I am totally getting ahead of myself here, but what time do these people get up in the morning that they have the time to make these unbelievable boxed lunches for their children…and their website. These fantastic creations are made by one Heather Sitarzewski who has her own Twitter page: @TorreyBelle, and her own blog in her own right: http://hsitarzewski.blogspot.com/ which seems to have dwindled in postings to shift over to http://lunchboxawesome.tumblr.com/. Heather is a Graphic Designer from Colorado who also does http://dailydisneydoodle.blogspot.com/ (which again, has gone away for the most part, in dedication to lunchbox amazement). But her affinity for Disney characters is abundant in lunch box after bento box after lunch box of awesomeness to the tune of around 150 at this point. One can only aspire to be such a parent as one considers the crowd that must gather around their kids’ lunch boxes each day at school. Bravo, Sitarzewski Family, your lunchboxes are indeed awesome.
Over the years, when I’ve tried to research an old or vintage item by searching the web, either using images or general googling, more often than not I have been led back to RubyLane.com. Going on their website is just fun. Well, at least for me. And likely for anyone else who likes antiques. You’re not going to find any deals, but you are going to learn a lot. And perhaps a lot about a genre of antiques that you particularly enjoy.
Personally, I’ve found some of my very favorite German boxes, “My Collections #5: West German Folk Art Boxes,” though their prices are only what I’m hoping mine are worth though I paid far less for them. I actually contacted the nice lady who owns the box below, but she was not able to lessen the price much lower than it already was.
And doesn’t the painted chest below look very similar to my own showcased in “My Collections #13: German/Polish/Hungarian Painted Chests.” Though the price of this one is, in my opinion, astronomical:
The site itself is very well done. A panorama of offerings is placed before you no matter what you’re looking for. They have a helpful price breakdown of selection on the left side which allows for even the most frugal shopper to potentially find something he or she might like. Items can also be grouped by brand, material, place of origin, type, etc. And if you sign up for an account, you’ll receive an handy dandy newsletter with some of their newest finds in your email inbox every once in awhile. If you’re an antique lover, this website’s for you!
Leave it to finally having On Demand with my ever fantastic Tivo to let me know there was such a thing as The Bronson Pinchot Project on diy network. I am a little surprised that my daughter, diy guru that she is, didn’t clue me in to this show earlier, but she has no idea of my history with Bronson Pinchot. Of Perfect Stranger fame, Balki Bartokomous brought us all the dance of joy. And let’s not forget his Beverly Hills Cop cameo in the art Gallery where he offered Axel Foley a cup of espresso,
“My name is Serge, how can I help you. What is it pertaining? What it’s meaning, regarding? Donnie? One moment. Run and tell Miss Summers that Achmed Foley is here. Donnie cover this is up. It’s not sexy, it’s animal. May I offer you something to drink, a wine, a cocktail, a espresso? I make it myself right back there with a little lemon twist, it’s good, you should try it!”
(That is all from memory, I swear. I did not youtube at all. Well, maybe a little.) To the point that his art gallery character made Eddie Murphy almost break character because he couldn’t keep from laughing. Point being: I love Bronson Pinchot. And if he ever did another sitcom or a comedy tour, I would be watching front and center.
So the first Bronson Pinchot Project show I see is about Bronson’s new library in his whatever century Georgian in whatever town in Pennsylvania, I think. He planned to face all of his books face out instead of lining them up, which made me think he didn’t have that many books, but I was wrong. In the end, the place looks like a fancy book store. With absolutely crazy curtains that go against the laws of interior design in my opinion. However, he added a really super awesome light fixture. But he actually also adds a whole lot of comedy into this diy show, including giving a $10,000 chair of his to some dude he sees on the road who fixes furniture (it turns out okay and he wants to adopt the guy). Nevermind he gets along super well with all of the other dudes who work with him.
