And Now Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Program

The March has come and gone. I still feel the glow of it and am finding ways to remain involved and active on issues I care about. But day-today is beginning to resume here on the hill.

One thing I brought back with me was my cold. It was getting better when I left but two long, hard days brought it back full force. So Monday and yesterday I was absolutely worthless. I finally got dressed around noon yesterday for the first time since I got home Sinday evening, so you know! I did manage to use the down time to get some records updated and work on online selling, which went pretty well. Lots of sales packed up and ready to ship. So it wasn't all bad.

I packed only the clear stadium bag that was recommended for the march. It was a challenge to figure out how to get everything I would need in there and still not be too heavy. I needed to bring a change of clothes, toiletries, an extra sweater in case it got colder than expected, food and water for the march, and so on. I managed it and maybe learned a thing or two about packing light.

But that meant I had no suitcase, so when my sister suggested we go thrifting on Sunday, I wondered what I would do if I bought anything. No worries, my sister said, I'll lend you a carry-on suitcase! And off we went. So here's some of what I brought home, enough that when sold will cover my costs for the whole trip.

I tried hard to be careful and not buy too much but that is so hard when there are bargains to be had. I did well until I came upon two chenille bedspreads. If you haven't heard, those things are in high demand. Well, I bought them and hoped against hope that I could get them and the other things into the suitcase. Of course I couldn't! So my sweet sister is mailing those big blankets to me. There will still be plenty of room for profit even with the postage cost.

One item I picked up puzzled me. It was this individual size creamer, which looked very much like the popular Fiesta Ware by Homer Laughlin. It's only 3 inches tall, cute as a bug.

This is Cantina Ware. I looked it up to see who made it, etc. Turns out it was a Target product and Homer Laughlin took Target to court--and won--accusing them of trying to duplicate the Fiesta style and colors. That was in 1998, I believe, and it was finally settled in 2003. In between those dates Cantina Ware could not be manufactured or sold as the judge in 1998 ruled against Target. So there's not a lot of it around. Interesting story, I thought.

Homer Laughlin has sued other people for similar things and won--Williams-Sonoma was selling accessories and calling them Fiesta Favorites. HL also sued two other companies for selling knock-offs called Carnaval in 2013. I never thought about how much trouble it could be to protect something as signature as Fiesta, although I have seen quite a bit of dinnerware in the thrift stores that looks very like it. Now I know why--everyone wants to be part of success, right? But copying is apparently lucrative business for lawyers. Only one company seems to have won the case with Homer Laughlin.

What else to tell you about? Oh, my husband's latest project, refinishing this oak dresser.

It was a sad piece really. It was rickety and dark, stains on the top and old wood knobs. No mirror either. We'd had it in Marietta--we bought it on the fly to fill an empty spot and figured we'd bring it home at some point to fix it up. The point finally came! We had found a mirror and frame meanwhile, so Larry stripped the dresser, braced it, stained and waxed. We added new knobs and the mirror. I am loving it. I hope someone else will too.

So today this one goes to our Ravenswood booth, to replace this cabinet that sold on Monday.

Time to get moving! Hoping you all have the very best of days.


Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.