Saturday, March 26, 2011

Sara enters The Sensual World: CTC




Kate Bush reference! Get it!?!?!? No? That's ok. You may get it in a second.

ANYWAYS! This week's precious gem is coming at ya from the Midtowne Antique Mall. I love this place. It's right down the street from my house and I can pop in whenever I need a break from reality. It never fails to make me ecstatically happy! And here you can see why!








(clicky on all those links for the appropriate mood music)

Now, I included all these shots because this CTC is super-special. It is a Kafka Screened Etching, which is etched by hand into metal and the colors are embossed using a special foil. They're all numbered and everything! Very boojy to have hanging around... in 1983. I've bought a couple of other ones from the same seller. They're so campy! I got mine for $4. Score! They're all over the place on eBay, from $6-60- but clearly this one is priceless.

Hope you all had a lovely weekend. If not, just listen to some Kate Bush and go to sleep.

Sara says: THE HARDEST PART ABOUT BEING OLD IS BEING ELDERLY

Well, that's what my Granny says.

Today is my Granny's birthday, which she shares with none other than Leonard Nimoy (who's awesome at 80). She's 81. Granny is in the hospital tonight, having undergone her 5th major surgery to combat issues related to colon cancer. Granny is tough as nails. She laid carpet for a living as a young person and raised through-bred race horses. Her colon cancer moved in to her lungs in the early 2000's. The mortality rate for everything Granny has been through is high and Granny has suffered immensely- but I am so, so glad she is still here with me. It is an honor to help care for her.

This is Granny back in 2009 at Christmas:




I am sharing my Granny with you today for 2 reasons:

1.) Children, please don't smoke. Being old can be hard enough as it is, if you're lucky to live as long as Granny has. Smoking makes it harder and arguably yuckier. I know everyone knows that one person who lived to be 90 and smoked 3 packs a day... But trust me, they would have lived to be 91 if they didn't smoke. It's not worth it. It has cost Granny a lot.

2.) I got Granny this gorgeous milk glass chicken for her birthday at an estate sale. It opens up. :)


Granny likes chickens. Though, I'm not sure how she still likes chickens, after harvesting eggs from them from the time she could walk until she was a grown-ass woman. But she likes chickens.

 Happy Birthday Granny! I love you!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Sara goes on a junkin adventure: CONSIGNMENT STORES

In the past couple of weeks, I've pretty much exhausted all the retail junkin hot spots. I even drove to the other side of the river to hit up the Savers and My Favorite Thrift Store in North Little Rock. And I am super-bummed to say that I am in the middle of a thrift-store drought. I haven't had a good Savers run since I found my beloved Mexican velvet paintings! And that's been a couple of months! Boo!

I call them "El burro malo".

However, there is hope! I am discovering that the Little Rock-area has a pretty happenin consignment store scene. Now a consignment store is a tad different flavor of thrift store. A consignment store is more along the lines of an antique mall, with different sellers staging their goods and the store taking a cut of the sale. Today I visited Elaine's Closet, which specializes in ladies clothing and accessories.    


 The store had fun, campy decorations throughout.

 I really loved this pelican-dude and I want him to hold all my jewelry.

This was brooch heaven! They were organized by type (flowers, animals, and bugs!) and by color.

Elaine's Closet is definitely the place to go for big, sparkly jewelry. I saw some fantastic "POWER BROOCHES" that had to weigh nearly a pound and rhinestone-encrusted costume pieces that would make your eyeballs melt from all the bling. The clothing selection was decent, and they even had a small plus-size section. However, the prices of jewelry were about retail prices, so you're looking at about a $20-a piece minimum. The prices on clothing seemed to be a little better, but truthfully I was too distracted by sparkly things to notice. I was a little disappointed in the lack of purses though! And scarves! But they more than make up for it with the jewelry selection.

I'm excited to further explore the consignment store scene. I believe there's about 3 more awesome ones in the Little Rock area. The benefit seems to be a more focused, easier to slog through shop. The downside seems to be the retail pricing. But that's how it goes in the work of junk. You pay more to have someone do the pickin for you!



Stay tuned for: Favorite finds! Makeup nonsense! 

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Sara can't sleep anyways: CTC

Firstly, I have big goals for the blog this week! It's Spring Break, which means I may have an appreciable amount of free time at my disposal. I've had some sort of pollen-induced plague for the past week, so it's not that Sara hasn't had anything to say- I've just been in a pseudoephedrine induced stupor.

Anyways, what better way to celebrate a super moon and the first official day of Spring than by lovingly sharing with you this week's pick for:


This super-special guy is a marionette that hails from Savers. You'll notice in the middle picture that he has a twin in yellow, but I just couldn't bring myself to inflict both of them on the masses.

