sparklythings

While I was out on my thrifting run, I came across the new ReStore by Jacksonville’s Habitat for Humanity. You can read more about it here. I didn’t know anything about it until today, and I tell y’all it’s just fantastic! You get to help out a wonderful program and get some serious discounts on supplies at the same time.

Almost all of the items are new, and the store (which is huge!) is very clean and neat. It’s more like a Lowe’s than a stinky thrift store. And the people were so, so friendly. Every single one of them was chipper and said hello to me, no matter where in the store I was.

They even have furniture. Vinage furniture. In great condition! Hel-lo! What excited me the most were the letters. Way up high on a top shelf, they had a selection of big, thick letters that would go on top of a store. They were, in fact, very similar to this:

I’ve been studying some interior design blogs lately (more on that in another post) and this dining room was pretty much my favorite out of a month of updates. So to find those kinds of letters – it was a similar font, very serif-y but in a garnet color – got me all excited. I was ready to plunk down the plastic, regardless of cost, when they told me the letters weren’t for sale. So close…!

I’m going to stop by once in a while and see if they change their minds on those letters. And if you’re local and in need of home improvement supplies I’d suggest checking here first!

Enormous Score Today

Originally uploaded by sammawamma

I hadn’t done a hardcore morning of thrifting in several weeks, and today i made up for lost time! There was a lot of good stuff, and I left a lot more good stuff behind too. Gotta wonder about the causes…obviously, prices are going up everywhere. It seems the thrifts are no exception. I feel especially bad for the ones that are run by charities, because those guys always take the hardest fall in bad economic times. But there were a number of things today that I couldn’t justify the price on.

Also, the stores were a lot emptier today that i’ve seen them. Maybe it’s the heat, maybe it’s the holiday coming up…but I imagine gas prices are really affecting those garage salers and thrifters who would go all over town on a Saturday morning. I remember jumping into the car with my mom and just driving around…but these days i feel guilty if i don’t have a google map with the best route laid out based on the hewspaper and craigslist sales!

In any case, I’m happy with today and think i’ll be good for the next few weeks at least!

Ladies’ Night

Originally uploaded by sammawamma

Three makes a collection, right? Just picked up the tiny one off eBay – she’s in wonderful shape and so cute. I didn’t get into the Blythe craze, and I know I don’t have the time or talents for them…but I find the Bradley dolls irresistible. One day these ladies will get a huge makeover!

MowerMan1

Originally uploaded by sammawamma

We have a yard again! We were gifted with a lawn mower this weekend and Jim immediately went to work. Now I can look out the windows without Guns and Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle” playing in my head…

One of the big selling points about this house was the big yard. I knew when we started the buying process that by the time we closed, moved and settled it, it would be too late to plant a huge garden. But all the yard work this weekend – not to mention these crazy economic times – reawakened the urge in me. But now is the best time to plan and do all my research instead of just rushing into a bunch of stuff i’m not familiar with! So, based on a trip to Home Depot’s seed display, here’s some things that you’ll find in my garden next year:

Blackeyed Peas – nostalgia veggie. I remember picking these with my Grandma Dee and eating them raw on the porch. Yummy!
Broccoli & Cauliflower – for a healthy, non-overactive thyroid!
Cabbage - I will be needing a great coleslaw recipe.
Chives - they make everything taste better. Seriously.
Okra - Do you know how much I love okra? DO YOU? Best. Veggie. Ever.
Onion - What’s funny is that as a kid, I hated onions. Now i put them in everything.
Soybeans - they’re not just for appetizers anymore. Also good for our thyroids (bad for you hypo folks!)
Spinach - the only leafy thing I’ve liked my whole life.

And there will be citrus trees…oh yes, there will be citrus trees. One lime, because they’ve always been my favorite. One tangerine, because they are the perfect portable citrus fruit – easy to get into! And one orange tree just for the smell of the blossoms; they will have to be planted according to the direction of the wind so I can smell them!

So that’s the plan, stan. Check back in a year.

Just a few quick, easy and satisfying projects…

These hang next to “the pyrex cabinet” in the kitchen. I broke up this vintage Pyrex ad into two square pieces and just put them into Dollar Tree black frames. Of course I changed the pink dishes to green!

