Road Trip to Detroit-Part 4-THE DRAFTING TABLE

We were still tooling around Detroit....Decided to go hang out in Canada for the day. We used to go there at least once a week growing up. And once my friends and I turned 19, Canada is where we spent our weekends since the legal drinking age is 19. We haven't been there in ages, so we thought it would be a great place to take the kids. We decided to take the tunnel on the way there and the bridge on the way back. My husband has always been a little bit sketchy about the tunnel, but we convinced him to face his fears and take the tunnel. The city of Windsor is pretty crappy...however, I do so like a crappy city, I am from Detroit after all....


Customs....

 

The tunnel.....

 

 

 

The Ambassador Bridge ...

 

 

 

 

One of our goals while we were in Canada was to buy candy. Yes candy. My son, Evan has severe nut allergies and he really doesn't ever get to eat a candy bar, unless it is some less-than-delicious candy bar from the allergy section of Whole Foods. However, in Canada, there is a huge selection of candy bars that are safe for nut allergies, Many are the same bars that are not safe for him in the US. So we bought some candy bars. $40 worth of candy bars.

Here is him eating his first ever Kit Kat bar:

You may not understand how important this is. Imagine being 11 and never being able to eat candy bars...Kit Kats....Trust me, its a big deal!

I guess these Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs are illegal to bring across the border. We didn't know...And we ate the evidence.

As many of you know, Evan, my Kit Kat eating son, is also an artist. He has been selling his art at markets and venues for almost 2 years, he has been quite successful and we are very supportive of him.

 

The following day we went to a local art market to poke around. We  go to a lot of art markets and this was a very nice one in the city of Northville. There was a chalk drawing contest, and Evan just couldn't refuse! Even though it was very late to enter so he only had 1 hour to complete his sidewalk chalk for judging. He went for it!

Here he is starting the process......

 

Still at it.....

 

 

Moving right along....

 

 

 

Almost there....

 

 

 

 

 

Blending with a wet sponge.....not much time left!

 

 

 

 

Done in the nick of time 5:00! Time for the judges!

 

 

 

 

....And this was the piece of crap that won....

 

 

 

Very disappointing, but that's life. Evan was planning on sharing the money he would have won with this sweet family next to us. It was 2 young kids and they kept coming over to see Evan and asking if he needed anything, and they were so adorable. They were doing some sort of Lego mini figure chalk drawing in the 6 and under category. They didn't win either....

 

My husband and daughter hate garage sales, thrift stores etc. I kept promising my son we would go to some garage sales, he loves that sort of stuff! We only had one car to share, so we decided that I would drop off my husband, Greg, and my daughter Avery in downtown Plymouth to do some nice (new) shopping and go to lunch, maybe sit outside a coffee shop and just hang out, Avery loves to eat so they got to sample all different ethnic foods and have a nice time,  while Evan and I hit the garage sales. Of course it was one amazing sale after another. Evan had no idea...He was getting a little adrenaline rush, practically drooling! He was able to pick up a cool vintage Star Wars ATT-ATT...Those retail from $50-$90 on Ebay, Evan paid $10. Then we both bought some vintage crank style pencil sharpeners. He was able to bargain the guy down, he ended up paying HALF of what I did for mine! (NOTE: have Evan do all negotiating in the future)....We were having so much fun, that we lost track of time. We were already an hour late to pick up Greg and Avery...whoopsie. I am driving like a banshee...to pick them up, about 20 minutes away...Evan is pleading to stop at every garage sale sign we see....NO no and no.....and then there was one right before we got to our destination....Evan pleaded "just this one last one, mom, PLEEEASEEE! One last Detroit garage sale!" I said no...as I turned into the subdivision...Seriously...what luck? What are the odds? It was hosted by an arts distributer. Yea... full of brand new art supplies...And he had new drafting tables. We had promised Evan that we were going to get him a drafting table this summer...and here is a very high end drafting table, with a magnifying arm lamp. It retails for $1000...and this guy is selling it for $100!!!

 

Unfortunately we had to walk away broken hearted. Our trunk was already filled to the max, we had all of my dads artwork that was in storage to bring home and a black family heirloom bookcase AND our luggage....Those items were already not going to fit and Greg was adamant about not renting a trailer.

