Summer, Summer, Summer, Tiiiiime!

Gawd, I love summer.  I love the heat.  I love the sunshine.  I love the ice cream. I love the clothes. I love the yard sales!

Last weekend I hit up two neighborhood sales and a church sale.  The church sale was a surprise, as it wasn't advertised.  It was just on the way to the neighborhood sale.  And when you find a church sale, especially an unadvertised one, you STOP.

Because you might find the likes of this:

Disney, bendable Kermit the Frog for $1!  One that I miraculously didn't already have!

At the neighborhood sale I got this sweet ass tropical purse for .75 cents.  LESS than a dollar.  It also has a long strap that came with it, in case you want to go cross body.

I just love the fabric!

At another neighborhood sale I scored these adorable 80s heart earrings for a quarter.

I found some other bits and bobs that will end up in my Etsy store eventually.

This week I went to a church sale and an estate sale.  The church sale was no joke.  There was a long line to get in, and ridiculously cheap prices.  People were nearly frantic, stacking stuff up in teetering towers, hoarding.  

50 cents nabbed me these plastic art deco deers (one is missing an antler, but he will be displayed facing the good side.) and the red flocked deer below. I have two of the white deer already, but it's not enough to pull the sleigh that I have with them.  I just love the design of these guys and I'm glad to have found a few more.

When I was younger we had a flocked deer like this.  He started losing some flocking and I got the great idea to paint the areas that lost the flocking to match.  Things went...awry.  Wet things like paint do not mix well with vintage flocking, just fyi. My mother never lets me forget this incident.  So I sent her a photo of this guy today with a rude message.  :)  She loved it.

This tiny flower frog is my first! It was a whole quarter! 

(Not pictured: Some Chinese lantern plant branches that I bought for $1)

Two bunnies, 50 cents each.

 This was my big splurge. Five whole dollars. Hall's ceramic ball pitcher in cherry red. I have a newer Jadeite ball pitcher and I think they'll look smashing displayed together. Though it will take some doing to rearrange things in order to make that happen.  We are reaching capacity, people!

New, In The Shop:

Click on a photo to be redirected to that listing in my Etsy shop.

Gabriel CBS Toys Blue Monster Squeak Toy

I feel like this guy must be from a television show or something.  I just have no idea what it is. At any rate he's pretty Muppet-esque and looks like a relative of some dudes on Sesame Street.  Like the offspring of a Honker and Cookie Monster.

We had a huge collection of He Man/Master of the Universe action figures as kids.  We even had Castle Grayskull and Snake Mountain! These toys are probably one of my favorite T.V. to toy series of my childhood. There is a vast amount of action figures from this series.  Some that include smell!.  Some that include the use of ooze!  Dear lawrd, the 80s were an ooze-obsessed time. 

Rattlor MOTU Action Figure

This guy is Rattlor. (Some of the names were not super imaginative.) He actually rattles and has a button on his back that, when you press it, his neck shoots out to a disturbing length. He's obviously a baddy.  

Whiplash MOTU Action Figure

This is Whiplash.  He's a lizard dude that can knock enemies over with his tail, via a spring loaded twisting action at his waist.  He's also a baddy.

Strawberry Shortcake Christmas Ornament

What a cutie! Why were scents not included with the Strawberry Shortcake ornaments?  That would have been pretty rad.  Such iconic smells! She's pretty cute without it, anyway.  Sitting on her little berry, pondering eating her candy cane. Ready to add some vintage 80s delight to your Christmas season!

Until next time, happy hunting!

Drip Drip

It's been rainy and cold for about a week. I'm so over it.  Four days in a row of wearing a scarf in JUNE?  No. Just no.

I went to a church sale and two neighborhood sales last week when the weather was nicer.  The church sale, as always, won out.  One of the neighborhood sales yielded nothing. Not a thing!  That's the thing with garage sales.  Your odds are not as good.  An Estate Sale is the life and times of one person or family.  A church sale is a whole community of people putting all their cast-offs in one spot.  A garage sale is just one family, picking and choosing things like a few old tires and some jar candles to stick outside for a fee.

The holiday stuff at a church sale can be off the hook.  Church ladies really like to decorate for a holiday.  I scored these Beistle die cut honey combs for a quarter each. I've seen really large versions of these guys, but never this smaller size.  They are about 4" tall.  The vintage "Trees" book will be displayed with my fall things.  It was a quarter as well.  Thank you, church sale!

Now, this tree is a real handcraft.  Crazy crocheted tree.  With random red pompoms.  It's made from variegated yarn, so there isn't much color continuity in layers. For some reason this tree really spoke to me.  It was a whole dollar, so I didn't think much about it.  Just shoved it in my bag.  

With a deeper inspection, I've realized that this tree reminds me of something that I've been attracted to for years, but that has remained quite an enigma.  What I'm talking about is this:

  

In the background of this scene from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (perhaps the greatest Christmas movie of all time), there is a ....festive...tree...ish....thing.  Is it a cake?  Is it a decoration?  Some kind of an advent calendar? A mock up of Mount Crumpit, where the Grinch lives?  It's a monstrosity, for sure.  But what IS it?  Why is it so intriguing to me? Why do they never once say anything about it the entire movie?  Anyway.  Yeah.  So this reminds me of that. I know, I know.  Enthralling.

I also got this Florida flamingo toothpick holder for the Someday Tiki Bedroom.  It was 50 cents.  The other side has a sailfish and the word "Florida".

