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.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Day 2: Deja Vu

I went to sleep last night thinking about the sale I went to yesterday.  I woke up in the night thinking about it.  I woke up this morning thinking about it.  So, I got up and went back!  I got there about 10:30, which I know sounds really late, but the lady at the sale had told me that she would start taking things out about 10:00 or so.  

When I got there, I started seeing all kinds of new (old) things, so I knew they were bringing things out.  I started picking things up here and there and putting  them in my tote bag.  When I got one bag full, she said - "Start your pile over here."  So, I did.  There was a younger guy there and he had a pile going too.  He was digging in the jewelry boxes so I waited until he was done with one before I started digging through it.  He made remarks like, "I don't like reselling costume jewelry" and "it's too hard to photograph for online" and "it just gets stolen at the flea market."  I just let him talk because I knew he was slitting his won throat by saying he was a dealer.  Yesterday she had commented about the re-sellers coming early and trying to deal her down on things.  She said that she didn't mind people reselling it, but she really preferred that people appreciated her Mother's things too.  She could tell that I was over the moon about certain things and she loved that.  She said that I was buying all of the things that she thought she would have to throw out and that made her happy.  (Note to self:  Drive by the house on trash day).  I told her that I do resell some things, but mostly just to cover my expenses and to allow me to keep the things I love.  

When the guy was ready to deal on his pile, I hung close to see what she charged him.  I actually had more items than he did, but mine was all tidy and concise in my tote bags and a box.  His stuff was strewn all over the driveway and grass and he was buying these giant four foot tall table lamps with these huge ugly shades.  I mean, they were a monstrosity and I cannot imagine anyone actually wanting them in their house.  She had already told me that she really thought she could get about $60.00-80.00 for the pair, but I didn't say a word.  Of course, she remembered them in her house growing up, in the living room by the TV near the Christmas Tree - you know - she was really sentimental about those hideous lamps.  I suggested that perhaps she should take them to her house and she said she didn't want them.  I tried to get her to keep so many things!  She had about five jewelry boxes sitting out and people were just digging in them.  She said they were full of her jewelry from her teen years.  I said that she should dump them all in one box and take it to her own house.  I mean, how much room would that take up in your house?  Again, she said no.  I did find an 18K gold little bracelet that I handed  back to her.  She did remember that from her childhood and stuck it in her pocket.  

So, I suppose you didn't come hear to listen to me yak about it.  You came for the pictures and the deets, right?

These bowling balls didn't make the "big" picture.   The black one says "Dick" and the green one says "Ester".  I was so tired and hot when I left the sale that I couldn't think of making one more trip to the car so I hired a third grade boy named Sawyer that was shopping to carry one of those balls to the car for me.  He was thrilled with his dollar and I was thrilled with the help.

Okay, here's THE BIG PICTURE:

Lots and lots of goodies.  Again.

A wicker mirror I will paint for the booth, a little china girl holding a basket, an old Max Factor compact, a little glass dog shaker bottle, lipstick holder figure  and a wee pair of mittens.  

Close up of the tiny mittens with baby ducks on them.  If you are thinking those are the tiniest mittens/gloves you have ever seen, well you are WRONG.

These are, in fact, the tiniest gloves ever.  One has a squirrel on it and the other has a bunny eating an apple on it.  I guess they are for dolls, but I don't know.  (Excuse my "I used a can of chalk paint the other day and had to use a SOS Pad on my hands to get if off" manicure.  I still have chalk  paint on my feet....)

A turkey planter for my collection (and to replace the one The Breadman broke last year) and an old slinky.  

She hadn't found the Christmas after all, but she did bring out these three boxes for me to see.  That other guy heard "vintage Christmas" and swarmed in for a look, so I took them.  Those red ornaments in the middle are about eight inches long.  There are two tree toppers in that box too.  The wooden tray will get a coat of paint and a decal or something added to it.  A wooden toy from the Smokey Mountains, a little plate from Santaland, two old Little Golden Books, an old birthday invitation from 1962 and that wee teeny pair of gloves.  

