The Frugal Tree: Bottles & Burlap & Baskets (oh my)

A few weekends ago, I visited Tollbooth Antique Market. I saw LOTS of items I wanted but left with one reasonably priced amber bottle. My collection of amber bottles is growing and I'm probably done for a while. I must say, the size of this one grabbed my attention and of course, I could not leave it behind. It stands near 14.5 inches tall. I had never seen one with such height before. For 10 bucks, it was coming home with me.

The smaller one, which my mother found and gave me, is a pretty nice size too.
It looks dwarfed beside my "new" super-tall find!

I'm not sure if I shared these finds before, but I was at an antique tractor show late last fall and scored the below two items. The amber bottle is very unique and looks handmade. It has unique flaws (such as a slightly bent neck) and plenty of etching and bubbles in the glass. It even has a totally flat bottom which I thought was interesting. It stands tall too (at 13 inches). For a mere $3.00, I grabbed it! The old block n pulley (I've been wanting one of these for ages) was a reasonable $8.00 if I recall. Not bad for some cool vintage finds!

Old wood, metal and glass; my favorite elements!

After leaving the TollgateAntique Market, I visited another small-town thrift shop in Red Lion, PA called Treasure Trove. It's definitely more "thrift" than "antique" but every now and then you can find some great items, such as this old metal (zinc) basket. The lady who owns the place told me it was an egg basket. I wasn't sure if it truly was, but we'll go with that. I loved its industrial look and knew it could have many uses. With a $2.00 price tag, I claimed my price!

My industrial bin/basket.

Now, it didn't have that handle, but I thought it needed one. Seeing as I was told it was an egg basket, I figured "why not?" Seems more "basketly" with a handle. I have this older plastic trash pail that I use outdoors to collect leaves and debris as I go around the property. It's been falling apart after many years of hard use and this metal handle recently popped off. I figured I could find a new use for it - - - AND I DID!

My first use for the basket? Towel storage & display!

And here is one more item I got months ago but never shared: a burlap sack. I have two now and use them in similar ways. I always look for ones with unique lettering and text. I like how it breaks up all the black of my big sofa by being thrown over the center cushion. It helps the sofa tie in with the vintage wooden elements dotted throughout the space.

Burlap sack as simple throw.
Lots of vintage elements for an industrial look.

Oh, this sack was $5.00 at Hometown Antiques (aka Angie's Country Corner) in Red Lion, PA. This place has great items, but a bit more pricy and typical of true antique vendors. Now, my second burlap sack (below) was a mere $1.50 at one of our Restore York stores (part of Habitat for Humanity). I actually prefer it to the more "expensive" one because I love the large block lettering and numbers across the center.