Thrift Finds: September 7th thru October 9th

I haven’t really had to chance to go thrifting as often as I use to. There just hasn’t been much wiggle room in our schedules or wallets. I’ve been getting ready for shows and the holiday season, and as a family we’ve been saving up for vacation.

I was able to sneak two quick thrift stops over the past month and did find a few neat things…

I found an awesome, single drawer, metal card catalog case at a new shop two weeks ago. Other than some paint chipping here and there, it’s in awesome condition. No rust! I have a few double drawer models that I use to store random stuff, mostly tape. I plan on using this one in the kitchen to hold random little things. I figured it would add a little industrial feel to my kitchen (which really doesn’t have much personality of its own). I love card catalogs, wooden, plastic or metal. Something about the little drawers all lined up in a row is so neat to me. One day I hope to own a huge, multi drawer unit. One day, maybe when the craze dies down.

I also found a few milk glass McDonalds mugs (we had four, but JC gave away one, and I lost the other). I would have found more, plus a Stuckey’s mug but the lady standing next to me at the shop snagged them all. She was super nice though and told me about her collection at home and how she goes to all the local shops looking for glasbake and pyrex pieces. Basically, I have competition. Ha.

On another trip I found the six pyrex bowls. I already have six similar shaped bowls in a different pattern that we use all the time. So i was super excited to find these! Now I’m on the hunt for matching plates and tea cups.

CT really loves the thrift shops just as much as we do now. She knows the layout of each one and knows where to look for the cool things. On one of our trips she picked out the globe pictured above. She loves mine, and apparently wanted one of her own. She told me she was going to keep it in her bedroom, right on her dresser. So thats exactly where I put it, and it’s exactly where it has stayed! She’s very gentle with it.

Our local goodwill apparently got a lot of Borders stock when they closed, because we have been finding piles of brand new, never been used books for $1 a piece! CT’s Dr. Seuss collection has grown very fast, and so has my craft book collection. I would show a picture, but there is just too many.

I’m really hoping things will calm down soon, because I really do miss “treasure hunting” at the thrift and antique stores.

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If I Had Unlimited Funds: September 28th

I’ve been working behind the scenes a lot lately. I’m about to switch a few rooms, and finally finish CT’s room. It’s already really cute. I just have some finishing touches to do, like paint, chair rail, curtains, etc.

If I had unlimited funds I’d love to add a few more items…

1Multi Colored Glass Shade by Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co. (CT already has this light, but it gives off a very unsettling orange glow and we would really like to change it ASAP) /// 2Princess and the Pea Bedding by Land of Nod

3Pull Up a Pouf (Aqua Variegated) also by Land of Nod (she HAD an awesome beanbag, but it unfortunately was a victim of our last cold and was not able to be cleaned!) /// 4Elephant Wooden Mobile by Freya Art & Design

5I Feel Like A Super Today print by Helen Dardik (She is seriously my new favorite artist! I love everything she does) /// 6Princess Art Prints – Set of 6 by Loopz Art

7Unicorn White Papier-Mache Head by Dwell Studio /// 8Rosette Blossom Round Rug also by Dwell Studio (It would go great with CT’s Dwell Studio for Target dresser)

I know that kids change their mind ALL THE TIME about what they want, so I’m not going to go super crazy with CT’s room just yet. Were keeping it very basic with no real theme. All the artwork can be changed out, and I’m even buying a few new rolls of washi tape specifically to tape up prints of whatever is in at the moment. Nothing permanent.

It is neat to dream about what I could buy though!! Kid’s stuff is so much cooler now than when I was a kid, or even a decade ago when my siblings were little! It’s awesome.

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My Weekend: Two Parties In Two Days

This weekend was crazy, awesome and exhausting all at the time! Two Parties in Two Days!

Saturday was Heidi’s September crafternoon. I seriously look forward to these every month. I’ve said it before, but there’s no harm in saying it again, all the girls (and guy) who come to these crafternoons are so nice!

The food as always was really good! Heidi was super sweet again and made a gluten free lasagna that was awesome! I miss pasta. I was able to bring home some leftovers too and am totally having some for lunch later. She also made salad and a cake that looked soo pretty! I can tell you the icing was really good, and I assume the cake was even better!

