Friday, March 18, 2016

Chenille Easter Chicks: The Destiny of Things, Story 348

Chenille Easter Chicks:  The Destiny of Things, Story 348

Bringing back nostalgic memories and making new ones!

Chenille chicks in gumball capsules, available here

Here is the lovely short note I recieved:

Thanks for the safe and sound delivery of my little Easter chicks. Too cute! I'll be using them to decorate an Easter tree. They will also add some fun to my vintage Easter planters. "Eggsactly" what I wanted!  

Chenille chicks in gumball capsules, available here

What a fun note!  Made my day and put a happy smile on my face!  Eggsactly!  Of course, I'd love to be a fly on the Easter tree and buzz around and see these cute chicks decorating the planters too!

I love the four different colors and put mine around the house during spring, especially on my framed art.  Personally, I like the ones that got crushed accidentally.  They have so much more character and each has their own unique personalities.  I'll take a photo this weekend.

Last year I used them in Easter baskets.  I think they'd also be great in a spring or summer pinata.  I love the way they look in the gumball capsules and it does protect them from accidental crushing!  

And later, it's a fun and simple way to store them for next year!  Fits right into my junk drawer and I like seeing and hearing them roll around!

Chenille chicks in gumball capsules, available here

Saying Goodbye:  I send all the best ones to Etsy buyers and keep the damaged, squished and lop sided ones for myself and use them to add a touch of spring and fun around the house and my art.

Chenille chicks in gumball capsules, available here

What I Learned:

1.  I am so thankful that some of my favorite hoarded things have become popular items at our Etsy shops!

2.  I love these chicks because they are so detailed and mini.  They have little black seed beads for eyes and orange plastic feet with a felt beak and little felt chicken wings too!  

3.  As a recovering hoarder, so many of the things I love and hoard have a mystery locked inside them and many of them of them are memories or feelings or both.  So now I try to make new memories as well as remember and honor the old ones, bad and good.  So many childhood smiles from getting one from an Easter egg hunt and taking it everywhere with me until I lost it.

Which memories will you honor today?

Choose an amount:  4, 8 or 12 chenille chicks in gumball capsules, available here

Thank you Etsy buyer from JunkDrawerAndMore for sending your fun and funny note and giving me ideas for other ways to use these little guys, like an Easter tree and planter fun!
 
Thank you Etsy for the best Hoarder Rehab ever!  And for all the kind people I'm meeting who are helping me indirectly and directly in so many ways with my Hoarder Rehab!

Thank you readers from all over the world who continue to support my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things by taking part with your visits!  Much appreciated!
 
 If you want to add your own things to empty gumball capsules, here they are in pastel colors which are very difficult for me to find, available here
photo via Hoarder Rehab 
  
My new goal is making more art to see if it can fill the void for hoarding  Last time, I made loteria art cards which are now listed at each shop. This week, I've been working on some embroidery patches and will be listing them soon too!  And I think I'll be gluing some wiggle eyes to these little guys to see how they look!
 
Also, I'll be adding new listings when each shop sells an item and it looks like there's some already!
 
Click on the shop names to visit new hoard listed daily and/or weekly: HoarderRehab with 194 items, The Destiny of Things- 190 items, VintageToGoEasy - 200 items and JunkDrawerAndMore - 195 items 

 Maybe you'll find something to adopt and share your story too!  Thanks for looking!
 
Choose an amount: 20, 25 or 30 empty gumball capsules, available here
 
Related Stories: 
 
 
 
Easter card series I made in the 80s
Titled:  Eggs in Fresh Cut Grass, print available here
photo via Hoarder Rehab
 
"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."  Tom Robbins from his novel, "Still Life with Woodpecker"

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Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Wiggle Eyes Color Mix: The Destiny of Things, Story 347

Wiggle Eyes Color Mix:  The Destiny of Things, Story 347

This story is more about insight of my hoarding ways!

 Color mix wiggle eyes: SOLD OUT
Black and white googly eyes, available here

Early last month, I received a short note about these fun eyes that for some unknown reason has stuck with me. 

