Friday, May 15, 2009

I'm Such a Thrift Store Junkie!

It seems like I'll go a couple weeks without any desire to hit a thrift store and then WHAM! All of a sudden, I'm Jonesing for a fix! This week, I've visited five, I think! Truth to tell, I had a vague idea of something I was looking for, and that's really never a good idea. In my experience, when you're looking for something, you never find it, and that's been true of my latest hunt.

Oh, that's not to say that I haven't found anything, though. Sheesh! I've found plenty--and then some! I'll show you a couple things.

The other night, I stopped by the Goodwill closest to my house, and in the "crafts gone wrong" aisle, I found a bunch of plastic bags, each containing five boxes of "Tri-Chem Liquid Embroidery Paint." And since I've renewed my interest in embroidery, I thought I'd buy a couple bags and see just what this stuff was. I examined the boxes and each contained a paint "pen."


I also did a little internet research, and discovered that these things are supposed to be pretty neat if I can get them working. Apparently it may take a little fussing with the tips and possibly the paint inside, but I'm game. So the next night, I went back and bought more, so I'd have a decent range of colors, and I also bought a bag that included a tin of solvent--solvent is necessary to get the tips working correctly. Now I just need to find time to play around with them! Have you ever tried these?


Tonight I went to another Goodwill store. I never really thought about it before, but do you know they have books on tape? With the television season coming to an end, I thought books on tape might be a great "noise" substitute while I quilt, so I picked up a few.


The Smoke Jumper? The book's been sitting on my bookshelf for years, waiting for me to read it, ever since I read The Horse Whisperer. Now I can! Well, sort of!

And while I was browsing the books, I found two quilt books--Gerry Kimmel Carr. Pretty cool, huh? The cashier asked me if I knew they were $2--I guess she didn't want me to get home, look at my receipt, and think I'd paid too much. Silly girl!


And here's the really exciting news: I read in the newspaper today that another Goodwill is going to go into a shopping center that has a large, vacant store about a half mile from Bearpaws and Hollyhocks quilt shop--right on my drive to and from Bearpaws, in fact! AND it's right near a Starbucks. AND it's kitty corner to a Michael's store. Heaven on Earth is what I'm thinking!

Anyway, I thought I'd celebrate by another little giveaway so you can share the joy too. Do you remember when I mentioned I'd gotten a book (at the thrift store) that had some great ideas for using vintage tablecloths as curtains? Click HERE if you'd like to refresh your memory, and then scroll down a bit. Well, I found another copy of the same book at the Goodwill this week. It was published in 1996, so some of the ideas are a little old, but it's still a terrific source for inspiration.


If you think this might be something you'd be interested in, please leave me a comment telling me you'd like a chance to win the book. I'll draw a name on Saturday night, so if you ask to be put in the drawing, check back on Sunday to see who won.

Bedtime for me--time to go to bed and dream thrifty fantasies!

25 comments:

Mam said...

Kim, I'm glad you too are a member of the sisterhood of thrift store yard sale why buy it retail! I would love a chance to win the book.

Louise SS said...

Sign me up for the drawing! Good ideas are always welcome.

Becky said...

Those pens are a blast from the past. That's so funny because we used to have them. My mom was addicted and at one point everything had some sort of paint design on it. Hmmm, kind of like me now with embroidery. Oh well. Cool book.

Dorothy said...

I love vintage linens and would love a chance to win the book. I used to use those TriChem tubes when I was a kid, I still have of those 'original" pillowcases I created.
Dorothy

Nancy said...

I love collecting tablecloths from the 1950's. I usually get mine from farm auctions...

Would love a chance to win the book...

Orcsmom said...

OMG, Kim, we may need to have an intervention for ya! My mom used to have those pens, and they were a pain to get going, and then trying now to get too many blobs, but they were fun, and something creative to do during the summer or when it was raining outside. I too still have a pillowcase I did when I was a kid. Now, regarding the new Goodwill store. I hope its a decent size and not a drop off center. I think I still have some patterns for those pens also! See ya therapy!

Orcsmom said...

OMG, Kim, we may need to have an intervention for ya! My mom used to have those pens, and they were a pain to get going, and then trying not to get too many blobs, but they were fun, and something creative to do during the summer or when it was raining outside. I too still have a pillowcase I did when I was a kid. Now, regarding the new Goodwill store. I hope its a decent size and not a drop off center. I think I still have some patterns for those pens also! See ya therapy!

Mama Spark said...

I can't believe that you have not thought of books on tape before. In fact, I download them to my iPod and "read" while I sew. It's great!! You can get them at the library too and download them to the computer and then put them on your iPod too. ENJOY!

Carol said...

Kim I would like a chance to win that book. Looks like good ideas. That's cool that you found two quilt books.

Dawn said...

Hi Kim, I did a post about a Trichem!! My mom saved the blocks I painted from when I was a little girl and I put it together to make a quilt!! I remember Trichem well!

Sandy said...

Hi Kim,
Thank you ....I have a huge tote of vintage tablecloths waiting for a project

Judy said...

Wow did you clean up!! Those Red Wagon books are supposed to be really hard to find.

Kimberly Mason said...

Careful! That combo of stores sounds like the devil's playground!

Tracey in CT said...

My Mom used those paint tubes ALL the time when I was growing up to do so many projects! They were called Art-Tex I think. They were a lot of fun to use, but could get sloppy if you squeeze them too hard! Mom still has a huge 5X7feet probably Santa painting that she decorates with at Christmas time!

Anonymous said...

Hi Kim,I would like to have a chance to win that neat book.see you soon, Imelda

Terry said...

OMG..I was raised on Tri-Chem liquid embroidery!! My grandmother even sold it for a while. I know I don't have any of my paints left but somewhere there's a "Dolls of the World" quilt that I painted blocks for with that stuff! Have fun getting them to work! LOL

Julia from Thimbleberries said...

Kim,

I guess with all my trips to the thrift shop by my house (not a Goodwill), I need that book.

Julia

p.s. I see Imelda got here first!

cmtracy said...

Hi Kim,
Pick me! Pick me! I need that book. I used some of those pens back in the early '70s and they were old then! I like real embroidery so much more.
Chris

Shirley--Knot-y Embroidery Lady said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Shirley--Knot-y Embroidery Lady said...

Orcsmom made me laugh - we may need to have an intervention for you... - what a sense of humor at 4:30 am in the morning to boot.

I have some books on tape that I will be happy to loan/give you. Old Patricia Cornwell type stuff.

I am passing, on your great book offer, thank though.

I hope you have a great weekend.

Kim said...

I am a result also of a Tri Chem childhood... my grandmother and mother had tins of them.. they made pillowcases and tablecloths and dishtowels. I played with them too following the little X's .. LOL wow, what a memory!

Shirley--Knot-y Embroidery Lady said...

Very nice background - yet, after your last comment on my blog I have to start looking at things with different sunglasses every now and then.
Cheery-o

Robin said...

That book looks cool! I'm in!!

Tudy said...

Please enter me.

Tamara said...

Both of my grandmas painted with tri-chem and my first quilts I made were painted blocks using Cameo paints which sort of kicked tri-chem out of its #1 spot on the market. So if you need help holler I actually know something about this subject. ;)