Let's Haiku. Linkup.

One of my favorite blog reads, Adulting – Second Half, wrote a post with her first stabs at poetry. I remember Shelbee on the Edge also was posting poetry recently. Have you had the urge to get poetic? Or did you write poetry as a teen?

from my high school art and literary magazine, 1972
Heavy influenced by Kenneth Patchen

I sure did. It seemed the best way to organize all those tumultuous teen thoughts.
And perhaps some of you are experiencing peri/menopausal emotions that might be nicely tamed in a poem. (Thanks, hormones). (I know a poem won't subdue the beast within, but it may help channel the energy in a creative way).

My response comment to Kelly got me thinking.

I like writing haiku at times. I was going to do a whole series “Haiku to My Closet” about favorite garments, which hasn’t progressed very far, but never too late to take it up again!
A recent poetry moment was in the final session of a year-long mending workshop: we were asked to sum up our activities as a short haiku-like poem since our prior meeting. It was a fun challenge!
So I introduce myself as a haiku: 

Anne M Bray, artist.
Serene road trip art, wild style,
Body as canvas.

Let's have a Haiku Linkup!
It could be a haiku to something in your closet:

original post

Or introduce yourself, as I did above.
Anything goes, as long as your link has a poem in Haiku format:
A Haiku is a Japanese short poem made up of 3 phrases with 17 syllables in it divided into 5, 7, 5.

This Link Party will stay open until 01/01/2020

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Linking this up with
Shelbee's Spread the Kindness
Catherine's #ShareAllLinkup

#SecondHandSeptember This Week's Thrifty Find

I wore this week's Fluevog thrifty find, the Evers, on Friday.
Maybe I'll wear them today too.
We're having a welcome "cold spell" (SoCal version, 70F).

Another eBay score.
I admired these when they were still available from Fluevog.
Pounced on them when they came up in my "Fluevog 7.5" watchlist. $299 retail/ $60 used.

The socks are new, by K. Bell. Purchased at The Sock Man, NYC.

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Linking up with
Patti's Visible Monday

#SecondHandSeptember £10/ $10 Charity Shop Challenge

Ah, here we go again. $10 not spent thrift shopping.

In fact, I FOUND $10 while cleaning up the living room to make room for the flat files.
$10 from my sister! Thanks, Laura!

And, when you think about it, money is usually second hand. I mean the physical bills and coins. How rare to get a crisp, clean paper bill from the bank. (Who still goes to the bank these days?)

That's my $10 tangent for today.
Enjoy the weekend!

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#SecondHandSeptember Kitchenware

Behold one of my oldest second hand kitchenware items:

I got it in 1976 at a thrift store that was on the northwest corner of Colorado and Fair Oaks in Pasadena.
Before Old Town happened.

I also have a collection of "weird old kitchen things".

This item I got in Clayton, Georgia. I know it's supposed to squish something, but what?
I tried a lemon wedge in there, it didn't go well.

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#SecondHandSeptember Charity Shop of the Week

Calling all treasure seekers!

One more visit to a shop of second hand wonders!
Again, it's in Providence:
Nostalgia, at 236 Wickenden St.

In 2016, I shopped with my camera:

Which items did I buy?

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#SecondHandSeptember Tips for Reselling

Let's hear from an expert Etsy seller, Suzanne Carillo.
Her shop is Vintage by Suzanne

These are my tips to reselling...

• Take the best photos possible in natural light.

• I clean and or iron/steam all of my items for sale so they photograph well.

• Take multiple photos, close up, all sides, and full length on a mannequin or model so they can see what it looks like on a body and not just a hanger.

• Give accurate complete measurements.

• State brand/label and where it was made.

• State fabric contents so they know how to clean it.

• Show satisfied customer comments. It proves you are trustworthy.

• Ship as soon as possible. If there is going to be a delay in shipping let you customer know.

• Stay in communication with your buyers. Let them know what's going on, when the item's shipped and if it has a tracking number.

• Disclose and photograph any issues with the item, stains, holes etc. People don't want to be taken by surprise. This includes bad smells.

• Consider sending a handwritten note with the order. People appreciate it when you show you care.

• I try to consider what I expect when I shop for vintage/used clothing and then provide it for my customers.