It simply said:

"I have separated these into separate colors so that I have them right at hand when I need them!"

Color mix wiggle eyes: SOLD OUT
Black and white wiggle googly eyes, available here

So I put it on my blog list to write about and see where it takes me.  It's been stewing and brewing in the back of mind for weeks now.

Choose an amount:  black and white wiggle googly eyes, available here

Saying goodbye:  I have my own stash of these in black and white and in color and in various sizes.  I guess I would say I have quite the collection of them now! And they are separated by size and color!

Choose an amount:  black and white wiggle googly eyes, available here

What I Learned:

1.  I prefer the classic black and white googly eyes over the colored ones, but I do think the color ones would look great on the bunny rabbit stickers, as seen above, for Easter.

2.  I just love to sort and have since a child, it brings me comfort and perhaps as a recovering hoarder it brings me a sense of order when my hoarding ways brings such chaos and out of control clutter. 

I can sort for hours and lose track of time, so much so I'll end up sorting, instead of working on my art projects!

3.  Also, when I was a teacher, these wiggly eyes were so difficult to find and I used them all the time in the classroom of 30 students, so finding enough for each one was not an easy task.  I would need 60 for the class just to have a pair of eyes each!  We used them every holiday to make cards for family and friends.

We used them to make everything fun and funny!  We glued them to our fingers to learn left and right, each finger name and for English Language Developement with the song, "Where is Thumbkin?"  Can you imagine, I would have to find 20 wiggle eyes for just one students hands and multiply that by 30 students and that's 600!

Many times we had improvise by taking turns or had cyclops thumbkins or just pointer finger eyes, etc.

I do know, as a recovering hoarder, I was still buying things thinking I'm one day going to teach again and need these or some other supplies!  Finally I let my credential expire and it took care of my hoarding fun school supplies for the future!

Which wiggly googly eyes do you prefer, the classic white and black or color ones?

So fun and funny, a wiggle eye costume for the Electric Daisy Carnival
Read the story and see more pix of her costume, here

Thank you Etsy buyer from JunkDrawerAndMore for sending your short note that stuck with me and not only reminded me how much I love to sort, but brought me so much insight into my hoarding ways!  Thank you for your help!  I don't think I'll be doing so much impulse buying for so many things now!
 
Thank you Etsy for the best Hoarder Rehab ever!  And for all the kind people I'm meeting who are helping me indirectly and directly in so many ways with my Hoarder Rehab!

Thank you readers from all over the world who continue to support my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things by taking part with your visits!  Much appreciated!
 
 This is more my speed on using wiggle eyes!
Making street art while taking walks. Great way to make exercising more fun too!
Little ones just love to go eyebombing and find things to put wiggle eyes on, outside and inside the house!
Read the rest of this Etsy buyers story with several photos, here
 
My new goal is making more art to see if it can fill the void for hoarding  Last time, I made loteria art cards which are now listed at each shop. This week, I've been working on some embroidery patches and will be listing them soon too!  And I think I'll be gluing some wiggle eyes to stickers and other Easter items!
 
Also, I'll be adding new listings when each shop sells an item and it looks like there's some already!
 
Click on the shop names to visit new hoard listed daily and/or weekly: HoarderRehab with 195 items, The Destiny of Things- 191 items, VintageToGoEasy - 199 items and JunkDrawerAndMore - 192 items 

 Maybe you'll find something to adopt and share your story too!  Thanks for looking!
 
 I'm going to try these with the color wiggly eyes this Easter!
Kawaii cute bunny rabbit stickers, available here
photo via JunkDrawerAndMore 
 
Related Stories:
 
 
 
 
 Wiggle eyes come in handy to make anything come alive!
Jingle bells for Christmas, mini treasure chests for teeth
Perhaps some Easter Eggs!
Choose an amount:  black and white wiggle googly eyes, available here
photo via Advent Calendar story: make a forest of geometric tree boxes, here
 
What would you make come alive with wiggly googly eyes?
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Monday, March 14, 2016

Birthday Queen and Fun Party Favors: The Destiny of Things, Story 346

Birthday Queen and Fun Party Favors:  The Destiny of Things, Story 346

How fun to pass out these little entertainment gestures on your birthday!

