file me away

the many moods of mr. jerry orbach

2012-02-25T20:12:00.000-06:00

so, yeah, tomorrow ended up being two days late. it be like that sometimes, yes? without further ado, may i present...

on a whim, hours before my christmas party last december, i decided to craft a jolly santa hat for mr. orbach. i thought it was funny. the next week, i thought he could do with a new year's eve hat... and thus began a hobby that, i have to admit, i might enjoy a little too much. it's kind of like dressing up a dog. silly, but ultimately amusing.

i believe the source of this inspired plan can be traced to the halloween masks danielle thompson crafted for her vintage portraits last fall. and i spied something similar on eartha kitsch's lovely portraits this valentine's day, too! i plan on making jerry a fetching item for most holidays this year (he got pretty lucky with a costume change on president's day) and i'll be sure to share them here.

happy weekending!

spinning // emotions

2012-02-23T08:59:00.000-06:00

there's something about the decca label on this record that makes me go a bit weak in the knees. the colors... swoon.

i picked up this record at an estate sale for $0.25 and it's such a sweet album. it has so many great songs, including when i fall in love, will you love me tomorrow and georgia on my mind.

every time i put it on, i immediately think of dirty dancing. i remember getting the soundtrack for the movie one christmas and, now that i think about it, i was probably entirely too young to have even seen the movie! i got the cassette, a turquoise and hot pink tape player, and dance club barbie. one of those things definitely does not belong...

and speaking of dirty dancing, i'll be back tomorrow with the many moods of jerry orbach! (he played baby's dad in the movie)

photo a day // days 13-18

2012-02-22T20:57:00.000-06:00

eep! i'm a little behind on posting these pictures from the photo a day challenges - the crazy texas weather has been wreaking havoc with my sinuses and i've been home from work for a few days trying to sleep away killer headaches and attempting to get my ears to pop. good times!

#febphotoaday (from l to r): blue // heart // phone // something new // time // drink

#febphotoskill (from l to r): texture // typography // negative space // positive space // high contrast // documentary #2

in more exciting news, my positive space photo was chosen as one of four official #febphotoskill photos for day 16. it was literally late in the day and i just snapped a quick pic before heading to bed, but it's actually one of my favorites, too.

i hope you're having a great week!

tweed cottage // dining room

2012-02-20T08:57:00.001-06:00

1. dining room 2. jerry orbach

3. bar // buffet 4. erma thompson (mary kay's personal assistant) 5. cha cha (because she's the best dancer at st. bernadette's) 6. vintage books 7. phone booth china cabinet

8. sweet dog 9. vintage pretties 10. eunice & harlan 11. henry (i'm actually related to him)

12. built-in bookcase 13. estate sale 1940s dining room table 14. the (fake) family 15. aqua telephone // red reindeer are never out of season

16. lovely old books 17. gerber baby 18. reupholstered dining room chairs 19. vintage dish collection 20. nesting doll collection (un-nested)

thanks for taking a peek at the dining room! my favorite thing about this room is the portrait collection. with the exception of henry (#11), i know none of the subjects. i pick them up at estate sales when i'm lucky enough to find one that strikes my fancy - and then i name them. cha cha, eunice & harlan, and the gerber baby were all found on the same street in dallas at different sales on completely different days.

erma thompson is a real person and was actually mary kay's friend and personal assistant since the foundation of the company. jerry orbach, not to play favorites, is totally my favorite. when i found the portrait, i was immediately taken with the style and was convinced that the face looked familiar for some reason. there was a tag on the back that simply said, 'jerry.' after racking my brains for days trying to think who 'jerry' looked like, it came to me: jerry orbach (a.k.a. lennie briscoe from law and order). i am 98% convinced that 'jerry' is a portrait of a young jerry orbach. the similarities are too striking for them not to be the same person. later this week, i'll share with you how jerry celebrates the holidays.

have a great day!

estate sale finds // 02.10.2012 (part 2)

2012-02-15T23:55:00.001-06:00

so, picking up where i left off...

the final item i snagged before i dragged myself away from the amazing estate sale was a diary/daily calendar from 1958. it was made for the fair department store in ft. worth, texas. below is a photo of one of the fair department stores in 1958 and what sits on the same lot now.

(source)

as i said in the previous post, it's quite sweet and a bit sad. i've transcribed the contents of the entries below the pictures.

front cover: divorce granted october 18, 1957 (friday). papers on record oct. 21, 1957 // tuesday, september 2, 1958 went to work at convair $1.72 per hour

friday, january 3: worked for [ft. worth] press. bill robinson said that i was doing real good in my work.

wednesday, january 8 [after being sick for 4 days]: was still sick, but went to work. bill robinson said that they had hired some one else that you weren't aloud (sic) to be sick.

friday, february 21: met john allen.

thursday, april 24: received a letter from jim today. he said that he was going to start paying support for mary kaye after the last week in april. but i doubt this very much.

tuesday, april 29: dr. beyer gave me a blood test so i could go to beauty school. dr. brown took 10 moles off of me.

monday, may 5: started to isabell beauty school. $50.00 tuition. 9-5:30.

saturday, may 31: jim got married approximately. his license came out in sunday, june 1, 1958 paper. he marries anita mashburn from meadowbrook drive.

friday, june 13: dr. beyer gave me my 3rd polio shot. he also gave me some pills to take 1 a day. [scratched out in pencil]: he said that he would try to get me a date?

this poor nameless lady! fresh from a divorce at the beginning of the year and she loses her job. she's a single mother (and in 1958, which, as we all know from mad men, was very much frowned upon) with no financial support and she seems to have trouble holding onto a job. i hope this john allen she met in february was a swell guy! i wonder if the pill her doctor gave her in june was for her polio vaccination (i don't think there was an oral vaccine in the 1950s, though). and i wonder why she scratched out that very last sentence? there were no more entries for the rest of the year to offer any more clues.

i sure hope things picked up for her and mary kaye! though this one was quite morose, i love finding little treasures like this at estate sales. they offer small glimpses into what daily life must have been like and i find that endlessly fascinating.

estate sale finds // 02.10.2012 (part 1)

2012-02-15T23:07:00.002-06:00

i had last friday off, so i decided it was time to hit the estate sale circuit again. there haven't been many really great sales lately, but things are definitely picking up with the mild weather we've been having here.

one sale, in particular, caught my eye. isn't it funny how one small item spotted amongst literally hundreds of items in promotional photographs will set you on a 160-mile round trip course? because that's exactly what happened. and it was totally worth it.

first, some things i didn't get. i was actually lucky to snap a few pictures before the organizers got a bit, uh, cranky. but i know they have to keep everything above board, especially at a sale when the house is as unbelievably packed as this one was. rooms stuffed to the brim and not a dozen items newer than 1970, i dare say. everything was covered in a fine layer of grime, which, in my experience, is the very best type of sale.

(three shelves of vintage cleaning supplies - i was thinking of you, eartha kitsch!)

and what i did get:

juice glasses (the items that sparked my interest) // enamel pin (still in package!) // 1950 the smart set magazine // pink swirl glass & pink ceramic typewriter

junior deluxe edition books for my small, but growing collection.

more beautiful old books. i had to stop myself with the books because there were rooms (plural!) full of old titles. it was overwhelming, to say the least.

i don't want to creep into photo overload territory, so i'm going to leave the last find for a separate post. it's sweet and quite sad, actually, so stay tuned!

// part 2 //

wakey wakey wednesday // 02.15.2012

2012-02-15T10:57:00.000-06:00

this song makes me want to hop a plane and head to1950s new york. or italy. you know, whichever. on a related note (see below), i am getting quite excited about the (excruciatingly long-awaited) return of mad men next month! i think my biggest question is how much time will have passed since the end of season 4 in 1965? i've read that it will be the summer of 1967. i can live with late 1960s fashions... as long as we never see joan in a leisure suit. i kid. joan would never wear polyester.

song: botch-a-me

artist: rosemary clooney

album: mad men vol. 1

year: 2008 (originally recorded in 1952)

wish list // birthday

2012-02-13T16:14:00.000-06:00

so, my birthday is in three weeks and while i need nothing (really, i am full-up on stuff), it's always fun to put together a wish list of pretty (and practical) things. here are a few items that would make 32 a good year, ranging from totally affordable to maybe when i'm 35 (hello, dream couch).

flash bounce // tweed nixon sofa // pixie stix helmet // aztec iphone case // amelie embroidery // chevron pillow // striped leather bag // geometric locket // doris print

photo a day // days 7-12

2012-02-12T22:00:00.000-06:00

#febphotoaday (l to r): button // sun // front door // self-portrait // makes me happy // my closet

#febphotoskill (l to r): shape // still life // s-curve // ordinary object // documentary #1 // silhouette

days 7-12 and still going. i'm really enjoying seeking new angles and perspectives with both the prompts. i fell the slightest bit behind over the past two days, which have been absolutely hectic work-wise, but it should be smooth sailing now.

if you're participating, how's it going?

days 1-6

spinning // la bella italia

2012-02-08T20:48:00.000-06:00

i think i can safely say that the one purchase i will never regret splurging on is my record player. it makes me so happy and i love looking for new albums at the thrifts to add to my collection. i have quite a proclivity for picking up records solely based on their cover - you can blame this blog - and i've lucked out that most have been in decent condition.

i actually drooled over la bella italia on project thirty-three awhile ago, so i was pretty happy to stumble upon it last week. and let me tell you, it's fantastic. quite frankly, i'm a nut for the accordion, but this album really is perfectly cozy, romantic, nostalgic and beautiful.

ciao!