Thanks for those great tips, Suzanne!

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#SecondHandSeptember This Week's Thrifty Find

And what is this week's second hand Fluevog? It's one that I didn't buy!

Here is the listing on eBay (link):

Yes, I have remained on the Fluevog 7.5 watchlist. This beauty came up on Wednesday morning.

I liked this but wasn't entirely sure. My "western style" mules don't get worn that often.
I made a counter offer, and the seller countered back.
I was this close to hitting Buy It Now

and then

I thought to check the Fluevog site to see what they originally sold for.
And guess what?
NEW ONES are currently in stock and ON SALE for $119.!!!!!!

I know this is not in the spirit of #SecondHandSeptember, of buying only second hand, but hey, with shoes, new IS better than used, if possible. Sorry, not sorry.

So far, I've done no buying of these at all. The heel height is a little beyond my comfort zone and I need to go to my local Fluevog shop and try them on, or try on a cousin in the same family.
Such as:

(insert drool emoji) (fortunately for my pocketbook, unavailable in my size) (unless I require an 8)

So the "thrifty" find this week is in the sense of saving money thrifty, not thrift store thrifty, and learning the lesson of "research the Fluevogs before spending over $100 on used"

Lastly, here's a link to an older post, regarding a previous western style mule thrift store find that was perhaps my most thriftiest find ever!

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#SecondHandSeptember Antiques

Antiques. The family china that you inherited. The stuff "they" say millennials don't want to deal with when you're gone.
Concerned that the Bray china will be tossed, I Facebooked an image to my nieces:

Ashley says she wants it, next challenge is getting it to her, since she's on the opposite side of the country!

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#SecondHandSeptember Books

Oooooh! I love books!
The used book store -- yet another type of shop I avoid in order to save money.
So many good books, so little time!

Locally, I find the Little Free Library very handy.

The one I walk by when I go to the Mar Vista Farmer's Market

Individuals register and set up the boxes on their property with a "give one, take one" model.

Latest batch that I gave.

What I took.

I found this on their site:

Join Us for Give A Good Read Week September 16 – 22

As part of our 10th Anniversary Celebration, we’ve partnered with our friends at Goodreads for a global book-sharing event starting Monday! To participate, visit a Little Free Library book-sharing box, share your latest good read, then snap a photo and post it social with #LFL10 and #GiveAGoodRead. Learn more about Give A Good Read Week.

My latest good read:

Here's a MAP LINK to find a Little Free Library near you.

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#SecondHandSeptember Secondhand Music

This turned into a journey into the past, as I thumbed through my LP collection.
Yes, I still have LPs, in milk crates! (will add photo later)

Morninglory Music (Isla Vista, Santa Barbara)

Disc-O-Rama (NYC)

St Mark's Sounds (NYC)

Round Again Records (Providence) STILL OPEN!!!!

Poobah Records (Pasadena) STILL OPEN!

Stopping here (late for work) might add more later

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#SecondHandSeptember Charity Shop of the Week

The Thrifty Goose in Providence RI is a good place for a treasure hunt. You'll find it in the basement of St. Martin's Church on the east side of town.
They have "special deal" days, with a color coded tag system which amplify one's savings.

On my last visit in June, I snagged a few men's shirts, a sari that I'm slowly transforming into a tunic, and six balls of chenille for a future weaving project.

This project is taking FOREVER.

Here I am (long hair!) with my Providence pals Vicky and Patucci in 2009 in front of the $1 Last Chance rack.

The Thrifty Goose

St. Martin’s Church (lower level)
50 Orchard Avenue
Providence, RI 02906

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#SecondhandSeptember Online Secondhand Shops

EBay
I only recently started shopping off of eBay. I believe I held off from fear of getting addicted. Also the bidding thing was off-putting, annoying (getting out-bid at the last minute), and too tempting in the "getting invested in the bidding itself and paying too much" issue. I favor the "Buy it now" deals.
Then there are the eBay Alerts. A problematic situation in terms of my Fluevog obsession.
Every morning in my email this:

Those oxfords. The "new match" has been taunting me for at least a month!
Someone with a 7.5 foot buy them, please!

