Three Stores in 3 hours: the Goodwill Challenge in Kansas City

Kansas City and the surrounding area is a cornocopia of thrift stores and yard sale heaven. As we were heading out to the airport this morning, we passed a valiant group setting out their yard sale items tenatively as the rain looked like it might start again.
Bright and early one morning I set out to hit the Goodwill Challenge: 3 stores, three different sides of town, in three hours with thirty dollars. My goals were to find vintage leather, a vintage suitcase to carry my items home and possibly some vintage art materials. I wasnt disappointed.
One striking motif of the Goodwills of the area had to be the prevalence of these solid wood tables.fabulous.
This Goodwill was also jam packed with this new technique of hanging pants with the waist hanging out. It was so nice to shop looking at the waist size. It also enabled them to hang more pants.
Goodwil 16630 135th Avenue,Kansas City Area. A super clean store with friendly staff. This store earns ONE TRUCK.Plan to stock up on tables and cute vintage furniture but leave the rest behind!

Estate Sales Shawnee Mission Kansas

It was with great glee when we set out to find barbecue and ended up hitting a row of estate sales and yard sales with out of this world deals.



First and foremost, these fantastic vintage sewing machines were a bit rough around the edges but you could tell they had plenty of life left in them.



Next there was a great stack of vintage golden books, perfect for collage with all of their vintage bird imagery.



It was hard to pass up this old woodstove but it wont fit in my suitcase.Also, the old radios- there were lots of them at every sale.




My favorites are always the old rusty receptacles that would look great in the garden with some hens and chicks planted in them.




There were a few consistent items at the many sales we hit:
1. great vintage books
2. south american textiles
3. native american handcrafts
4. hutches & tables

All in all, the finds here were well priced and over abundant. As one reader has suggested, a uhaul may be a good idea.

Thrifting in Kansas City Missouri MAJR THRIFT

We've been having a wonderful time trawling the streets of Kansas City for good barbeque and good shopping. After stopping by Oklahoma Joe's original outpost of good eatin', we happened upon MajR Thrift just down the way.
In an unassuming corner of one of those strip malls lies the MajR. We were beckoned in by the 30% off all summer merchandise and half off day advertisements.
Unfortunately, the selections there were geared more for those seeking vintage supplies to work with and not for finding good vintage pret a porter.
This is the place to go to though if you are looking for vintage items to embellish or alter or supplies for altered collage creations. There was a good stock of plain vintage hats, vintage chippy toys -both wooden and metal- and as always, good vintage books.
You could also look here for good slips that need a bit of revamp. All in all MajR Thrift is a picked over destination as far as clothing goes, but for supplies, you can beat their cheap prices for vintage materials.
MAJR THRIFT
2844 W. 47th Avenue
(913) 362-5001

Love and the Singer 15-90

It's only been a week since the Singer 15-90 arrived. I've barely seen the light of day, barreling through two boxes of vintage leather scraps and carting out cut velvets from the attic and the storage facility. Who knew that a machine, pushing 70 years old, could transform the sewing landscape around here?

It only serves to reaffirm my faith to never, ever buy new again. If you are looking for a newer machine that cant sew more than a bit of old muslin,check out the 8 or so I've listed on Craigslist. Will deliver in New Orleans!

Mentoring the next generation of recycled entrepeneurs

It's taken a semester or two, but finally my former student is ready to create her own recycled business. Anh Khan has been in the US for almost ten years. She and her family reside in New Orleans East which used to be one of the largest Vietnamese communities in the States,pre Katrina. Anh and her sister Anh Dai
are recreating a popular art from their birth country by using discarded materials from their new country. Predominantly my office to be specific about it.They have created so many bowls and vessels that there wasnt enough time to photograph.
They have started a paypal account and are getting ready to open up an etsy shop.Watch out world because they have carted away about a ton of paper already and are clamoring for more!

Junking in the French Quarters Bayou Salvage Style

Had a great time junking this past weekend on Decatur Street in the French Quarter. After brunching with a friend a Cafe Envie, it was time to strike out and look for deals. These shabby chippy shutters drew me into Bottom of the Barrel Antiques right away. The colors remind me of Italian ice creams.
This rusty shabby pelican was making my heart beat fast. Heather wont let me get any more yard art during grass cutting season. Yet wouldn't this be great perched on the roof?
Then I found this chandelier. Love the spring green color it was painted. This would be great hanging freestyle in the garden or rewired for indoors.
Last but not least, this basket of old bathtub feet. We use these an endcaps for books and actually upturned as business card holders. The rustier the better.

Bottom of the Barrel Antiques
1209 Decatur

Pass Market this Saturday Mississippi Gulf Coast

I'm so excited to be hauling the BayouMobile over to Pass Christian this Saturday morning for the Pass Market. Located at Memorial Park at Beach Avenue in historic old Pass Christian, the market features local produce,fresh baked goods and a few arts vendors. We'll be there along with our friend Vigo Boom and his Southern fried Blues Art.It runs from 8-11Am and was featured not too long ago in Coastal Living.
Come check us out and enjoy the coast on a hot summery day. See yall there!

Working our wholesale accounts

When business got slow in may we really threw our efforts into making new stuff and getting into more shops. Well its paying off but getting a bit scary due to the new territory.I have to get some work ready for not one but two museum shops.Whoa. This is totally different at a gut level. My fear is that it isnt good enough or finished enough or just well museumy enough. So we'll see.Its scary good but still scary!

Peacocks in Lacombe

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originally uploaded by rustchic.

My boss went birding this weekend in Lacombe to the peacock park. She went to collect feathers as the babies were molting. Couldnt get this image out of my mind, so of course it was time to make some peacocks, bayou style. They seem to be popular on Flickr, with 75 hits in 2 days!
*ayeeeee*

Thrift City Super Sale Today

Today we're out hitting the super sale at Thrift City USA. Today is half off everything but furniture & kitchen items. Thrift City is reopened on the WestBank on Terry parkway inbetween Stumpf and Carol Sue. Take the Terry Parkway exit off the CCC. They take cash, cheks and VISA/MC. You also might want to check the Family Thrift Center nearest you. They often have 1/2 off sales in and around holidays. Family Thrift is located in Kenner and in Marrero.

After summer comes..........fall

IMG_1905,
originally uploaded by rustchic.

ICannot believe solstice has passed and that the summer school semester is almost bid adieu. Pretty soon it will be crazy time with markets & the holidays & big shows. This is my latest.......working 24/7 recycling our daily menus into Pelicans. What are you doing to prepare for fall?