Who Am I Kidding? June 22, 2008

Here is what summertime REALLY means to me:

Yard Sales! With a few rummages thrown in and an estate sale sprinkled here and there!

Yesterday was a fruitful day. My big little guy and I had took some time to ourselves and we hit the sales.

All the old guys and I scoured the garage at our first estate sale. It had been striped of all the vintage tools by the time my son and I got there. I did come up with this beauty. It will go well with the orange shoe shine stand my brother gave me a few years ago. Check out that wooden container for the shine!

I picked this up at the same estate sale. 1 dollar. I think it was a salt or pepper shaker at one time. It’s heavy and delightfully bug eyed. I am smitten.

I also picked up these cameras for 8 dollars a piece. I’ve got a collection going now. Mostly vintage super 8s with a few cameras sneaking in.

I also got these books at a thrift store last week. I’m going to do a separate post to share their illustrated goodness.

I rescued this vintage textile from a yard sale.

It’s not exactly my style (I AM a sucker for orange) but I feel like it was lying there, indignant at the low price tag stuck on it’s rich fibers, calling for my help. I’m a saver.  Anyone know where it’s from?

My soon to be 6 year old passed by the plastic toys and went right for this at another yard sale:

He asked the woman having the yard sale how much it was and she said, “Are your parents interested in this?” Like I was using my kid to try and get a lower price. I didn’t want to offend her with what I was thinking, “Are you freakin’ kidding me? That is not going in MY living room!”. So I assured her it was all my boy’s idea. He bought it for 5 dollars and repeated a number of times throughout the day, “Isn’t it beautiful mom?” He’s hooked and I could not be more proud.

The Thrift Whisperer June 12, 2008

The store called me today, the kind of call that doesn’t need a phone. The textile portion of the store was one score after another. I went looking for something to hang at the end of the hallway to try and stop the cool air from escaping and found a thick plain white cotton curtain with big ole grommets at the top. It may have been a shower curtain in another life but will be perfect in the living room doorway. I also went looking for a some sheets to sew together and make a light summer comforter cover. Our current cover is dark brown with black circles and I love it but I’m feeling like something a little lighter would be good for summer. I found this and it’s already sewn on three sides. I just have to put on some button holes or more than likely, sew on some velcro to make a closure. I really like the colors and the swirly flower pattern that’s not too sickeningly floral. And then I came across these vintage gold brocade curtains. Yes! I am not usually a big brocade gal but these will do nicely, if not in the bedroom then somewhere else for sure.  edit:  This IKEA comforter is so scratchy.  Going to have to keep looking…

As I was jamming the stroller with all this yardage, I spied this little beauty on the floor in the children’s section. I grabbed it and took it to the register to ask the price. The guy asked if it was worth $5 to me and I said it WAS marked up with crayons and so he said, “$2.99?”!!!!!!!!!!! SOLD. It also came with some wooden doll furniture and a sofa set that looks like it came from the doll house thrift store.

If you think this house is really cute and would be great in your kid’s playroom, you should probably stop reading as we have big remodeling plans for this house. She is going to be turned into a HAUNTED HALLOWEEN HOUSE! Think black paint, spider webs, blood red shutters and many more spooky surprises. We will have to do something terrifying with this television. Maybe a tiny print of this photo taken at the zoo yesterday. It was in some weird little closed off cabin. My big guy said, “That is creepy!” and I immediately thought of Lost. It’s my nod to Jacob’s Cabin:

I will share the photos once we’ve finished, closer to Halloween. I’ll also share the story of how I went from a “it’s a manufactured, commercialized, sugar-filled’ Halloween hater to a full on Halloween enthusiast.

Hold your breath.

edit: Tone check. I’m totally mocking myself. I reread the title and along with the end of my last post I was afraid I was sounding like I was getting too big for my own (thrifted) britches!

Money Well Spent June 5, 2008

We’ve had a rainy couple of days here and as you may have discerned yesterday, in the battle of grey day vs my camera, grey and cloudy kicks my butt every time. And my homemade light box had lots of spunk but not much light. But I just can not wait to share these scores.

