Saturday, February 19, 2011

Sara shares: MORE WEIRD AND WONDEROUS VINTAGE FINDS!

Just a quickie about all the fun stuff I've found on my adventures. I hope you are having a lovely weekend; unfortunately, mine has not been such. So to make up for it, I've been scouring estate sales, antique malls, and thrift stores! In my last post, I completely neglected the Mid-Towne Antique Mall here in Little Rock- which, for some reason, I was under the impression was closed. I was very glad to be wrong!





From the Mid-Towne Antique Mall

 Maslow anyone?
Oh it's times like these I wish my phone took video because those wiggle ladies and gentleman... THEY WIGGLE!
















From Fabulous Finds


 Super cute tray! Didn't purchase, but want desperately.
 Retro bread box. My new pride and joy. It's a giant kitchen tin! I love this so much it's almost disturbing.
 Cute flower pin.


Want! I wish I could have gotten a shot of the little flower on the side. What I like about this is that it's cute but definitely still chic.



 












From Savers

 Didn't purchase... but woah. Genuine flower nail art. That's intense!


 













Also grabbed a vintage Playboy for my Mum (from the month/year of her birthday- ain't I sweet?), some needlework art and books, a little pin with a grenade on it, and a hankie. OH AND THIS! I also have the original box, but it's in a tad better shape. Missing a cup though... I shall have to quest on for it!




Stay tuned for: Even more finds! The day Sara purchases a camera!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Sara shares: FAV. ESTATE SALE FINDS AND JUNKIN HOT SPOTS!

I love picking! No, not my nose, grossy! I mean I love looking for fun vintage finds! My favorite things to look for are usually "smalls" (not big in size or necessarily big ticket items). When I venture out I am usually looking for great vintage jewelry, books, toys, tins, crafting stuff, stitching... really anything that grabs me and I feel has a "history".

Now, dealers might disagree with me, but I generally feel that "vintage" = 25-50ish years old and most anything beyond that (let's say 75 years and older) is "antique". Slapping either one of those labels on an item also generally implies that there's some value there (I mean, you could pick up a rock off the ground and say it's a million-year-old antique!)

But how does one find this stuff?!

+Garage/Yard/Carport/Spaceship/Whatever Sales

Usually done by the individual owners. the benefit of garage sales is that people want to get rid of this stuff, so prices can be dirt cheap or negotiable. The bad part is getting up EARLY, possibly slogging through junk (but some folks like the "digging" aspect), and most garage sales only deal in cash. Best way to map out a garage sale route is through your local newspaper's classifieds.

+Estate Sales

Estate sales are often conducted by a company. The benefit here is that items are staged and pre-slogged through. The sales are primarily indoors and have a set opening time (usually 9am), so you don't have to fight through weirdy early bird resellers carrying mag lights in unmarked white vans (true story). The downside is prices are higher and usually firm- but that's not to say you'll never find something on the cheap. I once bought an awesome vintage arm chair for $20! Estate sales usually run Friday-Sunday, and typically sellers will offer a discount towards the end of the sale (such as all items half-off on Sunday). You can find estate sales via company websites or classifieds. My favorite local companies are Pennsylvania Trading Co. and Roy Dudley. In the central Arkansas area, I also rely on Ashley, of Ashley's Finds, to keep me in the know.


 +Thrift Stores

Thrift stores have many of the same benefits and drawbacks of estate sales. There's still an element of slogging, but less urgency in that thrift stores are open most of the week. Many thrift store companies also benefit charities! My favorite places to go locally are Savers, My Favorite Thrift Store, and of course Goodwill. If you are lucky enough have a privately owned favorite hotspot, that is definitely a precious commodity! The best I've found here in town is Galaxy Furniture in the Argenta district. Antique malls and flea markets are also a good bet. One of my favorites is Fabulous Finds, here in Little Rock. You may also try a reputable pawn shop for specific items of value.

+Interwebs

If you're looking for something highly specific, it's beneficial to do some research before you throw money down. Or if you just rather shop to the warm, comforting glow of the internet- there are many online retailers where you can find fun vintage goods. eBay has been around nearly as long as the world wide web itself. Etsy is also a great venue to connect with individual sellers- just search under "vintage". There's also your local craigslist, which has a not-so-good reputation, but with common sense you can utilize craigslist to your benefit.

