Things I've Seen In March

I don't know if you are aware of this or not, but it's hot in NY in March. As in, 70+ degrees for weeks on end, now. This is unprecedented. At least in my memory/lifetime. It's like we're in fast forward. Spring? What spring? Winter segues into summer here, baby. It's the exact opposite of last year. I mean, last year in March we were just making it out of the deep freeze of below zero.

This weather is bringing out the crazies, let me tell you. I saw a car with a bra on it the other day. Are we not done with those? Dear bra-ed car owner, 1980 called and it wants it's terrible idea back. What are we even trying to say with that? Your car's tig old bitties are so big that they need to be contained? Your car has polateeters and you don't want anyone else to see them? I mean, I've seen truck nuts and for the record: I get it. I get what people are saying with those things and I think it's pretty funny. But not in the "laughing with you" kind of way.

I also saw a man walking down the street in jeans and no shirt today. Dude. It's not that hot. It's 72 degrees, here. Let's keep it together, Rochester.

I've also seen a bunch of great stuff, namely: vegetation. Like I said, on fast forward! These things usually don't even start coming to life until April and then it's weeks between seeing the first green sprout to getting flowers on trees. It's happened this year in about a week and a half. Scary. Check it:

Hostas from this week.

Hostas from last year, mid April.


Lilac tree from this week.
(Please overlook the fact that this is a craptastic picture.)


Lilac from last April.

Look at these gorgeous little party people! I stared at them for a long while. Their color was so deep and mesmerizing!

At this rate the lilacs will all be come and gone before the Lilac Festival goers have a chance to enjoy them!

One more quick thing. On Saint Patty's day we went out for sushi. Obviously. Trying to stick with the main Irish traditions and all. Imagine my surprise and delight when this was delivered to me!


Green rice! I'm pretty sure I squealed with delight. I mean, come on! I love this kind of commitment and creativity. It's making me totally hungry looking at this. Mmm...suuuuushi.

So, in summary:
Mother Nature Is Pissed
Vehicles Oughtn't Have Naughty Bits
This Junk Be Growin' Like One Of Them Speeded Up Videos In Science Class
A Little Green Food Coloring Makes My Day

Avon Perfume Pin Collection

I love a good collection. I have quite a few myself and I love, love, love it when other people share theirs with the world. It's one reason why I stalk all the various blogs I stalk. The whole "I'll show you mine if you show me yours". You know what's up.

So today I present: My Collection of Avon Perfume Pins. These things date to the 1970's. They are cartoon-like plastic pins with a hidden compartment for solid perfume. Let me just tell you right now. You don't want to be wearing this perfume. You don't even want to get any on you by accident. That stuff is nas-tay. I'm going to bet that even when it was new and not 40 years old, that stuff stank.

Here we have the Spring Collection. It's not really called that. I just made that up. Each pin has an actual name because Avon is fond of naming cute little characters. I actually think the pins might be called Perfume Pin Pals, but I'm not certain.

The bunny on the left was found at the last Dome Sale for $1 and I can't remember where/when I got the other two pins. It was a long time ago. Could have been a galaxy far, far away, too.

Here they are all open. Remember them now? Just imagine a very intense smell of old lady (from the perfume) and maybe it will help.

I found the scarecrow at the curiosities shop that shares a building with my hair stylist. Thanks, Utter Clutter! The snowman was my mom's. Goodness I love pink and black together!

Mr. scarecrow still has his pot of evil in the back, there. My mom's pin has an itty bitty picture of me as a baby! Wow, quite the film stock. All red, everything red. Way to go, chemists.

Here is the last of them! I found the wormy apple at Erie Line Antiques in Hornell, NY. Three floors of stuff, junk and treasures. You should stop there if you get the chance.

There are still many more of these pins out there. A few cats, another girl, a hippo, puppy and kangaroo, just to name a few. Who knows which will make it's way to me next?

Also, I thought you should see this:

The piece of old wallpaper came a few days ago. It's more glorious than I could have ever imagined! I'll never regret buying this baby.