I have had this shabby little candleholder for so long…it was one of the first things I bought when i first started thrifting again. How many times do you look at something and think, “Man, that would be SO cute if I just painted it real quick?” I do it ALL the time. But in the apartment it was nearly impossible to do; you had to worry about overspray or somebody complaining about the smell and there was just NO ROOM. One of my favorite joys of homeownership is the liberty to do whatever creative project I want whenever I want!

So this is my first spray painted item. I had planned to do the rest of the white parts with a darker green, but I was just too excited to wait to share. Viva la Krylon!

As much as I hate that bar in my kitchen, it does come in handy at times. I knew seating would make it even handier, so I was always on the lookout. Picked up this sturdy little stool at Salvation Army’s storewide half-off sale. There was a stain on the top that seemed to indicate it had been a plant holder in it’s former life…but I knew that could be taken care of easily! That’s a square pillow form and a vintage pillowcase on top. I covered it before I bought the spray paint from above, and I think it’d be a lot cuter if i had painted it first (of course!) But it’s so easy to recover, and I might even switch out the pillowcase just for the fun of it (it’ll give me a good reason to keep buying those vintage pillowcases! haha!)

Yes, the search for a dining room light continues. I’m more serious about looking for one than I am for actually buying one, so it’ll probably go on for a while. I did stumble upon this incredible site called lightinguniverse.com, and ended up taking several days to go through it. They had 3,000 pendant lights ALONE. Then there were mini-pens, bowl pens, and hey – we’re not even on chandeliers.

You’d think with all these choices, I might find something I’d like:

Now, most of these are impractical (generally due to cost!) or simply too crazy to be serious; but they are all fun, so I saved them. I think the Jonathan Adler from my last post is still my fave, and you can see how I’m still gravitating to that cylindrical pendant look and/or something with a geometric pattern to it.
Going through this website was similar to going through all those crazy bridal magazines…at first all those poofy white dresses look the same, but at a specific point my focus began to resolve. I could pick out individual elements that I really liked and trends that I really hated. From there on I knew *exactly* what I wanted, and could then try and find the look at discount houses and thrifts or whatever. Probably not the most efficient way to make decisions, but it works for me.

In other decorating news, I got another table.

Stumbled upon this beauty at an incredible price AND it fit in the backseat of my car. It’s on our back patio now, where soon we’ll soon be able enjoy a light meal and a cold glass of sweet tea as an end to a hot Florida summer day. You know, as soon as i find some chairs.

Because i’m not complete without some kind of obsession, I’ve moved onto dining room lighting. I recently bought an interior design magazine at Sam’s Club (33% off cover prices! Check ‘em out!) While I may be a 2D designer by profession, I am thinking I don’t have a clue about interior design. I’d estimate that if you showed me 100 pictures of “good design,” I wouldn’t “get” about 90 of them. I find most things in the stores to be boring and devoid of character; however, i’m making a concerted effort to not let my house look like my college dorm room, either. There’s a middle ground out there…that’s what i’m going for. And on a budget, let’s not forget.
I’d looked at all the usual places online for lighting options…Lowe’s, Home Depot, eBay. I checked to see what all the cool kids were doing at IKEA and Urban Outfitters. Nothing was really speaking to me, and frankly they were all starting to look the same. So, enter the design magazine. I had hoped to find lighting inspiration within, while at the same time finding clues to what “good interior design” actually is.

Turned out the 90/10 rule applied to this mag as well. There were some cool things but the overwhelming majority I just didn’t get. But the lighting purpose was fulfilled, as a series of ads eventually led me to The Perfect Light:

That’s the Parker Pendant by Jonathan Adler. I am pretty much in love with it. It perfectly echos the brick divider between the dining room and the living room. I made a quick and dirty (very dirty) mockup:

I think that’s pretty close to scale. My only issue is that even though the current chandelier is a monstrosity, I have already grown accustomed to all the light from the 8 bulbs. Combined with the dimmer on that outlet – i’ve never had a dimmer on anything before, believe it or not – I really like the quality and quantity of light in there. i just don’t think it’d get that from a single pendant light with a 60 watt bulb.

