A Shop Seminole Heights Friday

Since one of our favorite stores in Duane's neighborhood, Seminole Heights, just moved into a nicer and larger location, we decided to visit that store along with some others and have lunch, too.  Our buddy, David, just moved his store A Modern Line into a building just behind his wife Sherry's shop, YesterDaze.

The new place has a lot more room inside and there were many vignettes of furniture/decor groupings.  The place looks great and, as always, there are fantastic mid-century items of all types for purchase.  You can also put items on consignment in the shop.

We also headed to the Bali Bay Trading Company where I purchased a white and silver bead cuff bracelet and a long white shell and mirror windchime.  The windchime (pictured laying on a desk) will be hanging in a corner of our guest room.  It should look great against the spring green walls.  Linda also purchased a beautiful thin cotton scarf in white, green and turquoise.

After that we headed to a new store that we hadn't visited yet  -- Vintage Post Marketplace.  It's directly across the street from YesterDaze and A Modern Line.  This place was unbelievably huge.  We knew it was large judging from the outside but had no idea the building sprawled back so far.  They carry a little bit of everything in the line of jewelry, decor, furniture, some clothing.  Duane scored a bulb pot for her Delft collection.  This store consists of new items and older and vintage items for sale and on consignment.  They also feature the work of local artists.  This was our first visit but we'll definitely be going back.

Then we headed to another favorite destination, D & D Antiques and More, where Duane put a table on layaway and Linda purchased a set of beautiful Noritake dessert plates.

After this we were starving, so we headed to Nicko's Diner.  We were so hungry, I felt like a pig at a trough.  (Shameful to admit.)  After stuffing ourselves, we went back to Duane's and went our separate ways.  Till next time...

Duane's Delft bulb pot.

My windchime and bracelet.

Linda's scarf and Noritake plates.

A Parking Lot Sale and a Library Book Sale

Saturday morning, Sherry's YesterDaze, had their parking lot sale.  This usually happens twice a year and Duane, Linda, and I rarely miss it.  Besides having items on sale in the store, Sherry has other sellers put up tables in the parking lot of her business for a nice variety of vintage items for shoppers.

There were quite a few vendors at this sale.  One woman had a ton of nice vintage costume jewelry.  If only I didn't have so many pieces already.  Sigh.  Duane found a cute blue and white pin in the shape of a Dutch wooden shoe.  It has the look of Delft although it's not marked.  Still a nice piece to add to her collection (and wear).  Duane also found a book at this sale.

Vendors at the parking lot sale.

After leaving the parking lot sale, we headed to the Seminole Heights Branch Library.  They were having their book sale which included DVDs.  This was a great sale if you're a book-lover -- a label that all three of us proudly share.  This is the first sale that we've gone to since the new library was built.  The sale was held inside, which was nice since it's already gotten pretty warm here. 

Seminole Heights Branch Library

None of us left this book sale empty-handed.  Besides books, I also purchased a movie.  Lots of recently published books for sale (due to donations) and all of the proceeds go back into the library.  Good for everyone.

We headed to Starbucks after the book sale and had refreshments and a good gabfest.  Needless to say, we'll be borrowing some of each other's books which makes it even more of a bargain.  Happy reading! 

Our purchases.

Duane's shoe pin.

A Thrift Store Parking Lot Sale, A Modern Line warehouse sale and yard sales

Saturday morning had a lot going on in Duane's neighborhood.  A terrific thrift shop that I've mentioned numerous times on this blog, Sherry's Yesterdaze, had their fall parking lot sale.  Not only did Sherry have a sale on her items but she also had other people in her parking lot selling their stuff.  She does this twice a year and we rarely miss it.  Duane found a pretty creamer to add to her blue and white Delft collection along with the DVD of the definitive version of Pride and Prejudice AND a decorative box with Frida Kahlo on the front.  Linda snagged a cool and kitschy Florida souvenir tray that it's in mint condition.

Lots of vendors at Sherry' store.