So, in summary:

Too Many Collections
That Smells Like Old Ya Know
Avon Is The Best, Etc.
Old Wallpaper = Good Choice

In Your Easter Bonnet With All The Brightly Colored Plastic Upon It

It's a well established fact that my taste in Easter/spring decor is a bit unrefined. Garish even. When you love plastic as much as I do you have to get used to that. Embrace the bright. Center yourself in the screamingly colored flocked goodness.

I feel like I've hit a new low when I can't throw away the Peeps box. It's jadeite colored with polka dots for cripes sake! And it has an adorable drawing of a Peep on it! Are you convinced that it's cool yet? All the cool kids are saving theirs. I also love imagining the people who thought up an Easter craft centering around ping-pong balls and disturbingly colored ladies hosiery.

The very famous cake plate. I bought that little bunny on the right from a local crafter. She also does ninjas and cupcakes and all manner of adorable handmade whatsits.

On the lower right you will see Duster D. Duckling. He's an Avon product. I know you get sick of hearing it but, is there anything better than vintage Avon or Hallmark? I mean, really?

Those cards at the top are flocked. Fuzzy Easter birthday cards. I was clearly born in the wrong era. This year I stuck some vintage paper flowers in the candy holders. I love those tiny paper flowers. I have quite a few bundles of them. Hoard? No, silly! Save.

Bits and baubles.

It's hard to imagine that it ever felt like spring around here before this year. Before the giant pink yarn chick.

Some day I'm going to find out what these little flower cups are all about.


It's a lot to process all at once.


Easter Peep lights, I love you.


More than last year. Much more.


Easter Mantel.




Zoot is in the mood for an spring fiesta!

As I look over this year's spread I don't feel quite as satisfied as in years past. I need tall sticks in the mantel vases. I need hankies instead of platters on the cabinet and more careful placement on it's shelves. Note to self for next year.

Also, I found this shop on Etsy. Clearly this person has a lot of things that belong to me. And, ok, ok, possession is 9/10ths of the law, but...! All the plastic-y goodness!! It's ridiculous, amazing and just about the most gorgeous sight I've yet seen.

So, in summary:

Really Bright
Move Over Maru, I Need Boxhab Too
Will I Ever Shut Up About Avon?
Flocked, Felt, Yarn, Glittered and Plastic
Note To Self
Gimmee All Your Stuff

Hiya, Chuck!

I'm a girl who likes her Converse sneakers. Or, as they are generally called: Chucks. (nicknamed for Charles Taylor) I've worn them since seventh grade. 21 years of friendship between me and 'ol Charles. (Could it be a coincidence that it's the same amount of time I've known and loved Santa Fe?)

Now, I realize that these paragons of style (Just how many other sneakers have remain virtually unchanged and a top seller since 1917?!) aren't for everyone. They have no arch support at all making them severely uncomfortable to many. I, on the other hand, have zero arch in my foot and need a shoe with no support for what isn't there in the first place. Thus, a love affair was born.

I've always worn the black Chuck Taylors. But in college I branched out and bought myself a pair of red. That was 14 years ago. I still wear that exact pair. The black ones get changed out every five years or so. I also acquired a pair of summery plaid Chucks from my mother a few years ago and most recently I've hungered for a pair of green.

I searched online for a super deal for days. I like to pay $20 for my Chucks. That's the original price I paid, 21 years ago, see? And somehow I've gotten it into my head that it is the true and correct price for these shoes. Inflation? Never hoid of it!

In actuality these shoes are about $40 a pop these days. That's hard to swallow for someone like me who raised herself on yard sales and thrift stores. $40 seems like a tremendous amount for shoes. When I look at it logically, I know this isn't true. Most sneakers are at least $80, if not more. By all accounts Chucks are still a steal! And it doesn't seem that they'll EVER go out of style! And if they aren't worn every single day, a pair may last 14 years or so!

