Obsession Du Jour - Dolls, (and getting them for freeee.)

Also known as obsession #478567.

I have a bit of an obsessive compulsive personality.  When I was little I thought the world would come crashing down if I stepped on a crack between cement tiles, and it made for very long travel times to the playground.  So, it could be worse, I could be compulsively licking lamp posts and other random objects, and instead I cultivate the obsessive side of my personality. 

I'm on the fence, between thinking it's creepy and unseemly for a woman my age, but then I think of all the old ladies who collect dolls, who,granted, I think are creepy, and it seems alright that I just want one little doll, mostly to practice my tiny doll sewing for.  

Not just any dolls.  What I wanted was a Magic Attic doll.  Partially because I stumbled upon my little sister's American Girls catalogue, and Mr Snork informed me we could afford nothing in there.  (Not even the stuffed raccoon that comes in a tiny tin trash can, for $40, to accompany the $300 camping trailer with a fold down bed).  

And partially because after that I decided their dolls are dumb anyway.  They all look the same.  Poo on you, $95 doll with no personality and funny looking thighs.  I don't care that you come with a book.  Your outfits cost more than mine, and it's just not good for my self esteem.

My stepmother had dug out a no name but pretty doll for $3 at Goodwill, and long, methodical Saturday morning Google image search of every doll image available (on the worldwide web) turned out it is Megan, of the Magic Attic Club.  An obsession was sparked.

This is my sister's Megan.  (My sister is 11, so only one of us is creepy).

A quick Craigslist search turned up a couple Megan's in New York and Ohio, and a couple of her sisters a little closer to to home, but not quite.  I also stalked Ebay, but it's hard to shell out $40 for a doll when my stepmother paid $3.  It's not good for my psyche.  AND, I'm almost 30, so my dolls would really need to be free, so I can tell people it was an accident.

"I don't know how I ended up with that.. I bought a car, and it was rolling around in the back seat..."

Fast forward to this last weekend, when a doll surfaced in Oceanside.  After some mild haggling, for $20.  With 'extras'.  Extras, is doll speak for all the doll crap that should naturally come WITH the doll,  because there's no other use for it, but instead, people will charge you $10-$30 per outfit, shoe, and anything that doll's ever touched and that originally probably came in the box with her.  Not that I'm bitter. 

But this Oceanside lady was very reasonable, and for $20, she set a trash bag of doll, and all her worldly belongings on her porch with an empty envelope for payment.  Like every good Craigslist transaction should be. 

Meet Alison:

I found that Mr Snork gets really creeped out when he finds the doll staring at him, so naturally, I've spent larger portion of the weekend staging the doll off to his side, or behind him, with an inquisitively tilted head aimed right at him.  When he's watching football..washing dishes...stripping some furniture..googling Ebay rates for doll sales...  

And, speaking of Ebay, ridiculously priced doll accessories, and American Girl phenomenon.  Couple blocks down after we picked up the doll trashbag, was an estate sale, where I picked up a pink doll trunk, and a shoe box filled with doll crap.  Mr Snork almost stopped talking to me, in a "are you seriously going to fill our house with doll shit in your old age" kind of way, but I was too busy mourning a doll bed someone swiped right from under me to pay him any attention.

Last night, I put some doll stuff on Ebay.  3 people have excersized the Buy it Now Option, and as of last night, Alison was officially free and paid for.   The doll trunk and the shoe box of doll crap, also paid for.   Couple other items have bids.   I have a feeling our gas and lunch expenses that day will be paid for shortly as well.  And, I have more doll crap to list.   Woot.

Apparently, I arrived at the sale too late for a doll bed, and possibly a doll (I'm assuming there was one), but just in time for shoe box of "extras".   It appears that AG 'extras' not only sell at stupid prices, but after they become discontinued and replaced by more ridiculous extras, they become "retired" and even more sought after.  Score.

Needless to say, Mr Snork is talking to me again.   Now I gotta go ship some stuff.

The Blue Elephant (Singer 338)

I picked her up, with manual and all extra parts at a yard sale for $8.  I was looking for a Singer 185, and asking everyone if they were selling an old sewing machine.  While Mr Snork rolled his eyes, and mumbled that if they were selling a machine, it would be on their lawn.

