matching slippers, way too small for me and certainly not my style but it still had the labels on and was only $5. After 5 or so years I found it the other day still in the bag I bought it home in, what on earth to do with it??!! I have a friend in Auckland with a vintage shop so maybe it will go up there to earn some money, too cool to sit in a bag.
I will do a post with my favourite op shop buys this week, haven’t done anything like that for a while.
Ooh, did the slippers have the fluffy maribou with heels? Love the idea of the free crochet blankets. I’m ready to pick up a couple more for baby gifts. They’re great in pushchairs. Looking forward to your op shop post. Glad your apple cider vinegar went well. 🙂
No 🙂 No heels, just flat funny soles, sort of cut out plastic quilting stuff.
My blankets are sitting folded on an old chair in the lounge, looks cosy. I am glad my vinegar turned out too lol, an interesting process really 🙂
I’ve used a divided for chips and dip too. You could bake your apple crumble in it, doesn’t matter that it’s divided!
Lol, I know how an apple crumble will work in that dish. 1/2 for the hubby (his absolute fav dessert) and the rest for us. He’d love it. 🙂
I never seem to stumble upon any Pyrex on my op-shop hunts. I look out for it, but have never had any joy. Great finds there. Cx
Thanks for the compliment. It takes a bit of hunting to find good Pyrex in these parts. A lot of the pyrex I come across is really chipped or worn. Definately well used.
i love the chopping board: cheerful plus useful equals good. and i’ve never even heard of fire king before. are they kiwi?
Hiya Max, that chopping board is getting some serious use…not just for the picnic set as I originally thought. As for Fire King, it’s an American brand, made by Anchor Hocking….the stuff I’ve come across tends to be the tuff everyday durable pieces. The workhorses, so to speak. Put it this way, I’m pretty sure my Grandma had a bunch of the stuff, and she definately more of an every day simple hearty farm cooking kind of lady.
It seems that you suffer from a bargainvintageandretrokithenwareitus. It is a serious illness, one which I suffer from also. It’s not fatal, thankfully. Side effects include kitchen cupboards that won’t shut, not knowing what to keep out on display and fed-up Husbands. The bonus is that you can keep cooking and using dishes without having to do any washing up for a good while….
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