Adventures in Thrifting in the Pacific Northwest

Ephemera and tins full of secrets.

The tins stayed at my parents as I ran out of room

and technically the flower tin is my mother's find.

Last Saturday we flew home from nearly three weeks holidaying in Northern Idaho visiting my parents. We all had a grand time despite some rather wild weather. True the weather is always wild and unpredictable in the mountains, or between the mountain ranges. The trip started off Sunday morning with a three hour drive to Heathrow then a ten hour flight to Seattle, a few hours sleep in the holiday in before waking at some inhumane hour to repack and stumble across to the Denny's down the street for bacon, terrible diner coffee (You should all know we are coffee snobs), and pancakes drowning in syrupy goodness.

Vintage Washington State tray $1.49

Last year I saw and Idaho one and wished I had bought it.

Um, cake. Not at all thrifty but it was damn nice.

From Chaps Cake in Spokane.

It was still dark when we hit the Cascades Mountains. Dark, freezing cold, and soon the car was pelted with snow, sleet, hail, and we travelled trough patches of thick fog all across Washington state. A couple of stops were made on the 5 hour drive to refuel on coffee, snacks and stretch our legs. The Cle Elum Safeway is freaking terrifying at 5 am when you step through the back doors to find the toilets. I half expected zombies to come shuffling through and I didn't have a baseball bat or any decent zombie killing weapon. We found a little coffee shop and fed H various things to keep him happy while he played on his DS, ipod, our phones and the ipad.

Starry fabric, book, buttons, and a child's silver bracelet.

I can't wait to turn this lot into dolls.

The foul weather chased us into Idaho where it settled into snow and we collapsed at my parents home amid a pile of overly excited pugs. The weather for the rest of the holiday was just as wild but the last week there was mostly sunshine and we were so happy to see it. Last year when we visited it snowed everyday, not proper snow mind you it was something they call grapple which looks exactly like little styrofoam balls. It was so good to be home...be in my other home, because no matter how long I live in England and have made a home here, America is still my home too. Not just because my dad is a wonderful cook and makes all my favourite foods but because culturally I will always be an outsider here no matter how blurred my accent becomes. The states always feel like home and after a year away I missed being in my parents home curled up with a little dog or two listing to H chatter on about whatever interests eight year old boys.

Pearl buttons and a rusty apple shaped cookie cutter.

A few vintage keys.

My mother found for me at an Estate Sale before we arrived.

We went out every day that we were there, going for coffee, breakfast, coffee, shopping, thrifting, and coffee. Did I mention coffee? You really can't go anywhere in the Pacific Northwest without being inundated with coffee everywhere, coffee shops, coffee sheds, Starbucks in most of the grocery stores. Coffee is everywhere. And coffee shops all have free wifi so I could happily instagram all the pictures I took and tinkered with.

Vintage wooden handled cookie cutter

(this has been on my list forever)

Vintage Montana license plate.

Bought on a day trip to Montana for authenticity.

Thrifting was the theme of this trip, along with coffee and candy. But mostly it was thrifting. On the weekends we went to Estate Sales and Garage Sales and in the week we went to thrift stores and junk stores. I didn't buy a ton of things though I did want to buy more than we did. It's a good thing I'm fussy about the things I buy, fussy and cheap that's me. I bought a lot of vintage buttons, which probably isn't a lot to some button addicts I know but is enough to keep me crafting for a long while.

k*nex

Matt only grumbled a few times at all the thrift shops I made him take us. And H? Well H occasionally grumbled at the thrift shops but he was more than happy to rummage around Estate Sales and find a absolutely bargain box of lego, a bag of k*nex and a few other bits and bobs to occupy him for the rest of our trip.

Brass belt buckle and tiny glass vial from an antique/thrift shop in Wallace, Idaho.

Both items were .50 cents, and will be perfect for doll making.

Pearl buttons.

Most were from a junk shop in a mixed bag of buttons for two bucks.

