vintage pyrex galore
I was still knee-deep in fabric laundry from the rummage sale, but Halloween was approaching and I didn’t have any ideas left. So I stopped by my favorite thrift store since it was a Monday – 25% off everything, every Monday – and I had a good feeling.
No luck with Halloween, but that doesn’t mean no luck.
I made my usual rounds, checking the clothes for costume inspiration (none), checking the furniture just in case, checking the fabric because I love to ever challenge my fabric storage capacities. Housewares comes last in my standard counter-clockwise lap of this particular thrift store, but when I went down the first aisle, I knew it would be good. Two vintage Pyrex bowls! They always sell so quickly – and there were two! What a lucky day!
Then I turned down the next aisle, and there were shelves full. I probably stared for a second with my mouth agape… and then I realized another lady was looking intently through them. So I did something slightly rude: I started to grab random Pyrex from the shelf and stack them in my cart. I’d sort later, but I wanted to claim as many as I could.
My rival and I quickly made amends. She did not call me out on my rudeness (to be fair, a lot of rudeness happens at this particular store). When we both ignored a particularly ugly print, I laughed, “it’s so ugly!” and she replied, “The uglier the better.” I told her about my incredibly ugly Cinderella bowl that’s tan, with brown speckles and brown mushrooms, and how I just love it, and she laughed, “I think I have a trivet of that!” By the end of the shopping trip, I had relinquished half the contents of my hastily gathered cart, and she had volunteered a few pieces that matched the ones I wanted to buy. We had become Pyrex buddies: crazy together.
I ended up with a healthy cart full… 12 in all. I couldn’t pass them up. Almost every single one is in perfect condition, and when one is smooth to the touch on the inside and without scuffs on the outside, I simply must give it a good home. Plus, it was two days after my birthday: I had no chance at trying to deny myself a splurge.
I already have a good collection of Pyrex bowls and casseroles. I hate to call it a collection, but I don’t think I can deny it after this trip. I try and keep them in constant rotation in my kitchen: mixing bowls, salad bowls, casserole dishes; and when I have a group of friends over for dinner, I love using an assortment for serving. I try and keep as many as I can from collecting dust – even though the insides are shiny and white, they look even better when loaded with food.