FOUR DAYS

*When you read that title - please scream it with lots of panic and fear in your voice.  Thank you.

Four more days to get ready for the Farm Fresh Vintage Market.  I've continued to refer to it as the "Barn Sale", but it has been renamed the Farm Fresh Vintage Market for months.  

This morning I gathered up the remaining items to be priced.  This afternoon I am going to go strip the booth of anything I want to take with me to the sale.  Mostly the jewelry that I made, some vintage Razorback items, the vintage Fisher Price Toys and a few other things.  Not much since I want this to me mostly new merchandise for the BS and to be able take the remaining items to the booth later in the Fall.  

Tomorrow I will price the rest of the items.  Put them all in one spot in the garage.  Sort into departments and rebag into shopping bags.  I don't do well carrying those big tubs and I can cram a lot more in the car if the packaging is flexible.  

Tuesday I will take the tent down and repack it.  Organize the display items I am taking.  Contemplate packing a flask of whiskey in the car for stress.  Or chocolate.  Chocolate melts.  Booze it is.   

Wednesday I will pack the car with the tables and display items.  Freeze PB&J's and round up all our food and drinks.  No booze.  Or chocolate.  Well, maybe chocolate.

Thursday is set up day.  I HOPE to get it all there in two loads - one with set up things, one with merchandise.  Set it up.  Take photos.  Go home.

Friday - SALE BEGINS!  I will take one last load with us of the jewelry and other small things I can put into two tote bags, our food and chairs.  Sale begins at 10:00 am and ends at 7:00 am.

We can't start to close up until after 7:00 and we have to be back and ready for opening at 8:00 am the next morning.  I think I will just sleep under one of the tables.  Being set up at 8:00 requires a wake up time of 5:30 and this homeschooling doesn't ever have to be anywhere early kind of gal is SO NOT A MORNING PERSON.  Coffee, coffee, coffee is the usual answer, but a long walk to bathrooms and leaving the booth unattended is a bit of a problem.  

Saturday - SALE CONTINUES.  Begins at 8:00 am and ends at 4:00 pm.

Tear down, take a load of set up stuff home.  Go back for a load of merchandise.

Go home.  Eat a frozen pizza.  If I have enough energy I will cook it.  :) 

Sleep.

Sleep.

Sleep.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

This is the first sort of thing like this that I have ever done and I want to do it right.  I have spent a lot of time making up displays and figuring out interesting ways to display items.  I have set up lots of flea market booths before and that is hard work.  But, you have days to do it and you don't have to build the building first before you can set up.  

I want to thank everyone that has given me all the encouragement to do this.  You guys are wonderful.  I'll be scarce this week since I am so tied up with everything else right now.  I have touched and handles SO MUCH STUFF the past few weeks that you would THINK I am junked out.  But, I am just tired of MY junk.  I really could use some good yard sales to lift my spirits.  Maybe I'll get a minute to look around the Barn Sale for a treasure or two.  "Look honey!  I made three dollars and BOUGHT ALL THIS!"  

Lots of pictures and a progress report to follow.  You guys go junking for me, okay?

Well, not FOR me, but on my behalf.

I'll leave you with a few photos from the 400,000+ motorcycle rally that was in town this weekend.  

I have never been on a motorcycle.  I have no desire to be on a motorcycle.  Yet, I go to the motorcycle rally every year.  I stick out like a sore thumb in my PINK. 

There are several different locations where the rally is in town, so you can ride the train to and fro.  We we go "to".  This was the ninth trip that The Bean and I have made on the train.  As we boarded, The Breadman announced, "My first train ride!"  Whaaaat?  How can that be?  Mom and The Bean have done a lot together over the years, I suppose.

Rows upon rows of motorcycles everywhere on every street and in every parking lot.  I do not know how on EARTH you would ever find your own motorcycle.  Heck, I can't even find my own car at Wal-Mart most weeks.

Yep, you guess it.  More motorcycles.

