Good Games

Today, like so many other days, I went to Goodwill. I found these two board games and they made me chuckle.

So educational!

This game = instant popularity in a retirement home.

On the road again

I've been traveling a lot lately. If the travel channel wanted to have me host a show about slum shopping that would be great. Actually, that would be more than great. I try to go to as many thrift shops as possible when I travel. I am fortunate to have a boyfriend that loves to do that too.

Woo! Going to Louisville! I would rather take pictures of my feet than drive.

We spent last weekend in Louisville, KY for the Humana Festival at the Actor's Theater. It was great! We had so much fun with friends and saw some really great theater. Most importantly, we went to a couple great Goodwills. (Well, most important in terms of this blog anyways...)

Taking out the trash.

This was a down and dirty Goodwill. They literally (yes, see picture above) gave me my purchases in a trash bag. I thought it was funny. I love trash.

This Goodwill caused me to have a shoppers remorse moment. (Please see post about the pros and cons of treasure hunting.) Looking back, I feel like I really should have bought this picture.

I wish I would have bought this.

Here's why I didn't get the picture: It cost $14 dollars which I felt was pretty high. Also, the store was closing in ten minutes. Finally, the people at the register were being ...difficult and talking them down on price seemed unlikely because of the time.

Here's why I wanted it: My awesome/amazing/fantastic friend Lenza (whom I lived with for the first two years of college) got this exact picture at a Goodwill. It hung in our dorm room and then in our first apartment. She still has it. I want it too! Then it would be like a wormhole portal something from where she hangs hers to where I hang mine.

I didn't buy it! I still feel terrible about it! I should have dropped everything else just so I could get this! I want to drive the 3 hours back to this Louisville Goodwill just to get it -but then what if it isn't there anymore? Aahhh!

All roads lead to Goodwill

Over last weekend I had a fun filled time in Fayetteville, West Virginia. I got to go to Charlie's Pub which I highly recommend for anyone passing through that area. I love cluttered places like this because there are so many neat things to look at. Some of these things include: a giant jar of pickles on the counter with a sign saying "NO Self Serve!" Also, a laundry line of panties and thongs across the bar, a standard old juke box, and bumper stickers for $1.

Shot of the cluttered bar

Bumper sticker!

In Beckley, West Virginia they have the perfect trifecta all in sight of each other: Gabes, Goodwill, and Jo-Ann fabrics. At the fabric store I got a couple yards of unbleached muslin to do some mock-ups with. Muslin is great, only $1.99 per yard. I think I should make everything out of muslin and just dye it fun colors later.

At goodwill, I got a t-shirt which I thought was really cool but when I tried it on later, it's too big and looks sloppy. Sadness. I did get something totally great though. This vase!

 

This was one of those things the cashier seemed to judge me for. She thought it was ugly so I got it for 50cents. WIN. (Looks like Charlie Sheen isn't the only one winning!) I love it! It is adorably ugly. Sometimes I really like things just because they are so obviously hand made. Do not fear the ugly! Instead, cherish the ugly's sweet personality.

Single Sip

Ok. I know. It has been a while since I updated the blog. Spring semester started and I've been busy. Sue me.

I went to an estate sale and got something very precious. It was pretty slim pickin' but there was a table of knickknacks. I got this treasure for 25 cents.

A tiny teacup! Jealous? You should be.

Celebration and Suprise

This week I went to Gabes for the first time in about a month. (Cue angel chorus.) I went specifiicly because I REALLY needed some new gray tights. (Ok, not really really....) I walked out with five pairs of tights, shoes, and my new favorite bag ever. Not bad for an addict- right? Anyway... this is the bag.

I LOVE THIS BAG! I'm calling this the "Sarah Bag" because it reminds me of my friend Sarah. (duh.) It is structured, smooth, soft, goes with everything, a beautiful color and basically amazing. Sarah would probably have this exact bag but in some shade of green. I have never had a bag like this before. If this bag were a man, I would marry it. I love this bag so much I tucked it in bed with me and slept with it. Seriously.

I also got these shoes. Don't they look great with that bag? Yes. Yes they do. Everything looks great with this bag.

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Now I'm going to tell you a cautionary tale about buying tights at Gabes... I did not realize until I got home and started unpackaging my five new pairs of tights that I had made a critical mistake. Tights are sized according to height and weight. I figured sizes were standard and only checked height. Well, two of my new pairs of tights were sized "Queen 1." WTF does this mean? Well, it means that the size I bought are for up to 5'4" in height which is perfectly fine but SUPRISE! The weight starts at 170lbs.  If Monique ever shows up at my door in desperate need of tights, I've got her covered. Remeber people: INSPECT EVERYTHING!

