It’s kind of amazing when your profession and your obsession are the same thing. I get to craft for a living. For reals, I’m not kidding. I get to wander slowly through craft stores, fabric stores, the flower mart (my favorite block in NYC) and if I’m caught day dreaming at work or playing with pipe cleaners, it’s totally excused. In fact, it’s celebrated.

The other day I had to do some craft errands to finish up a project and visited a few of my favorite sources. I plan on adding a sidebar list to TVH of my favorite stores (I have no problem revealing my secrets), but until then, I’ll be posting “Time for Craft Shopping” posts.

From left to right:

Best for buttons, ribbon, trim, iron-on, feathers: M&J Trimming

Best for cheap findings, wire, colored bells: Toho Shoji

Best for candy, candy, and more candy: Dylan’s Candy Bar

     

I’m usually really into my birthday, but for no particular reason this year I was not; I would have been totally fine if it had come and gone sans celebration. But it was kind of a big one, number-wise, and my husband would never have believed that I really didn’t want to acknowledge it, so he coined January 30th Amanday (naturally). He planned the perfect afternoon that started at 3 o’clock at one of my favorite places in this amazing borough of ours: the Brooklyn Flea.

Here’s what went down: Michael made scavenger hunt cards that had 2 clues each with an opportunity for bonus points. Everyone’s card was different—each clue had something to do with yours truly and the gift could not exceed $10.

I walked around with Michael while our friends moseyed about, hunting for a $10 trinket and treasures for themselves. Here are photos of the brilliant finds (plus 2 unplayed cards to finish out the grid) followed by a list of their clues:

1. Find a pin that’s cute as sin. (Aaron found a mink pin, thus accomplishing both clues 1 & 2.)
2. Find something that’s warm, cute, cuddly or sweet.
3. Find 35 of something.
4. Find something that’s good in the kitchen. (Michael bought me a sweet apron.)
5. Find something that let’s you play a game. (Lindsay found this chalkboard, drew a hangman game, added the dice and won bonus points with the ALK in chALK!)
6. Find something that always brings a little amusement.
7. Find something that stamps, cuts, snips, glues or clips.
8. Find something that brings things together. (Jocelyn and Dave were so right that Nunu hot chocolate does just that.)
9. Find something that rhymes with Amanda.
10. Find something that’s too cute for words. (Micah got it: felt+owl+tissue holder=totally precious!)
11. Find something that shows an owl. (Ami, being a Bklyn Flea newbie, was shocked at the plethora of owls. Therefore, I scored 2: a pin and a wood carving by an artist named MC.)
12. Find something that’s always a hoot.
13. Find something that starts with an ‘A’ and ends with an ‘A’. (Nicola accomplished both 13 & 14 and the bonus: the Alvara label begins and ends with ‘A’, red buttons look awesome with gray, an eraser goes with graphite, read: gray, and a playing card with the letters mAK, thus earning her bonus points!)
14. Find something that looks better with a little gray.
15. Find a moody photograph of Brooklyn.
16. Find something that works well in different positions. (ah-chem)
17. Find something that writes right.
18. Find something that’s worth talking about.
    **Bonus. Find something that has the letters AK or ALK on it.

Thanks to Michael (the husband), Ami, Dan, Lindsay, Aaron, Micah, Nicola, Sean, Rachel, Jocelyn, Dave, Lissa, Alex, and Finn (or is it Fin?) for the best birthday ever!

  

I love anything vintage. Really, I do. Just ask my husband. Or come to my house. It’s everywhere.

I found this precious website called The Baby Gardner that specializes in vintage of all sorts. And these hats in particular had me at hello.

And while I’m on the topic, check out these cuties from Oeuf. (Bat boy on left, Bat girl on right.)

  

Beyond clever bookmarks/book jackets! Visit Cup of Jo to see a dozen more.

Definitely a “why didn’t I think of that” moment!