Say "No" to Wrap Rage

Dreading the thought of opening yet another adult-proof clamshell case this Christmas?
Tired of the 8,062 twisty ties that secure every new toy?

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Secondhand Scores ~ Leather & Links

After making a bunch of post-"Customer Appreciation Open House" deliveries, I stopped in to the Salvation Army Thrift Store to see if they still had the large clock I saw the last time I was there. It was big and wooden and ripe for "rescue," but we didn't need a clock — much less a big one. Two days after spotting that clock the first time, Caspian stepped on our living room clock and smashed the glass (he was fine). Anyway, the clock wasn't there, but this was:


A 3-piece canister set shaped like a rustic fairy tale castle! Even the turrets lift off separately. $5.99, people. DH's response when I texted him this cell phone picture? "Cool. Too bad we don't need canisters..." Sigh. God gave me a voice of reason for a reason, I guess.

Before I left, I scooted over to the cloth napkin section to see if the bag o' napkins we tried to buy last time had been labeled with a price sticker, and therefore rendered buyable. No such luck...but on the way to the cloth napkin section, I passed the handbag section! Woo-hoo! I actually found a good-sized tote (not too big), in a color I like (red), with the pockets I need (lots, plus dividers), out of a sturdy material (leather)! It even has little metal feet on the bottom to keep it out of the ick. It's missing one strap, but the way the strap attaches allows it to be used as a one-strap shoulder bag (and it passed the one-handed-shoulder-lift test). The three interior cell phone-type pockets have all had their bottoms busted out, but that's an easy fix (I assume) — other than that, no stains, no rips, no marks. It still has the detachable coin purse, too. Technically, it's a Samsonite laptop tote, so one of the divided sections is padded. I'm planning to put a pin or a flower or something on the extraneous buckle.



Wait, OMGosh, seriously?!? I just looked it up online and this is it! MSRP $129.99, retail $99.99, KatrinkaJane special...$2.99!!! SCORE!

Well, that just totally made my day just now. Back to shopping, though. On the way home, the kids were both asleep when we passed our local Habitat for Humanity ReStore, which happens to be linked to the local Vendor's Mall. I ♥ flea markets — not the ones that try to resell a bunch of outdated-but-technically-NIP leftover hardware store and novelty dream catchers (you know the ones), but the ones heaped with used goodies. It's like a treasure hunt! STOP. FOCUS. Okay, so the boys were both asleep, so I left DH in the car and stopped in to see if I could find a clock. I was also looking for another big picture frame to hang empty on the wall for posting Caspian's rotating stock of artwork. Shockingly, I got distracted by books, jewelry, and office supplies. Fortunately for me, they are perpetually on my shopping list. heehee Here's what I ended up taking home with some more of my leftover birthday money (not the stuff in the back; this table is also my MK gift-wrapping station):



one of the few Berenstain Bears books not already in our collection: $0.25
set of 3 paper trays, which I desperately needed for my desk: $1.50
old-school Oscar the Grouch puzzle, perfect for Caspian's age: $0.25
chunky 17"x17" carved-wood frame: $1.00
totally on-trend chain necklace: $4.99
TOTAL: $7.99, plus tax

TODAY'S LESSONS:
1. Keep an eye out for respected brands (Samsonite caught my eye).
2. Watch for high-quality materials (genuine leather will stay usable for years).
3. Check out specialty secondhand stores (like ReStores), which may offer random items at great prices.

Is it silly that I'm still giddy over my leather bag...?

Roadkill Rescue ~ Halloween 2009

Yeah, yeah. I keep crashing Beckie's parties with technicalities (and yes, I am still working on that darn lazy susan that started it all). Honestly and truly, I have an actual "Roadkill Rescue" in my living room that is this ===> <=== close to being finished, but we haven't had a chance yet, with my annual Customer Appreciation Open House a couple weeks ago. So, here's my entry for this shindig: a Halloween costume. Yes, most of it was free and "rescued" from various friends' "Do you want this, before I throw it away?" piles.

Our big conundrum this year was "What kind of costume can we do if the baby's in the Moby Wrap?" I have to be honest — my very first immediate thought was the alien-emerging-from-the-stomach scene. But let's be practical, shall we? The baby's head would be sticking out much too high to pass for a real gastrointestinal alien. So we went with my second brainstorm...

1. Take one "free" baby (don't get me started) and one free Moby Wrap (thanks, mom & dad!).
2. Add a free "MKmen" ball cap, borrowed coveralls (thanks, Deb!), and borrowed work gloves (thanks, FIL!).
3. Add a smokin'-hot daddy (thanks, God!).
4. Take a sheet of free blue craft foam and spray it with paid-for grey primer. Greatly appreciate the splatter effect. Pretend it was a result of your mad spray painting skillz.
   
   
5. Wear out a grey Sharpie trying to draw lines on top of the primed craft foam (see my little scribble sheet, where I tried to get the Sharpie juice flowing again?). In case you're wondering, the blue patch in the lower-right corner is where the clothespin held the craft foam, so I could spray it without getting my hands dirty (this was Halloween night, and the grass was wet). BTW, don't try denying that you want my leopard-print mouse (thanks, Duncan!).
   
6. E-6000 two free orange balloons together, then decorate with a dark orange Sharpie. (Yes, I have a drawer just for "Fine" Sharpies...AND it's labeled with a label-maker label. Hate me.)
   
   
7. Shell out real money for a used bathmat at Goodwill, add a free baby hat (which technically did come out of a garbage bag), lots of staples, and some more free craft foam, Sharpied brown and artfully cut up.
   
   
8. Add four large safety pins and a free green onesie, then step back and revel in your homemade "Oscar the Grouch and his trashman, Bruno" costume! Roadkill Rescue Bonus: the costume is even trash-themed!
   

When we went trunk-or-treating at a friend's church, the baby was turned facing inward and the coveralls were zipped up over him. His hat was so heavy, it actually kept tilting down to cover his head and neck...which was great, considering how cold and windy it turned out to be! I was so close to putting little eyeballs on the hat, too, but wanted the baby to be the face. My husband wasn't committed enough to the costume to let me give him a fake nose and eyebrows. Psh.