 

We went to pick up the rest of the family and we told Greg about the drafting table and how it was just too bad we couldn't get it and oh well...and where are we going to eat for dinner.....

 

Greg said that he just wanted to pass that garage sale and take a look...Next thing you know we bought it...Ummm WTF Greg?! Our shit is already not going to fit and you bought a huge drafting table?? OMG you are fucking insane!

 

He said he was going to make it all fit...(idiot!!) My sister in law even was saying "there is NO way in hell he will get that all in the car!"

 

So he spent about 2 hours playing luggage tetris...And guess what? He made it all fit! I swear to God...he made it ALL FIT!

 

 

 

Some stuff on the roof of the car...

 

 

 

 

The inside of the car.....

 

This is where the kids were supposed to sit..Yea...I didn't say it was a comfortable ride home. But he made it fit! We just jammed the kids in somehow and they didn't seem to mind.

It also forced us to drive straight through on the way home...18 hours. Because we were not going to be able to unpack anything to stay at a hotel. So we arrived home at 5:30 AM. Greg and I taking turns behind the wheel every hour or so...hallucinating...slobbering on ourselves...But we made it! Home sweet home! 

 

It was Evans birthday 2 days later...

 

 Some of Evans art is now available in my Etsy shop!

Check it out!

 

 

Evan Gatscher Studios

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Road Trip to Detroit-Part 3-Ann Arbor

Of course we had to stop by Ann Arbor. I haven't been there since we moved to Florida, almost 20 years. I used to love going there, it was full of hippies and super cool funky indie shops. There were several vintage shops, one just sold mid century furniture and the other 2 were vintage attire and accessories. There were cool thrifty places and record/comic shops...and just cool people walking around...mostly college hippies, artsy fartsy people and rockers. I couldn't wait to take my kids there to experience how cool it is, and to do a bit of shopping myself of course.

Ugh! huge disappointment! Ann Arbor is no longer cool and full of artsy hippies and cool indie shops. It is full of high end retail chains and snobby rich college kids. My husband said "what did you expect, U of M is an expensive school?" Okay, but it always was an expensive school...so I don't know what changed except greedy retailers pushing out the cool shops, trying to get that rich kids parents money.....

Thankfully there were a few little gems we discovered. The first place, Kaleidoscope Books and Collectibles, I reckon has been there for at least 30 years. I probably just never saw it before. This place was bursting at the seems FULL of vintage books like I never saw before. Book hoarder paradise. He claims to have about 40,000 books, but I am tellin' ya, he has at least twice that amount! At least!

This last pic is of all his "pulp fiction"

So as you can see, just piles of books every which way. I would have like to have spent some time there and purchase a few boxes, but his prices were really high. Granted he did have many fantastic books, but there was no way in hell I could have afforded to shop here. The owner was old school to the max. He had hand printed receipts and not a computer in sight. Right as we opened the door to leave, he said, "if you have time to come back, I'll show you all the books in the basement." OMG...there was more books.....I would have loved to have been a customer, but I just couldn't afford it, and I imagine he has to keep his prices high to pay the jacked up rent in Ann Arbor. By the way, he has the best slogan ever: "We sell everything your parents made you throw away." I love that!

We were heading back to the car and we decided to check out one more place. It was on Detroit Street, so we figured it had to be okay. It really ended up being the saving grace of our trip to A2.

                                     FOUND GALLERY

Such a sweet find! I so wish it was here in Tampa, I could peruse that shop all day long. They are a vintage store and art gallery with fun finds and upcycle art...stuff you won't find anywhere!

Vials of watch parts and vintage doo dads.....

Vintage destash game cards and pieces

Vintage hardware, game pieces, sewing items, typewriter letters and old game pieces, watch parts in vials, old tin address numbers, vintage ephemera everywhere, old photos, old toys and games, jewelry pieces...every single one of these file drawers opened up to a perfectly organized treasure...and it was never ending. My son bought some old medical equipment, (eye doctor stuff) and a vintage pipe cleaner. I don't know what the hell he is going to do with them, but he wanted them and paid for them himself. We were taking so long sifting through the goods that my husband and daughter got bored and they sat outside and waited for us. (actually my daughter was throwing a fit, she was touching everything and making me nervous) The owner was super cool too and she spent some time looking at pictures of my sons art on my phone.

