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, December 30, 2014

The Year in Thriftview

I always think it is fun to look back over the year and see what I bought, what I sold and what I kept. Thanks to The Junk Ranch and the two booths, I sold more than I brought home this year.  Well, I had to bring all that home, but at least it didn't stay here.  So, that's good.  I just need both of the booths to keep on going and to do even better this year - plus there's another Junk Ranch in June!  Yippeee!

So, what did come home with me?  What stayed and what sold? I bet you are so excited to read this! (Ha)
Ah, the PINK tree.  Scored at Goodwill in January for $2.00.  It is such a lovely pink color.  It's not vintage, but it will do for me.  I used it last Valentine's Day and I meant to use it as a Birthday tree for our birthday month in Aug-Sept.  I need to remember to do that this year!  Ya'll remind me, okay?

Found these sweet hugging Kewpie babies on the back of a thrift store shelf for 99¢.They have a home on my shelf with my other babies.  

I bought this at a yard sale in front of a flea market that was going out of business.  It had this weird black moldy stuff on it and I was afraid that I just thrown away $2.00.  But, with some elbow grease and a Magic Eraser it cleaned up beautifully.  I have far too much pottery, but this soft buttery piece had to join the rest of my hoard.

This rubber baby was an Etsy purchase, which I don't usually do.  But it was only a few dollars and made me smile.  Sometimes you just need a smile when it's winter and there are no yard sales or decent thrift store finds!  That belly!

This great old cabinet was at the thrift for $19.99.  It's still in my backyard under a tarp, which is not good.  I need to work on it and sell it at the Spring Junk Ranch.  I really love it though. 

These spinner racks made me SO happy - vintage racks that where perfect for my feedsack jewelry pendants and mini-banners.  There were holding crap jewelry at a crap sale, but I ask about the racks and they decided I could have them for $1.00 each. SO HAPPY!  I just left one at the small booth with things on it and I feel like I left my child there.  I hope it is safe.  :(

A hot summer day auction brought me this tiny chair which I grossly overpaid for in the heat of a bid ($15.00!).  But, I was rewarded with the awesome vintage blowmold pumpkin that I plucked off the trash heap as I was leaving.  I always look in the trash at auctions because people will toss "junk" they don't want and as WE ALL KNOW - I like that sort of junk!

A day of thrifting with my Dad to some new to me places brought me this sweet vase for $2.00.  I usually only like matte single colored pottery, but now I seem to be drawn to the shiny cute stuff.  

This Rushton Lion which is somewhere in between my "sell" and "keep" pile.  The prices aren't what they  used to be on Rushton.  When I see the price go up a bit, I will sell him.  I paid $10.00.  The check out girl could see my excitement about him as I held him and said, "Ten dollars" in question form when I asked "How much?" I should have acted cool about it or offered less or picked up some of the junky stuffed animals and made a pile.  But, I showed my excitement and it cost me.  Lesson learned.  I still think I paid an okay price though.  

A hot summer day yard sale led me to a box under a table with some old holiday things in it.   I bought a lot more there that day, but the holiday and crafty stuff always wins my heart.   Everything pictured was $3.00 plus I sold the black cat for $28.00 and the wooden horse brooch for $23.00.  

This honeycomb Uncle Sam hat was deemed to be NOT FOR SALE by the Salvation Army clerks. Fast forward to July 3rd, late in the day when I asked ONE MORE TIME and I was told - yea you can have that for $1.00 since we need to get rid of it.  Thriftlogic.  Crazy,  

Found a garage sale on the 4th of July - it was late in the afternoon, but I stopped anyway.  I found all this wonderful vintage Christmas stuff.  I got all this for less than $5.00.  It was a happy, happy 4th of July.  I sold the NOMA Star for $18.00, the ornaments for $28.00 and several other small things at the Junk Ranch and at the booth for much more than the $5.00.  

I don't remember where I got these things, but I DO remember that I paid 10¢ for the cup and 5¢ for the tiny stork.  Love that mug.  You KNOW that went straight into my collection.  

When I bought this old Coleman jug, it was pretty dirty, but the 50¢ price tag made me buy it anyway.  I really and truly thought it was a really faded red one.  But, after I cleaned it up I realized it was PINK!  It's pretty worn, but I think it's pretty cool.  It will go to the Spring Junk Ranch.  (I love pink, but there's not much room for it in my house of men).  


This giant French water jug in the crate came from a permanent yard sale out by my Dad's.  Because of the broken top, I only paid $2.00 for it.  I still have plans to make it into some sort of an end table and sell it.  The To-Do list is ever growing, it seems.  

