Thrift Share Monday - April 30

Wow! Where did April go?  This month flew by.  It started out with great thrifting, had a lull in the middle and ended just as good as it started. 

My scores started out early in the week with a great find at my favorite thrift store.  At one point last year I had decided that I was going to collect the butterfly gold Pyrex/Corning Ware for my own personal use.  This was determined when I got some great hook handle cups in the pattern.  Then my finding of this pattern wasn't as easy as I thought.  I had found a butter dish and some D handle mugs....which I eventually sold (not too sad about getting rid of those items).  Then I found a set of 5 mixing bowls/serving bowls, and last week I got these...

A 23 piece plate, mug, and saucer set (7 plates, 8 mugs and 8 saucers) for $7.99.  I got an 8th plate a few days later at another thrift store.

And these two serving/casserole dishes.  All three finds at different thrift stores.  Yay!

That was a great start to my thrift week, but it didn't stop there.  Got this small green Pyrex casserole dish.

7 of these super cute milk glass, Indopal, farm scene custard cups.
 
The farm scene is so tiny and detailed.  Look at those cows.  Does anyone know anything about this brand, Indopal, made in Indonesia?  Is it vintage or newer?  I haven't seen anything vintage from Indonesia yet, but that doesn't mean anything.

Thursday I went to an estate sale that started at 2 in the afternoon.  That was a first for me, usually that's close to the time estate sales are closing down for the day.  Hey, but I'm not complaining.  I got there 30 minutes early, and I scored one of my happiest finds there.

A vintage Cosco step-stool chair.  In RED!!! I rushed into this estate sale hoping this would be a good price since I saw it in their online advertisement.  It was $20.

About a week or two earlier I was just telling my mom how you never see these.  I remember my great-grandma had one that she kept in her kitchen.  This chair is in fantastic condition.  It looks like it has some paint splashes on it, but the paint is red so it doesn't stand out.

And here at this estate sale I scored a pile of vintage sheets and pillow cases.  Three of the sheets have the same patterns, but are in different colors.  Awesome!  I already have some market bags made out of these for a fair I'm selling at this coming weekend.

Then on Friday I went to another estate sale.  Mom wanted to stop for breakfast, as I hesitantly said yes.  I wanted to get to the sale early to get what I saw online.  Ugh!!!  We were number 34, and they let 1-20 in first, and we had to wait for almost an hour to get in. The suspense was eating at me.

It wasn't a large estate sale, they had higher end stuff like art work that I don't mess with...yet.  However, I did get what caught my eye.  This dress form.

I went in with a price in mind.  I know how much these are new, and it would double as a display for picture taking of my aprons and bags I list on Etsy.  The price I had in mind was a bit high and I did walk away from it once I saw the price was exactly what I had in mind.  Ouch!  I came back to it to look at it some more, then saw the adjustment dials on it's side.  Damn!  It's my size too.  I had to get it, and in all reality $60 is a steal for this, and it's in a great neutral brown color, and of course in fantastic condition.

Here is Esmeralda (what one of the sales ladies called it when I was carrying it at the estate sale) displaying a new market bag I made with the just purchased estate sale vintage sheets.

Saturday morning I hit up a few garage sales and got...

this super fab Samsonite two-suiter.  It's sturdy, heavy, and I love how it's set-up inside.

I was a bit confused about some of the doo-dads in the suitcase, like a bar that swung out, and a rod flush against the interior, not sure what they were for, then I found this ad.  Man they were fancy back then.  

The rod is for your ties, and the bar is to hold your suit pants.  Wish I could travel that light. 

Well onto the few remaining things I got. A much needed cutting mat, 24x34, $3(forgot to take a pic).  Got a tip for those who have warped cutting mats (maybe from ironing on them.  Don't ask me how I know this...eh hem).  Place it on a flat surface outside in the sun and it will "melt" back in place from the heat. ;-)
 
An retro pitcher pitcher with lid.  

 and got a couple of random glasses and mugs via thrift store and garage sales.

