Wore My Boyfriend's Shirt on My Birthday

My birthday was on July 1. I went home to WI for the weekend and spent time with my family and friends; cured that homesickness that always sets in - That in itself is a gift, but I also bought myself a little upcycled something-something, of course!

I wrote about my "me present" for Soul Flower, (since it's from Soul Flower) but it's thrift fashion at its best, so I wanted to share it here with all of you. I really, really like like this top! You can find this blog on their Facebook page (where more people are replying, especially if you want to join the Birthday convo) OR simply...

Click HERE to READ: Wore My Boyfriend's Shirt on My Birthday :)

Those cute white earrings were also thrifted for 40 cents! And I've been wearing them all week with pretty much everything! See, I even wore them on the Fourth of July!

Hope you've all been enjoying your thrifty summer finds as much as I have! Any item you've found lately that you just can't stop wearing?

Tofu Taste Tester

Nectarine 4 Dessert

I'm not a vegetarian. I sometimes wish I had the strength to be one, but I just love meat too dang much. So instead, I try to have a meatless day or two each week. Some weeks I'm better at this than others.  My reasons for doing so are simply:  I know it's healthy, I like to get nutritional value from what I put into my body, I feel good on the days I don't eat meat ( I'm less likely to get a tummy ache or feel overly full), I know it's the eco thing to do and, lastly, fruits and veggies taste better than most of the other junk out there. Back 'round New Year, Thrift Core had us come up with three resolutions, and although that's normally not my thing, I went for it. One of the things on my list was to buy more local, organic food, and with The Wedge Natural Food Co-op and several Farmer's Markets nearby, doing so hasn't been too difficult, and the food seriously tastes soooo much better! Reminds me, learning to sew was on my resolution list, too, but I haven't gotten on that, yet - I'm thinking around fall time I'll calm down enough to sit still and learn something useful. I got to. It's on the list!

VIA

But I'm sidetracking.....vegetarian....right. So, my Soul Flower boss, Peggy, is a vegetarian, and I told her that I had tofu for my first time in a soup at a local Thai restaurant. I was surprised to find, I like it - Never imagined I would, it's always looked like an icky, dirty sponge to me (a scrumptious dirty sponge, now). Peggy then told me that she loves deep fried tofu, and even though that kind of ruins the healthy side of it all, sometimes being slightly smart and a little naughty is what a good life is all about. Which is why I went home and deep fried me some tofu, and I was pleasantly surprised to find, I like that too. Peggy was right, it does taste gooood.

I still had leftover tofu which I had intended to put into this amazing Thai Tofu Noodle with Lemongrass Soup I stumbled upon, but I never took the time to go shopping for the rest of the ingredients. Instead, I pan cooked the leftover tofu in olive oil and soy sauce, tossed it into a veggie stir fry and topped off some teriyaki sesame noodles - Which once again was YUM.

The night I deep fried my tofu, all I did was pat the tofu dry and then tossed it into a mix of pepper & flour before frying it up in some olive oil. Then I threw it inside of some romaine leaves, with cucumber, red pepper, and some delicious tezatziki sauce, and that was that. My first time buying and cooking up tofu was a success, and I'm still excited to make that Lemongrass soup sometime soon, it just sounds amazing to me!

Do you like tofu? What's your favorite tofu recipe? I'd like to try out some more delicious, new and healthy meals. :)

Still Alive & Writing

A lot of changes have been taking place the last couple weeks, so I haven't had much time to write here. I miss all you bloggers out there, and will be back reading, commenting and sharing as soon as I get all settled. I haven't completely stopped blogging though, one of my latest life changes is a new job at Soul Flower. I'm their Creative Writer (Copywriter) and will be working on their product descriptions, social media, blogging, etc. It's pretty exciting because I absolutely love their eco-friendly clothing! Matching my work life with my eco interests and creative passions is AMAZING! These first few weeks have actually felt somewhat surreal.

Well, today I did my very first blog post for them, about what Penny Lane and Richard Hammond from Almost Famous would buy if they shopped Soul Flower. I really do love Kate Hudson's style and was so excited to put this blog together. Every now and then I'll share some of my other work and you can check it out if you like! Blog link:

Almost Famous: Soul-Flower Style

This post received a great response on their FB wall! Worth checking that out and answering, "If you could snag the wardrobe of any movie character, whose would it be?" Click HERE if you wanna answer!

