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, December 25, 2009

2009 - A Thrifting Review

As much as I love "junk", it is the story and the history that reels me in the most. Here are some of my favorite finds of the year and the stories behind them.

The "R" family quilt top - unearthed from the depths of a trash bag at a huge mess of a sale for $2.00. each "R" square is signed by the maker - Gertrude, Grandma. It's a treasure.
Wonderful 1950's Livestock ribbons in pink and purple. Spotted at the one and only auction I attended this year. I planned on a fierce bidding war - allowing myself to go as high as $20.00 for the box. Opening bid was $2.00 and no one else bid but me. No one even looked at them or cared about them. I clutched them to my chest and carried them around like a newborn baby the remainder of the auction. They don't realize what they missed!

A pile of old journals chronicling one family's purchases beginning in 1927, including the purchase of two rolls of TP for 5¢ and "Baby- Marge" for $25.00. I love picking one up and reading it like a novel. They really tell the story of frugality, charity and life of yesteryear.
I scored all this, including the cabinet on one Saturday with The Bean and The Breadman in tow. The cabinet was $5.00 and was one of my favorite finds of the year.
This giant Santa lived at the house behind me. For years, I saw it on their porch at Christmas time and coveted him. Two summers ago they had him in their yard sale for $25.00. Too rich for my blood. I was happy to see him back on their porch the following Christmas - apparently no one bought him at the sale. So, this summer, I stopped at their yard sale again when I saw Santa under the tree. He didn't have a tag this time, so I asked how much. "My husband says he has to go...how about $5.00?" SOLD. He lives at my dad's house now. And he loves him!


Then there are the Christmas items that I find all year long.
A delicious dish of Christmas delights. All scored at an Estate Sale for about $5.00.
Another dish of delightful Christmas-y goodies. My first tree topper!
A fabulous old, old working Ford Gumball machine for $10.00. It occurred to me on Christmas day that this would have been a fabulous way to display some of my miniature Shiny Brites. Remind me next year to do that, okay? Thanks!

Nice big lot of huge printer's blocks - $10.00 for them all. I'm having fun using these in vignettes and my holiday decor.

Giant jar chock full of vintage cake and cupcake toppers. Another items I swooped in on fearing a fist fight, but no one else gave it a second look. 50¢ total for all that fun.

*Swoon* $25.00 at a late in the year November sale. I've searched for an old cabinet for years, but they are always pricey. This one will be my Spring Project - painted white with some sort of interesting lining inside - old book pages? Sheet music? I can't decide. But, it will come to me.
Here's to a GREAT 2010! I hope everyone has a fabulous year of thrifting, junking and saling. May there be treasures on every corner for you and yours. (And, Laurie, those bags of cash sound real good too!)

7 comments:

  1. That is one nice thing about having a blog - so easy to go back and see what "scores" you made during the year (and not depend on a fading memory!) I love looking at my past estate sale Friday posts and seeing what treasures I found. I love the prize ribbons - I would have clutched those to my chest too! Happy New year and doesn't everyone want a bag of cash?

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  2. Hey, I did a junking review too! It sure was a good year for thrifting, wasn't it?
    I hope you have a great 2010, and I'm so glad to have "met" you!

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  3. Great year end review! I enjoyed seeing your finds. Happy New Year!

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  4. such incredible finds...especially the ledgers and the printers blocks! oh my. happy 2010 to you, too:)

    mary

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  5. Anonymous8:22 AM

    Have a great new year filled with giant loads of more junk!

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  6. When I was home in December my dad and I went to an Antique mall. They had 2 vintage Ford bubblegum machines in beautiful condition and I think each one was priced at $120+, if I recall correctly. My dad was SO taken with them--yours was a LUCKY find! (you are the queen of lucky finds, my dear :)

    It will indeed look FAB filled with wee Shiny Brites next year! Or do it now, why wait so long. ;)

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