Back on Track

Hi-ho. You're never going to believe this. I went to many thrift stores on Saturday with a large group of people and I'm going to blog about it. Right away. No months of letting the pile of unphotographed flotsam sit on my kitchen floor. No weeks of guilt as I look at said pile and wish I had the time to tell you all about it. No pretending as though I don't owe you anything.

So get ready, because here it comes. Everything you see was bought at my absolute favorite and cheapest of the thrift stores: AmVets.

I didn't have the gumption to look at clothes this time. Our (one, small, coat) closet is spilling over and so are all the drawers in our place. I need to do some serious purging before I can be allowed to bring more clothes into this small space.

I did, however, look at all the "stuff" areas. Got me some good junk.


As I look at this photo I'm really reconsidering that last sentence. The 99 cent vintage frame is well and good. I snag them whenever I can because they look smashing when spray painted (or not) and I use frames all the live-long day. The Christmas devil, on the other hand, might have you wondering. Wondering if I'm into haunted dolls that will stalk and kill me from the shadows of my own home some dark and stormy night. I'm not. That, my friends is a gift. A gift for my aunt, who has other such...pieces. But I don't think she has a Christmas...one. Now she will. I can't tell you how much I paid for it. It's embarrassing. It's the kind of thing you should only have if you lost some kind of bet, not if you paid for it. But I think it will make my aunt and the other imps in her collection happy, and you can't really put a prices on happiness...right??

Don't look directly at it. You'll turn to stone.

My colors. Pink, green and black. (My jam, if you will. As in, "This here is my jam!") Don't even say "Another polka dot purse? How many polka dot purses does one girl need?" Because you know the answer: Many. At 99 cents, it's not about need, anyway. It's about 99 cents. You don't think at that price. You just act.


Yes, I've bought another pair of pink shoes. That I probably also will not wear, like most of the other pink shoes I've bought. It always seems like a grand idea at the time. But then, when you're going out to lunch in June you put them on and look down and think, "My, but those are pink!" and then you kick them off and put on some flip flops instead. But, I'd like to point out two things. One: Made in Italy. Everyone knows shoes made in Italy are better. Why or how, I wouldn't know. But they are. Two: 99 cents.


Green plastic earrings: 99 cents. Marked down from nearly three whole dollars! See why I love AmVets? The pink tablecloth was a whopping $3.89. It's in gorgeous condition and worth about $40.


This is a gold tone cat pin. With jewel eyes. I have a friend who collects critters with jewel eyes. I can't help it, I know some weird ass people, ok? The fur in the background isn't just to make the photos look sexy and dangerous. It's a faux fur collar and I'm going to attach it to my jacket at this year's Tweed Ride.

So, in summary:

Vintage Frame
Devil Doll
Another Purse
Shoes I Won't Wear
Green Earrings
Fake Fur
Vintage Tablecloth
Scary Cat

Mother Necessity

Necessity is the mother of invention. I believe this more than a lot of notions out there. Especially here at the Snug Bungalow. We have a tiny little house and sometimes it gets filled up rather quickly. With only one tiny coat closet to the entire house, you have to get creative.

I keep my burgeoning earring collection on a lamp in my bedroom what is a replica of the Eiffel Tower. It's lattice of wire works great for storing danging earrings. (Pretend that I wasn't too lazy to take a picture of this and that you can see exactly what I'm talking about, mmmkay?)

But, as you know, I am a collector. I really prefer that term over hoarder. That has a nasty ring to it. I like me some earrings, ok? I wear them every day, so I don't feel like I have to curb my collection. I like a wide variety. But where to put them all?

I know some people who crochet (knit??) lace and frame it in a picture frame without glass and use that for hanging earrings and it works and looks really great. But, I'm out of wall space.

Enter: Mother Necessity.

I do have a stand alone 3' jewelry box. It's a small piece of furniture, very modest compared to my mother's closet of jewels and the husband's mother's three floor length boxes she's got mounted to her bedroom wall. This stately piece holds most of my jewelry but doesn't have an area for earrings. It has a door on each side with hooks for necklaces and there seemed to be extra room in there when you closed the door.

A quick trip to the Home Depot later and the husband whipped up exactly what I wanted. And needed.

Check it.

A Rose By Any Other Name

I've said it before and I'll say it again. It's the Craft Antique Co-op and no amount of rebranding, fresh coats of paint, new color schemes or stupid new signs is going to change that. Harumph.

So last weekend some of us went on a shopping trip to the Craft Antique Co-op. I got quite a few things. Little things. Like, $80 worth of tiny $2 items. (Ok, ok, slight exaggeration, but wait till you see!) You know how I love my plastic. And my glitter.

It was Sarah Mae's first trip and she seemed to think we were overestimating when we said we'd be there four and a half hours. By the end of the first row (Where we stopped for a snack, no lie!) she was starting to get a handle on the situation. By the time we left she had a crazed look in her eye, was sweating and hauling two baskets to the check out counter. She got tons of great stuff (as did we all) aside from all the nightmarish rabbit/baby, lamb/fox and elf/babies. Girl has a terrifying sense of adorable.

Here is all the stuff that I'm adding to my already garish jumble of odds and ends:

With glitter.


I like the house to smell like fall.