wakey wakey wednesday // 02.08.2012

2012-02-08T07:26:00.000-06:00

an oldie today. and one of my favorite works, too. when i was in high school, my band traveled to chicago to play an invitational orchestra clinic and this was one of the pieces we did - ours was irish tune from county derry by percy grainger, though. and it was s l o w.

song: danny boy (londonderry air)
artist: glenn miller and his orchestra
album: a legendary performer
year: 1991

photo a day // days 1-6

2012-02-06T21:49:00.001-06:00

from top (l to r): my view // words // hands // a stranger // 10 a.m. // dinner

i've been keeping up with the photo a day challenge without too much worry. granted, it's only been six days, but still. little things. i cheated a bit on the "stranger" prompt. all day i kept meaning to snap a random picture at lunch, at the movies, at urban outfitters (man, does that place make me feel old now!) and they all were blurs or total darkness (the movies. um, duh, megan).

so, i pulled the mother of all stranger pictures (for me, anyway) from the archives. i took a picture of this rather good looking fellow on the paris metro on my birthday three years ago. what made it awkward? i didn't have a smartphone then. nope, just a point-and-shoot. which is what i covertly did. ha! i was a nervous wreck, but he just seemed so darn parisian i had to have a photo memory. i think the only person who noticed was the nun a few feet away from me. if i wasn't already on my way to notre dame, i totally would have gone to atone.

from top (l to r): line // shadow // portrait // pattern // landscape // motion

and surprise! right after i published last week's #febphotoaday prompt, i found out about #febphotoskill from diana at our city lights' instagram feed. i made an impulsive decision to do both projects and i've really enjoyed it. the #febphotoskill prompts really challenge your photography, which i appreciate.

my "portrait" picture totally cracks me up. it's my newest vintage portrait straight from 1980s arkansas. i think he looks like a sleazy ron swanson, but my brother-in-law pointed out his resemblance to allen covert's character from the wedding singer. yes, i see that.

more pictures in six days!

shop update!

2012-02-05T21:11:00.000-06:00

so, it only took me four months after moving to get my etsy shop back open and re-stocked. pat on the back for being productive on the weekend, am i right? whew.

hope you have a great week! mine has to be better than last - i got into a minor fender bender and have to take my car in for repairs tomorrow. it'll be crazy busy at work, too, but at the end of the week is the octopus project show - that's definitely what's getting me through the next seven days.

oh, and happy superb owl sunday!

wakey wakey wednesday // 02.01.2012

2012-02-01T08:12:00.000-06:00

the lads are always an excellent way to start the morning...

song: tomorrow never knows
artist: the beatles
album: revolver
year: 1966

photo a day challenge

2012-01-31T17:23:00.000-06:00

is anybody else participating in fat mum slim's photo a day challenges? i missed out on january, but am excited to start february's tomorrow.

(via)

i attempted a 365 photo project a few years ago and got all the way to mid-september before i just lost steam. i felt uninspired and took pictures of, quite frankly, random crap just to say i had taken a picture. i love how each day has a prompt you can interpret however you'd like. this is something i think i can actually manage!

i'll be sharing my pictures on instagram (@bibliomeg) and on facebook (check the snazzy new side bar for links!), but maybe i'll post a weekly round-up over here, too? let me know if you're participating - i'd love to follow!

music // upcoming shows

2012-01-30T21:48:00.002-06:00

hi friends! i just wanted to pop in and share a few of the shows i'm excited about going to in the next few months. i feel like the saying "my dance card is full" needs to have a live music equivalent. suggestions?

in february, i have tickets to the octopus project. i've seen them twice before (once just last november, actually), but their shows are amazing, high energy and visually beautiful (they have gorgeous graphic projections). and the theremin-playing yvonne? she's pretty awesome.

in march, i'm seeing radiohead the night before my birthday. it can't get any better, but i did read that thom yorke didn't really want to go into the older stuff, so fingers crossed for a few from ok computer, kid a, or the bends.

a few days after my birthday, i'll see heartless bastards again. this is actually my video from when i saw them early last year. they're great live!

in april, i'm super excited to go to austin psych fest for the first time! there are a ton of super cool bands playing, including my favorite-ever live music band the black angels.

in may, it's florence + the machine. actually really stoked about this show. after all her out-there videos, i'm interested to see what her live shows are like.

to end may (and this still-growing list), it's yann tiersen! oh, how much do i love yann? a lot. he was supposed to have a show in dallas last year, but it got snowed out, of all things! he's worth the wait, though...

how about you? any shows (or anything) you're excited about this year? i'd love to hear!

the library // stephen colbert & maurice sendak

2012-01-27T18:32:00.002-06:00

a slight departure from an ordinary library tale today, friends. stephen colbert interviewed maurice sendak, author of the children's classic where the wild things are, the other night and the banter was spectacular.

i thoroughly enjoyed their conversation about children's literature -- it brought back so many memories of my early library days when i had to perform story times for pre-schoolers. these weekly shenanigans went on for about 4 years before i got my masters degree in information organization. good times.

eh, maybe not so much.

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

the best line: "the sad thing is, i like it." i liked it, too, and so can you.

wakey wakey wednesday // 01.25.2012

2012-01-25T10:50:00.000-06:00

sidenote: one of my favorite songs ever. days when songs like this shuffle on first make me pretty happy. sigur rós is one of the bands on my life to-see list - if they don't tour the states soon, i have a back-up plan of going to iceland to see them (and the northern lights). that would be an amazing trip.

song: e-bow

artist: sigur rós

album: inni

year: 2011

song: sigur 6 (untitled)

artist: sigur rós

album: sigur rós ( )

year: 2002

tweed cottage // living room

2012-01-23T16:24:00.001-06:00

1. chair // accordion 2. paint by number project // amazing thrifted hand-painted pants hanger! 3. living room // ikea rug 4. suitcase record storage 5. vintage desk record stand

6. paint by number collection 7. antelope lamp base (house warming gift!) // lampshade 8. chair // picture display 9. brown-saltman vintage surfboard coffee table

10. more paint by numbers 11. paint chip art 12. a new tv (f i n a l l y) 13. accordion (for looks only) 14. bits & bobs

15. silk thread collection 16. glass doorknob curtain tie-back 17. original art collage // color inspiration

thanks for taking a peek into my living room! it's my favorite room in the house - i love being in there listening to records, talking to friends, and watching tv (i never thought i'd appreciate a larger tv as much as i do!)

(you can see the green room here and full size images on flickr)

wakey wakey wednesday // 01.18.2012

2012-01-18T08:14:00.000-06:00

song: yeah right
artist: dinosaur jr.
album: without a sound
year: 1994

tweed cottage // the green room

2012-01-16T12:22:00.002-06:00

confession: i named my house. i've always loved how british homes have names, so i decided to call my little 1940s house tweed cottage because it's cozy and twee, much like the rooms within.

strong natural light and tidiness finally coincided yesterday, so i snapped a few pictures of what was supposed to be the master bedroom; instead, the green room, as it is so ingeniously called, is my crafting, sewing, computer, and music room. the majority of the items in the room are thrifted or from estate sales, but i tried to source anything else as it appears.

wall color // martha stewart sultana

bearded men, mustachioed babies, and sad face boys // ashley g

pants hangers for concert posters // mostly vintage, some ikea

i don't think i've ever shown this couch on the blog before. i love, love, love it, but it does not love me. i'm mildly allergic to wool and the colorful crewel embroidery gets me itchy and sneezy in no time. i look, others sit, lola snoozes. it is too pretty to not have.

beatles art // my crazy talented friend nathan

ricky gervais print // elloh

megan sign // hand stitched by my mom when i was little

chalkboard paint // home depot

bottle rocket motel poster // save the bottle rocket motel

octopus love // ashley g

most of the items from my apartment (living room // dining room // office) have found a happy new home in this green room (more close-ups over on flickr), but i've really tried to cut back on clutter. it still is a bit cluttered, but more of a stylized clutter? yeah, that's it.

thanks for taking a peek - more tweed cottage coming soon! (update: living room)

vintage walk

2012-01-14T19:18:00.000-06:00

after a pretty good estate sale score in the morning and an early afternoon movie (i saw the artist - it was great and really inventive! watch the trailer here), i decided to take lola on a vintage walk.

a vintage walk is what my friend calls a walk around an old neighborhood. it was the perfect weather for a long stroll with my iPod, camera, and favorite pug.

i love my neighborhood! there are so many interesting things to see on every street. so many amazing houses and buildings, especially. i love, love, love the pink and mint green cottage with the white picket fence (upper left) and the church (upper right) was built in 1856 - it's incredible! the victorian house (bottom left) is really stunning and it's purple (in various shades) from top to bottom.

but my favorite thing to look at every time i pass it? this amazing 1960s cadillac ambulance. swoon.

i always get a bit camera shy around this beauty - i really want to get interesting angle shots of all the little details, but i don't want to invade any personal property. i am determined to knock on the owners' door one day and ask for the ambulance's history and permission to shoot away.

i'm off to spend the night catching up on project runway all-stars (it's too much awesome with both austin scarlett and mondo) and downton abbey. yes, this is my saturday night and it's going to be great!

what are you doing?

friday the thirteenth

2012-01-13T13:46:00.000-06:00

happy lucky friday.