Some of my favorite finds:   

 (^My ginormous metal peacocks!^)


 (^That is an amazing, beaded table runner!^)


Stay tuned for: More finds! Better pictures!

Monday, February 14, 2011

Sara's feelin sexy: Music for V-Day!

Valentine's Day is officially upon us! 

Do not stress, gentle readers! Nor should you confuse your relationship with prostitution and get tacky gifts! NO! I say serenade your loved-one (even if your loved-one is yourself, your kids, your cat, or your mailman...whatever.) Nothing is sexier or more relaxing than winding down a day with music you love or that makes you feel in love. For the holiday, here's a small list of suggestions for any situation! 

Suggestions are welcome! And report any dead/shitty links! Have a lovely day.

..::Songs for Lovers::..
+Roberta Flack- The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face 
+Norah Jones- The Nearness of You
+Coldplay- Yellow (Me and mine's song, if you will.)
+Lady Gaga- Bad Romance (You know, for slightly less functional lovers perhaps.)
+The Monkees- I'm a Believer
+Bruno Mars- Just the Way You Are
+Elton John- Your Song
+Sade- By Your Side
+ Des'ree-  Kissing You
+Queen- You're My Best Friend
+Lonely Island- I Just Had Sex

..::Songs for Pissed Ex-Lovers::..
+Christina Perri- Jar of Hearts
+Alanis Morissette-You Oughta Know
+Cee Lo Green- Fuck You
+Rihanna feat. Eminem- Love the Way You Lie Part II
+Lady Antebellum- Need You Now (You know, desperate times...)

..::Songs for Fabulous Single Ladies::..
+Beyonce- Single Ladies
+Sara Bareilles- King of Anything
+RENT Soundtrack (Rosario Dawson)- Out Tonight


..::Songs For Swaggerin Single Fellas::..
+Loney Island- The Creep
+Lil Wayne- Comfortable

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Sara sings: "I'm a freak bitch, BABY!"

That's right our Lady of Gaga- and I love you for it.

Since I couldn't possibly give any of a shit less about the Super Bowl, I'm gonna discuss sexy ladies. But not just ANY sexy ladies... sexy WEIRD ladies.

There seems to be a trending movement in pop music and I, personally, am all about it. I lovingly refer to it as the...  
 WEIRD AESTHETIC.

Here's some of my favorite crazy ladies in no particular order.


Lady Gaga "And, now, I’m just trying to change the world one sequin at a time." -ladygaga.com bio


Why: I love her "monster" theme. We're all monsters. We're all ugly and beautiful at the same time. We're all scary if you scratch beneath the surface. Her whole concept, to me, is about expressing what's beneath the surface without apologies. Proud to call myself a "Little Monster".


Favorite Video: Bad Romance  



(image from http://www.ladygaga.com/photos/detail.aspx?fid=16698&phid=16700)


Nicki Minaj "Ok, first things first I’ll eat your brains. Then I’mma start rocking gold teeth and fangs..." -Kanye West "Monster" lyrics feat. Jay-Z, Rick Ross, and Nicki Minaj

Why: Say what you want about Minaj vs. Lil' Kim blah blah blah... but it's been too long since a female has been livin large in the hip-pop game. Many have said that she's the "Rap Lady Gaga" and as a fan of both I disagree! Nicki's theme is "barbie" and she lovingly refers to her fans as something along the lines of "barbz/ken dollz/kenbarbz". Confused? There's an app for that! But I love me some Nicki Minaj! She raps, sings, acts, and has seemingly effortless haute couture sexiness. And her ass should have it's own zip code and/or religious following. What's not to love?