Craigslist
is great for household items
I got these flat files years ago:

[black lettering from original owner]

Then there was the day Severo discovered the "free on the curb" section of Craigslist:

disclaimer: this includes the broken washer and becoming broken dryer (on right) that we replaced

I'll leave it at these Big Two.
Maybe you have a favorite smaller site? (aside from Poshmark, which I discussed on Day 5)
Add it in the comments section -- OK to paste links.
Or add a visual/blog link to the Link Up Party!

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#SecondhandSeptember My Local Flea Market

All hail the Santa Monica Airport Antique and Collectable Market!

View this post on Instagram

Sparkle on! At the Santa Monica Antique Flea.

A post shared by anne m bray (@annembray) on Apr 23, 2017 at 12:50pm PDT

I love this market and I could even walk to it if I got myself a granny cart to tote my loot home. Therein lies my problem. I ALWAYS find stuff to buy. I try my utmost to "shop with my camera" . but then I'll see some irresistible object. And then I have to impose a shopping ban upon myself.
Things. I hear their siren call.

The time I ALMOST successfully shopped with my camera. (1/2019)
Another time (2/2018)
Both times, bought things. I am so weak.

Another great find:

Ungaro silk shirt: $6.
link to post about it

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Linking up with
Patti's Visible Monday
Shelbee's Spread the Kindness
Catherine's #iwillwearwhatilike

Fall into #SecondHandSeptember

It's the start of September and that means a new Link Up Party!
This was posted by a Facebook friend, and I think it's worth joining in.

1) Take the pledge

View this post on Instagram

S E P T E M B E R I know it’s still August! ☀️ And I promise I’m not wishing the time away, but if you’re on Instagram, whether you’re a blogger or not, I’d love for you to join in with @oxfamgb #SecondHandSeptember 📲 Lots of #UKMoneyBloggers are signing up to the pledge to #SayNoToNew for 30 days in September 👩🏻‍💻👨🏻‍💻We want to raise awareness about the real cost of #fastfashion 🌍 Please share this post and get more people joining in for a bigger impact 👊🏼 I promise you’ll save money whilst making a difference 😇 #oxfam #oxfamshop #fashion #fashionista #fashion #OOTD #Instafashion #vintage #secondhand #thriftstorefinds #thrifting #ThriftyFinds #Instastyle #LookBooks #wiwt #WIW #FashionWeek #outfitoftheday #ethicalfashion #ethicalclothing #sustainablefashion #savingmoney #sustainable #sustainableclothing #charityshopfind #thrifty

A post shared by ThriftyMum | Hollie (@thriftymum) on Aug 7, 2019 at 1:43pm PDT

 2) Reasons to buy secondhand
 3) Charity/ thrift shop of the week
 4) Fave secondhand piece
 5) Make money from secondhand
 6) Decluttering methods [gah!]
 7) This week's thrifty find
 8) Carboot sales [what is the US equivalent? Flea market?]
 9) Online secondhand shops
10) Charity/ thrift shop of the week
11) Secondhand music
12) Capsule Secondhand wardrobe
13) Charity/ thrift shopping like a pro
14) This week's thrifty find
15) £10/ $10 charity shop challenge
16) Secondhand books
17) Charity/ thrift shop of the week
18) Antiques
19) Vintage clothing
20) Secondhand homeware
21) This week's thrifty find
22) Tips for reselling
23) Secondhand party clothes
24) Charity/ thrift shop of the week
25) Secondhand accessories
26) Customization
27) Secondhand kitchenware
28) £10/ $10 charity shop challenge
29) This week's thrifty find
30) Autumn capsule wardrobe Thrifty friends

I took the liberty of customizing and Americanizing some of the prompts.
I'm also going to do this challenge with as little shopping as possible.
I will be mostly posting my responses on Instagram and will add the posts to the Link Party.

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Linking up with
Patti's Visible Monday
Shelbee's Spread the Kindness
Catherine's #shareAllLinkup

Summertime Goals: August Summery Summary

Daily Goals:
Do a Daily Drawing. (Fashion sketches count). 12/31

The fashion sketches are TOP SECRET
This, however, was a fun "Sunday Challenge" in my Facebook sketch group:
"Draw yourself as royalty in 3 minutes"
I used Procreate. [It took longer than 3 minutes!]