I got most of these gems from Charlie and Pat’s (their big sale is this Saturday if you are local). A few are from a recent church rummage sale. I toy with the idea of getting a tattoo from time to time, and really, deep down I know it’ll never happen. But the word Rummage tops my current never gonna get it tattoo list. I also keep a mental list of punk band names and you and I both know that will never pan out. Maybe someday (maybe this summer?) I’ll open my own junk shop and there will always be rockin’ tunes playing and classic Bollywood clips showing and craft circles craftin’ in the back room with tattooed types lingering amongst my riches. It’s a nice daydream. Let me see if I can get an etsy shop up first or manage my first eBay sale. Baby steps.

I picked up this vintage weaving loom, primarily for the graphics. I was also impressed it had a boy on the cover. Maybe he was able to weave a toy gun cozy or something. Whatever he made, I’m sure it was lots of fun!

I wrongly imagined our stairway to be light-filled and photogenic and yet still I will show you this darling mug. As you may have read from my previous post, Spelling Lesson, (I’ve always wanted to reference myself) I am not afraid of the traditionally defined “bad words” but I do, however, feel like washing my own mouth out with soap after merely typing the word, “darling”. Please excuse. But she is cute, right?

I got a whole series of these wonderful cookbooks. The illustrations deserve to be set free from the binding and framed but I have a hard time cutting into books. I’ve done it a few times but it feels illegal.

I also got a huge plastic orange tray and the smaller purple one you can see here with the cookbooks. They aren’t even part of a set, these two trays, but they are perfect together. I had visions of cupcakes and birthday parties when I saw them and for $4 it would have been wrong NOT to get them.

Here are some of the illustrations. Believe it or not, I am trying to edit my photographs and not plaster this post with them all but it’s kind of hard.

I bought this because I am not one to pass by anything touting an E-Z pour function.

This vintage beauty is the only thrift store score from today’s collection. I got her for 99 cents. I do not usually dig in the stuffed animal bins of my favorite thrift store. Mostly because it’s terrifying and sneezy but she drew me to her and now she sits atop a massive pile of crap in my craft room. Not totally unlike her previous residence.

I can’t find any marking on her. Any toy experts know anything about her? I reckon she’s German made but I have no idea.

And here is some cheer to brighten this rainy day. A portion of my collection of thrifted and family tins with a little bit of my childhood doll collection thrown in. These are also in my craft room that I hope to have finished to share with you sometime THIS SUMMER.

I hope you enjoy looking at this crap as much as I enjoying finding it!

Stuff Overload May 5, 2008

The other day my blog stats spiked and I couldn’t tell why. I think I figured it out. I swung by Charlie and Pat’s today (the best thrift store on the planet if you haven’t been playing along) and I saw Charlie hand a folded slip of paper to another customer. Turns out along with a purchase, Charlie is handing out my blog address. Charlie introduced me to the recipient of the blog address handoff, a local firefighter! Another woman in the shop patted my little guy’s head and then my arm and told me she had seen my blog. Thanks for tooting my horn Charlie and a big hello and howdy to all my peeps from the shop! Not who I imagined my target readership to be (hi mom!) but totally and completely perfect. It’s moments like this, that can’t be photographed and cropped, that make my town “beautiful”. This nomad just might be home.

And now on to the good stuff. Some of this is from C&P’s shop and other bits are from a rummage sale I recently hit.

-

Who can’t use a little waxed linen lacing cord and a oven thermometer?

I think this is a vintage handmade knitting bag. The fabric has a nice heft to it and I particularly like the color of the lining. I will be putting this up in my shop, when I have a shop!

This fabric caught my eye. I usually like to work with linen or cotton and this one is neither but I couldn’t pass up the colors and the circles.

This fabric is super wrinkly and much cuter in person. It’s a grey silk with little flowers and pears. 2 yards - $2.

Orange and pink? Every time. I googled Metsovaara and think I got a score.

I bought this mostly because it’s orange but also because it’s “all-powerful”. Another for the shop-to-be.

Ahhhh, can you see those price stickers? On the right are 5 buttery cloth napkins with a beautiful linen one below it. The ones of the left are pillow cases.

Random toys and craft supplies.