I kept repeating all of this in my head as I forced myself to purchase them...*gulp* at full price! They arrived about three days later (Awesomely fast shipping!) bright and shiny new. If you wear Chucks, you know we can't have that. We can't have that gleaming white rubber staring us in the face for long. You gotta wear those babies in. So that's what I'm planning to do this weekend. Hopefully by St. Pat's day they'll be nice and grubby.

In contrast to my mania about spending $40 on a pair of shoes that will last me more than a decade, I recently purchased this. Yes, that's right. I spent $18 with shipping on a piece of old wallpaper. Not an entire roll, mind you. Just a piece. It's Muppets and it's (old ya know) from the 70's and it's amazing. I don't have plans for it. I'm not going to "do" anything with it. I won't get "use" out of it, like I will the shoes. So think about that for a while, if you dare.

So, in summary:
I love Chuck
Fashion Tips from the Turn of the Century
Flat Feet
40...DOLLARS!?
Overcoming the Insanity
You Paid How Much for What Now?

Santa Fe, My Old Friend

This is my couch. I call it, "Santa Fe" for obvious reasons. And also because I love the musical Newsies and feel that the song Jack sings to his dream place really captures how I feel about my couch. The love, the hope, the yearning.

Santa Fe and I go way back. My grandparents bought it and a matching chair that is also parked in my living room, in the early 90's. Mauve, country blue and aqua green with a southwest pattern? Oh yeah, it was smokin'. This thing has gotten insane amounts of use every single day since then.

We used to tear off the cushions and make bed sheet forts with them and had jumping competitions on the springs. I spent many a sick day at Gee and Papa's house, nursing a bowl of ring-o-noodle soup from this titan of comfort. Papa took a nap on it almost every day.

I remember one amazing day in particular: I was at Gee and Papa's house, as always, (I spent a LOT of time with both sets of grandparents when I was young. Gee used to have to PAY me to go home. That is not a joke.) and Gee was caring for her aging mother "Grandma Jakes" who had Alzheimer's. She called me over from the couch, where she was resting under a blanket. I walked suspiciously over. Grandma Jakes was not known to be a pleasant woman, even when she still had her wits about her. She said, "Hold out your hand, honey, grandma's got something for ya." I don't know why I held out my hand. I can see now it was an obvious set up. You can bet I'll never hold out my hand to a suspicious character again in my lifetime. Grandma Jakes then leaned over and "thwaph", unceremoniously spit a half eaten piece of candy into my waiting, naive hand. I didn't scream, and I think I deserve some kind of award for that. My eyes got to be the size of dinner plates and I walked to the bathroom to wash up in a zombie like daze, but I never screamed.

So, you can see why I was so moved when in my last year of college Gee and Papa offered me Santa Fe. I was moving into my own apartment and Santa Fe was just perfect. I've had it ever since then. The couch is now 21 years old and I've had it for 11 of those glorious years. When people come to stay at The Snug Bungalow they choose to sleep on this couch, rather than the bed we have in the guest room. That is how comfortable this couch is.

But, alas, Santa Fe is getting old. I mean, it's old enough to drink, for Pete's sake! The fabric has started to rip and you can feel the wood slats through the stuffing. I've had to fashion a slip cover for one of the cushions because the holes were so big.

Never fear! You won't see Santa Fe and it's matching chair out at the curb. Oh, no! We've been through too much together! I'm saving this old war pal. No couch left behind and all that. I'm going to have Santa Fe recovered. Teal corduroy if I can manage it. Next week I start getting quotes and soon after that I hope to have a gorgeous new couch and chair. It will still be named Santa Fe, I mean, you can't just REname something that's been that way for 21 years.

It's not cheap to get something upholstered. But, I figure accounting for all the time I spend on the couch (I admit, it's my spot that I had to fashion the slip cover for.) x21 more years + decades of love = great value.

I think a re-made Santa Fe will look stellar with my decor. I'll keep you updated as we progress!

In Summary:

I love Newsies

Santa Fe: Best Couch On Planet Earth

Family Heirloom

Don't Hold Out Your Hand

Drunk Furniture

Why Don't I Have My Own Show On HGTV