What a Year!

I was reading a friend's blog, where she counted down her top 10 thrift finds of the year.  She finds far more fabulous things than I do, and I can't imagine how she got the list down to ten.  I've decided...I CAN'T DO IT!  But I am going to try anyway.  Here goes:

This amazing vintage Soure handbag.  Quality, classy and fun!

I bought it last year, but sold it this year.  I got a great price for it, which definitely boosted my morale at a time when I was thinking that maybe this online selling thing wasn't going to work.  I sold it to a lovely and talented artist in Chicago.  I don't go out enough to need something like this, so I finally took it out of the pillowcase I'd been storing it in, and let someone else have at it.  With nary a bead out of place, this was an amazing find.  I've only seen one like it.

I found this huge, rugged and gorgeous doctor bag at a garage sale.  For $1.  I hated to part with it, but this is just the kind of quality vintage item I want to be associated with.  

After selling this extremely cool set of luggage, I saw the remake of the movie "Sparkle".  There was my set of luggage being loaded into a taxi.  I felt so legitimate!

This vintage adornment from a bridal gown.  I grabbed it as I was leaving an estate sale.  They told me to give them the one dollar that I was holding and call it even.  I experimented with placing it on a purse, a sweater...nothing quite worked.  I ended up selling it for a nice profit.  More importantly, some beautiful bride had an authentic vintage addition to her dress.  It was in pristine condition.

The sofa.  My first place, post-divorce was a lovely two-bedroom apartment.  The windows!  The floors!  The ceilings!  The crazy landlord!  I couldn't stay more than a year due to the latter, but it made for a great setting for hundreds of photos and really helped me advance my online presence.  Grateful.  This gorgeous couch also facilitated meeting my friend Ellie, a master upholsterer in Florida.  We bonded over this couch, the near-twin of one she had reupholstered.  Superb quality and style.  Perfect for this room.  I almost sold it, then had a change of heart.  It's in storage now, but I can't wait to find another "perfect" spot for it.  

My first pair of Prada shoes.  I know little about labels, but I knew that these shoes were special.  They ended up being too tight, so I sold them.  

My first vintage martini set.  It was in amazing condition, with the swizzle!  I sold it, and have continued to buy, collect and sell vintage barware ever since.  It it definitely one of my greatest pleasures.  I can hear the Playboy theme song every time I look at it.  I can see Hugh Hefner.  Eewww...

Tiffany perfume bottle.  Great story behind this company.  Lovely filigree sleeve, and it still smells good after 40 years.  SOLD.

A keeper.  This huge enamelware pot has been the home to many a soul food dinner.  I get happy just looking at it.  BTW, I got rid of all my cookware when I moved, then replaced it with vintage from the thrift store.  It fit perfectly into my vintage place, and my vintage budget.  And the food tastes better, I swear!

I bought this table at an estate sale for $5.  It has been decoupaged, tableclothed, and has served as my office, dining table and craft table over the past year.  I love this table.  I really do.  I did my taxes for the first time at this table.  

And that's ten!  And I am only into May!  I have another seven months of thrifting to sift through.  Stay tuned...

Caped Crusader!

As reported yesterday, I gave a bunch of winter coats away several months back.  It was the middle of summer, my apartment didn't have central air, and I was having a hot flash.  A major one.  It seemed to last most of the day, but I guess there was just a succession of them.  I was miserable and I happened to open the hall closet door and see wool, down, and fur.  Fake fur.  Anyway, I kind of lost it, and put all of them into bags and took them straight to SA.  

It got super cold much earlier than usual this year.  Last year on Thanksgiving it was 60 degrees.  This year, I don't think it was even 20 and it went downhill from there.  I spent all of November in a leather jacket layered with a sweater or two underneath.  I looked like an eight ball.  I searched the thrift stores for a coat, trying to stay away from wool since I'm allergic to it, but if I found one I really liked, I figured I'd just keep a safe layer underneath.  It didn't matter since I found nothing.  Thrift shopping has become a bit of a craze, so there's additional competition that didn't exist before.  I'm not happy about that.  Even though I'm the hot flash queen, I have to say that I was really getting cold and almost bit the bullet and went the "R" word---Retail.  Just before I caved, I hit the jackpot at Savers.  I found a down car coat, almost exactly like one that I gave away, plus a wool blend, Austrian made cape.  I was really excited about this.  Easy to wear.  Room for layers.  Instant chic.  My size.  YAY!

