Vintage Red Carlos Falchi Purse Spotted at Goodwill at Cardiff, NJ

I went to my local Goodwill store in Cardiff, NJ, to purchase a suit for my older son. As I was getting ready to check out, this bright red purse caught my eye. It looked like purses I saw as a teenager in the 80s. It's red leather with dyed python stripes.

The back looked great, including the back flap external pocket.

I opened the flap, and it looked immaculate inside!

Then, the payoff: Carlos Falchi! Score!!!!!!!

Quickie DIY: Pyramid Studded Friendship Bracelet

I was inspired by the many studded friendship bracelets I've seen. Here's just a couple of them:

Michelle Roy Los Angeles

Gypsies + Debutantes

or on Etsy

Here's what I did:

I took a belt that I bought from a bulk deal (cheap clear plastic, but lots of studs)

I stripped off all of the pyramid studs... Phew.... lots of studs!

I bought a friendship bracelet.

I laid out the studs in a even spacing.

I pushed the studs through and secured them.

Ta dah! Ready for sale at the next craft show!

Quickie DIY: Upcycled Vegan Leather / Pleather Purse Scraps to Earrings

I had a busted black pebbled "vegan leather" (pleather) purse that was ripe for upcycling. So, I got my trusty Vintaj Big Kick, the Sizzix #657014 die together.

I cut two scrap pieces off and ran them through to cut out pieces, like what was shown on the cover of the die.

Then, I took two jade cross post earrings and took them apart. I attached the posts and crosses to each earring.

Ta - dah!!!! All done!!!

Kathleen's Closet: a Thrift Store that Benefits the Community Food Bank of NJ

I think of Kathleen's Closet as "The Little Thrift Shop That Could". It started out in 2010 as a small spot within the Food Bank. Then, it moved to the Shore Mall while the Food Bank was being rebuilt. Then... it moved to the Festival at Hamilton because the Shore Mall was being demolished.

They have a lot of variety: jewelry, shoes, clothes, purses, formalwear, children's items, collectibles, etc.

The store is neat, clean, and well organized. The prices are very reasonable.

Their Facebook page.

I really like the new location! Also, they accept credit and debit cards.

I recommend stopping by if you happen to be in Mays Landing's Hamilton Mall area.

Kathleen’s Closet:
3984 Black Horse Pike, Mays Landing NJ
Open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m

(609) 383-8843 ext. 104

Quickie DIY: Pool Noodle Float to Boot Storage

It's that time of the year for me: rotate seasonal clothes. So... after cleaning my boots, I had to find something to store them.

Ah ha!!!! Pool noodles!

I went to my local Five Below store, and bought 2 noodles for $1 each.

I cut each one into quarters, and inserted a quarter into each boot.

Easy-peasy, and cheap!

Year of the Snake Cuff Bracelet Found at a Bargain Price

This is the Year of the Snake, per Chinese astrology. So.... snake accessories are a big trend. They're everywhere:

Here's a gold arm band up for bid on Antiquorum. Its value is $2,000 - $2,500.

Here's a gold plated one from Paris Hotel Boutique. It's from the early 1900s, and is priced for $250.

Here's another version, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, priced at $85.

I had the pleasure of visiting the Vineland NJ location of the Salvation Army recently. My favorite day to "hunt" there is Wednesdays, when 3 of the color tags are 50% off.

Salvation Army Family Store
2279 S Delsea Drive
Vineland, NJ 08360
Mon-Tue: 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM, Wed: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM, Thurs: 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM, Fri: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM, Sat: 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM, Sun: Closed

I was very pleased to find this two-headed snake cuff bracelet. Not bad for $4.99.

It looks like 60s/70s vintage.