Favorite Video: Massive Attack




(image from http://www.mypinkfriday.com/media/photos/4451/109561)


Ke$ha "I want to show you that you can be funny and hot … you can drink and read. People are still getting used to what I am." -Kesha from quotelicious.com
Why: If you look past the auto-tuned brain crack, Kesha is really good at telling stories. Her songs take you to a moment in time... if you can stand to go there. Her theme is somewhat less concrete than Gaga or Minaj, but Kesha is all about people as "animals". Getting dirty, having fun, being wild n' out, crazy-fun-times, and dare-I-say GET SLEAZY!

Favorite Video: Take It Off 



(image from http://www.keshasparty.com/us/photos/official)


Rihanna "But you'll always be my hero even though you lost your mind." Rihanna "Love The Way You Lie Part II" lyrics feat. Eminem
Why: Rihanna is extremely successful and has demonstrated a lot of staying power. She has, what?, 5 albums that have all been chart-toppers. But, I feel like Rihanna really embraced her weird with Disturbia back in 2008 and it's only gotten better since! Her latest, S&M, has me all kerfuffled. 


Unrelated but important: I noticed a Google search term for her was "rihanna bruised"- fuck you people.  

 Favorite Video: S&M


(image from http://pointemout.com/2011/02/01/video-fab-the-premiere-of-rihannas-sm/)


Beth Ditto, lead singer of the Gossip "Everybody knows but no one can tell. A homemade haircut but she wears it well. She's a dimestore diamond." The Gossip "Dimestore Diamond" lyrics
 
Why: Because she's ah-mazing! I have to give credit to Citizen K for turning me on to The Gossip. I literally love every track on their last album Music for Men. Beth's theme, as it were, definitely has to be gay, sparkly, "I-don't-give-a-fuck", sass. She's one of those folks who may have actually supposed to been born a drag queen (Gaga pulls that off so well that people STILL think she has a penis somewhere). I'm still relatively new to their music, but I love Ditto's attitude (big girl in tight clothes OMG). WORK IT!


Favorite Video: Heavy Cross




  

(image from http://gossips.co.za/?p=198) 

 

 

Stay tuned for: Crazy Ladies I <3 Part II!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Sara says: READ A BOOK

I'm weird about books. I'll admit I'm not an avid reader outside of academia, but more a circumstantial reader. Books tend to choose me. I love to loiter around bookstores. I don't like libraries as much because of the quiet. The books choosing me part sounds like a roaring whisper... it can get intense in libraries. 

OK! Now that I've creeped everybody out! I went on a bit of an amazon-spree the other day and here's what I'm reading
*Images from Amazon.com*


I just started If I Stay, by Gayle Forman. NPR did a story on this one. I read the bit they posted and I was sucked in. Yeah, it has a bit of a Stephanie Meyer-vibe, but I don't hate the main character (sorry Team-Bella).












Alright friends and family- NOBODY PANIC! And don't let the title jar you either. I'm all about taking ownership of words (I'm looking at you "cunt".) As a student of psychology and communication, sexuality is something I've always been interested in. And the communication that goes on when one is an "ethical slut" is complex. Thankfully, someone wrote this shit down. The Ethical Slut: A Practical Guide to Polyamory, Open Relationships & Other Adventures by Dossie Easton and Janet W. Hardy is a oft-recommended primer on how to establish and maintain various multiple-partner situations... without being an asshole. Everyone wins! Unrelated: You know how your parents may have gotten you a puberty-coming of age-WHAT'SGOINGONDOWNTHERE?!-type book when you were young? Sexuality has always been my thing. Always. So much so, I picked out my own damn book and asked Mum to buy it for me. It was this one.


Just look at it! *SQUEE* Don't act like you don't want a cupcake scarf! I know you do! What I will dub "Harajuku crochet" is all the rage. No, really, it is! And for good reason! How could you ever be sad wearing a pizza scarf? HOW?!










My friend, Citizen K, is doing a cookbook-a-month project. Ms. January is Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. After ogling K's cookin, I had to have it! This cookbook also seems friendly for people who aren't as kitchenly-inclined as Ms. K. *cough* See also:  
+Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook 
+Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule 
+Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar: 100 Dairy-Free Recipes for Everyone's Favorite Treats 

Pretty much staples for the veggie kitchen. At least in veggie kitchens for people that like yummy things.

 

So, what are you guys reading that's ah-mazing?