Share your opinion: Would you use a personal bargain shopper?

Hi all - I spend a lot of time in thrift stores and at yard sales. I often pass up really high-end designer brands because they don't fit anyone in my family and, quite honestly, I'm done messing with Ebay. A friend made a really nice offer to buy the Burberry dress I found earlier this week at Goodwill and said she would love to have the ability to bargain shop but just doesn't have the time. The conversation gave me an idea. But I want to turn to you, my faithful followers (all 15 of you) and ask:

• Would you wear clothes from a thrift store or yard sale if they were designer brands, in near perfect condition?
• If you had time, would you shop these sorts of locations for clothing and home items?
• Would you use a personal shopper armed with your sizes and what labels you prefer? 
• Would you pay 10 to 20% (or less) for used designer clothes (which includes the shopper's costs?)

Let me know your thoughts. Today marks the beginning of the shopping weekend and since I will be out there I'm ready to shop for a few clients on an experimental basis!

Cristy (and if you aren't following me yet, do so!)

The Blue Chair Project day one: Paint and destroy!

Painting is one of my favorite things to do. Not rooms. Painting a room is too much work now. There's the "whole falling off the ladder thing," the "pulling your back thing," the "it takes too long for someone who needs immediate gratification" thing. So I sit before a little white yard sale chair, planning on adding a vintage clay pot and some of my plant collection to create a planter chair. But first, PAINT!

 I just want to give a shout out to my friends at Ace Hardware for creating the Paint Pod, a nearly 5 oz. sample of their private label paint. Not only is the coverage awesome and the colors unlimited, it gives you enough to get the job done without feeling an obligation to do your next three to four projects in the same color to not waste the paint. Paint Pods were designed so people can sample the colors, but they've got a whole different audience for these high quality, low volume and cost (under $4 per pod)  treasures.

Old chair, taking the first step towards its new life.

On to the chair. It is solid but the finish is trashed. Perhaps you remember it, above. Got it at a yard sale for a few bucks. Since I want a rough finish, I wipe it down with a soft dry cloth, no stripping or sanding. I brush on a quick but thick coat of Ace's Decadent Blue Paint Pod Paint with an inexpensive brush (remember, we're not going for a smooth lacquer finish here.) It dries quickly,so I do a few more paint and dry rotations.

Now the fun part. DE-painting. Giving it the old "Why yes, I have been sitting beside the barn for several years, thank you for saving me" finish. So I hit it with some hand sanding. (Thanks 3M for the new sanding block with stick-on sanding paper---makes sanding quick and easy!) Knock it around with a hammer. Sand a little more. See, this is the secret of faux finish. Most people think it is hard, but it is really just painting it up, knocking the finish down and repeating it until you like it. That's it. No skill, all boldness BE BOLD!

My Decadent Blue yard sale chair

Blue chair with vintage Mexican pottery.

So, now I have a Decadent Blue aged chair. And I just happen to have a dilapidated vintage Mexican clay pot that will work perfectly with it. The next step is cutting a whole for the pot and planting it up. Check back later make sure I didn't cut off any body parts and to see this project as it comes together. And to see a "before" picture of my next victim!

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When good dentist visits go bad or why I think Tylenol should make a Mother's Guilt formula

What a day. If anyone is actually reading my ramblings, you know Jack had to go to the dentist today. Jack has had an extra tooth surgically removed, two teeth pulled and "acidic" spit which creates the perfect environment for "cavity bugs." Needless to say Jack HATES the dentist.

I was dreading Jack's appointment as much as he would, had he known about it. I learned to not give him advance notice. If I do he becomes fixated and for Jack, that means a constant barrage of questions about general dentistry, what they are going to do to him and the death rates of pediatric dentistry. So he grilled me for the hour between waking up and actually seeing the dentist.

After our last experience at the dentist (two teeth pulled and a root canal) I convinced him that today was going to be piece of cake. Maybe it was even the mention of something sweet in his presence, but when they went into to do the two fillings, they found another one under the gum line and this one went to the root. Great. Now I'm a liar and a guilt-ridden mother thinking I should make him brush his teeth three, maybe four times a day.

He survived the fillings. He survived the fitting for some new mouth appliance to keep his top front teeth from sitting behind the lower ones. He even survived the extra shots. It was when they were cleaning up and pulled out the mouth thingy (I always think condom) and snagged and pulled out his loose tooth which went flying and was immediately lost to the tooth gods (who also apparently oversee single-sock-world.) That was just enough to put him over the edge. Writing the $600 check (my portion AFTER the insurance pays) put me over the edge.

We drove home, stopped by 7-11 to pick up Slurpees (the wonder-drink that cures all.) We loaded up on Tylenol (him for the teeth, me for the headache - they don't make a Tylenol Guilt formula yet.) And we napped. It was wonderful. He sloooooowly drifted of to sleep (maybe Tylenol should consider a Children's PM formula?) And we slept. For a couple of hours. Something I never allow myself to do or get around to doing.

