Thelma and Louise Go Junking

Wednesday I dropped the boys off to see Captain America and I headed out ALL BY MYSELF!  The plan was to go to a couple yard sales, Hobby Lobby, Joanne's and a few other places.  I went to the big thrift first.  There have been a lot of changes there - most NOT to my liking.  They take the donations off somewhere to be "processed" and then they bring them back to the store to be stocked.  When this first started, the amount of items coming in was very low and the shelves were empty.  And, what was there was just stuff - Dollar Store stuff, kitchen stuff, Wal-Mart stuff - stuff.  Not cool vintage stuff.  But, when I got there Wednesday, the place was stuffed full of stuff.  GOOD STUFF, Old Stuff, stuff with character.  I found something on a rack that I though Lara might like, so I texted her a photo of it.  I told her they had a lot of stuff and before you know it, she was in the car headed that way!  When I walked up ront to meet her, she was holding two things in her hand that I had already seen and KNEW she would like.  We spent about 45 minutes looking at things, buying things and persuading each other to buy things.  Because you know we wouldn't have bought stuff on our own.  HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

The first thing I spotted in the back of a shelf was this OH SO SWEET wall pocket.It was only $1.99, so it went straight into my basket.  Later, when Lara saw it, she looked it over closely and deemed it, "Adorable."  When I got home, I noticed that the tip of the wing on one of the birds was snapped off, but if I didn't notice and she didn't notice, then who cares.  It is going on the wall and will hold my phone while it charges.  

The second thing was this very sweet toadstool planter. It doesn't look too sweet in this photo, but I assure you - sweet it is. I have to others like this with gnomes on them.  

This Georgia Bulldog bank caught my eye since it's vintage.  I don't enjoy sporting events, but I will sell those sports fan vintage memorabilia ALL DAY LONG. There is one on ebay for $125.00 now which is CRAY-CRAY.  They'll never sell if for that, but if by chance they do - I'll be listing mine for that too!  

On my last walk through I spotted this nice piece of Nemadji pottery in the back of a shelf.  In the words of Macklemore - IT WAS NINETY NINE CENTS!

I also found this neat wooden thing that looked interesting to me.  When I read the label I discovered it is the front off an old chicken incubator.  Love the sliding peephole to peek in at the eggs/chickens.  The Bean said it would be neat on a front door so you could look through that peephole into the peephole on the door to see outside.  I HAVE RAISED THAT BOY TO APPRECIATE JUNK.  It will go to the Summer Barn Sale. I will probably take it "as is". But, I am trying to think of a way to recreate it into something else.  

I went to the furniture room for a look around even though I don't buy furniture.  But, you never know what you might find.  That's when I spotted an old mail sorter standing in the corner. It is disheveled here at the store, but I will straighten out the shelves and fix her right up. I have a small corner in my booth that no one would imagine that I could ever put anything in - but this will fit perfectly.  I will use it to hold all my paper items - BINGO cards, dictionary page bundles, sheet music, ads, flash cards, etc.  It will take up ZERO space, yet it will hold a TON!  That will open up one of my bigger shelves for more, more, more.  The other vendors are always in amazement of the sheer volume of things I have in my booth - wait until they get a gander at this!  I do have a lot, but it is all up on shelves, off the floor, neat and organized.  

I went up to pay for the sorter before I was finished shopping so they could put a SOLD sign on it.  When I went back to put the sign on it, a volunteer was just sitting down a Redmon Picnic basket.  I GRABBED it so fast.  Swoosh!  It was $6.99 so I stood there debating it and then my senses kicked in and I realized it was a STEAL.  I have been lucky to find most of mine for only a dollar or two.  This is a slightly different color and weave, so it is a welcome addition to my collection.  As I shopped and later after Lara joined me, so many people commented on my basket.  I clutched it to me to keep it safe.  It's MINE, people! *After I paid for it, I looked on the bottom for a sticker and found written in Magic marker - STOUT - which is half of The Breadman's family.  WEIRD.  I told you it was mine!

