The HappyDashery received its first honor.

Both the LaLaLa Lamb and the Vintage Ecko Kitchen Utensils made it into the Dude, What’s Up With YOUR Kitchen treasury on Etsy.

Thank you CircleOfTheSun!

People, the beauty that is a rummage sale happened to me this weekend—twice over. Though “beauty” might not be the right word since it was still me and dozens of other bargain hunters jammed into a church basement looking at boxes of old stuff that may or may not have contained used electric razors and calendars from 1993. But Robyn and I went there to win, so we elbowed our way toward the good stuff.

By the way, a great time to have a baby on your person is when you need to get ahead in a crowd. No one is going to shove the lady with a baby in the Bjorn. Borrow one if you have to.

I didn’t have the patience for the boxes upon boxes of fabric, or maybe it was that Dash in the Bjorn made it difficult to bend over and rummage. I left that to Robyn and she came away with the coolest black and white fabric with a cops and robbers motif. I headed to housewares to score three pyrex dishes in three patterns (gold acorn, spring blossom 1, town and country). Also, I may have brought home some Holly Hobby Colorforms for no reason whatsoever. Total expense: Two dollars for a bag full of retro fun for my house (not for the shop this time!).

And if you should happen to see a documentary on “Hot Young Moms at Rummage Sales” could you let me know? I think I might be the unwitting star. I saw a few men with cameras while I was there but there were so many other people and I was so determined to find cool things before they did that I blocked them out completely. Robyn told me after that they were following me around somewhat obsessively and she overheard them telling someone they were filming a documentary. I know I was a bit crazed with bargain hunting but I think I’d remember signing a release. Just sayin’.

Rummage Sale Number 2 (Electric Boogaloo) was just like the first one except that there were no people, no stuff to rummage, and no one shooting priceless footage of “Hot Young Rummaging Moms: Watch Out For Your Pyrex!” Sadly, we missed out on day one of the sale and so, likely missed out on the goods. Overheard while we were shopping: “This is just what’s leftover.” But I did score a great old album called “folk western” for Dash. Songs like Rock Candy Mountain, Dixie, Lone Prairie, etc. Supercute illustration on the cover drew me in. He’s my little cowboy.

Sunday I made a giant list (as I’m wont to do) of things to get done during the day and then promptly ignored it and decided to head to Bradbury Mountain State Park for a short hike with the family. Apparently, everyone else in Maine had the same idea because they were all there with their walking sticks and seven children under 10. But it was beautiful and warm (in the 70s) and we managed to take a really good family photo. Finally!

Hope your weekends were splendid.

Ok, this site is in need of a serious makeover. More white space! It’s so bad that every time I come here to write, I get discouraged and go read other blogs instead. This is not good for me nor for my wallet. Makeover coming soon! Soon I tell you!

In other news, I just spent a lovely afternoon thrifting with Robyn. This early fall day is sunny and lovely (do I talk about the weather a lot or is it just me?), and just right for walking around town looking for just the right thing. There are some great thrift stores in Portland, though at least one has started researching their wares on eBay, which makes for some surprising pricing. I often wonder if they get the full price they’re asking. I found some great vintage wallpaper with delicate yellow flowers on it, which Violet needed to investigate immediately.

I also found a matching trivet set from the same era with a pretty ugly/cool plaid on it. Or maybe it just looks ugly against the backdrop of my dining room table.

That was it for today, though I’m kicking myself for not picking up these mushroom-shaped spice jars the other day. It wasn’t a complete set and I thought, “What do I need a mushroom-shaped allspice container for? Do I even have allspice?”

When you’re the thrifting kind, you’re always receptive to the perfect items calling out to you, tempting you with their cuteness, awesomeness, and general must-take-me-homeness. It doesn’t always happen, but it’s these thoughts that bring you back to thrift stores again and again hoping for that lucky find. Thrifting luck is usually defined by finding a matching mug for your vintage pyrex set, or snatching up the retro fabric before someone else sees it. Well, that’s my definition anyway.

My friends, luck was redefined yesterday and I’m trying really hard not to be jealous. My friend bought a vintage purse over the weekend and spent a few minutes cleaning it out yesterday at home. What was inside? Three hundred dollars inside a very old envelope.

Remind me not to go thrifting without her.

I think I’ll welcome the new week by sharing one of my vintage finds with you. This beautiful tin recipe box is one of my current favorites:

Found in an amazing, seemingly never-ending thrifty antiques mall in Mitchell, South Dakota (right down the street from the Corn Palace!) in the summer of 2004. I fell in love with it right away and it’s housed my favorite recipes ever since. The index card dividers that you see below came with it and also the recipe for Bicentennial Cake that was clipped from a newspaper and taped to its cover. I haven’t made it yet. Truth be told, it sounds kind of horrible, what with all that food coloring. Regardless, it will forever live taped to the lid of the box.

Here’s the recipe, complete with original typo. Makes it more authentic, no?

Bicentennial Cake

1 package white cake mix

Prepare as directed on package. Divide batter into three equal pats. Leave one part white. Add blue food coloring to another part and red food coloring to the third part. Spoon alternately into pan size 13x9x2 inches. Bake as directed on package. Serve with whipped topping.

Happy Bicentennial!