Creative Valerina

Thrifted Art Love

Thrifted Art, originally uploaded by valerina15.

I'm pretty much in love with this, my latest thrift store find, and one of the only pieces art up in the new place. I found it last weekend at the goodwill {for 5.99}. The back says something like "hand screened in the rocky mountains" and like I said, I'm in love with it.

This whole moving thing has pretty much taken over my life. No blog updates, no shop updates, no twittering. I still have so much unpacking and organizing to do, its seems never ending. The new place is totally fantastic though and I am amazed at how right it feels. Tonight I'm headed out to the recycled art show reception and for Mexican food. Maybe tomorrow I"ll be back with pictures. Maybe.

My Kimberly Mug

Kimberly Mug, originally uploaded by valerina15.

I've finally found one!

Oh My Thrift Store

Im going to have to stop going there. Seriously. I've gotten in the habit of going to my favorite thrift store every Wednesday after work and I keep finding SO much good stuff! A lot of it is totally useless nonsense, but its nonsense that I love and simply can not resist buying. Have a look at my 50 dollar day...

Mugs. As if I need more mugs. I dont even drink coffee. The orange ones are Anchor Hocking, the Mickey Mouse one is Federal Glass, and the Raggety Anne one is Glassbake. I couldnt pass these up.

 

An adorable Holly Hobbie vase that says "Love, its the little things you do". She's totally right.

 

A Strawberry Shortcake wall hanging. You can read what that one says, she's totally right too.

A glass cheese shaker, how cool is that? I can not wait to use it. And a pretty japanese flower pot. I really couldnt pass that up because I actually bought one just like it at a thrift store in Tennessee on our honeymoon. Oh, and a plate, I just liked it. I actually tried to put it back and couldnt.

 

More pyrex, yay! I almost screamed when I saw both of these. 2 pieces that I have actually been looking for - and a federal glass bowl and saucer.

 

Vintage pillow cases. Had to have these, clearly. And a vintage smock. The tag says "another artistic creation" and has a logo of a painters palate, very cool.

 

A really beautiful crocheted baby blanket - as if I need that! It was in perfect condition though, every stitch was perfect, and looks like it had never been used. Plus it's handmade, I had to rescue it.

A joe cool air force sweatshirt that I want to turn into a skirt - if I can bare to bring my scissors to it. And a gray sweatshirt with a fitted waist band. A stylish sweatshirt, who doesnt need one of those?

Gorgeous flowy hippie skirt. I do have a thing for those. The tag says "made in india" and the beading is really beautiful at the top. And another flowy hippie skirt...

 

Last but not least, the most amazing vintage dress. This was love at first sight and it fits! I need an excuse to wear it. That excuse might be halloween, where I'll buy a blonde wig and go as barbie. I swear my barbie had this exact same dress. This was my most expensive purchase at $14.99.

I also got a DKNY skirt for work, "miso soup" spoons brand new from Ikea, and a very festive Mexican music CD. Wow. Someone stop me. I cant go there next week. But I will. Its way too much fun. Way...

Green(s)

Green(s), originally uploaded by valerina15.

A shade, or 2, or 3 of green.

My sister and her boyfriend were a huge help to me with the wedding party, and to top it off, they thrifted me a variety of pyrex dishes.

They know me well, I like that. Happy Friday!

Pretty Pile of Pyrex

Pretty Pile of Pyrex, originally uploaded by valerina15.

Hanging out at Pyrex Love on Flickr yesterday motivated me to take some pictures of my own pyrex collection. I have quite a few different sets of bowls that I have picked up at thrift stores over the years. The pink one on top is my favorite find so far (the rest can be seen here). I don’t know about you, but I use my pyrex a lot. I don’t collect it to display it, or save it, I collect it to use it. I love taking the pink casserole dish to dinner parties and using the mixing bowls as serving bowls for cook outs. I love coordinating the colors and patterns on the bowls with my menu, my mood, and the season.