Choose your amount:  10, 15, 25, 30, 50 or 100 Fortune Fish, available here

An Etsy buyer was getting ready to celebrate her 67th birthday at her Senior Center and bought all the things she loved to pass out to her friends and to decorate her birthday table! 

I think she bought something from each shop!  I had fun packaging up her combined shipping items.

More things she loved and wanted to pass out:

 500 Swami or Madame X penny napkin dispenser fortunes as seen in the Twilight Zone episode with William Shatner, available here
photo via VintageToGoEasy

Birthday table decor:


Cobalt blue Lady Guadalup vase or candle holder, available here
photo via JunkDrawerAndMore 

Matched up with these smaller votive candle holders:


                         Cobalt blue votive candle holders:  SOLD OUT
Milk white with green butterflies votive holders, available here
Also available with blue butterflies up request

Table confetti:

Play money table confetti or pretend play, pinata filler, mini money origami or scrapbooking, available here
photo via JunkDrawerAndMore 

Saying Goodbye:  So happy to hear that someone else loves these things as much as I do!  I have my own stash of these for my art projects and keep some in my purse to pass out to bring a smile to those that look like they need a pick me up.

What I Learned:

1.  Some of my favorite things from my teaching days and thrifting past have become very popular items at our shops! 

2.  Many Etsy buyers love the same things I do!  So it's nice to find a little silver lining from my hoarding ways!

Lady Guadalupe vase or candle holder in red, available here
photo via JunkDrawerAndMore 

Thank you Etsy buyer from JunkDrawerAndMore and VintageToGoEasy for finding so many fun entertaining things to celebrate your 67th birthday!  Happy Birthday to you!  I hope these bring back nostalgic memories for you and your friends as well as make new ones on your festive day!
 
Thank you Etsy for the best Hoarder Rehab ever!  And for all the kind people I'm meeting who are helping me indirectly and directly in so many ways with my Hoarder Rehab!

Thank you readers from all over the world who continue to support my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things by taking part with your visits!  Much appreciated!
 
 Twilight Zone Swami Fortune Teller slips in smaller amounts or a full set of 52, available here
photo via Hoarder Rehab

Since I've reached my goal of adding new items weekly to each shop until I have 800 of my dehoard listed that will be 200 items listed at each shop!  Well, almost each shop!  Yippee!
 
Now I'm concentrating on a new goal, which is making more art to see if it can fill the void for hoarding  Last time, I made loteria art cards which are now listed at each shop. This week, I've been working on some embroidery patches and will be listing them soon too!
 
Also, I'll be adding new listings when each shop sells an item and it looks like there's some already!
 
Click on the shop names to visit new hoard listed daily and/or weekly: HoarderRehab with 195 items, The Destiny of Things- 192 items, VintageToGoEasy - 201 items and JunkDrawerAndMore - 192 items 

 Maybe you'll find something to adopt and share your story too!  Thanks for looking!
 
 Get ready for spring with some butterfly votive candle holders, available here
I also have them in a turquoise blue, request it and I'll list it for you.
 photo via The Destiny of Things
  
Relate Stories:  Other birthday gifts....

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
"Love is not how you forget, but how you forgive.  Not how you listen, but how you understand.  Not what you see, but how you feel.  Not how you let go, but how you hold on."---Unknown
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Friday, March 11, 2016

Cat Toy Gumball Capsule Rattle: The Destiny of Things, Story 345

Cat Toy Gumball Capsule Rattle:  The Destiny of Things, Story 345

So many creative ideas using gumball capsules!  Here is the latest!  Before:

5 or 10 gumball vending machine capsules, available here
photo via VintageToGoEasy

Here are the notes I received with photos!

They're not going to be fancy toys, just some beads in these capsules in some rabbit fur. Kitten loves rattle mouses! And I already have the rabbit fur (collected them when I was young at one of those gold mining educational towns' "trading posts" in CA) so why spend $6 per mouse when I can just make them? :)
 
I got my capsules the other day but it took me til today to make Fur Rattle Mouse. Kitten LOVES it! And I love all the fun little extra things you added! Thank you so much, will def be shopping with you again.

