Thursday, May 31, 2012

Speaking of Decorative Tape

I got this idea from Michelle Geller's blog, even before I knew she was sending me 12 rolls of the stuff from Target.  She had posted here about a cute little cassette case she'd picked up at Goodwill.  I liked her idea so much (and because I totally loved that floral pattern she found!), I went looking for the same thing on my next trip to Value Village. 

For the same $1.99 that she spent, I found something the same but different, with 3 drawers and a dark brown, "faux wood" style.  With a few stickers added just for the heck of it (clearly "Deb" didn't believe in overdoing it when it came to decoration).

But that's okay. The drawers went in the dishwasher and came out perfectly clean.  The case wiped off and out easily enough, followed by a little Mod Podge, some dictionary pages and Tim Holtz tape for the top and now it looks completely different.

I put a little dish of cat litter inside for a day or two to take away the dusty, unused smell. Worked like a charm.

The holder itself works perfectly.

I was worried I wouldn't be able to fit in all my tapes but as it happens, I even have room for one or two more rolls.  Then again, maybe I should keep my eyes open for another one like this, just in case I have the urge to buy more tape at any time in the future (like when Mary Ann Moss blogs about new tape she has ordered). It could happen.  ;)

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

I Got Mail

First, the invitation from the post office, inviting me to attend a nearby location to pick up a parcel but not until the next day after 1 p.m.  In the meantime, the anticipation builds, the excitement is palpable.

Then, a small cardboard box, decorated with polka dots.

Inside, a brown paper package tied up with string.  One of my favourite things.
Once opened, a treasure trove is revealed, including (and perhaps most exciting, judging by the way my heart skipped a beat), the recently introduced decorative tapes from Target:
3 colour combos - squeee!

This adorable little bingo journal:

and a whole package of ephemera delights of every size and shape:

Love the calligraphy!


some of which went immediately into my journal:
A very generous gift from my friend and adopted sister, Michelle Geller, who knows how much I love vintage paper goodies.


Tuesday, May 29, 2012

So Cute When She's Asleep

It's hard to believe this sweet looking, sleepy creature



is such a bundle of energy (and Katrina's eternal nemesis) when she's awake!

Monday, May 28, 2012

Shopping at Christie

Okay, time's up! For those of you who guessed the cheque writing machine, you were right!  My mom thought maybe I had bought everything from the last post but the buffalo head and I can't say I wasn't tempted (especially by that leaded window pane, wasn't it lovely?).  I really didn't get that much but what I got, I love.

I had seen an older style of cheque writing machine earlier in the day for $40 that only printed even numbers (10, 20, 30, etc.) and only printed out the full word in capitals (i.e. "TEN") but it chewed up the edge of the paper, so I wasn't too keen.  When I saw this one, I first asked if it worked, which surprised the vendor because she hadn't thought to try it out and hadn't realized what it was (her partner had brought it).  We tried it and it worked like a charm, complete with the sort of text you would normally see on a certified cheque.  I asked the price, she went to ask her partner, came back and told me I could have it for $20.  I said that couldn't be right, but she assured me her partner said it was too heavy to carry home, she wanted to sell it.  How could I not buy it?!  (It was darned heavy though, many thanks to Barb for carrying it back to the car for me.  Although it is working well when I want to flatten anything out, like journal pages that curl as they dry).

I might use it for a date stamp.  Here's how my birth date (November 28, 1961) looks:

It only goes up to $100,000 so I can't write myself a cheque for a million dollars, but I could write 10 of them for 100G's, couldn't I?

No, Heidi, it wasn't the vintage album with the mirror on the cover. The vendors wanted $95 a piece for each of those albums and they were both rather ugly (it has to be said), in very poor condition, one was empty and the other had very few photos inside. So not worth it. 

In fact, many of the items at this sale seemed hugely overpriced, especially compared to the antique market I'd been to just 2 weeks before.  My friend Barb overheard one of the vendors talking about how they jacked the prices up for the Toronto shoppers, who didn't know the real value of what was on offer.  Needless to say, she didn't buy anything in their booth!

Notwithstanding that comment and luckily for me, I found several items that I thought were being given away for outrageously low prices and I snatched them up!  Only after asking, "Are you sure? That price seems awfully low to me."  One gentleman told me it depends what he paid for it. As long as he was still making a profit, he didn't mind if the price was too low.  (Thank you, sir, for the vintage postcard books of Rome and Florence that you sold me for only $5 a piece.)

For example, I got this ledger book for - are you sitting down for this, my journaling pals? - a mere six dollars! That's right, I said $6.00)!

I asked the guy, "Are you sure there isn't a zero missing?"  He just shrugged and smiled. 

It's a beauty, although rather tall. As you see from the photo, it's a full 17 inches high!  The exterior is a little beat up but the inside is in mint condition, all of the numbered pages are intact and completely blank inside.  Not sure what I'll do with it (Lori, I definitely like your suggestion about sharing ideas!) but I knew I had to have it.

