december already?

It seems like we move every other year (still in the unsettled-post-grad stage of life... which may prove to be permanent) and every time we move, it's on January 1st. Luckily, this is NOT a moving year so I can do fun December things like building gingerbread creations and practicing M&M segregation while I'm at it.

I can not unveil the gingerbread thing just yet...

Moving on...

I've become a bit embarrassed at my posting of thrift-store finds because by now you must be wondering how much space I could possibly have left in my apartment (answer: not much) and also because I've had a line in my head for a few weeks now about "mistaking shopping for creativity" (from Douglas Coupland's Massey Lectures on CBC awhile back).

I think I make that mistake a lot. Thrift-store shopping gives me a little high - like I've just gone out and done some hunting-n-gathering. I think it feels more "creative" than shopping at the mall because you have to be able to see the potential in a object... and then of course there's a certain self-righteousness involved.

... but ultimately, it's time spent shopping when I should be working/practicing.

My thrift-shopping time usually happens when I'm feeling too lazy or scared to get down to the job of making art.

That said, here are a few totally awesome recent scores:

A cool, old easel.

I've wanted an easel for a long time and this one is... well... cool and old.

And how could I resist these puppy-dog eyes? Have I ever mentioned that almost every piece of ceramic I'm attracted to turns out to be Japanese? True story.

A bowling-trophy-lamp to go with my bowling pin. It's just the thing I never knew I needed!

Lastly, after all that shopping I made something.

I've wanted a bedside-shelf for awhile (to clean up the bedside pile o' junk on the floor) but I needed something with very particular dimensions and shape. I finally had some time to make the right thing.

I'm proud of it not because I think it's a beautiful piece of craftsmanship but because it's totally good enough to live with aesthetically, it does precisely what I need it to do, and I made it for free with junk wood, odds-n-ends, and the few tools I have in my possession (a saw and a cordless drill).

I know it looks crude but it's pretty good given the resources used. I'm feeling pretty smug and clever about it actually... but I'm still excited for the days when I'm old and rich and have a shop full of proper tools for making nicer things.

Anyway, making this made me feel all resourceful and junk.