A set of three old metal nut bowls with cool graphics, tiny Salt and Pepper shakers on a tiny cutting board, a red and while crocheted potholder and YES a watermelon potholder (I had to rescue it), part of an old chopper, an old metal napkin holder (I've seen these used as frames), a glass egg cup and a wrought iron frame.  
An old doll cradle full of plastic child's dishes that look like pressed glass and milk glass.  

Four more old confectionery tins.  She came running out of the house and thrust these in my hands - "You bought the other ones yesterday!" she said.

I was hesitant to look in the jewelry because so often is it picked through or high priced.  But, when I spotted all those flower pins - SWOON!  She said jewelry was 25¢ or 50¢ each, so I grabbed all the pins.  One of those charm bracelets is a vintage Disney with character charms, the other has little telephone of all types throughout the years stopping at a Princess phone.  The necklace has a little vial of Mustard Seeds on it.

A matte white pottery swan.  I have a strong aversion to swan items, so it is booth bound.  But, I just couldn't leave any piece of vintage pottery!  

There were tons of books, but I am trying SO HARD not to buy any books.  But, old children's books and cookbooks are good sellers and fun to look at, so I grabbed all I could find.  The box of History flashcards is packed with a thousand cards.  

American History up to 1898.  Really old book that I had to get.  I love old books.  A fish wall pocket, more cook books and a wheeled plant stand with mod graphics.  I looked at it yesterday and a couple time today and she said, "Just put it in your pile already."  Ok.  

Six old pie pans.  Some have names on them, others are blank.  I want to make one of those tiered dishes or  put them on wooden candlesticks to make different height levels for display.

More dolls.  I had picked the toy box clean of dolls yesterday, but it was reloaded today. I think those old plastic faced dolls are neat.  Can't really figure out he one with the green hair though.  

I've never seen one like this before, so I think she is extra special.  That little naked doll has the funniest face - I swear he looks like an adult in the face.  

So, today was fun.  She's having another sale within the month, so I will most likely be driving past that house a couple times a day just to make sure that it's not that day!  She still has storage sheds and the attic to sort.  The good stuff is usually in the attic!  Ack!

Note to self:  Must win Powerball tonight to make make enough money to buy it all.  

12 comments:

  1. Again amazing scores! I think you will have to sell a few things so you can keep buying...unless that Powerball thing works out for you! :)

    Linda

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  2. I need a sale like that! Crazy good and to think there is even more to come! I may have to head to your neck of the woods.....

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  3. AAAAAAAAHHHHHH! More awesome finds! The gloves are my favorite, seriously adorable. I hightailed it over there again after you e-mail, bought a few more things but not the motherload you got. Congratulations!!

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  4. I just GASP when I scrolled down to the pic with ALL of the flower pins! AMAZING! What a score (ON EVERYTHING).
    I've never seen a lipstick holder like that before either! I can only imagine that your WHOLE Body MUST be sore... just from doing a Happy DaNcE ~2 Days in a row!!

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  5. Why don't you offer to help her sort it out? I would def do a drive by today or tomorrow and see if she left stuff on the curb. If she doesn't want to deal with it, she might not haul what was for sale the past 2 days back in the house.

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  6. Now I need to own doll gloves and play dishes that look like milk glass. LOL

    Olive has a splendid idea actually. I might toss out an offer and see what happens...

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  7. All kinds of wonderful treasures! the broaches, the pie pans, I love it all. Isn't it wonderful when the seller takes sentiment into account when selling? I know most dont care, but ever so often there is one that is just tickled pink that what your taking home will be loved and cared for!

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  8. It really must have been fun, you bought a lot of really great stuff!

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  9. I'm a little suspicious of some of those dolls. There are quite a few who won't look you right in the face. They're glancing sideways. You might want to sleep with one eye open. I think they're plotting.

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  10. well done, the tiny doll is a Dolly Darling and is from the 60's. Collectable

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  11. Oh gees, so jealous. You must not live where all the vulture dealers get there 3 hours early and take everything!

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  12. The flower brooches are beautiful . I love yard sales too ( i put some pics on my blog too ) , even we don't find so much things in France .

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