(source)

or friday the thirteenth if you're superstitious. did you know that there was an anti-superstition society in chicago? they held a friday the thirteenth party on december 13, 1940 and smashed (literally in the case of mirrors) superstitions. that's kind of awesome. check out the gallery of photos at life magazine. (if you're viewing in a reader, you might have to click through to the blog for the embedded gallery below!)

wakey wakey wednesday // 01.11.2012

2012-01-11T09:57:00.000-06:00

song: the group who couldn't say
artist: grandaddy
album: sumday
year: 2003

vintage hanger display updated

2012-01-09T18:17:00.000-06:00

remember the vintage hanger christmas card display? it finally got an update. once the christmas decorations were down, the hangers and bits of string were looking a bit sad, so i culled through my instagram and hipstamatic pictures and picked about 40 to be printed.

i used the postalpix app and the prints were delivered in no time. i have to admit, it felt pretty good to actually hold a physical print - i honestly cannot remember the last time i had pictures developed.

i love seeing my favorite memories around the house! i had just enough prints for two hanger displays, plus a few extra to tuck here and there around the house. i think this will be a rotating display that i update every few months - i already have a queue for my next print order. this could be dangerous.

i hope you're having a great monday! it's rainy and dreary here, so it's pretty darn perfect.

OVER!

2012-01-08T19:11:00.000-06:00

i guess joann doesn't know. shell art is OVER!

p.s. we can pickle that! okay, okay. just pretty happy that portlandia is back on.

wish list // lucky + wes anderson

2012-01-05T10:09:00.000-06:00

if it is impossible to live in a wes anderson film (oh, how i wish it were possible, though!), the next best thing would be to live surrounded by team zissou, the tenenbaums, dignan, anthony, max, francis, peter, and jack. and maybe a fantastic fox or two.

lucky for me, artist lucky jackson (see what i did there?) has created a few stunning embroidered pieces featuring wes anderson characters for her 365 lucky days project. have you seen these works? i seriously can.not get over the fact that each piece is embroidered from start to finish in a single day.

definitely check out her blog and shop for some amazing eye candy. richie tenenbaum has already sold, but steve zissou and margot tenenbaum are at the top of my wish list.

what's your favorite?

wakey wakey wednesday // 01.04.2012

2012-01-04T10:58:00.001-06:00

wakey wakey, eggs and bakey. name that movie.

i am so not a morning person. i set my alarm up to an hour earlier than i have to be awake just to snooze slide into the day (snooze slide. yeah, i just made that up). but once i'm up, i'm up and when i'm up, music is on.

my itunes is (almost) always set to shuffle and i'm always a bit excited to see what the first song of the day will be. sometimes it's a great first song that sets the mood for the whole day. sometimes it's a real stinker and i wonder why that song (or album or artist) is even in my library.

i thought it would be fun (and sometimes very funny) to share the first song of the morning once a week. thus, wakey wakey wednesday.

i pledge to be brutally honest even if the song is trash and i lose a bit of music credibility in the process. who knows, maybe you'll find a new artist to love!

song: hold me now
artist: polyphonic spree
album: together we're heavy
year: 2004

good morning!

goldmine attic find

2012-01-02T19:36:00.001-06:00

happy 2012! i hope the year of the dragon is off to a great start for you. with cool people, yummy food, and good conversation to start the year yesterday, i certainly can't complain.

i also can't complain about the a m a z i n g atomic era gold shadow box that was discovered in the attic of my rental house. my friends (and landlords) are moving for a few years and are storing some things in my attic. yesterday, to everyone's surprise, they discovered this fantastic piece under a pile of insulation.

i (greedily, i'm afraid) called dibs and they (graciously) handed it over. the decorative edge is missing what we think was probably once a mirror, but other than that? it's in perfect shape. and i already have a plan involving glitter and resin to add a bit of awesome back to the shadow box. nothing tacky, i promise. stay tuned.

if this is a sign of the vintage goodness to come in 2012, i'm stoked.

oh! and to start off the new year, i started a facebook page for file me away. if you'd like to like it, well, that'd be swell!

so long, 2011

2011-12-31T11:22:00.001-06:00

i moved from a tiny, cramped apartment to a perfect (for me) little house that i love.

i listened to so much good music with really awesome people. there really needs to be more squares for this.

i had the best thrift store and estate sale adventures.

i had the best time laughing with my family and friends.

i tried more things. making is my favorite.

i snuggled with this cutie.

and i felt thankful for my amazing family.

i hope you had a spectacular 2011 - see you next year!

it's december 23rd...

2011-12-23T09:47:00.000-06:00

*can we talk about how great pugly pixel's tutorial for tinsel text is? because it totally is. a festivus miracle, perhaps?

the holiday season // pink peppermint popcorn

2011-12-21T10:13:00.000-06:00

i like to make food for people during the holidays; unfortunately, i'm usually crap at it. i'm no stranger to those late nights (early mornings, really) in the kitchen dumping a whole batch of something into the trash because it just didn't work out right. i'm also the person who leaves things semi- last minute, so there's that, as well.

but! here's a recipe that is super easy and pretty much no-fail. also? it's really good. to make pretty pink peppermint popcorn, you'll need:

- two bags microwave popcorn. you want something not completely saturated with butter and salt, so i chose orville redenbacher's tender white. if i had thought about it more, i would have popped my own.

- one bag andes peppermint crunch baking chips. this is only available during the holidays in grocery stores, but you can find it on amazon year-round (at insanely inflated prices, but if you need a fix...).

- sprinkles. totally optional, but fun.

- two medium-to-large bowls. for tossing.

- one microwave safe bowl (not pictured). for melting.

- wax paper. for drying.

- pop two bags of popcorn according to instructions. put one bag in each bowl.
- melt the peppermint chips in the microwave. heat in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until the chips are completely melted.
- divide the melted chips between the two bowls of popcorn.

- toss/massage/roll the popcorn until it is almost entirely coated in peppermint.

- add sprinkles liberally and toss a bit more.

- lay sheets of wax paper on a flat surface and spread the popcorn in an even layer to dry. try to avoid clumps and clusters.

- let dry for at least an hour.

- package and enjoy!

being a procrastinator actually helps with this recipe because it's best made right before it is to be gifted (or eaten) - wait too long and it starts to get stale. it's easy to make large quantities, too - just remember 2 bags of popcorn to 1 bag of peppermint chips. my niece and i made three batches in under an hour and it yielded approximately 42 cups of popcorn.

the holiday season // root beer float cocktail

2011-12-13T09:55:00.001-06:00

i just wanted to pop in to share a quick recipe today. the hands-down hit of the party the other night was a root beer float cocktail made with marshmallow vodka. it's a cinch to make, a real crowd pleaser, and, if you give it a silly name like rudolph root beer or frosty float (see what i did there?), it's perfect for holiday get-togethers.

to make a frosty root beer float cocktail, assemble the following:
- root beer (i chose a bottled craft brew from world market)
- marshmallow vodka (i think vanilla vodka would also taste great - it would be interesting to try a homemade vanilla bean infused vodka, too!)
- whipped cream
- ice

pour the vodka and root beer over the ice and stir. my sister made the drinks at the party and she paired two shots (approximately 3 oz.) of vodka with 6-8 oz. of root beer per mason jar (16 oz. size). the drinks were on the stronger side, but they weren't overpowering (flavored vodkas can be deceiving, though, so drink responsibly!)

top with whipped cream and stick in a striped straw for maximum happiness. oh, so good, i tell you! and it gets even better when the whipped cream has melted down a bit and the drink gets a bit sludgy (that's not a good food adjective, but you know what i mean, right?)

cheers!

tinsel + tonic

2011-12-12T16:55:00.000-06:00

i had a holiday "tinsel + tonic" party this weekend, which is, of course, the perfect excuse for going overboard on vintage glass ornaments, kitschy santas, and crafty fun.

i made homemade christmas crackers (directions here) and yarn pom pom garlands (directions here). homemade touches were complemented with thrift store finds and fun finds from bake it pretty.

pinterest played a big part, too. make-ahead mason jar cocktails? such a good idea. also? i never want to have another drink without a festive paper straw (purchased here).

even the portraits were decked out in holiday finery (can you tell who the subject of the portrait is? a good story post coming soon).

it was so much fun to get my house ready for the season - i don't think i put a single decoration up last year. the party was a success with lots of laughing and talking into the wee hours, vintage records, good food (and so much of it, my goodness!), amazing friends, and a bit of mischievousness for good measure.

the library // all the lonely people

2011-12-08T16:09:00.001-06:00

a few days ago, i received a phone call from a local writer who began asking questions about the library's local history collection: did we have a list of schools and teachers from the late 1800s (when settlers first came to the area)? did we have any information on the individuals buried in our local cemetery?

as a good librarian should, i began asking questions to find out what the caller really needed. turns out, i didn't have to ask too many questions before the caller announced that she had recently visited the cemetery on a walk with her dog and that one of the spirits had followed her home to set up residence.

ahem.

the spirit identified herself to the writer as maggie and, after a search on findagrave.com (a really excellent genealogy tool, by the way), our writer had a full name: margaret "maggie" jane ellis. the writer was certain that maggie was unable to cross over due to vandalism of her grave in 1969 (she died in 1936, so that's a long waiting game, but who am i to criticize?); however, she was unable to communicate further with the spirit because another malicious male spirit in the house was censoring maggie.

sounds like a full house, right? well, apparently, it is. the writer had had a paranormal activity group out to her house the previous weekend for K-2 readings, which verified the presence of several spirits. the writer was looking for any information she could on how to help poor maggie, who "smelled of rose perfume" and was "most certainly a teacher," get to the next world/life/level, etc.

after quite a bit of digging and calls to history committee members, i was able to scrape together a few details about the lonely soul. maggie was a spinster who lived with her parents before moving in with her brother, at the age of 47, to act as a housekeeper. according to her death certificate, maggie suffered from acute asthma and this is likely the reason she remained single, which seems such a sad fate to me.

we also uncovered a previously unseen photo of our early community (1890) featuring the ellis family, including maggie's grandparents on their 50th anniversary (seated), her parents (to the right of the couple) and her younger sister, rollie (far right). my genealogist contact is sure that one of the three unidentified girls on the left is our maggie. the writer, when she saw the photograph, felt certain that maggie is the girl in the dark dress, three from the left.

it's an interesting old world, to say the least.

vintage christmas card display tutorial

2011-12-07T10:00:00.004-06:00

last year, right before christmas, i came across a 1950s stationer's stock of christmas card samples at an estate sale. i think i picked up just over 50 cards for around $5.00, which is a great deal considering how amazing the designs and colors are - i would have gladly paid more.

i wanted to display the cards around the house this year and i briefly considered a garland across the door; this idea was quickly nixed, however, as i've been a bit garland-mad of late (the holidays will do that to you). instead, i came up with a minimalistic display incorporating one of my favorite vintage accessories - wooden hangers!

to make a christmas card display, you'll need:
1. vintage wooden hangers.
2. a drill and drill bit. make sure the drill bit corresponds to the thickness of your string.
3. string/twine; scissors; miniature clothespins; a tape measure; a marker or pen.
4. your choice of christmas cards, new or old.

to make the display:

5. arrange your selection of cards to see how many you can get across the width of your hanger. i could get about three cards across without crowding them.

