Palm + Sewahnee

I went into this sale knowing it would suck.

Second-days are the worst. Everything good is gone and most of what's left is either more expensive than anyone in their right mind is willing to pay, or else it's stained, cracked, common, rusted through, or simply void of any redeeming qualities whatsoever.

Most of the time.

The one silver lining about second day sales is that they're willing to wheel and deal a little more. Second days are probably the best days to go through linens. Sure the crazy good stuff might be gone, but handblocked textiles and cute kitchen towels are still up for grabs. Like TODAY!

I got some cotton kitchen towels from India with a nice red contrast-stitch going around the perimeter for 50 cents yessir. . . and a sweet textile finished-edge sample sheet from the 50's with handblocked tang dynasty horses smiling. The print's really bold, has fantastic coloring, is in excellent shape with not discolorations or holes, and it still has the sample tag attached. It's one of those things you see and sigh, "They just don't make them like this anymore. . ." for cheap cheap cheap!

Mini heartbreak of the day: an intact vintage floursack, soft and thick, with lovely red striping. . . and moth holes. Boo. They sell throw pillows made of vintage floursacks at the Rose Bowl Swap Meet for $70+ and I've wanted to find one ever since. I looked over the bag hoping the holes were relegated to one half of the bag or the other but alas... little dudes took bites all over.

This is where it's really important to exercise self control: when the quest for an ideal blinds you from looking at something objectively. You have to hold it in your hands and say even though this bears a slight resemblance to something I want (real bad!), this ISN'T IT.

"No Ashley, you can't bleach that stain out, or cover it with something cute, or only turn it sideways, or find the other half later on ebay, or upcycle. YOU DON'T HAVE THE TIME."

Having the Platonic Ideal in your head all the time puts you in danger of buying a total piece of junk. And becoming a hoarder.