Lara headed home and I went to the Goodwill up the street even though I said I wasn't.  I had spent enough, but you just don't know what lies in wait until you go have a peek!  So, I peeked!

I found this certificate from the United States Air Forces of Europe from 1958.  it has a bunch of names on it and it is 56 years old, so I bought it for $1.00.  If nothing else, the frame is nice with a velvet insert.  I looked up all those names and most of them went on to be coaches, Olympic Medal winners or Pan American Medalists. I think I will do some more research and put the certificate on ebay.  (The old chippy chalkboard came from the first thrift and was 99¢.

I saw a newer box of jars on the shelf so Looked inside to see if they had lids or not. Not only did they have lids, but they were cute colored rings and lids with holes in them for straws!  A whole dozen for $7.00.  

I recently acquired about 500 new old stock vintage labels (which I need to blog).  I picked out some of the old soda labels that had matching color schemes and used glue adhesive to put them on the fronts.  I added a kicky paper straw to fun.  I think they are sweet - I will take these to the Barn Sale.  

I have been on the lookout for a sugar jar, so I was happy to find tow at the same time.  I added an old Dennison "TWINE" label to the front of each one.  I'm going to dummy up some Bakers twine rolls and put them int here for the Barn Sale.  (I am trying to harness my inner Heidi).

Thursday I spotted an ad for a promising Estate Sale that was a bit too far for me to go, but I sent Lara an email about it.  She threw on her shoes and RAN to the car to the sale.  She's so funny - I'll let her tell the story of that sale.  I had to be a responsible adult and go grocery shopping and errand running. But, Lara called to tell me there was a rumor that Goodwill had a shipment of vintage items.  I was looking out the window of Aldi at Goodwill when she called, so OF COURSE I went.  

I picked up this hand carved bird and this banner which I thought was a troll, but now I think it might be from Hawaii.  I cannot make out the signature to research it.  It looks like someone would want it!

This breadbox was the only vintage thing I found.  Just after I picked it up, Lara walked in.  We both agreed that the breadbox was sort of overpriced at $8.00, but I decided to buy it.  I've never seen a vintage metal breadbox in all my journey's.  I was thinking that I might plant it full of red flowers and take it to the Barn Sale.  I think it would be fun on a porch.  

Okay, are you still with me?  I am long winded tonight!

Today was Friday and I headed out to straighten up the booth for the weekend.  Lara texted that she was heading out that way too.  After I straighted up my booth, I headed over to her store to have a look around. 

I cam across a booth that had little Ziploc bags with treasures in them - 25¢ each for all these wonderful little treasures.  

THAT BUNNY!

*swoon*  

Then, I looked up into the same booth and spotted this:

A rubber faced duck!  I held my breath thinking it would be expensive.  

THREE DOLLARS.

*mine!*

After I shopped around with Lara and met a few Instagram friends that I had never met, I headed home. 

But, you know me - I found a garage sale.  :) 

This old tablecloth has feedsack flowers on it.  It's really sweet - the sun was hitting hard when I took these last photos, so they aren't the best.  

I got the old wooden box, old spice rack, a flattened spoon hook, the little printers box (I think it might be for thimbles(?), a brass Pentax camera belt buckle, a glass gallon jar and a Toy Story Woody hat* (not pictured) all for $5.00.  I picked the cultery box and a long red metal shelf (not pictured) from the trash pile at the sale.  *The Woody replacement hat sells for about $17.00 on ebay, FYI).

 And, as if that is NOT enough - on the way home, I spotted some rusty gold lying in the center median of the highway.  So, I circled back around, parked in the middle of the highway and grabbed it.  

It is an old metal oil can - a huge one at that.  The bottom is rusted out, which to me makes it look like a bell. I have the grandiose idea that I am going to make it into a HUGE cowbell.  We'll see about that.

I told Lara that I planned on staying home this weekend.  I need to do some projects in and out of the house. She said, "But - it's SATURDAY!"  So, we'll see about that too, I suppose......:)