Portland Wonderland Part Three!

...a little bit of retail therapy...

    A lot of gals I see on tv, think of shopping as buying new shoes or a fancy handbag. However, what puts a smile on my face are thrift store finds. The best finds are always something that I can use in my arts & "crap" <-----as I fondly call it! :) 

The above pic is from an antique/thrift store that we found wandering the East Industrial District. Just like "Cargo" from my part one, It's housed in an old warehouse. They rent out spaces within the store for vendors. So you're bound to fall in love with something from here! I fell in love with all of the expensive stuff...so I had to walk my butt outta there empty handed! LOL! Oh, speaking of Cargo, I forgot to show you these adorably packaged bow ties.....

Although I didn't buy anything at the Grand Market Place, a nice lady inside told me where I can find a postcard rack. I've been wanting one forever. I want it to display of my mail art. She directed us to another warehouse within walking distance. It's a store, FOR stores! Portland Store Fixtures has every rack, mannequin and display you could ever need. Here's my rack with a start of art to display....it's a floor model...pretty tall.... 

I have to think of my small fries during the trip. They love to sticker bomb their skate boards. I was glad to find, in time, a store that was going out of business. I believe the store's name was "Missing Link." Had to do with big foot mostly...but they had other swag. Anyhoot, they love these stickers and so do I! I knicked a couple from the kids! LOL! 

Look closely..they are flip stickers...

Both of these pics are of the same stickers...just flipped...kewl right?! (Stickers are by Gadzooxpdx.com)

I can't believe peeps would use these beautiful stickers to sticker bomb the city! (I'm thankful to those that do though...you might thinks it's trashy, but it's actually just a thing they do in Portland. I'm sure it's done in other cities too....) Call me crazy, but they have excellent graffiti too! 

Goodwill...they're Grrreat! I found this vintage Montgomery Ward label maker AAaand blank rolls of labels. I tried it out and it still works. (Keep an eye out on my future Mail Art. They will be sporting some of these labels.) I also found a metal index card box. Doesn't look like it in the pic, but it's a light green. My favorite color. :) Dunno what it'll become yet, but for 99cents, it's worth hanging on to. 

I also found these two little ceramic birds....can you spot them? They live on my fireplace mantel now. 

Here's one next to the "Winner's Ribbons," I made as a challenge with Idolores of AFA. :) 

Love the color on this one. He sits next to the collaborative painting Nanner and I did.

I hope that you enjoyed the pics from my trip. Wish I could take better ones...I always feel awkward taking pics in front of strangers. They're always looking at what I'm shooting, with a weird look on their face. Eek!