Friday FUN Find

Went to a FILTHY digger sale yesterday.  I mean the stuff was nasty dirty.  But, I could tell it was only surface dirt an I could clean it up it I found anything good.  But, it was going to be a long dirty day.

I dug this old PLUMPEE Rubber Doll out of a box - he was so dirty, I wasn't sure I could clean him up.  But, a little Magic Eraser and a lot of elbow grease and here he sits.  Little fatso Plumpee.  He is such a cutie.  I told The Breadman (who takes ZERO interest in my junk) that Plumpee was worth all the dirty work I had to do at that sale.  He said, "Oh really!  Then he must be worth A LOT!"  Oh, silly man.  Plumpee is staying with ME!

Middle of the Week Junk

Today I went to visit one of my most favorite thrift stores.  It is attached to the local City Hospital which has recently been closed.  So the Auxiliary is looking for a new location and a new organization to award the proceeds from the thrift store.  I have been shopping at this thrift since I was in college, so it has a special place in my heart.  I have come to known the head of the Auxiliary very well (a former Ms. Senior Arkansas who does a high kick over her head at the age of 74.  She can be seen in the opening of one season of the Antiques Roadshow doing her high kick.  Cool, right?).  One of the volunteers was a teacher at my High School.  Another remembers The Bean reaching up as high as he could over his head to place a teeny necktie on the counter to buy with his quarter when he was three.  I really like it there and I will miss it.  I hope they find a new location and they continue to get donations.  

Since they are clearing things out, I went with one mission in mind.  There has been something there with a NOT FOR SALE sticker on it for five years.  And, I WANTED it. You'll have to read to the end to see if I got it or not.  

I have seven crusty old sifters in my booth at the Flea Market, but when we made a cake the other day, we needed a sifter and didn't have one.  This one is old, but clean as a whistle and never used.  Why buy new when you can use vintage?  $1.00.

A very sweet old bunny planter, a Child's Dictionary (make that Pictionary) and a Webster's school Dictionary.   

I sell a lot of old dictionaries.  I think the graphics in the Pictionary are pretty sweet, so it might have to stay with me for a bit.  Bunny and two dictionaries - 50¢ each.

Nice long string of beaded garland to be taken apart and repurposed.  50¢

 A set of Tupperware Cookie Cutters - one for every holiday - including a pig which I have no idea what holiday that is intended!  I have sold this same set over and over in the both.  It's a good one.  50¢ for all.

A tiny forest of wee bottle brush trees.  25¢ for all.

A tiny wooden village - each building painted all the way around.  It's cute.  Maybe not entirely my style, I haven't decided.  But, it was only 25¢, so why not?

On my third trip through (you must always take a second walk through and a third if necessary - I am a firm believer in this!) I spotted this under a table of newer Christmas items.  I snapped that sucker up FAST!  It's older and looks like an actual fire when it is plugged in.  I would so love to find a spot for it, but I just don't think I have it.  It might have to go to the booth.  :(

See the mechanism?  One branch form an old Evergleam type Christmas Tree  that revolves and a light bulb.  Pretty high tech, huh?  I really like it.  And, the cat does too as you can see from the first photo.  $5.00

This jar is actually from the Goodwill last night.  It has been on the shelf for about a month.  And, even though it is cute and vintage and I do have a thing for gingham, I decided to wait it out and see it was still there on half price day.  Yesterday, it was finally half price.  I was so proud that I had been patient enough to wait it out and get it for only $1.00.  I grabbed it and held it close, happy that I had waited it out for the best price, yet it was still going home with me.  When I got home and unwrapped my jar, I noticed on the receipt that the clerk had charged me full price.  Isn't that just perfect?  Moral of the story:  If you see it and like it, just buy the damn thing.  

Okay, so what did I want so badly all of these years?  A vintage locker basket.  

I've never seen one for sale anywhere and here one sat at the thrift store for at least five years with a NOT FOR SALE sticker on it.  I walked past that basket about twice a month and every.single.time, I wanted it.  But, it was forbidden!  You know why it wasn't for sale?  Because they were using it to hold all the old disgusting curling irons and hair implements.  Gag.  

