This weekend is shaping up to be absolutely perfect for the opening of the Sunday Farmer’s Market. I can barely contain my enthusiasm, because I mistakenly forgot to stock up on the BEST HONEY in Astoria before the Market closed last fall and I’ve been using second grade honey all winter. Crammed in a couple of blocks downtown, the market is not to be missed: full of home made treats like the Blue Schortcher’s bread and the aforementioned honey. Flowers and toy makers and plant sales, OH MY! I usually end up with so much stuff in my hands that it is a miracle I don’t drop my camera! Because, you know, I’m out there taking photos of everything.

But, not this year! I’m prepared this year to shop in style. No more juggling packages. No more wishing for bags with handles, as the market vendors tend to prefer plain brown paper bags. Instead, I’ve crafted a handy little shopper that is sure to solve all my woes. This wee bag is actually quite roomy and ever so stylish. No more balancing pears on my head! Who said being environmentally friendly could be so fashion forward?

In honor of the Market opening, a small collection of unique Market Shoppers are on SPECIAL for this weekend only. Now you won’t have to be balancing pears on your head, either!

Several of you have been waiting for Jane to come back to town. I’m telling you here instead of emailing you all privately… Can you just hear me with my bullhorn? She’s here! There are only two pairs in this new May Day print… so hurry!!

In the freakish moment of sunlight we got today (freakish because this is the Oregon coast, after-all, and sunlight is sadly not our norm) I snapped a few photos of the Arigato pillow-cover set I just completed. How I’m wishing for sunlight.

They are both made from vintage Japanese tea-cloths, slightly imperfect, which gives them so much more character. Think patina! As well, they each have vintage red buttons and red twill tape as accents that set off the deep navy blue perfectly! The graphic pillow reverses to a white ground with one large navy blue graphic repeat. The floral pillow reverses to this yummy, obi like cotton in blue.

Because their size isn’t standard, I’m including a “practically pre-made” insert that you can fill with fibrefill, or buckwheat hulls, or whatever suits your fancy. Maybe lavender? All that will be left for you to do is fill with your choice and sew the top shut.

These sisters are delicate in nature—so, do expect to baby them in the laundering process: hand wash, cold water, hang to dry. But, when you’re special and unique you should expect a little tender care, right?

These will be listed in the store tonight-–but first, dinner!I’m being whisked away for a jaunt. I wonder if it will be Japanese food?

They’re in! Go see!

Thank you for all the paint suggestions. We are getting very close to making a decision (we’ve made one, but I don’t want to jinx it!) and will probably be swathing the backside of our house in color very soon. Never fear, I’ll post pictures of our test runs. Because, it’s my life and I blog it!

Speaking of thanks, I owe a few mentions of gratitude. Some of you have been very supportive readers and have actually been my first Thrifty Goodness customers. While I’m not selling anything typically wrapped in brown paper to protect anonymity, I’m loath to post links to my customers. You know who you are, and I’d just like to say “Thank you!!”

But some of you have taken my little venture to heart and have actually mentioned it:

• The Cozy Apartment
• A Mark on My Wall

or linked it:

• Liquid Sky Arts
• Domestic Rebus
• The HG Spot
• Banana Cake Creations

Or ran an ad for it on your blog:

• Beancounters
• The HG Spot

And I’m not so bashful about linking you—since you started it! Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. It means a lot to begin something new and have such amazing support. So, whether you purchased or promoted or just supported: a big fat “Thanks” to your lovely selves. I’d kiss you, but that would muss my screen!

Speaking of Thrifty Goodness, I’ve been busy. It’s always been my intention to carry unique Vintage inspired goods along with all the fun thrifted finds. To this end, there is a plethora (ok, two at the moment, but I’m workin’, I’m workin’) of one-of-a-kind pillows just about to be stocked. Made from vintage materials and notions, I’m having so much fun creating these little wonders. The one above is fashioned from a vintage Japanese tea cloth and vintage red buttons. It has a sister pillow that I adore even more! Anyhow, these lovelies and more will be in the next store update. Which is to say, SOON!

Many, many thanks to you, dear readers. Or as my pillows might say, どうもありがとう or Domo Arigato!

(ps, if I’ve missed your linky love, let me know!! Wordpress doesn’t always catch new links in a timely manner!)