...I can't believe I get to call this "work." Soul Flower rocks! More than I imagined.
Before I landed this job, I did an unpaid post on their eco-friendly fashions, you can check that out if you want to oogle some sweet, environmentally friendly clothes:

Sustainable Fashion: Soul-Flower

I'll be back on track with Charmstruck super soon! You haven't ridded of me, yet! ;)

Love & Happiness
Jacqueline

Mother's Day Thrift Gift

If you haven't already gotten your mum something for Mother's Day, I highly suggest you run out and thrift something.  Many beautiful things are to be had, from clothes to collectibles.  Since I live in Minneapolis, I celebrated Mother's Day early while I was home (in WI) for Easter.  Outside of spending some girl time together, and enjoying a yummy margarita and dinner out at La Chimenea, I was extremely excited to give her her gift.

You see, ever since I can remember, my mom has had the Christopher Collection on display in a tall glass curio in her living room.  Throughout the years, I  have now and then stumbled upon a Christopher she does not have while perusing antique malls and thrift stores.  Every time I find one I am completely surprised - I mean, the woman has a TON of these little Christopher boys and girls, how many more could possibly be out there? Additionally, they are not easy to find; despite my mom having a ton of them, there aren't tons of them waiting for me at every turn. They are a rarity.

What makes the Christopher Collection so valuable is that they make my mom smile.

And they remind me of my childhood.

Her label name is "Priscilla"

I have found two in the past that she did not have but they were broken, so I left them behind. One was a girl posed with a squirrel and the other was on a swing. So, at least I know I am still on the hunt!

The Christopher I found for Mother's Day, however, she is perfect!  When I found her, I practically started jumping up and down; she is in excellent condition! And as if that wasn't enough, she has special meaning, too.  This last year, my good friend Andrea taught me how to cross stitch (Thanks, Andrea!).  Most of my other friends only find this amusing, and make granny jokes (haha), but my mom knew I was excited to learn a new hobby, and she was always the one asking me how my cross stitch project was coming along.

Which is why I just love this precious addition to my mom's Christopher Collection.

The floral pattern on her apron matches what she is stitching

Christophers always stand out in a thrift crowd for me, somehow their clean, pastel colors make them extremely eye-catching. Without looking at the bottom, I can always be certain I have found a Christopher by their soft, sienna brown eyes...they really are the sweetest little figurines.

Not only did I thrift her figurine, but I also thrifted her card. Can you believe how perfectly suiting that card is?! It all came together quite well, which is why I really couldn't wait to give it to my mom.

The perfect thrifrted pair!

Best part is, she loved it as much as I do and she even got teary eyed!

I absolutely heart the floral pattern, her little shoes, and how even the back of her chair is detailed

A gift only needs to be meaningful...where you bought it or how much it cost, just doesn't matter.

Hope all you mom's out there have a meaningful weekend with the ones you love most!
Happy Early Mother's Day to you, too!!

All pictures presented in this post were taken by my by mom! Thanks mom, I love you.

Thrift Shoes: Three's a Charm

Most days my thrift wanderings result in nothing too exciting, but every now and then the stars align and I find things in beautiful abundance. This weekend was overly abundant. That I-feel-like-I-should-feel-guilty, kind of abundant. I bought my years worth of heels in one day. Yet, I feel no guilt-ridden negativity, because these pretty thrift things have blinded me and put a goofball grin on my face.

To avoid any future guilt, let's place blame...

I'm gonna have to point fingers at the colors. Clearly it is their fault entirely, sitting on the shelves all brand new and bright, flaunting their cheeriness, while making unspoken promises of ending the perpetual gloom that has overtaken Minneapolis...if it wasn't for all the vibrant, enthralling colors I would be a much stronger person.  I would NOT have purchased the amount of dress shoes I buy within a year if there hadn't been all the pretty colors!

They were all thrift temptress cheap, too, even Cleopatra would have swooned...and I think that says a lot.

Oh! And the size! I blame the size.

All size 8? Oh my god, I didn't stand a chance, did I?

Who we really can blame is Johnathan.

You see, it started with the green heels; obviously they stand out in a crowd. Then I saw the red Steve Madden heels and truly got excited because I have a black pair of them at home, and they've always been a comfy favorite; they don't feel like heels at all.  I was done shopping. It was decided - I was going to get the red heels and only the red heels.

