Middle of the Week Junk

Today I went to visit one of my most favorite thrift stores.  It is attached to the local City Hospital which has recently been closed.  So the Auxiliary is looking for a new location and a new organization to award the proceeds from the thrift store.  I have been shopping at this thrift since I was in college, so it has a special place in my heart.  I have come to known the head of the Auxiliary very well (a former Ms. Senior Arkansas who does a high kick over her head at the age of 74.  She can be seen in the opening of one season of the Antiques Roadshow doing her high kick.  Cool, right?).  One of the volunteers was a teacher at my High School.  Another remembers The Bean reaching up as high as he could over his head to place a teeny necktie on the counter to buy with his quarter when he was three.  I really like it there and I will miss it.  I hope they find a new location and they continue to get donations.  

Since they are clearing things out, I went with one mission in mind.  There has been something there with a NOT FOR SALE sticker on it for five years.  And, I WANTED it. You'll have to read to the end to see if I got it or not.  

I have seven crusty old sifters in my booth at the Flea Market, but when we made a cake the other day, we needed a sifter and didn't have one.  This one is old, but clean as a whistle and never used.  Why buy new when you can use vintage?  $1.00.

A very sweet old bunny planter, a Child's Dictionary (make that Pictionary) and a Webster's school Dictionary.   

I sell a lot of old dictionaries.  I think the graphics in the Pictionary are pretty sweet, so it might have to stay with me for a bit.  Bunny and two dictionaries - 50¢ each.

Nice long string of beaded garland to be taken apart and repurposed.  50¢

 A set of Tupperware Cookie Cutters - one for every holiday - including a pig which I have no idea what holiday that is intended!  I have sold this same set over and over in the both.  It's a good one.  50¢ for all.

A tiny forest of wee bottle brush trees.  25¢ for all.

A tiny wooden village - each building painted all the way around.  It's cute.  Maybe not entirely my style, I haven't decided.  But, it was only 25¢, so why not?

On my third trip through (you must always take a second walk through and a third if necessary - I am a firm believer in this!) I spotted this under a table of newer Christmas items.  I snapped that sucker up FAST!  It's older and looks like an actual fire when it is plugged in.  I would so love to find a spot for it, but I just don't think I have it.  It might have to go to the booth.  :(

See the mechanism?  One branch form an old Evergleam type Christmas Tree  that revolves and a light bulb.  Pretty high tech, huh?  I really like it.  And, the cat does too as you can see from the first photo.  $5.00

This jar is actually from the Goodwill last night.  It has been on the shelf for about a month.  And, even though it is cute and vintage and I do have a thing for gingham, I decided to wait it out and see it was still there on half price day.  Yesterday, it was finally half price.  I was so proud that I had been patient enough to wait it out and get it for only $1.00.  I grabbed it and held it close, happy that I had waited it out for the best price, yet it was still going home with me.  When I got home and unwrapped my jar, I noticed on the receipt that the clerk had charged me full price.  Isn't that just perfect?  Moral of the story:  If you see it and like it, just buy the damn thing.  

Okay, so what did I want so badly all of these years?  A vintage locker basket.  

I've never seen one for sale anywhere and here one sat at the thrift store for at least five years with a NOT FOR SALE sticker on it.  I walked past that basket about twice a month and every.single.time, I wanted it.  But, it was forbidden!  You know why it wasn't for sale?  Because they were using it to hold all the old disgusting curling irons and hair implements.  Gag.  

I decided if they were clearing things out, this was my chance.  I took the basket, cruddy old hair crap and all up to the register and showed it to my friend Evelyn.  I told her that I have wanted that basket for five years and was today the day she was going to sell it to me?  She looked at me like I was crazy, but she had a twinkle in her eye.  "Oh, I can't sell you THAT.  It's not for sale."   "But, " she said "I'll GIVE it to you if you buy the contents."  Ugh, I did not want the contents.  The she said, "Five dollars for it all."   I told her I would give her five dollars for the basket and she could keep the hair stuff.  Then she said, "No, the basket is FREE you have to BUY the other stuff."  She just wanted to get it out of there and clear off a spot.  SOLD! Once we got to the car, we dumped the contents into a bag and threw it away.  

Now I have my vintage locker basket that I always wanted and a nice little memento of my favorite thrift store.  *Sniff*