So now go to diy Network or your Tivo or you On Demand system and record or play some episodes of The Bronson Pinchot Project. Even if you never experienced the guy before, you will enjoy him and his friends. Or just go to YouTube and relive the great TV that was Perfect Strangers. They just don’t make’em like that anymore:
This is a sweet story. A bit ago I wrote a post, “The Same Thing But Different: Figurines & Dolls Made at Different Times” where I compared several groupings of dolls. One pairing were a couple of baby dolls, one that had been mine and one I had picked up at a garage sale. Not long after, I received this email from a reader:
Message Body:
Hi there. My wife found the picture of the two Mattel’s Tiny Love dolls when searching for another doll that she was looking to find tips on cleaning for our 11 month old daughter. When she saw the picture of the doll she started crying- apparently when she was a kid- that was her favorite too. And her mom (who has passed away) made the doll all kinds of clothes. Anyhow, strong reaction for sure. Any way I could buy the one you found (not your own of course)??
How sweet, I thought, of a husband to want to buy his wife’s old doll back, one for whose picture had brought her to tears. Ah, the power of the internet. So I set to work.
I knew I had seen these dolls on ebay before, but I just couldn’t find them. That’s because I had the wrong name. Instead of “Tiny Love” as I had remembered them and referenced the “T.L.” on their little yellow outfits, their name was actually “Love N Touch,” made by Mattel. I found several on ebay and emailed him back:
Thanks so much for your email and you’re so sweet to want to get the doll for your wife! You prompted me to see if I could find more of the dolls on the web and I’ve figured out that I had the name wrong. It’s actually a Mattel Love N Touch doll, even though the initials on the outfit are T.L. and not L.T. (which led me to the incorrect name initially). So if you look on ebay under “Mattel Love N Touch,” you will find several listed. If you don’t find the exact one with the yellow suit, you likely will see one on ebay in the near future or I may be able to sell you mine. Did your wife also have the big sister, named Love N Touch Real Sister,” as I did? You can also find her listed. Apparently there were 3 in the “series” and I’ve attached a photo of the back of one of the boxes showing all of them.
Thanks so much for the sweet story and let me know if you need additional help!
So if you haven’t thought about a doll you had in years, that doll is out there somewhere on the internet. And I’m so glad I’m not the only one who can be potentially over-nostalgic about their childhood. I have not yet heard back from the Husband of The Year, but if and when I do, I’ll post an update!
As I approached My Favorite Thrift Store on this particular day, I saw a massive accident on the opposing side of the bridge I was crossing to get there. Not good, I thought. Hopefully everyone was okay, and hopefully it would be cleared up by the time I headed back the other way. Which caused me to be a bit preoccupied while thrifting. But after repeatedly checking the traffic on my iPhone, it didn’t appear to be causing any major obstruction to the traffic. So on I went in peace.
This particular day I was particularly pumped to find the new bench cushion soon after I arrived and for $2.98 no less. Yippee! I stuffed it on the rack at the bottom of the cart and spent the rest of the trip trying to keep it from catching on things as I narrowly wiggled down customer-filled aisles. Of other significance is the black and brown Brighton purse which was originally marked $24.92 but was 50% Off and so I snagged it for $12.50. I’m considering keeping it for myself. Except that it did just sell new on ebay for $79.99 and, according to the description and photo of the price tag, it sold originally for $300!:
Additionally exciting were the boy’s Vineyard Vines Swim Trunks (with the sharks on them) that are New With Tag. On the website, they go for $50. I think I’ll start them at about $30 on ebay and see how I do.
I also got a cool paper maché santa basket that I just couldn’t put down for 75¢, a cute little turquoise bird for 45¢, and a teddy bear that for some reason I had to have for 99¢. Onto the clothing, I found black Bandolino jeans for me at $1.98, Michael Kors jeans for my husband at $1.24, 75% off, a gray Gap sweater for me for $1.98, a pair of jeans for my son at $2.24, 25% off, and two pairs for a friend’s son at about the same price, a cool white coat for all of $2.98 and a Nantucket red Shaun White T-shirt for my son at 99¢, 50% off.
In the end, $46.57 spent for 14 items. Using my Thrifting Rational Rule, that’s $3.33 an item. Can’t wait to sell those swim trunks!