But then there was Johnathan, practically placing all 6 feet of himself on my left shoulder..."You should get them both!" and then seconds later exclaiming, "Look at these!" as he dangled a pair of purple strap Gap wedges before me...and then a gray pair of heels trimmed in yellow. A devilishly handsome grin spread across his face; I should have turned away, but being that strong, well, it just isn't any fun.

So I tried them all on. Each and every temptress. Of course they all fit.

I once again declared I'd be getting just the ONE pair, but then Johnathan said what every girl would want him to say, "But, I really like that green pair." (me too!) "And those purple ones, I know you'd wear those a lot." (i would!)

That's when I stood for a solid 5 minutes staring at my thrift train of shoes, listening to both the good Jacqueline, and the bad.  The Good Jacqueline knows I've never purchased that many shoes in a day - in my life. I estimate I might buy one pair of heels a year, like the Polka Dot Steve Madden pair I love so much.  I also wear them not only with dresses, but jeans too. I take them to more than one ball, so to say. The Bad Jack knows this and was milking it for all it was worth: you could sleep in them, wear them with a robe; ladies in the 50's did that, right? You could wear 'em everywhere, everyday; heels are the new tennis shoe - minus the comfort - how could you not want them?! A sexy lady deserves sexy heels!

....the bad me is always so flattering.
Bad boys are, too.

In the past I have admitted I am spoiled, and I am here to admit it again. I decided on one pair. I honestly did. But Johnathan then decided to buy the other two pairs of heels for me. At the checkout counter he still had that devilishly handsome grin on his face.

It's not my fault I picked a great boyfriend is it? Pretty sure we could blame that on him anyways...

Red: Steve Madden, Purple: Gap (never worn), Green: Unknown (never worn)

Besides, they always say every girl likes a bad boy, and they also always say three's a charm.
It's not my fault I listen well, is it?? ;)

I'm just a Charmstruck girl living in a charm-filled world, and my closet's a little brighter because of it.

At least I turned away the gray pair, the black pair and the brown pair...I still sorta, kinda got a grip on things, right? Lol

Similar Posts:

Polka Dot Heels I Heart

Hiding, Stalking, Thrifting

Sustainable Fashion: Soul-Flower

I've discovered an eco-friendly online boutique based out of Saint Paul, Minnesota that has some unique, funky-fun pieces. It's called Soul-Flower, and they offer eco-fashions for men, women and children.  If thrifting secondhand goods isn't quite your thing, but you still want to aide in the Earth's sustainability, organic and hemp clothing are the way to go -- they're very easy-going on the environment. If you're looking for some new clothes with bohemian flair, (minus the materialistic guilt), Soul-Flower is the online shop for you. 

Here are a few of my favorites (All photos below are via Soul-Flower):

 Closer Look

Without a number one hit on the radio or their hooters in a centerfold, owls have achieved a legendary level of fame. Impressively enough, they've won us with their wide-eyed wisdom alone, soaring over geekdom and straight onto popularity! If this adorable owl tank dress couldn't make me cool, nothing ever will. ;)

But the one I really dig is this Raine Tie Dye Hemp Dress. I practically live in dresses in the summertime because I like staying cool and hate having fabric cling to me -- I look at this dress and I immediately feel that cool, summer evening breeze.  I love the loose, flowy feel and, as we all know, I have a hard time passing by those soulful blues.

Take a Hike & Hunter S. T-shirts

Beyond having great looks for the ladies, Soul-Flower has a ton of really cool men's organic tees.

This Vibrate Buddha Tee is especially unique and eye-catching. The vibration effect is caused by closely paired double lines, a visual trick that is sure to be a conversation starter! Another plus side, beyond being awesomely fashionable, is that these organic T-shirts are incredibly soft and comfortable!

Hemp clothing, such as these stylish pants, is a smart, eco-friendly fabric choice. Hemp uses less resources such as land and water, and unlike many other plants, hemp actually revitalizes the soil as it grows.  It's also insanely durable, and is known to have three times the strength of cotton fibers!  And, did you know, hemp is UV and mold resistant? Yeah, it's a pretty versatile, benifical and amazing plant!  The environmental benefits of hemp go far beyond what I've listed above...if I get into it all now, this blog post would never end!

Which is why the products Soul-Flower has to offer are well worth our pretty pennies! So even if buying secondhand isn't quite your thing, there are other environmentally beneficial ways to shop and stay sensibly fashionable.

