Don't wait for your ship to come in . . . .  swim out after it! Have you ever heard that wise old saying? I hadn't. That is, until I came across this fabulous vintage Evelyn S. Lloyd nautical stamped cross stitch sampler at a favorite local thrift store.

The plan is to revive this vintage nautical stamped cross stitch sampler by ironing its wrinkles and putting it back into a frame so it can be fully appreciated as a real work of art, which it is. So what do I know about this vintage cross stitch sampler?  

As an avid fan and collector of vintage chinoiserie cachepots, I'm always thinking up ways to decorate with them. While you can certainly plant live plants in them, there are other ways to use them around your home as well.  

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Once you think you've seen all the there is to see out in the world of thrifting and collecting, along comes something that makes you realize you were wrong. In my case the culprit was a lemon serving plate, something I had neither heard of nor seen out in the wild.  

I was totally intrigued by a handled plate with gold trim and a floral motif. I had no idea what the handle was for. But I was about to find out. 

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Delft Blue miniature porcelain houses are a treasured tradition dating back to 1952. Not only are they highly collectible today -- they also come with a fascinating story as to how and why they even exist.  

I have two personal connections to these beautiful blue and white ceramic houses, which makes collecting them even more of a thrill for me. Today I'm going to share some details about the houses and just what those connections are.