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.

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Snow, That Cat & Thrifty Finds

When I woke up to this sight on Saturday morning, I knew I wouldn't be going to that one single garage sale that had been advertised. Hurumph!

Granted, it was just a light dusting at that point, but it continued to snow all day long. Luckily, the weather had been unseasonally warm a few days before, so it didn't stick to the roads or make it bad.

On Sunday it was warmer and the sun came out so it all melted away. I spotted a rare Sunday Estate Sale on Craigslist and decided to venture out. On the way, I said, "This better not be that Pinhead from last Fall." (Read past the Jack Hanna portion). I had been super excited about an Estate Sale being held in an old warehouse and it turned out to be full of cool old stuff - but priced so high it was sickening. A piece of matte white pottery priced at $45.00 when I have shelves stuffed full that I have found for less than a buck a piece. That guy buys out Estates, sells to individuals and on ebay then sells the rest at a big sale. And for ridiculous prices.
You guessed it, it was indeed the Pinhead's sale again. I wandered about and marveled at his wares and his high prices, wondering if he had sold anything at all. That's when I spotted a box of Christmas ornaments that said, "Whole box - $1.00" so I carted it up to him. "Oh no, that's what I paid for them. I need at least $20.00 for them." Buh-bye, pinhead. Needless to say, I won't be attending his "Estate Sales" anymore.
This morning I ran to the Super Cheap Thrift before we went to the library. (On Tuesdays we go to the library to do Internet research on what we studied last week. Today it was The Oregon Trail and Earthquakes).

My few finds for today:
Two silver spoons for 25¢, a sweet chirping baby chick for 10¢ and a mystery item for 55¢.

What is it? A Pom Pom and Tuft form for yarn. I thought I might be able to figure it out and give it a whirl.

A sweet little chalkware bunny pulling a cart for 25¢. It is supposed to be a candle holder, but it holds a pink glittery egg just perfectly. It had a gift store price tag on the bottom for $14.95.

I interupt this post to ask...what is wrong with this cat? How can he do that?

Okay, back to the thrifting...

A silly wooden turtle pincushion for 30¢. He needs some stuffin' in his shell and that gold rick rack has got to go. But, sewing collectibles is my most common requested item when I do a giveaway, so I am always on the look out for things.

A vintage Pyrex custard cup for 20¢. I was happy to find this as I bought one long ago and always wished I could find some more. When I got it home, I remembered that I had decided a few weeks ago that I would probably never find another one, so I donated the one that I already had. To the Super Cheap Thrift Store. Last week. And then I re-bought it today. Seriously! But we won't talk about it, because that might be considered to be a bit embarrassing.

This was my favorite find and I found it on my third walk thru. I always do at least two walk thru's and I usually find something that I missed. This is a vintage Easter postcard that has been professionally framed and matted. It was only $2.00.
Love, love, love those sweet bunnies. The gold frame has got to go too. No gold rick rack, no gold frame. I do not like gold. I will rub some white over it and then it will be good.
I also bought a new set of 50 Debbie Meyer Green bags for $2.00, so I am off to research them and see if they work at all. Most of my produce keeps pretty well. We eat a lot of salad, so I would like to be able to stock up and have it last more than a few days. So, we shall see.

6 comments:

  1. You must really like something if you buy it twice. Too funny!

    Come by Thursday and link up to Good Stuff!

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  2. Great finds, LOve the custard cup! but I love all pyrex!!!

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  3. I am lmao about you buying that thing twice!

    I reviewed those green bags last year on the old blog. They do work. But I have since circular filed them all, mwahahahahaha. Wanna know why? I.do.not.wash.out.plastic.bags. I particularly do not wash out plastic bags where strawberries have gone moldy in them.

    Oh yea, they also pile up in the fridge making it freaking IMPOSSIBLE to see what is in them, and then you end up losing half the food you bought.

    I am waiting for walmart to get her tupperware like boxes to give those a spin instead.

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  4. I am sorry but that is the funniest thing I read today - buying the item you just donated. As the other poster said, you must really like it if you bought it twice. :-)

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  5. The asparagus in the Debbie Meyer bags rotted 3 times as fast as the grocery store plastic bag.

    The potatoes in the DM bags, still got eyes in a week.

    I sure didn't pay $2 -- sigh.

    dicity

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  6. LOL I can't tell you how many times I've found things at the thrift store and think "OMG! I have a matching ____ at home!" just to realize that it was the one I donated LOL.

    Oh and my dog totally sleeps just like your cat It cracks me up everytime.

    ReplyDelete

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