On that note, I leave you with one last piece of eye-candy:

 

This artsy Ski Girl Skirt is on sale! And these recycled wood earrings in teal (only $12.99) are absolutely stunning! They pair well together, which makes it all the more tempting, don't you think?

"Cool threads for kind heads" is Soul-Flower's signature tagline, which is perfectly suiting; if you want your fashion sense to match your sensibility I do believe this is the online shop for you.

I definitely dig it!

Secondhand Sheer Shirt

Few weeks ago I thrifted this sweet navy and cream sheer top by Charlotte Russo for $3.

Snapping pictures of yourself without a large mirror is tricky business! But, I'm just wearing this top with some dark blue jeans and dainty, plain flats.  I also paired this top with the bird necklace I thrifted awhile ago since the vine pattern fits the meadow-like feel perfectly.

 

And here is what the beautifully detailed back of it looks like:

It makes me think of summer fields...





And dandelion wishes I've sent on the wind.





Which are wonderful thoughts to have on a chilly, gloomy, supposed "Spring" day. ;)  Hope you all have a wonderfully fun weekend!

Related Posts:

Thrift Necklace Gone Poetic

How Often Do You Buy?

When trying to convince people that thrift can result in awesome finds that are "brand new" through a thrift blog, people tend to imagine that I go thrifting all time.  Which in a way is correct, I do tend to go once a week, sometimes more.  I do not, however, thrift something every time I go thrifting.  More often than not I just wander and take things in, check out prices for comparison, and look for anything that might interest my readers or me. I don't believe in over-consumption, which is exactly why I try to encourage the thrift lifestyle.

 Due to thrifting often, I've needed to teach myself to resist buying every deal I dig. When I do find myself being tempted by material things, I ask myself two questions:

1) Do I need this? Now, if a person is being completely honest with themselves a lot of the time the answer to this question is no. So, then ask...

2) Will I regret not getting this? Once again, very easy to lie to ourselves. My way of testing this is by putting the item back down (not in the cart; back on the shelf...) and wandering around some more. If I practically have to remind myself of its existence before leaving, I don't need it. I already almost forgot about it; it's not unforgettable, Nat King Cole isn't singing on the stage of my mind. I can walk away.

I know that my boyfriend, Johnathan, asks himself:
3) Is this a rare deal, a.k.a, a steal?  Once again, one needs to be honest with themselves.When thrifting there will be several steals, that doesn't mean they need to be yours.

When I am in retail stores I try to avoid going through these questions. Even if it's the cutest thing ever I try and tell myself I don't need it.  A few of my exceptions are: undergarments, swimsuits, hygiene products or if I've received a gift card. Most of my shoes are thrifted, but on occasion I will buy boots or tennies brand new for reasons of comfort, and I wear them for years.

Other than that, most of my belongings from decor to clothing are secondhand. 

I've learned that some people find this shabby, but I just find it smart.  For one, I'm cutting back on wasteful consumption,wasteful packaging, wasteful spending, and, most importantly, I'm not supporting shallow American ideals I don't believe in. At the end of the day I'm saving a lot.

If you don't thrift, you would not believe the amount of fashionable (usually brand name) clothing I can get for the same price as one mall outfit.

Especially when it comes to kid's clothing, I don't get why on earth people waste so much money on mall clothes when the kid is going to outgrow the outfit so quickly and dirty it along the way. Why not save the money and buy "new" clothes at the thrift store? (I have a post next week that shares an adorable thrifted Gymboree dress I found).


Not to say the mall doesn't tempt me on occasion! Couple weeks ago when I went to the Mall of America with Andrea, I did fall for an outfit. But I forced myself to quickly gush about it, fold it nicely, and put it back. I just didn't need it, and I couldn't justify buying it (only that I would have looked mighty damn good in it...Lol!).

I've been rewarded for this in the past. I once really liked a black Forever 21 dress, except it was marked at $40 and it was only a plain cotton dress. Once again, I couldn't justify that so I walked away. Two weeks later I was in a Saint Vinnies, when right before me was that very black dress, new tags still on, MY SIZE, for just $2.50! I bought that dress 4 years ago, and I still wear it today. Love it! If that isn't a wise shopper reward, I don't know what is!

