The Moldy Doily

Why the Sanford and Son Theme song may as well be mine

Sometimes the Rose Bowl is a super success and sometimes it's just a dud. I have to admit I had much higher expectations for my payback and hard labor. Seeing all of your collectables and clothes strewn across a 10 foot square makes you feel ill. You immediately think, "how the hell did all this fit in my place?" and then, how come my place is still cluttered, and then finally "I'm not taking this stuff back home." It's worse when old friends you haven't seen in awhile run into you (with your bleary eyes and sad day old makeup) and comment on all of your bric-o-brac with amazement. Not good wonder, but the bad back handed remarks like, "it's like a collectable show over here, is this ALL yours." Thank God it was mostly all Walden's retromania. I don't wanna take credit for too many crazy clown heads and fonz pillows. Fran made some glorious sandwiches and snacks and we fought the early am call time with some humor. Dressing like a freak-a-zoid seems to really scare off the crowds

I got this old patchwork denim skirt when I worked at Wasteland. The woman who sold it said that it belonged to her sister in the late 60's and that she used to add all kinds of patches and fabric to it before she died of cancer later in life. I've never been able to sell it.

excuse the 4:30 am morning faces in these photos

you won't believe it, but I had to be TALKED OUT of buying this. I thought it was a $50 dollar dream lamp. My friends thought it was a sure fire way to guarantee no dates in the future

I spent a good portion of the day reading Laura's old time comics. Because for those of you who haven't heard about it 24-7, I got a cool gig creating art of a Graphic Novel for Microsoft!! Seriously

Saw this crazy taxidermy booth by the restrooms. This crazy fur placed screamed Annakim /Cindy

but it was screaming...this lady EVEN MORE-

Whoa insane SKUNK lady. (now that's a top hat)

here's the guy who bought my mannequin for $25 bucks

It wouldn't be Mother's Day without the dynamic duo Emma and Val. They always make the Rose Bowl time go by much faster

Emma scored my New Years Dress. It has been enhanced with much FLAIR on my part

I've waited til now to mention the WORST part of the day. THE HICKORY SMOKY BBQ booth saddled up next to us. Serious burning tri-tip meats and garlic fries cooked on gas grills pouring into our space and stinking up our stuff and ruining our game

Walden was either A.) loopy from the smoke fumes b.) delusional from the lack of sleep c.) or basking in her Stevie Nicks glory

Although the point of selling at the Rose Bowl is to rid yourself of clutter and make money...Walden decided she just had to have a creepy creepy doll with sad limbs. Her boyfriend was petrified

She also had to have a pair of Red Baron airplane goggles. She said she has always wanted them. For the end of the world of course.

I bought these shoes for Cynthia, hope they fit.

I felt bad that on Mother's Day I couldn't be with mine, and since I can't really brag about her enough...let's reflect on my appreciate mother post from my past- so I don't repeat myself too much:
click here
Mother's Day Past

another bad idea

Woke up today with the best of intentions to be productive. Last night I was motivated to make things and get busy. I also spied a cool estate sale up the street listed on Craiglist. It boasted 80 years of ESTATE sale items, including: lots of vintage, watches, Lovely Victorian Ladies Needlework and/or Crochet Handbags,Victorian Braided Hair Mourning Watch Fob, and a great collection of Victorian to 1930s Laces, Collars, and trims. Victorian Bloomers, Underskirts, and some blouses, several yards of the most beautiful black Belgian Lace, lots of crocheted and tatted items, embroidery and other needlework, and a collection of art deco clown powder boxes.

I had decided on Friday night, that all the good stuff was probably snatched up already and that it would be a waste to go Saturday.
BUT, then my pal Taylor had to text, DOILIES EVERYWHERE!! get your butt over to this estate sale up the hill. PLUS it's now half off everything!
Damn, productive plans halted. Doilies!? Why did you have to mention the delicate dainty tattered 80 year old doilies. Who can resist boxes and boxes of pretty pretty?

