Sunday, August 4, 2019

Thrifty Craft Store......

...Or is it crafty thrift store? Either way, I briefly ignored my plans to remain home all week and took a foray downtown on Saturday to one of my two "thrift stores for crafters". Be warned, between my excitement and my shopping while photographing, at least half of my photos are partially blurry. Which only adds to the excitement and interest I suppose.

This place takes donations of EVERYTHING, including art supplies. There were partially used tubes of acrylics and oils, and good quality paintbrushes. There where household paint and stenciling supplies. There were stickers and paper craft and yarns and fabric and threads. There were craft books and really, truly, too many things to name. Almost all of the prices were at least seventy five percent off and sometimes more.. .......so brand new scrapbook paper and card stock were ten cents. I bought skeins of wool yarn for a dollar each (matching skeins, actually enough to do a project). This place is fantastic. Fantastic I tell you!! 




I came with a budget and I was good, so I held myself to less than thirty dollars. I tell you what though, I can see myself cleaning out a weekday afternoon, heading back and seriously looking at all the recycled stuff I could use in my projects. Not only that, but this place is in the middle of Denver's art district, so I can definitely see some lunch and galleries on a slightly cooler than 95 degree day in my future!!

Meanwhile, I have to say it. I am extraordinarily depressed and lost as to what has happened to our country in the past few years. So much so that I am actually sitting here thinking about not leaving the house, even for church, and just sitting here and praying and meditating in my own way. There is a root cause, and it's hate. Specifically hate of the other-something our current leadership encourages it seems. I mean really, would you go to YOUR workplace and tell someone to go back where they came from? If not, how can you support someone who does so regularly and publicly and on national TV. I just do not know right now.

Aside from this it's been a lovely day. I was happy to see my son who struggles sometime with the dark places head out to the lake with friends. I downloaded a kindle book in my recent mystery series. I've knitted and started on a sewing project.

And yes, I might actually go to church this afternoon.

21 comments:

  1. Well said. I do try to focus on small pleasures so the hatred doesn't overwhelm me.

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  2. No hate? I just heard him say there was no place for hate in this country. And, who foments hate speech from the highest office in the land?

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  3. I would love, LOVE, love to have a place like your thrift stores for art supplies in my town. Super great ideas for those of us who try stuff that we don't click with and then have left over supplies that would be nice to 'trade' in.

    I'm just numb to what is going on in our country and I blame Trump 100% for creating an environment that encourages certain types of people to take up arms against others. His talk is no longer a dog whistle to White Nationals, he's using a megaphone. And Mitch McConnell's has sold his sole to the RNA by not bringing bills up for a vote to curb gun violence is adding fuel to Trump's fire. Bills passed in the House.

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  4. That looks like a great place to shop. I would soon have much of it transferred to my house. Do I see upholstery fabric? Marvelous.

    Gun control is not the answer. Getting rid of Trump would help. I went utterly weak when I heard of both of these incidents. It will take a long time to make our country what it was before T spewed hate and violence.

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    1. Actually gun control is the answer. Which is why other countries tries dont have mass shootings or have one every five years. Germany has had one in like thirty and I assure you hate and divisions exist there as well. No one but a soldier needs an automatic weapon and I'm not sure they do. The fact that even coos dint use AR 15s should say it all.

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  5. Canada is not immune from hate. The only thing that saves us from having as many mass shootings is gun control. I am so sick of people saying guns don't kill people, people kill people. Kind of true, but if you give someone a knife they sure as heck can not kill 20 people without being over powered or run away from.

    God bless.

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  6. WE need a way to not sell guns to people who are mentally ill. In my long career of teaching I have witnessed three very mentally ill children. I knew it from the moment I met them they were not going to be quieted. Still, we had no place to go to help them. I did not blame the parents, all three families were dysfunctional- but I had met so many others who were as well- who did not produce children like these. For three years I reached out to touch the inner beauty of each child, but in the end I could only tell the rest of the faculty when these, particular, children were going to "blow". These children were not evil, they were seriously ill. Our country has pretended for several decades that this type of person does not exist. They do. The end result? By the time they were 18 - each of them had killed themselves and at least one family member- usually three or four.
    The problem is that people who know people who should not have guns can do nothing about it. It is easier to put someone on suicide watch then to take away their weapon. We depend on family members to do such a thing, but they are helpless as well. Lawful people can have guns- but there has to be some type of license to buy one. Then, if you cannot show the license- take the gun. That certainly stops the illegal guns in depressed areas. Does that mean some will be without their rights? Yup. Like the no fly list, there has to be a way to rectify when it is a wrong identifier.
    Many teachers have predicted this type of shooting for years and years. Video games and extreme violence in movies desensitizes children- who become adults. Mentally ill children, who are granted full access to the classes of 45 and counselors with 250 children on their case load, cannot be removed for a "better setting" because of the IDEA act.
    Trump is not the problem- but he is a great scape goat for all evil. Isn't he? Easier to blame then solve.... this seems to be a theme lately.