What we consume truly makes a difference, and I don't think many Americans acknowledge that. Luckily, the numbers for ecological and consumerist concern seem to be growing. I'm not extreme in believing people should give up everything and stop buying, I just believe that whenever possible we should respect what we've been given by reusing and recycling. It's too easy not to...

Patina shot, taken by me

Much of what I have thrifted and share on Charmstruck has been purchased over the years, not in one week.  I try to share more recent finds, but overall, I'm seriously not buying a whole ton these days.  It's relieving, because I will have extra money to pay off my college loans and travel.  I'd much rather travel and see the beauty of the world than own twenty pairs of pretty shoes I'll rarely wear. 

When I'm tempted, I try to keep that larger picture in mind.

Now, if a person is a reseller they can thrift all they want. In the future I may try my hand at reselling but for now, I just don't have the space for the inventory, and I'm not quite ready to take that on. Perhaps a corner in an antique mall would suit me someday. Either way, I'll advertise secondhand any day, whether I have my own goods to peddle or not.

How often do you thrift? Do you struggle with temptation? Do you try and avoid retail?

 I'd really love to hear your consumerist tactics!

If you'd like to read an amusing story about a girl and her crazed gotta-have-it moments (cause admit it, we all have 'em!), check out: Hiding, Stalking, Thrifting

Thrift Attic to Basement: Japanese Tea Set

So not too long ago, I wrote a post about wanting to find an enamel teapot. I have not managed to find my thrifty enamel teapot, yet, but what I did not realize at the time of that post is that I do own a beautiful tea set...and more. I discovered it down in the basement.

This very box held my "new" Japanese tea set. It was buried under a pile of fake flowers and plants (which do not interest me). I would have assumed that's all the box had to offer, but my mom pulled it out, asking me if I was interested in keep my Grandma's set...

Was I!?!
 
What's hiding inside of that rolled newspaper is absolutely stunning! If I had seen these items in a thrift shop, I would have bolted at them like a feign! Instead, I got them for free!

Blue is my favorite color, so I couldn't ask for a more perfect set! I'm in vintage love! My Grandma Jones loved Japanese style, and most of her collectibles, like the Basement Lipstick Lady, were made in Japan.  I've come to understand that this tea set and the Japanese soup bowls to follow, were purchased by my Grandma from San Francisco's infamous Chinatown when she was younger.

Here are my "new" Japanese soup bowls that we're also bundled within that box:

There are five of the Japanese bowls, featuring a powerful, red dragon on one side, and a swirling rooster design on the other.  Each spoon (there are four, one must have broken), has the dragon symbol. What I like most about this soup bowl set, is the bright yellow cackle.  I can't wait to make some homemade Eggdrop Soup and slurp from those fancy spoons!

I never knew a soup bowl could express such sheer power, but these certainly do.

All of these basement items were in perfect condition, other than a small chip on the spout of my Grandma's teapot. I plan on using the cups and bowls, but I feel wary of using the teapot at all...we'll see. The teapot does have an infuser in it's spout, so it would be pretty nice to try it out, perhaps on a very special occasion.

Who would have guessed all that vintage beauty was inside that skimpy, hidden box?? I'm grateful my Grandma had such wonderful taste!

If you'd like to admire some more modern Japanese dish sets, Van, from Thrift Core recently shared her thrifted Japanese collection, as well. It's pretty cool, and features cute kitty art, so check it out: Thrifted Collections: Japanese Cups and Bowls.

My basement tea set just goes to show that sometimes we already have what we want...and it's quite the discovery.

Other Thrift Attic to Basement Posts:

Lipstick Lady

1931 Certificate

Actin' a Fool Monthly

I live foolishness month to month. For me, April 1 is the day on which I can celebrate my years many, many moments of actin' a fool.

In honor of April 1, 2011, I'll share with you the highlight Actin' a Fool moment of March:

So, as you know, last week my good friend, Andrea, came to visit me in Minneapolis.  She was supposed to have arrived at 2:30p.m., but instead showed at 5:30p.m. because she had missed her bus. Andrea had been late; the bus had left and consequently she had to buy a whole new bus ticket. Luckily, she was able to get onto another bus, and was still able to make it out by us. Happy enough ending. Lesson learned.

Or was it? DUN DUN DUN

Of course it wasn't. You have one doe-eyed, Andrea and one blondie (in dyed disguise), Jacqueline.

