Where Toy Train Parts & Sewing Books Combine

For any of you that follow my Instagram, this may look sorta familiar to you, I found another one. 

Last Saturday, while rummaging through the dollar box, I found this model train transformer. Simple black & cream with a neat art deco font.

It weighs a ton & has sharp edges that easily tear through bags to smash unsuspecting toes. The two of us did that dance four times before I learned my lesson.

After the final pain rage subsided, I thought "Why in the world...?!" 

Then the vintage sewing books started to act drunk & all fall down. 

Problem solved! 

***

I was pretty terrified to "upcycle" but it turned out well...how about you? 

Have you had good luck with repurposing?

A Little Check In

I'm going to start this post with two disclaimers...I can't handle my Tequila. And sometimes, I forget that. The other one, never.

There's a story floating around from six years ago that no single member of my family will let me forget. Something about me announcing to the party that we were leaving because I have a very important meeting in the morning...with the King of the Lawn Gnomes who gets pissed easily & starts throwing logs...because the fate of all woodland creatures everywhere was up to me & my drunken mind. 

So when my aunt asked me if I could help her sell some of her stuff, I said yes willingly (sober, btw). After a margarita I had told her I'd help her neighbor sell stuff. By the end of the night I had wormed my way into countless yard sales, renting a van & being completely overwhelmed in someone else's basement for the past 3 weeks.

So that's where I've been. & have a thousand things for my own shop that I need to do.

Maybe this will be a lesson in saying "no"?

In other news, as I was flipping through the pictures on my phone, I found this gem.

I squinted at it for a good minute, but not before yelling out "Holy Moses, when did I see a brick of cocaine...and why does it look so pretty...?!" 

Thinking back along the weekend and wondering if I really could've met someone in my travels and coming up squeaky clean, I brought it to Mr. Acorns. 

Who laughed hysterically.

"Babe, that's a pair of shoes. You bet me I couldn't tie a nice looking bow, so I did, there's your proof. 

& Don't forget you owe me ten bucks!"

Typical market conversations

standing in line in front of Alex, when a pale nearly bald guy walks in.
Alex, excitedly nudges me "look! look! that guy looks just like pooh!"
me "ours or the real one?"
"the real one"
I giggle, "you think all old guys look like him"
Ignoring me, lost in his mind "ohh man, I'd love to drink with him"
"what do you think he'd drink?"
"vodka. obviously..."

we pay & walk outside 
Alex stops short, "what did you mean by ours or the real one? we don't have one--"
"of course we do!" cutting him off, "you won me a big stuffed one at woodstock fair, he's wearing a fishing hat"
"what are you talking about?! there's no way in hell I'd win you a giant stuffed Putin! that just says awful things about us as a couple..."
"wait, we weren't just talking about what booze winnie the pooh would drink?"
not missing a beat, "well it is and it isn't. in russia everyone drinks vodka. even winnie the pooh"

<3