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, August 23, 2007

Thrifty Thursday

I went to a few thrifts this week. It usually takes me a few days to regain my singlehood and venture out in public alone once school starts. Tomorow morning means early yard sale arrival once I drop the boy off at school. I love, love, being the first one there when I am already out and about - but, I will not get up early just to go to a sale.
Boyds Bear with Bear Wear - $1.00
Owl Cup with Googly Eyes - 25¢
Creamer with Cherry Handle - 45¢
***I don't know what sort of dishes this creamer is a part of - but if I found a whole set, I would go bonkers. The handle is a three dimensional cherry and it is just too damn cute.***
Miniature Pottery Piece - 25¢
Handcarved wooden spoon - 50¢

Vintage ladies hankies - 7 in all - $1.00. Love the red one.

Three boxes of sealing wax and two wax seal stamps - $2.00.

Written on the box was GIRL SCOUT SEAL.

I was very excited to find this, but once I got it home and peeled all the making tape off the box, I discovered a Fleur de le stamp and an "S" stamp. Sadly, I don't think these are Girl Scout related. Oh, well, "S" is my first and last initial so I guess I'll be doing some wax sealing on my mail.

Three very cool decks of very old cards - $1.50 total.

The Congress Cards on the top are dated 1917 and come double boxed. Isn't it interesting how important a luxury item like a deck of cards was back in the day? Now you can by a deck of cards 2/$1.00 at the check-out of any grocery store.

Sweet, sweet vintage greeting cards.

These were bundled with some newer cards at the Super Cheap Thrift. There wasn't a price on it and they have a very strict new policy - "NO TAG, NO SALE". But, I took a chance. Guess what I found out? Greeting cards are FREE. Yipppee.The lanterns on the card on the left are all glittery and sparkly and the little angel babies on the card on the right are just freaking adorable. I got ten cards in all. If you get a birthday card from me, it will be vintage!



I wish the whole set would have been there, but these cards are specifically for March and April birthdays. A whole set would be great framed. Like I need something else to hang on the wall.


I went to one yard Sale this morning on the way home from school. I only had a five dollar bill, so I had to shop wisely. I spotted three gallon size bags chock full of rubber stamps priced at $2.00 each. I grabbed the two biggest bags and left the smaller bag. I also got a belt buckle, a vintage chick with an egg (too cute), a coin purse, a tiny bunny in a basket and a Tyson chicken paperweight for a total of $4.80. I went home and dumped the stamps out on the floor and started grouping them. There were three different alphabet stamps, but I didn't have a complete set of any of them. I was getting discouraged, thinking that I had just throw out $4.00, but then I remembered the other bag of stamps. I ran in and stole, er, borrowed, eight quarters from DS's stash and went back to grab the other bag. Thank goodness it's a small town. And, yes, I now have three complete sets of alphabet stamps and a lot more. 251 rubber stamps in all. I will list them all as one "You get what you see" lot and stuff them in a Flat Rate Box. I (heart) those boxes.

4 comments:

  1. Those playing cards are neat! There is an article in the current Country Living mag on old playing cards and shows some that are double-boxed like yours (a box and then a slipcase). I think the article even mentions the Congress cards! Do you have a subscription to Country Living?

    The sealing wax & stamps are neat. Lucky for you to find an S! Can I tell you my sealing wax story? You can get these little spoon-like things to melt the wax in first before you pour it on your paper. I don't have one of those, so I always just used an old spoon and held the lighter underneath the bowl of the spoon to melt the wax (never had much luck with the wick in the stick). So anyway, my college roommate found my burnt up spoon once and totally thought I was doing drugs! LOL I think she was really relieved when I told her what I was really doing with it.

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  2. Great finds Shara!

    The Fleur de Lis is a Scout emblem. This troopo site has a great explanation: http://www.troop125bsa.com/emblem.htm

    The Girl Scout emblem that you see now was created some time in the 70's, I think. I don't know how the "S" stamp relates to Scouts though.

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  3. As always, great finds! I was going to tell you about this month's Country Living but Heidi beat me to it! :) You may have a mini collection there!!

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  4. Anonymous3:54 PM

    I remember using those stamps and sealing wax back in the late 60's or early 70's. My girlfriends and I had a great time using them. Also love your Boyd Bear and the items in that same picture. You did great with just $5 + $1.

    Libby

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