The Week in Junk: First Loot Shot of 2017

Saturday was a cold wet drizzly day here.  That's the kind of day you want to stay home and hunker down.  And it's not usually the sort of day that is good for junking.  But, I knew that there was sort of an unusual sale out in the town where all the flea markets are located and I was itching to go!  The problem is, our truck is out of commission, so The Breadman (Who is back on a route for awhile THANK GOD) has to take my car and I am home until he gets home from work.  Now, I am perfectly happy to stay home for days at a time.  I can see my car sitting there and not even thing about wanting to go anywhere.  But, when I CAN'T go - it drives me bonkers and makes me want to go SO BAD.

Anyway, this unusual sale was being held in the old Mercantile - it's  great old historic building with hardwood floors, glass display cabinets and a loft.  It has been an antique store/flea market forever. And, I do mean forever.  The booths never changed merchandise and the prices were crazy high. Most of the tags were so faded that you could barely make them out.  The lady that ran the store died unexpectedly last Fall.  The doors shut that day and hadn't been open since.  Someone has recently bought the building and they plan to clean it up and make it into a lovely store again full of vintage and antiques.  No painted furniture, new stuff or a lot of the things you see in stores lately.  Just lots of good old stuff that you can use or make with or just enjoy.

The store was open and all of the vendors were in their areas and they were selling at "yard sale" prices to clear it out.  There was good stuff in that store, it was just overpriced and had been there forever.  So, I was curious to see what was happening.  BUT - NO CAR.  Booooooo!  Lara said she was heading out there and would let me know what it was like.  A little later I texted to see what she thought about it and she said she was headed that way and she would "swing by and get me".  I later found out that she was literally almost there and turned around and came back to get me.  SO NICE! It's fun to go junking with a buddy when you both keep an eye out for things the other one will like too.  

Case in point - the first thing she spotted inside the door was an old rubber stamp holder.  I have wanted to find one of those forever - I don't know why, but I just needed to find one!  I looked at the tag and it was $16.50.  So, I wasn't sure if it was worth asking, but I did and the answer was.........$2.00!  Woot!  MINE!  (After I made complete sure that Lara didn't want it for herself.)

There was one booth full of fabulous old things, but the prices were half of what they marked.  After I asked about a few things, they started making me deals on a pile, but it was still too pricey for me.  I did find a HUGE box full of tacky Christmas stuff - but inside there was one box of vintage teardrop Christmas ornaments.  I took the ornaments over to ask for a price and they told me that the entire box was $5.00.  Well, I only wanted the box of ornaments, could I just buy those, please?  Well, how about $3.00 for the big box - take it all?  The man's wife walked up as he said that and she said, "THREE DOLLARS for that box of Christmas???"  And I thought oh, he is in trouble......but she said, "That whole box is only $1.00!"  So, that is how I came to buy a giant box of Christmas and sent every bit of it to Goodwill except for the one box of teardrop ornaments that I wanted in the first place!

I found two different ladies that had the right idea - they wanted it gone and it was cheap. My kind of ladies!  Here's the whole haul for your viewing pleasure.  :)

LOOK AT ALL THAT GOODNESS!  I really can't remember the last time I had a bunch of stuff to photograph at once.  That's part of my lack of blogging.  I can't do a post on one sad thing I drag home for the thrift store. Well, I could.  But, how BORING would THAT be?  Oh, and the neighbors FINALLY replaced their fence, so now I have a lovely new background for my pictures.  Thanks, unfriendly neighbors that have lived there two years and never spoken to me once.  I appreciate the fence.

Lookie! There's that stamp rack!  I have no where to put it, but I have wanted one for so long, that I feel the need to own it for a little while.  I may let it go at The Junk Ranch.  We'll see.  I was surprised to see that mint plaid lunchbox still there late in the day.  Those are all the rage!  The huge BBQ tray was under a pile of boxes, but I spotted it.  It really is huge and that stork bank is tall too.  The funny little carved wooden people made me chuckle. Those balls of bakers twine are the old stuff - hundreds of three foot lengths tied together and then wound into a ball.  I made them into one ball, that's how I know. I've been wanting some of the good old stuff, so that was a nice find.  

