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.

Friday, August 24, 2007

I see there's no TITLE bar again.
I broke one of my cardinal rules in sailing today. I topped at a sale that did not look promising. One table with some clothes on it and a tarp on the ground with some old pots and pans on it. I drove past with no intentions of stopping, but as I passed, I noticed there were two tables of stuff inside the garage. Even though it didn't look like much, I decided to give it a whirl. First of all, I had to park near a busy intersection and run across the street. When I got to the sale, I noticed that the table wascompletely covered in bras. Lots and lots of bras. Odd.
When I stepped inside the garage, the overwhelming stench of cigarette smoke enveloped me. that is my Cardinal Rule - if it stinks of smoke - I am outta there. But, then I spotted this.

Vintage Cocktail Bowl

I picked it up and turned to ask whoever was having the sale, the all important question, "How much for this?" That's when I spotted a tiny old lady in the corner. She had a cigarette planted in the corner of her mouth and her left eye was partially shut to keep the smoke out of it. I suspet that eye hasn't been completely open in 40-50 years. I asked the question and she replied, in a voice very similar to George Burns, "$1.00". SOLD. It is a two quart mixing bowl, although it is had to tell from this photo. I decided to take a second look at the "bra" table, as I noticed there were sheets and linens too. At the very bottom of the pile I found this. This vintage tea towel is in perfect condition. Bright red with crisp graphics. Love it. And, surprisingly, it doesn't smell like smoke at all - it does have a slight moth ball scent to it though. A day on the clothesline ought to fix that one.

And, under a different pile of tablecloths (not cool vintage ones, alas) was this "Waltzing Matilda" linen tea towel. Brand spanking vintage new and completely stench free.


Out to the tarp of old pots and pans - spotted this Foley flour sifter with the cool aqua colored handle. Hadn't seen that color before on a kitchen tool. The little spinny doo hickey was not attached, but I decided to get it anyway. I fixed it when I got home. So, a cool score.

Now I had enough good fresh air in my lungs to hit the garage again for any hidden tresures. And, boy, oh boy, I did find some! Old chopper with glass jar, red handled rolling pin, metal ice cream scoop, wooden handled pastry cutter and six tiny muffin pans. I had one of these in my little kitchen as a girl. Oh, who am I kidding, I still have it. I have everything!

This piece of pottery was covered in dirt and grime. I wasn't sure if it was even matte white under it all. I soaked it for about an hour and took a scrub brush to it. It is perfect! Not a chip anywhere. I don't see a maker's mark, so it might be a woman's handywork at ceramics class. But, it is swirly and wonderful. It's a keeper for sure.

Then I started spotting glass everywhere. First, the nice Glasbak batter bowl, a creamy colored Fire King custard dish, a tiny covered Pyrex dish in pink and the red refrigerator dish. The refrigerator dish has some discoloration on it that washing didn't take off. I think I have some Dawn Power Dissolver, maybe that will work. I don't want the red to flake though. Any ideas? I also got a nice old jelly jar glass with red, white and pink flowers on it that seems to have escaped my pappaatzi camera. I only paid $5.00 total for everything above.From different sales:


Anthromorphic Candy Cane Salt & Pepper Set - 20¢


Fantastic Shabby Chic-O pink metal tray-$1.00


(Such a bad photo) Funky glass piece - 50¢

Is it old? Is it new? I don't know. I don't really like glass, so I'm not very knowledgeable about it. But, for 50¢, why not.


Let's hope some or all of this is a big old money maker, because I went a little whack-O today and went and bought a laptop. DS has been wanting one and I think it would be beneficial to him for school (he has handwriting issues - or rather the teachers have issues with his handwriting). My computer is dreadfully slow as of late and I am in need of listing on ebay like crazy. I bought a wiresless router so we will soon have Wi-Fi in the house. I should be able to work on listings in the evenings when I am with the family and not have to be in the Office all the time. My buying a laptop unannounced to DH has nothing to do with him coming home last night announcing that he had purchased season football tickets (ack) without asking. I don't mean he has to ask per say, but that is a lot of money to spend on a frivilous thing (in my opinion). Especially since I did most of DS's Back to School shopping at the Super Cheap Thrift and I spend most of my evenings clipping coupons. But, oh well, I got a laptop. Nanner-nanner-na-na.

9 comments:

  1. That bowl is amazing!

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  2. The pink metal tray is fabulous...and for a mere dollar?

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  3. Great stuff! I have a pottery vase just like your white one only in aqua. Unfortunately mine has a few chips but it was well worth the dime I paid for it. I love that funky shape!

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  4. Once again you have outdone yourself.

    Ummmmm, you didn't say if you got one of your super duper bargains on the laptop. Not being nosy, just knowing you, I figure you had a coupon or knew of a bargain the rest of us need to be enlightened on. HMMMMM!

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  5. Anonymous7:10 PM

    I love your description of the cigarette lady. I could picture her exactly. You got neat stuff at your sales. Sometimes you have to suffer for those deals!!

    Congratulations on the new laptop. What team did your husband buy tickets for? I know you have mentioned who ya'll are for, but I don't remember.

    Libby

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  6. Wow, Shara, what a score! Everything is so cute. You have a great eye for junk. :)

    And you know what I love about you? You are all into vintage stuff and you make great cards (I love the cherry one you sent me) yet you can talk laptops and wireless routers like the best of them. A real rennaissance woman!!

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  7. I think that towel might be a Broderie. They have the right look.

    And the bowl? I have the same one but I thought it was an ice bucket?

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  8. The title thing was giving me issues a couple of weeks back too. I had to get the pointer thingie in just the right spot to get it to let me type a title. The right spot was actually not very close to the title bar, if that makes sense.

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  9. Love that tea towel!!!

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