High on Thrifting Thursday

I haven't done a ton of thrifting since Audrey was born -- at least, not just for fun.  Early on I made a couple of frantic runs to the thrift store near our house in a quick search for cheap, comfy clothes that would fit me and be fine for lazing around the house with a messy baby.  But only recently have I gotten back into my habit of going every once in a while just to look around and see what I can see!  A couple of weeks ago I had a chance to do just that, and these are the things I found...

For Audrey

This little embroidered smock is just adorable... I have no idea if it will actually fit Audrey, but honestly I don't think we'll ever find out.  She's at the height of her spitting up and drooling phase, so everything is pretty messy right now and I don't exactly want to put her in fancy clothes!  But I couldn't pass this up, and I think it would look lovely on a vintage hanger in a nursery.  The pants are just cute, and will fit her in a few months.

Details!

For me

I found two dresses for myself.  I'm trying to find more comfortable dresses that are easy to wear.  In my past life, I had a lot of frilly things that were completely unsuitable for hanging out with babies.  Those have been pushed to the back of the closet, just in case I ever need fancy clothes.  I've already had some fun wearing this red dress and layering it with cardigans and tights!  And the other dress....

Surprise!

 This is the first maxi dress I've ever owned.  (Wait, scratch that- I had a neat Gunne Sax prairie-style maxi dress back in high school.  But we're not counting that as real life.)  It is RIDICULOUS and so so comfortable.  I have to be honest.. I tried it on at the thrift store, but I was in a room without mirrors and I was a little too nervous to step out into the common area in this and check it out.  But it was cheap and fun so it came home with me.  And it looks amazing.  I'll probably never wear it out of the house, but it's pretty exciting for the weekends and comfy times [i.e. every day].

And for Robert!

Every time I go somewhere without Robert, he asks me, "What did you bring me?" when I get home.  So I was happy to report that I actually DID get something for him this time.  Just a cheap shirt that he can wear to work.  But it's got stripes, I like it, and it fits him.  That's about the best I can ask for when it comes to clothes for Robert.  He doesn't give a care about fashion!  I've sort of had fun picking things out for him in the last few months.  I've decided that if he doesn't care about what he wears, I'm at least going to try to have an influence on it...

All of these items totaled $17.85.  The cheapster in me thinks I could have done better, but I know that all of these things at full price would have been a lot more, and they're all as good as new!  This is my first time to link up to Mandy's blog for High on Thrifting Thursday!  Can't wait to participate again.  :)  Go visit her and see what everyone else has scored recently at thrift shops!

house updates

Time for a few more pictures of the house! More specifically, changes that occurred while my mom was here a little while ago. She's incredibly handy and good at decorating -- she also had some money for us from my aunt, and personally wanted to buy me a bunch of "housewarming gifts". I protested quite a bit, but it was really generous and we ended up with a lot of things we've been wanting/needing.


Okay, we didn't really need those valances over the windows, but we were in an antique shop and the pattern-- kitschy blue and green maple leaves-- totally caught my eye! Really cute, and they go with the room. The chairs are nothing new: just some swanky vintage Samsonite folding chairs that Robert's mom found in the garbage (a fact which I love to repeat because that's so cute/hardcore). Until we get some better seating in this room, they'll do!


The lighting in the above picture is a little off, but that's the biggest purchase we made!! I've been on the lookout for a big piece to go in our kitchen for extra storage - and this was perfect. Oddly enough, we found it at a thrift store for $89. Not too bad considering everything I've seen like this online is at least $300! I don't have any pictures of the backside, but it's made from old shipping crates: it says SINGER SEWING MACHINES. Pretty neat! Also, just around the corner you can see some boots I thrifted specifically for visiting baby goats and farms on muddy days.


A peek of what's inside. We're using the bottom half as a pantry, but the top is currently used for cookbooks and pretty things. All of these pictures were taken at different times, because I'm never really happy with the lighting, and the arrangement keeps changing!

This latch looks pretty old to me, but it's not even original to the piece - you can also see an old keyhole and a hole where another knob used to be.

I think this primitive latch might be original to the piece. This picture is probably truest to the color - sorry about all of the different lighting in these pictures!

More of what's inside...

My mom put these two things together - I hadn't even realized they have a similar pattern. I've been using the big bowl to hold vegetables that don't need to be refrigerated.

