Thrift Score Thursday 118

Happy Thrift Score Thursday, friends!

You didn’t hear from me earlier this week, but I promise it’s because I’ve been working on several posts that I don’t want to rush – sometimes I just have to let things percolate, but I think it makes for better posts when I do!

My Finds:

Yes, I know I shared my living room mantel with you last week and highlighted my vintage obelisk collection, but I saved the best story for last – the history of the antique oil portrait…

Everyone, meet my great great aunt Dorothea.

Really truly, this is an actual portrait of my grandpa’s aunt Dorothea.

I came across it in my grandparents’ basement last summer when my grandma asked me to look and see if there was anything I wanted, and my aunt and uncle were kind enough to hand deliver it to me on a recent visit!

This is now one of my most prized possessions, both because I just adore it as a work of art, and because it’s such a neat family heirloom.

My sweet grandpa, who recently passed away, was very close with his aunts growing up and I treasure the opportunity I had to hear his stories and memories.

I’ve also done some digging on my own, and thanks to various news articles, here is what I have pieced together:
(You can also do your own reading at your leisure by searching for “Dorothea Antel” and reading all the old newspaper pieces that come up!)

Dorothea Antel was a young Vaudeville actress on the rise in New York in the 1920’s.

One night, she slipped on the stairs outside her dressing room backstage and fell and broke her back. The injury paralyzed her from the waist down and confined her to bed inside a metal jacket in excruciating pain for the rest of her tragically short life.

In order to support herself, she started a little mail order stationery and gift shop business from bed. Surrounded by salvaged trappings from her old dressing rooms and her four pet canaries, Dorothea earned herself the nickname “The Sunshine Girl” from newspapers around the country thanks to her cheerful outlook in the midst of her suffering.

From the St. Petersburg, Florida “Evening Independent”:

She smiles as she dictates orders and recites her philosophy to those who would hear: “Time heals everything. Time will heal me.” And you who are broken only in spirit might well listen to this patient, all encompassing, sermon from one hopelessly broken in body.
— Gene Cohn, NEA Service Writer

Apparently, she even received a Christmas card from the Pope with his blessing, a rosary, and a medal inside!

Just, wow.

I can’t tell you what an experience it has been to research and read about this amazing woman, but I can tell you I feel extremely honored to be related to her and so inspired by her example and worldview! I like to think that her irrepressible hope could somehow have trickled down to me as well, and her trials certainly put my own struggles into perspective.

If you have the chance, I can’t encourage you enough to do some digging into your family history – you never know what treasures you might uncover!

#ThriftScoreThursday Features:

And now for this week’s features, lovingly chosen from my weekly date with the #thriftscorethursday feed on Instagram.

Don’t ever underestimate the powerful serendipity of thrifting! Jess (@jesslittleton) found a cart-full of handmade pieces from her favorite ceramic artist, The Pursuits of Happiness. And they are just dreamy!

Feast your eyes on this gorgeous brass-based table Layne (@thejonesfix) scored for just $20! It’s reminiscent of Mid Century designer Warren Platner, but I’m loving this spin with the concave diamonds.

My thrifting soul sister Erica (@ericareitman) shared these fabulous embroidered pillows that she found for $3 each at, wait for it, an estate sale at Keith Urban’s tour manager’s house. #namedropping #sojelly

You know I love a good thrifted art collection! Mila (@mila_jestcafe) gathered these pieces together from flea markets, thrift stores, and estate sales over the course of years and her patience seriously paid off! Here they are, looking absolutely meant for each other on her kitchen shelf:

I just love the washed and weathered colors in this photo from Elise (@wellsheltered). She found the wool blanket at a local thrift store for $20 (seriously, you guys?!) and hauled it around the thrift store in 94 degree heat – now that’s dedication!

@love_recycled made out like a bandit at a local thrift store’s tent sale (which I’ve never heard of before, but absolutely must attend one day!), nabbing these vintage Drexel cane-back chairs for $15 each and the rattan table for $2.50!

Finally, let’s all take a moment and admire this gorgeous shot from Fiona (@around_houses). The Mid Century dining table was a Gumtree (UK classifieds) find and it’s the perfect addition to her stunning dark dining room space!

#ThriftScoreThursday Facts:

Simply post a picture of any recent thrifty find on Instagram using #thriftscorethursday!

• You can share any thrifty finds with us – whether they hail from a thrift store, Craigslist, estate sale, garage sale, side of the road, or apartment dumpster! The fun, the funny, the awesome, the odd – this hashtag party is open to all!
• Feel free to use #thriftscorethursday any day of the week! We’ll be keeping up with the hashtag all week long to find our favorites for the following Thursday.
• Each week, Cassie from Primitive and Proper, Corinna from A Designer At Home, Maggie from Maggie Overby Studios and I will pick a few favorite thrift scores to feature! So please understand that by linking up with #thriftscorethursday, you are giving us permission to share your finds via social media or on our blogs.
• Please note that we can only see photos shared by public accounts, so if you have a private Instagram account and we haven’t been showering your finds with love, it’s simply because we aren’t able to see them.

Our guest host this week is Karen from Copper Dot Interiors:

Karen has such incredible style and thrift finds – AND she’s even taken thrifting a step further by diving into flipping adorable vintage houses! So excited to see what she’s sharing with us today!

Be sure to check out the finds and features from Cassie, Corinna & Maggie!