Back in the saddle again...

This past weekend I got a chance to scope out a couple estate sales. It had been too long since I'd been able to get my fix! The last few weeks my weekends have been pretty busy and there hasn't been any time for shopping. Anyway, the first one I went to was a bust so I headed over to my friend Chris' estate in Santa Clara. I used to work with her sometimes when she needed extra help so I know her sales are always worth going to and the prices would be reasonable.

I found these cool pictures out in the garage for five bucks a piece. They're a little rough but after a fresh coat of paint on the frames they'll be good as new! They're going to be perfect in my asian-themed bedroom. The stickers on the back show they were purchased at Sears-Roebuck for $4.98 apiece.

I also scored this super cute "Curler Hamper"-pink rubber sprinkled with gold glitter...of course it will be re-purposed to hold other hair accessories or possibly be used on the toilet tank to hide an extra roll of toilet paper.

One of my best friends (who also happens to be my hair dresser) is moving to Austin the first of September and I wanted to send her off with a fun going-away present. This turquoise hair dryer was calling her name! Still in the original box and it's never even been used. The insides are still wrapped in plastic. I think it's too cool to actually use, but it will be great as a display piece.

After the estates, I finally got to see the Shaheen exhibit at the San Jose Museum of Textiles. I'm SO glad I went! The pieces on display were fantastic examples of his brilliant creativity and eye for color and whimsy. I was a little disappointed a catalog of the exhibit wasn't available for purchase, but the collection is a work in progress so I'm holding out hope for a book in the future. 

A new purpose...

With the all the stuff that I aquire, it can prove difficult living in a house built in 1959 for "a minimalist lifestyle". I live in an Eichler and not only were they built without much storage, but the model I live in has even less than most! Needless to say, I have to come up with creative ways to store all the "treasures" I bring home. Usually though, I'm just trying to come up with a practical way to make everyday things work for our home. Our hall bathroom is pretty small and has no storage to speak of. I saw a photo of this idea online somewhere (I would love to give credit where credit is due for this fabulous solution, but alas, I can't remember where I came across it!) and knew it would be perfect for our bathroom. I'm sure you've seen those little 50's metal telephone stands at a swap meet or estate sale and thought "that's so cute but who needs a telephone stand anymore?!". Well, here's a great way to re-purpose one: a towel holder for your bathroom. I also use one that belonged to my grandparents in our living room as a plant stand. The one you see above I found in the bathroom (how fitting!) of an estate sale a couple weeks ago and Viola!-extra towel storage problem solved! Oh, and the top is not only the perfect size for an old telephone, but for a box of Kleenex as well...

Ooooo that smell!

Ever buy vintage clothing or bedding at an estate sale that smells super musty or old lady-ish? Or when you bought it, it DIDN'T smell but once it was wet in the wash it started to stink? That's happened to me more times than I can count. I used to try washing the item over and over with regular detergent which didn't really do anything except waste water and electricity. Then I found Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator. (Do I sound like an info-mercial yet!?) Seriously, this stuff works. You can use it as detergent alone or add it to your regular detergent and it really takes the stink out of stuff after one wash. Over time it's gotten harder and harder to find in stores, but in the past I've bought it at Wal-Mart (although I normally don't support Wal-Mart, I've actually made a special trip to find this!) and once was lucky enough to find it at Walgreens. Whenever I have a bottle I use it sparingly since it's difficult to find, however, I just did a search on Febreze's site and they list K-Mart as the only retailer. I checked google and it seems some sites like Amazon are selling it if you don't have a K-Mart near you. I'm not sure why it's so tough to get but it's totally worth the hunt. Anyway, if you happen to find it, grab a bottle and see what lovely things it can do for your stinky vintage stuff!