What is a monkeybox?

When I was a little girl, we had a pet monkey named Amanda. My Dad worked in the produce business, so each night he brought home that days culls in a big box - spotty cucumbers, pithy apples, limp celery, moldy oranges and the like. We called it a monkeybox. It was really just trash, but my Mom would take each piece of fruit and trim it, pare it and cut it up to make a beautiful fruit platter for Amanda. Even though it was deemed trash by one, it still had life left in it and was good for the purpose we needed it. That's how I live my life - thrifting, yard saling, looking for another's trash to be my treasure.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Thrifty Finds & Buys This Week

I've been to the Salvation Army three times this week. Whoopsie. Actually DH works in the building adjacent to the Salvation Army Thrift store and I have had to make a few trips to his work. And, since it is right next door, it seems silly not to go in. Right? Monday I left pretty much empty handed except for a couple books and a little Boyds Bear for a total of $1.25. Tuesday I dug in the linen bin, where I have NEVER found anything old except (an occassional Watermelon Potholder). I was surprised to find a Mother- Daughter pair of Christmas Aprons, two vintage fruit-motif tea twoels turned into curtain panels and a vintage fruit motif napkin. I paid $1.50 for all five items. As I passed the wallpaper bin, I spotted stacks of books that I knew were scrapbooking papers. (I just love the thinking of the SA workers - "Paper's Paper! Put it together!"). I pulled out five big brand new Colorblox books. I've looked at these at Hobby Lobby and know they run from $14.99-$19.99. They were priced $2.00 each so I gathered them all up. I went back the next day and found three more for a total of $16.00 for 8 brand new Colorblox books. That's less than ONE new. Don't tell DH, but I haven't actually done any scrapbooking at all in over a year, but I sure do buy it! I do make cards, embellish packages and the like with it. I might even try these on ebay.

I found a fun Thursday Sale with lots of little goodies today. Everything in the picture except the demonic cat cost $12.50.
My finds include:
Set of three old cheese boxes - $4.00
Red & White Enamel lid - 25¢
4 pc. Bakelite handled silverware - 10¢ each
Green painted wooden handle can/bottle opener - 10¢
Old silver pickle fork - 10¢
Gorgeous Blue Glass Egg Shaped Vase - $1.00 (Got it home and discovered a huge freakin crack in it. Doh!)
Little Resturant or Railroad China Creamer or Toothpick - 10¢
JAPAN Painted Tumbler - 25¢
Two old bottles that the guy had dug up - for my Rx collection - 10¢ each
Little glass race car shaped bottle - 10¢
Fireking Yellow cup - 10¢
Federal Pearlescent Cup - 10¢
Wood rack with set of copper Figural Spoons - $2.00
White lamb shaped pottery planter - 50¢
Chalkware Wiseman - 10¢
Anchor Glass Green Vase w/ Original Paper Label - 50¢
Hazel Atlas Creamer - 10¢
Orange Glass Bowl - 25¢
Two Handmade Christmas Ornaments - 5¢ each
Milk Glass Salt & Pepper Shakers - 75¢
10 Old Ceramic Circus Animals, Ringmaster & Clown - 50¢ total
Inside the old cheese boxes I found a hand carved old crochet needle that is so rustic and cool. Not pictured is a Wilton Batman logo cake pan for 25¢. It didn't really "fit" in the photo with all the cool old stuff.



I found a pattern for this little felt duck beanbag online. I whipped her up pretty quickly. Then I went and bought a nice stack of yellow and orange felt to make an entire flock.
I've seen a lot of things in my birdfeeder this winter. Cardinals, Pigeons, Doves, Blue Jays, a big Woodpecker and even a Squirrel. But when I saw THIS this morning - I knew I had seen it all.I thought the cat might be looking for a bird to munch on - but then I watched it eat cracked corn! What a crazy cat. This is a neighborhood cat that makes the rounds - I'm not sure where it really lives.

3 comments:

  1. That cat looks just like MY Puddin'. They could be twinkies.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous6:43 PM

    I love all of the stuff you got. The Forest Green Anchor Hockings vase you got is what I collect. They are so pretty and getting hard to find. Lucky you! When my grandmother died about 25 years ago I got two of the ivy vases in that pattern and loved them so much that I discovered that there were others and I have collected them eversince. I have about 10 or so. Our GW and SA never have things as cheaply as you got your things. Sometimes the prices are ridiculous. See ya. Libby

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a great bunch of treasures you got - love those circus animals! Adorable felt duck too.

    Geez, I've never seen a cat eat cracked corn either...but, when I was little, I had a cat that drank Hawaiian Punch :)

    ReplyDelete

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