You see, Andrea was scheduled to go home at 5:00p.m. on Sunday. We spent our afternoon touring the amazing James Hill Mansion in St. Paul, then lollygagged on over to Sophie Joe's Emporium because I absolutely love that shop, and it was only 3:45p.m. As we wandered out of the shop, we decided we should grab a quick bite to eat, but when we couldn't find an agreed fast food restaurant it quickly became the longest awaited bite to eat of my life. We waisted so much time trying to eat somewhere, that we realized we no longer had time to eat. We needed to get Andrea to the station ASAP.

Perfectly on time, we pulled up to the Greyhound Station. Whenever I travel by bus I go through the Greyhound Station, and when Andrea arrived, she arrived at the Greyhound Station. One would only assume she'd LEAVE at the Greyhound Station. But, no.  That would be too simple for a doe and a blondie. That would have just made too much sense.

Instead, as I smiled at Andrea, ready to say our friendly and loving goodbyes... she began to un-crumple and question the address of the station on her reservation slip. At 4:50p.m., mind you.

"I was suppose to come on MegaBus, but when I had to get a new ticket, I bought Greyhound. My ticket home is MegaBus, so is this where I'm supposed to be?"

No. Nuh-uh.Of course not.

To top things off, there was no real address on this reservation/ticket slip; just two intersecting road names. There wasn't even a phone number! Later, after driving the busy downtown streets of Minneapolis for 10 min, we found the vacant parking-lot that the "address" belongs to. It was exactly 5:00p.m.The lot was empty. Her bus was gone.

At that very moment, a MegaBus reading Milwaukee drove past; that's her bus! Except it wasn't stopping, it either already had, or didn't see anyone and was on its way. So we did what any 20-something-year-olds would do:

We followed that bus.

Cause at times like this you need think, what would Bond do?

So, Johnathan starts talking like a city boy, yelling at other cars and pedestrians to get out of his way, as if they can hear, care, or even understand that we are on the chase; Andrea's on the phone talking with friends, having them look up phone numbers, help, possible ticket options-- if all else fails; while I just alternated between frustration, nagging safety concerns and laughter, before finally settling on snapping some pictures.

Andrea's phone calls determined that if we're following this bus, we're following it to Milwaukee. It would not be stopping. What kind of bus doesn't stop? It should stop in St. Paul, that's only normal. But, once again, why would things make sense? Besides, her MegaBus "help" line informed her, "Even if it did stop you'd have to purchase a new ticket. Why? She bought a ticket already for this very bus!

How to react? Frown and Laugh!

We contemplated throwing Andrea out the sunroof, luggage and all, with the hopes that she would land safely atop her bus, get on the bus, and then resolve the issue at hand, but it seemed a little risky...she's not very Bond-like.

Instead, we got tacos.

                          

 Bond probably wouldn't eat here, but his tactics failed us, so meh.

While dining, Andrea purchased a new Greyhound ticket that would leave at 9:15p.m. and arrive in Milwaukee at 3:30 a.m. (ick, but ok).

Yuh, in all, this crazy girl bought FOUR tickets! Two here and two back. Two pointless tickets.

When I travel I ubber plan ahead, and I'm normally 30 min early in case I have to deal with unexpected problems; Andrea didn't convince me to ever do otherwise, but she sure was entertaining. ;)

I'd just like to add, that if this chase had been in ANY movie, this girl would have gotten on that bus. Everyone would have been smiling, even the bus driver, and Johanathan would have been a hero and Andrea would have been home, safe and happy at a reasonable hour.

But this isn't a movie. This is just real-life Minneapolis... and two foolish girls with a Johnathan, not a James. ;)

 I wouldn't have it any other way!
Miss ya already, Andrea!
                &
Happy April Fools' Day, Everybody!



Andrea's Visiting!!

So excited to have my friend Andrea visiting Minneapolis this weekend! Guess she wanted a mini-getaway, and I couldn't be happier! She gets off the bus at 5:30 and I keep checking the clock, wishing it were just that time.

Last year, when she visited for too short a time <3

Some things we plan on doing while she's here:

Mall of America : Of course! People can't visit here without saying they went to thee mall. I go knowing I won't be buying a thing...other than a Coldstone "like it" (even tho I actually love it) cup of ice cream. I have weaknesses, ice cream is definitely one of them. Cheesecake is another. Coffee, a daily problem. Mall clothes and shoes do not make that list; thrift ones do. Oh, weaknesses...I like you.

