Fall Decorations 2017

Not a very imaginative title, but it is direct to the point at least. And sometimes you don't have time for witty.  Sometimes just getting a thing done will do.

So here we are, at the precipice of Halloween.  As we stand here, pondering tricks and treats, costumes vs "screw it, I'm staying home and hogging down all the candy myself", and the proper way to come out of a sugar coma, I bring to you: my Halloween decorations.

Sit back, relax, feast on some tiny candy bars and also your eyes.  Ew.  That makes it sound like you should eat your eyes.  Which you should not.  For the record, you shouldn't eat anyone else's eyes either.  Probably you should just take eyes off the menu altogether.  I was trying to say you should feast your eyes on...oh, never mind.  Just look.

Welcome to my spooky abode...won't you come in?  (OK, so this is obviously not my front door.  It's my bathroom door.  But this skeleton guy is pretty rad, right? He's new to me this year.  He's got a brad in his pelvis (Bradly, you naughty boy!) and one in his neck so he dances around when you use the door.)  And as you can see, Sprocket was worried about why I was taking so many pictures, and none were of him.  So he worriedly and grumpily photo bombed.

This little cutie hangs out above my toilet.  His web is new to us this year, courtesy of @magicsummervintage.

This room is our old bedroom.  We recently renovated the upstairs and move the master bedroom up there.  Now we refer to this room as "Sprocket's Room" (Sprocket is the gumpy/worried pup above).  It generally houses lots of dog related collectibles and vintage doodads. This is the first time I have fully decorated it for a holiday.  I'm so happy to have a place to put my small (but exciting) collection of vintage kids' masks.

I thought it would be cute to put some cats in the dog room. Black cats are some of my favorite Halloween decorations. The large cat in the middle is about three feet tall.

I made this wreath from a tutorial I found on Pinterest.  He reminds me of a Muppet, so of course I love him.

I love tiny things most.

This is the only bit of Halloween that made it up to the new bedroom.

Boy, do I love me some honeycomb!

I also love 80s toys. I mix them in with all of my decor.

The Spooky Kooky jewelry is a Ben Cooper set!

A fun Haunted Mansion display in my living room. 999 Happy Haunts and there's always room for one more!

My Halloween mantel. Lots of black, feathers, glitter, and glass.

Some close ups.

The drink station/bar cart in my kitchen. Someday I'll have enough swizzle sticks to swap them out for every season!

This shelf is in my dining room. I told you that I love black cats!

I also really like glitter.  And masks.

And also candy corn.  Love that, too.

This is the largest display in my house.  An antique display case in my dining room.  It gets more over the top each year.  I love the way the jadeite looks with the black and orange.  That stuff is good no matter the season.

Some close ups of the top.

Of course, lots of black cats.

And plenty of glitter.

These two are obviously a couple.

The light in my house is notoriously bad. Please excuse it.  Or maybe just chalk it up to creepy ambiance?

What's behind the three doors of the display case?

Lots of Halloween treasures!

Happy Halloween, everyone!

The Bins

This is what people refer to the Goodwill Clearance Center as.  The Bins. I can't fault them.  It truly is just a bunch of bins. The clothes are in bins of their own, and generally shoes has one, and purses has one.  And linens, for the most part.  And electronics and lamps and stuff are set up in the back on actual shelves.  Then, everything else under the sun is unceremoniously tossed into a jumble, and put in bins.  Think: digger estate sale on steroids. 

I think our clearance center might be small.  It only takes me about 45 minutes to an hour to dig through the non-clothing bins.  I don't do clothing.  It also opens at 8:00am, which is my jam.  I'm an early to rise early to bed type human. It seems other humans may not be, and I can tell that the other re-sellers don't generally show up until after 9. Seems like there might be a few clothing re-sellers, and maybe a few Ebayers.  But, these people are not going for vintage - other than maybe some clothes. That is abundantly clear. I'm the only one there digging for vintage toys and decor and holiday.  And it's SO MUCH DAMN FUN!

The first time I went, I got a large bag of items for $3.14.  This time, I got another huge bag and spent $2.46.  People.  These prices are below church sale prices.  They are less than garage sale prices.  Most items are weighed and the price is taken from the bulk weight.  I honestly have no idea how it's calculated, and I don't want to know.  I like being surprised. It's insanity!

The most experienced binners wear gloves.  I noticed this the first time I visited.  And after putting my hand into mystery goo twice, I resolved to wear gloves the next time.  But of course, on my next trip, I forgot them. Third time's the charm! (I hope)

This time I found a legitimate antique! A miser's purse in ridiculously good condition.  Fully beaded.  With fringe!  To anyone else it might just look like some weirdly spangled sock, but I knew what it was and snatched it up while trying like heck to maintain poker face. I'll be listing it for sale in my Etsy shop sometime in the next month. Seriously.  You just NEVER KNOW what you might find!

If I were a seller that didn't mind shipping breakables (I do) I'd have a boatload of stuff every time.  Tons of Syracuse China, and figurines, and cool ceramic birds and dogs, and just everything, really.

It's different every time, and such a rush!  I've resolved to go whenever the estate sale situation looks sad.  It should be something I can muster up the energy to do, even in the midst of horrible winter.  Because I don't have to wait in line outside, and it takes a very small amount of time to do before I can be back home, under a million blankets with a hot cup of coffee.

