Thrift Store Porn

I don't want this blog to turn into a "look what I found at the thrift store" bragging platform, but yesterday I hit the mother lode, and I need to share.

I stopped in at Alpha Thrift on Milpas to see if I could find the last item on our list to complete our new house-- the coffee table. And I saw this beauty:

It didn't have a price on it, so I asked the guy working near by.

"Oh, that one? Um, I think that was $39.99." 

I've been trying to work on my thrift store impulse-control so I don't end up on the next episode of hoarders, so I started to walk away. I got about 4 feet and the fear that someone else might swoop in and grab it overcame my body and I snapped back around. I stood in front of it staring. The guy came over again: "You could turn it over and see what it says." DUH!

I turned it over. There was a tiny little engraving... that said "Made in Denmark".

That thing was in the back of my car so fast, Usain Bolt would have been impressed.

Our new place is shaping up nicely! Thanks Alpha Thrift and you sweet, naive man that priced this table!

Oh and then I did some internetting and found out some official info about the table. Never again will I practice impulse control. Thank you Oh Mighty Gods of Thrift.

Heath Ceramics

We took a little jaunt to the north country last weekend and I got to do all my favorite things, including a quick stop at Heath Ceramics in Sausalito.  Heath has been making handcrafted tile and tableware since 1948, and they are one of the last mid-century American potteries in existance. Their crew of about 60 employees makes every single piece by hand, right here at their Sausalito factory. 

Heath Ceramics

400 Gate 5 Road

Sausalito, CA 94965-2807

(415) 332-3732

There seemed to be some kind of high-tide flooding situation going on.

The Raoul Textiles Sale.

Oh Raoul. 

Raoul, Raoul, Raoul. 

Look what you are doing to these ladies. 

Early Saturday morning we lined up, lattés in hand, in our finest Weekend-Wear and readied ourselves for the unicorn of Santa Barbara events: The Raoul Textiles Sale.

We were focused:

We were frenzied:

We worked fast:

Raoul Textiles was started in Santa Barbara in 1981 by Sally and Tim McQuillan, and the hand-printed Belgian linen and other finely woven fabrics have become highly coveted and revered among those in the know. 

I wasn't in the know, but thankfully my friends were, and I tagged along. I couldn't commit to buying more than a bag of scraps, but  they totally scored!

Alisa went straight home and knocked out some pillows, the crafty little brat.

My $5.00 bag of scraps will probably live in this corner until I get a sewing machine. I think it's a lovely way of keeping the dust off my amp for now. 

The new Raoul Showroom is located at 136 State Street in downtown Santa Barbara. Go by and drool, and then meet me at the next sale.

The Fantasy Home

Dually inspired by the fantasy of moving out of the cramped, funky (like bad-funky), dark apartment we're living in now and moving in somewhere light-filled and spacious (spacious meaning Andrew can't spread his arms and simultaneousy touch opposing walls in the bedroom), I've been spending a lot of time looking at interior design and architecture blogs. This house made me pee in my pants a little bit, so I thought I'd share.  Courtesy of Dwell.

I love the earthy colors and and vintage furniture mixed with the modern materials choices. And that pink canvas on the concrete wall! Full on.

There are floor to ceiling windows that open to this view. Yes, please.

If you're an artist and you live in a house like this, you have to have a record player.

If I lived here, I think there would be a lot of magic happening. I'm just saying. 

Have a lovely weekend.