I could just imagine having this hanging up in the corner of my bedroom as child. The lights go out for bedtime... "DID THAT THING JUST MOVE?! I SWEAR IT MOVED!!!" Awww... he just wants to play...






Yes, children, there's a reason why the inside of his mouth is that red! Sweet dreams!



Stay tuned for: Sara tweets! Blog makeover!? Re-do of favorite junkin finds post!

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Sara really likes: NAIL POLISH!


I was inspired by Kaylah over at The Dainty Squid to take a cold, hard look at my nail polish collection  
(Let's just go ahead and say that this one is gonna be picture heavy!)

That's right, sometimes to escape from the doldrums of everyday existence you have to catalog your fuckin nail polish. I am not ashamed!

But I love makeup and I will hopefully be sharing my mad skills and the rest of my stash with you soon!

But first, I'll be a tad slutty and give you all of it- my nail polish collection that is. I currently have 53, and that's after I, painfully, had to weed out some of the funky ones.



Now, I love all of them... I really do... a little too much (I have 2 of "Fortune Teller" by China Glaze, because it was from Halloween 2009 and OMG WHAT IF I RUN OUT AND CAN"T EVER FIND IT AGAIN?!?!?!?! *ahem*). But, if I had to choose, here's my top favorites:



The bottle I'm holding is "Buried Treasure" by Sally Hansen and is probably my #1 favorite ever. It looks friggin amazing over pretty much any color, but really shines over a dark color. My dream polish would have to be Clarins "230" (AKA "Unicorn Pee"). I also love to mattify polishes (remove the shine), which can be done with a special top coat like this one.

Ah yes, *sigh* a happy rainbow of nail polish...


My favorite "Nail Files":
-Scrangie
-Vampy Varnish
-Dr. Frankenpolish


Stay tuned for: More excessive makeup fun-times! Tips and tricks! Nail dresses?!

Sara feels the beguiling gaze of: CTC

In my unwaivering committment to always bring you my Sunday-best, I present this weeks contender for:


This week our special friend comes from an estate sale by Bette Bogart. The BB team has been on fire for the last month, facilitating some amazing sales. This house, in Midtown, boasted a spectacular collection of owls (always on trend, for those like me with a "demented forest" aesthetic) and tons of artwork. I, myself, bought a lovely painting of some swans... and then there was this guy...


It's like John Wayne Gacy and Tammy Faye had an accident... and I love him.


...



Stay tuned for: Crafty goodness! Crazy Ladies I <3 Part 2! And, speaking of clowns, makeup tips from an extremely freelance Makeup Artist! Huzzah!

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Sara dispenses unsolicited advice about: BODY MODS

(Image credit here)

Tattoos and piercings are becoming increasingly mainstream. Some argue this is because my generation lacks some other, perhaps more definitive, rite of passage.

Maybe, but I'd also like to think it's because my generation finds diversity of body types not only acceptable, but fantastic. I've always had a deep admiration and respect for tattoo artists and body modification as a form of artistry.

So, as someone who has cultivated a love for body modification for may years (*ahem*voted in high school "Most Likely to become a Tattoo Artist"*ahem*) and has a couple of friends in the business- allow me to present to you my personal                                                                     
DO'S and DON'TS.

DO:

+ Research potential risks and complications of piercings. Though I wouldn't say it's the ultimate authority, BMEzine is a good place to start.
+ Respect that tattoos are forever. Removal sucks. Respect your body and invest some time in to the design  and placement of your piece.
+ Develop a working relationship with a reputable artist.

How do you know if they're reputable? Here's some tips
- Look for health department certification in the shop (it takes 30 seconds to Google your local state law requirements).
- Ask to look at a potential artists portfolio (you can often get a feel for their style on their website, if they have one, but talk to the artist in person before you get tattooed and ask for a portfolio of HEALED pieces).
- Ask around. If I spy a person with a nice tattoo, I find is it perfectly acceptable to politely ask , "Your tattoo is amazing. Who is your artist?" Gain a consensus.