A CAR!  Yes, it's a tiny car.  But still!  A car!

Ah, that's more like it.  More motorcycles.

Traffic.  Motorcycles.  Loud.  Noise.  Vroom.  Vroom.

Loved this motorcycle ice cream truck.  

Hubba Hubba.

The line for the train to go "fro."  It was loooooong.  And hot.  

The entire train ride takes 5.56 minutes.  I timed it.  

I wonder, exactly where does one order giant flags with photos of corndogs on them?

If I do well at the Barn Sale.......

Mama's going to have a sweet new ride for next year.  

I kid.  But really HOT PINK with POLKA DOTS?  

Come on!

Okay, now I'm leaving!  

Bye!

Reunited......

You might remember last week when I found this box of pool balls.

The #4 was missing, but I just so happened to have a few extra balls, so I was able to scrounge up an extra #4 to round out the set.  

But, The Queen noticed that the #4 I added was bigger than the others and I hadn't even noticed that when I put it in the box.  But, it really didn't matter since I have no intentions of using them to play pool - I am going to dump them in an old wire basket and call it decor!  

Today I found myself back at the very same thrift where I bought the balls last week.  This is a huge store  - it used to be a Furniture Store and it is packed with merchandise and packed with people.  Today it was packed with kids and I found myself being all cranky old lady with my "What the hell are all these kids doing here in the middle of the week?" thoughts.  I wanted to look in the toys and those KIDS were in my way!  

Bah humbug!

Anyway, I walked down the aisle with outdoorsy stuff - sporting goods, lawn care, household care, etc. and there sitting in a plastic tub peeking out at me was BALL #4!  

Woohoo!

The replacement #4 really was bigger than the original #4.  

When I checked out I told the lady that I has bought the rest of the set last week and even asked her if she had seen a #4 ball rolling around anywhere.  She told me that the lady that runs the floor might have seen it, but she was gone for the day.  When I relayed that story back to her she said, "Well, I believe you because that sounds like what I would have said!"  and stuck the ball in my bag No Charge.  Thanks lady!

Reunited.  

I know it's silly.  But, I'm sort of proud of myself for finding that one sad little ball in that big old thrift store.  Old balls don't usually do that much for me.  

BA DUM DUM!

(Sorry, couldn't resist a little bit of sauciness).

Barn Sale Set Up and The Weekend in Junk

Today we set up my canopy for the Barn Sale.  I have had a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach because we hadn't even put the top on it yet, let alone figured out how to assemble it.  So, getting it all set up with the sidewalls and leg weights really made me feel good.  Now instead of dread, I'm excited!  

The very first thing I ordered when I decided to do this sale was that banner.  Heck, I didn't even have a canopy, but I had a banner!  I love it.  It's 4' x 2.5' so it's quite big.  We attached it to the top rungs of the canopy with rope.  I had found a set of nice curtain rods at Goodwill that I attached to the top and bottom through the grommets.  The weight of the bottom drapery rod keeps the banner weighted so I didn't have to tie down the bottom.  The finials on the rods are hot pink crystal globes which make the banner really *pop.  I've been looking at a lot of posts on Pinterest about selling at craft fairs and swap meets.  The one idea that stuck in my head and made the most sense, was to elevate the tables up on plastic bed risers.  Genius!  It brings the table up to counter top height and it makes it so much easier to display, shop and package.  I got three sets of bed risers in the dorm department at Walmart for $5.88 a set.  Well worth it.

I decided to pull out my prettiest and brightest floral tablecloths to cover up the ugly tables.  I'm using crates and some small shelves to add height to the tables.  I have a lot of neat old displays and things that I am going to add, but I am really just getting started setting it all up.  It's in the side yard so I can access it and work on different set ups.  

