Lafayette, IN: Goodwill, Three Blind Mice and Forever in Blue Jeans

Good morning to you all!  Yesterday I had a couple of hours to run up to Lafayette, IN.  It is about 40 minutes from here in the sticks.  All the Lafayette Goodwill stores have recently undergone a renovation and I had not had the chance to check out a couple.... I did not find anything truly amazing, but I did locate a few interesting finds.  I was able to add to my Shenango China restaurant ware collection with 6 dinner plates and 4 custard cups!  At only $.99 per piece it was a total bargain.... better than Target or vile Wal-mart for sure!  I also purchased 2 small serving pieces with bakelite handles at $.49 each, and a darling original painting of a boxer dog! 

Here are the pictures of my finds.... my favorite is the dog painting!

Bakelite serving pieces in really nice condition.

This adorable painting fit perfectly on the bookcase! It was $1.99!

This stack of Shenango China, restaurant ware, cost a grand total of $10! I collect Shenango and am always on the lookout for interesting pieces.

A detail of the mark on the back of the plate showing it is authentic Shenango.  Inca ware denotes the color more than anything and New Castle, PA is my mother's hometown.  The pottery closed in the late 1980's, so it is becoming more and more difficult to find in good condition.

While I am thinking about it I have a quick hint for any of you that are interested in collecting bakelite pieces.  Bakelite is a material that gained popularity in the late 1930's and early 1940's.  It was a precursor to modern plastics.  You often find bakelite used as jewelry or handles on trays, cocktail shakers, or cutlery!  Colors vary, but most common are an orange-y yellow or red!  I am obsessed with the stuff!  If you think you have found something but aren't sure it is real bakelite you can do this simple test:  Rub the part that you believe to be bakelite as hard as you can with your thumb until it feels warm and then sniff the area rubbed.  If it smells kind of like Formaldehyde it is the real deal!!!! People may look at you strangely, but who cares... it's all in the finding!

I also stopped at an antique store called "Three Blind Mice", 432 Columbia St. Lafayette, IN.  I have driven past for years and never had the time to investigate.  They almost always have lots of items out on the sidewalk surrounding the store and yesterday was no exception.  The only problem was that of all the times I have driven past and thought "I love that!" yesterday I saw exactly nothing of interest.  I will stop again in the future and hopefully have better luck.

As I drove out of Lafayette there is a small strip mall across the street from Wabash Commons.  I caught sight of a new consignment shop!  I turned around in order to investigate further.  It is called, "Forever in Blue Jeans" and is located at 237 E. State Street, West Lafayette, IN.  They have a website as well at www.foreverinbluejeansconsignment.com   I am not fond of the name but I think this shop has potential!  They take women's, men's, and children's clothes, shoes and accessories!  The shop is new and the inventory is currently rather limited, but if it catches on it could be a fun stop to add to my list.  I definitely plan on taking a bunch of Will's clothing in to see if it will sell!  I will be sticking with "The Toggery" in Broad Ripple for my clothing since I did not see a lot of high end labels in the women's section.  I may even try to unload some men's things if given the chance!

That is all for this evening!  Off to do what I usually do... not much!  Have a great weekend all!