Marching

I really don't like when Easter is in March.  It feels too rushed, and always too cold.  I prefer an April Easter.  But this year it's in March and we just have to deal with it.

I hit a few estate sales this month, just to trying to even out the pure joy of a daily dull gray sky. With the addition of a "wintry mix" thrown in a few times a week.  If you don't know what a "wintry mix" is, consider yourself lucky.  And also, I'm moving in.

You know I love the color lilac.  I was happy to pick up these plastic bangles for a few bucks.   I love adding to my bracelet collection!  I'm giving the aurora borealis cluster cocktail ring to a friend. 

These little gems look great displayed with my Jadeite.  I told you that I've made peace with the apples.

I got the apples, the Westie card, and the mercury glass picks for $2.

I finally scored a plaid tin!  I've been looking for plaid tins and red and white candy striped tins for about a year.  I see them in the pictures of estate sales online, but once I get there, they are always gone.  This tin is weirdly thin, only good for holding pencils, probably.  The other side has a scene of the Scottish countryside.  It was originally for shortbread. I got the green bracelet for $9 at an antique store.  I know there is a way to tell if something is Bakelite or not.  I'll have to look that up.  I love it even if it isn't "real."  The shape is great and I love the marbled plastic.  The earrings are clip ons and were $3. I love me some lucite. 

Now for the sad part of our tale.  While at above mentioned antique store, I saw the obviously vintage Hallmark package with the white honeycomb bunny decoration on it.  I scooped it up, and even though it was $8, I bought it.  Not much stands between me and vintage Hallmark.  Especially honeycomb vintage Hallmark.  When I got home I opened the package to see, this blue impostor.  Now, he's cute and honeycomb and all, but he is NOT what I thought I was buying for $8.  He's $4 cute, tops.  The old bait and switch, my friends. The world is an ugly place.

To combat the Growing Gloom (first cousin to The Nothing, from the Neverending Story) I've got my Easter decorations up.  A solid dose of bright yellow, hot pink, and plastic kitsch should solve the problem.  At least temporarily. Until I can get to the tanning booth.  The light coffin.

This is the dining room display.  The honeycomb ball hanging from the ceiling came from Target.  They have a host of great colors.  It was not the only one I bought, as you can imagine.  It doesn't hang exactly straight, but I'm not upset about it.

The wee chicks in eggs came from Target, too.  They are erasers and were found in the dollar spot.  Yes, I am aware that I sound like a commercial for Target.  I can't help it.  Facts is facts.

Check out my new giant Peep pillow!  So bright!  So squishy!  So from Target!  They have all different colors.  I went classic.

I also have Peep lights.  I got them many moons ago.  From my friend.  NOT from Target.  SO there.

Some cute stuff.  Mostly plastic.  With a side of flocking.

Easter shadow box residents.

Cabinet display #1

Cabinet display #2

Cabinet display #3

Livingroom mantel.

So, In Summary:

Little Foo Foo Bunny,

Hopping Through The Forest

Picking Up The Field Mice,

And Bopping Them On The Head.

#whatareweteachingkidstoday

Estatesale Land

I'll tell ya what.  Estate sale land has been treating me right this year.  Especially if I can hit a sale on day one.  Everything is full price, but you get first dibs, and the prices are always pretty reasonable to begin with. I'm putting the work in, pounding the pavement (snow banks) and being rewarded.

Thankfully the cold, crappy weather has been driving people away. Nobody wants to wait in line for a sale in 18 degree snowy weather.  So there hasn't been a line at a sale in weeks and weeks.  It's awesome.

I hit a sale because the pictures looked okay and it was one of the only ones in the area on that day.  There were no signs of vintage Christmas, which is one of the things that will pull me in every time.  I felt like going to a sale anyway, so I took a chance.

I went to the basement first, because if there is any Christmas stuff, it's almost always shoved away in the basement.  Once I got down there (very slowly as I am still recovering from the ankle break in August) I saw things shining and glittering from every wall!  I nearly had a panic attack trying to get to all of them before the three random old men who were looking over the selection of nails and screws.  I'm sure they all had their eye on this shiny green Christmas tree to hang on their wall. Obviously.  It was marked ONE DOLLAR.  ONE!  Then I realized EVERYTHING was marked one dollar!  Panic in the streets of London, let me tell you. I can't show you half of what I got, as they are gifts for the two people who read this blog. (Not you, Ann, don't worry.)  But just know that I got a lot of shiny happy Christmas.  Teal and green and metallic.  I was just ripping stuff off the wall and jamming it into my bag like I was looting the place.  And with those prices, it didn't feel far from it!

I've never found vintage Christmas gift wrapping tape.  But, I found this entire box in the basement of this sale for one dollar!  Look how gorgeous!  Cant' wait to display it!

Can I just tell you how much this tinsel garland with the flocked balls makes me want to weep with joy?  I love flocking. (Insert joke about 'flocked balls' here.)

On the same day, I went to another sale, all hopped up from my luck at the first sale.  Then, they made us take off our shoes.  Man, I hate that.  And not just because the ankle is still recovering and I have to wear a compression sleeve instead of an actual sock.  It feels terrible walking around without shoes in a strangers home, with other strangers.  What are we, at a sock hop?  It puts me in a really bad mood.  I stalked over to the jewelry, picked out two pairs of earrings and got the hell out of there.  The earrings were $5 each, which is a lot for me to pay.

This stuff is from yet another sale.  I'm using the ($3) lily pad dish to hold jewelry.  I'd never seen a long rope of pipe cleaner before!  I had to get it for crafting. ($1)  The jadeite and aqua plaid tea towels were $2.  I am loving plaid these days.

I found this for $4.  It's a vintage craft. I'd seen one for the first time on Pinterest.  I also found one earlier this year that was made of tuna cans.  I would have bought it, but there were holes drilled to hang the ornaments in, but they were too close to the edge of the cans and the ornaments didn't hang in the center of the circles, and it was all attached together so that I couldn't redrill the holes.  But this cardboard model employs bobby pins slid onto the top of each circle and then the ornament slides on that and you can adjust where they hang.  Pretty cool.  I plan to spray paint it green and put only red ornaments in it.

At still another sale, I scored a second cellophane tree!  I plan to give this one as a gift.  I'd never seen one before this year. $3.

This gorgeous Jadeite green and Scottie dog apron might as well have had my name on it.  So perfect for me!  I might use it as a little curtain above my sink. $4

This gorgeous table runner is all for me!  $2.  It's so summery, I can't wait to display it after my Easter stuff comes down.

So, In Summary:

Estate Sales For The Win!