Every time I come home from a sale or a thrift store, my pup Sprocket has to thoroughly inspect everything like a TSA agent.

Here is what I ended up with - for keeps.  Some vintage die cuts -  the cat is flocked! Jelly bracelets, because I grew up in the 80s and there is no way I can leave them.  Plus, I'm working on having a whole arm of them - only have about 4" so far. And a tiny The Brain figure from the 90s that I remember being on little heart candy boxes for Valentine's Day.  He's going to go in my non-holiday shadow box.

Yay bins!

That Isn't What She Said

Team Magic Summer was reunited briefly on Thursday night for a church sale that was open late.  This sale happens every six months, and is is usually worth the trip. This photo was taken from the second floor balcony at the sale.

Just because we get to go to a sale together during the school year, does not mean we get to do dueling blog posts. Our girl is a busy teacher.  Ain't nobody got time for that, as it were.  So you have to settle for just me.  I apologize in advance.

On our way in we generally take a quick peek at purses, since it's right next to the jewelry counter, which is where we head first. They always have a ton.  Not all of it is vintage, but it's a lot of fun to paw through it all.  I didn't find anything this time, but Ann did. She got some Sarah Coventry stuff, as I recall.

I did however find something interesting and cute (And as it would turn out, poorly constructed and heavy as crap.) on the purse table though.  Plastic wicker Lilly Pulitzer.

This thing is falling apart in ten different ways (Ways I can fix, thankfully.) and when it's completely empty it feels like you are lugging around a purse full of bricks.  But look how cute! I snagged it because I assumed it was vintage.  I bought it anyway because it was Lilly.

The boxed Hallmark ornaments obviously came from the Christmas section.  It was loaded with someone's hoard of vintage Hallmark ornaments this time.  Score!  Don't get too excited.  I already have both Muppets ornaments, in the box.  These will head to my Etsy shop for other lucky Christmas / Muppet lovers.

There is another sad little non-Christmas holiday area where stuff is mostly in boxes under the table.  I dug in good this year and was justly rewarded.

I managed to stifle a scream of delight, but didn't manage to avoid breaking out in the vintage joy sweats.  All of this was lumped into one bag, so I didn't even know what I had until I got home.  All of the yellow and orange pieces go together.  At first I thought the orange bowl was a Halloween number.  A cauldron, maybe?  Then research taught me that it is in fact a hat for the chick.  A HAT, people!  It's huge and ridiculous and adorable.  I can't wait to set them all up at Easter time.  The chick/duck guy is missing eyes and a beak, but that will be easy to whip up. The only thing the bunny is missing is a tuft of yarn hair, which I can also easily replace.

Ronald McDonald House Fundraiser Sale Fall 2017

Every six months, like clockwork.  We hoard up treasures we no longer consider treasures.  Then pack them in the car, drive them to the sale location and donate them, hoping someone else will consider them treasures.  We obtain the donor ticket - which lets us into the sale a day early.

The intrepid crew, our inner clocks tuned to each other, we home in and join the line.  By now everything is rote. We've been trained. No thought is needed.  We are running on instinct now.

Armed with lists, bags, and this time sunblock and parasols.  It's the hottest line we've ever waited in.  90 degrees and full sun.  I love it.  "BRING IT", I silently scream into the sky.  Other teammates are melting into snide puddles, whispering taunts about the winter coming. Six months ago it was the coldest line we'd waited in. 42 degrees. Thoughts about global warming and polar bears are never far off.

We make it through to the other side.  Some of us a bit more pink. Some of us need more water, but they are selling it on the inside.  They know what we need.

We break apart.  The inside isn't a place for teams.  (It's not a place for strollers, either, but nobody seems to learn that lesson.)

Holiday is to the immediate left, like always. It's comforting, when you are there, on the front lines, fighting the crowds, to know where your targets are. It's like your skin is lit up.  All sensors on high.  Clenched gut.  Pawing through, knowing there is something.  Something good waiting, if you can only find it first.  Sweating and nervous.  

The biggest shock of all: No treasures found in Christmas.  Oh, there are plenty to be had by others, but nothing meant specifically for you.  No corsages, no trees, no ornaments.  Nothing printed on your heart.

Easter makes up for that. I spy three Jadeite eggs and look around in wonder.  Nobody else has seen them.  They are only a few dollars.  How can it be?  But history has taught me nothing, if not to swoop now, ask questions later.  Or maybe don't ever ask questions.  Gift horses and all that.

Fuzzy chick was found in the bath department, which I've learned is where Avon bottles are kept.  Hopes soar each year, but are almost always dashed.

Halloween gives up a gift.  Vintage plastic mask.  Ben Cooper, probably.  Why aren't there more?  Tubs.  I need tubs of them.

Tiny dogs for a tiny dog's bedroom. 

I must check for Muppets.  Toys are piled high.  I only check the plush.  Bagged littles are too time consuming.  I can't afford to stop.  No Muppets to rescue.  Only ones that already abide.  Other things are collected to be sold again.

Next I heed the siren call of jewelry.  So many egg crates filled with sparklings. We dig.  A collection comes together.  Thematic in color.

My favorite find of the day: Plastic pineapple.

I saw famous babies.

Some things were ugly but funny.

The space is vast. 

The items, many.

We search. We reap. We get back into line.

The soldiers reconvene. And imbibe nutritional refreshment.

And also booze.