The craft this time around was felted acorns! I’ve always wanted to make felted beads, and this is pretty much the same thing. You can see step by step instructions on Amanda’s and Heidi’s blogs. It was a lot of fun and super easy! Katie C. provided piles of acorn caps, so we were able to make a bunch. I made all the ones pictured above. I plan on keeping them all in a mason jar in the library. I may also see if Katie has any leftover because I kinda want to make more!! (hint hint)

I can’t wait until next months crafternoon, it’s Halloween themed, and I love Halloween!!

Sunday was another fun day for us. Katie H.’s kids had an ice cream themed birthday party that CT was invited to. It was her first non family birthday party. She LOVED it!

It was a two stop party, with the first stop being at one of the local frozen yogurt places. The kind were you pick out your ice cream and topping all yourself. CT had an interesting concoction of vanilla, cookies & cream and strawberry shortcake with a bunch of strawberries, mango boba and sprinkles on top. I had pumpkin spice and cheesecake which was really good together (and were both few gluten free ones).

The second stop was in downtown Frederick at Baker Park. It was great because the kids were able to go crazy after having all that sugar at the fro-yo place! Good idea guys!! CT met some new kids and I met some new parents, it was really nice! CT really did have loads of fun, she’s still talking about it all today and will probably keep talking about it until the next time we see some kids.

Even though I’m super exhausted right now, I’m glad we did everything we did this weekend! Next weekend looks like its adding up to be just as awesome.

A big THANK YOU to everyone who made these past two days so nice, you guys are all awesome!!!!!

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Searching For The Perfect Dress…

… A Tardis dress to be exact! I decided that for the first time in 17 years, I am going to wear a costume for Halloween (and any other event that involves a costume, that we may or may not be going to). I would really love to make one if possible, because all of the commercial costumes I’m finding are a bit too little for me. Too little fabric to be exact. I’m a bit modest when it comes to my clothes.

I have searched fan sites, google, etsy, flickr and pinterest for some inspiration. I think I may have searched too much, because now I’m overwhelmed with possibilities. I have to take into account my body shape, the weather and what I’ll actually feel comfortable in… Ugh!

Have you seen any on the internet that you think I may like? That won’t take me forever to make? I still have to make CT’s costume too! I’m also stumped with hers, more because she can’t decide, not because I can’t make it.

I guess I could just be lazy and buy a trench coat, red chucks and a blazer

Behind The Scenes: CT’s Plus Sign Quilt

Right before we got super sick (were onto day 7 here) I was planning on finishing CT’s Plus Quilt that I’ve been dreaming on since January. I added a few more fabrics and redid the design a bit. It ended up being A LOT bigger than I had anticipated. Before accounting for seam allowance, binding and anything that could eat fabric, it measures 68″x88″. That’s almost twin quilt sized.  I can actually put this thing on CT’s bed when i’m done. That made me very happy.

I still need to sew all those little squares together, patch together the back, quilt it all up and bind it. Seems like a lot, but once I hit this point I feel good about it all, and usually finish it… within a year or so…

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Yep, Still Sick…

Just when I thought we were all getting better, We all got WAY WORSE! We’ve spent almost four days now hanging out on the couch in the bedroom, I’ve hardly even seen the downstairs. It seems the days are all about resting and the nights are all about coughing, puking and NOT resting. Ugh. I just want this to be over.

All the down time has given me time to come up with new projects. I pulled all the above fabrics from my stash for some vacation themed dresses for CT. I’m excited to try out my ideas… once I’m feeling up to it.

I also have been sketching out new craft show displays! I’m about to purchase a new scroll saw (that way I dont have to bug my mom) and I figured I could make something modular and adjustable. I MAY be getting in over my head, but who knows, maybe it’ll work. It’s always worth a try.

Picking out or making things for my tent or table displays is always my favorite part of doing shows. I’ve been toying with the idea of sharing some of my favorite set ups by price range. Would anyone be interested in seeing that?

Well, I’m off to go cuddle up with CT some more! Let’s all cross our fingers that today is the last day of this nasty cold!!