6. measure your hanger and mark off where you'd like your holes to be. my hanger measured almost 16" - i made marks at 2", 8" and 14".

7. drill holes where you've made your marks. safety first!

8. cut lengths of your string. hold your hanger up and determine how long you'd like your display to be - i cut each string at approximately 36".

9. secure the string on the hanger by knotting a loop through each hole.

10. use the miniature clothespins to secure your cards to the string. hang your display and enjoy!

it takes a little bit of a balancing act to get each side level and i played around a bit with the arrangement before i was happy with the dispersion of color and orientation (portrait vs. landscape). all-in-all, though, it was a super easy, fast and inexpensive project (i had all of the materials on hand).

i ended up making two displays for different areas of the house. i love being able to see all the cards during the season and i think it would make a great postcard or snapshot display for the rest of the year.

how do you display your cards?

(note: here's the non-christmas version of the display!)

the holiday season // 12.02.2011

2011-12-02T17:04:00.000-06:00

can we talk about how much i love christmas music? because i do. it's so darn chipper and happy. and sometimes it's wonderfully nostalgic and sad. something for everybody, right?

while you can bet that i am fond of the classic crooners and tunes, i am especially smitten with odd and non-traditional holiday songs. in a weird way, i've listened to these songs so much and for so many years, they have become traditional to me.

one of the first albums i listen to each year (who am i kidding - i listen to it all year) is sufjan stevens' songs for christmas. this album doesn't seem as odd and non-traditional as it did when it first appeared ten years ago (it was actually released over the course of several years) and i'm sure by now it is a staple of the hipster holiday season, but the first time my brother-in-law played that was the worst christmas ever!, i was completely mesmerized.

the album is full of unique renditions of traditional songs, as well. what child is this anyway? is another of my favorites:

and the tenderness of the friendly beasts is too magical not to share:

sufjan stevens' musicality is what has always drawn me to his songs and the same is true for this entire album - it's just a great blend of instruments, vocals, and emotion. if you're looking for a little something different this holiday season, give the curmudgeon who pored over the reader's digest christmas songbook in order to better appreciate christmas a chance.

what's your favorite christmas album?

the holiday season // 12.01.2011

2011-12-01T18:06:00.002-06:00

it's the first of december - are your holiday cards in the mail yet? yeah, me neither. if you're looking for a little vintage inspiration for your tidings of joy, visit the local zoo. apparently, exotic animals and christmas went hand-in-hand back in the day.

i found the utterly brilliant british pathe films via eartha kitsch a few weeks ago and i have been enthralled ever since. if ever during the stressful holiday season you feel the need to decompress, mix up a peppermint cocktail and watch a few of these gems.

have a seat... or two or three (a before & after)

2011-11-20T15:53:00.000-06:00

oh, hai. it's been a (long) while since i last posted anything and i actually feel a bit shy. it's been a crazy two months around these parts - packing to move, moving, unpacking, adjusting, settling in. realizing that i'm completely happy and in love with the new place and neighborhood. especially when acquaintances in the neighborhood have a garage sale and i score three danish modern chairs for $15.00.

on first glance, not too shabby. but let's have a closer look, shall we?

broken arm and loose joints.

dried wood with plenty of dings and nicks.

tears. lots of holes here.

the vinyl's not in that great of shape, either.

the worst? unsightly stains.

over the course of two weekends, i tried to fix up these garage sale finds to bring back some of their former glory. i used teak oil, mineral spirits, oil soap, wood glue, new screws, new fabric, and lots of time at the sewing machine.

i recovered the two smaller chairs in a black-and-white patterned suiting material. one is by the tv stand/art deco buffet and the other is next to my record player desk table (with a few christmas things out).

i chose a vintage style chartreuse chenille/tweed fabric to reupholster the side chair. i've never attempted a box cushion with piping before, but i think it turned out pretty good! let's just not look too closely at the mismatched corners on the bottom cushion... ahem.

the wood prettied up real nice with teak oil. i have to admit, the green fabric was a second choice (some credit due to keith), but it works so well against the dark frame - i really love it. sewing with this fabric, however, was something else all together. the bottom cushion has it's own name and it's not very nice.

i was feeling charitable with my sewing machine after the top cushion came together much more easily than the bottom, so i put together a quick throw pillow using piping scraps and the houndstooth fabric i originally chose for the smaller two chairs.

i'm feeling extremely thankful to be in a place where i can spread out, refinish, sew, and fix things again! it's been way too long. i promise not to be gone for long - i have a lot of posts lined up for december and a house tour should be around soon!

thanks for being patient while i settled in,

missoni for target

2011-09-13T13:21:00.000-05:00

missoni for target rolled out this morning. i'd link to the site, but it crashed hours ago.

i got up super duper early this morning (okay, just thirty minutes early) to go to target in the hopes of snagging a missoni chevron shower curtain. two words: ha. ha.

it was craziness! and all at eight o'clock in the morning. ladies grabbing and hoarding and running. it was actually pretty funny from a people-watching standpoint; dangerous from a shopping standpoint, though. my target didn't have all 400+ items from the designer line in stock, but there were a few cute things left on the shelves:

candles and wine bottle boxes.

stationary goods.

this amazing suitcase.

pillows.

mugs.

two hats. seriously. two. hats. i wouldn't have minded picking up a scarf, but they were long gone.

hair accessories and makeup bags.

there was literally nothing else left. in the end, i grabbed two of the black chevron mugs because it's almost hot chocolate season.

i also treated myself to a salted caramel mocha frappuccino for breakfast. it was g l o r i o u s (and this from a non-coffee drinker).

did you get any missoni goods this morning?

estate sale finds // 09.09.11

2011-09-09T17:02:00.001-05:00

today marks the beginning and end of my weekend, so, to make the most of my short time away from work, i decided to get out of town and hit up an estate sale in west ft. worth. let me just say that the 60+ minute drive was totally worth it, as this was probably the best estate sale i've been to in a long time. maybe ever.

before i show you what i picked up, let's talk about the house. this isn't the house that had the sale, but it's the one next door and the whole neighborhood was filled with amazing houses like this. the house with the sale had a huge apartment garage, a basement (in texas! this is a rarity.), butler's pantries (yes, multiple), garden rooms, back-of-the-house staircases, so many closets (all with custom built-in, beautifully painted shelves and organizational cubbies), dressing rooms, parlors, and bedrooms. it seems like an exaggeration, i know, but it's not. it was incredible.

call me weird, but i couldn't resist snapping shots of the bathrooms. the tile work was gorgeous and each bathroom was covered in either yellow, blue, or pink tile from floor to ceiling, with matching sinks and toilets, of course. it was dreamy.

so, what did i take home?

a children's art and music book from 1945.

an amazing (!!) pink bag/purse. i am in love with the color, shape, and details on this bag. and it was only $4!

a cuckoo clock wall pocket planter.

this shell pink milk glass piece will be my sister's christmas present. i'm always looking out for items like this to add to her collection.

how to own a dog and like it. i had to get this book just for the title.

i think i gasped a little (okay, a lot) when i saw this polaroid sx-70 land camera with sonar attachment. it is in almost mint condition and it was a total steal. i'm still excited and can't wait to order some more impossible film.

another loud gasp for these. i got all three pieces for $15, which is crazy good for an estate sale.

a few pieces of costume jewelry. i love the orange enamel flower and the daisy circle pin.

i think i'm going to use this burlap-covered bulletin board in my sewing/craft/office room. i love the lemons!

finally, this double gooseneck lamp is going to be a makeover project. i have something in mind and i already stopped at the store to pick up supplies. i obviously have no patience and have to start on things immediately, even though i should be doing other things... like packing.

did you find anything today?

movin' on up...

2011-09-06T16:45:00.000-05:00

woo hoo! only 30 days until i move! there's tons to do before then and lots to pack (i don't think i will ever be done packing - i have way more stuff than i thought possible). to cut down on the number of items i need to pack up and move, i decided to have a sale in the shop! head on over, browse the virtual stacks, and use the coupon code GREATMIGRATION for 25% off your order (shipping not included in discount).

i hope you had a great holiday weekend!

the exceptional internet // 08.30.2011

2011-08-30T17:48:00.000-05:00

andrew kolb adapted david bowie's space oddity into a children's book (no physical copies are available... yet, but you can download the full PDF here). does it work? if you're at all familiar with the song, you'll know the subject matter is a tad macabre for tots, but the illustrations are truly fantastic | via how to be a retronaut

from one oddity to another: willie nelson covers coldplay's the scientist for chipotle. the last headline you ever thought you'd hear? me, too. it's odd on so many levels, but one of those things you just have to see + hear | via stereogum

i continue to adore adalou's ware. wear. where series. check it out if you haven't already!

education first (ef) made a series of videos to encourage studying abroad. it works. i wish i was a student again | via uppercase

i've been poring over paint chips the past few weeks trying to choose colors for the rental house. now i know exactly what to do with them after i'm done | via how about orange

a nifty camera stabilizer for $1 - nice! | via doobybrain

fashion + dancing + london? yes, please! | via boing boing

eek! it's a bit short this time (and full of videos - now you know how i really spend my time on the internet), but i got it done within my dinner hour, so... yay?

back to work for me...

