More Isabelle Approved Items

I got these fabulous finds at a random INDOOR sale! Woo-hoo for shopping in air conditioning. I remembered the hubs and dug through the dude's record collection to find Johnny Cash and John Denver for him. I found for myself the Buddy Holly record Sis and I used to dance around to when we were kids.

The framed mirror is solid wood and here is an up-close shot of the corner detail. 

Isabelle obviously still thinks Buddy Holly lives, so we will just keep dancing and keep it quiet. 

The mirror tray was $1 and the pots $2. I also snagged a vacuum cleaner for $10, but it just wouldn't have looked good in the picture. Not to mention I didn't want to empty it or vacuum before the picture taking. Priorities people! 

Treasures

So, it all started with a model home sale nearby a month ago. Since then, garage sale-ing has fast become my new favorite form of shopping. 

I think garage sale-ing is all about THE HUNT. I am bringing home the decorating bacon.  I feel like a hero when I get something great!

Here is my first ever blog tip: On craigslist under "garage sales" start off first with a search for "model home". The items they furnish model homes with will be slightly more expensive than garage sale prices, but they have never been used and are solid. 

Here are some buys from my first model home sale!

This same lamp retails for $120 at Hobby Lobby. 

And in another stroke of good fortune, it came with the tassles! 

As you can see, Isabelle has given it her stamp of approval. Always important. 

At the same model home sale I got this wall hanging/fake wood thing at the top of this post and here below. I am thinking I will have to paint it, because I am not fond of the gold sponge design on the border. Minor detail. 

I also got this fabulous plant cart! Next project: plants that match the iron cart in niceness and aliveness. I am considering moving it to the front stoop. But since yesterday was 107 degrees, I might wait. Let's all not zoom in on the carpet I didn't vacuum in my excitement to take pictures. We all know where our priorities are, and vacuuming before fun is not one of them.

At the same sale I also picked up this little framed wood carving number for Sis' new grown-up apartamento. It is super heavy and matches her new couch.

Once again, Isabelle gives it her seal of approval. Huckleberry did as well, but he is not one for having his picture taken. You can also see the sad little plant table my new iron cart is replacing!

All in all, a good sale. I filled the Civic. It would have been even better, but I managed to get there only 5 minutes early instead of 30. Tip #2: If your hubs is going to come and carry things and pay for them, you must let him buy you lunch first. It's the only decent thing to do. 

Misfortune and Redemption

This morning I woke up to set out to buy, buy, buy! I had my handy list of directions with garage sales and times all ready and I had on my good juju garage sale t-shirt. I was ready to conquer Georgetown. I have never "shopped" in Georgetown, but had visions of golf course homes, sterling silver, and jewels for quarters. 

The whole way there my adrenaline starts pumping, I am singing along to The Killers, and getting this unshakeable feeling that I am going to find something great. 

Cue the violins, this is where my tale of misfortune begins.

So last night I noticed a craigslist ad I had marked had been deleted. Doh. 

But then I found it reposted. Yay! 

Then all my homies cancelled. Doh! 

Then I found a post where someone had already mapped out the Georgetown garage sales and their times on google. Double Yay! 

Who needs tag-alongs anyways? They only slow a sister with a list and directions down. 

I put my marriage in jeopardy by setting the alarm for 6:15am, and was on the road by 6:45am. The sun is shining, Mac Brown is being hilarious on the radio, I mean things were going good. 

So I hit the first 2 sales. Or should I say I drove repeatedly by the same 2 houses looking like  a stalker since there was no movement. I brush it off. After all, people can change their minds at 6:30am. I'll swing back by after the others.

Two more sales and nada, zip, zero. I am still not upset because the whole reason I came to Georgetown in the first place was a purported Warehouse Sale with antiques. I knew it was for a charity, but I was not on my A-game. The "warehouse" description is what swayed my better judgement. I should have known that a Maternity Home was going to mean donated baby crap. I am not dogging charity, but this girl has a goal. And well worn child's crap is not it. Sigh. I trudged back to my car. 

Back in the car I gave it a good 'ole college try and stopped one last place before getting on the highway. Nothing. At this point I gave up and called my mother to get sympathy for getting bamboozled. I still cannot understand why a person would do that. Lead me on a goose chase all over Georgetown? What high do they get out of that? How do they even know anyone followed their advice? Argh. Sigh. 

So, I am headed home - going the speed limit all the way home. Sigh again. There is now nothing on the radio. There is now traffic. It is looking like a Very Bad No Good Rotten Day. I figure my good sale juju of the last month is gone. 

But cue the trumpets, a SALE sign on my way home! Oh, to have seen it on my way out! I got a Tiffany lamp, 4 Pier 1 pumpkins, and a box! The sun began to shine and I came home a hero!

P.S. The pumpkins were originally $10 at Pier 1, and I got them for $1 each!

