Experience a perfect day of thrifting for a Valentines Aesthetic on a snowy day in beautiful Vermont—vintage and Budget-friendly tips.
Accompany me today for some vintage and thrifty shopping in beautiful Vermont. We’ll find a thrift here and a vintage there. And a bit of Valentines aesthetic, too.
Recently, I’ve been working on designing a vintage blue and white platter wall for over our dining room mantel. I just need four more platters before I can start hanging it all.
So this weekend, I headed out to a new antique shop and an old standby to see what I could find: Thrifting with the Gals.
We had just received a nice blanket of snow, making the ride through the mountains picturesque.
I hope you enjoy it all.
First Stop: Stone House Antiques
When in Vermont, Stone House Antique Center in Chester, Vermont, is my old standby.
Filled with hundreds of dealers at affordable prices.
I was sure to find a few blue and white platters here and maybe several vintage Valentine’s Day decorating ideas, too.
Valentines Aesthetic: Vintage Ironstone
Valentine’s Day decor doesn’t need to be traditional hearts and candy.
I was charmed by how these white ironstone platters were displayed with vintage ironstone pink dishes.
It’s such a cute idea for a dining room table, hutch, or kitchen counter display.
You may enjoy this Romantic Antique Table Setting with Thoughtful Design post.
Valentines Aesthetic: Red Pinecone
Red-painted pinecones caught my eye, too.
How cute would a basket full of red pine cones be on a coffee table, bookshelf, next to a chair, etc., as Valentine’s Day decor?
Pinecones are a favorite of mine to use in winter decor. The natural elements and texture are beautiful.
Now, to find some red spray paint.
50 Festive Pinecone Decor, Crafts & DIY Decorations
You may find more fall and Christmas decorating ideas in this 50 Festive Pinecone Decor, Crafts & DIY Decorations post.
Valentines Aesthetic: Champagne Bucket
A vintage champagne bucket is one of my favorite uses for flower bouquets.
I have one in Maine that I love, and now I have this one for our home in Vermont. I picked up some pink tulips on the way home to display in it. I thought they would be so cheerful with the 5″ snow we expected over the next day.
I don’t know much about the football game that was on Sunday night, but I love this bucket!
And check out How a Penny Can Keep Tulips From Drooping.
Vintage Haul
At this point in my shopping journey, I had collected a vintage champagne bucket, a blue stoneware pitcher, a set of 4 Hartley Greens Leeds Pottery dishes, and a vintage French basket.
The pitcher was selling for $18, and I usually find these for sale for around $79.
The plates were $30 for four. I couldn’t resist that fabulous blue trim!
And well, the vintage French basket, $49.
I thought I was doing pretty well so far! The biggest splurge of the day was the champagne bucket…
Pro Tip
You may also enjoy the 21 Vintage Finds: 4 Days Thrifting in Coastal Maine post.
More Vintage Valentine Aesthetic
There were so many unique Valentine’s Day decorating ideas.
Vintage Tins and Pitchers
Like the simplicity of displaying a pewter pitcher with red flowers paired with a vintage typewriter.
Pro Tip
You may also enjoy the post, Antiquing, 6 Thrifty Finds, and a Lobster Biscuit.
Vintage tins with more red faux flowers on a vintage chippy white chair.
Super cute for display in a bathroom or bedroom.
Pro Tip
You may also enjoy Memorial Day weekend finds in the post, Baby Adidas, Petite Cobbler Rack, & Watercolor Ski Drawings.
Vintage Red Lantern
Do you have a red lantern hanging around somewhere?
How cute would these be decorated at the front door, on a mantel, stairway, etc., for a Valentines aesthetic?
Pro Tip
You may also find inspiration in this Womens Day Gift Ideas | 75+ Blue and White Vintage Ideas post.
Old Paintbrushes
Old paintbrushes are displayed in a red basket.
So cute for a Valentines aesthetic in a craft room, workbench, office table, or coffee table.
Valentines Aesthetic Vintage Art
Accent art that showcases pink flowers or a pink hue is a creative Valentines aesthetic for wall decor.
Pictures like these add so much to a room during the winter months.
Pro Tip
You may find more Valentines aesthetic ideas in these posts:
Valentines Aesthetic Vintage Heart Ideas
Vintage heart cake pans and wall hangings are perfect Valentines aesthetic touches on a door, wall, shelf, etc…
Vintage Soap Dish Inserts
And lastly, I fell for these little vintage porcelain soap dish holders.
Truthfully, I didn’t know what they were when I saw them, but I loved how they were displayed on the wall, and the tag said “soap $5” each.
I imagined them hanging on our newly painted blue and white bathroom walls.
I was thrilled with my finds, but not one blue and white platter…
Vintage Nordic Platter
Until I quickly stopped at a shop next door and found this perfectly sized Nordic pattern platter for just $18, matching these new Dishy Kitchen Hooks You Can DIY in Minutes.
Pro Tip
You may enjoy these best antique shops near me in the post, My Favorite Second-Hand Shops from Vermont to Maine.
Covered Bridge Antiques
I’ve been dying to check out this new antique shop, Covered Bridge Antiques, in Bennington, Vermont.
And wow, it was super cute, filled with loads of vintage ski lodge decor, terrific, friendly service, and hours of browsing time.
Take a walk with me throughout the shop in this video:
Vintage Head Skis
I picked up a handsome pair of black vintage HEAD skis there for just $45.
These black HEAD skis are very hard to find.
A pair that reminds me of my father’s skis when I was growing up.
Boy, do I wish I had his old black HEAD skis today! He was such a beautiful and graceful skier in his day.
Hockey Skates & Linens
Next, I found a pair of small boys’ hockey skates and a set of blue table linens that would match the blue-rimmed dishes I had just picked up.