2011-08-29T22:02:00.000-05:00

i had a super awesome saturday night with my sister and niece at the dfw food truck festival. despite it being crazy hot (i think my right to complain about the heat, especially in texas, is just about revoked, but just know... HOT), it was so much fun and we got to try a lot of good grub.

chicken, pistachio & apricot, spicy rice & asparagus, beet, and pork tacos from three men and a taco.

pulled pork grilled cheese from jack's chowhound.

grilled pork banh mi from nammi cruisin' vietnamese fusion. the pickled jalapenos were wicked spicy. also amazing? the basil mint lemonade. it made the 60+ minute wait totally worth it (yeah, it was crowded).

i was slightly obsessed with the trailercakes airstream trailer. it was adorable and it made bubbles. what more do you need?

the cupcakes were delicious - we actually started off with these!

did you try anything tasty this weekend?

chasing after deer // a tutorial

2011-08-26T16:09:00.004-05:00

one of the first things i'm going to do in my new place is set up a display wall for my paint by number collection. i have a modest start to a nicely varied collection, but i wanted to add something witty, vibrant, and a bit modern.

i'm a huge fan of trey speegle's paint by number art (i seriously want this pillow) and i was completely inspired by elsie's tutorial a few weeks ago, so when i came across a blank PBN canvas on etsy, i placed my order without skipping a beat. the fact that the canvas came without its paint set or any listing of its original colors did not faze me. the seller kindly linked to the paint by number museum, where i could see a completed canvas for reference.

if you ever come across a blank PBN canvas and want to give this project a whirl, here's what i used:

- ruler

- paintbrushes (use brushes with very fine tips - there are approximately three gazillion small areas to mess up!)

- toothpicks (for filling in extremely small spaces and details)

- water to clean your brushes (not pictured)

- paper towels to blot your brushes (not pictured)

- graphite paper

- pencil (not pictured)

- printout of words/lyrics/quotes sized according to your canvas (not pictured)

- paint tray

- acrylic paint* (be prepared to spend a fair bit of time at the craft store picking out suitable colors if you do not have a color reference chart or picture. even with a picture to reference, it took almost an hour to choose and sort 22 colors in my mind and in my cart)

*i chose acrylic paint instead of oil or enamel (model) paint because it was much more affordable for the amount i needed. it does cover in a matte finish, which i actually prefer, but you can always use a coat of protective gloss finish at the end. also? it takes a few coats for a full coverage, so patience and time are key!

on a flat surface, place your graphite paper over the canvas where you'd like your words to go. place your printed words on top of the graphite paper and use a small piece of low tack tape to secure it in place. i used a ruler to center my words because i'm a bit obsessive, but if you can eyeball it, awesome. with your pencil, trace an outline of the words. you can lift up the corner of the paper and graphite paper to check for correct pressure and placement.

now you should have your words on the canvas! i should have used a sharper pencil as my outlines were a bit thick, but it works. now the fun part: start painting! be sure to have access to hours and hours of movie and tv marathon goodness. trust me.

(gah! please excuse the oddly-angled gif here. i'm a dunce and didn't realize it wouldn't rotate. durrr.)

i read up a bit on painting PBNs and a few tips i picked up were to start with either the lightest or darkest color and work to the opposite end of the spectrum. did i do this? uh, no, but it's a good thought in theory. also remember to lightly dip your brushes into the paint - you need very little paint with each stroke. a big glob results in a big blob (like what i did there?).

this is what the original finished piece would have looked like had i bought it completed or used the original colors.

and here's my finished custom paint by number. to say i'm in love would be an understatement.

i still have that post-project glow where all i want to do is stare my creation with all its foibles and imperfections. is this normal? it sounds terribly narcissistic.

i seriously toyed with the idea of using a very fine-tip sharpie to outline the words for a bigger visual pop, but in the end, i kind of like that it takes a minute to register what's going on. it also helps that at the very end, i changed the color of what is now the lightest green. before, it was a khaki almost identical to the canvas color and the words were completely lost.

i almost forgot to share my inspiration for the words! i love, love, love midlake, especially their album the trials of van occupanther. the whole album is exceptional and it is definitely my go-to music for fall and winter. i could probably listen to all the songs on repeat, but one in particular will always be my favorite: chasing after deer.

perfect for this paint by number.

back to school

2011-08-22T10:43:00.000-05:00

it's the first day of school around here and you know what that means: no more kids hanging out at the library all. day. long... at least, not until after school hours. woo.

doesn't time go by crazy fast? i remember posing each year for my mom in front of my locker or classroom door and now i've been out of school for, uh, a long time. here's my favorite first-day-of-school shot. i was on my way to the third grade, where i would meet, in addition to my college freshman roommate, two of my best friends to this day. also notice the beginnings of a snarky personality and a love for black-and-white striped shirts.

so, whether you are sending off a little one to school or if the smell of school supplies just makes you happy, here are some great first-day-of-school photo memories.

(source)

august break // 09

2011-08-11T11:43:00.000-05:00

the cavern club // liverpool, england

*for the month of august, i'm participating in susannah conway's august break... with a slight twist. because i'm stuck in hot, hot texas with no vacation in sight, i thought it would be fun to take a virtual summer vacation by sharing photos of some of my favorite places and spaces from past travels. enjoy!

august break // 08

2011-08-10T10:45:00.000-05:00

melrose abbey ruins // melrose, scotland

*for the month of august, i'm participating in susannah conway's august break... with a slight twist. because i'm stuck in hot, hot texas with no vacation in sight, i thought it would be fun to take a virtual summer vacation by sharing photos of some of my favorite places and spaces from past travels. enjoy!

august break // 07

2011-08-09T09:00:00.004-05:00

place igor stravinsky // paris

*for the month of august, i'm participating in susannah conway's august break... with a slight twist. because i'm stuck in hot, hot texas with no vacation in sight, i thought it would be fun to take a virtual summer vacation by sharing photos of some of my favorite places and spaces from past travels. enjoy!

august break // 06

2011-08-08T10:33:00.000-05:00

chinatown // london

*for the month of august, i'm participating in susannah conway's august break... with a slight twist. because i'm stuck in hot, hot texas with no vacation in sight, i thought it would be fun to take a virtual summer vacation by sharing photos of some of my favorite places and spaces from past travels. enjoy!

the library // cruel summer

2011-08-07T23:52:00.000-05:00

our summer reading program ended last week. adults can sign up (to set a good example, of course), but they aren't required to turn in reading logs like the kids. for the first time in nearly ten years of working at the library, i received a reading log from an adult the other day. it appears to have been a cruel, cruel summer...

private
fool me once
what you wish for
vendetta
final justice
the jury
sweet revenge

and finally?

texas divorce law

packing up

2011-08-06T12:30:00.002-05:00

hullo! i hope you're enjoying the august break posts around here. one of the reasons i decided to participate in this project was so i could devote a bit more of my free time to getting things organized around the ol' apartment so i can begin packing. i'm moving to a rental house in another city (not too far away) in early- to mid-october and if you remember the pictures of my apartment, well... there's just a lot of stuff to sort through. *ahem*

as i clear through my things, i'm setting aside a few items to list in the shop. i'm going to try and go with a bit more of an edited look at the new place. still kitschy and kooky and colorful, but edited kitsch and kook and color, you know? of course that doesn't mean i haven't picked up a few new things for the house.

(source)

i fell in love with rachel's idea for a vintage school desk as a table for a record player (i have the same player), so i've been on the lookout for a similar desk at thrift stores. this past week, i found not one, but two turquoise metal school desks. of course, one was $50 (insanity!) and the other was $20 (much better, but still a little high?). i picked up the less expensive one and i actually really love the shape more than the expensive one.

it's a bit difficult to convey the greatness of the turquoise - it's almost a pearlized metallic bluish-green. it's perfect. i'm not loving the front pink panel, but i think i'll have that side facing the wall.

one of the things i can't wait to do at the new place is create a paint by number wall. nothing too crazy (and definitely no paint by number clowns), but a cohesive grouping of my small, but growing, collection. i found this paint by number at the same thrift shop as my desk and i love it. i'm not too attached to the frame, but i was thinking about spray painting all the frames a matching cream to add a bit of consistency to the grouping. we'll see.

okay, back to packing. have a good weekend!

august break // 05

2011-08-05T09:30:00.004-05:00

middle of nowhere (in the very best sense) country road // jedburgh, scotland

*for the month of august, i'm participating in susannah conway's august break... with a slight twist. because i'm stuck in hot, hot texas with no vacation in sight, i thought it would be fun to take a virtual summer vacation by sharing photos of some of my favorite places and spaces from past travels. enjoy!

august break // 04

2011-08-04T09:50:00.000-05:00

south congress ave. // austin, texas

*for the month of august, i'm participating in susannah conway's august break... with a slight twist. because i'm stuck in hot, hot texas with no vacation in sight, i thought it would be fun to take a virtual summer vacation by sharing photos of some of my favorite places and spaces from past travels. enjoy!

august break // 03

2011-08-03T09:30:00.014-05:00

strawberry field // woolton, england [perhaps my first real life dream come true]

