Out and about ~ New Thrift Shop

Hi! How was your weekend? The found object comments and emails were so funny! Hair ties, Kit? What else do you all find? Do tell.  I found no washers this week, just two quarters [one 1974!] a penny, and a dime.

On the topic of treasure hunting, The other week my friend B visited and off we went on one of our Marie-Kondo-ly [the destash queen]-Incorrect thrifting adventures.You may recall that our fave big thrift shop keeps moving further away and last time the trip was just way too long and difficult? So this time I made up an itinerary of small thrift shops in villages to our west, places we'd never been, new shops to explore.

Who knew? Did you know most thrift shops close at 330 or 345 PM? WE certainly did not. B, bless her heart, drives down from ''upstate NY'' for our outings, a 2 1/2 hour drive that cuts across the Bronx, Queens, goes by two major airports and a giant Mall and the always horrendous GW Bridge. She  does it cheerfully, never complains---but early she is not.We're spoiled by the evening hours of the big thrift, she can leave home at a reasonable time; I can do Mo's noon walk, then Mo has a babysitter for the afternoon and evening til we get home. (I don't like to leave him alone too long, pugs get so sad.)

We printed our Google Maps, we located places on our phones, off we went around 2 PM. Here is shop number one.

The drive took about 45 minutes. Result? Yuck. Just because it got 5 stars doesn't mean it was a nice shop. The ladies were nasty, the emphasis was on [old, worn out] clothes.

B tried on her trademark black clothes as I perused the large baskets full of dinnerware.\

Service for twelve? This was once people's Passover china, I bet. Johnson Bros./ England. Pretty.

Then!---after about 20 minutes they kicked us out. Closing Time! snarled the mean lady. A burly  man in black with a shaved head and a lot of dive bar bouncer muscles appeared, and  jingling his big ring of keys, herded me to the vestibule and pointed to the sign: Hours: 10 AM-330PM.

"But my friend is in the dressing room, trying on clothes!" I pleaded."Don't lock her in!" Or me out in the frigid wind, as B had the car keys.

"Wait here." He made me wait in the glassed foyer outside while he tried to roust B who was in take your time mode. She, and I, had no clue the shop would close so early.

Ugh. They did have nice, albeit dusty shouldered, evening gowns if you're a size 2 with a low rent affair to attend. c. 1980.

Nothing I'd want, no treasures, unless I'd bought the globe for my brother's collection. In, you know, desperation. But no. Nope, keys were firmly jammed into the grubby glass door. I studied the filthy non-slip linoleum dots floor, and read my emails. [Thanks, Kel!].

The next shop on our list was down the street about half a block. It too was closed--- and looking through the grimy window, that was a blessing.

By now B was fed up and she called all the other shops on our list. All had closed or were closing by 4 PM.
Somewhat desperately I suggested Home Goods and Marshall’s. We tried both but no. Chaotic yet boring.
We did an early margarita free dinner and somewhat sadly called it a fail. 
-----------------------------------------------
Then  Friday at the supermarket I get a text from B : Do I want free fabric? Seems she was in PA antiquing. I was so envious. PA has real antiques shops. 

I chose the red velvets for projects like sewing emeries and pinkeep tomatoes or hearts. Velvet washes well. The bits will get a good bath in Woolite.

More pics from PA. 

 I'd have bought all three of these dishes, below. Left, blue and white, even though it's Chinese not English. Perfect to grow next year's paperwhites! Middle, so pretty---summer seashells gatherer, or group of white candles. Right, wonderful hand painted Christmas plate.

Prices: blue/left-8.oo/ blue/ center- 3.oo Xmas/right 4.oo. Prices much better than the thrifts shops here!

Also if you look closely at the stacks of fabrics, there are a few nice Christmas textiles, probably tablecloths. Perfect for etsy items---stockings, hearts, throw pillows, aprons, teddy bears! I'd be so inspired.

See, quilting friends, this is what happens when you don't actually use your lovely fabrics and hoard scraps instead. Homeless  and Free at  antiques shop!

Maybe sometime I can go too!?

________________________

Flowers at Trader Joe's. Happy!

Tiny daffs for my kitchen counter--- adorable 2.99.

My vintage McCoy pot. My dad used to bottle dig on old abandoned farms back in IL. Found a few of these sweet flower pots that I now use. I also had McCoy creamers he'd found, a kitty, and elephant, just darling and now $$. [victims of a destash, see how wrong things can turn out!].

Flashback of baby mo 10 months old. He'll be 5 in March

Paperwhites week 2. First blooms!

love

lizzy

gone to the beach...

here, an early morning in the beach fence lane. Stark almost black and white. Hard to imagine summer will be here soon.

I did not get the washed ashore baskets, may try tomorrow. Gale winds = too cold and painful to the eyes.

Out and About ~ A Little Thrifting, A Little Christmas

Good Sunday evening, everyone! So now it is December, time to put on our shopping ''hats'' and get to work? My thrifting friend B came to visit for our annual pre-Christmas shopping outing. We have fun and she patiently rolls her eyes at my ooohing and aaahhing over the Christmas lights in the dark neighborhoods when we head home. [I adore Christmas lights, unless they overstep and look like Disney World on crack.]