King Tut Exhibit: EXTREMELY excited about checking this out. First time it's in MN, and I absolutely love Egyptian history! To me, this is a big deal!

James Hill Mansion: This is something Andrea brought to my attention, and I'm all for going. Who doesn't want to tour a Victorian mansion with extensive handcrafted woodwork? This home is breathtaking! (And I haven't even toured it, yet)

A Night Out Dancing at The Imperial Room: Cause me and my gals like to shake it.

Eat Too Much: Minneapolis has a wide variety of amazing restaurants -- makes me want to munga all the time!
I'll have to let you in on where we eat...

I also have to take her on a shop stroll through Uptown Minneapolis where I am located....I WANT TO SHOW HER EVERYTHING AND I ONLY HAVE THE WEEKEND!!! Lol

I'll try to take lots of pictures and share some of the fun filled weekend with you...till then,
Peace, Love and Pudding Pops ;)

Thrift Attic to Basement: 1931 Certificate

I'm an avid reader and lover of books. Given the right story, I can get lost for hours.  So when I was digging around in the basement and came across this certificate, I couldn't help but smile.

It is my Grandpa James Jones' First Grade Reading Certificate, dated for the 1931-1932 school year.

The photo doesn't show as clearly on blogger as I would like, but it reads:

Wisconsin Young People's Reading Circle

Primary Certificate

for the school year 1931-1932

This certifies that James Jones, a pupil in 1st. Grade, Bryant Graded School, Langlade County, Wisconsin, has satisfactorily read the following books, which are on the list of books of the Wisconsin Young People's Reading Circle for the school year above named, and is therefore entitled to this TESTIMONIAL of MERIT.

The ten books my Grandpa read are listed in his teachers cursive hand:

"Surprise Stories"                                            "In Toyland"

"Happy Children l"                                            "Boys & Girls at Work and Play"

"                       " ll"                                            Can't decipher...something "Boys"

"Wag and Puff"                                                "At the Farm"

"Book of Pets"                                                  "Toy Town"

Given at Antigo, Wisconsin, this 6th day of March, 1932.

It is then signed by his teacher Helen and principle Maud.

One of his listed books

Many of these books have really simplistic titles, so I'd have to do a bit of research to figure out the precise ones he read. I keep wishing they had listed author names, too, but that's getting a bit thorough for a first grader I suppose....although, this plaque is pretty serious! It's certainly the most formal 1st grade certificate I've ever seen.  I especially love the line, "for the school year above named" and the way "TESTIMONIAL of MERIT" is in all important caps. My young, first grade Grandpa must have felt prepared to go read aloud to a king after receiving a certificate like this!

It would be something to go back in time and tell little boy James, that in March 2011 someone will be writing a public blog on his March 1932 certificate, wouldn't it? That's the way you get a kid to read ten books weekly! If not for the future publicity, the poor thing would research for years trying to learn what a blog is....one of these books must know! Or, more likely, he'd just shrug--Mom's gonna frame this, I'm good for the month!

I liked learning that he went to school in Antigo. When I was growing up my Grandpa and Grandma had a beautiful home in the woods of Pickeral, WI and we used to go out to dinner and run errands in Antigo.  My Grandpa traveled around a lot, lived in Rio for awhile, brought my mom and her two brothers up in Milwaukee, WI. But, I like that the town he went to school in corresponds with the thoughts I've always had of "Grandpa's house." James Jones, Antigo, WI...like he was always right where all my memories are.

Framed Photo also found in Basement

My Grandpa is a bit older than 1st grade here, 5th perhaps?  He lived on a farm when he was young and often needed to get up at about 4 am to do his chores before walking the miles to school.  In this photo he has sleepy eyes, and I can just imagine what a struggle it was to focus in class each day.  He was extremely cute though, and was a handsome man his whole life.  I'm the only one who was lucky enough to get his bright blue eyes, the rest of my family has hazel or brown. 

I lost my Grandpa Jones to a car accident when I was in 4th grade.  My brother and I were very close to him, and learned a lot from him in that short time.  He had an unbeatable charisma about him, and a childlike heart.  I will miss him always...

It makes me smile to come across these things; he's still telling me stories.
I plan on hanging this plaque by my bookshelf.

Have you ever uncovered something of sentimental value in an attic or basement, something you hadn't known was there?