I did not end up buying this.  It was $15 and that is just too much for a crazy cray shell sculpture, in my book.  Golden Jesus even seemed upset by the price.  

Onward, to our special feature:

"New In The Shop"

As always, click on an item photo to be whisked away to my Etsy shop!

An adorable Hallmark pin!  A tiny mouse in an acorn with a fall leaf. I'll tell you what.  It takes colossal willpower on my part, not to keep every last Hallmark pin I find.  But alas, the Snug Bungalow is indeed snug.  And I don't have room for all of the things, all of the things.  So, I allow myself to keep a few, and I have to pass the rest on to other collectors of cute.  The mouse is wearing the top of the acorn as a HAT, people!

Next up is another Hallmark pin.  I just love a Hallmark snowman, don't you?  They remind me of my childhood.  Everything was rounder and fatter back then.  We liked a plump character in the 80s.  Something huggable.

It's hard to tell but, these are Kool-Aid cups.  A set of three. The Kool-Aid man looks on whilst you guzzle a mug full of sugar and food coloring with a hint of water. Ohhh yeahhh! I can imagine that my favorite childhood flavor, Purple Saurus Rex would look spectacular in these cups, with some ice, and a hint of rum, maybe?  When there is a flavor that can only be described as a color, you know you are on to something good. Or, you could just give the cups to your kid, I guess.  For milk, or whatever.  Boring.

Until next time, happy hunting!

Addiction

With sunshine, warmth, and estate sale finds, the more I get, the more I want.  I'm always thinking about my next hit.  Sunshine on my skin, not having to wear a jacket, what treasure I might pull out of someone's dank basement.

During this time of year, all three things are happening.  In full force.  I'm just a pawn in their glorious games.  Being flung from delight to delight.  Ah, summer.

I only went to one sale last week and I only found a few things.  But, that's all it takes really.

All of this stuff cost $3.50.  I think I'm going to use the Fanny Farmer (can we just talk about that name for a minute?) tin at Easter time.  The colors will be perfect.  The vintage teal change purse is a metallic material.  Very glitzy. 

I'm going to add a new part to my blog once in a while.  It's called:

"NEW IN THE SHOP"

And it will showcase new items that I've recently added to my Etsy shop! So here, without further ado, is that very thing! (If you would like to purchase any of these items, or see what other treasure my Etsy shop holds, just click on the pictures!)

Cooler People.  See what they did, there? These are coozies (can coolers/holders) from the 1980s.  They are made out of foam rubber or foam latex or something.  There wasn't anything on the label or bottom tag about what they are made from, unfortunately.  They seem like they are made from something that would be of great use in the Muppet Creature Shop.  I'm sure you all know exactly what I mean, now.  ;)

I'm not really a can cooler kind of girl.  I don't know that I've ever held a can that was so cold that I wanted to set it down, in a situation where I could not, in fact just set the can down.  But, there are people who like a comfy can experience.  There are people who do not ever want to set the can down. And while you are having your comfy can experience, what better way to do that, than with some guy's face. Am I right?

Mr. Cool (who, in my opinion looks like Mr. Smirky Douche) and Mr. Grouch (more like Mr. Just Got Kicked In The Junk) would love to hold and keep your beer / soda / sparkling water cool and comfortable. Orrrr you could just give it as a joke gift to your brother-in-law.  That guy loves beer and is kind of a weirdo.

Next up is this awesome, mint in the package, My Little Pony Megan and Pony Wear set, "Sweet Dreams". Everything you need for a cozy night in with your pony.  Nightgowns for girl and horse, and slippers, too!  Plus, a ribbon for doing each other's hair. You know how good at hair ponies are.

Gack!  These graphics take me way back!  So rainbow-y and pastel!  It looks as though Megan and Sundance had lots of coordinating outfits.  Maybe this is why Megan never had a significant other.  Just sayin'. She was probably too busy for a relationship anyway.   Her and Sundance were always going to the beach, and iceskating and stuff.

This plush Koala head purse by Russ is in amazing condition.  Just ridiculously adorable.  "Personal Purse Pets".  Because, in the 80's nothing could be just one thing.  You have to have a purse what is also a pet.  A robot which is also a car.  A pizza what is also a soldier.

This purse has a very small opening.  Just big enough for a little kid's hand.  Or an adult hand, if you have child hands, like I do.  Then you'll know my plight of never having gloves that fit! (Unless you are super into Dora the Explorer. Those you can find in your size.)

I'm almost positive this Mickey Mouse ornament is Hallmark, though I can't find the logo/mark anywhere. It's so adorable.  If you really love the old Mickey Mouse holiday shorts like I do, this will give you all the nostalgia. Very reminiscent of "On Ice"!   I must have watched that a bobillion times as a kid.

This rainbow wall hanging is in great shape.  The colors are so bright and adorable.  I almost kept it to display with my own Easter decor. But, alas. The Snug Bungalow is indeed snug and I cannot keep all of the things. I'm also really a sucker for anything with the graphic of an umbrella, for some reason.  This would be perfect if you live in a super rainy place like Portland.  Plus, look how much fun those little duckies are having!

And last but certainly not least (just ask her!) is Webbigale!  With her Quackypatch doll in tow, she is ready to solve a mystery, or rewrite history! Maybe a quick dip in the money bin?  Or a duel with Magica De Spell! Just in case you don't already have the Duck Tales theme song in your head, you can check it out here!  Yeah, you're welcome.  That's not going to go away for WEEKS.

Until next time, woo-oo!