Thrift Share Monday November 28

Thanksgiving down.  Whew! Bring on the 5 birthdays before Christmas.  Yikes!!

Well I did a little unexpected thrifting this holiday weekend.  The kids were off Wednesday so I took that day off as well to make it a 5 day weekend.  What a nice long weekend.  So Wednesday I decided to hit up some thrift shops, and I'm sooo glad I did.  I found some unexpected goodies.

My first stop was at a shop I don't go to much, since they are closed once I get out of work and are out of my normal driving route.  So I am sooo glad I made this stop.  The score I made wasn't vintage, but was new, and perfect for timing for Christmas.

As soon as I walked in I spot a bin of Lego grab bags.  No, not used Lego pieces they bundled themselves, but new Legos of random pieces, 1 pound at $1.50 per bag.  Holy *bleep*!!!


Now I don't know if you are a Lego shopper, but I have an 8 year old son and two nephews (5 & 7) so Legos are usually on their Christmas and birthday list, so I shop Legos often.  The small itty bitty little bags to make a single item like a car, or some other small figure will usually run $4-5, for 40-50 small pieces.  So what did I do? I bought 12 grab bags of Legos.  Then my mom went back and bought 9 more.  You know I'll be cursing the day after Christmas when all these little pieces are scattered all over the rug and I'm stepping on them, but at this price who could resit such a great bargain.  Twelve bags filled up one paper grocery bag for $18.   Whoot!!



Look at all the little heads!


I'm not even gonna tell you how long I spent playing sorting through all the pieces to get these little guys together. 

My next stops scored me great vintage sheets and other wonderful little finds.

Check out this great vintage Merry Mushroom napkin and shaker set.

 And OMG!! isn't this owl bank soo freaken fantastic!!!  This is a keeper and it's mine. 

 Then this little incense burner is super cute as well.  Now I gotta stock up on the little cone shape incense.

This sheet is soo groovy with it's extra large prints.

I don't think this is vintage, but it was soo soft and pretty I just had to get it.  Maybe a skirt for the Spring. 

Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!

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Happy Thanksgiving and a SALE

How did this day approach so quickly?  Wow!

So it's time for turkey, and about a dozen other side dishes today....mmmmm can't wait.  Turkey dinner is my most favorite meal.  So I'll admit by saying I cheat and eat this meal several other times each year, but the lazy way.  I buy the roasted turkey breast at the grocery store, along with their pre-made mashed potatoes, then I make some stuffing and slice a can of cranberry sauce. It's sooooo good. 

The best part about the real Thanksgiving meal is mom's gravy.  I do a little gravy dance and burn my mouth as I taste the hot/boiling gravy as she's making it.  I could drink that stuff.  Yum!!

I feel like I should say some gooshy stuff about what I'm thankful for, but I'll keep it to a minimum. 

I'm thankful for my loving family, and for you my lovely readers and bloggers, who's blogs I love to read. 

Now time for the goodies.  I'm having a sales in my Etsy shop, 15% off for my blog readers now through next Thursday, December 1.  Use the coupon code SLEEPING, because I'll definitely be doing that after my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round of turkey.  :-)

Another goody, some Thanksgiving cards my daughter made last year (she was 10 at the time).  She made them for her cousins, and I just had to take pictures of them since I thought they were hilarious.  They are very simple stick-figure pictures, but check out their facial expressions, and excuse the misspelling (if it wasn't for spell check I would have typos every other line). 

 Happy Thanksgiving!

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Thrift Share Monday November 21

One event/holiday/birthday down and 6 to go.  My sister got married this weekend, and it was so wonderful.  She got married Thursday evening, and we froze as temps dropped to 50 degrees (outdoor venue) in strapless and sleeveless dresses.  Luckily this was just the ceremony and we weren't out all night.  Saturday she had the reception, also outdoors, and the weather could not have been any better; it was perfect.

For the reception we used 100+ thrifted mason jars with sand and candles as center pieces.  I, personally, didn't get any center piece pictures since tables were occupied with food and drinks by the time the candles were lit but here is a test grouping we did to see how they would look.

So now there are two more holidays and 4 birthdays to go in the next 6 weeks.  Yikes!!

