B*tch and Moan

Much to *The Breadman's chagrin I am indeed "dragging in all that Christmas Crap".  I feel like I am running behind, but that is partly because we had Thanksgiving nearly a week early, so it feels like I am a week late in my decorating.  I have to keep reminding myself that it isn't even December yet! 

*If you read my previous post about putting him on a time out for saying that.......A few hours after he said it and he was a grouchy bear all day......he ended up getting very sick with a stomach bug.  Oh, the sounds I heard in that bathroom.  He vomited for hours.  It passed quickly, but it was not a fun day.  No sirreeee.  He's still not a holiday fan, but I will cut him a little bit of slack since he did get sick. 

On the line of complaining - I have done my fair share of that in the past week.

One day last week, I was running late, so I decided to pickup some pre-made General Taso Chicken and a bag of veggies for dinner. 

 I bought this bag of BirdsEye BROCCOLI, carrots and water chestnuts to make a stirfry.  I love broccoli  - it is my favorite veggie.

When I opened the bag, here is what I found.  Four pieces of edible broccoli, one piece of hard brown broccoli and a zillion carrots.  Ick.  I wrote the company and they are sending me a replacement product coupon.  So it does help to complain.

Saturday night, I had a rather unpleasant experience with a local Dollar General employee.  It actually had nothing to do with the store, but the employee.  We had gone to a Christmas parade and people were parking up and down the street an in parking lots.  The police had all the streets blocked off, so you couldn't even shop at any of the local stores during that time even if you wanted to, and who would bypass going to a parade just to go shop?  Anyway, as the parade was coming up the street, an employee came out and started YELLING, "I am having all the cars TOWED in the DG parking lot".  He walked up and down the street yelling at everyone, ranting, throwing his arms in the air, etc.  He had the phone to his ear saying, "Yes, come immediately, I need a tow truck!"  He really made an ass of himself and did not represent the DG company in a very good light.  What a way to treat people that were going in there buying drinks, snacks and even gloves before the parade and might have gone back after for some items as well.  I had intended to go in for a few things, but changed my mind after his little rant.  What a way for a company to represent themselves in a time when they need business and want shoppers to come in this time of year!  When we got home, I decided to contact customer service and let them know what happened.  Well, yesterday, I had a very nice message from the District Manager who was not at all  pleased about what had happened and promised me that he had spoken to everyone and that would NOT be happening again.  It was really nice to see that people do care about customer satisfaction. That goes a long way with me in how I see a company. 

I often write companies and tell them that I LOVE their products too.  I don't just complain!

Have you ever had to tattle on someone????

Time Out

The Breadman asked me if I intended to "drag in all that Christmas Crap" this year.

Let's just give him a minute to think that little comment over, alrighty?

Thanksgiving Eve Thrifting SCORES

The day before Thanksgiving is no day to go shopping.  Well, for groceries anyway.  It is, apparently a VERY good day to go to Goodwill!  On my quest to find more ornaments for wreaths and some garland to decorate the booth, I headed straight to the Christmas section. I didn't find any ornaments or garland, but oh, did I find some goodies!

The little vintage "Days To Christmas" Countdown mailbox is sweet and will go to the booth.

A German Baker smoker.  Oh, how I love these smokers.  I have a few so I was happy to add this to my collection.  Note:  He is a BREADMAN.

I was really happy to find this sweet St. Lucy.  I don't thik she is old, but she is well done with a paper mache face, glass German glitter and spun cotton candles.  She is really special.

The only non-Christmas items I bought.  I found two brand new boxes of Mr. Sketch Scented Markers.  I remembered these from when I was a kid and I didn't think they made them anymore.  I was going to resell them, apparently they do still make them and they aren't worth much. I suppose now I can re-live my childhood by sniffing markers.  (I always thought teaching kids to sniff markers was a terrible thing!)

When I first walked up to the Christmas area, I was scanning the shelf looking at every.single.item ('cause you just don't know what might be behind that Dollar General Made in China Angel with the lopsided eyes) when I spotted......

