Every few weeks I stop in a little shop that's off the beaten track and open only a few hours on weekends. The sign out front says "Flea Market," but really it isn't. It isn't a thrift store, or an antique store. It's more like an odds and ends store. These are paper placemats that you're supposed to put under your flower pots. A mere 50 cents for a box full of them. I've never seen them anywhere but in this little shop of oddities.
These made me laugh. Check out the Executive Action Labels inside this box.
I'm going to try sticking them on notes I leave for my kids. That'll get them moving!
I love old office supplies. I also love the shade of green on these labels. Need some? I've got, like, a million of them now.
Itty-bitty clothespins (they're maybe an inch long) with little doo-dads on them. Irresistible. How the couple that runs this store makes any money is a mystery to me. I see them all the time at yard sales, driving an ancient station wagon that must get 7 miles to the gallon. Then they take everything back to the store and wash it up and sell it for 10 cents or a quarter. It takes a lot of itty-bitty clothespin sales to pay the rent and light bill.
Pretty vintage playing cards. I have a hard time finding nice horse ephemera. My daughter's world revolves around horses and her horse friends, so these will be put to good use, I'm sure.
My favorite find there: millinery fruit. Too cute. Who was the dame with the big hat full of fruit? Carmen Miranda?
More fruit. Did Carmen Miranda do anything other than wear a big hat full of fruit? Not that it matters. But I can now make my own miniature version of her hat, should I choose to do so, thanks to the little odds and ends shop.
What a haul! I love days like that. The executive action labels are especially nice.
Posted by: pasha plum | May 21, 2008 at 10:06 PM
Oh how I'd love to visit that shop! What fun stuff. My daughter loves horses too and I found a couple of horse prints for her at my favorite thrift store which is in a retirement home. They sometimes have stuff for 10 or 25 cents too. Those of us with vintage-loving hearts bless those places, don't we? Thanks for stopping by my blog. The pairing of photos is an "auction" feature on the new camera I got for Mother's Day and I love playing with it.
Posted by: Carla | May 21, 2008 at 10:07 PM
oh, i think that fruit would make a great hat to wear out with the kids!!!
Posted by: susan | May 22, 2008 at 01:19 AM
What great goodies! Old office supplies are the best! Executive action Laughable.
Posted by: Gail | May 22, 2008 at 07:56 AM
ooh, i wish i lived near the little shop of oddities!
Posted by: amy | May 22, 2008 at 10:44 AM
Those clothespins really are amazing.
Posted by: Sarah | May 22, 2008 at 12:44 PM
You found some really fun stuff! Those little clothes pins with the flowers are adorable and the stickers to get your kids moving? Hilarious. We could use a few around this house too. Let me know if they work. Susan
Posted by: susans at black eyed susans kitchen | May 22, 2008 at 02:34 PM
Thank you so much for the tag! We feel so honored that you would want to tag us!
I love all your goodies. What an interesting sounding little shop you live close to. Sounds cool!
Posted by: Lindsey and Twyla | May 22, 2008 at 07:25 PM
Wow, that looks like such a fun place to shop. I love these kind of stores too. You
never know what your going to find. Love the little clothes
pins the best how cute Pinkie
Denise
Posted by: Pinkie Denise | May 22, 2008 at 09:13 PM
Wow, that looks like such a fun place to shop. I love these kind of stores too. You
never know what your going to find. Love the little clothes
pins the best how cute Pinkie
Denise
Posted by: Pinkie Denise | May 22, 2008 at 09:14 PM
What a great little shop, I would have bought all the same stuff. xo, suzy
Posted by: suzy | May 22, 2008 at 09:17 PM
Make that "Little Shop of COOL Oddities". Love those executive action labels- but I wonder what happens if you don't press down in the right place...
I think Carmen Miranda may have been a singer and a dancer- and I think you might need a bunch of bananas to complete your costume!
Posted by: Beth Leintz | May 22, 2008 at 10:22 PM
I'll swap you a flower fairy for the "valuable papers" envelope!
Posted by: Mary Ellen | May 23, 2008 at 04:36 PM