My precious...

I have a thing for things.  Pretty things.  I'm a collector of many pretty things.

Case in point, at gymnastics last week, as my daughter tumbled and flipped, my eyes were on an awesome handbag another mom was carrying. 
<start>
Me: "Great bag!"
She: "Thanks!  I was a handbag buyer for Neiman Marcus and have had this bag for years."
Me: "May I ask the brand?"
She: "Yes.  It's __________.  From several seasons ago.  I carry it all the time.  It holds everything.  Love your bag, too!"
<end>


Her compliment should have sufficed.  I mean, she was a former handbag buyer for Neiman Marcus and she liked my bag.  However, that comment sailed past me as quickly as I logged onto the internet searching for her bag.  The end all/be all bag.  The bag that would be my forever bag.  The "I'll never need another bag for the rest of my life, sweetie" bag.  Ever had one of those?  I have many.

Well, I found the bag.  With a little haggling and several clicks, I bought it.  All while still sitting in the same gymnastic class.
I picked it up from the post office yesterday, and it is now sitting in my closet.  Tags still on.  Still in the wrapper.

My collections are varied.  Bags to jewelry, cosmetics to clothing, pillows to dolls.


Fashionably Floral Barbie

Here she is, my next pretty thing: Fashionably Floral Barbie.  Isn't she lovely?  The minute I saw her, I wanted her.  I clicked "add to basket" and was ready to check out, but stopped myself.  This was a defining moment.  What did I love so much?  The pink satin opera gloves?  The wide brimmed hat with those cabbage roses?  Or maybe her heavily lined lids and the pink floral vintage style dress.  She is eye candy.

If I look around my house, my collections, I have so many pretty things.  I need to go through them and use them, display them, love them or gift them.  Not buy more to just sit in the bag or back of the closet. 

Here's to a change in habits.  Using what I have and not buying more, more, more!  I deleted Fashionably Floral from my cart with only a small pang of sadness.  I don't need her.  It's ok to look, to lust, to like but not have her. 

Now, I'm heading to the closet to unearth the new bag I purchased on ebay and carry it all the time because it holds everything.  I may even carry it to gymnastics tomorrow.  Oh, wait.  I can't.  She might be there, and that would be embarrassing.



More pretty things to ponder:

Chase's Place School Gala 2015
Art Piece for Auction

My friend is heading up the Chase's Place Gala this year,  with proceeds going to Chase's Place: a Dallas-area private non-profit school serving students with moderate to severe developmental disabilities.  Original artwork collaborations between students and artists are up for auction, such as this one at right. 

A few more of my favorite things:





Vintage Alma Ide Carpet Bag



Barbie & Ken Pink Kiss Pendant
by Margaux Lange



Vintage Embroidered Shearling Afghan Coat  



Bavna 18k yellow gold Earrings with
Diamonds & Green Tourmaline





1960's ROGER VIVIER
embroidered heels









     







Blah, Blah, Blog

I've been putting off creating a blog. Not sure my life is interesting enough to write about. A friend suggested I just write about what I do every day, and my "adventures" in shopping. Well, I do shop. Much to my husband's dismay. I love to search bulk trash, garage sales and thrift stores for cast-offs to salvage, collect or repair. You could say I'm in the "search and rescue" business. Like helping the dove with a sprained back in our driveway and the stray kitty that lived on our porch for years... and people, too.

Collecting is another thing I do. I collect dolls, vintage eyeglasses, clothing, old pictures, purses and textiles. I started selling some of these treasures on etsy. Check out my shop to see those finds. If you ask my kids "what is your mom's job?", they answer "etsy" or "shopping". Guess they are right!

So, the common themes I see here are rescuing, salvaging, repairing and collecting. Everything deserves a good life, a new life and a chance to be saved. I think that will be what my blog is about, my adventures in salvaging, repairing and collecting and what happens along the way.

Last weekend, my daughter and I shopped at The Gypsy Wagon flea market. She's learning the art of the flea, and documented some of her favorite finds. Best was a black rotary dial phone. She fell in love with that phone, exhausted after dialing a seven digit number.