Did you have any great finds this week?  If so include your link with your comment.

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Thrift Share Monday...Opps Tuesday - April 24

Where is my thrifting mojo?

It's garage sale season, as in Saturdays are flooded with garage sales, and for some reason or another I'm missing them.

Two weekends ago, I had a garage sale so I missed out, yeah I got rid of some junk, but I really missed out on acquiring vintage junk.  This Saturday I was out an about early, but I hit up some venues missing out on actual garage sales.  So what did that get me?  Not very much.  I should be scoring as much as I did about a month ago.  I should have the counter covered in vintage goodness to wash, but nope.

So what do I have to show for my week?

A Kromex pedestal cake stand for $2.

A not so thrifted metal magazine rack for $7.  This was purchased at a farmers market, and I my mom figured it might be a great display rack for some of my small handbags/clutches for the Violet Crown Festival I'm doing in just under two weeks.

Rack displaying Lulu Pouches.  Ugh!  Don't you hate it when moms are right?

I got this painting...well frame for my sister, $20.  She's been looking for an ornate wood  frame to display earrings.  It's a good size too, 23 x27.  You know the frame by itself is worth way more than that, and the painting is pretty nice too. 

And one, just one vintage sheet.  At least it has fantastic colors.  :-)

I got some estate sales lined up for Thursday. I'm hoping they're good.  

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Thread bunching issues fixed

Yay!  My sewing/thread bunching issues are fixed.  I don't know what fixed it, but one of the suggestions must have done the trick.  Such a relief.

One thing I've never done on my machine is run something through the tension disk to make sure they are free of debris.  So that's a new trick/tip for me.  Thank you for helping me fix this.

Here is what I did

• Replaced my needle (even though it was fairly new), and made sure the needle was facing the correct way.
• Dusted down inside my machine in and around the bobbin case (which I do do on a regular basis)
• Ran a paper towel between my tension disk (I think), once I googled where my tension disk might be :-o, and went ahead and a ran a dollar bill between them too (maybe my machine feels it needs to be compensated for all its hard work)
• Checked to see if my thread tension was working correctly.  At first I thought it wasn't since the tension didn't seem to change as I changed the dial.  Then I put my presser foot down, doh, and yes it works.  :-)  *Remember to put the dial back to your usual tension, otherwise you'll have thread tension issues. 
• Then said some nice loving words to my machine, and pleaded for it to work (opposed to the few choice non-loving words I was saying the day before).

Like I said I don't know what fixed it, but I'm soooo happy it's not bunching up.  Sigh of relief.

So with my machine running smoothly I was able to finish up some Lulu Pouches for Etsy/Violet Crown Festival and some bunting.

Lulu Pouches ready to list

Groovy spring 5 flag bunting

Lovely red with white flowers 5 flag bunting.

Spring 4 flag bunting

Spring 8 flag bunting

Got a lot more to work on.  I need... well want a good amount of items for my booth.  The count down has now started for my first ALL handmade market (It'll be like walking/balancing on a tight-rope without  a net (my vintage items to sell)).  The Violet Crown Festival is now just under two short weeks away, on May 5th. I got to get off my computer and back to my machine.

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Sewers, I NEED your help!

OMG!  I'm seriously gonna lose it.  All day I've been working on some Lulu Pouches, and as easy as they were two days ago I'm doing my damnedest at making them difficult.

It's not the pattern, it's me (haha).  I'm rushing through it, and putting wrong sides together (ugh), but that's not the main problem. My bottom thread is bushing up like a 70's Playboy model (tacky? if so...then you didn't just read that).

My bottom thread or I should say my top thread is creating huge issues on the bottom.  I've threaded and re-threaded the machine, slowed my sewing down, tightened and loosened the tension, but this is continuing to happen.  I've seriously seam ripped these pouches about 14 times today. 