  

Then we headed to the the warehouse clearance sale being held by Sherry's husband David, owner of one of our fave shops, A Modern Line.  David decided to let some of the furniture in his warehouse go for great prices because there's just no way he can get to all of it (restoring, etc.) to sell it in his store.  He had already sold quite a bit when we got there but still had some nice pieces.  There were also a few small items.  Linda scored a great pair of signed French prints.  There was some damage from a fire that destroyed David's previous store but, luckily, not on the actual prints themselves so Linda got a bargain.  All she needs to do is re-frame them.  If I didn't already have a couple of signed prints that my parents bought when we lived in France, Linda and I would have been 'negotiating' over them.




After David's sale, we hit a few neighborhood yard sales.  Duane and Linda both scored books from these sales.  I can't believe that I didn't buy anything.  That's unusual for me even if my purchase(s) are for very small items.  All three of us love the thrill of the hunt, though.

Afterwards, we hit the coffee shop for our usual treats and gabbing.  A fun day.

Linda and Duane's purchases.

Yard sales and a progress report on Duane's studio

Duane, Linda and I hit assorted yard sales this morning along with the semi-annual parking lot sale held at the vintage shop YesterDaze.  Duane was the lucky one at the parking lot sale.  She bought three pieces of really nice costume jewelry, two cuff bracelets and a necklace, for a pittance.  Then we hit the other sales.  Duane and I both bought numerous items.  I found a trivia game called The British Invasion, a DVD of the movie Donnie Darko and some yarn, needles and hooks to donate to The Humble Stitch.   Besides the jewelry she found at the parking lot sale, Duane purchased a small piece of blue and white Delft pottery, a set of pretty chopsticks, a mat cutter, a book, and some cool looking vintage pic buttons to use in her designs.  Linda was the only one who escaped making a purchase but that was only because nothing popped up that grabbed her. 

Today's haul.

Afterwards, we headed to Starbucks, as usual, for refreshments.  The weather was pretty nice when we started but it had started to become really warm.  Cool drinks all around. 

When we headed back to Duane's house (these sales were all in her neighborhood), she showed us the progress she's made on her home office/art studio.  She's about 80% finished with the office part.  She has a separate building on her property that houses this.  It has electricity so there are lights and air conditioning.  She painted her desk and work table a hot pink gloss.  It took three coats.  She's already hung a number of items on the wall, etc., and now she's getting ready to paint the concrete floor.  The 'studio' section is coming along, too, but there's more work to be done there.  Duane wants to have it set up with her easels and paints so that she can leave things out and go back to them as she pleases.  Linda and I were very impressed by all of the work that's she's done.

Duane's home office.

Duane's Jim Morrison poster.

Linda and I also liked Duane's framed poster of her forever crush, Jim Morrison of The Doors.  I had to include a photo showing the poster.  By the time she finishes, Duane plans to have chairs for company (like Linda and me) so she's been on the lookout for a pair.  She's also planning to hang black beads in the doorway that separates her office from her studio.  I'll post here as her progress on this continues.
 

Saturday Sales and the Blue Bird Bus

Duane, Linda and I hit several sales yesterday morning including a parking lot sale at a terrific vintage shop and several garage sales.  As usual, we didn't come home empty-handed.  The parking lot sale is a sale that's held twice a year at a shop called Sherry's YesterDaze in (you guessed it) the parking lot.  There are always interesting items for sale -- mostly vintage.  A mobile library/art shop called the Blue Bird Bus was also there.  This is a terrific little 'shop-on-wheels' founded by writer and artist Mitzi Gordon.  She carries books for all ages on her bus along with arts and crafts.  Linda and I both purchased books from Mitzi's bus and also came away with origami cranes made from old maps.  Mitzi makes these in her spare time and gives them away.  To find out more about Mitzi and the Blue Bird Bus, please check out her website here.

After leaving Sherry's, we hit a few local garage sales in Duane's neighborhood.  Duane lives in one of the best parts of town for artsy/craftsy stuff and people.  Sherry's store is located there and it's also the home of the Blue Bird Bus even though the bus does get around to other areas.  Duane's big find for the day was a fog machine for her son Scott who fronts a band called Brutality.   Brutality uses a fog machine but had been renting one before this.  Now they have one of their own at a great price.  Besides, books, dishes and some smaller items, Linda bought a really pretty English tea tin. 

We made our usual stop at Starbucks for drinks and a treat before calling it a morning.  Next weekend we plan to go to the Chiseler's sale.  This will be the 50th year it's been held.  If you look back in my archives for the past two years in March, I've posted about their sale here.  I'll do the same for this year's sale.