In the background you can see my thrifted vintage canister set that’s entirely to big for my tiny kitchen but I had to have them anyway. I’ve collected so many cool vintage items before my digital camera days and flickr, that I don’t know if I'll ever get around to photographing everything. I want to though, I really do! In fact, I have an entire closet of vintage dresses and clothing that I want to photograph. Where does one find the time? I'll just have to make time. Have you ever thought about that - making time? Are you good at making time? I’m not. I think I’m much better at wasting time. I need to stop that. I need to make time.

Score Four at the Thrift Store

Yesterdays finds:

A quilted patchwork tote bag. Super soft and super cute. Label inside says "made by mary", thank you mary, whoever you are, I love it!  ($3)

A magazine holder! This was an item from my list, you know, the list of items that you look for every time you go to a thrift store. Super excited to have finally found one. ($12)

 

Owl magnets, couldn't pass these up, I love magnets ($0.75)

 

Candle holder pottery. Perfect for holding my beeswax votives, especially in last nights thunderstorm. ($2)

 

Typing this post makes me want to go back there again today. I love that place.

PS. These pictures are terrible, I know. I just wasn't in the mood to fuss with them.

Trash Day!

So many things going on, I just cant keep up with this blog!  I havent yet told you about my new car! - or my new friend Jem Janome! I'll get to it, but first Im dying to tell you about my weekend.

Saturday was one of my most favorite days of the year - trash day! You know, the city's annual spring cleaning day where residents can throw their junk on the curb for trash pick up. Well, one of my friends (we'll call her little miss recycling) turned me on to this fabulous event last year and we found some amazing "garbage".

This year we found more amazing stuff!

From top to bottom: 1. An office chair for my sister. She saw it first, damn! In perfect condition and such an upgrade from her old office chair.

2. A plant stand AND a giant christmas cactus! Who would throw out such a beautiful plant! Perfect for my office. Hope I dont kill it.

3 & 4. My new chair! This chair is like new and totally my style.

5. Laundry hamper - eh.

6. Metal trash can with lid - that works! I've wanted one of these so bad but wouldnt spend the money. Have you seen how much they cost??

7. Red Weber grill - for little miss recycling.

8. Brown Weber grill - for my sister.

9. Black Weber grill with attached table - for me and J!

10. Coat tree - for all of my purses. Ive been looking for a wooden antique coat tree and this will help me stay organized until I find another one. Oh, and the giant pot in the background that I'll use for a tomato plant.

Can you believe this stuff? And theres more, I just didnt get pictures of everything. I also got a bike for my sister, a nice piece of black luggage, and a small trampoline :) We'll have a little fun with that and then donate it to the thrift store Im sure. My sister got a 3 wheel jogging stroller for a friend, and little miss recycling got a foosball table for her rec room, a small island-style wood cutting board (that I wish I had room for!), and this awesome coffee table...

This picture is from Ikea and Im pretty sure thats the one we found (at the same house that put out my awesome chair). We were happiest about the coffee table and the chair, they literally seem brand new. J loves the grill - its replacing our old grill which is from last year's trash day and looks similar but doesnt have the attached work station or the wire rack underneath. Of course we were also happy about doing a little extra recycling and saving this "garbage" from the landfill. Yay! If you want to read a bit more about Trash Day, check out this article. Trash day in my neighborhood takes place this coming weekend so check back next week for more great finds! 

Weekend Recap

So how was your weekend? Mine was fine, thank you. Friday night I ate pizza, drank rum and coke, and watched movies with J. Actually, I worked on crafts while J. watched movies, but we were in the same room "hanging out" nonetheless. I worked on some really fun projects using recycled sweaters and needle felting. I'd show you pictures but I accidentally deleted them while trying to download them. Perhaps tomorrow.

I also made a trip to the thrift store. Here's what I got:

Banana Republic purse (I so needed a black purse) - $4

Pyrex glass container with lid - $2

Little green pot - $2

Gap short sleeve sweater (not shown, but fits perfectly) - $3

3 Picture frames - $1 each

and last but not least, The bad girls guide to the party life - $0.50

Woah! Does this book give some interesting advice. So interesting in fact that I thought I should share a few "bad girl tips" with you while I read it. Today's topic? 

