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Buyers and sellers alike can count on finding small items to freshen up. Written By: Sandy Erdman | × Carol Thouin chose the paint color Dried Basil from the current issue of Better Homes & Gardens magazine. (Contributed photo) Soon you will be heading off if you haven t already to garage, auction and flea-market sales. But thrift shops are open year-round, so you can find items to paint or recycle all year to keep or sell. Thrift shops are inexpensive places to shop. They help the community, and some are run by charitable organizations. They keep more items out of landfills, and they are great for collectors who love furniture and other little extras. You never know, you may just strike it rich with a certain item of great value. ....
January is National Hot Tea Month, but tea lovers and teacup collectors always appreciate the practice. Written By: Sandy Erdman | × Teacups found at Sarah s Uniques and Jim s Man tiques in St. Charles. (Contributed photo) January and February are great months to cultivate the tradition of afternoon tea, since January is known as National Hot Tea Month. With its popularity soaring as a healthy and inexpensive beverage, now is the time to get acquainted with various teas, and to bring out or seek out teacups to enjoy a cup of teatime pleasure. You d be surprised where you can find teacups and even tea rooms, since as I have said in many of my teacup workshops and ladies group parties, this is not your grandma’s pleasure anymore. ....
Ruby-red glassware and transferware get special attention this time of year. Written By: Sandy Erdman | × Collectors appreciate their red glassware and transferware pottery all year long, but it adds an especially nice touch during the holidays. Jane Cabaya, of Byron, started collecting red dishes early in her marriage when she discovered a shared love of history with her husband. “A fun way of seeing history is visiting antique shops. Things found in booths tell many different stories, she said. Christmas brought a display of a whole table set in old ruby red dishes at an antique shop. He asked me what I would like to collect and cherish, so I said This! ” ....