Done Good

I was SO proud of myself on Friday! I did a great job of staying focused while we were out on the garaging trail, keeping my purchases to practical stuff I’ll use. More or less. I could certainly have lived without another whisk, but I've never seen one like this before.

I figure if it doesn’t work well I can take the little inner ball out for a cat toy! And using this pewter-handled spreader by Arthur Court to smear brie on a cracker is way fun.

Who can’t use a couple of pairs of socks for a quarter each?

My main search was for a dresser for the bedroom; at every sale I scanned for one I could use. We had a few estate sales on the list which are typically inside the house, and I made a beeline for the bedrooms with my fingers crossed. But no luck all morning.

I've been looking for a dresser for several weeks now, and let me tell you: there are a lot of hideously ugly dressers out there looking for new homes! I visited just about every thrift store in town, and saved a search on Craigslist so every new listing came to my email. Lordy, lordy. Maybe I'd have seen nicer things if I had been looking in a higher price range, but maybe not. My research indicates that dressers in this country lead a very hard life! They get beat up and painted and decorated with stickers and lose their handles. People try out treatments they’ve seen on Pinterest and end up with something that should go on a Pinterest-fail site. I was getting thoroughly discouraged.

The last sale on our list had a picture of a dresser, but the sale didn’t start until noon. We had lunch first and so didn’t get there till closer to 1:00. Made that beeline for the bedroom, and the dresser was still there. And I liked it! And it was marked $25! I tested the drawers (they all rolled in and out just fine), gave it a quick sniff test (no icky smells), and immediately bought it. And I like it a lot!

It's not a high end piece of furniture, but it’s exactly the size and shape I needed. Perhaps someday I'll find something better, but in the meantime this is just fine.

I spent Saturday switching my summer clothes for the cool weather stuff, and the dresser allowed me to remove all the clutter in my closet that’s been bugging me. I can't tell you how happy I am to have all my shoes off the floor!

So – Friday I was thrifty, Saturday I was industrious, and Sunday…I just went wild.

Earlier in the week, KK was asked by a friend of a friend to look over some art that would be in an estate sale over the weekend. (KK’s an artist as well as an architect.) We were regaled with stories about all the art in this woman’s house, as well as many other interesting items, but we also heard the prices were going to be high. I resisted checking it out on Saturday, but Sunday would be half price on many things, so I decided to see what was left. I just wish I could have known the lady who collected all this stuff (I heard she is quite elderly and has gone to Minnesota to live with her sister) because I think we would be simpatico. Yes, she had much fine art…but she also had a taste for whimsy to match mine.

There was something about that half-price thing that made me think I could buy everything I wanted. And I did. Some of it was indeed practical, like a lamp for the corner of the living room I've been watching for.

This molded glass table lamp is both whimsical and practical. The red cord was what made me buy it.

I was excited to find the laundry basket I've been wanting, something with a lid because Fannie loves to remove dirty socks from the basket and chew on them. 

This one fits in the closet and has a removable cloth bag. Perfect.

A little vintage drawer cabinet is just the thing for jewelry-making bits and bobs. I'm saving it for a rainy day activity to load all the drawers.

But…much of what I got was just for fun! Like an original framed watercolor. 

I love daffodils (I had hundreds in the front yard of my last house), 

but what really made me buy it was the two little birds in the corner.

This kinetic toy is so goofy when you roll it along I had to have it. The wings flap in a very erratic manner.

Who actually  needs more mugs, right? But for a quarter each I brought home two; I can always give them away when I get tired of them. I just liked the blue & white design,

and the colors on the large hand-painted one are luscious. It's the perfect size for soup. I think I'll make soup this week.

I'm certainly not short of fabric, but they had some bundles of high quality stuff that at half price were only $3.75. That bought me about 2 yards of the heavy cotton striped piece, and about 3 yards each of heavy natural linen and blue & white ikat. If you’ve been in a fabric store recently you know what a steal that is!

A couple of pairs of earrings came home with me. Everyone needs more earrings, right? (Even though I have so many I keep saying I need to grow more ears so I can wear them all more often.)

I probably got a little carried away with ornaments. This metal dog has washers for eyes, and look at his toes!

Another dog – how could I resist that crazed expression?

I'm a little surprised by how much I love this primitive angel, with her embroidered threadbare fabric and wooden wings. 

Maybe it's her finely-drawn face with the stern expression.

I'm ready for Hallowe’en with my handmade clay jack o’lantern.

This little cardinal carving is only about an inch high. Cardinals were my favorite birds growing up, but we don’t have them in Oregon.

I can't believe no one had snatched up this wonderful mouse with his umbrella.

And I almost resisted the paper mache bunny basket

 – but the carrot on the handle was too much. He’s perfect for holding pens and pencils in my kitchen.

Thank heavens for these sales, where we can indulge our whimsical souls without breaking the bank!