So, I ended up buying myself :

1. a 100 year old ring for $10 dollars! That's right I am marrying myself.

2. Two art deco era jewelry boxes! oh wow oh wow!

for the record there were lots of ladies powder boxes and harlequin clown dishes and flapper soap trays
but they were more on the 20- 30 dollar side

3. victorian trims and millinery beaded flowers

4. strange victorian crystal doily like trims- AHHH my door frames salute you!

1920's georgie boy ancestor portrait a mere $2 dollars!

already owned this gem, but thought I would post it.

Don't freak out quite yet, I barely bought anything at this sale. I am not collecting more crap. I plan on using some of this to make stuff. I promise.

Calling Little Edie

I should know better than to agree to go out on the town with the party legend Miss Cynthia. She has mastered the art of drinks and dancing and mingling, staying up too late and then planning to wake up super early to "estate sale" . When you stay up til 4:30 a.m. and plot to hit your first yard sale by 8:00 a.m., you're gonna need more than a coffee, maybe a hammer to the head.

We scored a few cheap goodies at the NICO/South Paradiso yard sale and a slice of pizza.

We ended up heading around the corner to crazy estate sale that boasted the remains of a 97 year old Clairvoyant psychic. She was supposedly a world traveler who ran a church and kept a vast array of clutter.
There were some rad pieces of Egyptian jewelry and crazy 60's things, but they had them priced way up there. So we had to let them go.

We then drove over to an amazing 1897 Victorian house filled with 55 yrs. of collectable stuff. The owner was a former designer of Stephen Crane & Associates and attributed to the Tiki restaraunt movement in L.A.
There was a decadent crumbling artist quality to the estate, rich in history. Cynthia actually left one of the rooms moved to tears. There were mantles adorned with animals horns and giant shells. Coral clusters layered in bowls, tiffany lamps and chandelier crystals dangling from everything. One of the rooms was reserved for books galore. Serious art books out of print and cupboards of magical china. I could almost imagine the woman that traveled around the world and selected these pieces.

I also could sense why Cynthia was brought to tears from seeing the collections of owls, taxidermy, sea creatures, craft books and her future. I too was mesmerized by the 1920's sacred heart pendants, and gilded floral cluster pixie hair wreathes. There were rows of handmade bamboo birdcages and tons of records. I scored a nice Egon Schiele art book, 70's California Craft book, and an art nouveau book.
If you wanna go and see what is left in there, you may have to wait in a line like we did. They are willing to negotiate prices.

200 N. Avenue 66 at York Blvd. exit of 110 Fwy in Los Angeles
Fri/Sat March 28 & 29, 8am - 4pm
Sun. March 30, 12pm - 5pm
Mon/Tues March 31 & April 1, 9am to 4pm
Numbers Out at 7:00 AM Friday

Grand New

HEY Listen UP: This weekend the South Park Flea Market makes it's GRAND debut!

Located in the heart of the Uber Hot South Park District of Downtown LA. The South Park Flea Market is the creation of Phillip Dane (The Fairfax High School Flea Market). The SHOW PONY ladies are going to take some of our creations + Vintage down to sell. So come and visit us and be a part of the PARTY

Every Sunday
9 am - 4 pm

8th & Grand Parking Lot
Los Angeles, CA 90014

Downtown now has a cool place to shop, eat and hang on Sunday's. We have over 200 vendors, great deals on vintage, collectibles, new and used stuff.

Over 200 Vendors
Ample Parking
DJ and Live Music
Vintage & Collectibles plus some of LA's hottest Fashion Designers (clothing, handbags, jewelry, shoes, and accessories.)

We are pet & kid friendly. Each week we have a Moon Bouncer for the kids and "the kid in you"... Come check out the scene!

It's gonna be good!