I decided if they were clearing things out, this was my chance.  I took the basket, cruddy old hair crap and all up to the register and showed it to my friend Evelyn.  I told her that I have wanted that basket for five years and was today the day she was going to sell it to me?  She looked at me like I was crazy, but she had a twinkle in her eye.  "Oh, I can't sell you THAT.  It's not for sale."   "But, " she said "I'll GIVE it to you if you buy the contents."  Ugh, I did not want the contents.  The she said, "Five dollars for it all."   I told her I would give her five dollars for the basket and she could keep the hair stuff.  Then she said, "No, the basket is FREE you have to BUY the other stuff."  She just wanted to get it out of there and clear off a spot.  SOLD! Once we got to the car, we dumped the contents into a bag and threw it away.  

Now I have my vintage locker basket that I always wanted and a nice little memento of my favorite thrift store.  *Sniff*

SHARA SLEPT HERE and some JUNK too

Today I  had an old fashioned day full of adventures and junking.  It was so fun!  I swear, this was such a hot, hot summer that we had barely ventured out of the house to anywhere that wasn't practically refrigerated.  I can't even remember the last yard sale I went to - it's just been too hot.  Today it was still in the 80's, but that is way better than 109!  With the prospect of fall on the way, I am ready to get OUTSIDE and do some yard salin'!

First stop today was the Doctor's Museum about fifteen miles from here.  I have been wanting to go to the museum for quite awhile, but had never gotten there.  Today was the day to go because they were having a RUMMAGE SALE.  So, I could do some junking and visit the museum.  Perfect!

 This is the museum - it was the hospital as well as the living quarters from the city doctor.  They lived in the side with the porch.  The waiting room was in part on the left.

This was the hospital part.  Inside was a ladies ward, a men's ward, a Nursery and a Nursing Home ward.  Since the doctor and his wife lived in the same building, he was always on call.  The whole Museum is set up with lots of very interesting old medical equipment including an Iron Lung.  Plus the household part is setup with all the original furniture that belonged to the Doctor.  

I wanted to take a ton of photos, but this is the only one I took.  Since they were having the Rummage Sale, the Museum wasn't open as normal.  But, when I asked about it, one of the volunteers took us over for a one on one guided tour and I felt weird taking a lot of pictures.  One of the hallways had six of the glass cabinets on each wall and they were all chock full of salt and pepper sets.  The Doctor's wife had collected them for years.  

So, here's the really interesting part about the Museum.  Back in the early 1990's - my Mom and Step father actually lived in this house.  And, it was all set up with the same furniture that was in there now.  They had just gotten married and they were both divorced and came with very little in the way of household items.   The Breadman and I would go out and spend  the weekends.  We ate at the table that is set up in the dining room.  We watched TV sitting on their couch.  We used the dishes in the china cabinet.  I have taken a bath in the clawfoot tub in the bathroom.  I may or may not have had s-e-x in the bed that is on display in the bedroom.  (Can you believe that I just said that?  But, honestly, I did and there it was on display and OH MY!  I think there should be a plaque or something......).  Anyway.....They only lived on the household side, but they had access to the whole hospital.  My Mom folded the laundry on the Gynecologist table.  Late at night, we would go over and look in boxes and find the salt and pepper shakers and old medical tools and things.  It was really an unusual and fun time.  They only lived there about a year before they bought their house.

So, that's enough about my sultry past.  On to the junk!  Everything pictured came from either the Rummage Sale or Goodwill today.

 A Trifari Jewelry box from Goodwill and a baggie of jewelry.  

The jewelry was in the FREE box at the Museum.  That little circle in the middle is a 14K Child's Bracelet.  I thought it was a broken hoop earring and nearly threw it away.  I've never seen such a tiny bangle!  Hazel is currently wearing it.  :)

I bought two baby quilts for my collection.  

Two clocks for the booth.  I think they both have that mid century modern vibe that everyone likes so much. The spoke-y one folds up flat.  $1.50 for both.

Two glittery Christmas houses to be sold at Christmas in the booth.  $1.00 for both.