+ Take care of your piercing or tattoo! Do what your artist says and when in doubt, call the shop.
+ Be prepared to spend some money. If you can't afford to get it, you can't afford to fix it when it fucks up. I generally avoid any shop that advertises being cheap because... ya get what you pay for, which may in fact be a staph infection if you base your choices on who's cheap.
+ Let the artist be an artist. Don't just Google Image Search or pick flash off the wall and slap it on. Cater the piece to you via your artist.
+ For piercings, be aware of what type of metal the jewelry is. Generally, it's best to stick with solid (not plated) metals.
+ Wear sunscreen. Especially over a lovely, healed tattoo that you want to keep looking nice.
+ Tip the artist. They will remember you fondly for it. You want to be in good graces with someone who's gonna be poking you with sharp objects.
+ Be aware that some people have tendencies to have reactions to some types/colors of ink (red and white ink especially). Be aware that no tattoo ink is FDA approved. Concerned about what's in the ink? Vegan? Talk to your shop!
+ Be aware that very few piercings (in my experience) are forever. Be prepared for keloiding, rejection, and potential scarring. However, for earlobe stretching/gauging, there is a certain point where the lobes will not shrink back down.
+ Consider the potential for issues with your job or school when it comes to visible body modification.
+ For lip/tongue/facial piercings, be aware of the potential for gum erosion or tooth damage.
+ Carefully research any tattoo concept that's in a foreign language or characters. Check your spelling on lettering a million times.
+ For beautiful people of color- I encourage you to look at your tattoo concept on brown-toned paper. I've had friends who really liked their concept when it was drawn up, but were disappointed when it looked different on their skin. Laughably, my skin is about the color of printer paper, but get thee to a craft store and print your idea out on paper that is similar to your skin tone.

DON'T:

+ Over-care for your tattoo/piercing. Do what your artist says and don't hesitate to ask if there's concern, but don't OVER-WASH it either. Sometimes the best practice is LITHA (leave it the hell alone). Be aware of what an infection can look like, but over-washing can be detrimental to the healing process by taking away the body's natural healing gooey scabby goodness.
+ Do not pick or scratch your healing tattoo. Pat it.
+ Go to a tattoo shop drunk/high. Be present!
+ Copy someone else's design. That's just tacky.
+ Get a tattoo because it's trendy, but don't poopoo an idea just because it's popular. I've seen a few tribal pieces in person recently that look amazing. 
+ Ask tattooed/pierced people dumbass/prodding questions. 

Let me help you people (and you know who you are) by answering all these questions right now:
-Yes, it hurt but pain is subjective.
-No you can't touch it.
-It's none of your damn business as to what it means.


Now this is in no way and exhaustive list, but it's a good place to start if you're considering a tattoo or piercing. Some of you may be wondering, so I'll go ahead and be nice. I have 3 tattoos and 3 piercings. I've started a Pintrest Board if you're interested in how I would describe my tattoo style. What's yours?

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Sara shares: PRICELESS WHIMSY

I read Post Secret religiously every Sunday. I find myself drawn to the Post Secret project probably for the same reasons millions of others are: it's an honest, heart-wrenching, and insightful look at the human condition.

Aaaannnnndddd, with that in mind, it is with great pride that I announce a new Sara Says What?! Sunday blog feature supreme*! Ladies and gentlemen, I give you...


And for our inaugural entry I present to you, dear readers, something really special that I captured at a little hole-in-the-wall-I'm-only-open-when-I-fucking-feel-like-it thrift store I discovered in the Hillcrest area.

Arriba!


Hope you had a lovely weekend. But if you didn't, it's surely better now. ;)

*And yes, I come across enough old, creepy, soul-stealing, clowns on my junkin adventures to probably have a daily CTC.

AND SUBMISSIONS ARE ENCOURAGED!

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Sara makes stuff: MY CURRENT CRAFTY ENDEAVORS

HELLO SPRING!
 And, my goodness, it's MARCH!

I feel as though I am coming out of a hibernation- it's time to make stuff! In my spare time, I like to make semi-useless things. That usually entails jewelry, crocheting/knitting, x-stitching, and occasionally baking. I like to think of myself as a little crafty bard- well versed but master of nothing, HA! Here's what I've been working on recently:

Awhile back I posted about what to do with my old key collection, and I think I have found the answer!



I also picked up Twinkie Chan's Crochet Goodies for Fashion Foodies and have been working on a toast scarf (and apparently, according to Twinkie Chan, toast is savory...mmmm... toast). My spousal equivalent promises me he will wear this.

Source: google.com via Sara on Pinterest


I've been making a couple of these babies from tights that are no longer wearable- except I've been using huge plastic beads instead of bouncy balls (but I'm working on my bouncy ball stash!) I was inspired by P.S. I made This.

Source: google.com via Sara on Pinterest


I'm also lusting after Trendsetter's Cha Cha yarn. However, it's kinda got a funky ladder-ribbon style that required some research as to "HOW THE FUCK DO I MAKE IT DO?" The end results are totally worth it!



I was also fortunate enough to hit a crafty lady's estate sale and scored some stitching books on the cheap! I'm hopefully going to stitch up some cutesy, small pieces.

Finally on the agenda is to organize my jewelry making supplies... OMFG... I've been hitting up the local bead store quite a lot recently and I'm itchin to work up some pretty things like this:



But unfortunately, my stash is a kerfluffed hell hole. Bead organizing party anyone?

What have y'all been making? Amazing jewelry? Badass cupcakes? A mess? Babies? I wanna know!