Thursday, August 22, 2013

Trip Treasures

 One of the best things about coming home from a long trip?  Going through the suitcase and finding all the great stuff you've stashed along the way!

We spent a lot of time in nature and natural treasures are just as fabulous to discover as the man made ones.  Giant Redwood pine cones will be used this Christmas in holiday pieces.  There was one spot at Crater Lake that had this weird, neon green moss.  The moss was growing about 10 feet off the ground on large tree trunks, but it had been so dry there lately that lots of little pieces fell to the forest floor, where I spent our picnic lunch gathering it up.  It's so cool looking!  And the reddish brown stuff is the fibrous bark from a redwood tree.  One huge tree had fallen and slid down the side of it's neighbor, skinning it a little.  Clumps of shredded bark fell from the live tree and I grabbed a bunch.  It's really interesting, like easter grass, but made from tree.  Not sure what I'll do with it yet.

 
 Ben and I also collected pretty rocks from a beach in California (or was it Oregon?).  They always look better wet, so I might shellack them.  The potatoes and onions greeted me from the ground when we got home.  :)

 Crepe paper from Castle in the Air and a bundle of really cool posters that will go in the baby's room and elsewhere in the house.

 Also in the baby's room I bought some fabulous Chinese paper garlands from Tale of the Yak in SF.  The little pink turkey feet thingy's were a gift from Laurie from Magpie Ethel, who's amazing home and studio I got tour!  Thanks Laurie!  Stay tuned for a post just on that stop!

 Also from Laurie are tiny cherries and tiny birds...toooooo cute!  The mushrooms came from her neighborhood antiques shop.

 Castle in the Air also had a giant jar of tiny jointed celluloid babies...I sifted through to find a bunch that had all four limbs and faces that weren't smushed in.  I also collected tiny pinecones from a dry creek bed in the rain forest in Washington.  I stashed them together in my suitcase...Ben thought it was a little creepy...lol.

 
 One thing I was hot on the trail of was wall art for the babies room.  I stocked up at Lucca Great Finds in Seattle, which also carries my cotton goodies.  Such an amazing store!!!  Stay tuned for another post just on that store!  The packet of shadow puppets was super cheap and I'd like to string them like a garland.  And the elephant is a hologram...he walks!

 I love framing cute cards and this one again will go in the baby's room.  I'll make a new banner to go over the Happy Birthday.  Tiny honeycomb garlands from Tale of the Yak and really cool metal lattice trim from Castle in the Air will probably be used for elaborate Christmas pieces or wedding cake toppers.

 We stopped at a yard sale in Berkley, CA where I bought old red markers for marking packages fragile.  China town in SF had a crab paper weight, I got two pairs of earrings at a SF art market, and also in SF...they had Goodwill's on almost every corner (I went to two just because they were there).  The large acorn candle holder came from there.

 The Halloween goodies were from that yard sale and the vegetable man postcard is another hologram.

 Near one of the Goodwill's was an amazing craft store that I didn't get to spend nearly enough time in.  I stagged this cheap pom pom yarn...again for hanging in the baby's room.

 A junk shop in Seattle boasted $2 wade england figurines, which I collect, and I found really old composition faces (a Santa and a witch), for a pretty penny at Castle in the Air, but I have grand plans for these.

 Some birds flew their way home with me...

 This one too....foil leaves are long and elegant, they weren't cheap, but again...grand plans.

 And lastly, lots of old timey tiny gift bows, dresden shamrocks, and lab tubes of cool shaped rhinestone....

What a great vacation haul!!!  Now it's time to put it all away!!  :)


3 comments:

laurie -magpie ethel said...

I always like to see what finds people pack home in their suitcase! Glad you made Tale of the Yak and Castle in the Air...cool stores huh?

Katie said...

The awesome green moss you have is something we saw in Yosemite this summer too-- the locals call it "witch's hair moss"! Maybe good for some Halloween inspiration. :-)

Vintage by Crystal said...

Ooh! I like that!! "Witch's hair moss." Love the idea Katie. :)