Scrappy Portland Adventures!
1) My sister and I roped our friend Lise into playing hooky, specifically on an adventure to the SCRAP Creative ReUse store and Goodwill.
In a cartoon this chalked messaging would work to lead either of these women into danger.
Lise and my sister are both artists/teachers and this store is their Mecca. So much so that I ended up having to repeatedly add extra time onto the parking app to avoid getting a ticket.
Scrap is an amazing store, selling just about anything and everything in the name of reducing waste and sparking creativity. My sister picked up two packs of these excessively produced corporate playing cards. It made me wonder how many companies just throw away the swag after they're not able to give them away at conferences.
I'll admit that I was tempted to grab a 50¢ Planet Money canvas tote bag, but my household is at the perfect level of tote-age at the moment.
They really do have everything, which is all perfectly and satisfyingly organized.
You could spent all day just looking through the slides.
What did I buy? This Goodr brand soft sunglasses pouch, as I lost the case that came with my free Red Cross sunglasses and had been keeping an eye for something similar. I've been using a hard sunglasses case, but don't like how much weight/bulk it adds to my purse.
I paid 50¢.
We then drove five minutes over to the main Goodwill, where I bought the ceramic base wine glass you see in the bottom left hand corner. I was tempted to buy this graphic tray, but it was too scratched up for my high falutin taste.
Super cute though.
I keep an eye out for these specific wine glasses when thrifting, which are made by a specific artisan at the Portland Saturday Market. My husband and I received a pair of them as a wedding gift back in 1993 and they've been my go to ever since.
I paid $1.99.
Please note that my "high falutin taste" includes Pokémon jelly jars.
I didn't buy this ceramic doctor figurine who looks like you should should pull a string on his back and he'd say "Have you tried losing weight?" Big fat hard no.
Now your turn, what frugal things have you been up to?
Katy Wolk-Stanley
"Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without."
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The elephant tray could have been refurbished. Paint, decoupage, custom art? Possibilities. But no. No doctor. He is creepy.
The doctor is just about as bad as that old Santa head that had mustache hair coming out of its nostrils!
Very cool wineglasses.
I have been working on getting stains out of a shirt I found on the street. It's a very nice men's shirt, otherwise in good condition, but the stains are proving difficult. Right now it's soaking in a bucket, and it's going to stay there a while.
I noticed that the cupboard doors under the kitchen sink were looking grungy, so I applied a super frugal cleaner -- elbow grease and hot water -- and got them looking better.
I'm reading Founding Mother, a fictional biography of Abigail Adams. It's interesting to me, because my grandmother was an Adams, and she believed she was descended from John and Abigail. (Ancestry.com says no.) Anyway, her belief got me reading about John years ago, but I've never read anything from Abigail's perspective. It's a good book if you like historical fiction about real people.
One of my smoke alarms started talking to me this morning, which was rather startling, but of course it was only saying "Change my battery." My ceilings are rather high, so I very carefully climbed a step stool to get it down, and luckily I had the right batteries on hand. I will let my son do the honors of putting it back up. I was going to ask him to come help me get ready for the window washers next week, anyway, removing screens and taking out the AC units.
I tested the batteries I took out, and while they were somewhat low, they were not out of juice, so I'm saving them for less important jobs.
Have we ever seen a pic of the famous Lise?? I pictured her as a blondie. 🙂
The "May" figurine below and to the doctor's right caught my eye---I have a similar "March" one on my (inherited 1950's) dresser right now! That store looks fascinating. I would definitely get a parking ticket!!!
Did you buy just one of the wine glasses? It looks like there are several on the shelf, but maybe just one that matches the ones you already have?
I love Scrap.
The doctor is creepy. I’ve always wondered why there was ever a market for professional figurines. Is that what doctor’s kids gave their parent for Christmas? Very strange.
My frugal happenings are mainly of the food preservation type. I have a mountain of tomatoes to be dealt with, and two mountains of apples.
I went to the pet food store today, and my cat’s preferred type of food had been marked down 50%. It’s rare that anything frugal happens when it involves my cat, so this was exciting!
1. When I saw the containers full of slides it brought back memories of childhood. It was always a fun night when my mother brought the projector and the pull down screen out. Looking back, I guess it was a fun but frugal thing to do with the family in the 60s and 70s.
2. My neighbor brought us another gift of tomatoes from her garden. They're not my favorite but DH pops them into his mouth like candy.
