Gifts From My Ebay Watch List to Yours

I guess if I were a "professional" blogger I would have written this post three months ago, but as it stands I'm lucky to blog anything at all. I miss you guys.

Well. Ahem. Verklempt. Anyway, I spend a lot of time on the 'bay (we're close like that) shopping for clients and maybe probably definitely OCD shopping for myself. I learn a lot about what's interesting or desirable or unique by looking at ebay. It's a completely uncurated onslaught of mostly junk, but also some seriously amazing finds you won't see or be able to afford elsewhere. As a result of my compulsive shopping, I've amassed a watch list that must be pruned like a delicate bonsai on an almost daily basis. Part of that pruning process involves you, my friends. Vintage is my thing, but there are some fresh picks in here too. Everything is either dirt cheap or extremely well priced for what it is. I hope you enjoy.

Can we talk about how striking that art is? It's a vintage serigraph (screenprint) by Carmen Herrera and I so wish Pantone had gone with something more in that vein for the Pantone color of the year.

Gorgeous vintage French copper mirrored sconces/ Carmen Herrera Rojo y Negro art/ Vintage modernist necklace/ Vintage Stark 8x10 carpet/ Donghia fabric.

This is all about chillaxing with neutrals grounded in solid graphics. Nothing too crazy here, but you might wonder how you ever lived without these anchor pieces.

Vintage modernist painting/ Large brass Stilnovo style sputnik chandelier/ Kelly Wearstler Barcelo pillow ($12!!!!!!!)/ 8x10 Tibetan hand knotted rug/ Sascha Brastoff surf ballet teapot.

Animal print. If you follow me on instagram then you know I really do have a problem. But I loves it all the same.

Kelly Wearstler Barcelo pillow in alabaster/ Tibetan tiger rug/ Psychedelic Roy Ahlgren serigraph (that means some person hand printed this)/ Large cheap lucite ribbon chandelier (why am I not buying this again?!)/ Pierre Frey panther fabric.

Hi, I love the 80s. And the 40s. Basically I love statement pieces that pull your hair out and demand attention.

Vintage French sconces/ 40s Italian miniature volcano paintings (bigger is not always better)/ Op art screenprint by Leviant/ Contemporary Tibetan hand knotted rug.

So there you have the tippy top of the iceberg that is my watch list. Ebay and craigslist posts are not good blog fodder. They are terrible for SEO because there is no one to link to. It's dirty, thankless work. Nobody gives you a high five for pimping their page/blog/stuff. The links expire.

So hold this moment like a snowflake in your hands, precious friends. Buy the cheap stuff asap, for tomorrow surely it will be gone...

Merry Christmas.

I really and truly love and miss you all!

Round Top Roundup Spring 2011

Now is the time when you sit through a bunch of grainy pictures I took last weekend and then you golf clap for us -- a trio of dehydrated bargain hunters willing to brave the dusty Texas fields in hope of discovering hidden treasure. Unfortunately, we picked the last day of the market to shop, so let's just say the glint of golden goodness was rare. However we did meet a lot of vendors desperate to lighten their loads before packing up and heading home, thus we did not go home empty handed. And in between wheeling and dealing Karly art directed me take a few pictures here and there, so to thank her you can throw your hands in the air and wave 'em around like you just don't care. Let's do this.

Straight off the bat Karly scored this giant vintage anatomical chart for a whopping $35. Some little hussy was huffy because K got to it first, so picking it up later in the day as she stood by and watched her precious go home in the hands of another lover was awkward.

I really wanted to buy this vintage tole chandelier for the Inlaws' new house, but then I remembered, oh yeah... it's not my house. Dammit.

Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like me? Dontcha?

Sigh.

Karly and I both spied the Dad pillow from across the proverbial room, but we were not so impressed by Mom.

We forced our Chinese friend Diana to buy this huge mirror because we're racist like that, but it will fit perfectly in her entryway. Also, it was FIFTY FIVE dollars. Five - Five. Vintage 60s from a Palm Springs estate. We don't see a lot of stuff like it around these here Texassy parts, y'all.

This is what we normally see around these here parts. I'll give you a few moments to reflect on the full situation.

Love love love these ginormous Buddha heads. Love.

My megolamania appeared in full force, as I was mostly attracted to very large things. And obviously the giraffes and I have a mini affair brewing.

This hand hooked rug was large and in charge. I really like the colors.

Ok, so every year these dudes have a baby head display, but I felt that they really stepped up their game with the addition of creepy troll man .

Karly bought this bamboo lamp for $7 whole dolla billz. Despite her oft repeated mantra of "No more brass, no more horses," she also bought some brass door pulls with horse heads that I forgot to take pictures of. Duh me.

She also talked me into buying this vintage Persian brass milking stool for $35. Ike thinks it's his new drum, but Karly suggested we use it as a kid stool for later on. I'm hoping "later" will be about 10 years from now, since I am nearly apoplectic at the thought of Ike having access to the counters.

That's it for this year's tour of the dustbowl that is the Round Top antiques market, where you can buy leggings with bell bottomed ruffles sewn onto the legs.

I think you know why I didn't take a picture of those.

Good Gifts: For the Haute Hipster

Contrary to popular belief, not all hipsters are dirty. It's true that many are mullety and mustached, but lately I have sensed an upwardly mobile air about the bright young things. Maybe it's because they aren't quite so young anymore and were forced to clean up for their day jobs at Apple, or maybe it's just because style in general is trending away from whimsy. In an economy with an uncertain future, it's expensive to be a slave to flash-in-the-pan trends, and on the streets I'm seeing a lot of timeless classics with funky layered twists. Aspirational? Perhaps. But the true hipster will still thrift it whenever possible. Fake it til you make it, bitches.

And in that spirit, let the world know who's best in show with this vintage trophy inspired cream and sugar set. $18 from Etsy.

I've been snatching up vintage wool deck blankets by the dozens. I think I'm going to try to thrift some old belts or suspenders and rig up a carrying strap like so. If you're a holiday procrastinator like me, then you can just buy this one as a gift. Tick tock, says the Christmas clock... $78 at Urban Outfitters.

You need an Antoni Tapies poster of his Ultramarine Composition. It's like Yves Klein noir. $35 from All Posters.

Anything by Pierre Cardin is an acceptable gift (except for the perfume... you know what I'm talking about). These 70s French Opera style glasses are the bizness. $15 from Etsy. Pssst, if the glasses are not not right for your giftees, check out his vintage jewelry.

Neither inexpensive nor thrifted, this leopard pillow still hits all the right notes. Animal prints look cheap in the wrong fabrics, but this needlepoint cotton and wool number is klassy yet sassy so you can (safely) take a walk on the wild side. $215 from Ethan Allen.

Adjust your frame of reference to a geologic time scale with gorgeous agate bookends by Roost. Suddenly it seems the holiday madness will be over in the blink of an eye. $71 from Velocity.

I just don't feel like I can wrap up a Design Crisis gift guide without something gold and wildly expensive... Let's just say that this diamond studded, gold plated swiss army knife costs thousands of dollars, but I'm definitely feeling that a sweet vintage pocket knife is a good gift. Check your local pawn shop -- seriously. I mean, have you seen Pawn Stars? Madness. And because I know some of you want an online hookup, there's also a somewhat lesser version of this knife (but still gold!) available through Victorinox's online store for $145.

Don't you feel richer and more expensive, yet still edgy and cool just from reading this post? If not, go back and reread... you must have missed something. It can't be my fault. (Can it?) At any rate, I hope you got some good gift ideas. Now go buy something.