Idea Stores

Posted on March 15, 2013 by April

Absence certainly makes the heart grow fonder. I’ve really missed blogging these past couple of weeks, and I haven’t even been all that busy. Just lazy I suppose, at work there is not much time to blog, plus I really don’t know how ethical it is to use company time to do such things. Then when home time comes around, all I want to do is sit on the couch and attempt to watch TV, but instead I wake up 2 hours later to find the local news filling my head with current headlines. Let’s just say I’m tired.

But a couple of weeks ago I was able to drag myself off the couch, and visit a couple of my favorite “idea” stores. You know those kinds of stores where the merchandise is too pricey (at least for this cheapskate) to actually purchase anything, but instead steal their ideas and buy something similar at your favorite thrift or discount store.

Well, Potty Barn and Anthropologie are my idea stores. And here’s what I found:

I really don’t know what I like best about Anthropologie, the gorgeous smells or scrumptuous eye candy.

I love this table, I don’t know if it was truly old, but those wheels are awesome.

These quilts had me at, “Hey, I’m 100% cotton!” My favorite is the white ruffled one second from the bottom.

Have I mentioned all the eye candy that Anthropologie has to offer?

I loved this corner gallery. It might look odd in a main living area, but perhaps it would work in a bedroom?

And these weird little glass balls. I thought they were a light fixture at first, but I still like them. They bring a little shine into a space.

Aren’t these bright lamps the coolest?

Oh, and they had owls!

Lots of owls…

And not just owls, they also offered weenie dogs that would hold letters for you. I thought about buying this for my sister, but alas, $30 was too steep for my tight little wallet.

This chair is so cute, I could see one of my thrifted chairs getting this treatment.

All I need now is a cute euro pillow. And some time away from the couch.

After indulging in all the eye candy that Anthropologie offered it was time to see what Pottery Barn had in store for me.

I love their table settings at the Barn of Pottery. They’re a little too busy for my everyday life, but still fun to gaze upon. I did however, get some ideas for my own Easter table.

A bunny holding colorful plates anyone?

How about a cheese dome displaying pretty Easter eggs?

Or cute bunny napkins?

I also noticed a trend in both stores:

Colored and textured glassware. Which I’m completely on board with, evidenced by my favorite colorful glasses purchases from one of my favorite thrift stores. You can read more about those here.

Normally, when visiting my idea stores, I just come away with ideas. But this time, I actually purchased something. My very first purchase from Anthropologie. It was like a little present to me and from me.

All wrapped up with pretty tape! But what lay beyond that pretty tape?

Why, a yummy candle. I can’t remember what flavor it is, but I snatched it from the clearance section for $15. Now, every time I light my gifted to me candle, I pretend I’m walking around one of my favorite idea stores. Of course, then I wake up and realize I just fell asleep on the couch again.

Thrifting Thursday: Random Shopping

Posted on February 28, 2013 by April

Has it really been two weeks since I last celebrated Thrifting Thursday?! Actually, I do believe, it’s been two weeks since I’ve even blogged! Talk about being behind on the blog schedule! I think it’s time I cash out and give you that meaty Thrifting Thursday post you have all surely been biting at the bit to read.

If you’re new here, Thrifting Thursdays are the day I’ve set aside to talk about all the great antique, vintage, and otherwise previously loved goods to be found in thrift stores. Thursday also makes a great day to celebrate all things thrifted since Thursday sort of rhymes with thirfting, but not really. Let’s just pretend it rhymes.

Anyways….back at the ranch.

Here are some cool things I’ve spotted while rooting around my favorite thrift stores.

I couldn’t help myself, that poor kid plunged me back to 1987. I had the girl version of this haircut. It was awesome and went great with my equally awesome pink CareBear, velcro sneakers.

Speaking of awesome haircuts, check this guy out. Apparently, he is Mostly Male.

Evidenced by the interchangeable outfits between the mostly female ,the mostly male is pictured with.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that. (Quoted from Seinfeld.)

After savoring the openness of clothing from the ’70’s I wandered over to another section of the store and was officially creeped out by this Elvis head. I guess The King is still alive, at least at our local Goodwill.

As always, when I’m out thrifting I’m on the look out for some really nice vintage-y furniture. I am obsessed with the sturdiness and design of pieces that are 40 years or older.

I LOVED the legs on this elegant lady! And those clean lines…OH LA LA.