3. My back has been very sore for a couple of days so I stayed home today to rest it and apply the heating pad. No money spent while in the house.
4. I'm wearing a nightgown from my church's thrift shop and my bathrobe has to be at least 20 years old. My sister gave it to me so long ago. It's showing some wear but who sees it besides DH and myself. My friend calls these "pajama days". They're rare and relaxing, even as a retiree.
5. Market Basket had cantaloupes on sale for 2.99 each so I picked the biggest one I could find. I just cut it up and it made a large bowl of melon pieces we can just scoop out for the next couple of days.
I'm still laid up after surgery on my toe. I was having significant pain but I called and spoke to the doctor and got some good advice. For no additional charge.
I've processed grapes for eating and for raisins. Not a job I enjoy but it's mostly done.
Attended my Spanish class, I'm 3/10 of the way there for a $30 refund for perfect attendance. Also spent some time studying my Spanish
Sold 3 items on FB marketplace yesterday, hooray for stuff out the door that can be useful to someone else.
Not much else of interest here. I had sent in some used things to The North Face and received store credit. I purchased something to sell on eBay. I'm trying to use my gift cards and store credits before I forget I have them. I know there are billions of dollars in unused gift cards.
I laughed out loud at your Dr figurine quip, as I was thinking the same thing by just seeing the look on his face.
You, too, are artistic and creative! I could totally see you spray painting the tray and rehabbing it.
Garage sale report: picked up 3 big bags of potting mix for $2/bag. Calvin and Hobbes 6 pack of books for $3.
A full box of earth wise cleansers, a case of dishwasher gel and a huge box of N95 masks (I use them all the time on the farm). All $2.
NW explorer books, hanging wicker basket for my spider plant, a black iron 4 shelf plant stand (free). There was an estate sale where everything was $1 or two bits. Couch? $1. Nice stuff. I bought a rocking chair and a collection of fairy house stuff for the littlest neighbors.
A pair of vans new in box for $2.
Do you just drive around and look for signs? Salem? I tried looking on Craigslist and saw nothing interesting.
Look on Marketplace. People list yard sales on there. I also follow local estate sale companies on Facebook. They list up coming sales on their fb page.
Thanks! I have a good handle on estate sales, but I didn’t know how garage sales get advertised these days.
As a non-consumer type, I’ll say that my house is decorated in estate sale chic, with a splash of Goodwill!
I'm in the Marion, Linn, Benton County area. I have 3 friends who run estate sales (3 separate companies). I happened by the buck or two bits sale going to another sale, I hit the free estate sale as it is next door to another friend. We do the organic find a sale in the wild thang, we have quite a contingent of friends/family on group text, sharing locations. My mom loves visiting and the ride.
That sounds like a great time! I think I’m incapable of paying retail for anything.
1. Today is day two of building furniture for our new apartment! I pulled something in my right shoulder yesterday while we did most of the heavy lifting and I wasn't able to contribute much today but we did make a good dent in the boxes! Ikea can kiss my butt.
2. Dinner was egg and milk free waffles with a side of dairy free yogurt. Nothing beats crispy, buttery carbs after a long day.
3. My husband has joined me in devouring audiobooks while doing chores and we discuss what we're listening to at the end of the day (if we're not too exhausted).
4. We stocked our pantry and fridge with the essentials yesterday at Meijer, we had never been and wanted to compare prices to what we're used to in Oregon. I signed up for their "m perks" while we shopped and earned 14,500 points and saved $38. I logged in today to see what that meant and apparently 10,000 points gets us $1 off at Meijer gas stations! Yes please! They didn't have my choice of dairy free cheeses but that's okay as there are other new grocery stores to explore near the new house!
5. We don't have a couch yet and have been laying a picnic blanket in the living room. It's been fun! I definitely want to find something soon but it pays to be a bit picky on some purchases.
1. Toll free calls to both U.S. Senators representing my state and also to the Congressman. Only got one staffer on the line, so I left some rather strongly worded voice mails. I was expressing my outrage that instead of naming the newest aircraft carrier after a Navy Cross recipient and Pearl Harbor hero Doris Miller, Trump wants it named after himself. An aircraft carrier has never been named after a president while that president is in office, nor has one ever been named for someone convicted of 34 felonies who is so cowardly that he faked bone spurs so he wouldn't get sent to a war. I'm sure all those aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln would also have their own reasons why this should not be done. Please see my post from yesterday about it, and if you are in the U.S. and are as disgusted as I am about this, please contact your elected officials in Washington and let them know you oppose this outrage. But the frugal part of this is the toll free numbers, or you can send emails like my friend Diane is doing. Postcards and letters also work. We have until the keel laying ceremony at year's end to make sure Aircraft Carrier CVN81 is named the USS Doris Miller instead of the USS Donald Trump. Oh, and I've called friends and neighbors far and wide to get some action going on this.