An earlier trip the week before nabbed me a Men’s Patagonia shirt for $4, a Pottery Barn Kids Quilt that retails at $99 (and already has a bid at $44.95 on my ebay account), a Zip-It Purse for $2 and a Relic Wallet for $2 (similar of which I’ve sold for $20). And a later trip nabbed me nine men’s shirts at half price, some men’s Tommy Bahama swim trunks and some women’s Patagonia shorts. We shall see what these end up bringing in a future post, as well.
I KNOW, I know, this should have been last week’s post with Cinco de Mayo and all, but you’re going to need this stuff around for the summer anyway and it would be my pick as a must-have for a Mother’s Day picnic, so here goes.
There are three, and only three, things I like about Chevy’s: Their chips, their salsa and their margaritas. Why? Their chips are thin and crispy, their salsa has just the right consistency and flavor for my taste with a hint of roasted smokiness (or I’m crazy) and the margaritas are margaritas – can’t really go wrong there. A friend of mine clued me in to the fact that you can, in fact, go to your local Chevy’s and order a “Pound and a Pint” of Chips and salsa. Why I don’t do this more often and whether or not they still offer this option is beyond me. But fear not, I have found another solution that may be just as somewhat difficult to obtain.
I have loved Casa Sanchez Salsa ever since the first tub I bought many years ago. Again, great consistency and flavor. I especially love the Roasted variety which I can no longer find anywhere, so if anyone has seen it lately, please drop me a line. I don’t buy this salsa too often because it’s a bit pricey. I see it at Target for $4.29 and Safeway for $4.99. But I realize, there are some things in life worth splurging on… like salsa. If you want to try to figure out the ingredients, Chowhound.com has a pretty interesting and lengthy discussion thread on the topic entitled, “Deconstructing Casa Sanchez Salsa.”
A very recent discovery led me to El Sol Homemade Salsa. I found it, believe it or not, at Grocery Outlet for the bargain price of $1.99. I bought it because it was in the same type of tub as Casa Sanchez, in the refrigerated section, and had the look of a pleasing consistency. In fact, I might like it’s more blended consistency even better than Casa Sanchez. But it will take more taste-testing to be sure. And I also like the price. Apparently they are also available at Costco but I have yet to look for them there.
And then another friend of mine brought over Xochitl Chips (pronounced “so cheel,” you’re welcome). On the bag they are advertised as Totopos de Maíz, Thin & Crispy, with Sea Salt. All of my favorite things! These were purchased, I’m pretty sure, at Whole Paycheck, which explains why I personally have never seen nor heard of them before since I have yet to set foot in that place. Regardless, these are awesome tortilla chips, as light and crispy as the Chevy’s variety I thought I’d never find in a bag.
And when making your margarita, my new favorite tequila is Costco’s Kirkland Brand of Añejo which now comes in a very heavy and fancy 1 Liter bottle for the bargain price of $19.99. I highly recommend it if you’re an añejo tequila drinker. That and Trader Joe’s Margarita mix for $1.99 diluted with Trader Joe’s Low Calorie Lemonade for $2 something makes my margarita.
Put them together and what have you got? A very pleasant afternoon.
And if you want to make you’re own salsa, here’s one of mine and my kids’ favorite recipes:
1 can stewed tomatoes
3/4 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Worcestershire
1/4 Teaspoon Hot Sauce of your choice
1/4 Cup Green Pepper
1/4 Cup Onion
All in a cuisinart and you’re done. Tastes best after refrigeration. Make double for extra!
Bay Area Beer & Wine Events for Your Mother’s Day Weekend:
May 13, 2012: Larson Family Winery Mothers Day BBQ 11:00-4:00PM
Join us in having a great weekend with lots of fun in the sun! All Mom’s get complementary tasting and our wine club members receive a free lunch! Live local music will be playing while Mom’s relax, the rest of the family and friends enjoy BBQ, bocce ball, horse shoes, cowboy golf, a jumpy for the kids, our barnyard animals, labs and much more !
