Saint Salvage

  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!       

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!!!  

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

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!

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.       ...

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I had the pleasure of visiting Glassboro Thrift Village  on April 3, on the way to visit family. I don't live or work near here, so I don't get to "hunt" here very often.       Per their website: "We are the largest thrift store in New Jersey. Established in 1993, we have grown to become one of the cleanest and most organized thrift stores you will ever visit. With a 20,000 square foot sales floor we have everything you could ask for and we are conveniently located minutes from Philadelphia in beautiful South Jersey."   You never know what you're going to find: video games, purses, furniture, housewares, clothing, tools, jewelry, DVDs, art..... Pretty much anything.   Photos courtesy of  Steve Giangola, The Spirit of Glassboro Blog In case you can't visit, they have an eBay Store Their contact info: Glassboro Thrift Village 169 South Delsea Drive Glassboro, New Jersey 08028 (856) 863-5558 Times and schedules: Monda...