I rounded up all the vintage Christmas I could find, which wasn't much, but I got really good prices on it.  You KNOW I want to keep that snowman and Santa. but I already priced them and put them in the Junk Ranch boxes.  I adore that tiny cute couple lamp.  It is so not like anything I have in the house or that the boys would like, but ALL THE HEART EYES.  That giant pay phone sign was sitting in the floor and everyone kept walking around it.  I looked at it and thought it would be interesting in my booth.  It was priced $60, so I was hesitant to even ask about it.  But, Lara said it couldn't hurt to ask, so I did.  The lady said, "Oh, I will give you a good deal on that!"  Then she said Five dollars.  What the what?  Sold!  Except I was out of money so Lara had to make me a loan.  I wasn't expecting to find much, so I didn't take much.  Luckily, I really didn't need much.  

That Spell-It Board was the first thing I bought.  It's from 1953.  I've never seen anything like it and it is crazy cool.  I have priced it too, even though I LOVE IT.  I plucked the cowboy boot out of the trash on the way to the car. The poker chips had such perfect colors.  I have decided to do most of my booth at the Junk Ranch in red, white and blue - not that each item will be Patriotic, but the overall look will be red, white and blue.  So, my radar is on now for those colors.  

I was scared to death that I wouldn't be able to afford that giant candy container, but luck was on my side.  I have never seen one so big!  Bonus that the original box was with it.  Note that it was filled with 'delicious fruit filled candies'.  That basket isn't old, but it's cool and it will sell.  

I've been gathering up those old folding baskets for use in the booth.  I had no idea they were bicycle baskets.  I just thought they were handy.  I bought three of those old CB club vest with all sorts of patches on them.  They had the red, white and blue game going strong.  The handmade horses are fun - hoping someone else thinks so too.  

A couple of Annalee's - already priced too.  I am being so good!  I love my Annalee's.  I have that exact reindeer and it was the very first Annalee I ever found.  So, I only want the one since I have that memory of it.  It will be cute in the booth with some cards in the pockets.  Check out that Super Dooper Pooper Scooper which looks alarmingly like a a pair of salad tongs I currently own.  Yowza. I really thought that big rag rug was red, white and blue, but it is red, white and black.  I still think it has the flag feel, so I will use it in the booth.  Close enough!

It was so fun to go digging, make some deals and spend some time with Lara.  We are usually selling junk together, so it was fun to go looking for junk together.  We should do it EVERY weekend!

Have you been to any sales?  They are picking up here.  Now, I just need some wheels to go to them!  

Top O' The Morning

I've never been much into St.Patrick's day other than wearing green so I won't get pinched.  But, when you thrift and go to as many yard sales as I do, you're bound to come across some vintage St. Patrick's items.  There's not much out there and it's hard to find.  But, that's okay by me.  It all fits in a shoe box, which is great in the fact that it takes hardly any room to store, but it also is problematic because sometimes I can't find it among all the holiday tubs.

It all fits on my pseudo mantle.  The big Beistle Leprechaun was new this year.  I actually found two of them, but I only put one out.  He came with the other die cuts in the window frame.

A few little Leprechauns, some green things and  a pack of Dennison labels.  

That green hat was a waaaaaay after Christmas 10¢ markdown find.  I think it was a gift box.  But, with a little gold braiding, it became the perfect St. Patrick hat.  The Annalee is really a gardener, but she works in her in a pinch.  A PINCH!  HA HA HA.  Oh, I do amuse myself sometimes.  (It's late).

Ah, there he is in all his giantness.  He's really great.  Alas, he will not fit in the shoe box.

Some wee party hats, game cards and an old Hearts game card round it out.  

I have a lot of vintage Easter and it's some of my favorite stuff.  But, for some reason, I don't always get it out.  I don't know why.  I haven't decided this year.  I donated a lot of it last year.  I might be brutal and really downsize it this year.  Ha.  I say that then I see the foil eggs, chenille chicks and German bunnies and think I LOVE IT ALL.  We'll see what happens.  