Birthday Sewing

My niece Addison turned two last weekend! She is moving away, and I cannot imagine not being able to see her whenever I want. So for her birthday I wanted to do something special, something in my budget, and something that would show her one day how much she means to me. Which after the budget of 20 bucks pretty much meant I'd have to make her something. 

I am notorious for not finishing projects. I think I often stop projects when I realize they are not turning out how I envisioned. It is the perfectionist in me that cannot stand to give or look at anything less than what is in my head. Debilitating to my stuffed closet of half-finished crap.

Anywhoo, I was given a link to a sundress pattern that is just my speed at Habitual. You can find it here. Please note Amy's patterns are for personal use only and not commercial use. 

The pattern and destructions were so easy, even  I could follow without calling my mother every 5 minutes. It took me an afternoon, and her mother can tell her Aunt Jessie had never finished a sewing project before this one. 

I am hoping it fits. I made the hem longer than the pattern since she is so tall. But I have not heard anything about it yet, so I am starting to worry and feel paranoid that it does not fit and no one wants to tell me. Even if it doesn't, it can be used as a shirt when she is about 7-8! More on whether I mention it or not. 

Either way I am super-proud of it! As you can all probably tell by the photo shoot my mother and I had with it. 

Going to bed...

What a craptacular day. Work (sigh), school (frustrating), swimsuit shopping (argh), and hail (the straw that broke the camel's back). 

I came home and cleaned house in a desperate attempt to find something I had control over. Sigh. I need this week to finish very badly. 

Favorite things

This year I am beating Oprah to the punch. Well, hopefully I am since I don't watch Oprah very often. Here is a list of my favorite things: 

bath product: Aveda Caribbean Therapy Bath Soak

bath music: Coleman Hawkins encounters Ben Webster

shampoo: Lush BIG

hair Product: Aveda Sap Moss

interior decorator: Katrin Cargill 

furniture: Shabby Chic's, Large Squadgy II Chair in pink velvet

decorating accessory: globes

place to pick up random accessories: Uncommon Objects (South Congress, Austin, TX)

patio: Retro vintage style in bright colors

nursery: Natural Gardener (Austin, TX)

flower: red geraniums

lawn products: Lady Bug Natural Brand

cleaning product: 409 Antibacterial Kitchen Lemon

cleaning tips: Flylady.com

cleaning tool: Swifter duster

And in no particular order...

Bath and Body Works Lavender and Chamomile sleepy scent

Gap Favorite Stretch T

Flat wallets

Viking glass in amberina

SOB junk store in Las Cruces, NM

I would like to state for the record that finds at yard sales and old junk shops always trump items you can buy anywhere else based on their uniqueness and thrill of the hunt. I also have no idea why I only want to blog lists. Probably because it is the only place in my life that the lists get finished. 

25 Random Things About Me

Well, I got tagged for this on FB, so I thought I would post it here.

1. I have always wanted naturally red hair. This is not a secret.

2. This Thanksgiving I made the third and final turkey of my life. I have peaked at 28 years, there is no more need to get up at 5am to deal with cold bird flesh. I will never be able to top it. 

3. I like being married to a smart dork. Our conversations are weird, and I am never bored or unsurprised by that man.

4. I hate Trivial Pursuit and will not play even if I think it is rude. There are few things that drive me to be what I determine rude. 

5. My comfort foods are all orange.

6. My living room colors match my cat. 

7. I bought a house because of three things: a banana tree, a porch ceiling fan, and it could fit my dining room table.

8. I like to read almost exclusively, first person - present tense - female authored books.

9. I am notorious for my unconscious, nocturnal escapades.

10. I once had a goldfish who died while I was sleeping over at a friend's house. My mother froze it thinking I wanted to bury it, and I found it while getting a popsicle the next day.

11. I use to be scared of change, but now worry what if I stop changing and become stagnant again.

12. I do not want to change my life and have children. I like sleeping in and having naps. But I want every child I see.

13. I wish I could commit to going green. But my level of commitment begins and ends at my big blue trash can they brought to my door voluntarily.

14. I like old friends. I like that they knew my most embarrassing stages of life, and accepted me then. It makes me feel free when I am around them because even my worst now is still an improvement.

15. My favorite teacher once told me he never had children of his own because he could not think of an unselfish reason to have one of his own. It is the only thing someone has ever said to me that I have pondered for a decade.

16. I cannot stand to see other people mess with their feet. Gross.

17. I wish I could travel like Anthony Bourdain. On the DL, one pair of undies, no budget, a translator, and get to see places how they really are. 

18. I want a tatoo.

19. I fold towels in threes. So should you; it looks nicer. Martha does it this way too.

20. I am seriously considering painting my great front room some shade of orange. I think I was too timid in my other paint choices,and orange would make me happy.

21. If they wanted me to go to space, I would jump on it.

22. I would like to be  a Ph.D. I would make you call me Dr. :-)

23. I really like naming things. My name theory for children centers around whether it is a good presidential name.

24. I like collecting things. It is all about the hunt.

25. Lamar is my favorite street. You will find me there on my days off.