AFTER: 

How cool is that!  Photos give easy step by step instructions!

 photo via kind Etsy buyer from VintageToGoEasy

So simple and fun making it yourself, especially since she already had most of the materials on hand!  Good to know I'm not the only one who has kept things from childhood and putting it to good use years down the line!

Thank you so much for sharing!

5 or 10 gumball vending machine capsules, available here
photo via VintageToGoEasy

Saying Goodbye:  I have my own stash of gumball capsules with many of them in colors that are more difficult to find.  I keep my childhood jewelry and other trinkets I can't part with inside them and keep them in my vintage gumball ball machine my brother and I found thrifting when we were in high school.

We shared it and when it was at his house it was filled with gum balls and when it was at mine it was filled with peanut M&M's.  It was a good way to to limit my chocolate, since I had to put a penny in just to get one!

Now that I'm allergic to conventional candy, I just don't eat much candy anymore, except I have found an organic dark chocolate bar with salted almonds in it!  And I'll be having some after Lent!

 In larger amounts of 20, 25, or 30 empty gumball capsules, available here
We have these at each of our shops, many in themed color sets

What I Learned:

1.  I never thought my gumball capsule overstock collection would become so popular at our Etsy shops!  They do come in handy for so many things!  I use them as a sturdy and fun way to package and ship jewelry from our shops.  I use them to display my rock collection too!

2.  I have gotten so many different ideas of how to use them from other kind Etsy buyers too!  Like little apple bento box containers, two different kinds of fairy lights, wedding exit confetti holders, cupcake topper sprinkle holders, themed prize containers for pirate parties, pinata fillers with toys inside, even lunch money for gumball machines, etc.

3.  How would you use yours?

50 or 100 empty gumball vending machine capsules here
photo via Hoarder Rehab

Thank you Etsy buyer from VintageToGoEasy for remembering to share your story and photos only days later!  Great photos on an easy DIY cat toy too!  And your cat is adorable and looks so happy and active with his/her new rattle cat toy!
 
Thank you Etsy for the best Hoarder Rehab ever!  And for all the kind people I'm meeting who are helping me indirectly and directly in so many ways with my Hoarder Rehab!

Thank you readers from all over the world who continue to support my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things by taking part with your visits!  Much appreciated!
 
 Here is another item, other Etsy buyers have used to make cat toys!
10 tiny metallic tinsel puff balls, available here

Since I've reached my goal of adding new items weekly to each shop until I have 800 of my dehoard listed that will be 200 items listed at each shop!  Well, almost each shop!  Yippee!
 
Now I'm concentrating on a new goal, which is making more art to see if it can fill the void for hoarding  Last time, I made loteria art cards which are now listed at each shop. This week, I've been working on some embroidery patches and will be listing them soon too!
 
Also, I'll be adding new listings when each shop sells an item and it looks like there's some already!
 
Click on the shop names to visit new hoard listed daily and/or weekly: HoarderRehab with 195 items, The Destiny of Things- 194 items, VintageToGoEasy - 200 items and JunkDrawerAndMore - 197 items 

 Maybe you'll find something to adopt and share your story too!  Thanks for looking!
 
 Gumball capsules are also great to package these cuties for Easter baskets and perhaps even plastic eggs for Easter Egg Hunts!
Mini chenille baby chick peeps, available here
photo via Hoarder Rehab 
 
Related Stories:
 
1.  An Etsy shop owner who uses them for jewelry too!  I Love My Gumball Machine Capsules!  The Destiny of Things, Story 156
 
 
 
 
Thanks for stopping by and taking part in my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things with your visit!  Much appreciated!  Happy Friday!
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Friday, March 4, 2016

Fairy in the House! The Destiny of Things, Story 344

Fairy in the House!  The Destiny of Things, Story 344

One lucky little girl has a fairy that brings her things through a fairy door!

50 piece fairy gifts from Junk Drawer sampler grab bag, available here

Here is the email I received and photo of the fairy door! 