Naturally, as he was mumbling something to this effect at a sale in Pacifica few weeks back, the lady ran back into the house, talking about indeed having an old machine or two.  Her son/cashier, confided in me that it was the 'ugly blue/green from way back', and I probably wouldn't want it, as the Mr groaned.  "If it's ugly, she'll want it even more.  FML"

It turned out to be a Singer 338, complete with a plastic blue carrying case.  It's giant, very heavy, and generally elephant- like.  I stayed behind and petted its beautiful pastel blue enamel paint, lest someone think it's not taken as Mr Snork left to the ATM.   Not having any cash is usually a foolproof way not to buy stuff, but every once in a while, when I start petting inanimate objects, he just turns around and comes back with some money.  It's almost telepathic, and really, really endearing.  I wish I could pay him back in kind, but he just never gets excited about a screwdriver or a saw at a yard sale like that.   

Good thing I stayed, too, because two other ladies were hawk eyeing my new baby like crazy, and one asked if she could pet it also.  True story. 

The 338s were only made for a couple years, in the early 60's.  It uses cams for decorative stitches, and can even do double needle stitching.  Pretty fancy.  (I wonder if ever there arises a need for decorative stitches.)

I didn't need another machine, and I still want the 185.  But - for $8 - how do you walk away?? 

It's my very first "portable" machine, and I promptly unfolded it all at my dad's house, and imagined myself a travelling seamstress.  I mean.  It might be a little over a flight baggage allowance on most airlines, but it's such a pretty blue color.. 

It fired right up, the light and everything, and went to stitching like new.  All very, very pleasing. 

And, to crown the last yard sale of the day, while the Mr was off banking, there were these sterling earings in an old sewing box.  First I hunted down a matching pair..  and then I added them to the tab.  Total at check out: $8.25.  Win.

Barbara Jean's Pretty Pink Quilt

Saturday was Pacifica's annual city wide summer sweep charity organized garage sale day.  We happened to be in Pacifica.  WIN!

It is noteworthy that, unlike Southern Californians who like to start at 6 am and other disturbing hours, non of these started befroe 8, and there were only a couple of those.  Mr Snork and I (OK, I) were overly zealous with our 7 am start.  So, we had breakfast, and he gave me a quick pep talk about how we don't need a n y thing.   Hours of fun ensued, all within a few mile radius and an ocean background.

  There was even an episode involving llamas.    LLAMAS.  (they weren't for sale)

It was the home stretch, Mr Snork could see our house (well, my dad’s), and smell the chicken sandwich and a nap.. But there were two more garage sales on the block between him and the house. The first had a camp stove that we considered, but then decided we didn’t want to pay $10 for, because we might actually want a fancier one, with dual fuel options and a middle burner. This is important, we cook a lot while camping.


The last one had a sewing machine, but a plastic one, so I wasn’t interested, a giant old paper cutter that briefly intrigued me until I drew a mental parallel between it and old French guillotines. It even had a wooden platform. I decided to hold out till a newer one, with a sliding blade falls into my lap.

And, The Quilt. I picked it up, and the stern grandmotherly lady was quick to say it’s got a hole in it, her dog got to it. This was true, there was a hole. But there was also some pretty rose shaped top stitching. And it was pink. She couldn't remember if her mom or grandmother made it, then settled on an aunt called Barbara Jean.  I looked around some more, getting the most out of my last sale of the day, found nothing, and came back to the quilt. Jesse wimpered something about ending his life if he didn’t get a sandwich right then.

I asked the lady what she wanted for the quilt, and in the background, I heard the sound of Jesse melting down.  She said, “The one with the big HOLE in it”? as if she didn't have it there for sale, and I was shopping her purse for her personal effects.  Since she had no other quilts, torn or otherwise, I said yes, and traced one of the stitched roses with my finger. (Jesse maintains that she didn’t have it out there for sale at all, it was accidentally brought out with the laundry and if she did, it was c l e a r l y meant to line a dog kennel. Which only made it worse, because, c l e a r l y, the quilt needed to be saved.)