Free shoes from The Free Store.  Vintage Trotters!

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I was too cold to take my hands out of my pockets so I couldn't model it, but I carried this $3 estate sale purse to church yesterday.  

I've had it for a couple of years and finally got around to using it.  It's so pretty--no??

With two days left, I'm in good shape for Christmas.  I have a few more things to buy, but what I have bought is wrapped and ready.  I'm looking forward to chilling out tomorrow.  I got this!

The Countdown Continues...

I'm having major computer issues lately.  With the wifi not working here at home, and the desktop I'm using being old and slow, I haven't been writing much lately.  I'm going to try and remain patient so that I can stay connected to everyone--I'm going to use this dinosaur.  This post will be short because I'm sure that I'm not all that patient.

Today was a great day for feeling Christmas-ey.  Well, the whole weekend was, really.  I finally got on the train with my kids and visited Macy's to see the windows, the tree at the Walnut Room, and then over to Daley Plaza to get some roasted chestnuts at the Christkindlmarket.  It's not Christmas without these little traditions that my 16 and 22 year olds still enjoy doing with me.  I even got a mani-pedi while I was there.  Pink fingers and green toes.  Yep, I went there.

I got in some shopping early yesterday, before the effects of too much walking the night before kicked in.  With my aching feet propped up, and my aching back still aching, I settled in for some Christmas movies, gift wrapping and Christmas Blend Hot Chocolate.  Somewhere in the middle of it all, I helped my daughter with costumes for the Christmas pageant at church.  I never made it to my niece's annual Christmas party and it looks like I missed an epic one, but then, all of her parties are like that. 

Church today was great!  After service we had a potluck and pageant, and my daughter did a great job with the kids.  Christmas really should come twice a year...there's just too much great stuff going on to have to wait a whole year for it to happen again.  I finally got pictures of the green wool cape I thrifted a couple of weeks ago to replace the closet full of winter coats that I gave away one day when I was having a crazy bad hot flash.  Just looking at them in the closet made me nuts.  Someone asked me for pictures today and I happened to have them!  BUT...I can't post them right now because of the aforementioned computer issues I'm having.  I'll be up and out early tomorrow and I can be found at either Panera or Starbucks.  The library opens too late.  And yes, I have someone coming to resolve the issues, now that I have finally accepted that I can't figure it out myself.  

I topped off the weekend with a movie...a pretty bad one, but as always, entertaining.  Yes, I'm talking Madea, and this latest movie was just as nonsensical as the rest, but I did laugh a lot.  What could be better?  Now that I have everything wrapped (keeping my fingers crossed that all the online orders come in tomorrow), I've made several jars of cocoa, several plates of reindeer cookies, and even tried to make a scarf, (Never learned to crochet) I'm feeling that much closer to a no regrets holiday.  Of course there will always be a few things I didn't get around to.  Tonight, I'm making paper chains.  Why?  Just haven't done it in a really long time and it's always been one of my favorites.  I definitely miss working with kids at this time of year.  The glue!  The glitter!  The "holiday red" construction paper!

I have two more days to "get it in!"  Here's to trying!

The Secret Is Out!

It's been over a week since I posted, so I guess I'd better make this good.  I have decided as penance, and as a gift to all of you, I'm going to release the recipe for my Christmas Blend Hot Chocolate.  It's not for the feint of heart (or palate).  This cocoa packs a spicy kick.  I love it, and just about everyone that I've shared it with loves it too!  Get your pencils and paper and take down the ingredients:

Packaged hot chocolate mix (no marshmallows).  Either 10 envelopes, or the equivalent if you buy it in a can.  I use the envelopes.
Ground ginger, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar. Also black peppercorns and sea salt crystals.  I buy both in a grinder.
Vanilla flavored powdered coffee creamer.
Peppermint candy, 30 pieces.

Open 10 packages of hot chocolate and dump it into a large, covered plastic container.

Measure and add the following:

2 heaping tablespoons of ginger
2 heaping tablespoons of nutmeg
2 heaping tablespoons of cinnamon
1 heaping tablespoon of cumin
1 tablespoon (not heaping) of freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon (not heaping) of freshly ground sea salt
3/4 cup vanilla flavored coffee creamer (powdered)
1/8 cup sugar

Add crushed peppermint candy  (Place unwrapped candy into two ziploc bags.  Using a kitchen mallet, or in my case, just a plain old hammer, I crush the candy just this side of powdery.  Some small chunks give the mixture a nice contrasting color.)