I ordered some things from you before Christmas. You wanted to know what I planned to do with them... the small gum ball machine containers I filled with shopkins and put them in a tabletop claw machine for my 6 year old daughter. She flipped out with excitement! Also, the grab bag that I got from you are "gifts" for my daughter that her fairy friend Autumn leaves after coming into her room at night through her fairy door. I've enjoyed being able to come up with creative stories to go with the items. Their randomness is what makes it so much fun!! Thanks and I will definitely order from you again! 

How cute is that fairy door! It even has little steps and even better, her fairy friend, Autumn leaves messages and fun fairy gifts!
photo via Etsy buy from JunkDrawerAndMore

What a nice surprise to find from a fairy friend in the morning!  Happy messages and gifts from her fairy world!  The stories and memories this mother and daughter are making must be incredible!  So happy to be indirectly part of it!

10 or 20 or 30 Empty gumball capsules fora table top claw machine to fill with Shopkin prizes! Available here
photo via JunkDrawerAndMore 


Saying Goodbye:  I have my own stash of gumball capsules for my art projects and I do collect gumball capsules in colors that are more difficult to find.  And I do love a good grab bag once in awhile as long as I know what I'm getting!  The best part is arranging everything for my little collections in shadow boxes.

What I Learned:

1.  I would have loved to have a fairy friend as a child and listening to stories that my Mom would have made up to go with all the fun!  How exciting is must be for her daughter to fall asleep and wonder if her fairy friend was going to visit.  She must have some sweet dreams!

2.  I do love making up grab bags and what I call "desk inspiration" collections and have several listed at a couple of our shops.

Here is an all pink one that fits in a diamond box, available here
photo via JunkDrawerAndMore 

3.  I've had bad luck with my computer lately and my space bar key wasn't working very well and then stopped working all together.  Now that it's been fixed I have a lot of blog posts to catch up on! 

4.  I'm still doing well with my Lent of giving up sugar and buying things.  Sugar was much easier to give up than buying things.  I think I was in retail therapy withdrawal for the first 2 weeks.   Now I don't even window shop and have found I have more time to pursue other things, like my art or organizing my hoard or catching up on some of my favorite shows.

5.  The only fairy I knew as a child was the tooth fairy!  What about you? 

25+ red teacher desk inspiration in a diamond box, available here
photo via JunkDrawerAndMore 

Thank you Etsy buyer from JunkDrawerAndMore for remembering me months later and sharing your story!  So nice to get a photo too!  I hope your idea will inspire others to become friends with fairies!  What a great way to share stories and make memories with your daughter!  Thank you so much for your help and bringing back some childhood memories for me too!

Thank you Etsy for the best Hoarder Rehab ever!  And for all the kind people I'm meeting who are helping me indirectly and directly in so many ways with my Hoarder Rehab!

Thank you readers from all over the world who continue to support my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things by taking part with your visits!  Much appreciated!
 
 25+ Hello Kitty inspired desk diamond box collection, available here

Since I've reached my goal of adding new items weekly to each shop until I have 800 of my dehoard listed that will be 200 items listed at each shop!  Well, almost each shop!  Yippee!
 
Now I'm concentrating on a new goal, which is making more art to see if it can fill the void for hoarding  Lately, I've been working on some loteria art cards and will be listing them next week on each shop!
 
Also, I'll be adding new listings when each shop sells an item and it looks like there's some already!
 
Click on the shop names to visit new hoard listed daily and/or weekly: HoarderRehab with 196 items, The Destiny of Things- 194 items, VintageToGoEasy - 202 items and JunkDrawerAndMore - 199 items 

 Maybe you'll find something to adopt and share your story too!  Thanks for looking!
 
 50 or 100 gumball vending machine capsules, available here
photo via Hoarder Rehab

Related Stories:

 
 
 
 

 

 Little tooth fairy treasure chests, available here
Also works well as cupcake toppers for pirates, mermaids, kings, queens, princes and princesses!  Need 30 for a classroom birthday? available here
photo via VintageToGoEasy

"Have Less.  Do More.  Be More."--- Anonymous 
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Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Green Anchor Hocking Ball Vase: The Destiny of Things, Story 343

Green Anchor Hocking Ball Vase:  The Destiny of Things, Story 343

So happy this found a new life and home!

