Did a lot of cleaning

and no thrifting. But I thriftily found some things I had forgotten about:

70s family

Very heavy nursery frame with field mice and balloons.

You me and ours bar set.

And, because the Easter bunny brought me some new craft punches (bless you, Martha Stewart), I made some nursery art for friends of ours who are having a baby. They have a gender-neutral woodsy themed nursery, and I liked the idea of making a very colorful tree.

I spent a lot of time cleaning and trying to get things sorted for the Mother of All One Day Yard Sales...hopefully coming this May to a yard near you...my yard...

awesome.

 

Have you heard of Recite? This site will turn any quote into an awesomely designed poster for you. FREE ART! YAHOO! I like it.

Two weeks at a time

This week and last, on Fridays, I have gone to Goodwill. This week, I took my sister, and we bought some clothes (I just got a shirt), and I also got this butterfly:

It's a little trinket dish, made in Japan, just the sort of thing I love to buy and sell! Last week, also at Goodwill, I had picked up a couple of Alice + Olivia dresses, which, if you don't know the label, they are super duper expensive. When I brought them home, I tried on the bubble party dress, and I thought it would look good, but it didn't, so I'm selling it on Ebay. I also found a Fiorello clutch, that had the tags still on it, but I gave it to my sister to use at a wedding, so I took the tags off and I'm selling it used on Ebay:

I also picked up these Brandani salt and pepper shakers that I thought were older, but upon further inspection, I realized they were fairly new. I may sell them on Ebay, they've never been used.

 

I also picked up this Baas vase, which I thought was pretty:

And I got this owl napkin holder, which I've had and sold a resin version of before:

 

This week, I've set a goal to list one thing per day, totalling 7 for the week. I'm behind in listing, I'm behind in cleaning, I'm behind in laundry...I'm ahead in unicorn sightings, and I heard a lot of dirty jokes this week, so that's something...

 

Stopping by the Thriftasaurus...



Happiest when making things...

I've been using picmonkey to create printables for the library. I made this little note for my bear, and I think it is adorable. It's in a very small format here...but I have it in a larger one if you'd like to print it out yourself...
Things at work are the pits right now. I try to remember the great parts of my job instead of dwelling on things I can't change. One of the great things is that I get to make stuff all the time. That's awesome. Even if sometimes it's just flyers.

Treasuries!

I will admit, I have not been working as hard at etsy stuff. I haven't been hustling, which is what you have to do. Maybe I've lost my mojo, or my love for it. I'm not sure...

I've been cleaning out the basement, and making bins for a one dollar, two dollar and three dollar table for my May yard sale. I think we're getting a little overwhelmed with things, and, if I'm not selling, then I can't be buying.

So for the next few weeks, until my May garage sale, I'll be hustling on Etsy and Ebay - to see if I can love it again, or I should try to get rid of as much as possible that I don't find to be REALLY beautiful or useful. I love planters, and tins, and always will find uses for them - it's just that I know other people will be so happy with them too!

I didn't buy anything this weekend, but I did buy things AFTER I posted last weekend.

This is a VERY dirty vase I found at the Only-Open-Sunday-store:

And this is after I cleaned it:

It does have some mottling, but I think it is big and Beautiful! It's a USA vase, and I think it's awesome.

 

I also got this footed planter - Kidney shaped Brush - for sale.

I also bought another planter (surprise) and a piece of California pottery for a buck! sweet!
In other news, my dogs:

fin.

Not Buying, Just Listing...Well, buying a little...

I've been trying to clean out some things. I'm not sure reselling is the best thing for me, anymore. So, I'm trying to dig deep into my reserves, get things cleaned and start mega listing. Here's some things I've had stored up:

 

A giant GIANT roll of vintage trim. Some of it's a little stained, but I don't think it matters. It's pretty thick too.

A McCoy apple planter. It's sold already, actually. About 12 hours after I posted it, I got an offer for it!

A Murano glass bowl. I've tried to sell it on ebay. I'm not sure if my pictures always come out unenticing because it's so pale, so I put it on some crazy fabric.

And yesterday, when I was not supposed to be shopping, I bought this Limoges bud vase for 4.00. Limoges! for 4.00!

Turns out it probably wasn't an amazing buy, but chances are made to be taken, right?

 

Linked up to Sir Thrift a Lot!

 

Yesterday, just in one hour...

Yesterday, I went bowling. I had a photo shoot for an engaged couple in the morning and then we went bowling for Shannon's birthday. It was nice. Then Katie and I stopped at a thrift store that was still open at 5:00 on a Saturday night. And I saw these:

And I had to have them. The big one is over a foot tall and weighs more than 2.5 pounds! I like brass animals!