Procreate doodles (new) 19/31
This one got the most Likes:

View this post on Instagram

I messed up my “row of fashion sketches” so here’s today’s @procreate doodle. #digitalcanvas3 #patterndesign #annembray #100dayproject #findyour100 #procreate #100_amb 107/100. I’ve been posting the series on @annembray.art but maybe it belongs here. I confuse myself sometimes. Motif derived from my scarf.

A post shared by anne m bray (@annembray) on Jul 30, 2019 at 2:11pm PDT

This one I "donated" to the day job, I think it'll be good for Costco Canada panties if I change the colours:

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Today’s @procreate doodle. #digitalcanvas3 #patterndesign #annembray #100dayproject #findyour100 #procreate #100_amb 110/100. Motif derived from a bit on today’s tunic. Colorway from COTDstyle of the day: bold patterns and dirty sage! #COTDstyle

A post shared by anne m bray (@annembray) on Aug 2, 2019 at 1:12pm PDT

Weekly Goals:
Waterlogues from old road trip photos 19/4 / Post to Saatchi Art 4/4
Sew and/or repair at least one garment. 2/4

View this post on Instagram

Maiden voyage of my #memade tunic and new to me @Fluevog Moxie Magoo Magnums, captured on eBay. Woohoo! #vog_magnum #slowsewing #outfitjournal #outfitdiary #iwillwearwhatilike

A post shared by anne m bray (@annembray) on Aug 13, 2019 at 1:09pm PDT

List at least one item on Poshmark 4/4
Upload new art to Redbubble. 2/4
Sew one patch onto Crazy Quilt (new). 0/4 [sigh]

Summer Goals:
54 FASHION SKETCHES (new) 13/54 
Get taxes done. not yet
DeClutter the living room (again). started and needs more constant/consistent work
Get sewing machine repaired. (how many years has this been broken now?) not yet

Do you have any sort of "To Do" list? Or maybe a "Honey Do"?
I'll report back again at the end of the September, progress or not.

The SUMMER Link Party closes at 9/2, so get those summer things linked!

There will be a different sort of Link Party for September -- check back tomorrow!

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Linking up with
Shelbee's Spread the Kindness
Catherine's #shareAllLinkup

Summertime Goals: July Summery Summary

Time for a ToDo checkin!
How did I do?
Well, to start, I read an uplifting article in Medium by Benjamin Hardy about taking a few minutes every morning to write ones goals. [I'm not linking to the actual article because I'm not sacrificing one of my 3 free reads per month on you all. Sorrynotsorry]
I've been trying it out, it's maybe turning into more of a journal of idea catching, but, whatever.
I'll keep it up for August at the very least.
Here's my journal cover -- perfect image for goals, yes?

Available on Redbubble, I get 20% commission.

The exciting new creative development this month was a return to fashion sketching!
I'm now doing them in Procreate on my iPad.

At first, I was selecting Insta-friends who first showed up in my feed. Then the algorithm kept sending me the same friends, so I looked for friends to sketch, and then I got A BIG IDEA that has to remain TOP SECRET until late October. It will keep me busy, my goal is 53 sketches! (Adding to list).

Daily Goals:
Do a Daily Drawing. 28/31
Create a new Waterlogue from old road trip photos. 15/31 -- too difficult to do every day, need to come up with a weekly system
Post a piece of art on Saatchi Art. This goes hand in hand with above. Removing from list.

Weekly Goals:
Sew and/or repair at least one garment. 1 done (link), 2 more started
List at least one item on Poshmark 21!
Upload new art to Redbubble. um, 1
Sew one patch onto Crazy Quilt (new). 0 (out of sight, out of mind)

Summer Goals:
53 FASHION SKETCHES 1/53 
Get taxes done. not yet
DeClutter the living room (again). started and needs more constant/consistant work
Get sewing machine repaired. (how many years has this been broken now?) not yet

Do you have any sort of "To Do" list for Summer? Or maybe a "Honey Do"?
I'll report back again at the end of the August, progress or not.

AND, you still have a month to link up any summery themed posts or Instagrams.
Multiple submissions encouraged -- links are randomized.

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Linking up with
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Catherine's #shareAllLinkup