Green ball vase, sold out, but my vintage vase and planter collection, available here

I received a little tidbit of news that vase is going to be in a vintage themed wedding!  So cool and fun!  I wonder what kind of flowers are going to be inside it for their special day.....And of course, I'd love to see it!

Green ball vase, sold out, but my vintage vase and planter collection, available here

I used to be a vase hound!  As a matter of fact, I was collecting these Anchor Hocking ball vases in all their different colors!  I use to have them in red, hunter green, and clear.  I used to try and collect a lot of different vases and planters in all their different colors when I used to thrift shop on a regular basis.

I love to arrange flowers and used to buy myself an armful of flowers at the farmer's market to arrange every weekend and use many of my vases.  Also, loved to grow flowers too and add them to my weekend arrangements.  

Now that I'm allergic to so many things, I only buy flowers on special occasions and am looking for scentless flowers to grow.  Right now, I have camellias in bloom, nasturtiums and I'd like to start growing cosmos.

Green ball vase, sold out, but my vintage vase and planter collection, available here

Saying Goodbye:  Much of my vase collection has found new lives and homes, but I do miss them occasionally.  I did save several of my favorite vases and still use them, however I seem to favor using my old bottle collection and seem to use them as vases instead.

I also use my favorite recycled bottles as vases!  Here is an example:

These have one of my favorite flowers, called Casa Blancas, however they can smell quite strong, especially at night.  These bottle vases have sold out too, but if you really want a unique square bottled tall vase, email me know and I'll list mine.

What I Learned:

1.  I do miss flower arranging every weekend and brightening up different parts of any room with a little flower arrangement.

2.  I do have enough collections of vases, old bottles, recycled bottles and even lab glass for flower arranging, so I most likely should continue to let go of my vases and other bottles, etc.

3.  Decisions, decisions!  As a recovering hoarder, deciding what to keep and what to let go is daunting, confusing and stressful, especially if I let go of something I think I will regret later.  

Seller's remorse is a terrible thing to anticipate, but so far there really hasn't been anything I regret letting go.  Wow!  that is such a good thing to remind myself over and over again.  So far, no regrets!

Here is another Anchor Hocking planter vase that I had in several different colors,
available here in clear or in yellow, here
photo via VintageToGoEasy

Thank you Etsy buyer from The Destiny of Things.  Your little tidbit of information really sparked some insight for me today!  Right now I can not think of one item of my hoard that I regret letting go of!  I can't believe it!  That is very encouraging and motivating!  That should really help my decision making of what to let go in the future!
Thank you Etsy for the best Hoarder Rehab ever!  And for all the kind people I'm meeting who are helping me indirectly and directly in so many ways with my Hoarder Rehab!

Thank you readers from all over the world who continue to support my Hoarder Rehab and The Destiny of Things by taking part with your visits!  Much appreciated!
 

I also use planter vases as pencil holders and use them as incense burners too!
Available here in clear or in yellow, here
photo via VintageToGoEasy

I've reached my goal of adding new items weekly to each shop until I have 800 of my dehoard listed that will be 200 items listed at each shop!  Well, almost each shop!  Yippee!
 
I'll be adding new listings when each shop sells an item and it looks like there's some already!

Click on the shop names to visit new hoard listed daily and/or weekly: HoarderRehab with 198 items, The Destiny of Things- 195 items, VintageToGoEasy - 202 items and JunkDrawerAndMore - 200 items 

 Maybe you'll find something to adopt and share your story too!  Thanks for looking!
 
 These are large vases and look beautiful with a spring or summer flower arrangement in them.  I also use them as candle holders for tea lights for bath spa therapy and they also make fun bookends with a bag of sand inside them!
Vintage milk glass vases, available lass vases, available here
photo via VintageToGoEasy

Related Stories:

1.  My first story of someone using one of my items in their wedding:  The Destiny of Things: Wedding Jars Story III
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
"May you always have old memories and young hopes!" 
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