And I got this:

 

Pretty awesome. And then, because we were out, and we were "kind of" by it, we went to Goodwill. There were a LOT of people there - more than I would think at dinnertime on a Saturday night. I did manage to score a Claire Lerner dish:

 

and a couple of other cool things. Right now, I am cleaning the house. One room at a time. At 7AM this morning, I was on my hands and knees scrubbing the kitchen floor. I figure that house cleaning is almost free exercise. That's the way I tried to think of it. And if there's something gross under the fridge, it's my extra muscle-y scrubbing exercise. It worked for a little while.

A few things I missed

I was sick at Christmas. The whole family was together, and I couldn't miss it, but Andy and I sort of came late and left early for all of the activities.

Here's James and Tristan. James looks grumpy, but I don't think he really was.

Here's me and Seaniebear. He was in a time out, but I didn't know, so we took a picture together.

Tristan and me! She is a silly little thing, and gave me Mike n Ikes out of her "candy Belly"!

This is the ice cream truck that Santa brought James! I'm sure Santa had a great time making it from an old Cozy Coupe! Santa would have liked to know that Universal Spray Paint and Primer doesn't always work with Little Tykes Products, but sometimes Santa finds out things by trying to do them!

All in all, it was a great time, with an Ugly Sweater party, good decorations and a very pleasant Christmas and New Years. I was sick, but happy, and I'm happy to be not sick anymore!

Planters Galore

Kate and I traversed to Somerville, NJ to see if we could replace any of her tin toys that quickly rusted from the Wretched Storm, Sandy. I bought a lot of planters and pottery!

 

Judy of California pottery - sort of a burnt orange big bowl!

More California Pottery with a top! Teal-y blue and perfect condition

 

Mint Cookson Pottery - also from California. This one is mint green, but it has a LOT of manufacturing errors on it - places where the glaze is messed up or the pottery itself is messed up.

I already had this Italian planter - it was so interesting looking - MidCentury for sure!

And a periwinkle nursery planter - a baby buggy with roses, so adorbs!

 

Spring is coming.

Merry and Happy

and Joy to the World. Peace and love and all of it. Christmas is a time for family and I am blessed with an abundance of awesome people in my life! I'm very lucky.

Just a Few Things

Things are crazy. I guess I say that a lot.
We moved some items from the library into a little room with a couple of laptops, and we're trying to have a little something open for the public. It may be a short time or a long time before things get back to normal, and I can't wait for that to happen. In the meantime, we're trying to make it work.
I've been trying to clean the house, and fix a lot of things, and decorate my pop's house for xmas. I'm sort of a grinch, but I'm trying to keep a happy face, because it means so much to him. I did stop for a couple of things yesterday, at the special Only0Open On Sunday Store:

I can never resist a tin. I love the graphics on this, and it's pretty clean inside!

A USA planter, cabbage-design. I never met a planter I didn't like!

A California pottery bowl, I have to look up more about it.

 

And these, Santa pants! They're about the size of a stocking. One of my best friends lost all of her awesome collectibles in the flood. I'm giving her this, which is spectacular, with a set of tiny doll-size kitchen cannisters that I got from Ebay, and a voucher for an out-of-town antiquing trip!
It's been a weekend of good news and bad news, and I'm hoping the week gets a little better for everyone.

In Which I Ask You a Favor

I knit a lot. I love knitting. I've tried to crochet, but I just don't get it. I can't make it work out.
As you know, the town I grew up in has been pretty devestated by Hurricane Sandy. There are people who still don't have power (30+ days)!
My good friend Shannon is putting together a special project - Operation Sandy Claus, where she and her crew will put together stockings with treats and hygiene products. She reached out to me to see if we could mobilize the fiber artists to make scarves for these awesome giveaways!
I have a few beautiful scarves that I have made for craft fairs, and I'm in the process of making more. Do you have any you could spare? They are looking for gender neutral scarves for adults and kids. We would be grateful for any knit/crocheted scarf you could send our way!
We need the scarves by December 20. You can send them to: 6 Watts Place, Valley Stream, NY 11581.
Thanks, if you're able to help. If you can't knit or crochet, nag your bestie who can. or your mom. or your bestie's mom.

In Which it is The Pinnacle of Selling and I am Unprepared

I showed at another craft fair. Andy says no more. I work really hard to get everything together, and Long Island doesn't appear to be my place to sell things. I do okay online.
Everything's crazy. Hurricane Sandy cleanup at the library is really hard. It's still a lot of physical work and my poor little out-of-shape librarian's body is unhappy about the whole thing.We're starting on the fifth week of all of this stuff, and everything's off. Andy's schedule is kind of back to normal, and I'm working 9-5s, which is unusual for me, as I used to work different times almost every day.
Now, Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone and I didn't have time to really get myself together for it. So, I'm afraid I won't sell as much as I wanted to.
Some recent additions:

Shiny Brite Ornaments

Vintage polish ornaments

An awesome Murano glass bowl. It's beautiful and it has its sticker! I don't know a ton about glass - I've just picked up things I think are pretty. But it's definitely something worth looking in to. I listed the bowl on Ebay, hoping it will make someone the perfect present (and right quick!)

