bionic quilt

I thought it was a sleeping bag.  It was rolled up in a basket of various textiles marked "$2".  It wasn't a sleeping bag, it was a handmade 1970's Six Million Dollar Man Quilt

The back is hand sewn squares in red, white and blue, a mixture of cotton and flannel, nicely done

he's a brick......house

Linens were half off today, so the quilt cost me $1.00

also scored two great pairs of Levi's, $3 each, and a 70's brown turtleneck with tiny pink hearts, $0.50

and a rubber dinosaur mouth, just because

come play upon my harp of joy

My new dog Charlie has been destructive chewing.  5 pairs of pants, countless pairs of underwear, my duvet, the arms of a loveseat.  Here is how she customized a cushion on my old couch last week.  The thing is, I hate that couch.  It came with me from NYC, and was second-hand in the first place. I had it reupholstered, Max peed on it for 7 years, and now this.  I wanted and needed a new couch.

So I went to Goodwill today, where I found this perfect, vintage couch and foot stool in great condition, exactly what I was looking for

Yellow tags were half off, so the couch and stool cost $17.50

I also found this cute little pink bench - the seat opens up to a storage area  $15

Children's books were $0.10, so I got these, the best being the Shaker Peaceable Kingdom book from 1978, which is beautifully illustrated and has thoughtful quotes

It's An Armadillo!

Book rescued from the recycle bin at the Kingsley Library

I love the photo of the author, Bianca Lavies

Carol Wright

Goodwill in Acme, MI find: large framed cotton print dated 1983. It has a little bleached out spot near the top which I am staining with a damp black tea bag.  Signature says 'Carol Wright, 2/70'  Carol Wright was/is that super crappy catalogue with figurines and stationary - we used to receive it in the 1970s.  Does 2/70 mean this was a series of 70 prints?  I don't know or care.

Dinoprint

Fashion goals:  mini fashionista at the farmers market, sporting dinosaur print dress, fleece+rainbow down vest, hoodie, kitty hat

The Fashion Place

Goodwill in Acme, MI haul: crochet pillow, 4 wooden hangers, great 70s prairie dress with coordinate mini jacket, Neil Young Harvest and Beatles Sgt. Peppr CDs.  Green tags half off.  

Total: $12.00

Tag on the dress

Traverse Library Fall book sale

My purchases - $6

A Wildflower Alphabet from 1983 is beautifully illustrated and the text completely done by hand - plus bunny drawings

Spring Gales of Nightingales from 1979 is a little book of "Ukrainian Folk Rhymes for Children" and has excellent illustrations of my favorite theme: animal/people hybrids

The Christmas Cheer is a box of three books (one is missing but was easily found on eBay) is from 1955 but republished in 1984.  Great 1950s motifs and illustrations, not to mention cocktail recipes (care for a Farmer's Bishop or Hot Grog?) and cookie recipes.  The missing third book is Christmas Recipes

The Brownies Merry Adventures book is from 1993 and has the usual cool and weird Brownie illustrations

K car

I bought a 1986 Dodge 600 convertible

It looks like a Mercedes from the back - I love the trunk-mounted brake light.  Excellent condition, no rust, 60K miles.  I've never owned a convertible and am planning my scarf and big sunglasses looks for next Summer, the only season I will be taking her out in

The universe was listening

Years ago I was on a flight, and I happened to be in First Class.  I have only flown First a few times in my life, and it was indulgent and special.  The famous rapper Method Man was on the plane, and also in First.  He was well dressed and had a Louis Vuitton carry on bag, which I loved.  I am not big on status pieces or designer labels (unless they're vintage), but there's something really old Hollywood about LV luggage pieces. Anyway, I wanted one ever since, and would never pay retail price, which is thousands of dollars.

A neighbor at the end of my road was having a garage sale today.  These are Kingsley people, country folk, I have the best neighbors I've ever had, but I wouldn't call them worldly.  His sale was good, lots of well organized stuff, and way in the back of the barn, was this LV convertible carry on bag.  A fake for sure, I thought.  It also had a small hole made by a mouse and was full of sunflower seeds, stored by the mouse over the years.  But the more I look it over, I think it's the real thing.

I carried it up to the old man who was having the sale.

Me: "How much?"

Man: "Do you know what that is?"

Me: "Yep, but I think it's a Chinatown fake."

Man: "No it isn't, I paid $1,200.00 for that" (he knew the correct retail price, which would be $2,600.00 today, which is what these cost)

Me: "Oh yeah? Where'd ya get it?"

Man: "Fields down in Jackson" (the old Marshall Fields store in Jackson, Michigan which closed in 1987.  He didn't hesitate)

I believe him.  I bought it for $100.00

I'll have to patch the mouse hole and it needs a cleaning, but I looked up how to spot fake LV items, and it passed all the tests.

I'm so fancy.....you already know!

free

One of my favorite MCM houses in Traverse City had a bunch of stuff on the porch and a sign that said 'FREE' - here are the books I took

and the vintage post cards

and embroidered hot pad

and 1970s Meijers paper bag

my lilacs

"I cannot understand why my arm is not a lilac tree"

- Leonard Cohen

always check the linens

Vintage towel $2, Women's Resource Center, Traverse City, MI.  This looks like it's from the 50s or 60s. Meet me in Bonaire!

]

Reversible 70s heart motif beach towel.  Heaven. Brand is Seven Seas.

I consider the Silver Palate Cook Book to be one of the all time best.  This is their companion release for party cookery, 1984 edition, $0.50 at the thrift store. 

spring organization project

BEFORE: Vintage clothing collection, with supervisor Nina looking on 

AFTER: sorted by style, ready for re-storage

the duck spirit

I came home the other day to find a large, brown duck on my back porch. I spoke gently to her and she stayed for a minute or so before flying into the woods.  I have tried to identify her in several bird books as well as the Michigan DNR web site, but can't find her breed. I wonder if she is migrating, or lost.  My neighbor said this duck also watched her as she chopped wood a few days ago.  I hope to see her again and will try my best to photograph her. She has yellow feet and a grey head with sharp, crested feathers. 

Bless me, duck spirit!

cute little air pillow

good morning

cheese porn

Boss Mouse cheese platter I created for a photo shoot yesterday