And then there was this guy, I have no idea what I would’ve used him for, but I would’ve found a place for him. If only I could find a way of making the trunk of my Malibu stretch.

Oh, and then I found this pretty secretary.

She wasn’t that well made, nor that old. But I still liked the idea.

Plus, she offered extra storage. See those little ledges on the sides? Those are meant for shelving, I couldn’t find the shelves nearby so I can only guess they were either broken or just got separated.

All in all, I’d say there were some pretty good finds, nothing that I felt warranted handing over my hard earned beans or cramming into my already cluttered home, but some pretty great stuff nonetheless. Although, I might go back for that Elvis head, that’s a classic piece.

Weekend Happenings: Zombie Apocalypse

Posted on February 12, 2013 by April

Tuesday, where did Monday go? And why is Wednesday already tail gating me? Before I know it, heart day will be here and gone, and then it’ll be time to enjoy that marvelous long weekend! Or what others may call President’s Day. That’s the joy of being a public employee, the long weekends thanks to national holidays.

The point is, this week is just flying by, and it’s not just this week, it’s other weeks, time in general is flying by. As I’ve hit that 30-something mark, the days feel longer but the weeks feel shorter, my to-do list keeps growing, but the tasks never get done. Even right now, as I sit here writing this post there are a million, zillion, things that I know are not so patiently waiting for their turn at my attention. While I think of all the other things that need to be or want to be done.

Whew!

I think I just tuckered myself out thinking about it.

Maybe it’s time to stop, re-focus, and remember all the relaxation that happened over the past weekend.

We had cake. No, it wasn’t a birthday or some other big event, it was simply Saturday. And the cake was on sale, why not? I should also mention, it was a mini cake. I LOVE cake, but I could never eat an entire standard sized sheet cake in one weekend. Well, I could, but by Monday I’d be waddling into the nearest Old Navy to buy bigger jeans. No thanks, I’ll stick to the mini cakes thankyouverymuch.

And I finally got to break in a new tea maker. By the way, thanks Mom for the great gift that provides me with that sweet sweet caffeine!

Yes, I am so addicted to iced tea I can’t wait for the water to boil to make it the old fashioned way. And yes, this is my new tea maker, meaning that I have worn out another one. And yes, I buy home teeth whitening products in bulk, actually, I don’t, I’d rather live with slightly yellowed teeth than have the shade of blue teeth that Suze Orman has. No offense to those who whiten or to Ms. Orman! I love to watch the Can I Afford It segment on her show every Saturday. But it also makes me sad, because I realize I can’t afford it. “It” meaning the newest toy I’ve had my eye on.

Where was I? Oh yeah, the weekend…

I picked out my Valentine tulips early this year. Apparently, the closer you get to heart day the more expensive flowers get.

Oh, and the most exciting part of the weekend was stepping into Michael’s to find all Lion Brand yarn was 50% off!! I may have gone back a couple more times to stock up. Ya know, just in case there’s a zombie apocalypse that causes a yarn shortage. Since, I hear zombies love to knit and crochet in between eating people’s brains.

And finally, what weekend re-cap wouldn’t be complete without the obligatory dog picture?

Well, I’m off to check some items off my to-do list:

1. Make dining table pretty, bananas do not make an attractive center piece.

2. Sweep the crazy amounts of fur off of the floor

3. Hide hoard of yarn before zombie apocalypse happens

Thrifting Thursday: They Cut My Shins Off

Posted on February 7, 2013 by April

Today is Thursday not Friday… I’ve been having to tell myself that all day long, wishful thinking I suppose. Not that today is a particularly bad day or that this week has been stressful, it’s just that I look forward to the excitement and energy that surrounds an upcoming weekend. There’s just something about the promise of two full days free from the office, and from the electricity in the air I know my officemates would agree. Again, it’s not that the 9-5 job is horrible, in fact I quite enjoy it, but to have time without a schedule is bliss.

And to celebrate that upcoming bliss, let’s partake in my weekly indulgence of Thrifting Thursday. I found something really awesome to show off this week…

At first, I thought this was a pretty awesome coffee table, maybe a little rough, but with a little sanding and some paint it would be good as new. Then I looked a little closer and saw hinges.

GASP! Upon further inspection, I found two labels…

DOUBLE GASP!