Look at what I'm talking about, and these are pretty pictures, less bushy thread bunching than what has happened throughout the day.

What you are seeing here is the bottom fabric with the brown top thread bunching up underneath, the bottom thread is rust (to match the fabric). 

Do any of you know what's going on here, and how I can fix this?  I'm so frustrated, and sad.  :-(

Help!  Please. 

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The Lulu Pouch

My other projects (WIP/UFO's) seem to be moving at a snails pace.  I've had flags/pendants for more bunting for almost a week now, but for what ever reason I haven't got around to the binding to string/sew the pendants together.  Ugh!

I've also started some fabric nesting bowls, and for streamline reasons I've made about 6 small bowls, but now need the other 5 larger sizes.  Small, same sized bowls can't nest.  Double Ugh!

So since I feel like I'm going nowhere, fast, I decided to work on a pattern I purchase last week from Ali Foster.  It's called the Lulu Pouch. 

As I go to grab some vintage sheets I decide I need a brake from them and go for actual (new) fabric.  I decide on some Melody Miller Retro clocks fabric I won about two months ago, at a local fabric shop, The Stitch Lab. 

I've been wanting to cut into this fabric, but haven't know what to do with it...yet. The Lulu Pouch pattern is sooo super cute and very easy, and looks great with my fabric choice.  I love the over sized coin purse feel it has.  It'll be a great little pouch/purse for some cash, keys and phone. 

This was so quick and easy to make I think I'll make a whole bunch more just for that sense of accomplishment since my other projects are going soooo slow. 

Whatcha think?

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Thrift Share Monday - April 16

Eek! My thrifting has been sparse, the last two weeks.  Soooo sad.

(Scroll down if you want to jump right into my thrifted finds)

Easter weekend me and my whole family (10 of us) rented a beach house in Galveston, which took away from potential good garage/estate sale/thrift finds at home.  I had hopes that I could make some scores while out of town, visions of vintage sheet scores from racks I hadn't striped clean yet, but came home empty handed.  *sigh*  However, vacationing on the beach was sooooo nice.

Our rental was maybe a minute walk to the water.  The kids love it, well we all do.  Early morning, 7 am, strolls on the beach looking for shells (better shell hunting happens in the winter).  Kids have late morning frolics in the water, then out to town for lunch.

The first morning we were there the shore was covered in live bean clams.  It was strange watching them frantically sink bury themselves once the waves washed them to shore.  Their little muscle-y foot pops out, like a little tongue, to pull itself into the sand.

Bean Clams

The next morning there were new finds/interest.  Not as many bean clams on the shore this day, but while combing the shore (visually) you start to notice little bouncing or pops of water, initially thinking maybe a bubble popped or some sort of splash, but as you look closely you see the little splash is a tiny shrimp washed to shore.  So the kids start gathering these little critters in their buckets.

As eyes start to focus on these small finds you start to see itty bitty crabs (about the size of a dime and smaller,and they have attitude.  (All I hear in my head is their voices from Finding Nemo "Hey! Hey!" with there claws raised, as the sea gulls above are saying "Mine! Mine!".)  The kids are even more excited, and start gathering those as well.  So I'm on the search with them, and start to see these creatures seem to be close to washed up seaweed.  With this realization I start looking at seaweed not yet washed ashore, still floating in the water, and the seaweed is literally crawling with mini crabs and shrimp.  It's then an all out hunt for floating seaweed.

Itty bitty crab by my ring.  It's hard to tell, but the U shaped thing is a shrimp right below it. 

I shriek when the first large/mini crab (the body about the size of a quarter) grotesquely crawls out of some seaweed.   What startled me was it's speed and of course size compared to the dime sized ones, plus the immediate vision of it being a cockroach (EW! I know roaches are not in the ocean, but I do somewhat associate shrimp as being sea roaches, and it moved just as fast as a roach.  Gross!).  Focus changes again, and we are on a mission to find the larger crabs.

