Like Robots? You'll Love Heykillah!

I'm very excited to announce a special offer, just for the readers of Let's Go Thrifting! Thanks to Lynette, the lovely creator and artist behind the original prints, jewelry and toys of Heykillah! you can now treat yourself or someone you love to an adorable Valentine's gift. 

These 6" little robot plushies are hand sewn and ready for a new home. And crafted especially for fans and friends of Let's Go Thrifting! is this incredible offer from Lynette: 

If you buy one of these super-cute robot plushies, you will get this amazing 8.5" x 11" print, free, free, free! 

That's right! A robot print, FREE. When ordering your robot plushie from Heykillah! just leave Lynette a note during the checkout process stating simply "Robots with headphones print" and that's what you'll be getting. That's a $20 value....for free. Robots, plushies and savings! Who doesn't love this idea? 

Many thanks to Lynette from Heykillah! for this super offer! 

______________________________________

 Photos and artwork are courtesy of Lynette May, owner Heykillah! 

The Rainbow Brite Collection

Over these 27 years, I've amassed a rather large collection of dolls, plushes, figurines, books and other assorted goods featuring my most beloved childhood fictional hero, the cartooned 80's icon Rainbow Brite. And while some of the original, hard-to-come-by Rainbow Brite merchandise will be staying with me likely 'til the grave, it's time to let some go. And where better a place to turn loose my vintage goodies than The Let's Go Thrifting Etsy Shop!? 

Don't get me wrong, I love these little dolls. But I also value space and the good sense to part with things that I know will serve better belonging to someone who will use them.

So here's a sampling of cheery and colorful Rainbow Brite goods that will soon hopefully make their way to new ownership. 

These items and others will be available in the Let's Go Thrifting Etsy Shop. 

What beloved treasures of the past are you letting go? 

The Week in Review: My Epic Return to the Thrift

Since late May I’ve been fitted with an orthopedic boot for what was thought to be a stress fracture. While the diagnosis is still a bit fuzzy, the time has come to kick-off the boot and begin physical therapy.

And not a moment too soon, given my reliance upon friends and family to drive me around to run my errands. And since thrifting is not quite a necessary errand (at least not one to friends and family) I was having a severe secondhand shortage.

Today marks my triumphant solo return to the thrift. And while I only made a single purchase, I knew instantly what I had been missing.

Cigar box and contents, $1 from Second Ave Value Store.

Take this cigar box, for example. Square, sturdy, with the sweet image of a biker's sillhoutte. A nice box of Nicaraguan cigars imported by the Acid company. Sounds smooth, doesn't it? But what's in the box, you ask.

Lighters? A deck of cards? Grandpa's corncob pipe collection?

Wrong.

Which one of you kids wants a stogie?

Gather 'round, children. It's time for papa to light up one of his Acid cigars and regale you with stories of cross-country bike trips. Oh wait, we're fresh out of cigars. Here, play with these ABC blocks instead.

...And that's exactly what I've been missing from the thrift.

___________________________________

Be sure to visit the Let's Go Thrifting Facebook Page for our Facebook exclusive Thrift Fail of the Week! 



Odds ‘n’ Ends Thursday: That’s the Last of It

Well, we finally finished going through all of the boxes, bags and storage bins in preparation for Saturday’s garage sale. While I wasn’t particularly thrilled to have clouds of dust clog my nasal cavity, or to see itty bitty spiders that camp-out in the crevices of the garage pop out unexpectedly, or to have an entire wall-mounted cabinet to come de-walled only to slam on to my shoulder, it wasn’t all bad. Rediscovering previously treasured items from the past was nice.

We relived the Furby trend for a moment. We laughed at the unbelievable amount of collections we’ve amassed. We found things we even forgot we still owned.

Then we played with them…



My sister decided to play a game of “Which One of These is Not Like the Other” with a pile of pugs. Pugsley seems only mildly annoyed.



And this is the product of a 27 and 22 year old, respectively. We stuffed Rainbow Brite, Twink, Mr. Peepers the Owl and a tiny pug into this sweet set of wheels and rolled them around the carpet for the dogs to chase. Of course, the dogs grew bored of this before we did.

After a few minutes of playtime, we packed it up. Some things will stay. some things will go. But it was fun reliving the past.

Tomorrow we’re going to take a drive around to post up some fliers for the garage sale. I think they are sufficiently kitschy.

What childhood favorites have you reminiscing about the past?

The Spice of Life Part One: Dolls and Decor

 


Goodwill. $1.97



The last few weeks have proven quite fruitful when it comes to sweet secondhand finds. Sometimes it just happens that way, when everything you never knew you wanted was right there, ripe for the picking.

Dolls, decor, books, records, fashion. I found so many wonderful little treasures, in such great variety, I’m seizing the opportunity to divide the finds into two blog entries.

So let’s see here. First I will share with you the dolls and decor.

The sign pictured above I absolutely love. It’s a thick, sturdy plastic with a metal chain for hanging. It looks to me like a vintage sign for a school, library or hospital.



Goodwill. $3.00



I also found this neat little hanging frog and shell at Goodwill over the weekend. It’s difficult to make out in this photo, but the color is a pale blue. And don’t you love that aged patina look? This will be hanging in my garden once the weather starts being more cooperative.

 


Goodwill. $.50

   
Ordinarily I’m not into Western decor, but this miniature plastic wall hang is kinda kitschy. And it’s only about 4” in length. So tiny!

My last piece of decor to mention is my personal favorite. I was pleasantly surprised to win this lovely vintage piece of owl art from Sonya of Dime Store Thrift. Many thanks for such a wonderful prize, Sonya!

Pugsley must also have enjoyed this win, as he sneakily found his way into my photo staging area.

Well, that’s okay, as I figured he could stick around to introduce the doll segment of this post.




 Philly Aids Thrift. Cabbage Patch Kid w/original clothes, socks and shoes, $5.



  But apparently, that photo shoot wiped him out. There he is sleeping next to “Fred,” our newly adopted Cabbage Patch Kid.




Impact. $2.50



This little doll in a big dress is a vintage treasure. The maker hand painted “1971” on her neck. I love her long legs and torso in comparison to her tiny feet.




Her face and hairstyle bares a striking resemblance to my Aunt Gert, a lifelong crafter who passed away last year. So I decided to name this little doll after her in tribute.

Well, that’s the end of the “Dolls and Decor” segment of this exciting two-part variety special. On the next episode of Let’s Go Thrifting! read “The Spice of Life Part Two: Books, Records and Fashion Finds.”