I was most excited about this set of number stamps.  Look how beautifully they were packaged, with ribbon and a handmade tag. 

The seller told me it was a full set but alas, there is no zero.  I shall persevere.  I've already tested them out in my journal (suddenly with the numbers and the background stripes, this little face is starting to look like a mug shot...)

I was so excited, I had to buy a twirly stand to hang them on (from the same vendor, a lovely woman with two tween-aged daughters helping in her booth)! 

I've since been regretting that I didn't get the double-tiered stamp holder, especially when I realized this holder would be completely filled up and I'd still have one stamp left over.  Oh well, next time. 

I have been looking at both of these types of items on eBay in the past few months so I knew they were reasonably priced ($22 and $25, respectively, my biggest purchases of the day) and I didn't have to pay shipping charges - bonus!

All in all, it was a great day.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Christie 2012

Another perfect day for an outdoor antique market. Okay, it was a little on the hot side, temperature-wise but I do so love summer and it is such a short season for us Canadians that I really can't complain.  It was hazy or slightly cloudy for most of the day, which really made a difference in the comfort level. 

Can you guess which one of these items came home with me?








Okay, I'll give you a hint - it wasn't the buffalo head but possibly only because I didn't see it first.  I was amazed that the woman who did buy it couldn't have been younger than 80 years old.  I hope I have the verve to buy a buffalo head when I'm that age.  And that I will find a young man kind enough to carry it to my car for me and pose for a photo for a stranger.

Friday, May 25, 2012

A Funny Thing Happened...

Okay, I wasn't on the way to the Forum but I did see a Roman gladiator on the way to work this morning.  I smiled, thinking I'd be seeing the real thing at the Colosseum (or Coliseum) in Rome in just a few weeks' time, then didn't give it another thought for the rest of what turned out to be "one of those days where you barely have time to scarf down a sandwich in the the middle of the afternoon from the cafe downstairs because you're too freaking busy to break for lunch". (not my favourite kind of day, let me tell you).

But then, as I was driving home, there were dozens, perhaps hundreds of people in various types of costume.  Most of them in their early 20's, of all sizes, colours and manner of costume.  I couldn't quite figure out the theme, until I realized it must be anime. 

Sure enough, there is a convention going on this weekend near where I work.  I had no idea!

I managed to snap a few photos while traffic was crawling along:
Note: it wasn't raining.

These 3 were posing while several people took their picture.
Check out the reflection in the window.



If I were going to attend, I'd probably wear something with a cape too.  Even if it is 35 degrees C (aka 95F) outside today!

Thursday, May 24, 2012

More May Meeting Fun

Here are the rest of the pages from our May Journal Junkies gathering, held last week at Bizzy B:

Diana used wrapping paper featuring a character called Doris for her page:


Chloe drew this image of a clown - I love the colours! (I believe she said she used gel pens)

Marilyn's pages were made using some of the humourous buttons she has collected over the years:



My favourite is "bad spelers of the world untie!"  It makes me laugh every time I see it. :)

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

A Humourous May Theme

Here are photos of some of the pages made by my fellow Journal Junkies members, taken at last week's meeting.  As you may recall, the theme for May was "comics/humour".

This was Louise's page, based on a picture that always makes her laugh to remember the fun time associated with it.

Colleen made this adorably humourous page:

Bette did two spreads. In the first one, she showed a vintage shoe advertisement offering shoes for a mere $1.77 a pair on the left side, as compared to the prices of certain shoes today, as shown on the right.

In her 2nd spread, she featured a number of funny quotes and suggested we pick one:



Diana used wrapping paper featuring a character called Doris for her page:


Tune in tomorrow for part two of this post to see the journal pages made by Chloe, Marilyn and Joanne.



Tuesday, May 22, 2012

A New Ledger

My ledger obsession continues with this phenomenal find from a quick visit to Value Village at lunch time today.

I always head to the office supply section first and today, this ledger was the first thing I saw.  I literally snatched it off the shelf, quickly checked the inside pages and the price (only $1.99!!!!) and then clutched it to my bosom and did not put it down again.  I think the guy beside me might have wanted to look at it but once I had it in my hot little hands, I wasn't going to let it go!

I asked Yonhee to pose with the book (while Joy coached her from nearby) so you could get an idea of the size - it measures a whopping 17 by 13.5 inches, and is a half inch thick!!

As you can see, the liner page from the inside from cover has been ripped out (the inside back cover is intact) but it doesn't look like any of the ledger pages (all of which are blank) are missing.  I think it looks kind of cool the way it is.

I also picked up a Rolodex and an accordion file, each for 99 cents. 

For a grand total of $4.49 (the tax man got his share too), I consider it a major SCORE!