All Good Things Must...Move to Another Website

Dearest friends of One Gal's Trash,

For the last several years, many of you have checked in here regularly to read the ramblings of a junk-loving crazy lady in Portland, Oregon. And I thank you. You've seen photos of my vintage holiday decorations, heard about scary people at estate sales and even read about my hellish trip abroad with someone famous.

About 18 months ago, I headed in a new, but related direction...as a vintage market producer. Plucky Maidens Junk Fest! launched in August 2011 and has grown by leaps and bounds.  We host 3 large and festive vintage shows a year, in and around Portland. Our "Smorgasbords of Vintage Wares" feature 50+ vendors, refreshing cocktails, yummy food & live music. We drink! We nosh! We dance! And my o my, how we JUNK!

The stories I used to share on OGT can now be found on the Plucky Maidens facebook page HERE.
Come on over for a visit and "Like" us, will ya?

Our other big, fabulous news is that we're launching group buying trips to the flea markets of Paris and London this year. More information can be found on our website HERE.

As for my One Gal's Trash blog, I don't have the heart to shut her down. I'm just going to officially put her on hiatus. Many thanks for all the junky love over the years.

xoxox
Pam

A Very Determined Tomato Plant

Disclaimer alert: This post isn't about anything vintage or antique or upcycled. But what I'm about to tell you took place near a trash dumpster, so at least there's a connection to the name of this blog. I spotted this bit of green the other day in an alley, and at first thought it was a weed. I took a closer look and realized that it was a tomato plant. A big tomato plant.

But here's the thing. Tomato plants aren't normally volunteers, or perennials for that matter. You plant one where you want it...it grows for a season...end of story. This one is growing out of a crack in the pavement.  See?

So, here's what must have happened....Someone tossed a tomato in the dumpster, but missed.  A random seed from the squashed tomato happened to end up in a bit of dirt at the intersection of the building and the sidewalk and the parking lot. And then, it got enough sun and water to survive and thrive.

It's even producing fruit!  Don't you just adore nature?

When Life Gives You Lemons, Make An Apron!

My pal, Amy, of Into Vintage and Vintage Market Guide collects vintage tablecloths....including the ones with holes and stains. Then she sits down at her sewing machine, cuts them up, and turns them into something fabulous, instead of just letting them pile up in closets and drawers like some people I know. Anywho, I recently handed her a sweet but holey yellow cloth festooned with pineapples and lemons and asked her to work her magic. She did.

The pocket is my favorite bit. The black vintage trim is perfect!

Amy dug through her stash and crafted the tie from a color coordinated vintage sheet.  The only problem?  I can't imagine actually using the apron while cooking.  It's too pretty to ruin with splatters of spaghetti sauce and cheap red wine.  Maybe I'll only wear it while I'm reading.  Thank you, Amy!

Concrete Chaos

This is not my yard.

It could be my yard. But it's not.

I adore the bunny placement in the strawberry patch.

I Was So Happy He Didn't Have a Rifle

I've seen this dwelling a thousand times on our way to the Oregon Coast....but there's never been a "sale" there before!  My kids thought I was out of my mind to even consider stepping foot on the property. But I had a gut feeling that there was some great junk under the piles of plastic flotsam and jetsam. My gut feeling turned to concern when I saw an enormous "100% NRA" poster on the front door. Still, I persevered.  "Hello....Hello...", I called. Finally, a mountain man came around from the back of the house. Happily for me, he was not carrying a weapon. We did a little business.....

6 glass bricks: $2 each.  The metal crate: $1.

Galvanized tub: $2.  6 wooden legs: $2 for the lot.  Milk bucket: $1.  Wire canning basket: $1.  Lamp fixture piece with glass flowers: $1

Keys: $2 for the lot.  Many of them are imprinted with words like "Castle", "GAS"  & "U.S.A."  Perfect for crafting.

Lesson learned:  Sometimes you have to risk your life to get the good stuff.

Dreams Really Do Come True

I saw a ginormous one of these enamel jugs (with spout!) when I was in Paris. There was no way for me to get it back, so I had to leave it behind. I tried to make myself believe that someday I would find another one. Last weekend, I discovered this compact (yet no less fabulous) version in a filthy garage at an estate sale. I gave it a warm, soapy bath and then added a Hydrangea bloom, sprigs of Bishops Weed and Tasmania Vine. It's just so perfectly perfect!

Desserts I Will Never Eat

Vintage recipe books are fabulous. There's something about the photographs. They're color saturated to the point of nausea. They attract. They repel.

The names of some of the desserts are charming. This one is called Strawberry Sunshine Pie. I don't want to taste it, but the name is very cheerful.

This Date & Nut Cake should go down the garbage disposal immediately. And you can toss those creepy Chrysanthemums in too while you're at it.

And this one is the worst of them all. Ingredients include lime peel, green food coloring, whipped cream and melon balls. The name? Seafoam Canteloupe Pie. I couldn't make that up if I tried.