Bad picture, but great ladders.  I had my eyes peeled for old ladders for a few months, but I never found any.  Then, one day, I found both of these just around the corner from my very own house. Eight dollars for both of them and they were mine.  I used them at The Junk Ranch for my vintage Christmas display and it worked great.  (Who came up with that expression "I had my eyes peeled?"  Oowie.)

Speaking of right near the house - I spotted this on the curb one day on our way to lunch. Screeeeeech.  The boys jumped out and loaded it without any question.  Now I use this to take almost all my junk photos in the driveway.  I want to make it a check out area for my junk shows.  


Then there's THIS.  The BLYTHE doll I found for $3.00 and actually hesitated to buy because she was a torso without any legs and her hair was a hot mess.  But, I thought maybe she might still sell for about $50.00, so I sprung for her. 

These elves were my purchase from the Fall Junk Ranch.  I paid $20.00 for the elves, which is a lot for me, but I had "found money" in my pocket from selling things, so I treated myself to these cuties. There was one more (not pictured) so each one was only $3.33, so that's not so bad.  ;)

And just before the year was about to come to an end - this awesome dollhouse found it's way to me for $2.00.  I'm enjoying it through the holidays, but then I might sell it.  I need to sell it.  I should sell it.  We'll see about that.....
  

Happy New Year to all of you wonderful people that take the time to read this silly old blog.  I read all my comments and I am sorry if I can't respond to you if there isn't an email attached.  But, please know that I DO read them and I am forever grateful for all of you.  I've met some of you this year in real life and I hope that keeps going this year too.  Happy New Year to you!  

20 comments:

  1. Wonderful fun to read the re-cap. I am STILL telling people about that Blythe doll and wish you many more in the year ahead!!

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  2. You had a GREAT Junking year! Some of the things you found and the prices you paid were incredible! Thanks for giving the breakdown of what you kept, what sold, and for how much. I'm nosy at heart and these are the things I need to know. LOL

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  3. Love the recap! Because of you, finding a Blythe Doll is my new holy grail. And I love that you collect with abandon and no apologies!

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  4. It was fun to read your recap on a day when I have to do the boring things like wash clothes, dust and mop floors! I just may have to have a little look around on Etsy, too as a little reward! My favorite thrift is closed until the 5th of January! You found some great stuff and here's to another year of it!

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  5. I would say your junking is paying off
    Cathy

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  6. I've had so much fun rediscovering your blog and your IG this past year. Love the recap. That old cabinet is fabulous!!!! I really think you need to keep your dollhouse. Imagine the seasonal decorating possibilities. Wink wink. Happy New Year!!

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  7. Good year in junk! Here's to another in 2015!!

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  8. FUN!... with a PROFIT!!
    it doesn't get much better than that ~ does it??
    Do you have a Snazzy outfit for New Year's Hazel? :-)

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  9. Shara, you proved that vintage is always in style this year. I vote that you keep the dollhouse. I know I don't actually get a vote but that's my two cents. I would love to do what you do but sadly I have keepititis. You and your family have a Happy New Year.

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    1. LOL - thanks for the diagnosis!!! Keepititis - sadly no known cure. (better than the names that could come from what I thought I had - hoarder.)

      Now I know the official condition that I have and I can tell all my friends and family. And since my storage of keeps has moved to my car, my co-workers will now know what afflicts me.

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  10. I have been reading and loving your posts for years. Hope 2015 is great! Keep sharing your great finds with us.

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  11. I love seeing some of the crazy (good) junk you find and then what you do with it! I am waiting to see what you do with that broken jug....

    Happy New Year!!

    Erica

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  12. Love the junkin' you did last year and here's to a bunch more treasure in 2015!!!

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  13. Can't wait to see what 2015 brings in your junkin world.

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  14. Lots of pretty and fun finds here!!! Your pink tree is gorgeous. Happy 2015. :)

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  15. Oh, you had a GOOD year! I had totally forgotten about that half doll thing. I'm not sure I would have recognized her worth, but you sure did. Hope you're having a fun New Year's Eve. I'll be sitting on the couch watch Carson Daly or better yet, sleeping by then. Gone are my wild days of actually going somewhere on New Year's.

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  16. I love stopping by for a visit and wish we could go junking togheter one day. I love your passion and your ever growing collections. I need a booth too!

    Happy 2015 May you find that box of Blythe dolls!

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  17. Fun to revisit what you found and sold. I need to do one of these posts one of these years. That Blythe doll sure takes the cake though. Wowsers. Hoping 2015 brings more good junk.

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  18. Love to see a recap of your finds and the things that sold. I had so much fun following along with the Ebay Blythe doll sale! Happy New Year and here's to more Junkin!!
    hugs,
    Linda

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  19. Happy New Year! May you have another great year of thrifting. I have thoroughly enjoyed your blog and I'm looking forward to another year of reading about your finds and fun.

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