This should yield just enough to fill a pint-sized jar, with enough left over for a couple of cups for you to enjoy while you wrap your gifts.

Completely off the subject, but dinner's important too!  If you know me, you know chicken is always a great idea.  

I hated cabbage when I was younger.  I love it now.  This was SO GOOD!  The steam was steaming up the camera lens, but I had to take a picture of this beautiful veggie that never seems to make you feel full.   

So that's the big secret.  I think the cumin is what throws most people off.  Try it and let me know what you think!  

Checking It Twice!

This year I've decided that I'm giving gifts from my own online shop, from the stash that I've yet to list or that I've made with my own two hands.   

I want to give unique, fun gifts, and I love to create.  Even though I'm getting down to the wire, I am really excited about this chance to come up with something special for everyone--something that none of them are expecting.  It also makes sense for me.  Why would anyone want to shop at my store if I don't shop there myself?  I think I generally shy away from vintage items for my family because for the most part, they don't share my passion.  It also seems like a cheap cop-out.  I finally overcame my fear of being called a cheapskate (finally, as in just a few hours ago) and am going to promote my business while giving out amazing, thoughtful gifts, presented in a unique and professional manner.  Next Level!

On my short list are vintage barware, painted furniture, and food.  There are definitely a lot of mason jars in my future.  Think hot chocolate, spaghetti sauce and lights.  Tomorrow is space organizing and shopping day.  I was pretty much putting everything but the absolutely necessary on hold until I move, but nope.  Christmas comes once a year, and it moves at lightning speed.  I'm not waiting 'til next year.  I'm getting creative now.  From the gift to the packaging, my signature will be all over everything.  I'm not going to worry whether they will like what I give because they'd be nuts not to.  

I'd be nuts to worry about nuts.  What I am worried about is this:


  That -7 is me.  Not good shopping weather, but with no end in sight, I'll be out in it wearing two pairs of pants, two pairs of socks, two pairs of gloves...yes, that would be me looking like the Michelin man.  If you say "hi" and I don't respond, it's because I can't hear with those two pairs of earmuffs.  

Another Thrift Haul...and a very good one at that!

I got this great leather skirt for $6.  I got the chiffon top for $2.  Yes, I'm at it again...my daughter has "too many clothes", says she.  Funny, she doesn't appear to be too distraught about this newest addition to her wardrobe.  

Or this one...a very pricey Magaschoni suit that I picked up for $15.  New with tags.  The sequin top is retail from Forever 21. It added about $15 to the tab.  The clutch is free from a swap.  Cheetah print boots found at Goodwill for $7.  We fight over them.  Today was her turn.

 \

This H&M suit is from an estate sale.  I can't even figure the price since it was a $10 bag sale.  The blouse was a freebie from this summer's "hoarder house".  I think.  I'm losing track.  The aqua sweater and H&M plaid skirt are from Unique.  Seven bucks total.  I done good. 

Cabi tweed coat, $5.  Love the lining.  Casual Corner cashmere sweater.  Freebie.  New with tags.  Gotta love a wealthy and stylish hoarder.  

The wool skirt is J. Crew, $3.50 at Unique.  The Baby Phat bag was a purge from my niece's closet.  Ralph Lauren boots...I can't even remember where but you'd best believe that they were less than $20.  

By the way, this is last week's haul.  I think I'm hooked because I was back at Unique today.  I got a velvet Nina Ricci for a song...LaLaLaLaLa!!!!

More about that later...another day, another fashion shoot.  

Homework?

I started a class on Monday and I'm ready to quit!  They expect me to read?  I mean, not Hemingway, Steinbeck, or even Grisham or King.  No, they expect me to read six chapters in a textbook.  I am not happy--and there are no Cliff's Notes.  The self-proclaimed "Queen of the Shortcut" doesn't have a solution for this one.  I just may have to read those chapters after all.

