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, January 27, 2012

It Was Worth A Shot

Today I saw TWO yard sales in my area so I hopped in the car and went looking.  I never did find the first one.  Damn little teeny signs with bad directions.  I knew where the second sale was and I thought it had promise since the ad read:  Large Indoor Sale with a lot of everything.  HA!  Wrong-O.  The sale was outside a building and there were three tables of junk, and I do mean junk and one rack of stinky clothes.  Sigh.  I know it's Winter and no one is having sales yet, but I got really excited when I saw there was a yard sale.  Patooie.  I did buy an old metal tool box that is the loveliest metallic blue color.  I will use it in the booth to hold sheet music.  I'm glad to have it, but it really wasn't worth the makeup and the gas it took to get there.  :(

After those disappointments, I stopped in at a thrift that I have only been to once.  I used to go there a lot, but then they moved to a smaller location and it wasn't worth going to anymore.  But, I found myself in the area so I stopped in - once again, it wasn't really worth stopping.  I did find three weird things to buy.  When I checked out, the guy said, "Boy, you really needed those three things.  I bet you couldn't have lived another day without those three things!"  He said it nice and he was only joking, but he should be happy that I came in and bought the three weird things in his store!  No one else would have bought them, I betcha.


Here's the blue toolbox and the three weird things - a teak nose (I told you they were weird!), a ginormous paper clip and an old receipt spike.  Those little craft cups came from Goodwill later in the day.  I think I have six of those receipt spikes now.  I just throw them in a drawer for now.  I consider it my moral obligation to remove them from the thrift stores so a kid won't poke his eye out with one.  

On to Goodwill to drop off some donations and have a look around.  I'd be better off if I only donated, but you know you just have to take a peek.  So, I peeked.   

I didn't find much of anything, so I decided to take a chance on this big cardboard box that seemed to have gift bags and wrapping paper in it.  I figured for $5.00 I would take a chance on it.  After all, all my other Spidey senses had rocked for the day, right? 

I found a few big new gift bags that I can use.
Over thirty packages of older wrapping paper - most still wrapped and including a couple pretty sweet ones.
A ribbon - lots or vintage ribbon.  Velvet ribbon, Sasheen ribbon, lace ribbon and some ungodly bright orange yarn that is screaming to be used on The Bean's next birthday.  There's also a bow maker in there along with bow pins and instructions as well as a snowflake ornamen kit.  (Hey!  How'd that nose get in there???)

As I sorted the ribbons, I spotted a hidden surprise.  Do you see it?
A vintage spun head Bride and Groom!  Eek!  That tiny little find made the day out  completely worth it.  Maybe my Spidey senses aren't entirely whacked after all.  

8 comments:

  1. I had a thought about your collection of old receipt spikes. They'd make a good base for a make- do. Of course you'd have to dull the point somehow so it doesn't unexpectedly come poking through one day...that could be unpleasant! but the pretty metal base would give a spiffy look to a make-do.

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  2. Oh the spun head bride and groom are adorable. At least you found a few good things! Hugs, Linda

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  3. Looks like you had a 'nose' for treasure. Ha. :OD

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  4. I love to find an assortment of goodies like that and then to find that cute little bride and groom - nice!

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  5. Glad that spun head radar was working today...great bride and groom! Don'tcha love to find a treasure like that in the most unexpected places?

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  6. Those spikes look wicked sharp!!
    Love the bow maker:)

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  7. I thought the same thing when I bought a receipt spike one time. I joked I would keep it by the bed for an intruder. My husband seemed a little worried.

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  8. You can rationalize it all you want, but you do realize that you're collecting receipt spikes, don't you? :-)

    I love the nose. I would have picked it too. (Pun intended.)

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