2008 - The Thrifting was Great!

2008 has been a productive thrifting year. I tried my best to only bring things home that truly spoke to me and that I had a place for or those that I knew could go to someone or be sold. I didn't do so good on the selling part, but I really, really plan to start up an Etsy Shop and get things listed on ebay this coming year. Really!

So, here is my Annual Thrifting Review. I am only showing things that I bought and still love now.

January brought me this crow. I still love this primitive crow with the rusty star in his beak. I love stars and all things crow. He was $1.00.

February brought me this fantastic old Royal typewriter complete with glass keys for $10.00. The Bean actually found it at the thrift and I was very happy that he did!

March brought this wonderful miniature splint basket my way. I had spied it behind the counter at the thrift one week, being used to hold paper clips. It was still there the next week and by the third week I had sweet talked the lady behind the counter into selling it to me for 50¢. It is scrumptious!

This collection of vintage Thermos Bottles came to me at my Alma Mater's Football Team Fundraiser for $2.00. You may remember them from my long standing header.

This sweet little clothespin bag came to me in April. I found it in the bottom of a box of old towels and pillowcases at a sale where the lady is a pro at selling vintage items. She was suprised when I pulled this out, but she was nice and let me pay 25¢ for it anyway.

This was part of this years Spring Clean Up finds. each Spring, everyone puts their junk by the street for trash pick up, but all us junkers and scrap metal hunters drive around and pick up the goodies. People lay it all out like a sale, so they want you to take it. I painted this box white and I use it to store my weekly ads, coupons, scissors and coupon folder.

I spotted this cool old wooden stool at a sale in the back of a garage in the NOT FOR SALE area. I never ask about things labeled as such, but this time I did and I scored it for a princely sum of $2.00.

This very large, very old Sunshine Biscuit tin is one of my favorite tins. I bought it from the same lady as the clothespin bag, but at a different sale. She only had it priced 25¢ and I still don't know why she would let it go so cheap. But, I am glad she did!

Here's the metal box all gussied up with a new coat of paint. Looks good, right? (The way Blogger switches and reverses photos, I am just too lazy to put it up by the other photo!)

I found this headvase at a sale that occurs every weekend all summer. I only go a few times each summer because I don't like weekly sales and the place reeks of smoke. I cannot even breathe in that place. It is usually all newer stuff purchased at storage auctions, so I was pleasantly surprised to find this sweet headvase there. I was even more surprise when the lady took the ciggarette out of her mouth and quoted me a price of 25¢. *No offense to any smokers out there - but I am highly allergic to cigarette and wood smoke, so it is not a fun place for me.

Something form the Sale of Sales. The big sale that I hit once a year where everything is very vintage, very plentiful and very cheap. $1.00 will net you an apple box full of goodness. These two old games were such a fun find with their sweet graphics. I think I paid a total of $2.00 for them both.

My wonderful white shelf that I spotted at a sale loaded with books and other crap. I could see it's chippiness and it spoke to me. I asked if it was for sale but the good chippy things rarely are, especially when loaded with books. Much to my suprise the answer was, "Yes, how about $5.00?" I had to call in reinforcements to get it home, but I did get it there.

The Quilt. How could we forget the quit. I looked at it at a yard sale for $10.00, but left it behind. That night I dreamt of it so I went back to the sale the next day. I didn't see it so I asked about it. The lady pulled it out from under a table and said it was waiting for me. I paid the $10.00 and was on my way. The lady even gave me a bunch of other old linens she had as a thank you for coming back. No, thank you lady, thank YOU! (The green chair was another good find this year for only $1.00).

The $5.00 Mantle. It graces the backyard for lack of anywhere in the house to put it. I still love it and think it was worth the $5.00 even if it stays in the yard forever.

An Annalee Santa for $1.00 - scored at a thrift I go to due to lack of merchandise and high prices. I pulled in for some reason, and spotted this right inside the door. It was meant to be!

A quilted tablecloth. Not usually my sort of vintage tablecloth. I really don't even remember where I found this - at a yard sale I think. I do remember I paid $3.00 for it because I wasn't sure if I really should have bought it. But, once I posted about it on the old bloggity blog, everyone was wild for it. Now I know I have a treasure!

This year I was very lucky to add numerous tablecloths to my collection. In fact, it was only this year that I decided to actively start collecting them. I think I have found at least thirty this yer - not one for more than $2.00 each except the quilted one above. The Matte White Pottery was just not out there this year. I think I may have only added three or four pieces to my collection. But, that's okay because I have plenty and I knew it would dry eventually. I was lucky to find the 72 pieces (yes, 72) that I have for no more than $1.00 each - most only 10¢-25¢ each.

My thrifting habits have changed this year - I only brought home what I knew I had spot for or that I could use down the line such as vintage holiday items and such. I have brought many things home this year, but I have let much, much more go. I have donated, Freecycled and sold on Craigslist. I have made my New Year's Resolution concerning buying, storing and selling. I will discuss that tomorrow. Until then, Happy New Year!