The Skirt My Sister Said I Didn't Want (People Who Don't Get Thrifting.)

Bummed. I just typed this whole blog, then somehow deleted it.  Here's the condensed version. 

I've been super busy with a pop-up shop that I was invited to join just three days before opening. It's looking good.  We rearrange everything every week or so, which creates even more work.  But it also creates more awesomeness:

Now if I weren't so frustrated right now, I'd explain how all this came to be, but that will have to wait for another time.  (It was really well written, btw...)  When I get over the loss of about 300 additional written words, I'll fill you in on how the shop is going.  In the meantime, if you're in the Chicago area, I'm at 2045 Ridge Road, Homewood, IL. 

The other thing I explained in great detail, but now I'm too angry to do it again, was how this outfit came to be.  It has to do with my sister telling me that I shouldn't buy this skirt.  "You don't want that" is what she said.  She knows nothing, at least not about how awesome a fuchsia pencil skirt with an elastic waist that fits me really is.  But, she knows now! 

My hypersensitive neck wasn't having it today, so while I know I needed a necklace with this outfit, I let my wrists do the talking.  I'm never without tons of bracelet options.  The clutch is a vintage 80's thrift store find. Two bucks! The Tottyblu "vintage" bag is a gift from my niece. She's an excellent source if you catch her on a closet purge day.  The pointy pumps were thrifted from Savers' a few weeks ago.  It's been awhile since I've been seen in a pair of closed-toe pointy pumps.  That shoe stretchy stuff they sell at Walgreens' actually works, FYI.  The shirt is another Dina cast-off (I think I've gotten all of my black tops, skirts and dresses from her.  She loves black and she's fickle.  Score for me!) 

AND since I lost my original post, you'll be spared my rant about how my car has been down more than it's been up these past two weeks.  Oh how I wish I was posting pics of my new car, but a girl can dream...

Meanwhile, in addition to selling vintage clothing, furnishings and home decor, I'm working on some original pieces for a holiday gift show.  And now, I must say goodnight because there's a shot of NyQuil on my nightstand with my name on it.  

Checking In!

It's been nine days?  Really?  So much catching up to do, so let's get started!  

First of all, my  "first line of defense" didn't work out quite as expected hoped.  It may have kept the moles away, but SOMETHING out there really liked it.  I found cinnamon on the driveway although the little packet was still stuffed next to the house, and the whole packet was removed from a flower pot in the front yard.  Cinnamon and peppermint appeals to some nighttime visitors.  Back to the test kitchen/lab.

Unexpectedly, I was asked to drive to Nashville a few days ago. I like to drive, but this was a quick trip.  I was there for exactly 24 hours.  That's a lot of driving in one day but I did just fine.  I even found time for a couple of thrift store stops.  Goodwill is everywhere--and I intend to visit all of them.  

I had a birthday on Sunday (5th) and I celebrated by sleeping in, choking down eating another one of my son's birthday/Mothers' Day breakfasts, and not getting dressed until 2p.  I went downtown Chicago to see a play and it was good--weird, but good--"Smokefall".  My sister went with me and fell asleep immediately.  But it really was a good play!  I got lots of gifts, texts, phone calls, and Facebook well-wishes.  I didn't have much time to think about it because I was on the road by Monday afternoon.  I attended the Dove Awards and it was soooooo much fun!  I had a seat right up front for all of the entertainment and the performances were amazing.  I only wish they'd given out those "swag bags" that they give out at the Grammys.  The only swag I got was a bag of chocolates.  But then, I really wasn't supposed to be there so maybe there's something I don't know....

And now for the really important stuff.  I mentioned Goodwill and yes, I hit two on the drive home.  A week before that I made a couple of trips to my local favorites, Unique and Restoration Ministries.  I had one goal in mind when I went to Unique a few days before my birthday.  Find something amazing to wear to that (weird) play.  I found an amazing striped skirt and amazingly enough, I didn't take any pictures!  I'll fix that this weekend.  I did take pictures of these:

 I found this 14 inch tall handcrafted stool and I love it because it's so much nicer than the one I bought from Menards' a couple of years ago.  It's taller, wider, and it didn't break when I stood on it...Handmade will always be the best!