*for the month of august, i'm participating in susannah conway's august break... with a slight twist. because i'm stuck in hot, hot texas with no vacation in sight, i thought it would be fun to take a virtual summer vacation by sharing photos of some of my favorite places and spaces from past travels. enjoy!

august break // 02

2011-08-02T09:30:00.003-05:00

sacré-cœur basilica // paris

*for the month of august, i'm participating in susannah conway's august break... with a slight twist. because i'm stuck in hot, hot texas with no vacation in sight, i thought it would be fun to take a virtual summer vacation by sharing photos of some of my favorite places and spaces from past travels. enjoy!

august break // 01

2011-08-01T21:30:00.003-05:00

camden row houses // london

*for the month of august, i'm participating in susannah conway's august break... with a slight twist. because i'm stuck in hot, hot texas with no vacation in sight, i thought it would be fun to take a virtual summer vacation by sharing photos of some of my favorite places and spaces from past travels. enjoy!

in rainbows

2011-07-25T15:47:00.000-05:00

making rainbow cupcakes has been on my culinary to-do list since last september when i first saw a tutorial on the dainty squid. to be honest, i'm not much of a cake baker unless it's for quite a few people, so i knew the best time to make these cute cuppies would be when i had my nieces for the day.

i watched the girls this past weekend and lined up a few fun activities for saturday. in addition to baking the cupcakes, we also got rainbow manicures, took a trip to a converted opera house used book store, enjoyed homemade ice cream at an old fashioned ice cream parlor, went to the park, and had a fun movie night (fantastic mr. fox is fantastic).

i made a concerted effort to film snippets throughout the day in the hopes of making a cute video for the girls. i was completely inspired by bleubird vintage's iPhone videos this past week and i've always wanted to make a family video with she's a rainbow by the rolling stones, so...

She's A Rainbow from Megan Charters on Vimeo.

i shot everything on my iPhone and used the 8mm app to post-process the clips before editing the film in iMovie. it all came together really easily and i think it turned out pretty sweet. if you look closely, you can spot a cameo of my oldest niece (who was at work all day - boo) dressed as a pirate. classic.

i hope you had a fun weekend!

estate sale finds // 07.09.2011

2011-07-19T15:22:00.001-05:00

i say 'estate sale finds,' but really, i brought nothing home from this sale but snapshots and an imagination run wild. before heading to hillsboro to save the bottle rocket motel last weekend, i went to a few estate sales with my friends, one of which was in an 1887 home in a historic neighborhood.

i almost felt as if i were entering crotchety mr. pendergast's dilapidated manor (please tell me how much you love pollyanna -- i can't be the only one).

everything was faded.

and bare.

and quiet.

the house was full of the clutter that fills a home over 124 years, but i couldn't focus on books and cutlery and maps when there was such a haunt to explore.

there were so many small, out-of-the way rooms and views.

i was particularly taken with this room. as soon as i saw the tennis rackets and the suit jackets, visions of a melancholic richie tenenbaum, former tennis prodigy, filled my mind.

everything was a bit grey gardens meets the royal tenenbaums.

an eerie perfection.

i would have loved to have seen this place in all its splendor, but i suppose i'll have to settle for a ghost.

the library // sac en plastique

2011-07-14T20:16:00.001-05:00

a patron left a plastic grocery bag just outside of the library today and later called to see if it was still there. my co-worker had the very good fortune of assisting this patron with his inquiry.

after the grocery sack was located, the patron asked what the bag contained. he wanted to know if it was worth his driving 25 minutes back to the library to fetch the contents.

contents: 2 (open) boxes of crackers, partially eaten; 1 (open) container of cookies, partially eaten; 1 (covered) cereal bowl.

the patron decided that it wasn't worth his while to drive back for his bag, but could we mail the contents to him?

after a polite refusal, my co-worker offered to store his goods in our lost and found box, where they would be safe for 30 days, until he could make it back to the library. the questionable freshness of the perishable items aside, the patron agreed to this compromise only if his name (first and last) and phone number were clearly identifiable on all his items.

his final request? "could you wash my dish? it's gonna get real stinky in a few days."

the exceptional internet // photography edition

2011-07-13T14:08:00.001-05:00

if you know me, then you know i take pictures of everything (much to the annoyance of those around me, i'm sure). i just like to capture the world around me in stylish, nostalgic, quirky, and beautiful ways and it's never been easier for the amateur shutterbug -- there are so many great photography tutorials, apps, projects, and accessories around the interwebs these days!

here are just a few of my current favorites:

my new obsession is the gif shop app for the iPhone. the app creates animated gifs on the fly from still shots and allows you to upload your creations to facebook, twitter, and tumblr or you can send animated texts. win. i made this simple animated gif in a matter of minutes during an extremely boring webinar yesterday - giving the librarian finger has never been so amusing to me.

speaking of animated gifs, cinemagraphs seem to be all the rage right now and i so want to make one (weekend project?). cinemagraphs are similar to animated gifs, but a bit more refined and definitely more subtle. photojojo has a tutorial and from me to you is a tumblr chock-full of gorgeous and mesmerizing examples of cinemagraphs (like the one above).

i'm kind of in love with this iPhone case by drop it modern (reviewed here by totally rad!)

matt richardson from make has a short and sweet tutorial on how to create pretty bokeh effects in your photography. yes, please.

i need to frame this manual photography cheat sheet by miguel yatco. for reals.

i'm also really loving the diptic app paired with instagram; it's a nice way to combine my gazillion (give or take a few) photos into one.

and finally, in honor of polaroid week, here's a nifty little video on how the impossible project makes polaroid film | via boing boing

saving the bottle rocket motel

2011-07-10T15:43:00.001-05:00

my love for wes anderson is no secret. his films, to me, are perfectly executed, perfectly styled, and perfectly cast. so, when i came across an article in the dallas observer detailing the potential loss of the iconic motel from wes anderson's directorial debut film, bottle rocket, i knew i wanted to help.

things got even better when the alamo drafthouse cinema got involved and offered to extend their summer rolling roadshow for a special showing of the film at the motel, which just happens to be a mere hour south of dallas. road trip!

a few friends and i headed south for the night toward the days inn in hillsboro.

it was great seeing so many fans of the film showing up from across the country: texas (of course), but also alabama, georgia, and arizona.

it was also pretty great to be able to walk around and see where the scenes were shot.

in a crazy twist of fate, the temperature was actually quite tolerable last night - there was even a breeze!

my friends and i got to meet robert musgrave, who played bob mapplethrope in the film. he was so cool and chatted with fans about scouting locations with wes anderson and owen wilson, staying on set (or not, as was his case, much to luke wilson's chagrin), and who had crushes on whom.

he signed my commemorative poster...

and sneakily added a moustache on future man (his brother in the film). awesome.

instead of previews and commercials, the pre-show included clips from all anderson's films and the many commercials he's directed. of course, we also got to see the now famous alamo drafthouse psa, which is so hilarious to me (here's the censored version).

right before the show, we all got treated to nose tape. exactly!

the movie was even better viewed in a field with like-minded fans.

it was late when the show ended, but we stayed for awhile just walking around again, finding more shot locations around the motel.

it's fun being a fan.

sparkle on, america

2011-07-04T10:45:00.000-05:00

things that make me feel american, in no particular order:

(via)

stars and stripes and glittery sights | liberace. oh, my, need i say more?

patriotic ditties | little edie beale was amazing! if you have never seen grey gardens, carve out some time and visit the beales on hulu immediately.

(via)

americana decor | red, white, and blue? yes, please.

picnic foods | solid potato salad by the ross sisters. how many times have i watched this since seeing it on ranch dressing with eartha kitsch last year? too, too many. eartha, i cannot thank you enough for sharing this bit of internet kitsch!

fireworks | i hope you have a fun and safe holiday!

house hunting

2011-07-03T15:49:00.000-05:00

despite the holiday weekend and steadily rising temperatures, my friend and i decided to wander aimlessly through historic neighborhoods in search of estate sales and garage sales. needless to say, we found not a single vintage ware.

since we were already in one of our favorite neighborhoods, we decided to hunt down the exact location of one specific mid-century home among so many other gorgeous mid-century homes.

sometime last year, i was in this same neighborhood for an estate sale and i got lost.

i have to say, it's the best place in which i've ever found myself disoriented.

on one of my many turns and u-turns and three-point-turns, i found myself on a shady cul-de-sac.

the cul-de-sac was actually a small roundabout with what seemed like a hidden corner.

tucked back in the hidden corner was the most amazing mid-century home i had ever seen in real life.

i literally stopped my car to admire this architectural wonder of the 1960s for a full five minutes, my mouth slightly open, i'm sure. i felt as elizabeth bennet must have upon seeing pemberley for the first time.

after getting similarly disoriented (this time on purpose), my friend and i finally found my mid-century dream house. the trees, the lawn, the clean architectural lines, the glass-walled dining room filled with vintage furniture... i've never seen anything so happily situated.

i'm tempted to try to contact the owner and ask questions and demand interior photos. i can imagine room after room filled with items similar to those in my 1955 house beautiful ads and those are happy thoughts, indeed!

i often find myself torn between my dream house being a small arts & crafts bungalow or a larger mid-century ranch-style home. as a singleton, i lean toward the small bungalow; if i ever have a family, i'd like a mid-century brady-style house. compromise, right?

do you live in your dream house? do you have a dream house style? i'd love to hear about it!

summer colours week // red + a color soundtrack

2011-07-01T15:44:00.000-05:00

(so, this is the pink hibiscus from the other day. it's red in the morning and fades to pink and then to white by the end of the day. neat.)

summer colours week ends today with red, but i thought it would be fun to put together a soundtrack of colors via my favorite singers and bands.