The neighbor kids have been over to ask 

1) When is the garage sale

2) Did we camp in the tent last night 

3) Can we play in the pink house?  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Saturday was a lovely morning with nice cool temperatures.  I set out on a junkin' journey all by myself.  I thought I was going to hit pay dirt, but I didn't find much at all.  I followed so many signs that lead nowhere.  What's up with that?  One ad looked promising, and I tried to find the house, but never saw a sign or anything.  I looked for it three different times while I was out.  I think I did find the house in the end, but there was only a card table on the porch.  As I was headed home, I saw a lady putting out signs for what I assume was that sale - but it was 2:00 in the afternoon by that time.  Who starts a sale at 2:00 in the afternoon?

I found two sales and stopped at the Super Cheap Thrift. 

I got this set of Golden Encyclopedias at the first sale I stopped at - all for $3.00.  

I don't know if I will sell them as a set or framed some of the images.  

Probably try to sell the set first.

Okay, so don't hate me but I have a confession.  

I hate Disney stuff.  

But this fat little Cinderella Mouse cracked me up.  

Mostly because he reminded me of this little girl on America's Funnies Videos the other night.  

Mostly because of her hand pointing.

This pottery lamb lamp was so cute.  I loved it.  I even found a shade for it at the thrift.  But, when I got it home, the bulb shorted out when I plugged it in, so I just cut off the cord.  I need to get a new lamp kit for it, but I have never done that before.  (I have installed new lights, a hood vent and ceiling fans, so I think I can do it.)  It's just darn cute.  

I got this tablecloth at the thrift.  I was excited - my first Thanksgiving tablecloth.  

It wasn't until I looked at these photos did I realize that, uh, hello, those aren't Pilgrims.  

It was made in West Germany, so I still like it.  But, I really thought it was a Thanksgiving tablecloth.  

I also got this giant set of shelves at the first sale.  The Breadman was at the Razorback game, so when he got home as his punishment I made him he helped me go pick them up.  They weigh a ton!  Normally I wouldn't be feeling the black, but I kind of like it on these shelves.  I painted the sides with Chalkboard Paint so I can write the Booth # or specials on the sides.  They will go to the booth eventually to replace those cubbies that I have in there right now.  Oh, did I mention they cost TWO DOLLARS?  

Probably won'' be much junkin' going on for me in the nest few weeks what with preparations for the Barn Sale, the big motorcycle rally this week and the actual Barn Sale itself.  But, I bet I manage to eek in a littel bit.  It's kind of an illness.  

Junky Finds + a Story or Two

This morning when I went out to get the newspaper, I could feel the weather hinting at a change.  It has been so hot and I the summer as we all know.  I am anxious for cooler temperatures, hoodies and fall colors.  Really, anything below 80 degrees would just be nice.  The best sales are in the Fall too, so that smell of sir got my junkin' genes going.  Which is stupid, because I am up to my EARS in junk right now.  Pricing it, sorting it and trying to figure out how to display it.  I think I want to run away and join the circus and leave all the junk here forever.  Start over with all new junk.

Until I do that, there's still Goodwill and a couple thrifts.  I'd much rather be getting more for my money at yard sales, but thrifts are always fun too.

I found this great school map at the SCT.  It is about four feet wide and has grommets for hanging.  I wish I could frame it or at least hang it up at the Barn Sale. But it will probably just have to be rolled up and hope someone spots it.  (I had to photograph it upside down so there wouldn't be a shadow on it, so that's why the perception is screwy.)

Found this set of pool balls at the thrift for $3.00.  The #4 was missing, but I had some other ones in the garage that we had found, so I was finally able to make a complete set.  I've always wanted a full set and now I have it and now I have no idea what to do with them.  Ah, the problems of a junker.  The other oddball balls will go to the Barn Sale.

This sweet vase isn't my usual kind of pottery, but when I spotted the tag still on it, I was sold.  I do dig that little flower in the middle.  And really, for 75¢, what right minded person wouldn't buy it?