Other than that, Ann Arbor sucked. My kids got some frozen yogurt from some chain overpriced yogurt shop and that was that. I miss the old Ann Arbor that I remembered. The Ann Arbor that had the Hare Krishnas dancing around in their orange robes and weird hair. They would share their special tea. It tasted awesome and would always give me a nice buzz.  The Ann Arbor that had really cool places to eat, Now your choices are Chipotles, Moes, BBW chicken, Potbellys sandwiches, subways, and all those other chain restaurants that you find on every corner.

That's okay because Detroit is awesomer than ever and that's all that really matters to me.

Next week continues with Road trip to Detroit part 4.....yea there is more. Lots more. And you still haven't heard about the drafting table.....

Road Trip to Detroit-Part 2-What I DIDN'T leave behind

Yea, totally heartbreaking all the good (but large) items that I had to leave behind while road tripping to the D. BUT, I didn't leave everything behind! As I mentioned in my previous blog post, the Detroit garage sales were smokin' with amazing vintage goodness. Oh Detroit, and your fantastic garage sales, I have missed you so!

After I wiped away my tears from all the incredible finds that I had to leave behind due to space issues in the truck (luggage etc), I had tears of joy for what goodies that I did find and was able to squeeze into the little space we had left.

Here are some of the goodies I grabbed:

This is not just any ordinary book. This is a SIGNED BY MAURICE SENDAK book! Yes the illustrator of Where the Wild Things are, yes him. AND its an authentic signature. I was pleasantly surprised by this, didn't even realize it until later that evening when I was perusing through it. It was just in a stack of random books at a garage sale, no more or less than any of the other books....
This would make a fantastic holiday present!

Get it here---------MAURICE SENDAK NUTCRACKER


Some more great finds:

 

 

This being the largest item I jammed in the truck. Lloyds High Fidelity AM/FM radio. I love vintage electronics and I am even more excited when they work! This was a fantastic find!

 

Get it here-------->LLOYDS HIGH FIDELITY AM/FM RADIO

 

 

It goes on and on......

 

Table top hair dryers have always done well in my shop, so I was excited to find this. Actually there were 2 different ones available, but because of space constraints, I only chose one to take back home with me.

Get it here----------->GENERAL ELECTRIC DELUXE HAIR DRYER


And more still.....

You never know what you will find. This garage sale had table upon table of vintage and antique treasures. Of course I couldn't take it all. He (garage sale host) also had a huge old vintage locker that he said that he would give to me for FREE if I just took it off his property! UGH, that wouldn't even begin to fit ((sob)).

Interested in the two games?

Get them here------>OH HELL AND HEXED GAMES


More still......

 

 

Vintage new in packaging! I picked up a few vintage items that were new in packaging. Several have sold prior to me getting this blog together. Yea, I have already had several items fly out the door within hours of being listed!

 

Interested in these?

Get them here------->MAX KLEIN SALT AND PEPPER SHAKERS

 

 

Still continuing with garage sales......

 

More vintage still new in packaging!

Thinking its "time" to get this?

Get it here------->WESTCLOX ALARM CLOCK



It just doesn't end......

I picked up tons of vintage needlepoint, I only have a few left since they were fast sellers. The elderly lady hosting the sale, said that her grandma made all of these. She had a ton, all packaged neatly.

Interested in the few remaining needlepoint items?

Get them while they last-------->CHILDS PILLOWCASE NEEDLEPOINT


Its never ending, I tell ya!

Sweet big eye ballerina print set. Typically past experience has told me to stay away from big eye prints, but I had a good feeling about these, I imagined them in a little girls room or in a nursery...very girly and sweet and a bargain that I couldn't pass up!

Interested? Get them here------>BIG EYE BALLERINA PRINT SET


And....