With the running around for the wedding.  Mostly looking for my dress and something for the kids to wear my thrifting has been almost non-existent.  I've managed to hit up a single thrift shop maybe once a week.

However, I have managed to sparsely score a vintage sheet here and there.    Plus I do have some items I haven't shared with you yet, from past thrift shop visits, and 'tis the, approaching, season it's time to share.

My son loves penguins, so when I saw this uniquely white penguin cookie jar at a thrift store, months ago, I had to buy him.  My son was a bit perplex on why he was white, and he asked if I was was going to paint him.  I think this white penguin will go perfect sitting next to my black Christmas tree, which I hope to get set up in the next week.

 

Another Christmas purchase was also months ago at an estate sale.  A glass tree jar.  The top lifts off to insert  little treats or decorations.  My grandma had one just like it, and I remember she would fill it with vintage-ish hard candy just like this.... 











 It's always bitter-sweet when random little things remind me of my grandma.  We all miss her so much.   

Onto my vintage sheet finds.  These have slowly been collected over the last 6 weeks.  Now bringing my collection over 60 vintage sheets, with just under 60 listed on Flickr.

Don't forget to check out my Esty shop for vintage sheet fat quarters. I also have it set up to pick your own bundles at huge discounted rates (compared to other shops).  Ten FQ for $10.  I have almost all of my sheets posted on Flickr where you can select the sheets you want for your bundle.

 After a busy weekend of a wedding/reception, and visiting family it's time to sleep.  

Happy thrifting and happy crafting!

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My Fav Friday - outdoor photos

Photography doesn't appear to be my strong suit based on the crafty, thrifting, sewing photos I post.  However, I love to take pictures.

At one time my favorite pictures to take were of my kids, but since they've gotten older that's changed.  Is it because I don't like photographing them anymore?  No, of course not.  It's because they scatter, like roaches when the light gets turned on, when they see the camera aimed at them.  Plus if there are still for a moment they are making silly, googlyed eye faces.  Sigh.

So I've turned to objects that are not as mobile as my kids; nature, statues and buildings.

I love taking photos of flowers.  I'm always in awe at how beautiful some flowers are; the colors or their shapes just lure me.  They are even more luring when butterflies linger around them.

The Texas heat was awful this summer, so I was extremely surprised to find some gorgeous flowers while out visiting San Antonio this morning.  We took some family by the Alamo and it wasn't long before my eyes caught some flowers worthy to take pictures of.  My phone was quickly whipped out to take pictures.

Angel trumpets are one of my favorite flowers.  I love how they dangle facing down from a small tree like bush.  These flowers are ginormous; larger then the width and length of my hand. 

I don't know the name of these little purple flowers, but gotta take pictures when there are butterflies present. 

Non floral related, here is a building in San Antonio with an optical illusion.   This was taken while on the Riverwalk boat tour; a boat ride below street level. When passing this building, a hospital, it appears that it is just one free standing wall.  However, it's just that the building is built in a triangular shape so you tend not to see the angles you'd normally see if the building was square or rectangular shaped.


Here are some more favorite photos I've taken in the past.

These are 4" pots this butterfly is tending too.  That's one huge butterfly!

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A new to me online fabric store & a last minute Bridal Shower gift

While roaming blogland about two weeks ago I bumped into a online fabric shop.  I "liked" them on Facebook, and even subscribed to their email list.  Then the following week I get a sale email from them.  I browse around, then notice they are local.  What???  Awesome!

I love supporting local businesses, so I start seriously browsing their selection of fabrics.  I pause for a moment to check out their shipping cost, because I can't stand paying shipping, and find that they only charge $2.99 for all orders.  Wow!!!  That sold me.  Seriously, and with their 25% off sale they had going on that practically paid for shipping.

I narrowed my fabric choices down to two, and OMG!!! they are even more gorgeous in person.

So who is this new-to-me online fabric store?  Form and Fabric. 

You know the best part about buying local?  I ordered Tuesday and I received my order the next day, Wednesday.  AWE-some!!!

Aren't these fabrics soooo yummy?  I love the dandelions.