Even Matt had fun finding some CDs in a huge Goodwill store in Spokane, and H found a skater jacket and a green shirt to his liking. Most of what I bought and brought back is craft related, buttons, vintage junk, a 1979 copy of the Sears & Roebuck catalogue, old keys, tins and books. Most of the toys H found we left at my parents home so he can build lego cities and k*nex contraptions next trip.

Sissy the pug is not amused.

car boots, junk warehouses, and garage sales

doily and vintage buttons

The last few weeks I have cut down on my blogging, days have been busy with school activities, half term holiday outings and general running around like headless chickens. Today I will share with you some of the little treasures I have found in the last few weeks. Some may call this modest hoard junk but it is all bits and pieces of things that I will use to craft dolls, monsters, jewellery and whatever else takes my fancy.

key and cog collection, almost too pretty to craft with

This weekend started with going to Cromford to the little festival that took place on Saturday. After the mystifying and quite frankly terrifying sight of a prancing unicorn-man I spied a sign that read 'Garage Sale' and a little arrow. I blinked twice and we turned around and went to find two little garage sales down the road from each other. I bought some doilies, a vintage chain, an airplane pin (for H) and two bags of toy filler all for the princely sum of £1. I may possibly have been quite giddy at this point as you just don't see garage sales here... ever. From Cromford Mill the previous week I managed to find a lovely letterpress tray that will be going up on the wall in Harrison's room to display lego figures (it was half filled with them about ten minutes after we got it home.

vintage baking tin, watch parts, keys and other treasure from Wirksworth

Last weekend we went to Wirksworth, it was late in the afternoon and we missed out on the farmer's market but still had fun roaming around the antique, chocolate and charity shops. I bought a vintage sea shell cake tin, from the vintage rooms. A little rusty, dusty and there was a bit of burned black cake left in it too, but it sits on my desk full of the bits and pieces that inspire me and I will be working with to create new dolls and monsters. After that Harrison and I explored an antiques shop that looked more of a hoarder's home then a shop, boxes piled high bursting at the seams and a little old chap running the place that I swear walked straight out of and 80s fantasy movie. I found buttons and vintage watch parts that made my little heart sing as they were exactly what I needed to finish the Steampunk Red Riding hood doll.

treasures from Banana junk Warehouse in York

While Harrison was on his half term break we went up to York for the day, we had a ball roaming the walls and streets and I was allowed an hour to rifle through the junk in Banana Warehouse. I found a little wooden box, more vintage buttons, vintage measuring tape, a large spool of orange thread and a mother of pearl belt buckle (which was similar to one in Duttons button shop that cost more than I paid for everything I found.

Lego treasure beyond compare

On rare Sunday morning when the day is clear and Matt isn't rushing off to a wedding or a wedding fair we sometimes go rummage around Tansley Car Boot sale. It's bleak up on the fields where the car boot and market are held but the view is outstanding. On the last trip up we found a stash of lego, vintage ladybird books and a crystal growing kit. Treasure for everyone.

Pork pie tins from Cromford Days

doilies, buttons and vintage chain from a garage sale!!!!

letterpress printer's tray from Cromford Mill

I'm linking to Apron Thrift Girl for her fab Thrift Share Mondays and Her Library Adventures' Flea Market Finds

Now back to the reality of sorting out all of my craft supplies. I'm decluttering and getting rid of various bits of fabric and beads that I won't use, so that I have room for more of the things that I do use. So that totally means I can thrift more right? I'm also hoping that by tidying and sorting things out it will inspire me to get one with crafting, writing and listing said crafts in my poor little etsy shop. I'm hoping I will have a few sales and be able to order some new moo cards and pluck up the courage to exhibit my crafts at a real craft fair. *wibble*

the white owl's sharpie pens

White owl cigar box filled with vintage ephemera.

behind the sharpies is a stack of fabric & magazines

I'm home. I have returned my loyal blog readers. Well technically we arrived home on Sunday but with the jetlag and grumps nobody was close enough to human until today. I may still be less than human but I'm here and I'm blogging so that you don't forget me, and so I don't put of writing for another day.

buttons, buttons and more buttons on a vintage tart tin.