“You want to FIX it!”, the lady said with the inflection one might say, “You’re want to PEE on it!”. And, “you are a sewer” that sounded a lot like, “You smell like eggs”.  Followed by some muttering about me petting the quilt lovingly.  She also said I could have it for a buck – coincidentally, the exact amount, to the last quarter, left in Mr Snork’s pockets, who, by the way, behaved atrociously, suggested I inspect the quilt for dog poop, and asked the lady if she was also selling rope. (The quilt didn’t smell funny. It was freshly washed, and smelled like lavender Tide. My favorite.)

And, anyway, it proved my point that she WAS selling it. If she wasn’t, I’d gotten it for free. Even though I’m not really a sewer, I just like to pretend - after careful examination, its been determined only 4 squares can’t be salvaged, and will have to be replaced – I can swing that.

In Mr Snork’s defense, I had, just earlier gotten a quilt, with no holes, and a matching pillow sham, for $2. But we won’t talk about that.  I also have a bit of an obession with "saving" things from their current environment, particularly, if they are under $3.  And, a slight disconnect between the number of projects I take on and the amount of time I dedicate to them.  But, look at the stitching! -

I mean, what do dogs know about pretty rose stitching?

Hello, Baby (Craigslist WIN)

I have a Craigslist obsession.  It's bordering on unhealthy.  I know it's a problem, and I'm trying to deal with it.  Unsuccessfully. 

Introducing, my newest toy:

I have been diligently stalking Craigslist and garage sales for a serger, with not much luck, for a few months now.  Just when I was resigned to buying whatever I could get  my hands on for $40, and mastering french seams (check) this came up.  For $50, I have the BabyLock Protege (BL 402), with a carry case, although no manual.   It's got 4 scary needles, differential feed, and works faster than I think.

I was a little intimidated, because I had called a local sewing shop last week - to see about their used/floor models - and the sales guy dropped some unsettling knowledge on me regarding sergers.  Most of it had to do with me needing the self threading serger, because they are otherwise impossible to thread.  Impossible.  It takes professionals 15 minutes, he said, and it blew the wind out of my serger sail significantly.  The magical serger starts at $1,000.  I mean.  I love this sewing thing, but if I had an extra thousand Snorkcoins, I might allocate it to Mr Snorks' New Dirtbike Fund.  Or something that involves an exotic country.  Not a sewing machine.  Time for those french seams. 

However, The Baby has a tiny handy color coded threading diagram right on it, and Mr Snork downloaded a copy of a similar Brother 1034D serger for me, and played a few YouTube videos of the threading process.  Even without the YouTube videos, I had the thing threaded in 5 minutes. That includes a couple of choice words and looking in the bathroom for my tweezers (they come in handy). 

I think I will call the salesman back and call him a dirty, dirty liar.

It's stupid fast.  A lot of scraps later..  I have the tension thing eyeballed.  Not so good:

Pretty bad:

Pretty good:

A 'chain' !!: 

The lady I got it from had bought it off her friend and never ordered a manual and learned to use it.  She thought it might need a new blade, but wasn't really sure if it was missing, or broken, or what.  (Blade seems to cut fine).  There was really no way to test it - since neither one of us had any idea about threading it, so she told me - "If it doesn't work,  you can bring it back, I'm not a jerk or anything".   There are some super nice people floating out there. 

Surprise Garage Sale WIN

I'm behind on bloggying, because I've been wrestling 90 yards of velvet into some curtains every night after work, but this last weekend...

June was gonna be a “Thrift Free” month, because I can’t help myself. I guess it’s not THAT bad,  I could instead have a nasty Starbucks habit, like certain significant others..  So, if I walk out S-Boutique $4-5 later with a dress, teacup, pair of shoes, whatever – it’s not the end of the world, right? Except the Starbucks disappears into Mr Snork’s scary metabolism, and my dress pile (to make something out of) has grown considerably.


Anyway, this Saturday, Mr Snork woke me up at 6:30, for a surprise, which had me in a pretty sour mood.  He's been talking about it since Thursday night and it sounded shady.  There aren’t very many things I am receptive to that early. So, he stuffed me in the vehicle, with my mood improving tea thermos, and went off driving to me muttering “probably somewhere ridiculous”. He was positively giddy, and I was a little worried he secretly signed me up for another 5k. But then, he pulled up and unleashed me onto this driveway.. where sewing stuff was e v e r y w h e r e.   I may have squealed a little.