 

Now, for something completely different:

A long time ago (months), I bought this tumbler/vase. It is white ceramic and it has deers in a forest on it. I thought I found some answers about its maker, but I cannot find the info again! Anyone know anything? It was made in Germany (from the partial sticker at the bottom) and it has a mark I haven't been able to match.

Thanks for any help you are able to provide, friends!

Also, use the coupon code SWEETDEALS for 10% off anything in my shop - vintage or handmade!



So

This hurricane was the pits. We have power, but many of our friends are devestated. The amount of water and trees and power lines is unbelievable. The amount of garbage and sewage and fall-leafy-crap is astounding. The gas lines, the crankiness, the food shortages, the un-powered - it makes it spooky and weird.
My family is safe. My friends are safe. We have many friends who are homeless, staying here until things start to even out. My papa comes for the day, but goes home for sleeping in his own bed. We have four dogs here, and I'm getting used to them all following me around like I'm their shepherd or something.
The library, where I work, is soggy, and has no power, so it may stay soggy for a while. It's sad to see so many people who I see every day, patrons or friends or neighbors, who are having such devestating life problems. The businesses were water damaged. The schools were severely water damaged. So many facets of people's lives are ruined, and it's hard to conceive.
Sometimes you feel like, "well, at least my job's okay" or "at least I have my home" or "at least there is running water". Well, a lot of people don't have any of these things - and kids who would've escaped the sadness around them at school, can't, because their school is a mess. It really stinks.
I'm lucky. I have my home, and am lucky enough to be able to open it up for anyone who needs it. I worry a lot, because my husband and one of our friends work for utilities, and so they are working really long hours in dangerous conditions (and to top it off, people seem to be mad at them!) I try to make sure that they have food when they come home, and clean clothes and stuff. I don't feel in control of anything, and my life is good, so I can only imagine the stress of people who are in trouble. My biggest hope is that gas gets here soon, because it seems to be the thing that people are getting craziest about, and I'm extra grateful for all of the people- utility workers, policemen, firemen - who are trying to keep everyone safe (even from themselves)

In Which I'm Running Out of Time

Some weekends are lazy, I hear. But I haven't had a lazy weekend where I wasn't on the floor with the flu in a long long long time. I was running running running, but I did get to one estate sale on Friday and the ever-famous Only Open Sunday Afternoon store on Sunday.

I scored these angels:

They are tiny and like an all-blond choir-y spice girls.

 

 This rocking Royal Haegar vase is pretty awesome. It's a drip vase, and it is a very bright chartreuse:

 

 These ornaments were made in Poland and pretty much sold as soon as I posted them:

 I listed these bottle brush trees this morning and they already sold! I have to list the REST of my bottle brush trees. But I love them so! Maybe I'll keep a set...but I'd really want to keep about 100, and I only have, like, 20.

I think this picture is really adorable. Something about its tinyness makes me want to squee.

Happy week. I'm getting sick. This weekend I'm getting an amazing haircut, so I guess I'll see you next week when I look like a glamorous movie star...

In Which I Don't Have a Lot of Pictures of Stuff, But I have Some Pictures of People

I'm a little stressed out. Things are moving at quite a fast pace for me. I like to be busy, but I don't like to be busy and cranky, and lately I've been feeling that way - like I don't have enough time to enjoy what I'm doing, and instead I'm trying to force in all of these things I don't want to do. And things are hectic at my house, with schedule changes and trying to eat better (not going great) and trying to hang out and get a billion things done. But, it is what it is.
I went to the Goodwill Pound Store. Are you familiar with this? Van had mentioned it, and I knew I had to find one in our area. And there is one in Sunnyside! Queens! Pay by the pound! yayyayayayyyay! I was on my way on Friday, and my steering wheel was a little shake-and-bakey and I ended up driving to the mechanic instead for some costly repairs. Katie came with me on Saturday, though, so I had a partner!
There's etiquette there, special etiquette, and Katie and I had to spend some time to figure it out. You get a shopping cart, and then, if you are walking away from it, you drape a sheet or something over it, so people won't look through it! We violated this when we came in, and were a little bit outcasted for a while. They have some housewares ( I got a few ball jars), some bags ( I got 3! of the above flight bags from the British Overseas Airway Corporation), I got some clutch clutches, and a Guess dress, a couple of Brooks Brothers sport jackets (anyone a 42?) ties, and some pants. All of the clothes are unsorted, so you have to take your time and go through each bin. Then, all of a sudden, a dude says "Everybody to the front of the store" and you have to wait behind a red line while they put out new bins. Then, everybody runs towards them, grabs whatever they can, and brings their stuff back to their carts to go through. It was madness. And we loved it.
The night before we celebrated my Pop's birthday.

There were babies to kiss

Candles to blow out!

A human Jungle Gym (jungle andy?)

A fort to play in (a.k.a. under the dining room table)

And a birthday song!

Happy Birthday, Papa!!!