Thrift Shopping, Craft Making

A few weeks ago one of my favorite Bloggers, Claire, at blah to TADA spent a week making extremely cute cake stands out of miscellaneous pieces of china (that's her niche: making great things through the art of creative recycling.) I took one look at this cute cake stand and thought: 1) I could totally make that and 2) I can show it off at Easter Dinner (I was a first time hostess this year.) So off to the thrift shop I went.

 See how could I NOT make this! For full instructions visit her site!

It took me two trips to five different shops to find all the proper items to make my cake stand. I know what you are saying how hard it is to find 3 different dishes and some candlestick holders? Well it's friggin hard. Finding a separate salad size dish was near impossible. In order to acquire such a dish, I had to buy it in a set for five bucks!! Seriously, five dollars at a thrift shop is a bit much.

So here is my best attempt at my first Blah to Tada craft!

 

First I gathered all my supplies: Mr. Clean to wash the dishes and remove any magic marker pricing; ruler; pencil (which turned out to be a mistake and so I upgraded to a Sharpie); and of course glue.

Take Claire's advice and use Super Glue. I made the mistake of using Gorilla Glue, which (again) I forgot, does not dry clear.

  

Here were my final plate choices. It took forever to pick out nice plates that did not have a overwhelming pattern. The center plate (with the green trim) was my least favorite, as I wanted all the plates to have a sliver or gold trim. But in the end I really loved how the bolder, green border offset the more delicate patterns of the other two plates.

 

After making my measurements, I glued that shit together, using some of my summer reading books as weights. I should also mention that I used some fabulous cut glass candle stick holders as my pedestals. These were also hard to find pieces. Some where too tall, too narrow at the top, too wide at the base. It was very frustrating.

 

TADA! My final piece. It looks pretty sweet and I am in total love!  I just have to use some creative decorating to hide the icky, brownish glue holding it together.

 

While I was trolling the shops, looking for the right pieces for my cake stand, I found some sweet finds that I just had to share:

 

Al Bundy's couch!! YES! And to make it more desirable, there was plastic on it. 

Naturally, I didn't buy it but it was so hard to walk away

 

 O.J.'s Legal Pad. My question was who would buy this in the first place?

Thrift shops, where outdated program guides go to die.

 

Now I must say I totally squealed when I saw a Fiestaware box. My mom collects Fiestaware like a crazy person collects cats. But I was fooled by the Thrift Gods, it was simply an empty box. 

 

Who would read a book by Jimmy Buffet? He can't write a song, what makes you think he can write a novel? I tell you one group of people who wouldn't read it, Graphic Designers! There were typeface violations all over it. The culprit: COMIC SANS.

Have you made any fabulous crafts out of other people's unwanted treasures? Have a great Thrift Shop/Yard Sale find you just need to share? Let us know.

YDB

012: That's What She Said

As the plumber talks to my landlord about the piping under the house:

"Well the rubbers go bad sometimes..."

And when they do, you're gonna have a bad time! That's what HE said.

Have you heard any good "That's What She Said Jokes" recently? If so, share.

YDB

I am 'Boldly Going' there…Part 1

It used to be a secret, but I cannot hide it anymore. I am ready to admit that I, dear readers, am a Trekkie. I am a TREKKIE!

 

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I am in love with Star Trek the Original Series and all of it campiness. My love started out innocently enough: I was VERY drunk one night and the Captain and I caught an episode on late night TV (oh hell it was early morning, 2am.) I was amazed with what I saw: fabulous cardboard sets, high tech graphics, periods of great acting talent, and not to mention, sigh, William Shatner (I have a little crush on circa 1966-1969 Shatner.)

Now don't let my unhealthy crush on a now 80 year old man confuse you, it's not that the show is actually good. If we are going to be completely honest, it is just terrible. But what I do love about the show is its quaint views on the future.

The photo on the left is from a site Jew of the Day seriously, I couldn't make that up. Photo on the right source.
Who am I kidding I still love him, but in that I'm gonna 'bear hug you like you are my Grandpa' sort of way.

After watching all 79 episodes multiple times over the past few years this is what Star Trek has taught me about the future:

All enemies in the future will be some kind a of 'energy field': If you watch as much of The Trek as I do you will notice that most enemies in the future will be an "energy field." It may come in the the form of a hand that grabs your vessel, or a a blob of purple, blue, orange, and red glittery light, even appearing as the terrifying Window's Screensaver.  How do you combat your seemingly undefeatable enemy? The future's answer to everything: Logic.

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A strategically cut unitard will be the go to outfit for females: And with them Women's Rights will be set back a few 1,000 years.