May 13, 2012: Moms and Music @ Gloria Ferrer
Celebration: Calling all Moms! Come join us for a relaxing afternoon with sparkling wine, live music and a cheese display to compliment your bubbly. Cost is $35.00 for general tickets and $29.75 for club members. 23555 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. Fee: $35.00 general, $29.75 club member Time: 2:00pm-4:00pm Phone Number: 707-933-1931
The 15th Annual Petaluma Chili Cook-Off, Salsa & Beer Tasting: Saturday, May 12, 2012, 1-5 pm,
Chili & Salsa $25
Kids under 12 $10, under 5 free
Chili, Salsa and Beer Tasting $40
Signing up challengers NOW!! Tickets for the event available at the gate or online 3/1/12 until 8:30 AM 5/12/12 Behren’s Park, Herzog Hall, Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, Petaluma, CA
Similar to previously posted about “Joss & Main” is One King’s Lane. It is interesting to note that they both rhyme and connotate street addresses, as they also both represent similar sorts of items on Member’s Only Shopping Sites. As with Joss & Main, my primary use of these higher end websites is to discover fancy brands of fine furnishings for your home. Being the Bargain Huntress that I am, I’m not always pleased with either company’s price points. However, if you’re looking for something special for your house or even a gift, both links can be great places to look. But is it worth it to even bother if you don’t have the big bucks to spend? I found several things I liked at great prices in the past and present:
Summer Entertaining:
If you can no longer find these fun summer items on One Kings Lane, you can always try looking up their brand names and keeping them in your back pocket. Tovolo.com has a Where to Buy Search link which told me that I can find them at places like Sur La Table and even Ace Hardware. I had a bit more trouble with Jay Import as they don’t seem to have their own website, or I’m not as good at web surfing as I think I am. I also love plopping the name into the search box on ebay and seeing what it comes up with. It turned up plenty for “Jay Import” and “Tovolo.” So never fear, there is usually a way to find what you’re looking for.
One King’s Lane even offers Vintage and Market Finds with one-of-a-kind unique items listed daily. Here’s where I’m suspecting that there are antique dealers or designers out there who don’t set foot in thrift stores or estate sales and are perfectly fine with spending $39 on an old book. They even seem to snap most things up early in the day which leaves a lot of the items with “SOLD” signs. Really? Again, I would search for these items via ebay or etsy or elsewhere perhaps before plunking down my gold dubloons, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to look:
So now you know, even you can get a copy of “Playboy’s Host & Bar Book” for less than $95. 
You should see some of the titles they have listed like “Ice in the Bedroom” and “Seagram’s Weekend Bar & Barbecue Book.” It’s also a kick to google the names of the originating antique dealers to realize that this stuff is coming from reputable places. Even though, I’m still pretty sure I can find similar stuff at my local Goodwill for far, far less. In the end, it’s fun to look and learn along the way.
I had a Skagen watch that I wore for years and sent it in for repairs more than once and received fast and fantastic service. I even wrote a post about it: “Skagen Service & Their Watches Are The Bomb.” This watch that I loved so much was quite small and narrow which was very light and aptly fitting on my wrist. Sure, people wondered how I could even read the tiny dial, but I could. This watch also had a mesh band which I enjoyed until it got a bit of a pull in it which caused it to snag on every piece of clothing I wore with it. It became so annoying that I finally had to send it in again. I knew it would probably be back in a week as good as new.
And then I got a letter:
Well, but, I, uh, really like my old watch and it still worked and everything, just because the band was a bit out of shape didn’t mean it had to be reconciled to the dumpster. But then again, I could have a fancy $135 watch for $24.95! I really liked this one:
I thought it peculiar that the letter did not contain a name or extension that I should call. I tried the general number and the receptionist directed me to the voicemail of Janet, the Repairs Supervisor. I left Janet a lengthy voicemail referencing my Repair Number and how much I loved my old watch and wondered if there was any way I could get the new fancy watch that I’d chosen and my old watch back. I was fully expecting to have to pay for both and left my phone number and email address on the message.
The next day there was a package on my doorstep. It was the new watch. Which is very nice. And, man, that was fast. But I looked again in the envelope. No old watch. And I became sad.
I wasn’t going to let it go at that. I had to email them and tell them I had asked for my old watch and never received a call or an email back and now I had the new watch but not the old. Was there any way I could retrieve the old watch that I loved so much?