yellow

yellow elevator #2 by the black angels

pink

pink moon by nick drake

blue

the blues are still blue by belle and sebastian

rainbow

i was zapped by the lucky super rainbow by the flaming lips

red

razzle dazzle rose by camera obscura (i totally interpreted 'rose' as red because i love this song so much and wanted to include it)

i hope you had a colorful week!

summer colours week // rainbow

2011-06-30T11:01:00.000-05:00

it's summer colours week at poppytalk...
monday: yellow
tuesday: pink
wednesday: blue
thursday: rainbow
friday: red

summer colours week // blue

2011-06-29T13:48:00.000-05:00

(my summer soundtrack pretty much consists of camera obscura)

it's summer colours week at poppytalk...
monday: yellow
tuesday: pink
wednesday: blue
thursday: rainbow
friday: red

summer colours week // pink

2011-06-28T22:03:00.000-05:00

it's summer colours week at poppytalk...

monday: yellow
tuesday: pink
wednesday: blue
thursday: rainbow
friday: red

summer colours week // yellow

2011-06-28T14:49:00.006-05:00

blooming (apartment complex) flowers.

i'm trying to drink less diet coke. la croix requires a little bit of lemon squeezy.

summer road trips that require the use of vintage luggage are okay by me.

it's summer colours week at poppytalk... and i'm obviously a day behind. i'll blame it on the heat and return later today with pink!

monday: yellow
tuesday: pink
wednesday: blue
thursday: rainbow
friday: red

thrift store finds // 06.27.2011

2011-06-27T19:45:00.000-05:00

i haven't had a monday off in awhile, so i took advantage of today by (what else?) hitting up a few thrift shops. i went to five stores and found not a single thing; however, when i got home and looked in the back seat of my car, i realized i've been using it as a thrifted finds storage space (this is reasonable with a small apartment, yes?). i had a clear-out and found a delightful/disturbing trend amongst the items.

i will always be a pisces, despite the astrological nonsense announced earlier this year. my sister shook her head at this slightly unsightly find.

i think i bought this because it reminded me of texas. i don't know how i feel about it post-purchase.

i'm conflicted on this little lady. i've never been a holly hobby fan, but i cannot deny the appeal of that striped floral background. it makes me squee a bit.

i may be undecided about the others, but i totally love this small sentiment ♥

i obviously cannot leave behind embroidered pieces or what i've come to call yarn art. i already have too many pieces hanging in my apartment and i have nowhere to hang these new additions. maybe some will make their way to the shop?

to prove my devotion to this art form, here is a book i bought this weekend.

yes, i originally picked it up because my beloved grandpa called me muggins. but the reason i paid for it instead of just having a sentimental moment or two?

this illustration on the first page. it's foolishness, i tell you! but, seriously, how happy would i be to find a real-life framed yarn art in those colors and in that style? the dainty squid is sooo lucky...

have you found anything great lately? or stumbled upon any personal trends? let's hear them!

the library // national security

2011-06-21T11:48:00.001-05:00

a patron called this morning to see if we had a microfiche reader with printing capabilities. after flipping the switch to see if the archaic machine still came to life, i told the patron that we had a working machine, but the printing capability was iffy, as the thermal printer hadn't been engaged in years. he said he would be in shortly.

not five minutes later, a no-nonsense ex-military man reported for microfiche duty at the reference desk. how could i tell he was ex-military? he was dressed in army green from head to toe and had a camouflage day planner.

i led him to the machine and turned it on. as i was showing him how to manipulate the magnification and glass plates, he put his hand on my shoulder and asked, "are you a citizen of the united states of america?"

my customer service smile slowly faded as i replied, "yeeessss."

"would you be willing to testify if necessary?"

"uhhh..."

"because i'm about to bring up classified documents on this reader. only citizens of the united states of america may view this information."

"well, i'm just going to show you how to work everything and then i'll leave you to it, okay? i don't need to see what you're looking at."

"but if you do see it, i need to make sure you're a citizen of the united states of america. it's a matter of national security."

"then yes, i am. i was born in ohio."

"okay, then! how does this baby work?"

after he settled in and inserted his microfiche in the reader, he realized he needed change for a dollar, so he went up to the front where we keep a cash register. and he left the classified information on the reader screen, in perfect magnification and alignment for any non-citizen of the united states of america to read.

if that's not a breach in national security, i don't know what is.

p.s. i'm kinda bummed that army guy wasn't around. i think the two would've hit if off nicely.

my hipstamatic day // 06.18.2011

2011-06-20T16:53:00.000-05:00

errr... i see that it's been a week. sorry about that, but it's been crazy hot here in texas and the cool breezes, along with my motivation to form cohesive sentences, have temporarily gone astray. despite insanely stupid temperatures of late, i managed to have a pretty cool weekend, saturday night in particular.

i met two of my favorite people for a fun and nostalgic late-night pizza dinner in a small town about an hour north of where i live and as i was making the 40-mile trip (listening non-stop to the head and the heart), i couldn't help but be enamored with the beautiful sky. it's been bone dry around these parts for almost a month and though a storm was looming, the sun couldn't be suppressed. it was quite lovely.

i arrived a few minutes before my friends, so i took advantage of the swirling sky and old buildings and snapped a ton of pictures.

i'm not usually one to exploit the cowgirl/texas thing, but i really loved this painted sign.

the colors on this wall were to die for...

as evidenced by my taking about twenty close-ups of the aqua, white, and red combination. painted brick is the best.

though we came for pizza, there was a babe's across the street.

if you ever come to the dfw area, please try to go to a babe's chicken dinner house. it is seriously good and kitschy and country and fun.

and some of them have dinosaur-sized chickens out front. win.

my friends and i trekked it out to small town, texas to eat at a place called the tomato. when i was in college, there was a pizza place called the flying tomato (later changed to the tomato) and it was the best local haunt for studying, having a few beers, listening to music, and watching the world go by. the pizza, of course, was exceptional: doughy, slightly sweet, rich, and flavorful.

sadly, the tomato closed a few years after i graduated (it burned after closing, actually) and a college town mourned its loss. but! it was reincarnated a few months ago and i've been dying to see if the new tomato could bring back a few college memories.

the trip did not disappoint. the pizza was exactly the same (exactly!) and the new place had a few old relics from the original flying tomato, including the jukebox and, oddly enough, an old trash container. i had the best time chatting with my friends for hours and listening to music.

though it was getting late, we headed back south to denton (my old college town) and walked around the historic square.

there's a great old theater on one side of the square. i need to make a point of seeing a show there someday.

we ended the night at a bar listening to live music, sipping beer and coffee, and talking even more. it was the perfect night (even though it was still over 90 degrees way past midnight - blah).

i ♥ my friends. what did you do this weekend?

the exceptional internet // 06.14.2011

2011-06-14T15:41:00.000-05:00

i cannot express how much j'adore jean-pierre jeunet (i've tried, trust me...), so i was quite happy to see my favorite design*sponge column feature his film delicatessen. the living in series always, always makes my day and i have to admit that my heart skipped a few beats when i saw the lovely items selected for delicatessen. i want to go to there. you should, too | via design*sponge

growing up, i always loved shel silverstein and his nonsensical poetry books; as a grownup, it's pretty cool to realize he had so many more talents, including composing and songwriting (and singing with johnny cash, apparently) | via hear ya

growing up, i always loved roald dahl and his nonsensical children's books; as a grownup, it's kind of a bummer to learn that he was cruel, condescending, and highly unpleasant | via boing boing

how much do i want an iPad so i can play antiques road trip usa? you go on antique shopping trips to earn money to open a thrift store. hello? can this be my life? | via freckled nest

i love this thought and this neon sign by robert montgomery. so pretty | via doobybrain

just... YES. | via neatorama

(source)

sfgirlbybay's newest curated collection is majorly swoon-inducing. typography and art. a perfect marriage | via sfgirlbybay

these paper doll prints by the lovely etsy seller claudiavarosio are just plain awesome. i looove the grey gardens set (keith!) especially, though i know she also has a margot tennenbaum set, too. tough choices... | via moddern kiddo

CH Presents: The Conjuring Arts Research Center from Cool Hunting on Vimeo.

i would love to: a) work in new york city and b) work in a special library. to think i could have both! what a cool little secret | via neatorama

(source)

famous people hanging out with their vinyl. greatness. be sure to look at all the pictures, including (if not especially) the last one. | via boing boing

a sweet wedding

2011-06-12T14:13:00.000-05:00

i went to the wedding of a family friend last night and had the best time with so many of my favorite people. the wedding was in the cutest little white chapel and the reception was just a few steps away in an old train depot.

the decorations were so pretty and happy-making! i've thought about getting the ikea ps maskros flower light for when i move in the fall, but i've never seen it in person until last night. it's huge! but still awesome, obviously.

the bride and her mother really did an excellent job in decorating and thinking of lots of tiny details, like setting up a fun kids' table. my nieces loved it and, let's be honest, i kind of wanted to sit with them.

now let's talk about what really matters, shall we? the food was amazing. there was a popcorn station...

with cheesy, key lime...

butterfinger (seriously no words - so. good.) and a kids' mix.

obviously, i had to try all the flavors. in the blurry background you can see some other forms of goodness: frozen peach bellinis and individual bubblegum machine favors.

sweets for the sweet. a literal candy bar. everything was so dreamy and though i almost always prefer savory over sweet, this table was pretty wonderful: jelly beans, several types of lollies, bubble gum, chocolates, marshmallows, gummy fruit slices, candy straws, rock candy sticks... too many choices.

after the cake had been served, this turned into an ice cream sundae bar.

ha! i didn't even notice that the chocolate-covered strawberries spelled out 'love' until i looked at my pictures this morning. again, the frozen peach bellinis were good...

the groom's cake was a huge hostess cupcake. awesome.

the wedding cake was a cute pink cupcake. or a 1-up if you are a gamer like my brother-in-law. score. (pun intended)

have you ever seen heart sparklers? it was such a fun way to send off the bride and the groom. such a great night!

and now if you'll excuse me, i need to go meditate to calm my nerves for the mavs game tonight. these last few games have shot my nerves - it's too much! *fingers crossed* that it all ends tonight (sorry if you are a heat fan)

what did you do this weekend?

tips & pointers // thrift stores

2011-06-06T19:17:00.000-05:00

i've had a few comments, e-mails, and face-to-face questions about thrifting and estate sales, so, even though i am definitely not an expert (like, at all), i thought i'd do a quick round-up of tips that work well for me.

because thrift stores and estate sales are two different creatures, i think it'll be easiest to split the pointers into two posts and, when possible and when pertinent, i'll sneak in some advice about buying for reselling. i think that's it... so, let's talk about thrift stores today!