I had one empty canister, and decided to fill it with a jumble of silicone baking cups.

Plenty more house updates to come! This week I'm working on paint touch ups - I love most all of the colors that came with the house, but whoever painted was a little sloppy.

ensemble number two!

I'm back, kind of! Do you ever find that after spending a few days away from the internet, it seems like a chore to return? I do. Some days I wish I wasn't even friends with the internet, because it distracts me so much from other adventures I could be having.

I have plenty of exciting pictures and stories from this past weekend to share, but I thought I'd ease back into blogging with the second outfit for my self-imposed wardrobe challenge. To be honest, this is something I only wore for about 30 minutes. I was t-shirt & jeansing it again, but put this on when my mom got out her camera to take some pictures of me and Robert in front of our house. And then I changed back into my boring clothes so I could work in our yard. But I will wear this again for some fanciful occasion! Minus the stripey socks, haha.



Check out my new [perfectly well-worn Justin] boots! I like them for their simplicity. I had some nice thrifting luck over the past few days. More on that later!

bits of the weekend

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend! Mine was pleasant and busy. Before I get to other things, I may as well show you a few more house pictures. Robert didn't believe that I could get the house into shape for our first guests, but he was wrong!! Do I get a prize? [Joking.. he was quite appreciative of my hard work!! But I did really hear him tell his dad on the phone that it was going to be messy. Psh!] Compare to these pictures if you wish!

Finally got some curtains (at Target) to cover up the back door!

They create a nice glow during the day. Now we can control the privacy and lighting in there.

More of the front room... Updated for the essential magician poster & paper lantern.

I think things are coming along really nicely here! There are still a few rooms I haven't shown around, either because they're slightly cluttered or slightly boring. But we're getting there. I'm totally in love with this house and I don't mind taking the time to clean it. I lived in 5 different apartments before this, and never put much effort into decorating because I knew I'd be moving on soon [and I am sincerely lazy]. So this is quite refreshing!

Now, here are a few pictures from the weekend. I'm glad that Robert's family likes to go to thrift shops and estate sales; I haven't been doing much of that on my own lately! So we did some fun shopping and exploring around town, along with eating too many yummy foods.

We found a robot. The person who lives here must be exciting! They also had 2 vulture sculptures in their yard, made out of old tools.

Look what we got at an estate sale for $5...

A box full of records from the 40s! Haven't listened to any of them yet.

Thrifted dress. I didn't get my tripod out, so all pictures of the full thing were unsuccessful. It's bright and happy.

Thrifted shirt + hilarity. I heard Robert coming and knew he was going to walk right into the picture, and it apparently just DELIGHTED me.

little feet

It's been a while since I did any serious thrifting, but earlier this week I definitely had the urge. I wasn't specifically looking for things for my Etsy shop, but I did find two pairs of shoes that I couldn't pass up. And... since they don't fit me, they'll be going in the shop!

These beauties - Paradise Kittens... could they have a cuter name? - are a size 5.5

Riding boots! Size 7

I was really hoping the boots would fit me: they're exactly the sort of thing I've been looking for! They're just a half size too small. I did manage to squeeze them on my feet for a few photos, but it was not enjoyable at all. So, all you ladies with smaller feet than me: keep an eye on the shop this afternoon if you're interested!

rainy days

Check out this awesome rain coat! Yesterday afternoon I decided to check out a thrift store* I haven't been to before, and I'm so glad I went. My first impression was, "Wow... this place is nice." Everything seemed in very good condition and thoughtfully arranged. I wasn't sure it was my kind of thrift store, though (I'm sure you know what I mean!), until I found a rack of 50% off Autumn coats. Everything on that rack was amazing, and I immediately grabbed an armful of retro raincoats that were priced between $5-8 (and marked half off of that). I had to calm myself down when I found all of the boots... I actually had to go put most of the coats back because they were getting in the way of my boot-looking. Oh, I wish I'd had an excuse to buy some of those boots! Unfortunately, most of them weren't vintage (so I couldn't justify getting them to resell) and none of them fit me. But I shall return in the future to peruse that boot section!

Anyhow, there's an incredible thunderstorm going on today and I'm trying to figure out how to jump-start my brain [it's so dark out - I don't want to do anything]! I've obviously fallen off the blogging-wagon this week. There are just so many things to do. I'm going to try to add a few things to my Etsy shop this afternoon - keep an eye on it if you'd like!

