A Magical Day!
This morning, I had enough energy to have some breakfast in the kitchen and chat over coffee with Kathy about our day. That's a big deal when you've barely sat upright all week.
I was telling her that I wished I had a larger selection of vintage ephemera to use in my art. You know, little bits and pieces of things like old report cards, calling cards, or deeds of trust. Buying them on eBay is expensive because, when you're talking about little pieces, the shipping can cost more than the item.
Kathy said, "We should go out to garage sales and estate sales and find them ourselves."
I just laughed, because we never get going early on a Saturday unless it is a Big Event. I don't think we could sustain several weekends of Big Events, and I think you need to hunt regularly to find the good stuff. Well, it was a nice thought.
We decided that because I had enough energy to go out, we'd visit to our favorite store (Stamper's Warehouse) and do some therapeutic shopping. Once I put my shoes on, I grabbed the car keys and asked if Kathy was ready yet; she said she knew I was feeling a little better because I was already acting bossy. I'm afraid it's true; I am bossy.
When we walked in the store, the store manager (Terrece) told us to check out the classroom in back because they were having a big sale on collage items. I was thinking she meant manufactured items for collage, but when I turned the corner into the classroom, I saw that it was a sale of vintage, unique collage items. Oh my!
The deal is that Sue, one of the people who works there, sorted through her vast supply of ephemera and related items and found things she wanted to sell off. By things, I mean deeds of trust from 1914, old patterns packaged with old sewing supplies, keys off very old typewriters, old photos, office supplies from the 1940s in their original packaging...an artist's DREAM. They weren't eBay prices but instead prices I could afford.
I was so happy I was glowing like a 500 watt light bulb. (I think I was also running a fever, but that's beside the point.) I went through the offerings carefully, choosing all sorts of things for our basket. I was able to spell out my mother's name in vintage typewriter keys, find photos that told instant stories, and dig up odd objects that just screamed assemblage. It was like I had died and gone to heaven.
I had told the store manager and the owner about my latest Big Idea for the fabric stewardess book. When I have a new idea, I am a bit glassy eyed and hyper about it, and now is no exception. I mentioned to Terrece that I would need lots of cool and mod fabrics. Suddenly Phyllis, the store owner, asked me to come over to the corner. She had brought a stack of 12x12" fabric sheets from the back room and was letting me look through it to see what I'd want to buy.
(These are cotton novelty fabrics that the fabric designer has cleverly had starched stiff and cut in 12x12" pieces for scrapbookers.)
I started flipping through the big stack and found all sorts of cool 1940s and 1950s style kitchen-themed designs that I had seen online. I had wanted to get some for Kathy, and here they were in front of me. I was thrilled. Then I flipped one sheet over and...
Oh. My. God. It's the fabric I just fell in love with online! FAN ME!
I eagerly picked it up, a little concerned that it wasn't real, but there it was - with no shipping costs! Do you believe it? Talk about instant gratification. All I can think is that Margie and Norm are really sorry about the chemotherapy, and this is their way of making it up to me.
By the time I left, I was exhausted, yet very, very happy. What a wonderful day I had for my first outing! Thank you, Stamper's Warehouse--I love you guys!
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