An Annalee Christmas Mouse! 

Ack! 

As I grabbed her and threw her in my basket, I noticed...

A SECOND Annalee Christmas Mouse. 

Ack! Ack!

As I grabbed her and threw her in my basket, I noticed...

A THIRD Annalee Christmas Mouse.

Ack! Ack! Ack!

As I grabbed her and threw her in my basket, I noticed...

A FOURTH Annalee Christmas Mouse.

Ack! Ack! Ack! Ack!

As I grabbed her and threw her in my basket, I noticed...

 A FIFTH Annalee Christmas Mouse.

Ack! Ack! Ack! Ack! Ack!

FIVE vintage 1971 Annalee Mobiltee Dolls. 

(Blogger simply will not let me edit this photo...) 

I know not everyone shares my love of these guys, but I adore them.  To find FIVE at once, well, that was pretty darned exciting.  I did remember to look at the price after I put them in my basket (just in case someone was nuts and priced them ten bucks or something).  I was very happy to see the magic price of $1.00 on the bottom of their itty bity feet. 

Merry Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my blog buddies and family!

 I hope everyone has a wonderful day.

As you can see, we are in a bit of a seasonal transformation around here. 

See you when I'm nearly done.

Until then...Keep Calm and Gobble On!

Making a Glittered Mess

We had our Thanksgiving on Sunday.  I normally start decorating for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving, but by having had our dinner early, I gained myself a glorious week of not having to do a darn thing.  Yipppeeee. 

I decided to spend my week making things.  I don't have a designated crafting area, so when I make things, I have to drag it all into the kitchen, set it up, make things, clean up and schlep it all back int the garage.  The bringing in and taking out take up more time than I actually get to do the actual making of things.  But, I still enjoy getting out my things and making away.  And added bonus is that I noticed at our Thanksgiving Dinner that five out of my six guest had glitter on their faces.  Welcome to Shara's house!  That reminds me - remember when I showed these?

I had some old Christmas bulbs, so I glittered them.  When I picked up the basket that had the Christmas light bulbs in them, I noticed those two bigger bulbs.  I thought I remembered taking them out of some old blowmolds last year, so I glittered them too.  Fast forward to the very next day when I realize that The Breadman had taken some out of the light bulbs out of our kitchen light a few days ago.  I had GLITTERED our lightbulbs.  The Bean hid his IPod after that.  I guess he thinks Mom will glitter it or something.  :)

Today's creations:

A Kitschmas Wreath encrusted in all sorts of old ornaments.  I put one in the booth last week and it already sold, so I will replace it tomorrow.  I love making these.  Even when I think it is as full as I can get it, I can still add twenty more little things here and there. 

Another basic "Shiny Brite" wreath.  They aren't all Shiny Brites, but that's what I call these wreaths. 

I've never made one in these colors before, but I really like it!  I realized I had a good supply of white, silver and gold Shiny Brites, plus a good amount of white silk balls so I just started putting it all together hoping it would work out.  I added in the gold and silver aluminum poinsettias at the last minute and I think it really made it POP.  

I went to the Anthropologie website for the very first time the other day.  I saw these snow globes (without the water) and thought they were really neat.  However, I didn't find the $38.00 price tag to be so neat.  When I saw them, I remembered I had an old Pine Mason Jar. 



I added a bottle brush PINE tree and an angel to mine.  I put some glitter in mine, so if you do shake it up, the glitter does fly around.  I think it is cute and it cost me NOTHING, so that is okay by me.

This weekend I will start dragging in the Christmas totes.  It takes me about a week to get everything out just the way I like it.  I love my Christmas stuff, so I try not to complain about how much work it is - no one makes me do it.  I LOVE IT.

Flea Market Tour

Today I took another carload of stuff out to the Booth.  There were a lot of people shopping, so it took me longer to work than normal.  I am off schedule setting this new booth up, so I have been going in and working on Saturday's.  After this week, I will start going in on Thursdays when it isn't so busy. 