A melted popcorn Jack-o-Lantern for the booth. 75¢

A sweet tin egg for my collection. 10¢.

A vintage metal Coleman jug for the booth.  $1.00.

A big pot for the porch.  It's all swirly green and pretty.  $1.00.

Vintage Mr. Potato Head parts (the kind where you use a real potato) for 10¢ and a Hawaiian doll from the FREE box.

A handmade basket for my hoard of baskets.  $1.00.

So happy to find a PROBE game.  I make packets of words using these cards and they sell like crazy!  I sell them for 50¢ a letter and got the entire game for $1.00.

Most likely my favorite find of the day.  And most likely yours too.....

Twenty two pieces of PINK honeycomb.  Ack!  Gorgeous old honeycomb.  Love those giant fans in the back.  And the bells!  And the balls!  PINK! PINK! PINK!  

I'm almost afraid to tell you that they were in the FREE box.  

:o)

After our junking was complete, we had one more adventure.  

 This Bur Oak tree in our city park (which is mere feet from our house) was recently declared the largest Burr Oak tree in the state.  So, we had to go visit it.  Can you see The Bean behind it?  It is a monster of a tree.

It was an eighty foot canopy.  Here I was standing on the farthest side and he was standing on the other.  Huge!

It's a beaut!  I'm glad that it is in our park and not anywhere in danger of being knocked down for a McDonald's or a Dollar General.  They already cut down so many huge beautiful trees to build those things.  So glad that this one will be protected and safe.  We have to save our trees. 

After we looked at the tree, we went swimming in the creek.

Or not.  We really need some rain!

Tomorrow we have an 80% chance of the aforementioned RAIN, so we are hoping it POURS!  

Hope you find some junk or go on an adventure or better yet...BOTH!

Junk!

This afternoon, I had the garage door wide open.  I was picking out some shelving and a few bigger items to take to the booth.  While I was busy digging, the school bus dropped off the littles that live on the street.

When two of the little girls came along the sidewalk, they stopped dead in their tracks and looked in the garage.

"Hey!" said one of them.  "You have a lot of JUNK in your garage!"

To which I replied, "Thanks!"

 As I closed the door I noticed bewildered looks on their faces.  I do believe they meant it as an insult, but I took it as a compliment!

I do have a lot of JUNK!  (And always, always on the hunt for MORE!)

But They Don't Fall Down

I haven't done my Week in Junk posts lately.  Oh, don't you fret - I've still been junking!  I just have been taking the bulk of it to the Flea Market instead of dragging it home.  This morning, on the way to work at the Flea Market, I stopped by the Super Cheap Thrift for about fifteen minutes and managed to pick up a few treasures.  Since I am at the Flea Market all day, I have time to price anything I buy that morning and put it out right then instead of bringing it home and waiting a week to put it out.  I can't believe I hadn't figured that out before today.

Today I only brought home three things.  This stacking glass jar with three separate jars.  I bought it for the booth, but I decided it just had too many possibilities for displaying things at home.  

I was very happy to find the flower brooch.  I have a collection of these, but I bet I haven't found one in a couple of years.  I love that this one is red, white and blue.  I never wear them, but Hazel has been known to sport one.  

That watermelon potholder.  Well, you know about those and how I have to rescue them.  The thing is about this particular one is that is is bright, bright garish ORANGE.  I mean "Don't shoot me in the woods, I am not a deer" orange.  Not sure why anyone decided to make a bright orange watermelon.  But, since the rule is, I must save all Watermelon potholders, here it is.  I will have to bury it in the bottom of the basket.  :)

I bought this great old University of Arkansas Catalogue at Goodwill earlier this week.  It's from 1905 and interesting to read.  

Look here - a year's tuition - $50.00.  That was a lot of money back then.  But, what a drop in the bucket that is now!  I think I will put this on ebay later in the year.    

Yesterday I drove across town to pick up something that I bought on our local Facebook Yard Sale page.  Something a woman of my age really needs.  Really!

A vintage toy truck and camper.  Isn't it fabulous?  I love it even though I have no use for it.