The computer monitor will revert to a series of colored lights and buttons: For some reason computers will evolve to the point that screens are unnecessary and cumbersome.  All communications will come in the form of lights, blinks, and blips. The streamline look of all the computers makes me think that Steve Job's head is in a jar somewhere running Apple Computer in  the year 2266.  (Wiki)

There is going to be a planet made up of entirely of Nazis and one planet of 1920's Chicago: This is an idea of alien life is also supported by the writers of South Park: in the episode Canceled, the children learn that there are entire planets existing of single races, single species, etc.

And of course as a Space Ship Captain, you must dress the part:

These great photos were taken from the "The Many Looks of Kirk" article on IGN Stars website.
It's a very funny read, if you are so inclined.

Astronauts will not need space suits since all planets will have Earth's atmosphere The one aspect of Star Trek that is so prevalent is the idea that all planets have an atmosphere like Earth. Most of the time they just beam down without checking shit out. I guess the Trekkies will argue that it is just understood that, as high ranking officials of Star Fleet, the research has been done to ensure the crew's safety (well as long as you are not in a red shirt.)

Be on the look out for Part 2 soon!

YDB

011: That's What She Said

While helping my peusdo in-laws clean up the new house and prepare it for painting, The Captain's Dad said

"We are gonna have to really stuff it in that hole"

That's what she said!

Apparently spackling walls lends itself to a whole slew of TWSS jokes. I'm going back today to paint, so I will keep you posted.

YDB

Book Reivew Hiaku: A Twisted Ladder

Book Review Haiku: A Twisted Ladder by Rhodi Hawk

 

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N'awlins, voodoo, French

Had the potential to be great

It fell short in end

 

I wanted to love this book, I really did. It had the potential to be a compelling story: mysterious and ancient relative, voodoo magic, the back Bayou, N'awlins. But Hawk just couldn't deliver. The book was poorly written. Whole sections did not make sense, characters were not clearly developed.

With that being said, I did love the feel of this paperback. The paper used for the cover had a smooth, milky, even smokey feeling. In the design biz we call it Touché.  To me the paper encompassed the climate of the Bayou in the summer; hot and humid. It conveyed the heaviness of the burden the main character was trying to overcome and avoid.

Book Reivew Hiaku: Twenties Girl

Book Review Haiku: Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

 

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Pushy, dead Aunt

Wish I could buy that necklace

Awkwardness abound

This was one of the first of Kinsella's non-Becky Bloomwood stories that I actually enjoyed. She paired well-rounded characters with an equally developed story. I highly recommend this book for a summer beach read.

010: That's What She Said

While watching the Jets/Colts game on Saturday:

"There are a lot of guys stuffed in that hole" - The Captain

That's what she said! Ha Ha. It's almost 24 hours later and I am still laughing at that one.

YDB

Furry Friends Foraging (? No, oh well :) For Forever.....Flat

I love the Itty Bitty Kitty Committee. It's probably the only Blog I visit on a daily basis. I am sucker for cute, little, fuzzy faces. Pair those faces with a sad orphan story and I just melt.  I like to say, "I'm a crazy cat stalker lady." I personally do not have cats in my new home but I come from a home that is run by an adopted brother and sister duo:

 

 This handsome ball of fur is Chase. I would reckon he is 10lbs of pure fur.  He is extremely loving/rapey. He has to be on your lap at all times, and he has to lick the first 4 layers of skin off any exposed skin.

His skills include: human food taster, using doorknobs to open doors, and the ability to function on no sleep (I truly believes he doesn't sleep during the day at all. He is in constant motion. As you can see from this picture, he is WIDE awake and waiting for someone, anyone to walk through the front door.)

 

 And this princess is Charlotte. She is the sweetest little thing on 4 legs. She is the complete opposite of her brother (Notice how calm and relax she looks in her canopy bed.) Charlotte is very in-de-pen-dent, preferring to be left alone (and faaaar away from my 20 month old nephew.) She has the soft fur that she had as a baby. Unlike her brother, she is able to sit on you lap and not feel the need to bath you.

Her skills include: hiding in the most bizarre places, tossing toy mice in the air and then catching them, and hunting bed sheet covered feet.

So back to this committee and what do they do? The Kitties are fostered by two big-hearted Pacific North-westerners Laurie and Craig. "The Itty Bitty Kitties are orphaned kittens that come to us from the Tacoma/Pierce County Humane Society. We care for the babes until they are old enough to be adopted, then we find them loving homes."

There are two boys, Clarence and Georgie, looking for a good forever home in the Seattle/Tacoma area. If you live in the area, please contact the IBKC and inquire about them. I am sure they will be an amazing addition to any home!

http://www.theittybittykittycommittee.com/Sourc

Good luck Clarence and Georgie! If I lived closer, you would totally be coming home with me.

Your Daily Barista