This Flea market is in a town known for Antique Shops, Flea Markets and junk in general.  The old downtown is one block long and is still comprised of the old buildings that were originally built there.

Obligatory Ghost Signs - the Coca-Cola was restored a while ago.  There some lighter ones above it.

Small town USA - little shops on each side of the street. There are big parking lots on the back of both sides, so most people enter from the back and then go up and down the block.

This store is huge and chock full of antiques.  I haven't been in there for years due to a very, very bad case of sticker shock I got last time.  :)

Here's "our" store.  The owners sold window booths, which I think I would have left open for displays, but I don't own it, so that's not my business.  I just hope that eveyone doesn't see ONLY little girl rompers and Hillbilly Wine Glasses (Mason jars glued on glass candlesticks.....) and think that is all there is inside.  Business has been good and we aren't offically even "OPEN" yet, so that is good.!  Grand Opening and Holiday Open House is December 10th.  You are all invited!   

I took photos of the some of the other booths just for YOU!  Ready?

There are a lot of unique booths in this Flea Market.  Some people painted and set up their areas like rooms.  This one is by the back entrance.

This back wall is filled with handmade windchimes.  The neat thing about these is that the man that makes them goes to thrift stores and finds bits and bobs and odds and ends and makes each one individually.  It is all recycled stuff. (See that Christmas wreath to the right?  It is made of new plastic ornaments and it is $70.00!!!!! I don't feel so bad about my $50.00's on the all vintage wreath now..)

A booth filled with more upscale house decor.

This booth and new, old and handmade mixed togther.  They probably have the most stuff in their booth - except for mine.  You know me, I pack those shelves. :)

This booth has lots of painted things, pillows and other upcycled items.  (I do NOT see that sock monkey, I do NOT see that sock monkey.....).

The people that have this booth covered the walls in reclaimed barnwood and even painted the column that contains the heating unit into a chimney.  They make neat things out of old bedsprings. 

This booth has a lot of painted items as well., I call it the "Red and Aqua Booth" and I am sure you can see why.  I had my eye on that old green Bread box in the back, but it wasn't priced today.

This is the "Man Cave".  The owner didn't really want these type of items, but then again, you do need to give the men something to look at while the wives shop. That space age looking thing in the middle on the floor is an air compressor from the 1930's.  I'm sure you've all heard a air compressor - they are LOUD.  They fired this one up the other day and it sounds like a 1930's car - pbt..pbt..pbt...pbt...it is awesome.  I think it is a piece of art!

This booth is directly across from my booth.  "Four Funky Friends" - lots of bright pastel colored items.  (The Bean swears that signs says LIVER.)

Here's my neighbor to the right.  Hand painted signs and some miscellaneous stuff.

More home decor stuff, painted furniture, etc.

Wow.  This booth has a lot of stuff in it.  :D  Yep, that's mine.  I've really concentrated on ONLY vintage or handmade items at this booth.  That big white shelf in the back was a $5.00 Yard Sale find.  It is huge and weighs a ton.  It was holding my now non existent Etsy store items on it in the garage.  I put a lot out today.  My next trip out will be to rearrange and group things better. 

Here's my hutch that I love so much.  It had glass doors on it until today, but I decided to take them off so they would get broken and things are easier to take out now too. It holds my vintage Christmas items for now.

Here's my Christmas vignette on top of the cabinet.  Flocked bottle brush trees, an angel topper, putz church, glittery church, an old tin and a pop crate thrown in for good measure with my wreath above it.  I hope people will buy the vintage Christmas stuff after this week.  I have sold some of it already.

That old cubby thing was something I bought years ago for 50¢.  I intended to put The Bean's Beanie Babies (I know, I know, Beanie Babies!) in it, but he decided to store them under his bed instead.  it's been outside by the storage shed for years.  It just occurred to me that I looks really COOL now - all weathered and patina'ed up.  It holds a ton of smalls.