Yesterday I did the last of the unpacking. Now I just need to drag all the suitcases back into the attic and finish sorting out the pile of craft treasure that have overtaken my little desk. Mostly vintage buttons from yard sales, estate sales and a lovely junk & antique shop in Coeur d'Alene, ID. I will blog about our trip, adventures in thrifting and playing with pugs but the sun is shinning for a little bit so I'm going to grab my notebook and sit in the garden doodling a few ideas for dolls I have and writing the notes for a story that is rattling around in my head... way more fun than doing the housework... right?

mmm sharpie pens

by the power of..

Monday morning I wandered up into town to grab a few essentials from the grocery shop and I just happened to wander into a few charity shops and the one decent coffee shop in town. I found to my delight some vintage Ladybird children's books. Two learning books and three awesomely 80's Masters of the Universe books. I have used a very broken up copy of a He-Man book to make some pin badges awhile ago and these three are in much better condition. I'm not sure what I shall do with them but they are all fantastic. I had a quick thought about trying to resell them but I really haven't got a clue about such things as that, I will probably just keep them for swaps (80's cartoon swap anyone?) or make cards and badges out of them.

After nursing a latte for as long as possible I walked to the little antiques shop in town and found the small fruit knife in the first photo. It was only £2 and needs to be tidied up a bit but as it was only small and had a little loop for hanging it on a keychain I took it home and made it into a little necklace with a small vintage key and a small red button.

I think it looks rather smart.

Probably not very safe to wear on a plane next month.

silver cup, buttons and books

silver egg cup and vintage buttons

I have been in a bit better mood the last week. The sun has returned on an off and we have had some lovely walks. I even managed a few thrifty trips to various charity shops. And I won't get in trouble for what i bought as Matt was with me both times, and he bought a few cds and some hamma beads with Harrison. *quitely swears*

On a trip into Nottingham to grab lunch we went into the Oxfam books shop and I bought a vintage Doctor Who annual from 1978, and a vintage ladybird telephone book. I bought them for card and pin badge making if I can bare to cut into them. Yesterday I bought the little silver cup, I think it must be silver plate. I love the patina of age on it and I plan to turn it into a little pincushion when I sit down to do some sewing a little bit later. I also found a dozen or so white buttons and a vintage pressed glass button that will used for doll making.

Dr Who annual and ladybird telephone book

please check out Apron Thrift Girl for Thrift Share Monday. Where some proper thrifting has been done by some lovely bloggers. Also please have a look at the little doll Harrison and I have made and listed in my etsy shop, the profits for the doll will all go to the Red Cross Earthquake Tsunami Japan fund.

junk shop treasure

I am not a big shopper, I never have been I probably will never be. With the exception of book shops and a bit of thrifting. I never bring back very much but I have a small hoard of vintage buttons (in black, red, and white) and doilies that I use for crafting dolls.. and books for reading and tattered ones for more crafting. The last few weeks I have had some good luck with finding buttons and bits to craft with.

On a recent trip to York we went to the Banana Junk Warehouse. We dug through towering shelves filled with all manner of things. Books, suitcases, furniture, knitting needles, a fabulous old typewriter, a very old sewing machine that I coveted madly but weighed as much as two elephants. I bought a wooden box, buttons, red plastic knitting needles, and a very rusty gate key.

After that while everyone went to watch and sample fudge I scuttled to the Oxfam Books shop and scored a Neil Gaiman book I hadn't read, and five Star Wars cine-manga books 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 for Harrison (who had the 4th book at Christmas. In amongst tea at Betty's Tearooms, buying bread from the tiny bakery down the Shambles, and walking along the city walls I also went into Cath Kidston with my lovely Mother-in-Law. I don't buy much from there, most of it is a little too flowery for me and a lot expensive. In the end I walked away with two little samples of fabric which may turn into dolls like this one.

