{scissor variations}

missoni collection by value village

 

 i had a few Barbies growing up, but i could take them or leave them. i was more enamored of the portable cases and closets, the plastic scrolled hangers and shoes, and the tiny details on the clothing.

 

 

now when i find myself in a thrift store i quickly peruse the bagged up Barbies to see what they're wearing. and i check their hair. i search for matted, tangled hair. this can be a telltale sign that it is an older Barbie--and if you're lucky they'll be sporting a retro outfit.  

 

last fall Missoni created a collection for Target.  i remember, as a kid, that my mother had some Missoni clothing.

   

one day in the VV Boutique i did my usual Barbie scan. my eyes became fixated on the dress of one Barbie.

Matted hair? Check.

Cute dress-and pink + orange, no less? Check.

Missoni?

Indeed the dress was reminiscent of Missoni, with some chevrony-craziness going on.

 Hmmm.

Missoni in miniature? Check.

Frameable? Check.

my Missoni.

 

(this post on Blair's blog is what actually opened my eye spy eyes to Missoni again)

 

**when i find miniature clothing pieces i gently wash them in a delicate detergent, rinse and press out the excess water. you can then "block" the clothing -like you would do after washing a quilt or afghan--pinning the perimeter so it will dry flat, or simply place the piece between 2 towels to dry--a heavy book on top helps.

at the thrift store [as of late]

 

 

a rhyming dictionary (my first)

+ vintage hooks & eyes packages--i love the backs as much as the fronts

 

a small hard cover book for a special project

 

look at all the words that rhyme with 'thrifted'

 

 

what i didn't buy

 

 

i became quite enamored with this organ. it was in terrible shape. but if you look closely at all of the carved detailed elements--the music stand, the buttons, the carved lower portion--all elements which would stand on their own if the piece was taken apart. it was a steal at $55. but of course i was traveling light.

this entire "stop" was quite picked over by the time we arrived on the scene, but i loved rooting through the decrepit, torn cardboard boxes where everything was a dollar.

that huge tree in the back ground had piles and stacks of old picture frames leaning against it. many of the frames still holding the moldy, musty original art work.

 

{this is the "ceiling" of the new antique shop we discovered}

 something i have learned over the years is in consignment shops like these if you politely ask "what is your best price on this?"--they will offer you an alternate price on the spot if they are able to or look up what the consignee has deemed a fair, lower price.

 

and of course, there are a couple of things i am still thinking about....

 

roll-down classroom maps just don't fold well and my sister is still keeping one in her garage for me from a visit 2 years ago. that one was $5 and so i don't care how long it takes me to get it back here(!)

 

oh, and there was a 3 feet by 3 feet dove tailed wood shipping box that had Encyclopedia Brittanica stamped on it. i thought it would have made the perfect toy box for Piper with castors added to the bottom. or a mitten box for a mudroom. or a book box for a child's room.

this one might have been my biggest regret when it came to "things i really wanted but were too large to bring home".

 

i was trying to convince my sister to get it since she is in the middle of a mudroom addition.

 

 

and a few more wee things to add to my "to have + to hold" collection:

tiny tea ball (i have amassed a bit of a collection of tea balls and i love it when i find this wee size)

the twee trophy i shared a few days ago

glass ironing bottle (my mom told me that her grandmother had one of these and it was used for sprinking water when ironing). instant vase for pixie posies.

 

we had a great time perusing the roadside treasures (and extreme junk). i had an interesting conversation with one of the shop owner's who was featured on Canadian Pickers telling me what the experience was like (it was not staged). i will also not forget the amazing onion rings at the roadside food truck located in the middle of nowhere. nor will i forget the gorgeous yard we stopped in only because of the amazing tree whose foliage spanned the entire width of the lawn + formed an umbrella over the tables that were set up.

 

can't wait 'til next year!

 

to have + to hold [an ongoing theme]

 

i unconsciously developed a theme early on in the yard sale marathon:

 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 

i have a weakness for vintage school + office supplies, and perhaps an even greater weakness for  vintage containers.

combine the two and i'm hopelessly smitten.

a little rust? who cares?

a ding?  a dent?  not a problem.

still totally functional in my eyes.

[and in my office]

 

also in my returning luggage were vintage school locker baskets (at only $5 bucks each I could not resist) + vintage metal bakeware pans.

....all in the name of office organization, of course.

 

 

the 5,042 km yard sale

 

 

the phone conversation went something like this:

 

me: i haven't watched the actual tv show, but did you know you can watch episodes of that Canadian Pickers show online?

sister #2: i haven't had a chance to catch it on tv yet.

me: i just watched the episode they filmed 'at home'. there's a new shop that we HAVE to go to. just have to figure out where it is. now everyone is going to know about our secret antique spots.

sister #2: that big yard sale is this saturday.

me: what big yard sale?

sister #2: you know, one of those 50 mile yard sales.

me: where?

sister #2: right-by -OUR- antique shops

me: i never knew there was one out there. uggh. why did you tell me that?

sister #2: well, if i had told you next week when you come home, you'd be mad that i didn't tell you this week before you came.

me: yeah, i guess (resigned sigh).

 

and so that was how i found myself yard sale-ing along a favorite country road with my sister headed towards OUR antique shops a week earlier than my original scheduled departure. 

ah, kismet.

 

photo is of one of my favorite finds a 3 -1/2" twee trophy dated 1926, found at the "new" place.

 

[5,042 km = 3,132.95 miles]

 

at the thrift store [as of late]

 

 

 

 
 

[vintage articulated hangers] perfect for creating inspiration boards especially if space is an issue-you can hang it wherever you like

a 25 cent inspiration board--what is better than that?

 

n  n  n  n  n

 

hankering after handkerchiefs

 

 

 

i seem to suddenly have a collection. with a heavy leaning towards monograms.

tip:

if you see a hankie in an antique shop or thrift store, take the time to unfold it as there may be a monogram lurking beneath the folded layers. often hankies get tossed into a pile or folded and refolded-or not folded at all. you could be missing out on a wonderful monogram detail.

 

at the thrift store [as of late]

 

 

 

the thrift store is being a little kinder to me these days

 

thrift stores no longer mortify me

 

 

 

i have to admit, i've not always been much of a thrift store person. i never seemed to find the kind of treasures i would hear other people speak of. this just was not my personal experience when it came to thrift stores.

my first official thrift store visit was in my first year of university. the shop was called Junk & Foibles. it was mostly clothing and knick knacks, some jewelry. it was rather small. i remember going up a long staircase to get to it.

i found an amazing purse at Junk & Foibles that first visit.

but it was only amazing for about a minute. as i was inspecting it for damage a woman snatched it right out of my hands. and it quickly became less amazing.

you see, apparently it was her purse.

 

the one she had walked into the store with.

 

i was mortified.

 

old school clock w/ turquoise second hand. still works.

seven dollars, fifty cents.

 

thrift 'ings'

 

 {organizing storing}

{ironing entertaining}

{mending admiring}

{dusting sparkling}

{washing washing}

 {warming crafting}

 

 

vacationing

meanderings