This wall is a work in progress - I like the way it looks now, but I am on the hunt for a set of short thin bookshelves that will go on that wall instead of my homemade individual shelves. Also, that huge basket full of linens is super fun for people to root through like savage dogs.  Fun for me to straighten out each time - not so much.

Here the the glittered cookie cutter ornaments and some other handmade ornaments on a little tree. I set it on an old crate and added some antique baskets around it to give it a rustic feel.  It's fun making little vignettes and giving my booth personality.  I sold the very first item in the whole Flea market, so that dollar is hanging my the register. I have sold a lot more than anyone else, but I think that is because I have so many different things that everyone is bound to like something in there.

 Well, I hope you enjoyed your tour.  I promise not to become an all Booth yakkity yak blog.  I hate those......  Back to my finds on Monday.  I found some GREAT old stuff this morning at a few yard sales.

On the Thrifting Front

I never think I've been thrifting much during the week, but apparently I do manage to get out more than I realized!  I'm still on the hunt for some fixtures and things for the booth, so I have been looking at thrifts. 

I did find this nifty homemade cabinet for $2.00.  I think it is for spools of thread on the sides and patterns on the shelves.  I pulled out all the metal eye pokers and just have the cabinet with shelves left.  I will use if for my packets of marquee letters - two packets should fit on each shelf perfectly. 

As I was looking around the thrift, I heard four women looking at something on row behind me.  "Oh, this is old!"  "It is so neat!'  "What could we use it for?"  Do you think I could put it in my kitchen and store things in it?"  "I will have to think about it and come back for it"  (Rookie thrifting mistake....if you see it, love it and can afford it - BUY IT!)

As soon as I heard them walk away...I pounced. I honestly don't even know what the darn thing is but I just had to buy it.  It weighs a TON.  I had to have tow guys with a dolley get it to the check out and to the car for me.  It is about two feet deep, all steel and super cool.

I do think it has been painted at some point, which I hate, but it is still an interesting piece.

(Please ignore the odd items such as a Christmas wreath, pumpkin pitcher and giant Charlie Brown - I am still booth pricing...)

The four matching drawers and the huge one at the bottom go all the way to the back so they are nearly two feet long.  The middle drawer pulls out and down so it will hold books or ledgers.  I am leaning towards thinking it is a bankers desk or something along those lines.  What do you think it is?  It cost $12.00, which is crazy cheap, but you know me - I had just won $10.00 on a $1.00 scratch-off so I feel like I only paid $2.00 for it too.  I'll end up selling it somewhere once I figure out what it is.  Anyway, I'd love to hear what you might think it is!

I found the pink Simtex tablecloth at the Super Cheap Thrift for $1.00 and the green floral one for $2.00 today.  The tag on the pink one said, "Just like Grandma's...$1.00"  Cute, huh?

I spotted this sweet little card table tablecloth today for $1.00.  It has those handsewn cherries in all four corners.  This isn't my usual kind of tablecloth, but it is really, really, really growing on me. 

Here's another strange item.  This little cradle says "Cradle of Ohio".  Whaddya think that means?

I Googled "Cradle of Ohio", but I'm still not sure what this cradle actually has to do with it.  It has the name Marianne painted on the back too.  It was only 50¢ and I enjoy researching weird things so this was right up my alley.

This little guy spoke to me - he said, "Take me home, Miss!"  He is a little Inuit carved Mountie from Canada.  He resembles a Cupie Doll, but he's a Mountie. 

Tomorrow is stay home and clean up this darn house day.  Friday is wait in line for two hours for the first showing of "Breaking Dawn".  Saturday is our first Christmas Parade (can you believe it?) and Sunday is our Thanksgiving Dinner with my family.  Whew.  I am tired already!  Good thing I don't have much to do for a while except decorate for Christmas.  HA!  The hardest work all year long since I have SO MUCH STUFF!! But, I love it, so it shall be done!