Here's a great Flea Market Find Decorated place from Elle Decoration- now don't you want to buy some pretty things for your place

Rose Bowl Blues

The intent of this blog was to document all the amazing things that I don't really need to buy or own- but find inspiring. So here goes- another Sunday flea market scene with Cynthia- no makeup- coffee and lack of sleep. We somehow mananged to get sunburn and spend all her latest Race track winnings. Here are some of the beauties we tragically had to let go and leave behind:
The entrance really made our morning!--I thought Cynthia was gonna go for a spin

I thought this would look good in my future Marie Antoinette bedroom

These are all the great necklaces we forced out of our hands --regrets regrets

I really wanted to get this for my piano playing boyfriend- it is padded for her pleasure

this was made entirely of butterfly wings

my lacey babydoll dream

This is the best future show pony costume

This is cynthia holding down the OWL GUY's booth. She ended up with a box of owls and a cool ceramic enamel lamp that practically fell apart in the tranport

I had to take a picture of these adorable girls shopping- they had the best braces

I wanted to buy this 10 dollar vintage nylon box for the image but refrained.

I thought this clear ottoman was rad

This was at a tshirt stand where the retard owner wanted $85 dollars-- and up--- for everything including this Steve miller band t-shirt that had a million stains and not in a cool way

this was Cindy on the way home with her new necklace and a backseat full of good stuff

Another Pleasant Valley Sunday

Sunday I dedicate myself to the flea markets. Cynthia called early this time and forced me to open my sad and weary lids and carpe diem. We did the rounds and met up with our favorite "owl" guy. He informed us of this cool camping artist hippie retreat that he is hosting in the middle of no where someplace probably on a mountain top. There will be dancing by the fire and a jamboree band playing all night. (those were his exact words) The idea of tent living and stained glass classes sounded appealing....but then his mention of it all being "spiritual" sort of made me hesitate. Isn't this how the whole Manson Family thing got started? Anyway here are some highlights of the things that we had the willpower to NOT buy.

another creepy dolly

Cynthia lucked out today and found a man who actually knew Etienne the painter!! He said he personally owns over 10 paintings. She was in bliss

happy window

check out this puss in boots that plays music

Happy Snails to you...until we meet again

After the flea market we stopped at a sad church rummage sale...where an old lady made me take this stuffed fish. I didn't really wanna take this one eyed animal home --so Cynthia told me to throw it out the window as we passed someone elses yard sale. It landed right in the drive way!

Another successful Sunday complete with time change and a fine supper with Uncle Lou at Norms. Remember he turns 97 in a week. Tonight the old people food went down well.

Rose Bowl...for the 1st TIME!

I have to admit I wasn't that impressed. Sure there are a lot of clothing piles to enjoy-- but these people are delusional on the pricing! I suppose the impending rain and cold weather prevented most vendors from being at their best. Don't worry I found a vast array of things I don't need and would never wear, some of which I purchased. How can the going rate for a dress be $30? I thought a flea market was about bargains? Here are some of the things that caught my eye
I like to call this one "the happy quilt" this pile cost me one dollar! That was a steal.

All of this MOD fab stuff was deadstock...stacks of flower power breakfast trays

This astrological scale was in my parents bathroom when I was a kid. I loved looking at it and trying to figure out what the horoscope signs were. Seeing it today gave me a weird feeling- mostly because I've never thought about it or seen another one til today. I liked weighing myself while holding my cat "Pepper" to see her weight.




I had to tell Joaquin "You'll shoot your eye out"

This was a psychedelic cutting board...




I went to the Rose Bowl with Frannie and Joaquin...my two neighbors who have never attended this flea market before. We were so new to the experience that by the time we figured out where the vintage clothing section was it was over.

The following pictures are a sad reminder of the handpainted leather CHAR 60's jacket I once owned and sold for 40 bucks when broke. I found out the going rate on these is now more like 400 bucks. Clothing regret hurts so bad---





It's always nice to end a day of thrifty shopping with a plate of onion rings and french fries.