Things to do with....Pantyliners.

• Create irresistible party invitations that guests can stick to refrigerators, comptuer screens, or dashboards as friendly reminders.
• Inscribe with "Helo my name is" and distribute at corporate gatherings.
• Create personalized napkin rings for all your dinner parties.
• Use as beer cozies to keep your hands warm and beverages cold.
• Write "do not disturb" and stick to door knob when "exploring" host's bedroom.
• Blot cheeks after heated dancing or other sweat inducing party activities.
• Make perfect stick-on gift cards for any occasion.
• Adhere one to each butt cheek to avoid contact with cold or unsavory toilet seats.

The last one is my favorite, because in the book, there is actually a diagram. BUT! First things first. According to the guide, you'll need to pick a party alias. Need help?

First Name = your favorite spice, Last Name = your last vacation spot, OR

First Name = your silliest childhood nickname, Last Name = the town where you first partied, OR

First Name = your first initial, Last Name = the first 2 letters of your last name, OR

First Name = any liquid on the bar, Last Name = the last name of your favorite bad girl celebrity.

Go ahead, Pick one, or make up your own. You know you want to.

While the cats away: Day 3

I brought some yarn to work today to start crocheting a baby blanket for a friend. I searched the internet for about, oh, 2 hours or so, trying to find a pattern I liked. I found one. I doesn't thrill me; but the yarn does. Hot pink - because babies need hot pink.

Moms birthday weekend was alotta fun.We ate, we drank, we got manicures, and then we ate and drank somemore. Saturday morning we spent hours at a fab new health food store called Be in the Pink (check out their cool tote bag!). They were having a free mini health expo and had speakers and demos on yoga, reiki, meditation, healthy eating, living, cooking, laughing, etc!. Yes, I said a demo on laughing. Live to Laugh is an organization that promotes the health benefits of laughing. Who knew this existed? Not me, but I'm all for it. Check it out, you can actually become a Certified Laughter Leader! I also stopped at my favorite thrift store, the one and only, Scranton Salvation Army. What I got:

An 80's-ish, vintage-y Steelers jacket - $6.00

A tagless vintage-y dress (to re-use the fabric) - $5.00

A ceramic planter - $0.75

A ceramic owl - $0.70

A super cool owl incense burner (see the holes in his head?)- $0.75

A funky little orange pot - $1.00

White beaded necklace and earrings - $1.00

And, the coolest owl plant feeder, in its original package - $0.70

Check it out:

What I got...

A brand new New York Post SuDoku book - $1

A wooden clothes rack - $2

A framed print of butterflies and flowers - $8

Lucky Find

Embroidered bird in trees, originally uploaded by vlsst15.

I found this lovely embroidery piece at a community yard sale recently. It was one of those yard sales where anyone and everyone donates their "stuff", the "stuff" gets laid out in a large auditorium, you pick out what you want, and you pay on the way out the door. SO- while looking through a pile of mostly broken picture frames and silly posters, I found this - a beautifully embroidered tree with bright colored flowers and leaves, and a pretty little bird. It was stitched perfectly, and framed professionally, but there were 2 brown water spots on the left hand side. The price? $2 dollars...$2 DOLLARS. Now granted, the prices at yard sales are supposed to be low (and of course, normally I love that) but I couldn’t help feel sorry for the person who spent their time sewing this piece that was now laying on the floor and being sold for $2 dollars. I knew right away it was coming with me. I took it home, carefully took the frame apart, and hand washed the water marks- which actually came out pretty easily. I dried it, ironed it, and put it all back together -it looks great (my photography doesn’t really do it justice). But still, I can’t help wondering, who made this? How old is it? And how did it end up here? I wonder who donated it, and if that person knew the person who made it, or if that person was one in the same. Could that be possible? I wouldn’t think so, but I guess I will never know. Its mine now, and I like it a lot.