An interesting compromise is this series of shaded pseudo-chandelier lights from LampsPlus.com:

Here i’d get a similar shape (a cylinder wrapped in a cylinder) as well as three extra directional lights at the bottom. Those bottom lights have a fun, 50’s auto chrome look to them, too. Plus those shades are interchangable and come in a huge selection; nearly one for each of my ever-changing moods. So I could probably get (or make!) a shade with the brick pattern if I really needed to. I do like the three I’ve picked out here, though.

There was also a second runner up:

I can’t exactly explain why i like this one. I just do.

So if you’d like to weigh in on the great light debate, or if you can tell me where I can get a lamp like the Parker Pendant for less than $200, the comments section is down and to the right.

I signed up for the latest Sweet Goodness Swap: Parasols, Pink Lemonade and Polka Dots. It’s only my second one but i’m looking forward to it – even though 90% of my craft stuff is still packed in boxes from the move. It’s either going to force me to work with what i’ve got, or to finally unpack those boxes and get everything organized (but y’all have to see that room to believe it!!!)

In any case, it was requested that we fill out these 20 questions so our partners and other swappers can get to know us better…and away we go….!

1. What is your favorite Summer Drink(s)?

Cherry Limeade slushies and root beer floats.

2. What is your favorite Summer Activity?

Sitting on the front porch (okay, front carport) barefoot and waitin’ for the sun to go down. The occasional shot of the hose is nice too.

3. If you could spend a lazy afternoon reading, what would be in your hands?

Probably a stack of magazines related to my latest craze. But it’s an election year, so I might have a political book instead…

4. What is your favorite type of craft/art medium?

I flit from one to the next but I can’t get enough vintage children’s books and jewelry parts. If I could decoupage everything I would – I’m just not very good at it. I do wear the reconstructed jewelry I make, tho…

5. What is one art/craft supply you absolutely have been dying to have or try?

a gocco. Hey, I can get one of those now!!! That or a Serger sewing machine…but i’d require lessons.

6. What are your favorite colors in our ‘rainbow sherbet’ theme? Pink, lime green, yellow, orange, aqua (or blue)

My kitchen is all kinds of lime and mint and sage and celadon…I built it around my contemporary corelle and vintage pyrex dishes. It’s bordering on obsession, so yeah, probably safe to say lime.

7. What is your favorite sweet treat?

Right now it’s Dove ice cream.

8. Are there any craft or art supplies you would NOT be interested in receiving?

shrunken heads? I dunno. I’ll try anything twice.
9. What is your favorite song today?

Right now it’s more of the genre of delta blues…I saw Black Snake Moan for the first time last week and it’s left an imprint on my brain. I’ve never listened to blues before so it’s all very new and exciting. And it’s so hot out, so the music really fits.

10. How do you ‘pamper’ yourself during the hot summer days?

Central heat and air, baby. Marilyn Monroe used to keep her panties in the icebox, so maybe i’ll give that a try later.

11. Do you have any kidlets or pets?

we have three lunatic cats.

12. What is your best potluck dish for summer get togethers?

jello? I don’t really have one…but I guess i should get one asap.

13. If you could take a summer vacation anywhere, where would it be?

Saluda, North Carolina

14. Describe your decorating style. Does that say anything about your personality?

I like what I like. It’s barefoot and comfy, colorful and funky, very vintage, sometimes shabby. Never prissy or boring. I’ll let my friend weigh in on the personality part.

15. What are your initials?

SAM. no kidding.

16. Why do you like to join swaps?

I like putting gift baskets together, it’s fun to put creative combos together around a theme. Plus you can give people thrift store items and you know they’ll appreciate them as much as you do, because I think in polite society it’s improper to gift somebody with a thrift store item. It was so nice when I discovered how many people put crafting and thrifting hand in hand. And I like to surprise people as much as I enjoy receiving fun surprises in the mail.

17. You have 25 dollars to spend just on you for a little treat. What do you buy? ((you can list more than one thing)

If my eBay habits are any indication, it’s a piece of lime pyrex not yet in my collection. Or a pair of shiny red shoes. Or a one of a kind piece of jewelry from etsy. Or a Harajuku Lovers purse. Or a purple hydrangea for my flowerbed. Oh, I could do this all day, truly.

