WiseArts

I spent a lovely day shopping with my mom and grandma. Our first stop was a favorite thrift store to do a little treasure hunting! I found this sweet little set of glasses for 60 cents a piece. They’re slightly iridescent and remind me of soap bubbles. Being quite diminutive (about 2.5 inches tall), I imagine they’re useful for dessert wine, liqueur or cordials.

Found a few retro kitties for my ever-growing collection of totally random kitty figurines. These were $1.60 each.

Picked up this slightly tarnished creamer. (Is it a creamer?? Too little to be a teapot!) It doesn’t have any markings at all so I am uncertain of the metal content. The construction is a little rough, so I don’t think it is a mass-produced thing… I’ll have to do a little research on this one. I just fell in love with the shape of it. So cute!

On the hunt for warm-weather shoes, I found these brand-spankin’ new GAP wedge espadrilles. The tag on them said $29.50, but I only paid $10! yay

I don’t really cook that much, yet I’m obsessed with all things kitchen-related. I picked up two different-sized Pyrex ring molds for $2.80 each, and a nice big Pyrex casserole dish for $12. My grandma insisted that the ring molds are for Jello, but I just don’t think they’re designed for that. I think it would be cumbersome to try and unmold Jello from a heavy glass dish. I think I’ll use them for some sort of shortcake and put berries and whipped cream in the indent. Yummy!

When we finished thrifting, we headed over to Marshalls where I snapped up this awesome hand-carved basket for a meager $20! I am in love with it. Super rustic!

Also while at Marshalls, my mummy bought me a great little black leather Dooney and Bourke purse for nearly half the standard retail cost. I also picked up a pedometer! I’m excited about that one! Really, just curious to see how much walkin’ I’m getting in during a typical day. Perhaps I can “step it up” a little! hehe

I picked up this delightful volume on the “Nostalgia” rack at Half Price Books for $3! After flipping through it, I had to add it to my collection. It says inside “PRICE OF THIS ‘SPECIAL EDITION’ IS $3.00″. My husband says I should have brought it back and complained because it wasn’t half price. hehehe

Evidently the copyright’s expired, as this very book is being repackaged and re-printed today by several different publishers. See here, and here! It’s even on a CD for your listening pleasure. But don’t bother buying any of those, you can read it for free at the Internet Archive! It’s funny how self-improvement books don’t really change much over the years. The writing style and language is a bit different, but the content is rather similar. This one is a mix of neuro-linguistic programming techniques, instruction in body language and ettiquette, mind-over-matter throught… The premise is that you can use magnetic energy/vibration in your body to attract and uplift people, putting under your spell and control. bwahaha I am interested in NLP and the power of thought, but this book loses a lot of credibility with this statement in the introduction– “It is gratifying and also encouraging to prospective students and to those who are about to begin this study, to know that the BOOK ITSELF IS MAGNETIC!”. Hmm…. yeeessss…

The Ten great Departments of this System:
1. Department of Magnetic Sources
2. Department of Mental Magnitude
3. Department of the Magnetic Eye
4. Department of Instantaneous Personal Magnetism
5. Department of Magnetic Health
6. Department of Tension Energy
7. Department of Repose and Power
8. Department of the Magnetic Voice
9. Department of Applied Magnetism
10. Department of Magnetic Healing

I found some interesting history linked to this book via Wikipedia. The author is actually Webster Edgerly (Edmund Shaftesbury being a pseudonym), he wrote over 100 books of this sort and was a health fanatic who founded the Ralstonism movement. He was the creator of Ralston breakfast cereal, and in 1902 he went in on a joint venture with William Danforth of Purina Mills to create Ralston-Purina. The company was aquired by Nestlé in 2001…but I digress.

On Puerto Rico, I bought 2 neat wrap dresses in San Juan! These each have two layers of coordinating fabric with ruffly edges. You can tie them in several different configurations, this photo shows just a few! I don’t know where I’ll ever wear them, other than vacations. I have a lot of clothes like that! I have a little collection of some kimono and salwar kameez sets and one silky saree I won on eBay, and I very rarely get enough guts to wear any of this out of the house. haha At least I’ve joined a Japanese dance group now, so I can wear my kimono once in a while.

Anyhoo, I don’t know what possessed me, but there was a Claire’s in San Juan and I got some new hair sticks. It was strangely comforting to see stores that we have back home. We also saw plenty of McDonald’s, Burger King, Hooters, and Hard Rock Cafes throughout the voyage. We ate at the Hooters in St. Thomas. It was tasty, but a little expensive IMO. haha In St. Thomas I also bought some ginger sauce and some piña colada tea! mmmm I love ginger, and I’ll put it in darn near everything I cook in some form or another. Ginger sauce is very friendly with stir fry and curry. It adds such a nice tangy sweetness.

I made the mistake of not bringing my own camera on this trip and depending on my brother and husband for photos… hence I have none. I will certainly post a few good ones as soon as I get my hands on them, we did take a lot.