These are possibly my favorite of the rummage sale. I bought a large Weis wooden file box and when I got home to inspect my stuff I found these tucked in the box. They are printed by Signal Press in Evanston Illinois, no date. Anyone know what they were originally for? Book marks? They’re seem a little big though…?

I also got some beautiful old books.

This was hidden inside one of the books published by the H.K. Fly Company in 1919. It’s a homemade card/book mark that has sandpaper in the belly of the cat. My favorite part is how stained the book is, looks like this little guy has lived in this book for a long time.

And lastly (phew!) this little illustration is for my brother who was born to sport a fancy walrus moustache.

Thrift Store Book Score April 25, 2008

I’m not always good at taking time away from the kids and doing something just by myself. My sweet one pushed me out of the door the other morning and I spent 5 glorious hours farting around. It was lovely.

The first place I hit was the Goodwill, as any sane person would. It was pretty much a no go for kids clothes but the book bins were overflowing with vintage goodness. When I took my stash to the counter, the previously frowning tattooed chick who rung me up totally admired my taste in books and I quote, “These went out before I could take them myself!” I’m not too ashamed to admit it put a little lift in my step.

I’m still swooning over this ebay find, a vintage toy wash bucket that I’m storing my new finds in.

This is my new favorite old book. Check out the illustrations! I think the first and last book are in Swedish. Anyone know? Katie?

And I hope I don’t get in trouble with the Magicians for sharing the following with you!

I’m not that familiar with the Pippi stories but you’ve got to admire her spunk and style.

Can you see the red hair stuck in the pages of the Pippi book? Hair from a little redheaded fan, a Pippi doll or maybe from Pippi herself?!

(I took these photos in the closet dressed in a Darth Vader costume with my eyes closed. Well kinda.)

Stuff Part 2 April 17, 2008

I’ve been going through the playroom and trying to weed out what I don’t think of as “essential” toys. It’s got me thinking about consumerism and what message I am passing on to my boys, the message that has the greatest impact on them which are my actions not what I say. My kids don’t watch tv with commercials but they’re still inundated with messages of consumption. (I’m editing this to add that I myself am totally and completely addicted to television. I’m owning up to it because I can hear Ted thinking it) I’ve been talking with my oldest about commercials and how it’s somebody’s job to make you think you need something and that commercials/advertisements often try and take away people’s power to choose what they want/need, particularly in terms of gender. I feel like we’ve done a good job of acknowledging when the kids want something at the store, “That toy DOES look like fun. We’re not getting any toys today. Maybe you could add that to your wish list.” or something like that. It really has worked for us and they don’t EXPECT stuff every time we enter a store. I feel really good about this aspect of our parenting.

-


AND YET, there is this back door that is wide open and leaking STUFF into our home big time. Thrift stores, yard sales and rummage sales, you know the drill. One of my first times away from our son after he was born was a trip around town checking out the yard sales. I remember the feeling of freedom and excitement mixed in with the worry of being away from my newborn. My Saturday mornings have really become my time for myself, my time to feel like I’m “providing” for my family, and a way to feel victorious. I love bringing home toys and checking how much they cost new on the internet. The playmobil firetruck for $5, the 2 full sets of color blocks I found at two different sales in the same day for $4 total, and the handmade felt Waldorf finger puppets I got for a few bucks to name (brag) a few. I guess I’ve realized for a while now that it’s the same impact on our house in terms of STUFF and on the boys in terms of CONSUMING toys but I’m also starting to see the impact on my oldest. Wanting more, expecting more. I’m sure some of it is developmental but I have to take some responsibility. Ultimately the kids don’t know the difference between a bargain and an expensive toy right off the shelf. Stuff begets stuff.

-

So I’m trying to find a balance. I still like to hunt and search but I don’t have to buy or keep everything. I’m thinking of opening an etsy shop with funky vintage finds. I think it would be a good balance between doing something I love and minimizing the impact on my family. Maybe that can be my catch, “Fill your house with my found crap so my kids can live simply!” I’ve clearly got a head for business AND advertising.