At the thrift store I really didn’t know what all this meant, I just knew it had to be old and it had to come home with me. So, $25 later this rugged beauty was standing in my living room.

After a few moments of admiring by newest acquisition, I couldn’t take the suspense anymore and did a quick Google search.

Turns out my unique and awesome coffee table wasn’t really a coffee table in her original life, and she was much taller in her younger years.

Via

Actually, she originally housed an Atwater Kent Radio! The manufacturer of the table was Kiel. According to this awesome ad:

Via

She’s pretty old, I’ve read several different sources that give her year of birth between 1929 and 1931. If she were a person, she could be my grandma!!

If you look at the ad, the going rate for this beauty ,at the time, was $179, in 2013 that’s equivalent to $2500. So, she would have been the center of one’s sitting room, much like a TV is today.

So, I’m pretty proud of my “coffee table”, even if she’s had her shins cut off much like Cotton from King of the Hill.

He’s the short guy on the right, short due to the lack of shins.

And I am having second thoughts on painting this piece, maybe a sand down to the bare wood and a re-stain is in order. I think she’s much too lady like to be painted.

What do you think?

Thrifting Thursday on a Monday

Posted on February 4, 2013 by April

Well, now that the weekend has come and gone, and I’ve gone a week without a post, I thought I owed it to you guys to do a Thrifting Thursday post. Yeah, I know it’s Monday, but maybe it’ll make that weekly transition from weekend warrior to office monkey a littler easier.

This past weekend, I found something I couldn’t leave behind.

I know, they’re kind of kitschy, but aren’t they cutest kind of kitsch? At first glance, I thought they were so ugly they would be perfect to make fun of on the blog. Then after taking this picture:

I noticed the lids, oh geez, those lids, they slay me. Don’t know what I’m talking about, here let me demonstrate:

How cute is that? It’s the whole egg to chick progression. Now do you see why I couldn’t leave this set behind? I HAD to rescue them! They were all priced separately so I knew the set would get split up. I just COULDN’T let that happen people!

On the bottom of each canister is a Sears and Roebuck trademark with the year 1976. They do look pretty ’70’s don’t they?

So, now I have a super cute set of chicken canisters, with no place to put them. Currently, they are cluttering up my kitchen table. Bubba (husband) and I have been opting to eat in the living room in front of the TV, or just giving in and eating on one end of the table while the chickens stare back at us. This makes it difficult to eat an omelet, or any other type of chicken product. Let’s just say, Bubba and I have been eating lots of beans and rice lately.

Aside from avoiding dishes that contain a certain fowl, I’ve also been admiring these beauties:

A set of six ,footed and beveled tumblers. After purchasing this duo a couple weeks ago I’ve had my eye out for more.

I just love how they catch the light.

And I can’t get enough of that beveled texture.

I wasn’t completely sold on the peach tone, but it’s grown on me.

I am guessing the maker of these sparkly glasses could be the Indiana Glass Company and they could be from the American Whitehall line from the mid ’70’s based on this information. If that’s the case then they are an imitation of the more expensive Fostoria American. Either way, I don’t really care if they’re valuable or not I’m just happy to have some pretty glasses to sip sweet tea from.

Oh yeah, and I’m participating in a little linky party/scavenger hunt over at Young House Love. There’s more of the low down on that here. Basically, the challenge is to hunt for things mentioned in the Macklemore song “Thrift Shop”. I won’t be linking to the original because there are lots of dirty words in it, so here’s the clean version. And I should also warn you, it’s rap, so if that’s offensive or just plain annoying you may want to avoid listening.

Macklemore Challenge:

Step 1: Go to the thrift store with a $20 in your pocket and take a picture.

Step 2: Spend $20 and photograph your spoils (hello, thrifting thursdays!)

Step 3: Find one item (or more) referenced in the song and snap a pic.

Alright, so I failed at taking a picture of the $20 that was in my pocket or rather in my purse. But I did photograph and gab about my spoils. (See above.)

Also, I did come across one item mentioned in the song.

A big ugly coat. I was much too fearful of what may be lurking in that fake fur to try it on, call me a weenie, but at least I don’t have head lice. Now, my head itches.

Pretty Pics from Pinterest: DIY Valentine Wreaths

Posted on January 25, 2013 by April

It’s finally Friday!!! Can I get a WOOT WOOT?!