✧ if you are shopping to resell, keep up with design trends. i read a lot of vintage, design, and lifestyle blogs for inspiration, which makes spotting upcoming trends in vintage wares easier (hello, old thermoses, chevron patterns, and floral sheets). if you aren't shopping for reselling, it's still fun to browse pretty blogs and you'll get tons of ideas for your personal style.

✧ keep and update a vintage and/or thrifting wish list. jot down items you'd love to own one day in a small notebook and keep it with you. pull out your list before you go into a thrift store (or while you're standing in the middle of an aisle) for a quick refresher. it's easy to become overwhelmed in a space crowded with junk (and hidden treasures) and, though it sounds odd, a short glance at a list can help focus your search. and i just like making lists.

($2.49)

✧ research thrift stores. checking in at your local thrift store is probably your first stop, but try mapping out thrift stores just outside of your normal route. i am willing to drive about twenty minutes to visit a good thrift store. also, check out thrift stores in or around older neighborhoods. more often than not, the items in the thrift store have been donated from their surrounding neighborhoods and older neighborhoods are more likely to have older (vintage) items.

✧ bring a pen and scratch paper. you never know when you'll want to sketch a potter's symbol for further research or write down the name of a beautiful vintage china pattern (from a chipped or cracked plate - i hate when that happens).

✧ if you have one, bring a internet accessible smartphone. i use my iPhone for instant and basic research literally every time i go thrifting and, if you plan on reselling an item, it's extremely easy to check etsy and/or ebay for comparable pricing.

✧ bring hand sanitizer. trust me, things are dirrr-ty.

✧ go often. my local thrift store is restocked on an almost continuous basis -- there are always volunteers milling around, stocking the shelves from full shopping carts, so there's always something new. i try to stop at least once or twice a week. the people working there know me; this was something i just had to get over.

✧ if you have the time, go slowly. it's easy to miss a good find when you're just scanning the surface.

($0.40)

✧ this seems redundant, but if you have the time, look again. i usually inspect an aisle or a shelf twice. some of my favorite thrifty finds were missed on a first look!

✧ use your smartphone and/or camera to take pictures. sometimes i just want a picture of the item and not the actual item. sometimes i spot things i know my friend will love, so i snap a picture and send it in an e-mail or a text. sometimes an item is so funny or so weird or so crazy that you just have to take a picture and share it on facebook. this happens.

($1.99)

✧ look through the whole store. so many times, things are misplaced or moved by other customers to a completely random part of the store before they are discarded (or hidden, more like). i found the 1950s pink plastic bread box on the office supply aisle of all places. you're also missing a lot if you limit yourself to the traditional housewares aisle. there are great vintage board games, toys, and books in the children's sections; amazing embroidery in the artwork section; floral suitcases in the luggage section; hand knitted or crocheted blankets in the linens section, etc.

✧ if possible, go alone or with a similarly-minded friend. this sounds totally anti-social, but really, there's nothing worse than worrying if your friend or spouse is having a good time. or knowing that they most certainly are not having a good time. this should be a fun outing for you!

if you have children, frecklewonder has great tips for thrifting with tots - check them out!

✧ if you are shopping with the intention of reselling, keep your profit points in mind. you don't want to pay $10.00 for an item that you can only sell for $15.00. or maybe you do, i don't know. in general, if i buy something to resell in my etsy shop, i'd like to make 3-4 times what i paid for the item to cover the cost of shopping, researching, photographing, listing, and shipping.

($1.49/set of 2)

i hope these pointers and tips are helpful! if you have any of your own tips, please leave them in the comments - i'd love to hear them!

(all the photos were taken at my local thrift store over the past few months. i listed the prices if i actually bought the item. see? wanting a picture, but not wanting the item!)

leadership

2011-06-04T12:01:00.000-05:00

happy saturday to you! seeing as how i'm stuck at work today, plugging along on a leadership board project, i thought i'd share some totally hip and awesome records i recently acquired.

in all seriousness, i couldn't pass these up at the thrift store. they were super cheap and i was drawn to the nearly monochromatic illustration style. i haven't even listened to them, but perhaps i should... especially the second one.

hoping your weekend includes something infinitely more adventurous than reviewing and editing the scope of services on a bid contract,

holy yum

2011-06-02T17:28:00.000-05:00

do you like avocados? do you like pesto? have you ever wondered what a hybrid of the two might taste like? i can tell you: it tastes like a mouthful of awesome (if that's not an accurate culinary description, i don't know what is).

sara came over for a girls' dinner last night and she prepared what has got to be my new favorite recipe ever. oh she glows creamy avocado pasta is a delicious mix of buttery avocado, tangy lemon, peppery basil, and zesty garlic. the avocado cream (sans actual cream) was prepared in a matter of minutes before it was tossed with whole wheat angel hair pasta and paired with sautéed lemon pepper shrimp.

it was insanely delicious and it's an extremely affordable and healthful meal, which is always nice. i will be making this for as many people as possible in the near future. you should too.

for dessert, i whipped up a batch of talia christine's mini banoffee pie tarts. every time i go to london, i make it a priority to sample banoffee pie from different eateries - it's my favorite british confection. i've tried making it at home, too, but the recipes i've come across call for boiling sweetened condensed milk for approximately three hours, which is both crazy and semi-dangerous.

talia christine's recipe is dead easy and super quick. the toffee portion of the banoffee (banana + toffee) was gloriously thick and creamy and then it's just a matter of slicing up banana and squirting some whipped cream. and, bonus, they taste even better the next day for breakfast or for a mid-afternoon blogging snack. i may or may not have just had 2 4 of them while writing up this post (sara and i reckoned that five mini tarts equates to one slice of pie).

i love collaborative dinners with my friends! it's such a fun way to talk, listen to music, sip wine, and relax.

what have you cooked lately?

and the winner is...

2011-06-01T17:54:00.000-05:00

thank you to everybody who participated in the giveaway! the winner is cheyloe from pineapples & toe socks! congrats!

if you didn't win, don't fret - i have some ideas for more giveaways in the future. thank you again for reading and visiting!

estate sale finds // 05.28.2011

2011-05-31T16:26:00.001-05:00

suffice it to say, the little bedroom community i call home (established in 1974) is not the best place for finding vintage wares or furniture; however, every once in awhile, you stumble upon greatness.

this past weekend, my mom and i hit up a nearby nature preserve for a bike ride and decided to stop at a local estate sale on the way home. and what did i find? not the buffet i was thinking about investing in, but an eight-piece dining set from the late 1940s/early 1950s.

after a few minutes deliberation (and a quick call to my brother to see if he could store the set until i move in the fall), i had a mid-century table, six chairs, and a buffet. the set isn't in pristine condition, but it was a great deal and it's definitely workable.

the table and the buffet both have burl wood detailing and the buffet has really interesting acrylic and metal handles. the chairs were recovered in the 1970s, so i cannot wait to remove the gold and green velvet (though i kind of love it) to see the original fabric underneath.

also at the estate sale?

this amazing dresser and headboard set. i'm a bit ashamed to admit it, but i didn't even think about these (i didn't even look at the price!) because i already have a dresser, though definitely not as classy as these.

i'm getting excited about autumn and new places!

pickin'

2011-05-30T18:06:00.002-05:00

one of my plans for the long weekend included a tentative trip to kaufman, texas, to pick, à la american pickers.

the tentative plans were firmed up late last night and i am so happy they did; it was the perfect little memorial day adventure.

the property was dotted with sheds and buildings full of hidden treasures (and wasps -- so many wasps!)

the first building we explored was called the museum and it really lived up to its name. most of our finds came from inside.

the other buildings and their surrounding yards were just as full of everything you could ever imagine...

old carnival rides.

more carnival rides.

appliances.

radios.

cash registers.

fans.

product memorabilia.

record players.

and tons of random crazy and cool finds. it was a bit overwhelming, actually. even i gave up trying to snap pictures of everything after awhile!

so, what made it home with me?

this amazing accordion. i am in love with it big time.

a much-desired tin dollhouse. i've been kicking myself for passing up a similar dollhouse a few months ago. it just needs a little elbow grease and then it'll be a perfect conversation piece.

a beautiful paint by number.

i'm going to use this old bicycle basket as a magazine holder.

an old globe, a pink clock, and three vintage cameras. the owner wasn't ready to part with the mannequin head just yet, but how awesome is she?

this initial didn't make it home with me, either. this time.

the sweetest guy ever? yes, for sure. he was so friendly and knew so much about all of his treasures. a total sweetheart.

i am a hot, sweaty, smelly, sunburned mess, but it was definitely a great experience and i can't wait to go back. maybe in the fall next time, though...

did you have any adventures this weekend?

megs

p.s. there's still time to enter the giveaway if you haven't already!