*If you're curious, it was Our Thrift Store, and I'd definitely recommend a visit by anyone who happens to be in the area! I had a little chat with the owner; he was super nice! I can't wait to go back for more thrifting action (and for personal shopping.. because really, I wanted everything there).

my weekend

I hope everyone had a lovely weekend - I definitely did! On Friday I became a bit bored with unpacking, so I decided to go for a walk. The short trip to the thrift store really cheered me up; it's good to know that I can get around, even when Robert takes the car to work!

I was careful about what I bought, because I didn't want to add to the clutter at home. My only purchase: the above dress. I think it's adorable, but I'll probably add it to my Etsy shop soon - I'd be keeping it if the colors were a bit more muted! As it is, I don't want to wear hot pink. See the way I'm staring at the ceiling in that picture? I was watching a wasps' nest. And very shortly after, I had a little fit because one of them flew at me. It was both hilarious and disheartening, and I gave up hanging out on the balcony until the next day, when we killed all of the wasps!


Saturday was all about food. We picked up our CSA share [see above - the basket was so full!] and then headed to the Franklin Farmers Market. It was our first time to go there, and it's going to become a weekly routine. It is amazing - the best farmers market I've ever been to! We bought fresh milk, eggs, cheese, lamb, and even some unnecessary carrots. That's the great thing about shopping at a farmers market - even if you buy something you don't need, it's nearly impossible to feel guilty about it. We'll just have to work some carrots into the menu this week [most likely in bread/muffin form]. I also don't feel guilty about buying meat there - you can talk to the people who raise the animals and it's very apparent that they all had happy and healthy lives!

The Zinnia that came with our CSA basket, wilted after the drive home

After doing our regular grocery shopping, we headed to Nashville to meet some of Robert's family for lunch. We ate so much food that we didn't even need dinner that night. But it was a good time!

The Zinnia perked up after a while in some sugar water!

We also accomplished a lot of unpacking this weekend. Robert is excellent at finishing big projects quickly, so he was able to clear the living room and office of boxes, while I spent a lot of time doing laundry and putting books on the bookshelf. I like little projects and I like to take them slow. :) The apartment is starting to look decent, so maybe some pictures will appear here soon!

By the way, don't forget to enter the mirror giveaway! You have a few more days.

the return of vintage to my blog!

It has been a ridiculously long time since I last took photos for my Etsy shop. I FINALLY got around to doing some of that this morning. I think one of the [many] reasons that I've been procrastinating is that I thought I wanted to keep some of these things. Let me show you! [Note: you can click to enlarge the pictures.]


First off, this checkered dress. It's one of those homemade things I received from my mom so long ago. After I photographed it to go in the shop a while back, I decided it looked very cute on me. However, this morning I realized it's just a photo trick - in real life when I wear it, you can see that it's too big for me. So this one has to go!


And isn't this red belt adorable? My sister gave it to me during her visit here in June. Not intending to sell this... just wanted to finally show it off!


Now, onto this drop-waist dress that I ADORE! I've tried to make this work before. Trouble is, this dress is just way too big for me. The photo above is how I'd like it to fit. But honestly...


It just hangs on me like a potato sack. It's so sad! This dress is a size 12. I've considered trying to take it in a few inches, but seeing how this one was professionally made... and my seams would probably be very badly made... I just don't want to mess it up. This dress deserves better! So it must go to a loving home. Please, take it away!


Hmm. You know, I never gave much thought to this navy dress. I bought it at an estate sale a few months ago (and removed that hideous lace collar). Now that I'm really looking at it, though, I kind of like it. And it actually fits me, so maybe it's worthy of a second thought [meaning: I may store this one away for myself a while longer].


This belt didn't come with the dress, but I like it. Another estate sale find... possibly worth hanging onto? Maybe a bit longer.


Ah yes, the mushroom dress! I was really excited about this at first - who wouldn't be??? But like some of the things above, it's just a bit too big for me. Also, it has *one* belt loop right under the bust, which is the worst place I can think of for a belt. I think it's time for me to let this one go.


How about this sweater? I think it's rather adorable, but it's a bit bulky for my taste. And very warm, which doesn't appeal to me right now - I'd rather think about summer things.

