Hi! Yesterday my thrifting friend B arrived for one of our shopping days. She has a beautiful new car and our sights were set on exploring a thrift shop she'd found online.
The day was windy, grey, and dismal. Bridges were rumored to be stuck open, traffic was snarled!
To me the shop was far far away, I think 50 miles. [yes I know you all who live in the wide open US spaces don't think that's far, but it's far for me. Another world.] B's new GPS took us via every huge congested expressway it could find, so the hours of driving weren't for chatting but for keeping silent while steering safely through the crazed traffic while the nav person directed. I know not to chat at times like those.
The shop was big and clean[ish]. Another cement floored cavern with flickering fluorescent lights.
Some bric-a-brac to sort though, a small shelf of books; no furniture, no linens or craft items.
A few potential finds peeked out here and there. But no.
I swear some of the dresses were the same ones from the old shop that closed, by Marshall's.
What did I find, you ask? I did rummage out a few goodies.
Tropical Plus sized pants, 5.99 marked down to 2.99, chosen for their generous amounts of fabric.
Pretty tropical, in my new ''fave-but-not-really" yellow [Pineapple String quilt?]:
and this darling menagerie tropical in chartreuse and turquoise. It almost looks like a Lilly Pulitzer, but is some unknown off-brand. Both are nice 100% cotton.
Look--giraffes!
And unicorns!
I never/ rarely buy clothes for myself to wear but I loved this wool plaid swing coat, from I think Saks catalog store brand. Never worn.
Interesting details in the cut.
Cool big buttons. Retro swing shape. I think next Fall, with the right pants and sweater, it will look cute. Warmish wool-acrylic mix in the soft Autumn plaid.
Pearl and ribbon necklace.
Love the taupe grosgrain. This design originally is from Anthropology but the little tag says its a J Crew knock off. Big marble-sized pearls. Probably very passe, but I liked it and I think it might be fun in the summer, casually worn with tank top, black? and capris.
A Little House on the Prairie Christmas book [99 cents], fun to read next December.
Little House books probably inspired my lifelong interest in US pioneer history and social history as revisited while making Westering Women quilt a few years ago.
And a yelloware pitcher picked up at the last moment.
What IS it? It's real yellow ware, yellow clay not glazed yellow; the decal design is sort of 1940s,
but the base looks brand new c 2019. Unmarked. Cheap and ugly? Not sure.
It goes really well with my bowls, so I got it. It will be interesting next fall with black-eyed Susans or mums maybe. Price was right.
We had read online that the prices here were extremely high:"I can buy this stuff new, for less, at Walmart." [If we had a Walmart. Maybe.]. But to us the prices seemed fair AND were very discounted, most pieces 50% off. Only the coat, at 9.99, was not on sale. I'd give the store 3.5 stars, the road trip definitely 5 stars. So fun!
My friend brought me these fabrics she'd found while antiquing in PA. The shop's table said FREE but some were $1.oo, lol.
Lovely velvets, hard to show the rich strawberry red. The darker one feels like silk velvet, maybe.
Taffetas? The pink is so sweet, no clue what I'd use it for so far. It would make a darling party or prom dress for a young girl if girls wore dresses like that.
This black I liked for maybe a quilt backing [she'd sent photos via her phone]. It's quite odd, feels like cotton but also like taffeta??? I'm running a swatch through the wash now---I think the pink rosebuds washed off.
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More shopping: scented candles for summer, also for Mothers Day if you need a quick gift. I love them all, quite herbal and fruity, lovely. My candle supply was getting low. You may think they are an indulgence but the glass enclosed three wicks make somewhat safe storm candles too. So I keep a supply on hand. B&B Works had a half price sale.
We had a great shopping day, despite the rather long swaths of driving. We did sort of lose track of time and our Mexican dinner, post-Cinco de Mayo was cancelled as I had to rush home to Mo.
He is a bit spoiled and cries pitifully if I am out too long, despite a long visit from his walker, who reported the crying. He is okay if I am out during the day, or for an evening, but not both. Other family and helpers weren't around either, so he got very sad and cried! When I rushed home he was sitting in his bed with his green baby doll, all big eyed and whimpering. The loud wind wasn't helping matters either. Gotta plan better next time, we don't get out so often.
have a fun weekend. Gonna be cold!
love
lizzy
gone to beach......
PS Church flea has been a bust again.. No parking! Last week when I went dozens of police were closing the narrow road with orange cones, all the lots were filled. The tiny town town has two Catholic churches and BOTH has massive funeral masses that Friday at the exact same time. Plus the flea shoppers. Crowds of mourners milling about. Someone[s] important? A union leader or some such, lots of working man types. Bizarre. I'll try next week before giving up.
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