Have a happy St. Patrick's Day!  

Don't get pinched!  

The Old Booth is The New Booth

Lara started setting up her new booth the first of March.  She moved upstairs and her booth is totally adorable, chock full of her sweet framed prints, painted furniture and other sweet things.  She had provided all the display pieces for one side of our booth when we originally set it up.  So, she had to move all of those pieces out too.  Between her full time job, Kindergarten twins and everything else she has going on, I didn't want her to think she had to have it all moved out by the end of February. besides, we are still BUDDIES (I made her swear!) and buddies treat each other with respect.  :) Plus I was sick half of February and my Dad had the Pacemaker replacement last week and NOW our truck has a huge repair needed so we are down to one vehicle for awhile.  ANYWAY - the stars all aligned on Friday and I loaded up the car after The Breadman got home and headed up to give the booth a new look.  

We have this extra set of shelves beside our booth and we failed to let the owner know that we didn't want them anymore, so they are our for the next month.  As usual, I have more on them than she does - but it is only for a couple more weeks.  I picked up that Lucite revolving rack not long ago and knew it would be perfect for all the novelty coffee mugs I pick up.  That little blue and green cabinet on top is such a darling thing.  It is very heavy and well made.  

The Bean helped me carry in those black shelves which weigh a TON.  They are painted with chalkboard paint, so I can write prices and notes on them.  Yes, that second shelf is chockablock with Razorback water bottles and Mason Jar Mugs.  That's not my usual thing to sell, but the Dollar Tree has cases of them in stock right now.  The UA bookstore sells them for $20 each!  This store is located right on a bike trail and all the University students shop there, so I am hoping that they sell.  I didn't notice anyone else in the store selling them, so maybe I have the "in" on them.  I have seen on Instagram that other people have them in their booths at other flea markets.  I aimed high at $6-$8 on them at first.  You can always go down, but you can't go up!  

I haven't really sold high dollar or large items in this store, so it is a new thing for me as far as learning what to put in there and what to price it.  The big brass bird cage and the gorgeous old wood mirror are two things that I worried about pricing.  I priced high, since I can mark down if needed. Plus customers can make an offer and they will call to see if you are interested.  

I love having the vintage flashcards hanging on the wall and in the basket to flip through.  Lara was sweet enough to leave the gallery wall that she made.  I say she did me a favor by leaving it, she says I did her a favor by not making her take it down.  Respect!

This building is located by the railroad tracks and used to be some sort of a warehouse way back in the day.  It has character like these old beams and rock walls.  We can hang things on the beams, but not paint them.  But, WHO WOULD paint that awesome old beam anyway???

These shelves are still a hot mess, but I will tackle them this week.  I crammed everything I had in the whole booth on these shelves while we were moving things around.  I'll pull some things and have a sale on others.  This is my frat boy area.  They love all that stuff.

I sell a lot of toys.  I try to find vintage toys to keep in that "Toys your Mother threw out" bin, but sometimes I add in newer things if I find them.  Kids love to dig in there.  I price it cheap so it moves. The other basket is packages of old Happy Meal Toys and things.  The college guys like to dig in there.   

I make the Razorback themed flashcards.  I frame them in the same matching black frames and people have been known to buy 1-6 of them to make a gallery wall.  I am trying to think of more local or sport words to use.  I am SO not a sports gal.  It is hard for me to think of sporty things.  But, this store is a block form campus and is shopped at by HUGE sports fans.  HUGE!

Another shot inside.  I moved my sign up higher after I took this photo.  The glittery blue MONKEYBOX sign, that is.  The giant frog was my booths feature on their IG page today.  I doubt anyone will rush in to buy it, but it's still fun to see what items they pick to show each day.

I'm sure I will keep on rearranging it and thinking of new things to put in there.  I am working on my signature ephemera things today - old bingo cards, scrabble words, letter banners, yearbook photo table scatter, flashcards and on and on. I guess I should think of some Spring-y and Easter-y things too.  But that is hard to do today because........

Hey guess what?  IT IS SNOWING TODAY!  The first snow of the year.  Kind of late, but better late than never!