Here are the toys that I think are the best tools to help my kids with the work of play:

“The maple-wood blocks . . . are in my fingers to this day,” Frank Lloyd Wright (he said it better than I could)

This is my favorite Playmobil family. I think I love these little plastic people more than my boys, and they are obsessed. They’ve also opened up our house to war toys, and that’s a whole other post…

Playsilks and dressup in general. My oldest and I dyed these using koolaid and curry powder (on the yellow). These silks and all the others I could find for this photo have been used to help my oldest become everything from a pharoah to a doctor and have been used in endless games of peek-a-boo with my little one.

Dolls (paper or otherwise) aren’t just for girls. You can see feeding the babies is a favorite pastime while bathing them doesn’t rank as high, much like real life!. (you know I’m holding my tongue about that fabulous thrifted wagon)

(I’ve already posted this photo but I couldn’t find any other’s of the boys using these big foam blocks/mats.) When my little one was born I wanted to find something that enabled both boys to play together even when they were at such developmentally different stages. These have worked great and they keep finding different ways to play with them. In the beginning while my little one was laying on the mats drooling my older one built a structure close by and made the little one a “foreman”. Now there is a lot of jumping from one to the other with a little wrestling thrown in.

And this isn’t a toy but it has been a great solution for making the playroom work for both boys. We got an IKEA bunk bed and the upper bunk, or “loft” as my big guy calls it, is for my eldest and all his little tiny toys that are choking hazards for the little one (who is only now easing up with the putting stuff in his mouth). The bottom bunk is a cozy book reading, pirate ship sailing, guest bed sleeping zone and so far this has worked really well for us.

Sandbox, an oldie but a goodie. Something I remember from time to time is to use things that aren’t meant to be toys as toys. In the sandbox that might be tubes from the recycling bin and in the tub it’s usually a hand mixer and all the funnels from the kitchen!

And to wrap up my list: balls, and art supplies, and music and what’s your AND?

Check out Green Jello she’s doing a great toy week!

Full disclosure, I just came back from Charlie and Pat’s (love them) and I DID pick up a few things. What can I say, I’m a work in progress!

-

Edit: Here’s a new book and a link on the topic:

Wired Magazine talking about Reagan deregulating children’s television (I’m talking to you Tickle Me Elmo) and Star Wars toys. Which is crazy because Star Wars still holds such power, it’s the hot game on the playground in Pre-K and it’s the hotbutton topic among parents who are concerned with the amount of scripted play S.W. can create.

A Banner Thrifting Day April 10, 2008

It was one of those days that make you want to clutch your finds to your chest and run to pay before someone jacks up the price or somebody else just plain jacks you and steals your treasures. That good. This is one of the reasons I wanted to start a blog, to be in the company of people who (hopefully) find rusted tins, vintage pins, hand carved wooden mushrooms and silly old buttons as thrilling as I do.

Can you believe it? Who made it? Who gave it up? How did I get so lucky? 10 cents! The little orange cup to the right is another thrift find, one shiny quarter plus another for the faux bois planter. I will one day actually plant the plants, and you know which kicks I’ll be sportin’! (keep reading…)

Check out the wooden spool, the amazing color combination. Will I ever be able to cut into this? Probably not. $1.00

If it says, “As is” chances are good it’s golden. 25 cents.

These are lovely and make me want to poke something, not repeatedly!

Miss Piggy for President! I’m down.

I love vintage kitchen tools. Anyone have any good ideas or examples of how to display them?

And these shoes aren’t vintage or particularly cool but they fit, they are green and I like to pretend I will garden one day.

I’m striving for the wonderful detail Melissa at Yummy Goods always captures in her photos. Check her out and tell her I sent ya!

Here are the fish I threw back:

This isn’t faux, just plain bois. Why the hammer?

This was the size of my arm.

Random quote from my 5 year old: “Wouldn’t it be funny if there were seeing eye lions for cavemen?”

These were his picks of the day:

Thrift stores RULE! If you think so, join the Flickr Group, Thrift Thursday!

Thrift Therapy April 3, 2008

I was hoping for some good news yesterday and I didn’t get it. But as my good friend Vonda said, “I mean, damn, it’s not like you’re 5. You know the world doesn’t revolve around you and you don’t always get everything you want!” Everyone needs a friend like Vonda!