New Sewing Books

Me with Sexy Sewing Books

 

I got new sewing books in the mail this week! (Unfortunately they were not very cheap but I do have free shipping with Amazon) I am super excited to start working on new projects. I want to do more work with pattern drafting and such. I'll work from left to right:

1) Doodle Stitching: The Motif Collection- This is the second book by Aimee Ray. this is her blog. I haven't done embroidery in many years but she makes it look cute and fun. I think it will be good inspiration for doing more textile art. I love the words "doodle stitching." Wouldn't it be lovely to doodle with thread on a fabric napkin instead of pencil on a paper napkin? I think so. I bet Aimee Ray would think so too. 

2) Pattern Magic- This is a book by Japanese fashion designer/instructor Tomoko Nakamichi. It is SO FRIGGIN COOL! Japanese fashion is typically crazier and more experimental than western fashion. It was recently translated into English. Pattern Magic 2 is ordered and will arrive pretty soon and there is a third book also which has yet to be translated and will focus on stretch/knit fabrics. I am starting to drool I am so excited. Nakamichi has such interesting ideas behind creating 3D garments from 2D paper and fabric. I can't get over it!

3) How to Make Sewing Patterns- This is a very technical instruction book by Donald H. McCunn. Is it cute? No. Is it colorful? No. Does it look fun? No. Is there anything to get really really excited about in regards to this book? Yes. It has everything you will ever need to know about drafting your own patterns. I am very glad to have this book. 

 Top: Doodle Stitching. Left: How to make Sewing Patterns. Right: Pattern Magic

Here is a pic of what the inside pages are like. Doodle Stitching is adorably colorful and has an outline of each motif. There is also a cd included with the book so you can re-size and print them. How to Make Sewing Patterns is text heavy but has helpful diagrams. Pattern Magic has a ton of pictures as well as diagrams. If you want to do projects with this book you need to know a bit about sewing and how to put things together first or else it will be confusing when you go to make stuff. Once again, super excited. I have many books about sewing but it can be difficult to find new and interesting information because not much changes in the "how to" aspect of physically building things with fabric. Sewing is cool. Books about sewing and patterning published in the last five years are extra cool.

Avalon Exchange

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting my fabulous friend Sarah in Pittsburgh. She showed me around some of her favorite places which was a ton of fun. One such place was Avalon Exchange in Squirrel Hill. This store is really REALLY cool. Go there. Here's the website: Avalon Exchange. The site isn't anything special but it does give address for their other locations. Avalon is a great place for treasure hunting because they have a wonderful variety, the store is clean, a nice size, and if you want to trade your clothes for store credit/sell them you can. They have pretty strict rules about what clothes people can bring in which is great because you can be sure there won't be any holes/broken zippers/stains etc.  The only real downside is that it is fairly expensive on the goodwill budget but hey, these shoes were $12 which still isn't too shabby.

They're so unique I couldn't pass them up! Aaaahhhhh! Impulse buyer attack! I can't wait to go back.

(Sort of) Brand New Key

A few years ago my mom gave me this neat old skate key. It was around Christmas so we put a small silver ribbon on it and hung it on the tree. Well, taking down Christmas decorations this year I found the skate key. I almost put it in a storage box with the other tree ornaments but then I thought, "Heyyyy...... This would be a great necklace!" And voila.

Notice my skate key necklace!

 I love when music and fashion are friends. One of my very favorite songs to play on the jukebox at Davis' Place is "Brand New Key" by Melanie. Enjoy!

Earring Eulogy

Dear friends, today we gather to mourn the loss of a dear earring. Yes. Yes, it's true. Last night as I walked out into the chilled darkness through the parking lot of the liquor warehouse, my hand reached up to brush a strand of hair behind my ear. Alas, bedraggled yet beautiful white feather earring, you were gone. You are lost to the ages. There is now only one earring where two once hung. This bedraggled yet beautiful white feather earring is gone but shall not be immediately forgotten. Bless you. Bless you, wherever you are.

R.I.P.

New Year. New Dress.

Happy New Year! Cheers to treasure hunting in 2011! New Years Eve demanded a party and I was not about to refuse. My evening started a bit late because I first had to do a little re-mixing on one of the latest goodwill finds.

 I made the hem 7 inches shorter, it was strapless but a little big so I added ribbon shoulder straps. (Just in case! There's no need to start the new year with an accidental boob flash.) It might be a little difficult to tell in this picture but it is entirely covered in sequins. (score!) And yes, the amazing white wavy detail came on the dress. Cost: $7. Love it.



Erika & Josh

 This is my darling Josh. I love his outfit! Josh is rarely caught without a cardigan and/or a Lady Gaga T-shirt. I think this outfit draws a nice parallel between him being a "little monster" and Sesame Street where there are also little monsters. I ended up at the V Club where I saw some really great outfits and some really great friends. Maybe I'll have to start doing a street watch type o thing and lug my camera around.