The last two weekends we happened to go into Matlock twice to visit the Antiques Centre, and a little thrift shop down the road from it. You wouldn't think an antique shop would have anything remotely thrifty but there are always doilies and buttons to be found that are quite cheaply priced. I'm look forward to visiting Tansley car boot ('car boot' roughly translates into 'flea market with lots of plastic toys and knock off DVDs') some Sunday soon when the weather is nice.

I'm linking this blog post to Selena's lovely Apron Thrift Girl : Thrift Share Monday blog post. Please go check out what inspiring treasures she has found, and the links to other great thrifting blogs.

a little window

On my trudge to the post office today I saw a little window sitting in a skip. I coveted it immediately and with a little encouragement from twitter I decided that if it was still there when I walk back home that it was meant to be mine. I braved the hostile queue at the post office, ran around getting chocolate, oats and milk (cold weather essentials) then flounced back in a huff, slipping and sliding on the icy pavement while my ipod blared in my ears.

Low and behold there was the little window still in the skip with a layer of ice and snow on it. I fished it out and trudged the rest of the way home. I narrowly avoided falling on my ass in the street and dropping my new prize possession. I unpacked my shopping, had a warm by the fire then wiped down the window and found a spot for it on my dresser. I love that it is battered by the weather and a bit junky (aka Flea Market Style) it suits me and my mood and when there is some sort of decent light I think it will photograph beautifully in the background of blog pictures.

I think I may pin some fairy lights on it tomorrow if the fancy takes me. For now I have used it as a pin board and stuck two little cards on it for inspiration from the very talented Deborah of Champignons . She says one day she will conquer the world, and I believe she will do just that. And speaking of pin boards have you found pinterest yet? Its my latest obsession when I have my coffee breaks, its very inspirational. My pins are here

little red suitcase

Today H woke us a little after 6am to shout Happy Father's Day to Matt, then run around finding all the cards he made and hid about the house this past week. After coffee (because before coffee I'm evil) I baked blueberry muffins for breakfast and we went up to Tansley Carboot for a wander around in the fresh air and look at an eclectic assortment of junk.


We wandered around for an hour, I found a book I wanted for 50p(Practical Demonkeeping ...because I don't have enough books) Matt and H found a brand new little science experiment kit for £1 (that cant go well) and H bought some geomag magnet toy for 50p (we don't have enough junk really). Matt treated himself to a bacon cob (because its Father's Day and I didn't have any bacon to fry this morning), and Harrison and I shared a hot dog. When I finished my bit of hot dog I left them to it and hightailed it down a few rows by myself and found this little red suitcase for £3. Its battered and scraped but it was such cheery red colour that I bought it and wandered off to find them swinging my new case along. I would have whistled but I'm a terrible whistler.

I brought the case home, wiped it down and have filled it with books, in part to counter the warping of the bottom of the case, but mostly they were on hand. And contrary to what Matt might say, I HAVE read some of the books in the case...just not all of them yet. I may store fabric in the case as I do in the little brown case but for now I'm happy its filled with books.

Now I must be off to tidy my craft desk, make cards, and possibly do some sewing before H pesters me to play Super Mario Galaxy 2 before I make Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken and rice for dinner.

flour and apples

flour and apples

The last few weeks seem to have gone by in a blur of getting H ready for school, and running around like a zombie chicken with my head cut off (decapitation is not an effective means of incapacitating poultry). I baked a loved cinnamon apple crumble on Saturday after visiting a lovely little apple stall on a farm not far from here. I haven't tried to write a recipe because I just threw things together and then added more cinnamon just to be sure in was autumnal enough.

mmmm crumble

The last two Sundays M has taken us to Tansley car boot for a wander around and I managed to find a few little gems to play about with for not much money at all. My favourite item is the tea cup which I bought with the intention of turning into a tea cup candle but I have yet to order any soy wax or wicks yet, but I will do....one of these days... The glass jar was 50p and is filled with some mother of pearl buttons that I'm sure will be put to good crafting one of these days. I miss yardsales and thrifting in the States, its just not the same here.