My daughter has the opposite problem.  Her bosses are complaining that she's "too thorough", writing a paragraph where a sentence will do.  I tried to explain to her that if she writes more, they have to read more.  Most bosses feel that their job is to give you more work, and don't appreciate you trying to flip the script.  And no, they don't respond by realizing that they've been overworking you.  They retaliate by giving you more.  I know, it's messed up.  She has now been told to take two days off to keep her from accruing overtime, all the while sending more e-mails with more assignments.  It's only Tuesday and she'll be even more behind when she returns on Friday.  She has also been warned not to work off the clock.  This is quite a dilemma for a 22 year old since she's afraid that she'll be in hot water for not getting the tasks done.  I constantly remind her that this is just the beginning for her--certainly not her life's work.  Consider it a job for which she will get a paycheck, and that's it's only a small part of her life.  If it gets to be more than that, then she needs to make some adjustments. 

I can't break my Christmas streak--my one day streak.  I made cookies last night.  What can I do tonight?  The Hallmark movies don't count.  Too easy!  They are simply mood setters.  I still have to MAKE something.  Oh wait...

...I have six chapters to read.  After that I will add a few more rows to my crazy yellow scarf.  

21 Days to Go!

I Love My Shortcuts!

I felt like eating soup today, and didn't feel like making any.  I love clam chowder, so I decided to embellish it.  It tasted great!  Here's the recipe:

Two cans of Chunky Clam Chowder

Three soup cans of chicken broth

One cup instant rice

3/4 cup potato flakes

One cup frozen corn

Two frozen crab cakes

Black pepper and parsley (lots of it)

Heat the soup and broth, then add everything else.  Heat it thoroughly, making sure to break up the crab cakes and any clumps of potato.  It was hearty, satisfying and delicious.  And easy, of course.  If it's too thick for you, just add a little water or broth to get it to the consistency you prefer.  I stretched two cans of soup into a meal for five!

Later, I made these cute reindeer cookies that I saw on Pinterest.  I improvised with chocolate covered pretzels, but I think I'll use regular ones next time.  They look more "rustic".  I couldn't remember the color of the eyes, and ended up with a bag of M&M's that had NO BROWN ONES.  They look much cuter with brown eyes.  I realized this after I looked back at the picture.  I should have looked before I went to the store.  Notwithstanding the deviations, they came out really cute and I'm so proud of myself for getting an early start on the festivities.  No baking, easy assembly with just a few ingredients, and they're adorable.  

I started trying to use my new old "Looper".  My skills haven't improved.  I have a four foot, twisted yellow band.  BUT, I'm sticking with it and I'm determined to have something recognizable by Christmas.  I'll keep you posted on my (very slow) progress.

December 1, the Countdown is On!

I love making Christmas gifts for several reasons.  The cost factor is a given.  I also like to come up with something that's unique and I know that a specific person will love.  I don't want my stuff regifted! I have a great hot chocolate recipe that I make every year for my family and friends.  I will definitely do it again this year (a five year tradition--all traditions have to start somewhere), but not everyone likes it.  I found this recipe for Kenyan Chai Tea on the blog, "Thriftanista in the City".  It sounds delicious and I can't wait to make it.  To simplify, I think I'll do like she did and go to Mariano's for the ingredients.  I don't know if you have one in your city, but it's a "moodier" version of Whole Foods--at least that's my take on it.

Speaking of the Thriftanista, she recently featured me and some of my "finds" on her blog.  Here's the link: 10 Questions.  I was very excited to show off some of my favorites.  

Pink suede pants, $3 at Unique. Cheetah print boots, $7 at Goodwill.  Leopard print top, my niece's closet.  Mink stole, $15 estate sale find. BTW, this is my first and only fur.  Not sure if I'll ever wear it in public--I don't want to get doused. 

Dress, $3 at Village Thrift.  Sweater, $3.50 at Unique.  Hair clip, $0 at The Free Store.  Boots, a rare retail purchase (a moment of madness), $80.  Not shown are the two bags I was deciding between.  A teal and black leather shoulder bag with a map of Africa and a Kenneth Cole mint green leather bag with brown satin lining.

On second thought, I will show you, but pay no attention to the dazed crazed expression on my face:

I love both of these bags, but the lighter one wasn't the match for the sweater that I thought it was when I bought it.  Still, it is in amazing condition and I love it.  And it only cost about $4.  The "Africa" bag is sueded leather and it cost a mere $3.50.  It's my bag of choice these days.  I'll swap it out for something else next week.

And yes, I will be sharing that hot chocolate recipe before Christmas.  Maybe you'll want to make some of your own.