They even sent some swatches to a couple of fabrics that had the same color scheme.  How nice is that?

These fabrics looked so yummy online I just had to buy them...without a project in mind.  However, last Sunday morning while getting some bridal shower gifts out for my sister to wrap I realized I wanted to add something else.  I wanted something to put the gift certificates in....then looked at one of the candles and it clicked (little cartoon light turned on over my head).  There is a dandelion on the candle just like the dandelions on the fabric.  I knew what I needed to make, and it was a mad rush to get this clutch whipped up for the shower that afternoon.  Super mad rush.

with gift certificates inside

OMG!!! I couldn't be happier with the way it came out.  I absolutely love this clutch in this fabric.  I've done one like this before, but it was the smaller version using vintage sheets.  This is the first time I've done the larger clutch and I love it.

Oh what even helped more was a few weeks back I purchased a solids scrap bundle over at Pink Chalk Fabrics, and I wouldn't have been able to get this clutch done on such a short whim if I hadn't bought this bundle.  There were several colors that matched this fabric, such luck....

 ....and this is why we hoard stash.  :-)

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Crafty, Thrifty Gypsy - My Halloween costume

Thrifting was non-existent this weekend, but I do have a thrifted, crafty costume to share. 

First off a thrifted item from a few weeks back, used for Halloween decor.  This is more than what I would normally want to pay for a small item, but I had a Halloween use for it in mind.  Candle holder from local thrift shop, $2.99.  It's very Charles Dicken-ish....don't you think?  Add a candle, and drip some red wax from another candle, and viola you have a bleeding candle.  Idea courtesy of MarthaStewart.com.

Mystery fabric turned into a skirt (lazy style)

My costume in mind this year was a gypsy, and I figured I could throw one together rather easily.  It was actually easier than I expected.  I had two yards of mystery fabric I bought last Thanksgiving at Garden Ridge.  Price $5.99, Thanksgiving day sale 1/2 off $2.98.  It's been sitting here so sad. So I made it into a gypsy skirt.  Cutting the two yards in half length wise, sewed together at the edged to make a 4 yard long piece, then sewed the other two ends together.  Sewed a hem at the top and inserted a rope(cord), and bunched together to fit around my waist.

A very lazy way to make a skirt if you ask me, but it met it's purposes, and if I decide to use the fabric for something else down the line I haven't compromised it much.  It's very Gone with the Wind(ish) since this mystery fabric is heavy,like curtain material.  (Mame just whip me up a skirt from those curtains.)

Bed skirt and XL man shirt

Bed skirt slip

A thrifted XL man shirt, and a bed skirt $2.99 each. The shirt shoulders were cut off from the pocket up, and sleeves were cut just a bit from wrist opening down.  Removed pocket, hemmed along the top, and treaded with some elastic to gather.  Same with the sleeves.  Viola once more, you now have a pirate wench top....which is the same look for a gypsy.   

Now you might be asking yourself what the bed skirt is for.  Well it's for under my skirt.  Ugh!!!  For the life of me I can't remember or find what that is called.  It's not a slip...is it?  Ugh! I pretty much cut the bed skirt in half and sewed the ends together and gathered the top once again with elastic.

back scrap used for gypsy head wrap, 10 cents

Do you ever have those garage sale purchases you wonder what you'll do with, but don't pass up because they're so cheap?  Well I had that happen a few months back.  I purchased some fabric scraps for 10cents each, but  didn't know what I would do with them.  The time has now come to make use of that silly purchase.  Fabric scrap cut equals gypsy head wrap. 

Gypsies need large dangling earrings right?  Well thrift shops didn't have what I was looking for, and I wasn't gonna spend a lot on this accessory, so onto Joann's I went.  Purchased 7" worth of trim, $1.29, cut in half to make two earrings and just poked my earring stud through the fabric to create my earrings.

The spooky glowing eyes just add that Halloween touch. 

I originally wore my costume last weekend for my sisters Halloween party and at that time I used a tank top as my under-bust vest, just pulled the tank top down and pinned in place.  It kinda worked but since I had an XL man shirt underneath it  all bunched up and made me look wider than what I am.  So I free styled a vest/corset thingy by using my tank top as a template then held the fabric up against me and drew a line under my bust and got my pattern that way.  Sorry I have no pictures for this.  Most of my random sewing attempts don't work out so I don't even try to document them. Fabric from stash, no additional out of pocket expense.