 This is the official Grandaddy of all enamel pots.  This thing is big enough for a turkey!  I LOVE it!  Isn't it beautiful?

This big ceramic bowl had to come home with me.  It's big enough for four packs of instant oatmeal, even though I stop at two, it's dishwasher and microwave safe, and it's well made.  AND, it has cows, including the little one at the bottom that greets me when I finish my oatmeal.  I used to collect cows and it got a little ridiculous.  Now I only buy them when they're this special. 

At 15" tall, this is a really nice piece!  This calls for a YAY ME!

I also found two vintage leather trench coats, several ugly holiday sweaters, and this beautiful vase with stand, for just .50!  Yes, that's cents...  

It's been a busy week--I missed you guys!  Holla, or as they say in Nashville, Holler Back!

Pray and Relax, Relax and Pray...

I've been dreading a court date that I had yesterday.  Not because I'd done anything wrong, but I still just didn't want to go.  A month ago that dread turned into real physical symptoms and I was in excruciating pain.  My daughter went in for me and told the judge that I was sick.  I was relieved that she did this for me, and I enjoyed the next two weeks but by week three I knew I was looking at two weeks to go before the rescheduled date.

About four days before court I decided that I would in earnest, try letting go of my fear.  I prayed and read my Bible, and tried to convince myself that I was no longer concerned.  It wasn't until the night before that I really felt like I didn't have anything to worry about.  I spoke at length with an attorney friend of mine, who after all of the legal advice said "Girl, just pray!".  Okay, I think I'm seeing the light.

I actually went in very relaxed and confident.  I wasn't intimidated at all, and spoke up clearly, articulately and maybe a little loudly at times.  I wasn't going to be railroaded.  I had my facts and the judge heard them.  Her decision was based on those facts and good common sense.  It worked out as it should have, and though there really is no winner, if there was, it was me...!!!!! :)

A huge load was lifted and going out into the beautiful downtown Chicago sunshine was a bonus.  I didn't have my camera so I didn't hang around too long, but I did indulge in a couple of tacos at Millennium Dogs.  A girl's gotta eat!  I enjoyed the train ride home, even with the guy with the hairy ears sitting in front of me.

I babysat later for my favorite only kids that I still babysit for.  I still miss being with them every day, but I manage.  These two are the only ones that I never turn down because they are always coming up with something new and really keep me on my toes.  They're good kids too, and that's a requirement.  Last night, they introduced me to boiled peanuts.  I'd never eaten them and scarcely even heard of them, but they directed me on how to heat them in the microwave (90 seconds exactly, they told me) and how to eat them which means "don't eat the shell!"  It was a little weird for me, but they were actually good!  Tastes like chicken potatoes.  Seriously.  Removing the shells was more work than I wanted to do, but I would likely do the boiled peanut thing again.

We baked cookies too, which I ate too many of after the kids went to bed.  In the middle of a pretty good Lifetime movie, the parents came home with souvenirs from the wedding they'd been to.  I immediately opened the little mason jar candle to take a whiff.  "Oh you can have that!" Mom said.  The little mason jar candle was actually a little mason jar wedding cake, and after I'd stuck my nose in it, of course it was mine.  That worked out too, because I shared it with my daughter when I got home.  It was really, really good.  I should sniff people's stuff more often.

So I'm up and at 'em today, finally getting the kitchen ceiling painted.  I'm almost there and I can't wait to decorate for Christmas.  My decorations have been stifled for the past two years, being in an apartment for one holiday, and at my Mom's for the next.  I can pull out all the stops this year, although I still have way too much.  I've downsized into about 1200 square feet less than I used to have, so I'll have to figure out what to leave in the storage bins.  Or I could just put it all out anyway, but that might be tacky.  I try not to step into tacky-land.  I hope in my excitement, I can recognize the difference.

Okay, it's time to clean up and put everything back in place, now that the painters are gone.  Oh wait, I do need to explain about the cat. 