Mr Snork found what looked like the mother of all crafty sales on CL, and has planned to deliver me there right at 7 am on the dot.  (God forbid someone else walks away with my stuff).  It was a little amazing, and the woman hosting the sale was the most energetic, chatty garage sale haver EVER. At first it was annoying, but then it became contagious. She was selling stuff like the guy a the farmers’ market sells bundt cakes. Loudly, and with conviction. Do I need a sewing machine? How about some ribbon? How about tassels? Do I know how to use tassels? Well, if I did, I would want them for sure. Thread? Oh, I got thread? Take MORE thread! How about a snap maker? Look at this pillow!! On and on and on.

In a stroke of luck (yet again) she had a Giant Curtain Rod. This thing is meant for a place much grander than my two bedroom, it’s like a sideways palm tree, skinned. But, it just so happens, my mother gave me the most ridiculous set of curtains – something like 20 yards of 54” fabric, sewn together into one, 108” by 20 yard piece of velvet football field awesomeness. In the 1500’s, they’d make the royal tents in the field of battle out of this stuff. And it’s been sitting, all 190 lbs of it, in my closet, because the type of rod that would hold them up does NOT sell at Ross for $6.99. (I love Ross rods).

$1 Curtain Rod. I am now knee deep in sewing curtains. And then duvet covers. And table runners. And chair covers. More curtains. Who knows.

$3 Bolt of green raw silk. It’s SO pretty. The pictures really fail here.   $1 bolt of stripey green/purple silk. $1 bolt of quilt interfacing/curtain interlining stuff (Not pictured, but it's giant and brand new, in plastic).

A Trash Bag o’Thread. $1. Mostly new rolls, serger thread even, despite the fact that serger hunt has been unsuccessful, I'm preparing.  Some spray adhesive. Some snap tape for duvet covers. Some more silk (brown, dupioni).

A $1 shelf, already hung by the door, with some teacup hooks to accommodate keys. Mr Snork really took initiative on that, because every morning he hunts the house for my keys, which I leave various places the night before. On one occasion he’s found them in the fridge.   I don't care for the green color, but I guess it goes well with the dolphin theme (to be found nowhere else in my home) untill I strip and stain it. 

Mr Snork also really liked the curtain hold back things. Especially after he was told they came from a sister’s old house in Ohio. 50c. Did you know you can use them to HANG curtains? I saw pictures in a magazine. It’s true.   Mostly over triangle shaped windows, but that might not stop me..

At some point, I looked up to see the Mr holding three bolts of fabric, a giant curtain rod, and various odds and ends, just hanging out, looking at book titles. The garage saler’s neighbor shared that her husband would rather die than be there, and I felt extra lucky. And a little guilty, I don’t know if I could be that good if he decided to, say, take me to 8 auto parts shops in one day. I might snap by #2, and offer we order whatever we need online..

I offered repeatedly that he set the stuff down in a corner, and frolick freely, but he told me later, he was being stalked for the curtain rod and possibly some other loot, and setting it down didn’t seem safe, and he’d hate to see me get violent in a driveway..   Ahhh, love. 

AND, the best part of this sale is that the hostess and I exchanged phone numbers, because, apparently, if ever I need more stuff (like a fabric cutting board), there's a good chance she has it (turns out she did).  Squeal!!!

Friday Goodies.

First, my coworkers' parents came from Germany, and "Omi" brought me a teacup she's had in her cupboard in Germany for a while. It's Japanese and super dainty and see through. I've had my thermos tea today from it, and I'm pretty pleased. That's the second time I've sat around at work and had a tea cup dropped onto me. A trans atlantic teacup, even.

Then at lunch I kidnapped Mr Snork and dragged him to an estate sale, conveniently on the way.  Everything was really pretty but expensive.  I fell in love a little with an iron, the kind you put coals into, and it irons..  But everything was priced a la antique shop in Orange County, CA, so I let that dream go.  For $65 that iron needs to be fully functional and I can't expect Jesse to make with BBQ coals every morning before work..

