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, September 23, 2017

House Arrest: I BROKE FREE

I had put myself under house arrest and forbid myself to go to any yard sales this weekend.  But BAD IDEAS were meant to be broken and I snuck out for about an hour this morning.  (Auto-correct says "snuck" isn't a word, but I say it IS A WORD. Whatev.)

I went to the Super Cheap Thrift, a yard sale and two estate sales.  It pays to live in a tiny town where you can go to all of those in an hour! 


The SCT thrift is putting out Halloween and Christmas in slow doses.  As I was looking at each item on all the shelves searching for vintage, I spotted a Santa Blowmold under the shelves.  Yea!  As I carried him around, one of the volunteers spotted it and was not happy that I had it.  "Where did you get that?" she said.  "It was under that shelf.  I collect them so I am happy that I found it."  Yes," she said.  "I collect them too and the people in the back KNOW I collect them."  So, apparently if I ever find any more there it will be a miracle, because she has requested them all.  But, we'll see.....  Yes, I need blowmolds for The Junk Ranch, but I collect the Santa's just this size, so he will most likely stay with me.  Plus, he was only $1.00.  Surely I am worth $1.00?!

The main reason I went out to some sales was that I spotted something in an ad that I really wanted, but I KNEW it would be gone by the time I got there.  



A vintage herb drying rack.  Not only was it still there, but everything was half off so it was only $7.50.  It folds up perfectly flat and then opens like I have it here or in more of a cross with each side at a different point.  I'm going to clip all my baggies of vintage Christmas to the rungs at the Junk Ranch.  Better than being in baskets or tubs for digging, I think.  It's light and easy to store,so that is always a good thing to find.  Also, I loathe yellow, but this is an old pale yellow and I kind of love it because it's different.


Other finds at a different estate sale - which was also half off - two nice old aprons for 50¢ each. OH, there's Santa again.  Hi!


Santa!  I know him!  an old Dick and Jane Reader, big piece of aqua pottery, a great old millinery hat, restaurant mug, and a few other cheap small things. 


A vintage tablecloth which I probably overpaid at $4.00.  I know that isn't much, but it's a lot for me since I really do not need anymore tablecloth and I will never let one go either.  


A miniature shopping cart.  I think this is my fifth one.  *COUGH*  They are so damn cute, I can't pass one up.  I need to put some in the booth.  I keep thinking I will think of the perfect use for them.  The sorting bear was bought from a man, who I am most likely old enough to be HIS mother, but he told me that it was OLD.  VERY OLD.  It was his when he was a baby.  I think it is from 1988 or so? (That ain't old).


An angel, a tiny brick, a Goebel bird, a flower pin and a big striped hat box that will hold rolls of vintage wrapping paper.  The Jack O Lantern is older, not truly vintage, but old enough.  


The whole enchilada.


On my last spin through the SCT I found these Gurley candles.  I never found the little girl Pilgrim, but believe me - I looked!  

Tomorrow I will haul all of the Junk Ranch merchandise out into the driveway where I will decide HOLY CRAP THAT'S A LOT or HOLY CRAP I NEED TO GO SHOPPING.  I predict it will be the former, but I will pretend it is the latter since I am going to Pickin' Time on 59 this coming weekend.  I'll keep you updated.  

10 comments:

  1. I'm super jealous of that drying rack! That's super funny Bout the SCT calling dibs on the blow molds. Also kind of frustrating.
    Chanelle

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  2. I love that you found the Santa! Way to go! The drying rack is awesome and so useful in so many ways for displays. Good junkin Shara!

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  3. Nice haul!! The shopping gods were on your side with the Santa that day Boo. I guess you have to have some perks when you work for a thrift store. Hopefully that is all she collects!

    I love mini shopping carts too!!! I have about five in different sizes. I missed out on a lime green one! It was a real life child size one. I happily settled for the gray one for $5. Someone in the area has about 10 vintage ones for sale and I can't tell if they are pink or beige from the photos. I don't want to ask because if they are pink . . .

    Can we talk about that awesome vintage herb drying rack?!? Like where has that thing been all my life? The fact that it folds flat makes it awesome for a craft/any show display. I am not fond of the color yellow except when it comes to Pyrex and butter. And everything about butter is just yummy. Back to the rack. I don't like to plan my beau's day because he works hard and his time off is his time off. But I will plan a day when he makes me one of those and shows me how to make one or two or three. You have a great eye. Thanks for sharing Boo!

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    1. I have a tiny shopping cart to hold my business cards, a slightly bigger one, five of the ones like I pictured and a real kids shopping cart form a real grocery store. And, IT'S PINK! Lara was kind enough to find it and grab it for me. It is delicious! I use it to hold my current ebay auctions.

      I do not like yellow, but I do love butter, so I will think of it as butter yellow! I think it will be fantastic for lots of things - tablecloths (who am I kidding, I don't sell tablecloths), aprons (who am I kidding, I don't sell aprons), vintage baby clothes (who am I kidding....). Anyway, if you hace a crafty beau that can make things like that then you have a keeper of a beau! My DH put the toilet paper roller up with double stick tape. Just sayin.

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    2. OK if I weren't jonesing enough about the herb drying rack, you've got a P I N K shopping cart!!! Well if anyone should have it, I'm glad it's you!

      Hardee har har on the double stick tape! Isn't that what we use to hem our pants in a pinch?!

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  4. Oh I'll kill to find a drying rack like that and especially for that price!

    Love the Dick and Jane reader. I'm nostalgic about those because thats what I used to learn to read. We never see them in Chicago except for at an outrageous price.

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    1. I have a lot of those old readers, I just can't leave one behind. The SCT prices them at a whopping TEN CENTS, so of course I rescue them. This one had a clear plastic cover on it, so it is in perfect condition. When I started first grade, they passed out those old readers as we sat in a circle. Each child was supposed to see if they could pick out any words or letters that they recognized. When it was my turn, I read three full pages. Everyone stared at me and then they clapped! I had gone to Kindergarten in a different state (no K here back then) and my Mom had worked with me before that, so I totally knew how to read.

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  5. That drying rack is fantastic and will be SUCH a great display piece! I like to think someone in the back snuck that Santa onto the shelf -- they're probably furious that she's claimed all of them so I say keep looking for them there, I bet someone in the back is happy to help you snag one or two!

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  6. I have the little girl pilgrim. Not sure if she's all in one piece but bought the set years ago in the Ben Franklin store.

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  7. Drying rack is fab!!! I still like you even though you loathe my favorite color!! :-) I’m really surprised the worker actual told you she makes them save the blow molds for her. Seems like cheating to me!! You got some great things, as usual.

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