I trust you have all made it safely and happily to the end of the week, or the beginning of your week depending on what your schedule entails. Even when Friday’s weren’t the actual start to my weekend, they were always somehow happier than the rest of the week. There’s a certain jovial air about this day that we call Friday isn’t there?

Anyways, with it being Friday, and I being lazy and not wanting to edit pictures for a post, I thought I’d share some pretty images I found while in the time warp that is Pinterest. Since Valentine’s Day is approaching, I thought it might be fun to look at some hearty crafts, particularly heart wreaths. I love to keep some type of seasonal wreath on my door, (ya know because I like everything to be dressed, I don’t want any indecent doors around my house), and I’ve been looking for that perfect Valentine wreath. So, here’s a few crafty wreaths I’ve found around the interwebs.

Ali Lily Blog

Etsy Shop: The September Tree similar wreath

Have a safe, happy and crafty weekend!!!

Thrifting Thursday: Husbands and Wives

Posted on January 24, 2013 by April

Welcome to Thrifting Thursday, my personal celebration of what I like to call Friday Eve. Which normal people just call Thursday. How boring right? Shouldn’t the day before happy Friday be celebrated too? Unless of course you do some sort of shift work and your Friday is on a Tuesday in which case Monday would be your Friday eve and Friday would be your Monday so Thursday and Friday would be nothing to celebrate for you. Unless of course you absolutely love your job and can’t wait to jump into your work week. Then YAY for you!

But back to Thrifting Thursday….

Today is going to be one part talk-about-old-stuff and another part oh-yay-there’s-cookies! Confused yet? I think I’m still confused about the Friday on a Tuesday thing….

Anywho, here’s a picture to help illustrate this windy path I’ve set us down.

See that cute blue pedestal plate? Yeah, that’s the let’s-talk-about-old-stuff part of this post. The pedestal really isn’t all that old though, I just brought it home because it was cute and blue and cheap. Those a few of the criteria this girl can’t pass up when she’s sniffing around old junk shops. (I say sniffing, but in some of those places you really don’t wanna literally sniff too deeply. IfyaknowwhatImean)

You see that yummy magic deliciousness sitting upon my pretty blue pedestal plate? That’s the oh-yay-there’s-cookies part of the post.

These are cookie bars I made a while ago for a little office get together. I used Martha Stewarts Cookie Bar Recipe. Which can be found here.

The cookies turned out OK, and honestly, I had no complaints from my co-workers. But the cookies just seemed a bit dry to me, I like my cookies to be gooey and soft. Maybe next time I won’t cook them as long. Most food stuffs I prepare end up being a little on the “well done” side. For instance, when I was making grilled cheese sandwiches for me and Bubba the other night, my sweet, gentle, and honest husband politely requested his sandwich lightly brunt instead of charred. I then promptly dropped his on the floor and let the dog lick it while he wasn’t looking. Ya know, being the sweet, gentle and PATIENT wife that I am.

How’s that for a random post about everything from Friday Eve, cookies, plates, and husbands and wives?

Weekend Happenings: The Business of Un-busyness

Posted on January 22, 2013 by April

This past weekend was the complete opposite of busy, it was un-busy. Meaning that it wasn’t busy, but it wasn’t quiet or lazy either, just un-busy, pleasantly un-busy.

It was so un-busy, I took pictures of Bubba replacing the wipers on my car. While Goldie supervised of course.

We watched a couple of our favorite silly movies. I had to get my Mixed Nuts annual viewing in, the third weekend in January is close enough to Christmas to still be watching Christmas movies right?

I hope so, because if it’s OK to be watching Christmas movies, then it should be OK to still have ones Christmas tree still up.

Just so ya know though, I am working on taking down all the Christmas jolly’s. Although, if it’s still Christmas in my heart I should be able to keep the outward portrayal of all that cheer in my living room eh?

Aside from watching Bubba replace my wipers, avoiding any type of household chore (like putting away my Christmas cheer), I also did some magazine reading and started a new crochet project. You’ll have more updates on that soon, the crocheting not magazine reading. That would be a pretty boring post wouldn’t? It would just be a picture of me, sitting on the couch reading a magazine.

Anywho,after this short review of my weekend it looks like things were more lazy and procrastination filled than they were un-busy.

But I think I’ll stick with un-busy.