My camera battery is tired, so I think I'm done with photos for the day. I'm going to try to make myself focus on listing as many of these things as possible in my Etsy shop. Give me a pat on the back! I've been out of my vintage habit for too long! However, I promise I'll be back with full force fairly soon!

pretty little things

Here are a few things I found this weekend that I'm hoping to put into my Etsy shop this afternoon! [Hopefully I will feel obligated to add them since I'm posting them here.] The rest of my week is starting to look busy, so I'm hoping for a little shop update!

Check out this adorable Avon bottle! It's the Princess of Yorkshire which came out in 1976 and originally held Sweet Honesty cologne - now it just smells faintly like a little old lady. But it sure is cute! I found it amongst shelves of junk at a thrift store.

A colorful little clutch bag! This and everything below were found at an estate sale we went to Friday morning.

Some sweet plaid shorts from the 1960s (I'm guessing). A little bit too exciting for me! Yes, I am aware that by tucking the t-shirt I was wearing into those shorts, I became a certifiable nerd.

Look at this sweet little bed jacket, for wearing over a nightgown! It's super soft and silky.


And last but not least... NO, these paintings aren't for sale! My sister bought them at the estate sale and I'm going to have to ship them to her! It was the estate of a woman named Lula - she was a painter from China. You wouldn't believe the paintings packed into that little house. She seemed to specialize in portraits, mostly of women, and they were all amazing!

I bought a few other things (some to keep) that I haven't taken pictures of yet. Anyway, if you see something here that you like, check to see if it's in my Etsy store yet! I'm also going to be adding this dress - I gave up on altering it when I got a couple of new dresses this weekend.

this week's finds

Here are the few things I scooped up at Music City Thrift earlier this week. I think I must have bought up all the excellent shoes they had there the first couple of times I visited, because every time I go lately I'm disappointed in the shoe selection. I was intending all of these things for my Etsy shop, but I've been keepsy with certain things lately... so we'll just have to see what stays and what goes!

A wallet for a special Barbara! Definitely will go up for sell, because I'm not very Barbara-y. But I wish I had one that said my name!

This bag is really nice, and I'm a Rebecca Allison! That's the reasoning behind me wanting to keep it, but I may end up selling it because the strap seems a bit short for my liking.

Definitely selling this dress. Size 10, 100% cotton, and so teacher-y! Awesome, aside from some pesky shoulder pads.

Oooh, I like the buttons and the collar and the drop-waist on this. I may hang onto it and see if my mom can help me take it in a little [and possibly shorten it]! Because I really like wearing it, only it sort of hangs on me like a pillow case - and that style is only cute for children.

And this green dress... I was initially excited because it actually fits me (and you know how rare that can be with vintage), but I don't think the color and cut are very much my style, so it will probably go.

It's kind of funny how I started buying stuff for my shop a few months ago with the mindset that "everything must go" even if I LOVED it, and now I'm getting clingy and keeping things for myself. Oh well - it's been beneficial to my wardrobe! I will have most of this stuff posted in my shop either this evening or tomorrow morning!

And quick update on the food blog: it now has a name and a place! the hungry lemur. That name evolved from a combination of our blog names (starving author + baby sloth = starving sloth) which sounded very sad. Hopefully there will be an intro post on the new blog later today, and tomorrow should bring our very first recipe! I'm still trying to get the hang of food photography, which is quite difficult seeing as our kitchen lighting is awful. I must learn a way around that!

pictures from the weekend

We're back from our little trip! Thank you all so much for the sweet comments on the last post - they were great to receive throughout the weekend when I checked my email! Here are some pictures from the trip.


We spent one night in a very small town and then headed to Memphis to spend a couple of days with Robert's family. We ate waaay too much good stuff!

Temporary baby dinosaur tattoo!

Birthday ice cream...

This was also a sort of an early birthday thing for Robert - tomorrow's his big day!

German chocolate cake

I wanted to check out the thrift stores in some small towns, but didn't really get around to it. We did some shopping in Memphis, and I bought a bunch of old wooden hangers that I thought were kind of neat. I also bought a dress, but when we got here and unpacked I realized it wasn't in the bag! I'm thinking they forgot to bag it with the hangers and I just didn't notice. Oh well, it was only $3.

Now.... we'll just be recovering. I have a lot of blog-reading to catch up on, and hopefully I'll do an Etsy shop update this week!