A tiny clutch (ok, wallet if you must) and earrings. I couldn't decide if I liked these earrings because they remind me of corn or because they are sort of art deco or because they remind me of native American art. Why choose? Plus, when I wear them they make the most gorgeous tinkling noise. Like my own personal wind chimes.


And all the little bits. I love vintage Hallmark. Almost as much as I love vintage Avon. Let's not talk about it. I know that you are busy and don't have that much time on your hands.

I also got quite a few Christmas presents but I'm not going to show them. Some people should be forgetting that they exist.

Now. I've been telling you all about a certain room that I've got hidden away in my house. I wish I could say that it's concealed behind a secret bookcase/door that will only open if you move a certain book the title of which I'd never share or make public. (Though, seriously if I had one of these, I'd almost always go Catcher in the Rye. Is there anyone more fun to quote than Holden? "It gives me a real pain in the ass, if you really want to know the truth.") Alas, it's not hidden behind a secret door, gotten to through a secret passageway or revealed only with a magic word. It's just in my basement. There is one finished off room in our basement and the Muppets have been relegated to it. Some days I feel pretty bad about it. But, this being the 75th anniversary of Jim Henson's birth and all, (I think we might have talked before about how I can't get on the train where people say it's so-and-so's 75th birthday when so-and-so is no longer with us. It's the anniversary of his birth, but it is NOT his 75th birthday.) I think you deserve a peek.


Keep in mind you can't see three walls of this Cave of Wonders. I'm in the process of databasing the collection. I know, right?

Ignore With Me

Whilst we are all ignoring the out of doors and putting the finishing touches on the tropical paradise in our minds, I've officially decided that Yard Sale Season has commenced. Take that Mother Nature and Old Man Winter! I've joined The Rebellion! (cue Cantina music)

Last weekend we went to two thrift stores in Henrietta. We had plans for a third, but we got too hungry. As oft happens. I went to the jewelry straight away. If one thing can cure my hibernation sickness it's jewelry. (and booze) After that I wandered in brick-a-brack and sheets/blankets for a while. I didn't do a full scan of the clothes. May I present...my finds from the first store, AmVets:

Large, funky earrings. I love a good hoop earring. Teal! 99 cents.

Next we have a Koi T-shirt from L.O.L. I'm not even kidding. This brand is named L.O.L. Part of me just died inside. $2.98


Arizona jean skirt. $4.98 My old jean skirt is so faded it's starting to look acid washed. I won't go back to that hell.

Old Navy sweater. This is the softest sweater ever. And it has the cutest button details! $3.98

Pink canvas shoes! Fioni (I think it's a payless brand) $2.98


On to the second store: Thriftyshopper


Billy Idol shirt from vintage vinyl. 60% off of 4.99


American Eagle pink shirt with polka dots. 30% off of $4.99

This Saturday I'm going to a church rummage sale. Stay tuned for our finds!

Deadly Store

You know you have one. We all do. That store that you try like the devil to avoid. The store that eats your money, turns you into a drunken sailor and skews your reality into an alternate one where you are rich, filthy stinking rich! OK, so maybe we all have a few such stores. But, for me, there is one that really takes the cake...and my credit card...and my checking account...and my linty couch change. One World Goods.

Another way this store of stores wrangles me in is that they are a not for profit. They have goods made by artisans in poor and developing countries and then they give the money right back to them! So, I have to buy things there, right? I mean, it's my civic duty or something. My duty as a human being and fellow citizen of the world. It's practically the law! *whew* Now I feel better. You understand, right?

I was forced to go into said shop just the other day. Since it's the law that I do so, plus I had a few birthdays to shop for. Man, if you can't find something wonderful in this shop for each an every woman or girl in your life then...you know some weird ass people.

I love my thought process as I walk through the door. It's so easy to lie to yourself. "OK Sarah, just in and out. Get the presents and go, go, go! You can do this!" Then I stop at the first kiosk knowing full well that there isn't anything on there that I am looking to buy for the birthdays. Then the second one. Then the third. By the time I make it to the frames and jewelry I'm a goner. It's all, "OK, one thing for the birthdays, one thing for me, one thing for the birthdays, one for me!"

So, without further ado, I present my purchases. I actually tried to style the photos this time. My hand isn't so steady when I use no flash and I'm horrible at lighting, so just pretend that they look awesome and make you want to run right out to One World Goods, ok?

These are earrings for my friend Meghan. It's her birthday. I'm giving them to her tomorrow!


Since I found the perfect gift for Meghan, I rewarded myself with this card. I cannot get enough lanterns. I'll frame it sometime this week and hang it in my bedroom.

Then I found two pairs of earrings for Nick's sister. Sending those out tomorrow too.




These earrings are so affordable and so unique. Man, their jewelry really does me in. But, I fought valiantly and though I also found a picture frame for my friend Daria (how did I forget to take a picture of that?), I only bought one more thing for myself. Behold.


It's a crocheted flower pin with beads lining the edges. They had so many different beautiful colors! I only got ONE! See how strong I am? It feels so good when you hold it. It has a nice weight.

I also went to a sale at a church and got a few things. Nothing that great, but my purchases totaled $2.00, so who's complaining?

I got this vase to sell, but it looks great with my other stuff so, I guess we'll see.



Just the Velvet tin, I already had the coke diner tin.