But, I did find and dig through a cup of silver tea spoons - an obsession relation to teacups, but a lot less space consuming, so, yay?  I found two I really liked, and had to talk the hostess into getting them - they were being sold as a 12 piece lot for $68, and she was reluctant to sell separately, but eventually, I got 2 for $10.

I deciphered one hallmark to be Wallace and Sons,  

the spoon with the pretty pine cones.

The other seems to be "IS" in some wings, or feathers, or may be just an "S"?

a "Pat .88", 

and a "sterling" on it.

It looks pretty old, or "haunted" as my little brother says, so naturally, it appeals to me even more.  As does this kind of research, on some obsessive compulsive level.  There is an International Silver Co, but it seems that all their hallmarks spell out the name. 

 ~

PS, after I typed up this blog, I went back searched just the "S" letter, and came up with George Shiebler & Co.  They were dissolved in 1910, which explains the rubbed out hallmark and its general 'haunted-ness'. 

~

PPS, after some more nosing around, I found the pattern.  Discontinued in 1888!  Extra haunted.   I might take it up to NorCal with me next time, to drink tea with and freak out the small anti-antique siblings.   

I think I'll go back tomorrow and check out the other spoons I left behind.  Shhh.  Don't tell the Mr.   It's the most haunted thing I have, after the Russian imperial silver spoons my dad brought me for my birthday.  Monogrammed with "K", conveniently, for my Russian nickname - 'Kuzya'.  Kuzya is a small, very dirty unbehaved housekeeping troll in a popular Soviet time cartoon, but never mind the details.  The spoons are pretty rad. 

Chandeliers and Trickery and How I'm Always Right

So, while I was milling about the courtyard #3 of the Giant Rummage Sale, waiting for Jesse to come join me in rummaging, I spotted the dusty mini chandelier. 

The guy in charge of courtyard #3 kept offering to 'work with me on prices', and I was simply curious if I could get the dusty chandelier for $5, as opposed to $10. Knowing full well Jesse has an aversion to chandeliers, even the free ones.  Turned out I could have it for $5 so I quickly handed him the money, and when the the future Mr SnorkMaiden f i n a l l y got there, I asked him non chalantly what he thought of that cute little chandelier, over there, on the table (in the 'sold' goods section, but he's not very observant like that).

That's when I, the guy in charge of courtyard #3 and innocent shoppers nearby got an earful.  About how:

- Nobody needs a chandelier
- I certainly don't need a chandelier
- I certainly don't need another chandelier (The first one doesn't count btw, my stepmom gave it to us)
- Am I trying to live on the set of Sanford and Son?
- Am I serious?
- A demand to hear a list of three things that can be taken OUT of the house before this one can be brought in (not even fair, I mean, the lamp takes up one square foot..)
- Where in the world would I hang it.
- And, finally, about how he's about to have to staple furniture to the ceiling to have any kind of walking space (dirty lies) so, there won't be any room for chandeliers anyway (wild exaggerations).

At this point I figured everyone has had enough laughs, so I picked up my chandelier indignantly, informed him it was already paid for, and that he'd have to finish his meltdown at home, thanks.  (To his credit, he resigned quietly, and offered to take it to the truck, probably hoping to 'accidentally' drop it a few times en route)

I washed it, and took it apart, and gave the crystals a Dawn bath.  I started to spray paint it green (bad idea) so, I finished it in black.  White/ivory might have also been cool, but I had green and black on hand, so black it was.  It came out exquisite.  It's missing a few crystals, but in all the sparkle-ness, you can't really tell. 

I could not find a setting on my camera that would take a picture of it, the way the Swarovski Chandelier Place down the street has them in their brochures, sigh.  But it's pretty magical.  Jesse apparently worked through his grief while he was wiring it, and while I was off drinking margaritas with Giraffy, he hung it up for me in our hallway.  Yeep!  On top of that, when I got home he conceded that it wasn't the worst $5 purchase I'd ever made.  Ha!

Would you like to follow me through the 80 million chandelier pictures, that depict 1/10th of its sparkle-ness?   Of course, you do.  Meet my hallway:

And a close up? 