So, the other night my son came in about 40 minutes before curfew.  He stopped in my room to talk to me and just as I was sitting up he stopped talking and said "what is that?!"  I swear, it looked like the shadow of a man's head peering right into my bedroom window.  We waited a few seconds because we were both scared, and the "head" disappeared as soon as I said "that's not your shadow?"  I went to the living room and looked into the yard and saw nothing but a black cat on the sidewalk, looking at the house.  This was AFTER I called the police.  At least they know who I am now.  

First Line of Defense.

I hate pesky pests.  I'm hypervigilant about trying to scare them off before they scare me.  I've heard that strong smells will help keep them (by them, I mean mice, moles and shrews--rodents) away from my home.  I'm basically paranoid about this since I used to live on a wooded lot and would occasionally see a mole or shrew (something furry and fast) in the family room or the basement.  During my last year there, I started seeing them every few months.  I was terrified and couldn't wait to move.  I recently saw one behind the garbage can behind my house and got busy right away.  I do not want that thing in my house!  Nor do I want to ever see the skunk that spent about an hour rooting around my front yard a few weeks ago. I really didn't mind the fighting ducks (all three of them--I think it was a lovers' triangle) but for the fact that they were really loud and I was trying to sleep. I tried sprinkling cinnamon around the foundation of the house, but it just blew around and put brown marks on the sidewalk.  I thought about the cinnamon pine cones, but they're not too easy to find right now.  I guess the point is to make your house as unattractive as possible, i.e. no smells of smothered pork chops wafting under the door and through the windows.  Mask that smell!  Last week I read that peppermint oil works great, so I loaded up a spray bottle with peppermint oil and water and got to spraying.  Now, while entering my house is a peppermint-scented joy, the smell doesn't last long and I'm sure the neighbors were wondering why I was spraying the side of the house and the back door.  Several times a week.  Sometimes twice a day.  That, combined with the picture taking, outfit changes, placing flowers into old purses and bringing more and more furniture in has likely got them wondering just what the new neighbor is up to.  

I went to a garage sale last Thursday and found (of course!) lots of things that I "needed".  Like these tea bags.  At the time I wasn't sure what I would do with them, but making tea wasn't the first thing that came to mind.  Today, as I stared at the box, I had an idea.  And here it is!  

I put about two tablespoons of cinnamon in each tea bag, rolled it up, then doused it with peppermint oil.  

I forgot that the oil didn't have a shaker top, so I poured a lot of it.  Half the bottle, maybe.

After the first one, I just kind of rolled the cinnamon filled tea bag in the puddle on the counter. 

And I stuffed them around the foundation.  Voila!  We'll see how this works...

I also put a few on the windowsill outside my bedroom.  Apparently there's a black cat that likes my yard too.  (More about that tomorrow, but it involves the police.  That's all I'm saying.)

I love making stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Best Laid Plans...

I had my weekend all planned out but one look at Estatesales.net changed all that.  I saw a sale nearby that had an overflowing inventory of the most unique things I've ever seen.  I rearranged some stuff, got up on Friday morning, and for the second week in a row, my battery was dead because of something dumb that I did.  Not to worry, I said.  I don't have anywhere that I have to be.  It was overcast and chilly and I was happy to just huddle under the covers with my laptop and get some work done.  Around 1p and fellow vendor called me about a vintage flea and that's when it hit me.  I forgot about the sale!  Calling for road service was futile at that point because even though they get there quickly, I was looking at a 2:30 arrival for a sale that ended at 3:00.  I consoled myself with ice cream the thought that tomorrow was another day.  

This morning I was up early.  I had enlisted my sister to go to the sale with me and she was honking the horn at 8:30.  I was there just as the doors opened and for the first time ever, I waited in line.  Not like waiting because I showed up too early, but waiting because even though I got there when it opened, I was already 40th in line.  Wow.  I almost turned back, but I'd seen the previews, and this sale was worth the wait.  Or so I thought.  

I had fun joking around and trading stories and advice with the other people in line, who were mostly vintage sellers.  I keep thinking the market is going to get too saturated, but I guess if the fans and customer base keeps increasing, there should be enough business to go around for awhile.  Fingers crossed...