So I'm sorry I don't have a project to share with you. Today, my project was being a mom. And I think it turned out pretty good.

Special note: my son is provided a toothbrush and supervised in its use twice daily. I do not or did not let him sleep with a bottle at night (dad is a different story.) Just wanted to note that...I'd hate to lose that mother-of-the-year award.

Jackson, most likely getting a cavity as we speak.

Creative flow interrupted by a trip to the dentist!

This morning my 7-year-old son Jackson is going to the dentist. He didn't know until this morning, because he would have obsessed himself sick and I would just be tired of playing 20 questions (more like 20,000 questions) about the upcoming dentist trip.

Going to the dentist is a lot different than I was as a kid. We didn't have video games in the treatment area. We had shots and Novocaine not pinches and sleepy water. To our credit, however, we got those groovy spit sinks and plenty of radiation damage from the old skool X-rays, not to mention those Mercury-filled fillings.

But I still get nervous when I get there, open the door and smell that dentist small (antiseptic and burning drilled teed) whooshes out. Suddenly I'm 7 again and I'm not looking forward to the experience, no matter what they call the stuff. But luckily, one thing has never changed - the good kid treasure chest. There is no amount of drilling that can't be forgotten by a cheap plastic ring, some pencils and a sticker. Oh, and Slurpee. 7-11 is our traditional family post-dentist-visit treat!

So have a great day and we will see you at 7-11 with our treasure chest booty and our sleepy water wearing off!

Cristy

Extra: How many blogs can give you cats in sombreros?

Hi all - found this little sombrero at Goodwill today. Knew my cat Gracie had to have it. He didn't agree. So after some heated discussion, here he is in his Halloween costume. Plotting my death or at least some serious pain. And, yes, those are his real paws...

Cristy

Insane Bargain Alert!

Just got back from my Monday run to Goodwill and had to tell you I just found a girls Burberry (yes, Burberry) plaid wool jumper dress. Darling colors, cute cut, perfect condition for a whopping $2.50, probably about 2% of the original price. (My husband corrected me on the percentage, which got me looking at girls' Burberry dresses for girls on Saks and Nordstrom's website. Holy Cat! This is an even bigger bargain than I thought!


This is way too nice for recycling, it just needs a new home with a fashion-forward, label-conscious young lady. So what should I do friends? Ebay? Anyone interested?

Colors are brighter than shown....raspberry, chocolate, 

robin's egg blue and kiwi green on a field of cream...great herringbone pattern!

The Label. A fake? I don't think so. This dress is made incredibly well!

Mixed feelings about Mondays

Tomorrow's Monday, again. When I was careering, I dreaded Mondays. I'd look back at the weekend and all I had accomplished (or didn't quite accomplish) and realize I didn't spend much time enjoying down time or even my family time.

Now, Mondays leave me with mixed feelings. I'm excited for the alone time, to spend on my projects, in my garden or hunting for new finds. But at the same time, I'm a bit sad. I actually miss having the hustle and bustle of the family around. I miss having my husband by my side, working on projects.

Here's to Mondays. Hope yours is a good one.

Just two of the reasons I look forward to Mondays!

Vintage bird cage, barn found soda crates and (finally!) a clam-shell patio chair!

Hi all - as promised, here are the photographic highlights of my yard saling weekend. But first a little story: I got to play American Pickers! I asked a particularly friendly seller if she had any other garden or yard items and she happily toured me around her backyard treasure trove. Bliss! Everything was for sale and everything was a bargain! Moral of the Story: Never be afraid to ask!

So here comes the good stuff:

Old Pepsi soda crate, stamped with the local distributor - $10

Seven Up, Bakersfield soda crate. $10

Vintage grocery/feed scale - $20

Sorry about the rotation issue--I'm still figuring this out. Barn-found birdcage - $1 Chandelier?

Just a chair. Repaint, re-seat and use as a plant stand - $2

 

Unusual vintage radio cabinet according to seller. It will make a great little storage trunk or side table - $5

Why didn't I think of this? Old brake drum as planter. Very rustic, very heavy - no one will steal this off your porch. - $2

Funny little metal tray embossed with a spinning wheel - $2

Sweet little bird figures - free!

Vintage linen apron with embroidery - $2

 

Rotation issue again - sorry. But, I finally got m chipper-shredder - $15

Rotation - this was apparently placed over dishes of food and water for domestic chickens, pigeons, etc. The birds could stick their heads through to eat, but couldn't get in and wallow around in their food. I wonder if they make these in 7-year-old boy size? Got 3 for $1 each. Anthropologie bird cage chandelier??

Nirvana - metal clam shell motel patio chair in better than average shape - $10.

Hope you had a great weekend at the sales. If you did, post your favorite finds. I'd love to see them and, who knows, maybe we could start a trading group!

Cristy