So I wrote out my case and sent it off to the general email. Within a couple of hours I received an email from Janet. She simply said that they don’t send out the old watch with a new one. (Which, again, didn’t really answer my question.) But she said she would see if the Repairs Department still had the old watch.
I thought Janet might need some encouragement after a day went by so I sent her another email with links to my original post mentioned above along with two other posts in which I had mentioned what great gift ideas Skagen watches were: “Christmas Gifts for Him 20122″ & “Ever Elusive & Always Appreciated Christmas Gift Ideas for Her 2011.”
Strangely enough, a few days passed and decided I should try emailing one more time. Finally, I received a response that all old watches go into a bin and that when things slowed down in the Repairs Department, they would attempt to locate the watch. Stay tuned. I’ll update if there are any developments or I take a trip to Reno (where the Repair Department is) to help with the search!
I vow to never pass up another vintage Fisher Price item that I find at a garage sale for a reasonable price because it’s too big in size now that I have seen what these things are going for on ebay. Apparently $20-$30 in shipping charges does not make Buyers shy away from a little piece of nostalgia. Recently, my mom gave me the remnants of what my brother and I had as a child. Sure, back in the day we also had the house, the barn, the schoolhouse, the hospital, and the garage that had that cool elevator. You know I’m telling the truth because apparently I still have some of the stuff that actually went into those buildings (pictured above). But those big pieces from my youth are long gone, though I do occasionally see them along my garage sale travels. It appears that the Sesame Street version, along with matching people and characters, seem to sell most often and for the highest prices, though every building and piece holds value. And don’t forget the wooden pieces which are the oldest from the 1960′s and the most expensive depending on condition. So if you come across any of these in thrift stores, estate or garage sales, if your mom still has any of yours, or if your kids are playing with some right now, snatch them up and research the tidy sum you may be receiving in your near future.
Much to my surprise, after scanning craigslist on Wednesday, I found that there were to be four sales on Friday. What luck since I had an F.A. Cup Final Soccer match to watch Saturday morning. So after dropping the kids at school, I went to the nearest sale, even though it was 45 minutes before the start time. A few older women were selling quality items at higher prices. There was a nice tall stein but she wanted $30, so I set it back down. Then another customer had a haul of jewelry that she was carting away for only $10. I saw the rest of the jewelry in a tray in the garage and asked if I might look at it, but one of the ladies said she needed more time to put things out. I finally figured I was really too early, even though other customers were finding and paying for their treasures as I headed to the next sales.
Across town, this was an annual sale that I’ve so enjoyed in the past. But the street was incredibly crowded with cars. It was a court and people were double parked right and left. A lovely older gentleman helped me back up and turn around as I approached the space on the street that I had previously passed and wanted to park when a huge Suburban pulled up and took up most of the space to the point that I had to parallel park (which I am actually really good at) and even amazed myself at my skills after being so annoyed by the other parkers. Time to note: parking is a skill you develop quite well as a garage sale regular. So I walked way down the street back to the sale and scanned the area as people were hauling away their goods. I remembered back when there was a German lady who used to sell her German things at this sale, but she no longer participates. I also remembered way back when my kids were young and I used to come to this sale and buy my daughter umpteen of the cutest Gymboree outfits for next to nothing. But my daughter is now nearly a teenager and that lady no longer participates or hopefully she would be selling all of her daughter’s Abercrombie & Fitch leftovers that my daughter wouldn’t wear anyway because they were already worn by someone else. But I digress.
I searched and searched, but all I could come up with was the little furry ducky with the baseball mitt for 10¢ (I have the same one without a mitt that I just love) and a Groovy Girl Boy for 50¢. I almost bought the cutest little bench but it was $25 and I really, honestly didn’t have a place for it, though I’ve rarely let that stop me before. So I headed out again to another sale in the neighborhood.