18. What’s one craft supply or art supply you absolutely can not live without?

corner punch. It makes everything look better.

19. Who’s the last person you hugged?

My hubby.

20. What’s your favorite number and why?

4. Four-petaled flowers and starbursts are my favorite. You could make a comment about balance and equilibrium here, but i’d just say it’s hogwash.

San Mateo ROCKS

Originally uploaded by sammawamma
Picked up this juicy tidbit on eBay for a measly $2. Compiled in 1983 by the San Mateo Cook Book Committee. I was not a resident but did go to gifted classes at San Mateo Elementary at the time.
Amazingly, the seller was in Alaska of all places, so this book has traveled really far before coming back to it’s home. There’s no markings inside to indicate who it might have belonged to.
There is, however, a three page history of the area written by the first resident. I found it very informative and it actually answered some of the questions I had!

I’ve transcribed it here for any other local folks who might be interested. I have seen – and lived in – other older neighborhoods that have slid into disrepair, poverty and crime. Having a sense of the history of a place adds to its value – and with added value comes pride, stewardship and community spirit. These are all good things!!!

new table!

Originally uploaded by sammawamma

outfitting our new dining room had become something of an obsession for me. Our apartment had been too small for a dining room; there wasn’t even much you could consider a dining area with a futon, computer desks and kitty condo in there. Consequently, Jim and I took our meals at our computer desks, which were angled towards the TV and in such a way that we always had our backs to each other. I had actually been eating at my computer since 2002!

A table was a necessity not just from a gastronomical standpoint, but also to save my sanity. I needed an open, horizontal space to wrap presents and prepare packages. Since we were (are still!) short in the way of living room chairs, I had nowhere to entertain guests – and people were beginning to stop by and see the new house. And I desperately needed something to keep me from running into the ugly, awful monstrosity of a light fixture that hung over the empty space where a table should go. It was also a sign of maturity for me – exchanging those old college habits of takeout and delivery for formal meals with my husband, the empty chairs reserved for children that can’t be too far in the future. Suddenly, I had a quest!

As with most of my projects, I had a solid list of requirements for the table: it had to be vintage, of course. But I’ve said all along that I don’t want to keep putting vintage, vintage, vintage all over so that our home turns into Austin Powers’ Shagariffic Museum to the 60’s. So that ruled out the spacey plastic bubble set I found right away at The Salvation Army.

I liked the clean, minimalist look of the mid-century modern sets I saw online, but worried that the harsh angles on some of them would be too cold or industrial looking. Above all I want every part of our home to be warm, happy, light, inviting and comfortable. I was also not willing to drop $3000 on a dining room when we have so many other things to buy, too! Logistics were going to be a factor as well, as not too many dining room suites will fit in the back of a Corolla.

Craigslist to the rescue. I checked it obsessively – several times a day – looking for The Perfect Table. I weeded through all the ornate works of art; the 80’s rejects; the wal-mart rejects whose usefulness had been spent within a short time; the homemade tables created out of whiskey barrels or covered in beer labels (no joke!)

After about a month I found it. A lovely girl about my age was relocating with her husband and four kids – two of which were still in diapers! I don’t know how she had the energy after coordinating the move and packing boxes, but she broke down the table, packed it and the 8 chairs and the three leaves and the four kids into her SUV and then delivered it all to my home *all the way* across town – and for an incredible, incredible price.

She showed me the “Walter of Wabash” mark and said it had been made in Denmark in the 40’s. I haven’t been able to find much about ol’ Walter, but I do like the look of the table. I don’t know much about wood but the color is just right. It’s got a more classic look than the others i’d looked at, with just a hair of mid-century style, but i do think that’s for the best. Again, Austin Powers. The oval shape is a perfect compromise between Jim’s wish for a rectangle table and my desire for a round table. With the leaves and extra chairs, it’s going to be great for our extended families come Thanksgiving!

And if I needed any more indication that this was the perfect table for us, the seller showed me how she’d recovered the chairs with a pink and yellow fabric. Underneath was a perfect, mint-colored damask that flows with all those green dishes.

Now to do something about that light fixture…back to Craigslist…