The camper folds down flat.  It is missing a boat and some furniture, but I don't mind.  It's a Weebles set made for Romper Room in the 1960's.  I'm not a fan of Weebles and I don't remember Romper Room all that well so none of that matters much to me.  But, oh how I love this silly toy!  I think it will sit under my Christmas Tree with my tin dollhouse.  'Cause that's how I roll.

Have you bought anything silly, frivolous and unnecessary lately that you LOVE?

WINNER

Congratulations to HEIDI ANN of Gold Country Girls!  She won my big old box of junk.  Well, not junk - GOOD STUFF, I swear.  Shoot me an email at monkeybox at juno dot com with your address and I will finish up gathering up goodies to add to it.

Thanks to all that entered!

What Are The Odds?

There is a major craft fair in my area Labor Day Weekend.  And, it happens to be in the very tiny town where I have my Flea Market Booth.  From here to there along eight miles of highway there will be yard sales galore, a big tent sale, yards full of junk and collectibles and tables full of new things too.  In that town there will be even more sales and activities going on plus the actual craft fair.  Downtown is a long quiet small town street with nothing but flea markets and antique stores stretching down both side of the block.  Downtown is always bustling with bargain hunters, but on that particular weekend, it is crazy, crazy busy.  So, we are all stocking our booths in anticipation.  I got my booth pretty well set up last week, but, and this is a GOOD thing, a LOT of it has already sold.  So, I am hunting and gathering more and more to get it FULL.

Since the bulk of the people are there for the Craft Fair, it is the perfect time to make some things and cross your fingers that they like them.  I have been making and creating a LOT this past few weeks.  My house has glitter in the air and glue gun drops everywhere.  I have made my Kitschmas Wreaths encrusted out of vintage ornaments. Not Shiny Brite breakable ornaments, but old flocked and wooden ornaments.  I cram those wreaths full of stuff, put them away for a few days, then get them out and cram even more on them.  I mad two wreaths completely out of old Christmas bulbs too.  I made glittered cookie cutter ornaments.   I made a dozen of my "Little Ladies" for Halloween, Christmas and the 4th of July.   

I made vintage Birthday corsages like the one I made for my Birthday.  I love them.  Will anyone else?  Who knows!

One thing that is a certain sell is anything with a Razorback on it.  Now, much to the chagrin of the Season Ticket holder in the house (NOT ME), I do NOT like sports, football, the Razorbacks or red hogs decor.  Spit-tooey.  But, I kid you not, that stuff SELLS.  Like proverbial hotcakes.  One lady makes these wooden cutouts of the state of Arkansas, paints them with a Chevron design (anything Chevron sells like crazy too,  I just don't get it) and then puts a little heart over our part of the state.  People buy them out of her hands when she walks in to display them.  So, even though Razorback stuff isn't my "thang," money is my "thang"!  So, I figured out how what to make that was still "me" but still Razorback.  I used Wordle to make a bunch of different Word Clouds featuring all things Razorback related.  BTW, it says right on the Wordle website you can sell them and get rich if you want.  (It actually says that!).  I only printed the words in black, gray and red.  I framed them in black frames and they look great.  I just hope other people think they do too!

After I made those Birthday corsages, I thought that maybe I could make some red and white corsages and make them football themed.  I think they would be adorable.  I have a ton of boy and girl spun heads, so I am going to incorporate those into them as well as some sort of a Razorback emblem Modge Podged onto a wooden disc.  I bought a lot of 75 Horse Ribbons on ebay.  When I mentioned to the seller that I was happy to have found the red ones, he told me that he had over 200 more ribbons he could sell me.  So, I now have about 300 horse ribbons coming to repurpose, sell and swap!

I needed something "football" to add to them, so yesterday I looked on ebay and ordered these FOUR vintage football charms.  I think they will be just the perfect touch.  They are perfect and what are the odds that I could ever find anything just like that around here on such short notice anyway.

Well, after my trip to Goodwill today, I would say the odds were pretty damn good.  I spotted a bag of 85 silver footballs in the jewelry case.  Eighty five!  And for three bucks.  What are the odds of THAT happening? Now I can add multiple footballs to each corsage.

I'll put some photos up after I get all my things displayed at the Flea Market.  I'm renting a new space just for my creations.  I'm nervous but excited!