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    1. I agree with all your comments about mental illness and you have said it better than I ever could. I dont know how you resolve this issue.

      But I would be remiss if I did not say that Trump is the most divisive guy since Nixon and that like Nixon he seems take pleasure in the divisiveness. Nixon enjoyed dividing our country. And honestly anyone who feels he's not a racist has not been paying attention in my opinion.

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    2. Sorry, but I agree with Barb. Trump is the problem. He should be leading this country away from all these crazy ideas and actions instead of siding with them and encouraging them! When is speaks "off script" his true feelings are evident.

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  7. You need to visit SAS in Phoenix. All kinds of cool things there. I made two prom dresses out of their material. It is a common place for the dressmakers in the area.

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    1. Not been there for years but I will search this place out when I am there.

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  8. As a Canadian I've watched in horror the events in the U.S. with horror and sometimes disgust. While I agree that all of these situations are partially due to some form of mental illness - or at least I hope they were mentally ill - the fact is the access to guns is beyond stupid. Why would any civilian need access to a gun that shoots hundreds of bullets in seconds? It's ridiculous!

    We've had two mass shootings in Canada in 5 years. There have been over 200 in the U.S. in the past 7 months. Our gun control laws are much stricter and even that doesn't stop people from picking up guns and killing others. But it obviously helps.

    Your president is beyond redemption, he incites hatred with his support of white nationalists (fine people, NOT), encourages racism, and refuses to sign off on stronger gun laws (NRA influence I suspect). I am so hopeful that in 2020 your country will get it together but I fear the damage has been done.

    Sorry for the rant but this is what it looks like from an outsider's perspective.

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    1. Maebeme - this is what it looks like from inside as well. And what is really scary is that some inside this country still support him. I know a few myself. It is like a segment of the population has gone insane and are no longer recognizable as Americans.

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  9. I am not a crafty person, but my sister would go nuts in that store.

    I have not felt OK since the November, 2016, election. I have lost any mojo I've had to do much of anything but barely exist. My MS is certainly not helped by the racism and idiocy spewed and exhibited by Trump. He needs to have his Twitter account cancelled, his ability to post anything, anywhere restricted, and a tight rein put on his speech giving. I could go on and on, but I'll stop now.

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  10. I like a good thrifty look around but so much is now overpriced and often not a lot of good stuff. that might mean people are trying to keep the good stuff longer-but then there is still so much junk as the shelves are full of it. I too have not felt right sine the last election. I think most politicians after a second term in office only care about that third term-which is why I want term limits for house and Senate as well as the President. I despise everything about his administration, but at least the worst it can be is 8 years. The hateful people that actually craft laws, or sit on bills with no action -some have been there decades. Not right at all.

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  11. I just retired at Christmas after 35 years working in Switzerland (living in France, just across the border). The Swiss still have national service and any male of service age has a gun at home but while there are lunatics everywhere I agree with you - why does anyone outside the military need an AK47? My ex husband is American (I'm British) and we lived in France (I still do) but he is a Trump supporter, anti-gay, anti- just about everything (I guess the big question is why the hell I married him right as I'm so liberal). But I do remember him banging on about all the "Goddamn immigrants" when he heard some Swiss German girls speaking German (they speak French in Geneva). I had to laugh when I pointed out that THIS was their home and in fact WE are the immigrants. Aaargggh, I can't believe I was married to him for 26 years. Anyway, Pittsburgh, he's all yours now!

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  12. Weapons need to be banned. Hunters can have their guns and I'm still iffy on concealed handguns but ANYTHING that is automatic and has large capacity only belongs in a war. It's not GUN CONTROL ... it's mass murder control

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  13. We have a store like that near me.. I try HARD to stay away--as my craft room is truly filled to the rafters.. no more room. Stay home? Yes,I am feeing that way too. The so called "leader" of our country has done nothing but promote hatred and racism. His name calling is beyond the pale. I am happy that you take a stand and tell us your thoughts about this.. don't stop sharing no matter who complains about your having "politics" in your blog! I believe it is dangerous to pretend this is not happening and that he is not evil. 2020 can't come soon enough.

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Thanks for stopping by! I love to hear from others, and I also love to hear all points of view.. Just leave the profanity and insults at home, OK? Thanks!!