the goodwill blues

i have intentionally been avoiding thrift stores.  not cos i dont love to peruse the aisles, but since i no longer work an office job with a business-casual environs, i dont have time to wear many dresses.  i was suckered back in today whilst running errands.

peter pan collar dress: ann taylor loft
long sister-wife dress: to be cut up into a skirt for work
nautical type dress: landsend [i didn't know they still made clothes?]

can you hear me now?

picked this badboy up at the falmouth goodwill.  the portland area has some richy rich spots and i assumed [incorrectly] that the goodwill in the richer parts of town would have better stuff.  and furniture.

in which i buy 14 pairs of shoes

to preface i have three phrases:

• credit card
• free shipping
• poor impulse control

you can guess where it goes from there...

the composter!

i bought a composter!  i call it a rotating thinger.. but apparently its a "tumbling 2 chamber composter".  eeeh.

the triumphant goodwill return

a shoulder bag.  cos i needed more of those.  but its pretty much in perfect condition down to its little metal feet!  i dont think its actual leather so i'll probably just clean it with lysol and febreeze

new plants!

i picked up some new plants at the farmer's market last week!  no more things for the garden.. but im working on indoors now.  i need to get/make some plant hangers so these guys get the appropriate amount of sun without getting chomped on by a curious kitty.

book acquisition

new books!  well.. new to me!  used ones i found in the library book sale.  cos it was mother's day...so i went to the library [her library] with my librarian mother and she bought me some books..  make sense of that. 

random bits of awesome

i finally made some purchases from adorable laura's shop of worldly delights!   and i squeed over the packaging.  and the bows and pins inside!  eeeeeee!

click through for boozecake, fall wonders, put-a-bird-on-it, and hibernating boats

bluegrass pyrex

i was perusing the aisles of goodwill when my momma called.  after quick coordination/confirmation of times for their overnight stay before flying out of boston she mentioned she was still on the search for 9" plates.  smaller plates allow you to eat less and feel fuller.  eyes brain stomach connection blah blah.  apparently whoever tested this theory never thought of getting up for a second plate.  but i digress.

more assorted things

evening pics from two different nights

reading about kitty freezer pops

not nearly as terrible as it sounds.  i just am drawing a blank on appropriate titles. 

i dropped 3 books off at the library and ..checked out 3 more.  my bedside table is getting a little overwhelmed.  over half of them are from the thrift store.  and ive taken to removing the dust jackets on used books.  i personally think the pressed binding looks quite a bit better and really, after being bashed about at someones house and then in a donation bin, the dust jacket is usually in quite bad condition.  ...also it makes the rather crappy reader's digest books i found for $1 each look all sophisticated and shit. 

new sewing stuffs

i thrifted this a last month even though its a smidge too small across the chest.  obviously not cos i have ginormous boobs.  its just a smaller size.  but i liked the color and the rest of the dress.  anywho.  i cut about an inch off the sleeves, a good 8" from the skirt, and removed the lapels from the collar. 

i also removed the sleeves from this top thrifted back in february [apparently].  as with most button-down shirts it just wasnt quite right and removal of the sleeves allows it to fit better without pulling across the back.  i pretty much am not built to wear pants or store bought tailored shirts. 

sparkle walls

is your apartment/house/parent's basement sad and boring?  do you like shiny sparkly things? [everyone does]  do you like to support artisans in a fair-trade manner?  welp.  check out novica and then check out what i bought!!

monsoon shower wallhanging by meena

failure + success

aka how to make 2 laces skirts for under $10

step 1: buy blue-ish lace curtain for $3.99 at thrift store, launder, and discover it turned a blue/grey hue

someone else's crap

thats what thrift stores are for.

like dirty hippy mason jars with handles.  coffee anyone?  or should it be the organic hand picked tears of baby white tea leaves?

octagonal bowls to match my 2 white square plates

creepy kangaroo pendant.  i need to find a longer chain or piece of cording.  its too huge and chipmunk cheeky to be that close to my face

click for various items of clothes i bought this trip and the previous

another canvas print

i gave in and bought the canvas on demand creepy barbed-wire honduras pic that i had posted awhile ago ...but i have another print to use from cafe press.  it was cheaper than the COD one so i hope its the same quality.  here are some different pics i am considering.  please leave a comment as to your preference.

sumner beach [now destroyed by earthquake]

outside waitomo caves

banks penninsula

plumeria in broome

turquoise bay

karijini national park

what a thrift store should look like

savers in patchogue!  check that shit out.  organized by style, size, and color.  brightly lit, clean shiny floors, no scary skeezy corners in which to lose children.  and the book section is frikkin amazing.  ..but thrift store are akin to health food stores.  all health food stores EVERYWHERE smell the same.  ditto thrift stores.

savers long island: medford and patchogue locations

• selection: vast
• store: clean and bright
• pricing: not quite goodwill but reasonable [ie not $15 for a crappy used tshirt]
• supports: big brothers big sisters

and just fyi.  the patchogue location is about 10 minutes from the pondpath target in case anyone wants to take a trip back and use my 30% off coupon!

scarf total: $7
the green with yellow flowers is oblong like a regular winter scarf, while the other 3 are square.  after washing just now the quarter folds didnt quite come out... but i guess thats why jesus invented the ironing board.  hopefully i dont melt anything by mistake.  and the red one does say christian dior.. for $.99?  it smelled like old lady so it may in fact be legit designer.  but i love the itty bitty paisley border.  i could explain how it is actually a simplified fractal pattern.. but no one cares.  honest. 

clothes total: $27
the blue sweater is massively oversized and perfect to wear with leggings.  the floral thing likewise is a lane bryant xxl racer back tanktop that is about tunic-sized.  i knotted the straps and with a cami or bandeau underneath is ready for long island spring to arrive.  the other 3 pieces are skirts.  green: polyester faux silk.  blue: wool blend.  red: wool/poly blend.  of course being "vintage" style the green and blue skirts [size 10] are going to need some alterations.  ie elastic waistband about 2" further down than the existing waistband.  the red skirt is a 14 and fits comfortably at the hip.

and i found a 2-tier dessert/sandwich/fruit/veggie plate for $7!  frosted/patterned glass with silver tone metal pieces instead of the usual tack brass!  perfect for our party on saturday!  heres hoping it comes apart for easy storage..

the wall

so my canvas on demand print finally arrived!  i think it looks quite nice.  though it may need a friend or two eventually.  someday.  when i have a job.  and more wall space.  until then it is tucked between an ugly dolls calendar and my jewelry

give me a hand

a little creepy no?

but oh so functional

i assumed my collection of cocktail rings bashing around in a drawer probably wasnt so great for them.. and this hand at icing [claire's] of all places said "hey.  look at me.  i am creepy and functional!"  and i said eeeerrm ok.  its made out of some cheap ceramic and has spindly alien fingers.. but the bottom is weighted pretty nicely and it seems sturdy enough.  i put my really heavy rings [a giant black faceted thing, a stainless steel elephant, and a bejewled hippo] on the thumb as an attempted counterbalance.  but as the second picture shows.. there may be too many rings on the fingers.  oh well. 

tasty korean rice snack

at least thats what im calling it. cos i have no idea what the hangul says.

but it is 100% pure korean rice.

made from only rice, corn oil, and olive oil. AND FRIED.

delish. remember rice krispies cereal? imagine that without the petrified marshmallow. and just a wee bit greasy.