***Thanks for all the Birthday wishes.  I had a good day and I had a BUTTERCREAM cake.  Mmmmmm!

Winner will be announced on Monday.  Good luck to everyone!

They Say It's Your Birthday.....

It's that time of the year again.  My Birthday.  Woo-hoo.  Not overly excited about the number this year, but I can't let that get me down.  Presents and cake.  That's the ticket, right????  I've decorated with my vintage birthday collection.  I leave it up from my birthday to The Bean's birthday September 6th.  He'd rather have skulls, Ford Mustangs and Vampires decorating the house, but I guess he can wait until Halloween for that.  Not the Mustangs, of course.  That would be just silly.

I really just sort of threw it up in a hurry one day.  I forgot to add in my vintage Birthday Candle collection.  Oh well, mix it up a bit, I guess.

I made this wreath in a hurry.  I envisioned a wreath just covered in cake picks, but I couldn't bring myself to use them all up.  So, I used some old cards, candle holder boxes and flash cards to fill it in.

The shelf beneath it holds all sorts of random items.  

Vintage baking cups, cake toppers, cake cookbooks, party blowers, etc.  Is that PINK Buttercream on that cake?

Crepe paper rolls, more cake cookbooks, party boat candle holders and more.

I love this old bottle of silver decorations.  I remember getting these on Christmas cookies but being told that we COULD NOT eat them.  Well, duh, don't put them ON cookies then!

 See that fabulous single cupcake stand made just for me by Heidi?  It is made of spools of thread and a GIANT bottle cap with a milk cap bottom.  It is adorable!  Thank you, my friend!

I love old boxes of baking cups.  I use the actual liners in my creations and shock of shocks, in actual cupcakes too.  Those little cake toppers have a special spot in my heart.  I wish I could find a truckload of them.  :)

This vintage wooden Party Boat is new this year.  I found it on ebay for only a couple of dollars.  The US Flag fits in the front boat, but it makes it to heavy and it falls over.  I think it would stand up if it was sunk in deep thick creamy Buttercream.  Mmmmmmmm........Buttercream.

Window #2:  Let's just pretend we don't see those numbers.  I thought it was clever when I did it.  Now it just depresses me.  

I love the graphics on this old box of Numbers and Letter Cake picks.  It's complete inside too. 

 I like to use my Baker's twine spools whenever I can because they make me happy.  The Big Bird and Bert are from The Beans cake when he turned "2".  The little chicks - well they are just fun.

More Baker's twine and Cookie Monster with a cake.  Hey!  That looks like Buttercream icing on that cake!

The infamous shelves full of vintage Birthday goodness.

A mishmash of things.  An Annalee mouse with a cake in her hands.  (Buttercream, I thtink?)

Cake picks, The "Best Birthday Book", nut cups, crepe paper, a wee banner (Made by Heidi too!) and some other goodies too.

Party Cups, vintage birthday cards and two suicidal babies round out the top shelf.  Those babies, as you might have noticed, are sprinkled throughout my decorations.  I bought a big sack full of them on Etsy for future projects, but couldn't bear to put them away just yet.  One of them has two left legs and breaks my heart/cracks me up every time I look at her with her upside down foot sticking in the air.

Lastly, a Birthday Corsage I made.  Not sure if I will have the nerve to wear it or not.  I have a fear of strangers singing to me and making me wear a giant Sombrero.  I have made up a bunch of these corsages to sell in my booth.  I think it's cute, but not everyone gets the same things I do.

So, Happy Birthday to ME!  But one of you gets a gift!  Don't forget to leave a comment and a way to reach you and I will pick a winner on Sunday afternoon and post on Monday.  What will you win?  Well, a cigar box packed to the gills with treats and surprises - birthday related and fun in general.  Once the box if full, I'll put it in a shipping box and probably add a bunch of stuff to that too.  Goodies GALORE, I promise!  Just for fun, when you comment - tell me....Which do YOU prefer?  Whipped or Buttercream icing?  I think you KNOW my choice.  Lots of it and and a corner piece to boot!  But, only on my Birthday!