Tin toy tambourine set! I thought these were the cutest things ever, and I wasn't going to pass them up...even if I had to hear a slight jingle jangle the whole ride home. No one else heard it, but I knew they were back there, making music just for my ears.....

Need a little Jingle Jangle in your life?
Get them here------>TIN TOY TAMBOURINES


And more still......

Another glorious set of Max Klein mid century salt and pepper shakers. These were actually new in the packaging as well, but the packaging was in such shambles, I decided to free the couple and toss the packaging.

Shake it up here------->MAX KLEIN SALT AND PEPPER SET


Yes, I still have more. Lots. And like I said, lots of my Detroit finds have already sold. I am stocking already for the holidays. Last year, I felt I was unprepared for the rush. I mean, I was prepared with being busy and selling lots, but I felt that I was unprepared in keeping as much stuff listed as possible. I should have had fuller stores. It has been my goal this year to stock up now and keep stocking and listing as much as I can!

I still haven't told you about THE drafting table....You are just going to have to wait to hear about THE drafting table....


Linking up to SIR THRIFT A LOT, this week.

Did I miss anything while I was gone? Are you doing any preparations for the holidays?






 

 

 

 

 

Road Trip to Detroit-Part 1-What I Had to Leave Behind

Home sweet home! We have finally returned from our road trip adventure from Tampa to Detroit (and Canada)! So good to be back home, happy to have survived the ride home (more on that later).

First of all, WOW, did I ever miss a Detroit garage sale! I don't even waste my time going to garage sales here in Florida, but I could have spent my whole life going to garage sales in Detroit. Typically most of the sales are from Thursday through Saturday and they go from 9-6. For three whole days! And so much great stuff too!

The sad sad sad reality is that I couldn't buy everything I wanted to. Our road trips purpose was to bring back all of my dads artwork out of storage and a family bookcase (along with our luggage and whatnot for a family of 4). So as much shopping as I did (oh boy, A LOT), I had to leave so many treasures behind. Heartbreaking!

One of the sales we went to ("we" meaning my group of besties from Detroit. 3 of us in 2 cars following each other around to garage sales), My one friend stopped at this one sparse crappy looking sale, and my friend and I thought she was nuts and we were going to stay in the car. Until she pounded on the window and said, "this is the type of sale that has good shit that they don't even use, c'mon!" so we went, and boy was my friend right! It was being hosted by a drunk man that was smoking and missing his front teeth, but he was pretty awesome, his garage was full of vintage goodness, and a random Barbie Doll, which he admitted that he stole when he worked at Sears 20 years ago, (haha old man!) So I did pick up some goodies, but this is what I had to leave behind:

Mid Century atomic star keyboard! Only $3!!! Seriously, I had to leave this behind...walk away from it.

And another goody I had to leave behind:

 

Some sort of record player...Bye, my friend. You would have been so awesome in my shop....

 

And then there is this:

 

Yep, a mint condition vintage Schwinn bicycle. The price was only $60, but they said they would take $40 for it. Leaving her behind was perhaps the most heartbreaking of all.....Such a sweet beauty....

Now here is another cool mid century item that I had to leave behind...Not as heartbreaking but still sad to not take it home with me:

Mid century white leather storage ottoman...$1. The picture makes it look like it was in rough shape, but in person it was wonderful, it just needed a little cleaning. I guess someone else gets to clean it in THEIR house.

Very sad, very tragic....heartbreaking what I had to leave behind! But with that being said, I did purchase an incredible amount of amazing items that just about made my head explode with sheer vintage glory! You will have to wait until my next blog post to see the goodies that came home with me, jammed in my truck on the way home with the art, bookcase, luggage and drafting table! Oh what, I didn't mention the drafting table? Okay more about the "drafting table" in the next blog post. Oh, the drafting table....

I have made the decision to fly to Detroit next year for shopping. Apparently Southwest airlines lets you bring 2 luggages for FREE plus a carry on, so I am going to go with 2 empty luggages and come back with them filled to the brim. I think its a great idea and well worth the plane ticket! Anyone want to join me?

How has your summer been treating you? Any good finds lately, or slim pickings? Oh so good to be back home!

Linking up to sirthriftalot