Small Business Saturday Shopping (& yard sales)

Duane and Linda and I all like shopping at small locally owned businesses.  Not that we don't like department stores or malls but we like to support local merchants.  We decided to shop and eat at only small local places yesterday -- mostly in Duane's neighborhood -- and, yes, that did include a few yard sales, too.  We decided to hit the yard sales first since some of the stores hadn't opened yet.  All three of us found things at the yard sales.  I bought  some DVDs and (my cool scores) an old metal/cardboard matchbox featuring Allegheny Airlines DC-9 VistaJet and a cigarette holder.  Although I don't and never have smoked, I thought

there was something neat about the cigarette holder.  It reminds me of Lucille Ball on "I Love Lucy" whenever she was play-acting as a vamp.  It's part heavy stiff cardboard and part some type of resin.  But it also has advertising on it -- "Furs by Gaylon.  Create Warm Friends.  Ardmore, PA."  I would also never wear fur but this is vintage stuff we're talking about here.  I think it'll look neat inside my living room glass display table with other 'finds' and gifts. I also nabbed a full skein of pretty variegated yarn that I'm going to use for some items for The Humble Stitch Project. 

Duane found a ceramic pitcher, two attachments for her mixer, and some books.  Linda found a movie she wanted so none of us were empty-handed even before we hit the local stores.  We walked through Sherry's YesterDaze shop first.  It's always fun to pop in and see what she has among the tons of items she carries.  Apparently, she had a very busy day the day before, on Black Friday, which was a pleasant surprise.  Linda bought some lovely vintage embroidered handkerchiefs from Sherry.  After doing some window shopping, we hit a new store that we'd never been in before called Cleanse.  It's an apothecary type store and they were serving champagne to their customers.  They also had the sweetest dog, a Shar Pei, who allowed himself to be petted.  We all found things to buy at Cleanse.  Besides handmade soaps and lotions, etc., they also carried really cute Christmas ornaments.  Linda and I both loved the 3-D pinecone ornaments made of wood and each bought one.  Linda also bought a painted wood star ornament and some cleansing items.  Duane purchased some darling make-up items.  This is a store that we'll definitely return to when we shop.

We were all ready for lunch by then so we decided to hit Nicko's Diner.  We sat in the "Elvis" booth and had a great lunch.  Next weekend we plan to go to a huge arts and crafts sale being held in a suburb of Tampa near where Linda lives.  I will, of course, report back here.

   

Semi-Annual Parking Lot Sale

One of the stores that my friends and I like to check out is in Duane's neighborhood.  Sherry's YesterDaze is a cool vintage boutique that features a little bit of everything from jewelry to housewares to furniture and clothing.  Twice a year Sherry has a sale in her parking lot where she puts out items from her store and also has other artists/merchants/friends set up tables.  There's always a great variety of stuff so we always try to make these sales.

Linda's buys.

Today, Duane and Linda and I hit the sale a little after 9am.  Linda and I both bought stuff for ourselves and as gifts.  She bought a "Life" magazine in terrific condition that was published after President Kennedy was assassinated, a fab enamel bowl, a folk CD, a pair of bottle top candles and she got a great deal on a vintage 'moonbeam' clock.  L.L. Bean sells new versions of the clock but Linda scored this vintage one for a lot less money in working condition.  She also bought a pretty signed sketch of a cat that she plans to frame. She and I both also liked these woven bracelets made by children in South Africa.  Beautifully made in bright colors, they can also be used as bookmarks.  I bought three for my three nieces in their various favorite colors and Linda snagged one, too.  I also bought a cool little china dish made in England by Staffordshire with an outline of Charles Dickens on it.  I've put out a few little dishes that I've come across and like in my guest bedroom for people to use as coasters. 

My buys.

Then we hit a couple of yard sales that we happened to pass on our way to get some coffee.  We were waiting for the store that Sherry's husband, David, owns to open at 11am.  I've mentioned A Modern Line a number of times on this blog and all three of us have purchases from this store in our homes.  I bought a bark cloth pillow that goes great in my guest room on the sofa bed.  It picks up the colors of green and yellow in the room.

Another fruitful morning with good friends.

Mr. Dicken's dish.