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, March 24, 2009

Rainy Day Finds

The weatherman warned of storms today, but he also said that if and when the storms would hit, they would move out within an hour. Well, today the Super Cheap thrift opens for the week and my Mom had a doctor's appointment in the next building over, so a "chance" of a rainstorm wasn't going to scare me. The Bean and I headed towards the thrift store and just about the time we could see it ahead on the road, the sky literally opened up and dumped buckets. We made it to the thrift store and for a minute, I thought the entire place might blow away. The thrift is in a basic industrial building with a very flat metal roof which made it SO LOUD that it sounded like the end of the world. We looked outside and it really wasn't raining as badly as it sounded. We did our thrifting, then drove over to the doctor to see my Mom. We parked and ran ito the Doctor's Office just as it began to pour. And I mean POUR. We were drenched to the bone, socks, skivvies and all. We visited with my Mom for awhile and then headed home as soon as the rain began to let up. About ten minutes after we got home, everything dried up, the sun came out and it was a beautiful day. It seemed fitting that the one hour we were gone from our house would be the one hour it would storm.

At least I got to see my Mom and pick up some pretty neat goodies.

I was digging in the Easter stuff, looking under each and every stuffed bunny and basket when I found this oh so cool vintage beaded egg.
Isn't it lovely? I kept digging, hoping to find a dozen or so more, but this was the only one there. A girl can dream, right?

This was worth the trip to me. Sometimes the Super Cheap Thrift tends to put things out sporadically, so there might be another one show up before it is all said and done.

I also found this old vintage Easter Basket. I love these older ones. It, ahem, reminds me of the one I had as a child. Oh, who am I kidding. I still have it.
I found a dusty old candle ring with ugly dirty flowers on it, brought it home, dismatled it, washed the flowers and aren't the pretty now? LOVE THEM. Ever since this post on Words and Whimsies, I knew I needed to make on of these garlands. Now that I have a start on plastic flowers, I can make one.

I also got this glass covered cake carrier.

Or did I? What do you suppose this is? I think it might be for butter. It is tiny and I love it too. (I love all my JUNK, don't I?) I plan on making a teeny felted cake to put under it.

Speaking of JUNK. This was a great find. I got a huge bag of stencils - paper, cardboard and two sets of these big brass stencils. Some of them have garrish orange paint on them, so I think maybe they are for marking parking lots or construction zones or something. Each letter is about 5" tall. I can think of a million uses for these stencils! Can you?
Somebody went to Pennsylvania....... A brand new Hershey's Chocolate candle that smelled so good when it was burning that I was forced to eat three Hershey's kisses. I promptly blew it out. I must burn this candle with caution. The vintage Snak-Pak consisting of paper napkins and coasters looked like something I could use in some projects. The fact that it had an "Intercourse, Pennsylvania" sticker on did not go unnoticed. And, I did not giggle. Okay, I did.
A set of vintage United States Flash Cards. Love the little hula dancer and the Eskimo. I guess that means they have all 50 states included.
And, lastly, a HUGE heavy wreath completely encrusted in pods, berries, wasp nets, honeycomb, moss, mushrooms, fungus and many other nature-y things. I think it will look awesome on the front door this Fall. That's the thing about thrifting - you gotta get it when you see it, even if it isn't the right season.

Tomorrow is a Banner Day at the Monkeybox house. We are going to the MOVIES. That is not something we do very often because I am super thrifty. I will hide a treat in my purse and The Bean and I take in empty water bottles, so the thrifty part of me won't completely freak. That is, not until The Breadman orders a $6.00 soda. *Gack* (We are going to see Knowing)
**Edited to add that I fill my EMPTY water bottle with water from the Drinking Fountain and The nean splits the $6.00 soda with his Dad in the empty water bottle. I 'm not daring enough to smuggle in drinks. Just a couple candy bars....;o)

10 comments:

  1. It couldn't get any better. What a cool stash! xo Joan

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wasn't the weather totally bizarre today? I was sitting at my desk looking outside and I couldn't see anything because it was raining so hard. Ah well, we haven't gotten that much rain lately, so it was probably good for us. I just wish that it wouldn't come all at once!

    You got some great deals. The egg is beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I can't wait to see your spring garland!~~Wonderful finds, you lucky girl!~~~XXOO, Beth

    ReplyDelete
  4. I *love* those flash cards. And the other week when the husband and I were in Amish Country in Pennsylvania, I laughed at Intercourse too. I swear sometimes I think there is a 12 year old boy trapped inside of me!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Okay, blonde moment here... WHY 'empty' water bottles?????

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sveltstuff - I was thinking the same thing. Empty water bottles? Why not a full 20oz Diet Coke?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh wait, I just remembered - no Diet Coke for Shara. Only water. But why empty?

    ReplyDelete
  8. That thing is tiny, it most certainly has to be for butter. Way cool.

    ReplyDelete
  9. ahhhhhhh...THAT EGG! It is awesome. Awesome, I tell you! I'm getting the idea that the Super Cheap Thrift is some sort of otherworldly portal to vintage goodness. It has to be.

    ReplyDelete
  10. The stencils are used for pavement marking, they are referred to as brass stencils. We used to own a pavement marking business, the actual word is Striping but people tend to misread that as stripping which is a whole 'nuther thing! The orange paint is striping paint. Good finds!

    ReplyDelete

I love my comments. I'd love to respond to everyone, but if you don't have an email address tied to your ID, please sign your name so I will know who you are! It makes it nice to know who is saying what. Now, leave a comment! Please? ;o)

I Can See You!



Look at my Visitors!

Fellow Junk Followers