2. Cleaned out some kitchen cabinets and donated several unneeded/duplicated items. Someone else can find them in the bins!
3. Found a Star Trek paperback novel in a Little Free Library. BTW, this weekend is supposed to be the 60th anniversary of the original Star Trek series' premiere on NBC. I believe ME TV is going to air some special Star Trek programs on Saturday.
4. Redid my kitchen table. It actually is my grandmother's dining room table but is too old and shabby to go in my dining room. (I have my mother's nicer one in there.) Anyway, I replaced the summer table cloth with a print one that is more autumn-y, and cobbled together a new centerpiece using items I had around the house: a vase I recently received for my birthday (it'd held real flowers but they're all played out); a "bush" of silk flowers in fall colors and a little artificial dragonfly. I also fished a clear plastic tablecloth out of the closet and put it in the clothes dryer for a couple of minutes to get the wrinkles out. I put it over the cloth table cloth to protect from food stains.
5. How hot is it here in Texas? When I washed the old tablecloth along with the king sized bed sheets, I put them outside on the folding wooden racks to dry. They were completely dry within about an hour! No clothes dryer needed in 105 degree weather!
@Fru-Gal Lisa, I use the 5Calls app to call and express my opinion to my elected officials about these things also....if we ALL band together, we can make things happen!!
Side Note - MeTV is my favorite! I get it on my Antenna and watch all my favorites!
As someone who used to take slide photos, I would cut the slide out if it was really bad, and use it as a mini frame for small photos. And then I would glue a tiny magnet in the back and use it as a fridge magnet.
1. I finally finished sorting through the 11 bins (or 10 bins) of things we packed up from my mother’s apartment 10 years ago. I have dropped off the first box to one sibling today, hung out with her for the day and took a drive for lunch in Kittery Maine. Had some fried haddock and then we went out for ice cream. It was a good day.
2. My son has asked me three times in the past month to make baby booties for some friends having babies. So I thought I would get ahead of the baby booty making, in case he knows others. I pulled out all my baby yarn and I’m going to try and make one or two pairs from each color. So the next time he needs one, I can just sew up the back, put it in a gift bag, and he’s good to go.
3. Each week, I have made a batch of different kinds of beans for quick meals. I made pizza, beans, and some pinto beans which I refried, and some black beans which I made into southwestern style salads.
4. My sister gifted me a zucchini from her garden and had also offered some garlic, which I forgot to take. But I will cook up the zucchini tomorrow with whatever is in my freezer.
5. I have finished reading my 14th book of the year and I’m waiting for the next book to arrive at the library. Hopefully it comes in on Saturday and I can walk down the street to pick it up.
Nancy, that had to feel good getting to those bins!
Yes! They’ve literally been in my sister‘s closet for the last 10 years. And there were so many amazing things in those bins.
A lot of stuff from the late 1800s early 1900s.
And enough postcards to fill a 12 inch long archival photo box.
Next week, I’m driving 2 1/2 hours north to my other sister‘s house and bringing her her box, plus my brothers. (Because I don’t talk to my brother anymore and she does). Then on the way home, I’m going to my cousin’s house to bring her some stuff. Plus, I have two uncles and an aunt who are not doing well (which is a reason I wanted to go through those bins, because I know we will need funeral photos.) She can help me identify some of the people in the photos that I can’t place. And I’ll get to hang out with my cousin.
Then I can get back to the multitudes of projects I have going on.
I once made a Shift style dress of slides, paper clips and anti-static bags for a 4-H Design challenge. Runner up!
Very cool!
Scrap Bmore is my FAVORITE crafty store in Baltimore! I now live in California, but whenever I’m back East I try to make a visit just to look through all the fun and funky supplies. The Scrap logo is the same so I’m wondering if it’s a franchise of some kind.
I also envy your collection of amazing Goodwill stores. And your discriminating eye, of course!
There is a similar store, Smartart, near me. All the merchandise is from donations. They also offer classes and job training.