And a different light setting, in case you haven't really fallen over just yet: (Note the sparkly-ness)

It's even pretty when it's not lit up: 

Ok, last one. 

I have a 4g memory card full of these, if anybody needs a myriad chandelier pictures, btw.  I'm also on the market for a cooler camera that can capture sparkling better.  Don't tell Jesse.

Rummage Saling.

Gr.  I can't format this post right at all...

I have previously stayed away from rummage sales, because the word 'rummage' is kind of unattractive as is the mental image it conjures up.  Not that 'dumpstering' is a better word, but my 8 year old sister made it up, so it's cute.  Rummage is not.  Then I read on Moderate Means how she went to one, and even got free stuff, and I'd hate to think there are free things being handed out somewhere without me present.   That just wouldn't be fair. 

Actually, I went to TWO rummage sales (the churches were practically next to each other, and couple blocks from my work) a couple times, because I felt that the future Mr Snork should experience it as well, and there was a half off day the next day.  How can you not?? 

It was terrible.  They had, like 2 halls and 3 courtyards full of stuff.  There was a rack of fur coats ($175-$500).  A rack of them, not just the scraggly one or two.  We live in SoCal, by the way.  I asked the stern volunteer lady where they got their stuff, and was sternly informed it is all donated.  

There was a whole 'designer' clothing and shoes section, in addition to the Hall of Clothes and Courtyard of Shoes.  I saw 12 pairs of skis.  I asked where all this stuff goes when it doesn't sell - seriously - who buys fur coats in SoCal - and was sternly told it is either donated to S-Boutique, or various charities.  Pretty cool.  I picture a fireplace at a children's ministry somewhere with a cozy rabbit fur rug, for children to sit and read books on, courtesy of rummage sale fur coat donations. 

I was slightly obsessed with this $10 chair. The fabric is ugly, probably original.  I don't even like mid century modern stuff (except my awesome chairs) but I like the lines.  And the fact that I could change the cushions to the Alexander Henry fabric I've been dreaming about.  And then I could probably resell it.  On the downside, I have two danish modern tables in garage I'm supposed to be refinishing.  Jesse is getting suspicious over my intent with those.

I know, I already have a wedding dress.

But may be this one could be like an artsy photo project?

Or may be I could use it in case Jesse and I decided to secretly elope before the actual wedding.

Plus, once the wedding is done with, I probably can't keep shopping for wedding dresses, so I may as well, yes?

See how I added a shawl for a belt there? Artsy in progress. $10

I am not sure what this is, but look at the colors! And, they're dancing! It's on a piece of fabric and it's signed. ..Marcot?  My dad really likes tribal stuff, so I thought he'd enjoy it if my mom lets him hang it on a wall. Ha. $2.50

This $5 chandelier deserves a post of its own.   Don't let its dustyness fool you. 


There was also photo/history book about Soviet Union, 3 patterns for 10c each, a $1 ziplock baggy of plastic indians that my dad collects, and a very very soft cashmere blazer for the future Mr Snork.  He looks and feels like a very soft kitten in it, and it pleases me.    





The Things I Didn't Get But Eyeballed Gallery:

I want to hug and hold anything with ball and claw feet.  Literally.  If Ikea started attaching wood ball and claw feet to their fake wood stuff, I'd probably be all over it.  May be if I hadn't drug home a ball and claw alley table that one time..  I could have gotten this one.  (The alley table that I'm supposed to refinish is still utouched in garage.  Sigh)

Another awesome chair to feed my chair obsession. No balls or claws, but almost.  And the flowers.  !!

I wanted this kind of badly, it's got the original tapestry seat under the needlepoint fruit.  Note the tiny ball and claw feet.  And, it's practically a chair, which explains the magnetic pull it had.   When I came back the half off day (that would make $7.50) it was gone.  Jesse did a little dance.  Sigh. So much potential.. 

It's not quite as cool as the Amish Cat I stalked at a San Clemente thrift shop, but it has cool potential.

I also ate a jar of cookies this weekend, and accompanied Giraffy to Farmer's Market, so it wasn't ALL running around, rummaging and taking pictures, just so you know.