Today is the best part of Thrifty Goodness: Shopping day. As I laboriously entered in data all last weekend (and again this weekend!) and went a little bug eyed in the process, I couldn’t help but reflect on the fact that what I adore is Thursday. It really is the best part of the whole deal! I spend several hours digging for treasure and chatting with the store owners. I’m on first name basis with several of them; we trade thrifty stories as I dig through bins or across the counter as they ring up my sale. Most of them work so hard to keep their spaces organized and clean—which makes my life easier. There are certain owners I know will give me a deal just because they like me… and there’s nothing better than leaving with an armful of goodies I know other people will adore. Or I hope! I have my favorites; take Sherry, who reminds me to spell her name with a y, “Like the cordial. Just as sweet.” And she is.

But not all days bring in a haul. It is inevitable that you will walk into a store and find nothing. It happens. Worse still, is when you walk into all your haunts and come up empty! Some days, you have to be satisfied with the little personal contact you get with terribly nice people. On those days, like today, I remind myself that there is more to life than just passing through, more treasure to find than the tangible goods I buy. More to give than to take, more waiting for me if I stop and pay attention.
(more…)

The store is open. Finally. For those clever, clever people who figured this out early and already purchased… THANK YOU!! You people rock.

WIP is a misleading phrase in these parts: as I can see no work in progress. Lately, I find I’m terribly indecisive about moving forward. My stash of thrifted materials is quickly stacking up and yet I can’t bring myself to dive in. This feels a little like writer’s block. And I know writer’s block as my relationship with that condition is on the cozy side!

I’m not sure what it is, because I’m chock full of ideas. My list of projects to start rivals the pile of fabric in my workspace. But, I just. can’t. do. it. Instead, I stare at my burgeoning collection and muse: this would make a good purse, that would make a lovely skirt, think I’ll make another cup of tea. I like my options open and it is becoming increasingly clear that my indecisive nature is borderline pathological.

In order to fight my lack of direction, I’ve determined that this darling sheet is going to become something else tomorrow. That’s a decision, right? What’s it going to become, you ask? Um… I’ll let you know just as soon as I figure that part out. As tenuous as this might be, we’re going to call this little movement progress and then keep working on it. M’kay?

Lack of sunlight and vision issues have conspired to keep me from photographing much for Thrifty Goodness. However, a modicum of the necessary light appeared this afternoon and I worked fast. Click. Click. Click. Not perfect, but I’m hoping you get the idea.

I should be opening very, very soon. My IT guy has been under a great deal of pressure at his paying job and hasn’t had the opportunity to address my issues. I keep telling him to address my “issues” he might need to be a licensed therapist, but he assures me that I’m on the top of his priority list. However, I suspect he might need a different form of motivation because hovering over his shoulder saying “Snap! Snap!” isn’t getting me anywhere. I see baked goods in his future.

In the meantime, there are at least new photos to look at over on the Thrifty Goodness Preview Page.

No, not exactly a granny square. It turns out, that when it comes to crochet manuals, I’m a functional illiterate. I recognize the words, but. . . I really need pictures to understand. Looking at my results it’s clear that I’m missing something. Never fear, I’ve not given up the pursuit! I just need to find a visual reference to help my brain along.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t enjoy feeling stupid. Once it became clear on Sunday afternoon that I wasn’t about to make meaning from a string of numbers and letters, I opted to find something I could do. Why spend the better part of the afternoon looking for an idiots visual guide to crocheting when I’d already spent so much time staring at a book?

It also became clear looking at my pajama bottoms that I was in need of something else. Um, when the kid points out the “hole” in your backside and you say, “Oh, I know” only to find out that you had NO clue that the entire backside of your pants were, um, gone. . . yeah, time for new PJ bottoms!

As you can imagine from the crocheting debacle, I’m not a big fan of patterns or instructions. I’d rather launch in and find my way. One vintage sheet, one scrap of vintage velvet ribbon, and two hours later: new pj bottoms. I based this pair on its seat-less predecessor. The only thing new in them is the thread as I even recycled the elastic (maybe not such a grand idea in retrospect).

I slept in them last night and woke up to that ever so smug feeling of: why, you clever, clever girl! You know that feeling, right? When you do something entirely of your own and you didn’t spend a real dime to do it. Nothing like a little ego pick-up after being undone by a crochet manual! What, you don’t get that feeling??

For the moment, I’m enjoying feeing entirely superior and smug toward my nemesis the granny square. Wonder how long that will last?

That would be  Anna Belle, Flora Belle, and Lulu Belle.  Available soon!