There's a blog I read and usually enjoy, where the blogger is a flea market-thrifter like me, though in the UK they call them "boot sales" and ''charity shops"? So she mentioned her Christmas finds but rather snidely added that she isn't ''one who has to show off each and every find"! Well, poop, I want to see everything. Here at The Beach, sorry, but not really sorry, you get to see each thrifted treasure and hear all about my plans for their futures!
Because that's the fun of it all, is it not?

I am sorry to report I didn't find any fun stocking stuffers at the thrift shop. This is the shop that keeps moving further and further away. We tried it a few months ago and while I was unimpressed [far! traffic! less than fresh smelling!]. But when I wrote my blog post about it, I reconsidered, having actually found quite a few fun things.
So we decided to give the shop a second try.

OMG, the traffic. OMG the roundabout GPS journey we got sent on. I started looking for the lighthouse at Montauk, or vineyards. Hours passed in bumper to bumper disharmony. It got dark! We got hungry!

We need new destinations, new horizons for our adventures.Though when we go in January I have a huge donation bag to give , so I am not sure what will happen.
.....................................
Since I'm not sure we'll ever go back, I did get a stack of nice men's shirts for quilting.

Have to give Ralph Lauren's design team credit, someone really has an eye for wonderful colorful plaids.

Just to remind you all, here is a recently finished quilt, all the plaids are thrifted shirts, except a few wools!

This shirt to replace some of the rare tomato soup red ones that got used up.

Pastel and bright for my free form planned throw :

I dithered over this stripe--it is a definite bright summery olive in real life, like extra virgin olive oil, maybe? Now I love it, it will add a bit of ooomph to wherever it ends up.

Blues for Blue Baskets, still just a dream because I can't decide on the Basket design I should use. And these dull old fashioned shirts, planned for another group of future projects from an older book called The Blue and the Grey [Civil War inspired.] here

I chose at least four quilts for my Maybe list! I love the subtle drab palette and interestingly simple yet intricate patterns of the book's design.

book photo

book photo

I got interested reading about Nancy's quilt, on her blog Joy for Grace. When looking for the book to buy, I found it for an eye-popping $140.oo on Amazon [more recent listings now are more reasonable! But still as much as $90.oo new.] so I borrowed a copy from  my book-a-holic friend BJ. My blues will include subtle small plaids

and I thought this odd ivory stripe looks just like an 1860s men's shirt. Yes it is a bit textured but I enjoy the make-do, use it anyway look on repro quilts.

Speaking of books I got this $1.oo anthology, in case of winter power failures and no Kindle service. I no longer read novels in book form, only Kindle or iPhone, so this way I'm prepared for weather outages. I was lured by Louise Penny's name written big on the cover! Turns out she is the nominal editor or story gatherer but there's nothing written by her in the book. No little extra wintry visit w Inspector Gamache and Reine Marie to be a little treat. [new book is out though: Kingdom of the Blind ]  order thru Amazon or ask at your library. I highly recommend Penny's Canadian series, though it is perhaps best enjoyed from its beginning. This is about Book 12?]

Another interesting textile.
$4.oo

At first I thought it had a feeling of a Marimekko design and the fabric has weight, like a fine linen. However the label says Pakistan and 100% cotton. The circles are traditional motifs called suzanis, I think. My favorite soft duck egg turquoise with chocolate brown and white, quite lovely

The scale is large. Here it's on my bed.

One edge has buttonholes, perhaps a curtain panel? But for me it will be a winter tablecloth when I redo my home after Christmas.
And  I picked up this cute small size candy jar. It is about a quarter of the usual volume, familiar to all of us as hard candy or nut dispensers. I love how they sit sideways.

I kinda bought it for strawberry emeries or my thimble collection but it was on the counter, just washed and polished and I filled it with my new winter teas. Oolong and Stash's Double Bergamot Earl Grey.

B found nothing! We then put our faith in the GPS even though it took us on a wild goose chase to the thrift shop, and went to the good big Marshall's, where B got two beautiful pairs of boots. The store [before Black Friday, who knows now] was a Christmas wonderland of lovely clothes and gifts and decorations.

a pugly Xmas sweater!

                                                        ********************************

Another day my friend L and I stopped by Pier One for pretty S shaped ornament hooks, for my crystal drops, soon in my etsy shop.  This is always our first holiday stop because it is located here in town near the grocery store, no GPS required. And they have parking!
It too looked very festive and beautiful.

I love their Scandinavian theme.

Too bad their candles have so little [ or no] scent, because they're so fun this year.

                                                        *************************

I missed our town's tree lighting and holiday market due to my usual medical treatment, but I have two local holiday fairs on next weekend's agenda. I love handmade goodies and cookies and overpriced poinsettias, all for good causes. So that should be fun.

My house is almost all decorated except for my tiny tree.

But then Mo had a bout of tummy upset, brought on by garbage can surfing. Yes he has learned to undo the bungee holding the cabinet shut, tips over the bin and YUM! I won't be too detailed, but if it was a white sofa with a pretty red toile Christmas pillow on it, his aim was perfect! And then while I frantically cleaned up, he ate my old fashioned cut spaghetti casserole dinner which was on the dining table. When scolded he rushed off and puked in my bed.
I don't think Mo likes Christmas? Maybe he had a bad experience last year when I made him wear those Rudolph antlers?

How are things at your house? ;-)

love

lizzy

gone to the beach....