boot sale treasure

We (and by we I mostly mean me) have also been working in the garden, I took down the plastic green house and stripped the few weedy tomatoes from it which now sit in a dish on the windowsill slowly turning ripe. And with a little help we have the shed/summer house up and painted except for the windows. When it is finished I will order M out with the proper camera to take photos and make everything look much prettier than it actually is.

one, two, three little tomatoes all forlorn

A Chair, a Book, and some Paintings

chapel chair

A few weeks ago in our wanderings H and I went to Arkwright's Mill in Cromford, Derbyshire, for little lunch in the cafe and so H could have a wander around the exterior of the Mill. There is a small Charity shop for the mill, a tiny little room filled with books, bric-a-brac, a little thrifting was called for. Sitting forlorn and dusty in a corner behind some truly hideous pottery was this little chapel chair. It was love at first sight, and a bargain at £15. I have seen others for anywhere between £50 and £100 so it was definitely a keeper.

1950 copy of Alice in Wonderland

My Mother in Law helped me clean it with some wire wool and oil it down and it sits happily beside the fireplace. M isn't entirely convinced, but I think its fits perfectly into the house it just needs a little cushion on it to make it perfect. Along with the chair I bought a copy of Alice in Wonderland from 1950, its battered and torn in places, so it was the perfect to tear up and stain for my vintage book page paintings.

pages from the above book stained and painted

Which as you can see above is exactly what I did, painting some toadstools for a custom order. They turned out brilliantly especially the teal one, though for some reason I can never seem to photograph the book page paintings to do them any justice. I stained another dozen or so pages in the same tea staining sitting so might attempt to sketch out some doodles to paint on the pages. I really want to paint more toadstools though, no particular reason I just really like them, I definitely need to do some more teal ones, I love teal and mixing toadstools, teal, and tea stained book pages just seems to fit together so well.

one blue bottle

vintage blue bottle

From as far back as I can remember my parents have always taken me to yard sales, estate sales, garage sales, flea markets and thrift shops. It was always a new adventure, to look on with curious eyes at the things people once cherished and collected now marked with little price stickers and intent to bargain and haggle. I miss a good flea market or garage sale, the occasional car boot sale here just isn't the same. They overflow with electronics, burgers, and the plastic toy paraphernalia that plague any parents' life. Toys and more plastic toys but you never seem to find the really interesting things, like broken clocks, walking sticks, crusted up pocket knives, strange kitchen gadgets, bizarre woolen hats, and ancient tattered cook books.

I had a troll through the charity shops in town and found not a single thing I was willing to part with my money for, until I went for a browse around the big antiques shop across from the co-op. The majority of the shop was filled with clocks (sorry daddy none of them are broken and in need of fixing), ugly vases and furniture. The clocks I don't need, the vases were indeed hideous, and the furniture to heavy to carry home. There used to be a lovely battered green wooden chair that I fell in love with months ago, but it was missing today from its place outside the shop. I did find one blue bottle in a dusty corner and took it home with me. I didn't particularly need a vintage blue milk of magnesia bottle, but it is pretty and now its mine.

the real reason bees buzz

With the kitchen being done the last few days I have gotten little to no crafting done other than a few random doodles I have photographed in today's dismal light. Apologies for the bad photos. I did get a spot of good news today. Anita the lady who owns the Framing gallery I have some of my jewellery with has asked me to bring in more stock next week and paid me some commission on my jewellery that sold last month. Which is great seeing as I have been meaning to bring her some more jewellery for the past three weeks. Its nice to know someone wants my jewellery as I haven't had a sale on etsy for months and not a single enquiry through folksy, aside from bills of course.

I'm off to go store some more pots and pans away,joy, and see what I have to christen the kitchen with as a first meal. I have a bag of toll house chocolate chips that I have been hording for months but I'm not going to use them until the kitchen is decorated and completely finished. Then I will share some pictures, I promise.

Gilbert's Pumpkin