The antique phone booth was being loaded into a trailer when I arrived, as well as a few more amazing items I'd seen pictured.  So far, the ability to buy, transport and sell anything of this magnitude is way out of my reach and I'm not so sure I'm interested in selling on that scale.  But that phone booth would look absolutely awesome in a store so while I don't think I'd sell it, I could certainly use it someday.  Sigh...

But, back to reality, I did score some great things, which of course, I'm torn between selling and keeping.  That's the problem with only buying things that I love and would love to have with me for all eternity.  I just can't buy something that doesn't appeal to me, even if I know it has a high resale value.  I have to look at it until it sells, right?  So in keeping with my trend of finding amazing things that I want for myself...here's part of today's haul:

I love scarves.  I only wear them occasionally, or tie them on my purse because I really can't stand anything around my neck.  I used to be a headscarf wearer, then my head got bigger.  Someday I will return to my head wrapping roots.  Anyway, I bought quite a few.  Upon closer inspection of the ones pictured here, I discovered that one is a Versace and one is Salderini which the internet tells me is a big deal.  Salderini scarves are sold at the Art Institute's gift shop. 'Nuff said.  I just bought it because it appealed to me.  I should give myself more credit for having a good eye : )  The vintage sweater was just cute, the little boy's sweater is new with tags Munsingwear and oh so tiny and preppy. I think I have a nephew on the way, so that may have been a wise decision, not just an aesthetically-based one. The black and white scarf is signed, but I can't make it out.  Yet.  The baby kimono is one of two that I bought, and the slip is just because it Wacoal and Wacoal ain't cheap!  Except at estate sales.

Nice labels.  Not that I care.

Kimonos are hot right now.  I only know that because I follow a blog--Thriftanista in the City, and she says so.  So I bought two kimonos.  Not the swingy, smoking jacket type, but real "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" kimonos.  They're beautiful and that's my only rationale for buying them.  Mother/Child kimonos.  Somebody has to want them, right?

I was stoked, then saddened by my 4-part decanter.  Yep, store and pour four different beverages from one bottle.  Stoked!  Lost two tiny glass corks on the way home.  Saddened.  Went through the garbage with my bare hands and still didn't find them.  Maddened.  Disgusted.  Grossed-out.

The small platter (which I was told was Fiesta, but I can't find the pattern) was purchased solely for the color.  I'm a turquoise/teal fan, especially paired with red.  It has the tell-tale Fiestaware rings, so I'm hoping it's legit, but if it's not, no worries.  It's a keeper, as in I bought it to keep. 

I decided that these were banana split dishes, although they were in a cabinet with a collection of corn holders.  The shape could go either way, but those would have to be some enormous ears of corn.  I'm going with banana split dishes.  It sounds better when you're planning to give them as a gift.  What 20-something couple uses corn holders?  

These plastic snack dishes are clear and sparkly and plastic and come in their own box.  I love 'em!  Seeing them reminded me that I have a set just like this, in tortoiseshell.  Somewhere.  Oh bother. I don't entertain enough to keep them, especially when I already have a set, so Etsy anyone?

Never too many refrigerator dishes.  Well maybe that's not quite true,
but at this point, I only have six and that's not enough.  Lots of leftovers...

Delightful! Delovely!  As soon as I got home, I found a set of four matching plates to this cake stand set.  Now, do I buy the plates or sell the stand?  So pretty, but it doesn't match anything in my house and I eat my cake right out of the pan.  But I'm thinking that with the plates, this would make an awesome gift for someone who appreciates great quality and great graphics.  The plates are $40.  I see a barter in the works. 

 And then just to round it out, I found a few more things:

Longaberger.  I can always use another basket. 

The picks would look so cute in cupcakes placed on that stand up there!

I'm all about the vintage barware.

Silky, fringy, expensive scarves.  They just feel expensive. 

Oh yeah, they are expensive.

And yes, my thought was right.  This sale, long lines and all, was worth it, so much so in fact, that I returned a few hours later for a few more scarves, another dish and other stuff that I can't even remember. Phase II coming in November.  Apparently there are four storage units to empty.  If there was a phone booth in the house, whatever can those storage units hold????????

Oh yes, I just remembered.  I bought a toaster which I totally needed, and this gilded coffee mug, fit for a queen.  Oh yeah...that's me!