Triumphant Treasures

This past weekend we journeyed to the East Avon Flea Market.  It was a bit drizzly so we hit up the Barn Flea Market down the road first.  Part of it is indoors.  I have no idea what the real name of this place is.  It's in a barn and I've always called it The Barn Flea Market.  It's very...earthy.  A Slice of America type place.  The vendors come from who-knows-where and sit at their booths with a wide variety of wares.  Jewelry, books, toys, coins, and some very fine vintage pieces and even a rare antique or two.  My friend bought a few vintage scarves and was rewarded handsomely with a free sample bottle of shampoo from 1992.  It's the kind of place where anything can happen.

The bracelet made of Italian coins was $2 at The Barn Flea Market.  For some reason I really am attracted to coin jewelry.  It's so crafty and cute to make a souvenir from your leftover foreign change. 

The other items in the photo are from the East Avon Flea Market.  I can tell right now that you are super jealous of them.  They were culled from a booth that was about thirty cardboard boxes on the ground, filled with treasures.  And by that I mean that I think the people running the booth were tasked with cleaning out a relative's garage or basement and just hauled everything to the Flea Market.  Just like I like it.  

I cannot describe to you the joy of digging through someone else's garage/basement/attic refuse.  It's the thrill of the hunt.  The uncertain certainty that treasure lays buried in those boxes and is just waiting for the right hands to unearth them.  Gives me the tingles just thinking about it.

I love toys.  Vintage toys, mostly.  That tiny red plastic mirror was probably sold in a blister pack with some fake plastic lipstick and a comb or some such.  For like thirty cents.  Finding it at the bottom of some box of old discarded crap?  Thrilling.

Then came the dog ornament.  Dog/angel ornament.  For he does have a tinsel halo, but alas, no wings.  Because then he'd be perfectly trippy.  Right now he's just sitting smack dab in the middle of Japan and Dr. Seuss' love child land.  Come on, that face is all Cindy Lou Who (who was no more than two) and the fact that he's wearing a jaunty cape embellished with a star is something out of a Sanrio dream.  Look at his crazy cotton candy hair and ears!  Just look!  Amazing.  He's thinking about how excited he is to adorn my Christmas tree this year.  Can't you tell?

So, In Summary

As my late, great grandfather once said to my mother, "You Look Like A Goddam Gypsy!"

I Love Garbage

Stop Picturing What A Child Of The Grinch And Hello Kitty Would Look Like

Just A Tinch

I went to a really satisfying church sale last weekend right before going to a really satisfying beer outing at the zoo with some ladies.  Yep.  You heard be correctly.  Rochester sells tickets to people to visit the zoo after hours and drink.  Now, if you are anything like me you worry about certain types of people mixing those two things.  But, it turned out to be a really great time and nobody (that we saw) dared anyone else to climb into the lion's enclosure.  Thankfully.  Just as they were closing up shop it started raining a whole lot and then there was a gorgeous lightening storm the whole drive home. Good times.

So at this sale I got a few things for myself.  Which isn't happening a lot these days.  I'm either becoming a whole lot pickier about what I bring into my home or, OR I've already got everything.  I'm leaning toward that last one. The good part is that a tiny little thing can make me as happy as a whole bag of stuff would make the next guy.  

Let me introduce you to Sour Grapes.  She's a Strawberry Shortcake baddie and a member of my small but hopeful SSC minis collection.  I only have 9 pieces.  For me that is a tiny little collection.  She still smells awesome, too.  That was one of the best parts about Strawberry Shortcake toys.  They smelled like delicious 80's heaven.  And the little shoes.  And the pets.  OK, there were a lot of great things about them.  Of which the smells are one.

I suspect the ornament is vintage Hallmark and I have a matching Santa one.  Which makes me wonder how many of these delights were produced!?  Which makes me hopeful and giddy.  And also a little excited for Christmas decorating.  Notice I said decorating.  I'm not ready for that weather yet, nohow.

So, In Summary:

Friends Don't Dare Friends to Climb Into The Sea Lion Tank Whilst Singing I'm A Little Teapot

Christmas Is Coming, My Collections Are Getting Fat

Muppet Time

We went on vacation to the shore last month.  Generally there is a healthy amount of shopping that happens at the shore.  This year the pickins we slim, but I did find some Muppets.  And, as I'm sure you know, Muppet shopping kicks regular shopping's butt every time.

First let me show you this awesome charm that I got.  It's not Muppets, but it's still adorable.  A tiny little bubble gum machine!  For my charm bracelet!  How freaking sweet is that?

Onward towards Hensondom!

The ceramic group in the middle is a salt and pepper set.  It has magnets to pull them all together as a group.  Then there is the Fozzie Disney pin!  Woo!

Then this weekend we went to the Public Market yard sale days and I found a treasure trove of Muppets!  The Bear in the Big Blue House stuff cost me $1 and the Miss Piggy finger puppet (Found by the husband, thanks babe!) cost 50 cents!  Ahhh...summer.

So, In Summery:
Yes, I'm a Grown Ass Woman Who Still Loves The Muppets

What Three Dollars Will Get Ya

A few weeks ago (I'm a little behind, so sue me.) I went to a sale in a neighborhood called Pumpkin Hill.  One of the main streets is called Sleepy Hollow.  Yep.  A lot of older people live there so I generally find some awesome stuff.

This year it was raining.  That's because it's been raining pretty much every single day since April. Dear upstate New York, enough already.  Now go to your room and think about what you've done.  So, what with all the rain, all the rain, there weren't many people holding sales this year.

I spent three dollars and got three amazing things.

Dollar #1- Vintage Green Paper Lamp Shade.  This item was marked "Make Offer".  So I did.  And I won.  Then the husband and I devised a way to hang it from our ceiling fixture.  Yes.

Dollar #2- Gorgeous Pink Feather Fan.  I mean, just look at it and try not to drool.  What will I do with it, you ask?  I'll wait for the right moment and then BAM!

Dollar #3- Amazing Reversible Raincoat Which Is Nearly Just Like The One I've Been Coveting For Years.  The one I had when I was a kid was green and navy blue with whales.  It looked like this. (Alas, that one has sold, and not to me.) So, this one was one dollar and my size and I'll use it until I find Moby Dick.

In other news, my mom just graduated from college.  It wasn't something she was able to do after high school but something she dearly wanted.  So, she did it.  She made it happen.  She worked full time and went to school for years.  And finally this June, she graduated. To say that I'm proud of her is the grossest understatement of the year.  She's brave, she's smart, she's amazing.  She's my mom.

 (My mom and her mom.)

So, In Summary:

$3 and a Dream

My Mom, My Hero