thrifty sunday: long time, no see

I mentioned that we moved, right? To a whole different city, with different places to shop. A new co-op, which, incidentally, is about a thousand times more amazing than the Bellingham co-op; a new farmer's market that we explored for the first time this weekend; and, of course, a new set of thrift stores. While I appreciate the old standbys -- Value Village and Goodwill -- much like I appreciate familiar chain grocery stores, I dearly love finding new weirdo charity shops because they're usually cheaper and stocked with older stuff. 

Another change: one of us is gainfully employed! And it isn't me! Yeah, I just spend the money. Which is what I did to celebrate. 

1. Saucony "baseball shoes" in George's size, $3.99. He spotted these amid an unfortunate sea of Disney princess slippers and bizarrely inflexible dress shoes and said, "Those fit me!" He was right, and we're nearing the end of Crocs season so it was positively providential.

2. Three books, $1.99 each. How To Talk So Kids Will Listen... has been on my reading list forever, Positive Discipline in the Classroom seemed a helpful choice for a high school-cum-new middle school teacher such as Nathan, and Wonder Play (a book of stuff to do with the under-three set) is put out by the 92nd St Y, so was an easy sell.

3. Seattle Mariners shirt, $.99. What better time to wear a Mariners shirt?

4. Seemingly unworn Hanna Andersson clogs, $9.99. Pricey for a thrift store purchase, no doubt, but seriously: brand new! Purple clogs! 

5. Painting of a lady, $1. Signed "Don '54." It was a dollar! My heart hurts a little anytime I see someone's artwork languishing in a thrift store. Also, I love portraiture. Poor Don. Poor Lady. She's filthy, but she'll have a good home here.

6. Guatemalan dress, $1.99. Perfect for Zelda's fall wardrobe, with some wooly tights and a homemade cardigan, and plenty of room for the giant diaper bum. 

6.5. Again, the clogs!

thrifty sunday: plastic fantastic

These pieces were not all purchased on the same day (and, to be fair, I bought some things that don't really warrant picturing [another striped shirt, footy jammies for my little sorta-walker]), but all from the same relatively fruitful Goodwill and all within the month. 

1. Having a kid is such a good excuse to buy ridiculous, gaudy stuff from the 70s. Pink flower mirror? Um, obvious must-have for George. He need only look into the mirror, and magically become a living, breathing Anne Geddes photo. $2.99

 

The bunting is recycled from a Jill Bliss and Saelee Oh (major love for this lady) calendar -- 2008, maybe? 

2. Two pair of Hanna Andersson pajama bottoms, size 3T perhaps? $1.99 apiece

You know how Hanna rolls with that weird sizing, so 3T is just a guess. They'll fit eventually, in all their organic cotton-y, worn-in glory.

3. Awesome lamp for George's boudoir (what, exactly, does one call a bedroom nobody sleeps in? He gets dressed in there, and he certainly uses it for sulking). $5.99 

The light comes out of the 'yield' part, which casts a pleasant sort of calm, yellow hue on everything. We had been using a fancy porcelain lamp with gold flowers and a bell shade, but this is more fun and much sturdier as it won't shatter when it inevitably crashes to the floor.

I can't wait until George will sit through longer parts (not even whole chapters!) of books. That Lewis Carroll tome is going to get some serious action. Until then, it's The Carrot Seed board book over and over and over... and over. I think he appreciates that the kid really sticks it to his doubting family in the end.