I’m going to try cleaning the linens first using this Retro Cleaning Solution that someone recently recommended to me, as they have a bit of yellowing on them.
But the entire set was just $18, and they appeared to be all hand embroidered.
See how the table turned out with a Valentines aesthetic in this Romantic Antique Table Setting with Thoughtful Design post.
See how I cleaned these vintage textiles in this How to Safely Bring Age Stained Textiles Back to Life post.
Blue and White Platter Wall
After all this weekend’s vintage shopping, I found one vintage blue and white platter. I couldn’t believe it! I may turn to the internet now to find my platters. You may enjoy my post on How to Vintage Shop Online.
Here’s a sneak peek of the blue and white platter wall as I design it today. I need three platters for a third row, and the blue and white platter I found this weekend will replace the white platter on the end.
Learn more about this blue and white vintage platter wall and how it looks today in this Vintage Blue and White Platter Wall Design post.
Your Guide to an Eclectic Style~
If you have any thoughts, comments, or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you. Please share in the comments below. And be sure to share this blog post link with your friends who are also vintage enthusiasts.
Do you have a flair for all things vintage, too? I would love to see and feature you in our Reader’s Showcase Series. A place for you to share and be recognized for your talents and passion for all things thrifting, vintage, and antique decor-related inspired by your time here with Dabbling & Decorating. Email me at annck@dabblinganddecorating.com
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Today is my first visit to your site. I really enjoyed every item. Last year, I married a wonderful man from Vermont. Looking forward to visiting your state. Hopefully we can also visit some of your favorite shops too.
Hi Mandy, congratulations! Vermont is a beautiful state you will love it! Happy thrifting I hope you find lots of goodies and welcome to the blog, glad you are here!
Ann,
So glad you got some great items. I’ve not had a chance to thrift so far in 2024. But I’m itching to get out there.
Thank you Rachel, I made out like bandit the last couple days. So fun!
Ann, I ventured out today in anticipation of the snow storm coming, not worth skiing so I stopped at a couple antique shops in Rutland. The Red Carrot was a new spot for me, lots of great stuff. Passed on a pair of snowshoes I may go back for. Then The Curiosity Shop, found a cute old white platter, silver salt and pepper, hanging scale and some beautiful wool pieces.. Always a fun hunt for the perfect thing! I So enjoy your posts!
Oh thank you for reminding me of The Red Carrot, I’m going to plan on going there soon. I have to try the Curiosity Shop too. I made out nicely this week in Maine, so fun! Thanks for stopping by Janet!
What an inspiring post! Antiquing on a sunny and snowy day – idyllic! I felt like I was there. After reading the post, I pulled my old heart-shaped cake pans out of the cupboard and put them in a cute display. I had never thought to use them as decor before. Thanks for the pretty pictures and good ideas!
Hi Diana, well I’m so thrilled you were inspired and so happy you enjoyed the post. Happy Valentine’s Day to you and thanks kindly for dropping by!
I do e so enjoy anything having to do with VT. I love it. We have been to Chester & I recall a bowl mill there or perhaps it was in Weston. I love those blue dishes you were fortunate to find. Also those blue linens really took my sye. We have a goddaughter who lives in Northfield. She is a college
prof at Northfield College. I will continue to follow you & I, too, look forward to seeing your plates up on your wall.
Hi Kathy, I love everything to do with Vermont too, LOL! We think alike. I think the bowl mill is in Weston, I’m not aware of one in Chester. I posted the plates on the wall as an FYI. It’s still a bit of a work in progress, but I shared it on Saturday. Happy hunting!
So many great finds and fun ideas for Valentines Day, Ann! Can’t believe you only found one platter, though! Can’t wait to see the wall when it is done!
I know Molly, I couldn’t either. I usually see so many of them. I reverted to Etsy so I’ll be getting the wall up in no time now.
So many great ideas and so many great finds. I can’t wait to see your platter wall finished. It will be wonderful. I love the idea of the red pinecones and that pink dish with the white platters. All so inspiring Ann!
Thanks kindly Kristin!
Hi Ann
What a delightful shopping trip!! Thanks for taking us along! LOVE that basket. I have a full set of the blue onion dinnerware. Got it as a wedding gift 54 years ago!! We use it constantly. Something about blue and white makes my heart sing! I paint Father Christmas on antique sleds and HAVE to plan a trip to check them out. These sleds are so hard to find around here! Thank you for the heads up!! Stay well. Stay warm.
Thank you so much Kathy. You would love the Covered Bridge antique shop if you like old sleds. They were reasonably priced too starting at $30 I believe. And the dishes, how lucky are you to have a full set? I adore the 4 I picked up. Thanks for your sweet note!
I had so much fun reading this post and looking at all the pictured. I’ve never seen so many sleds in one place. I would have bought that platter for $18 in a second!
Thank you Kim, I’m so happy to hear this. Aren’t those colorful sleds so fun? It was such a cute shop!
I love going on these journey’s with you. Whether you buy or not they are still fun. You did very well and out of it all I loved that cute red heart and those pretty linens.
Thank you Marlene, it wouldn’t be the same without you joining me too. It’s so fun to be able to share it all with those who like antiquing and thrifting just as much! Thanks again!
My favorite is the linen set. The colors are perfect and it has nice texture and nubby goodness.
Thank you Debbie. I agree I’m working on a table setting with it today for Valentine’s Day. It really goes with everything so nicely too.
Thank you for featuring Covered Bridge Antiques. I am always looking for new places within driving distance of our Upstate NY home.
I’m so glad you liked it. It’s a really cute place to visit for sure! I hope you like it as much as I did.