Bracelets from daughters Cleopatra costume from a few years back...not an additional out of pocket expense.

Total cost of costume, just over $10.  Not bad if you ask me.  I spent 6 times that, combined, on my kids store purchased costumes, but getting them what they want is almost priceless, right?  I wasn't gonna attempt Swamp Fire from Ben 10, and my daughter was back and forth on her costume not knowing what she wanted until we went to Party City.  Plus I've had plenty of costume flops in my past, as I posted about last week.  I didn't want to disappoint myself again.

Hope you all had a safe and happy Halloween.

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Flops of Halloweens past

Hopefully like most, I have had my fair share of attempting costumes for my kids; most were flops, with a possible triumph.

70's era leopard costume

You know you have the vision in your head, but the outcome was not even a shadow of what was envisioned.  Oh well.  Guess in the end the kids were happy with what they got....maybe.  

I think my mom had better luck with costumes than me.  At least I have this photo laying around to prove it.  That's me...forever ago as a leopard. I think I am three in this picture so that's 31 years ago.  Like I said for-ev-er ago.

This was one of the few costumes that got recycled between three growing sisters.  There is a Mini Mouse costume picture somewhere in a shoe box. 

The strange thing is that my mom made us our costumes. As in she sewed them!!!  Why is that strange?  Because I've never seen her use a sewing machine.   Very strange.

I'll start out with a triumph, and go figure I don't have any good pictures of it.   This costume  was my triumph of any costume I've ever made.  Three years ago my sister asked me to make my nephew a costume, but not just any costume.  She wanted Max from Where the Wild Things Are. 

This was a huge request.  Something I agreed to, but without the confidence it would turn out.  It took some time to think it through (This was the year prior to the movie coming out).

I used the below seen Spider Man suit as a template for the body.  The tail was free hand with faux fur, and boy was it an awesome tail.  You can't see it from this angle but the shape of it was amazing.  Then the hood was trial and error.
You could also see in the picture to the right that the hands/claws were removable, but still attached.

My sister was soooo happy with it.

Let the wild rumpus begin!

Here we have my little boy.  (Aw I miss the kids at this age...so juicy and cute.)  This is a simple costume I was pretty happy with.  This was my son's first walking Halloween. He was the perfect Bam-Bam.  At this age my sons hair was practically white too, but it's hard to see in this picture. 

Constructed out of a couple small pieces of fabric, with some black felt for the spots, and a bone shaped dog treat painted white.

This next one, below, was a flop  He wanted to be a bat AND I wanted to make his costume.  I used hangers for the wings that didn't stay on his arms and the hat was a flop too, but he was happy with it. 

 

 The good thing about this Halloween is that he had two costumes to wear; one handmade that he wore to
daycare (the bat) and the one he wore out trick-or-treating; over-sized Super Man.








Now obviously this is not a costume I made,
but one year my son decided to be Bat-Spider-man.  The Spider-Man suit with a Bat-Man cape.  It was his decision to combine two costumes, and boy did he get a lot of remakes regarding his incorrect costume by confused treat givers.  Seriously!  Is it necessary to cretique kids wearing costumes?  He's a boy.  HE knows Spider-Man and Bat-Man are two different super heros, and HE wanted to be both at the same time.

 Now my daughter has been lucky by being able to dodge me making her costumes, but one year she couldn't avoid it.  She wanted to be a horse, and this is all I came up with.  She had a tail of yarn and a mask made out of those foam sheets.  It looks sad, but once again another happy child with their homemade costume.  And once again there is my son, a bat, but this time it's a legit bat costume.  This was an awesome costume, it has a pull string that popped open the wings.

This year the only costume I'm attempting is my own.  A (crafty thrifty) gypsy.

Now in the past I've tended to lean towards something with wings, and have made my own wings, which I've been extremely happy with.  If I get around to posting my gypsy costume I'll try to remember to get pictures of my wings as well.

So what have been your flops and triumphs costume wise?

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