Basically, the harvesting went like this, grab some sea weed, dangle it over a bucket and just let the critters crawl off.  Really strange to see.

Bucket of crab and shrimp.

 Next find, I think I have another large crab, so I hold the seaweed together since they are fast and do pinch.  I plop it in a bucket, but it's not a crab it's a fish. The kids are squealing in delight.  The two 8 year old boys (son and nephew) immediately start claiming its a Lion fish.  Not realizing, or knowing my fish, I stick my hand in the bucket wanting to bring it to the surface of the water to get a closer look.  Aw! It's so cute and pretty.  As the boys are telling me to be careful, I'm thinking to myself I'm not gonna hurt or squash the small fish, but later realizing what they meant, they didn't want me to get hurt.  They thought they knew what it was, a Lion fish, and if it was what they thought then the fish would have been poisonous. Yikes! *Note to self listen to 8 year olds they might know what they are talking about.*  (These are boys, most of what they read are bug, snake, shark, critter/creature books.  They are educated in their critters).

Fish moved to a cup for better viewing.

*These critters were released in the water, shortly after they were caught.

I haven't been able to find the name of this fish, but I'll call it a seaweed fish since it looks like seaweed.  It's very cute in the way it maneuvers itself with it's four front fins, almost like legs.  Later in the afternoon when we went back to the beach I found one trapped on shore in a pool of water surrounded by seaweed.  At times you could almost see it walking when the water was low enough.  It was very interesting to watch.  After watching it we did take it into the water and released it.  No need for the "Mine! Mine!" birds to eat it...at least not on our watch.

Where's Waldo the seaweed fish?

That evening just before sun set, my sister went to the beach and had notice the water receded quite a bit. When she said this the first thought that came to mind was "Run!! Tsunami!"  I always thought the tide came in at night, not recede.  This really intrigued my mom, so after some thought since it was soooo dark outside we decided to go see for ourselves.  I'll admit I was creeped out walking on the beach at night, the moon not yet out. (Thoughts of Jason, from Friday the 13th in my head.  Yup movies flood my brain.)  We had flash lights, and that's pretty much all you could see of each other, the flash light beam on the sand.

Then you see something quickly move on the beach.  All the kids are squealing looking for what just moved, and it's fast.  A very large crab. 

Look by what I mean is all you see is the beam of light to locate each other on the black beach.  The three spots of light are the three kids chasing the crab once it was released.  (Short, very shaky video)

Eventually the moon did make it's appearance, and started out almost red.  Once again, movie scripts in my head "Blood has been shed on this night." Then Halloween/Jason takes it's place with "kill, kill, kill, kill...".  Demented I know.  (Do I need help?)

Then as it got higher, it's known white.  Wish I had a good camera with me, and not only my cell, which  dubbed as a flash light, and video camera.  (When are these things gonna come equipped with powder foundation?) 

Thank you for getting this far down (or scrolling), I know this is a Thrift Share post, but since I had no luck last weekend I'm sharing what took it's place.  We had a garage sale this Saturday, and I was sick to later look at my garage sale app that day to see garage sales saturated my area that I could not attend to.  :-(  Hopefully, next weekend will be just as saturated.  So now on to my few finds from this week. 

This lovely, large, teal E.O. Brody vase.

A large Homestead Pyrex casserole dish with lid, that will be added to the set I acquired two weeks ago.  Soon to be listed on Etsy or Ebay.  What venue would be your suggestion for a set price listing, a 30 day Ebay listing or 3 month Etsy?

Scored this red(rust?), white rimmed Pyrex bowl.

And got some good vintage sheet finds.

White and gold gingham. 

 Groovy flowers.

 Delicate butterflies

 Blue bouquet

 Spring time

Don't forget you can pick fat quarter bundles from my Etsy shop, and this week through Sunday April 22, I'm having a 20% off sale, use coupon code EarthDay2012 at check out.

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