Two weekends in a row now, I have set out to buy one thing in particular and never came back with that item.  Last Saturday I got a little bit of a late start, but still planned to make a nearly two-hour drive to meet up with a couple who have a lot of dress forms and mannequins.  The traffic on I-290 was insane and I gave up after I'd been driving for over an hour and was still in Chicago.  Instead, I went to the Economy Shop in Oak Park, IL, a charming city that was once home to Hemingway and Frank Lloyd Wright.  The Economy Shop is housed in a old house, operates with a staff of volunteers, is open just once a week, and is always full of great deals and surprises. There I found an antique clear resin trivet with dried flowers inside.  I was always intrigued by the lucite and resin jewelry, souvenirs and other decor items that were so popular back in the 60's.  How in the world did they get the flowers inside?  I really remember being crazy about those things and even now, as I collect lucite, I am still enamored of the pieces with the "floating flowers".  There are artists who are still making clear resin jewelry today, but of course I'm always far happier if I find an authentic period piece.

Yesterday, I was supposed to be heading 45 minutes south to an estate sale.  There were pictures of head vases all over the place, and if you read my blog yesterday, you know that I have been wanting one for quite a while.  Well, I decided to start with an estate sale right here in town.  On the way there I saw a sign for a garage sale.  On the way to that garage sale, I passed another one.  Needless to say, I never headed south and never got my vase.  I did however visit a great "blast from the past" 1930/40/50's house, filled with over the top furniture and clothing.  There was even a "wig room", a small bathroom that held nothing but a large mirror, a sink, and boxes and boxes of white wigs.  Oh  yeah, this lady was a glamour girl from way back and was apparently still concerned with her image.  It was like an old Hollywood movie, full of Hollywood Regency style furnishings like a gold filigree wastebasket, a round bed with a gold padded headboard, and glittery gold curtains.  I did not take my camera.  Forgive me.  I put about 25 dresses and bags to the side, then later went through them all and picked out what I could realistically afford.  One thing I wasn't leaving without was this fringed, floor length gown and black feather-trimmed coat.

Yep, I went all Gatsby and brought home this over-the-top ensemble that doesn't even fit me.  It will hang on Gertrude (the dress form) until I decide to sell it, or until the feathers floating all around the living room give me an asthma attack.  Let's hope I sell it first!  I've posted this outfit to Facebook, Twitter, and now here. I am loving it.

I also bought a gossip bench, which needs some love but it won't take much to make it shine.  I'll be posting before and after pics.  Overall, the house reminded me a lot of visiting Houston when I was about four, and going to my cousin Maude's house. She had grabbed hold of the opulent style of the 30's and 40's and wasn't letting it go.  Back on 14th Street however, my mom was already embracing clean lines and minimalistic design, although  there was always a vase of plastic roses on the dining room table.  I hadn't thought about plastic flowers for a long time until just now.  I'll have write about them soon.  Oh yeah, I'll definitely need to do that.  

Memorial Day is tomorrow so be sure to spend some time remembering (and honoring) your loved ones, and especially our troops.

I have plans to take advantage of 50% off day at Goodwill and have lunch with a couple of friends.  But of course, that's just plans.  My track record of following through with plans hasn't been so good of late. Who knows where I'll end up?  Whatever it is, I'll be sure to let you know.