Let Me Introduce Myself:

I am a lover of junk.  I use the term junk in the most affectionate sense, knowing that it can carry negative connotations, but not for me.  One of my earliest memories is of a second hand store somewhere in San Jose, CA I think...and I am holding a baby blue, puffy jacket with a fake white fur collar.  I want it so badly and I am begging my mom to buy it for me.  My mom was a big believer in play clothes, clothes that were played in versus worn to school.  Hand-me-downs and second hand clothes were perfect for playing in the yard and neighborhood (I grew up in the country).  Well, my happy ending is that I ended up with the beautiful blue coat...and a lifelong appreciation for old stuff.

I can now be found on weekends, hitting the local circuit of second hand, thrift, and occasionally antique stores in search of wonderful old stuff.  It is a search, a hunt, a fantastic adventure to see just what I can find, never knowing if it's going to be a total bust, or if I will unearth something that I just cannot live without.

I am also an equal opportunity "old stuff" collector in that the item doesn't really even have to be old.  I mean, don't misunderstand me here...I love old, kitchy, vintage stuff the most.  But, I also find many a contemporary discarded skirt, purse, pillowcase, or tablecloth that I cannot and will not live without.  It may be a last summer's skirt that someone got tired of.  It will happily find a new life in my closet.

I think the real thrill of thrifting or junking is the unknown.  I can go to any big name store and find a great selection of jeans or linens.  But in a thrift store, you just never know what you're going to run into.  It may be a great pair of Banana Republic jeans or a linen card table set from the 50's, embroidered with the suits of the cards.  I would buy both, by the way...and have!

I hope you enjoy your own junky journey and will spend the time with me here on my thrifty adventure.