9:59 PM

Best Thrifting Scores Ever

Today I found out that there is a blog devoted only to thrift stores in the Puget Sound.

Did you hear me?


I SAID THERE IS A BLOG DEVOTED ONLY TO THRIFT STORES IN THE PUGET SOUND. 

No, I'm sorry to yell, I just didn't think you seemed excited enough so I figured you probably didn't hear me.

The blog is called Thrift Shopper and it profiles the different thrift shops in the area and announces when they are having sales. Um. Thank you. Seriously. This is awesome.

I found out today that a new Value Village opened in Crown Hill and that they were having a 50% off sale. Guess where I made my husband go today? Yep, Value Village in Crown Hill is correct.

We got all kinds of cool stuff: games with alphabet tiles in them so we can make more Shower Art, 4 pairs of jeans, I got a blazer and a pile of pillowcases because I'm obsessed with embroidery right now. But let's forget about that for now.

Let's focus on a couple of really special items.

Like this coffee mug, for example.


You can see that it has the words "old fart" across the front. How wonderful is that? Could you pass that up for $1.99? Could you pass up the opportunity to drink coffee out of that mug on a regular basis? No, I submit that you could not. Neither could I.

The mug is great and all, but now I have to introduce you to Under Cover Cat:


Yeah, that is an Under Cover Cat. Let's get a close up because you may miss a few of the details: 


There we go. Now, do you see the GUN sitting in front of the cat? Yes, the Under Cover Cat has a GUN. He does. Plus, that beige fabric behind him is a TRENCH COAT. Yes, yes it is. 

Now, you may still be kind of unclear as to what exactly this is. Let me try to explain using phrases I find on the box: 

"Read the story. Assemble the secret puzzle. Solve the mystery"

So it must be like one of those super dumb murder mystery party games. But with a cat. A cat who has a GUN. 

"Story by John Lutz" -- and you open the box to find a biography of John Lutz: 

"John Lutz has written many short stories and novels including the novel on which the movie "Single White Female" was based" 

Wow. So he had to have written Under Cover Cat AFTER his gig with Single White Female. Which means things are not going well for John Lutz.

It goes on to say: 
"He has won numerous awards, among them the distinguishes Edgar Award."
Um....yeah, I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that he didn't win the distinguished Edgar Award for "Under Cover Cat." Are you with me?

Elsewhere on the box we get this description: "A knuckle gripping story...." Let me just stop you there. What the heck is "knuckle gripping?" That is not a thing. That is so totally not a thing, I don't even know what to say to you.

So, let's go over this again: It's a mystery. There is a cat with a GUN. It was written by the guy who wrote "Single White Female" after his life took a turn of some kind. It is knuckle gripping. And it is also a jigsaw puzzle. 

WTF.

If you would like to own Under Cover Cat, leave a comment on my blog, Facebook or Twitter explaining why you deserve Under Cover Cat and I will choose a winner. There is only one rule: you must read the story, do the puzzle, and report back later with your review of Under Cover Cat. 

It's like you'll be on assignment. Really, really dumb assignment.

13 comments:

Debs said...

I'm not sure that winning it would be the best idea - my daughter has just got the hang of crawling forward as well as backward, and nothing is safe in our house any longer. But it just cracked me up when I saw your thread in etc and then came across and read the post!

Unknown said...

Wonderful. I just may get to keep this item forever at this rate. Snort!

chelcie said...

I know a man who loves both cats and puzzles. In his house there is a "cat wall" covered in pictures of cats - one of those pictures even happens to be a completed cat jigsaw puzzle. I can't imagine a better addition to the cat wall than Under Cover Cat. Oh! The Glory that could be!

The Queen of Fifty Cents said...

The cover copy must have been written by the same person who did the packaging for fanny pack I picked up at a yard sale. It's pink and must have been some kind of breast cancer fundraiser; along with the pink ribbon thingie it exhorts us to "Save a lifestyle."

Unknown said...

i think that is the best book cover i have ever seen!

glam.spoon said...

Hey Rosalie, glad you like the blog! I'm an obsessive thrift store shopper, and love to hear about new shops to review. I take no responsibility, however, for the discovery of Under Cover Cat.

cindy said...

i saw that same post too, and it was just awesome! i so love to go to "junk shops"! i have many coffee mugs found just this way too! and 'undercover cat' looks like one of my kitties! :D

Unknown said...

My dearest little ones - my friend @Rhiannon Reeder has won the cat book/puzzle/mystery and will be reviewing it later on.

Tsuki aka LittleGrayFox said...

oh my word @ undercover cat! that's quite a find! I've been wanting to check out the VV stores that offer pricing by pound, but I've yet to get out there.

FYI I've just given your blog an award! check it out here: http://littlegrayfox.blogspot.com/2010/06/feeling-love-giving-happy.html :)

kelli g. { bug miscellany } said...

thanks for making me laugh my a** off, alone, in my office at work, like a crazy person.

not like that's unusual or anything.

ps - i LOVE your shower art. saw it at the etsyrain spring show, and just loooved it!

Polly said...

oh poo, I just sent you an email instead of commenting, so now I'm trying in the proper place.
I would LOVE to get this book. I'd enlist the help of my grade school boys to finish the puzzle (and hopefully they'll help write the review as well). We love icanhascheezburger so we're probably the ideal mental level for the book as well.... p.s. I ran across your blog at "Unanimous Craft".

NATURALLOGIC said...

I'm literally crying ~ you are so effing funny...

Unknown said...

Under Cover Cat has moved on to his new home. No word yet on the book/puzzle report from the winner...but you can be sure I'll get it out of them eventually.