As far as bad news goes, it wasn’t so bad. I comported myself well and would not have changed a thing I had control over -so what’s a girl to do?

Thrift therapy!!!

I’m hesitant to share my secret spot. It really is my own little Cheers. But if the crowd on opening day is an indicator, the cat’s already out of the bag! So here goes - In the church garage down the street from me, there is an ongoing rummage sale. Charlie and Pat, nicest folks in town, run the biannual church rummage sale and open the garage 3 days a week in the spring for folks to pick from the donations. I’ve been going for years and they know me and my kiddos by name (and just about everybody else who walks in). My oldest son wanted to take the morning off from school to go but sent them a drawing in his stead.

Here are Charlie and Pat standing by the vintage washer, it’s not for sale so don’t even ask!

Here are the gems I passed on (I’ll do a post of my greatest hits another time):

Pink heaven!

Craft goodness at a fair price.

Jet setting John!

I dare you to hang this in your nursery.

This terrifies me.

As does this. O hai, Big Bird!

These did make it home with us (little guy’s choice) and they are much smaller than they look in this photo.

And just in case anyone thinks I’m handling my disappointment in a healthy fashion, here’s a shot of a different kind of therapy!

I Have Seen the Future… March 23, 2008

and it’s on wheels! There was much wheel envy happening at the park today. My little guy wanted all the wheels except his own.

This nice skater kid said, “Don’t worry, I won’t hit her.” They were really patient seeing as we were probably putting a damper on their fun.

My big guy has been waiting to do this trick all winter. He’s working up to doing it one handed. Your untrained eye might not have picked up on the fact that he is decked out in biking gear. He invents an outfit for every task. Dusting, yup - he’s got special gloves. Soccer team that he’s not on, check! He’s turning out to be quite the gearhead. Wonder where he gets that from?

On the way to school the other morning he told me, “I might want to train for the Olympics. Maybe skiing (he’s never been) or bobsledding (this verse, same as the first).” Then he asked, “Do they have special uniforms for the bikers in the Olympics?” and that swayed it. 2020 Olympics, mark your programs people!

He wasn’t the only one experiencing envy. One of the skaters had a sweet little camera!

Thrift brag alert! I got the Community Playthings scooter at a yard sale for $3.00!

Oh, it feels so gooooooood.

This post is my first in REAL TIME. I finally got my camera and the computer working. Apparently they’ve started to fancy each other and have actually started working together. Life is good in the skating hood!

And on an unrelated note. Does anyone familiar with wordpress know how I can change the color of my highlight? When I link to something, it’s a very pretty light brown but it doesn’t have enough contrast. Any help would be much appreciated!

Rainy Day Fabric Finds March 13, 2008

These are perfect rainy day thrift store finds. Beautiful vintage pillow cases, 99 cents each and cozy silk slippers for $1.99.

I love the embroidery and the colors on the slippers. I’m guessing that the previous owner dropped these beauties off at the thrift store after one too many feathers poked her or, a fabulously adorned, his feet. I have a thing about socks, I am firmly anti-sock. So I can take a few pokes from a former chicken if it keeps me away from socks and warms my feet in the process. Plus, $1.99! I mean, really, I would have bought a jock strap in those colors.

Notice I’ve traded in the wrinkly comforter for a piece of foam board. I thought I’d try taking a photo booth photo during the day instead of 3am, which is when I took that dank Channukiah shot. I’m going to give myself points for creative documentation. Creative documentation = making it happen while saving up for new camera.

As part of my quest to post photos without an actual camera, I scanned my favorite pillow case (there were 2 of these)!

This reminds me of an earlier textile SCORE. I happened into a shop (I don’t make a habit of happening upon shops but I really did just stumble in) on the day before the woman was closing and bought this patiently hand stitched quilt/bed spread. Anyone know anything about the style or have a guess about the age? I love the grey with the blue and brown. $25 dollars! I kind of felt like I was robbing her.

Love the imperfect stitches.

Think I’ll go put on the slippers, wrap up in the blanket and wait for Lost to come on. Talk to me Sawyer!