What did you do this weekend? Get shiny new windshield wipers perhaps? Any Christmas tree-putting-away-avoidance?

Thrifting Thursday: Smiling Mice

Posted on January 17, 2013 by April

Welcome to Thrifting Thursday, my own little personal celebration of Friday eve! It’s a day I’ve set aside to talk about all things thrifty, in other words, it’s a day I blab on about old stuff I’ve seen or purchased recently from a local thrift store. Fun times right? And honestly, what better way is there to celebrate the approaching weekend than to discuss all those wonderful vintage goods out there?

This week, I broke my non-buying pact with myself and bought a pair of amber beveled glasses…

I couldn’t help myself, I’ve been looking for a set similar to these. I figure I’ll start out with two and build upon that with different colored but same in shape glasses. Maybe I like these so much because they remind me of the blue ones my grandmother used to have, somehow sweet tea tastes so much better when enjoyed from one of these guys.

I also picked up this little bubble plate, it’s clear but is the same texture as my favorite blue platter…

According to Bubba, who does all the research on these things, this design is from the 30’s and reproduced during the 70’s. The 70’s designs are usually in yellow or brown tones, but the older versions typically are lighter in color. I don’t know for sure if my plates are that old, but all I know is that I love them.

And what better place to put all that pretty glassware but a mid-century china cabinet. I saw this at the Humane Society thrift store and it took my breath away. Or at least had be stop my conversation in mid-sentence. At $100 I really considered this piece, but there was no glass on the shelves and I pictured myself having to dust dinnerware and other glass pretties off before use. That’s what swayed me away from this lovely, hopefully she found a good home elsewhere.

At another store I found this little mouse staring back at me. He has nothing to do with glassware or hutches, I just thought he was cute.

And at the same mouse-y thrift store, I saw this bike. You can’t really tell from this photo, but it was caked in mud. I wondered if someone just decided to buy a new bike instead of washing the old one off.

Well that wraps up a nice week of thrifting. Have you found some hidden treasures recently? Possibly a muddy bike? Maybe a cute ceramic mouse smiling back at you? Hopefully no real mice, unless your into that sort of thing.

Thrifting Thursday: Dr. Rice McSteamy

Posted on January 10, 2013 by April

When I was an infant my family spent about a year living in the back woods of Louisiana. Apparently, we lived near a rice field and were pretty close to the owner of said field, because we’d end up with huge bags of rice. Hence, the many rice centered dishes my mom cooked for us, hence my first solid food being rice and probably beans, hence my great love of this grainy carb. As a child, I remember craving things with rice, particularly rice, gravy, and chicken with a handle (ya know because I couldn’t call it a leg, things from the meat tree don’t have legs!), and for dessert red jello topped with a little poof of cream. Well, the point of this story is not tell you about my favorite childhood meal, but to share with you an appliance I remember my beloved carb being prepared in.

A Hitachi Chime-O-Matic Rice Cooker. Yeah, I realize it’s a weird thing to share on Thrifting Thursday, because it’s kind of an appliance and it’s not really something I’ve thrifted. But it’s old, and I think it’s kinda cool. I mean who wouldn’t love the giant orange bell, and where can you find something with a chime-o-matic feature nowadays?

Anywho, while we lived in Louisiana, my mom received this magical cooker of rice as a gift from my dad’s brother’s in-laws who were visiting for dinner. My mom was cooking rice on the stove top, ya know the old fashioned way waiting for the water to boil or however you cook rice the old fashioned way. Anyways, the point is that they thought it was taking waaay too long for that rice to get done, and that it was just a sin that my mother didn’t have a rice cooker to provide her family with rice almost instantly. So, they gave to her my most favorite of small appliances. That was 30 years ago, I was 1.5 years old.

So, I’ve grown up with rice cooked in a rice cooker, particularly the Chime-O-Matic Rice Cooker.

And ya know what?

It still chimes when the rice is done.

Semi-Seasonal

Tag Archives: Home

Idea Stores

Thrifting Thursday: Random Shopping

Weekend Happenings: Zombie Apocalypse

Thrifting Thursday: They Cut My Shins Off

Thrifting Thursday on a Monday

Pretty Pics from Pinterest: DIY Valentine Wreaths

Weekend Happenings: The Business of Un-busyness

Thrifting Thursday: Smiling Mice

Thrifting Thursday: Dr. Rice McSteamy

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