This was an estate sale in the loosest sense. Run by the sons, everything was in boxes, and only one gentleman, “The Ebay Professional,” had a few pricier things displayed on a table. I muddled through, finally entering the house and finding more boxes, marveling at the 49er memorabilia and worrying about the prices. I found 7 dwarfs in a back room and a couple of older Cabbage patch kids. Then I found a very nice Schmid reproduction of a Hummel and retrieved its box from another box across the lawn. I aimed for one of the sons and not “The Ebay Professional” in looking to pay and he calculated $7 while I said $5. That was fine, and I questioned him on a Goebel/Hummel bell. The son knew that was pricey and questioned “The Ebay Professional” who said it went for $25 on ebay and so the son said “$10.” I still wasn’t quite sold. I put my wares in my car and thought it better to return to the house and retrieve all of the 49er stuff I had admired.
I found a Joe Montana bobblehead, a 49er book I thought I already had, a mascot doll, an autographed John Taylor photograph, and a Steve Young packaged figurine. Another one of the brothers, who had previously given me a bag for my previous armload, asked me if I needed another box. Then he asked who was the 49er fan. ”ME!!!” I said. ”Then you’re in the right house. My parents and my friend’s parents had season tickets for 30 years.” He disappeared and came back searching for me with a Dallas Cowboy mascot doll in a noose and said, “This is how serious they were.” I laughed and said, “I would have done that, too!!!” Good people.
So I finally went outside and found my friendly 49er friend again, a different brother or friend than the first guy I paid, and asked him about my second armload. He counted my items, and said, “What do you think?” I laughed and shrugged as “The Ebay Professional” approached and I got worried that he would get out his handy dandy ebay calculator and ruin my chances at making a deal. I was thinking about $5 when my 49er friend held up a couple of bucks and said, “How about this much?” Which is when “The Ebay Professional” chimed in, “You’re breaking her!” and I put in my two cents, “Two bucks? I don’t know. Not sure I can handle that… I should have come to you in the first place instead of your brother or friend or whoever!” I handed him two dollars and he told me he was just happy he didn’t have to haul it away himself.
I left thinking there was still a goldmine in there that could have been had for pennies…. if only I were an “Ebay Professional.”
I returned back to the sale near my son’s school and finally everything was laid out and there were fewer customers. The items I had been interested in before were still there, which is probably what prompted this later comment on craigslist:
“THIS IS NOT A GARAGE SALE! IT IS A GROUP OF OLD LADY’S TRYING TO RESALE THERE JUNK! WASTE OF TIME”
I wanted to make a posting myself saying, “You misspelled ‘THERE’!”
I asked about several things. There was a lovely Coach purse for $25, but I saw small areas of damage and wasn’t sure of my profit level, though it may have been significant. In the back I saw a new Bravetti Toaster Oven and asked how much. ”$15.” I asked why she didn’t want it and she said that she had been storing it in her garage for a friend. I have always, always wanted a toaster oven. This was my chance. Okay, I’d take it. And then I saw a cute little jacket for $3. I was in. I loaded my haul and headed home to wait for the next sale that I had heard other people talking about at the previous estate sale.
For this one you had to email the lady from the craigslist listing in order to get the address and to be allowed in. Here’s the listing:
Very small but awfully nice estate sale May 4 at 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
PLEASE DO NOT BLOCK THE DRIVEWAY/SIDE ROAD as this is private property to the folks down the road and they need to be able to get through.
There is are 2 patio sets (one is BrownJordan); mid century or a bit later sofas; McGuire chairs/settees; some art (limited) and LOTS OF kitchen cooking ware; Italian sets of china, Gucci luggage, Washer/Dryer; 2 single beds; One King bed, bedding; towels; etc. ALL PRICED TO SELL TOMORROW!
THANKYOU! Email w/questions. We’ll be there at 11:00 a.m. SO please no early birds, this is a SMALL sale:-) so NO need to get there early, etc.
Curious, I emailed. Turns out the address was just down the street from me. So I headed out at 5 minutes to 11:00 and found there to be early birds already hauling away towels and talking to the lady of the house about how she learned to clean (?). It was a peculiar house that looked like nothing from the outside. On walks around my neighborhood, I had always thought of it as unkempt, but the interior was surprisingly stark white with modern decor. There was nothing there for me except the jewelry tray where I found the turquoise-ish bracelet for $5 that for some reason I was willing to pay in stark contrast to the extremely high prices on everything else.
One Friday morning better spent than others…
