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, January 14, 2014

The Booth - Restocked At Last

Today I spent almost five hours in my booth clearing out the Christmas an putting out an entire car load full of new vintage stock.  I sent through a lot of my personal collections last week and cleared out a lot of things to take to the booth - vintage red and green handled kitchen tools, aluminum pitchers and tumblers, vintage drink ware, orange juice decanters and glasses, vintage spice tins and vintage cookbooks.  I needed some better quality items to put out and I haven't had the best thrifting luck lately, so I sent into my own hoard.  So, I hope most of it sells in time, because I don't want to feel compelled to bring it back home!

I always feel the need to remind you that there is a huge fluorescent light in my booth and it makes or terrible photos, so I turn it off when I do take photos.  Then it's dark, so those photos aren't' too great either.  But, having the best well lit booth in the whole store is a definite plus.

I redid this area and I like it, but I am wanting to get rid of that particle board shelf and find something shorter and more vintage like my other shelves.  This area holds all my ephemera - Bingo cards, Scrabble words, letter card words, tokens, tickets, ephemera packets, buttons, marquee letters, etc.  I added in a plethora of fun paper straws today in all sorts of colors and designs.  I have a lot of red paper straws too that I am hoping people pick up for Cake pops and other things for Valentine's Day.  I finally took out a bunch of those cool old Add-a-Count Math Scales, an old Royal Glass keyed typewriter and my stash of beaded safety pin baskets.  

Before Christmas, the Super Cheap Thrift had big plastic baggies full of die cast cars for 25¢. I made $1.00 goodie bags out of them with each bag having two cars in it plus some old McDonald's toys and other fun things for kids.  Kids like junk, right?

I put one of my old Nehi crates on this wall and added in all the old spice tins I had in my collection.  I noticed today that I had a "Tumeric" tin in every brand - and they were all full even though some of them were 35-45 years old.  

I took a bunch of aprons and hung them low so people can look through them.  I made a sign that says, "These aprons were worn by Mama.  They aren't perfect and neither was Mama." They all have a minor stain or a tiny rip in them, but they are all still fun and usable.  

The "Pocket Telescopes".  They are just peepholes, but I keep selling them.  

 The back wall.  I think it's funny that the first thing everyone says is "You have a lot of stuff".  And, I do have a lot of stuff in there.  But, I think I have something for almost everyone.  I usually sell more items than any other vendor during the month.  That's not saying I make the most money, but I usually sell at least 60 items, sometimes over 100.  
I took the Bakelite handled Peculator set out today.  It makes me nervous to take something out there that I think is really special.  I placed it on a high shelf and put a high price on it.  Maybe just the right person will come along and see it for what is is - beautiful!

I love those old paint by numbers.  They've been there a while so I need to mark them down.  I decided to put them in a prominent spot for a bit to see if they sell.  I cannot give that damn Merry Mushroom Cookie Jaw away.  I thought that stuff was popular?  I only have $10.00 on it, I  think.
Here is most of the new stuff I took out today from my house.  Lots of cool old vintage kitchen collectibles.  

Cookbooks in a wire basket, aprons and doilies in another. Lots of other old cool things in between.  That yellow box has hundreds of recipes in it from the 1950's.  Tongue sandwich?  Check.  Lime Gelatin with tuna?  Check.  Hurl?  Check.

I hung a bunch of the old 1966 Flash Cards across the top of the entrance.  I've had trouble figuring out a good way to display them without them getting bent or torn.  I framed a few and sold them, but it's hard to know exactly how people want them framed.

So, there it is - all restocked and ready for customers.  I had a crummy December due to the weather being so bad most of the month.  Her's to better days of people out shopping and BUYING!

14 comments:

  1. Your booth looks great and I'm sure this month will make up for the last! Don't know why the people never used their turmeric - it's supposed to be so good for you! Now that you've taken in some of your own personal collection, you must shop for more!!

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  2. Beautiful booth. I wish we had affordable booths in my town, I am so afraid to spend $75 month, plus a percentage. I would probably only sell $50!
    Pat G

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  3. Your booth is one I'd like to shop at. You do have something for everyone, I love the idea of the kid grab bags.

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  4. why is there only the head to the "dummy"? Do you price you items with even numbers? Was thinking you should price the mushroom canister at $9.99 and see what happens.

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  5. I love the kids junk. That will sell. And the Mama's aprons sign....so cute. I like to price at 9.99 or 9.95 because some people look at the price and think "only $9" and then there are people like my SweetiePie that look at $9.99 and think $10...but that must be a guy thing! Good looking booth!!

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  6. Wowza, yes ma'am you have a lot of stuff!! I love the kids grab bags and what you did with the aprons!

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  7. LOVE your booth!!! It looks GREAT!!! If I lived closer, I'd be there every week!!

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  8. Those "pocket telescopes" crack me up every time you talk about them! What a zany and wonderful purchase and an awesome way to bill them and sell them! I love it!

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  9. I think the kid bags are great! We always hit the antique shops, WITH all 3 kids, when we go on vacation, and they always want to get something. I hate to pay a lot for junk that's marked up because of where it is, so I think those are awesome.

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  10. I would love to shop your booth...if I ever get down your way. That's not impossible with hubby traveling for work. I think the closest his get this year is Memphis, though...probably not very close! I'll tell you, I have a whole set of those bowling tumblers (in front of the paint by numbers) that came from my aunts house. I haven't sold them yet. I have no desire for them, I'm not sure what's the best venue to sell them.

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  11. Your booth is awesome! I love it.

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  12. It looks FABULOUS! I absolutely love your booth.

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  13. How much are your add a count scales? It was my most favorite toy in Miss Woodson's first grade classroom back in 1967. I would love to surprise her with one as well as get one myself. It would need to ship to Louisville ky. My email addy is paigejacksam@gmail.com thanks!

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  14. How much are your add a count scales? It was my most favorite toy in Miss Woodson's first grade classroom back in 1967. I would love to surprise her with one as well as get one myself. It would need to ship to Louisville ky. My email addy is paigejacksam@gmail.com thanks!

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