I am very anti-duck and anti-goose as in Country Geese of the 1990's with stupid bonnets on their head and that cheese WELCOME written on them.  Hate that stuff.  And, yes, I got married in the early 1990's and yes I had the Country Goose cookie jar and the Country Goose glasses and the Country Goose canisters and the Country Goose towels.  That stuff is all GONE.  But, I see more and more of it eeking back into the thrift stores.  Surely Country Geese won't be the next HOT collectible like Owls and Avocado Green.........will it?  So, I digress.  Anyway - this little duck just barely waddled past the fine line of 1990's goose.  But, it is vintage pottery, so I allowed him to come home.  He will go to the Barn Sale.  

Well, what a crappy photo.  

Vintage Cribbage Board for 10¢, vintage slide box for 25¢ and an old baby rattle for 25¢.  

*I snapped this photo quickly and then ducked up under the porch.  The man that lives next door had just come out of the house SCREAMING at the top of his lungs, grabbing the hanging basket by the front door and throwing it down the driveway.  He went to his truck and grabbed something, returned to the house and said some expletives that rhyme with "suck".  Then he slammed back out the door again, kicking the aforementioned plant back across the driveway before he got into his truck and sped up the street about ninety miles an hour.  He's a peach.  It's not the first fit I have witnessed.  He chucked the weed eater down the street and drove over it one day when he couldn't get it to start.  Yep, he's a peach.

This handmade oak splint basket had to be rescued from Goodwill for $2.00.  It has a longer handle that most of my baskets, so it kind of screams Easter Basket.  I don't know why I think I have to rescue every handmade basket I encounter.  But, I do think that, so I do rescue them.  Someday when I am long gone, people will whisper "that's the house that was full to the rafters of baskets and watermelon potholders."

But, that's a long way away.  Plenty more baskets and potholders in my future.  I hope!*

Really, Really Random Thoughts

1.  Are you watching America's Got Talent?  We have watched it for a few years, but I have never been as involved in it as I am this year.  I was sad to see one of my favorites go tonight.  But, my projected winner is still in the mix, so we'll see.

2.  I wanted to use some of my vintage tablecloths to cover my tables at the Barn Sale, so I went through the entire collection.  Then, I decided to count them.  And guesses?  103.  I had no idea that I had that many!  And, that doesn't include the twenty or so Christmas ones in storage.  It's still one of my very favorite collections and what I look for at every single garage sale and thrift store.

3.  Every night when I come in to the office to use the computer, my sweet girl kitty Little lady comes in and sits behind me and stares at me.  She wants to be close to me but GOD FORBID I should try to touch her or pet her.  No sirree, that has to be HER idea, not mine.  

4.  This year on The Bean's birthday he asked for fifty cents and a picture of a frog.  I never ask for anything on my birthday and neither does he, so to appease the people that ask, "What do you want?" we say stupid things.  Since that is what he asked for, this is what he got.

A picture of a frog, framed of course.

With two ten's taped to the back.

And an old ring box with a picture of Fifty Cent in it.  

And two quarters.  

And a twenty under the cotton batting.

5.  I saw this car parked next to me at the gas station the other day.

I wish I could explain it.

6.  Our cat, Tiger, looks great in a hat.

You agree, yes?

7.  I bought a clarinet last Winter and had been holding it until the school year started up again.  I had it on Craigslist for $85.00.  A man called me and asked what was wrong with it since I had it so cheap.  I told him that I had taken it to a local music store and it all checked out - it needs a mouthpiece and a couple of felt pads, but other than that they said it was a very nice clarinet.  The man told me that other people wanted $300.00 or more for the same clarinet.  It told him that I pick up things and flip them, but sometimes it is more important to me to get those things into the right hands.  He got quiet and told me that his 12 year old Autistic son had decided to try band and he needed a Clarinet.  They couldn't afford to buy one until he saw my ad.  He drove thirty miles at 8:00 at night to buy that Clarinet from me that very night.  I only paid $6.00 for it, so we both made out good.  I hope his son likes band.  :)

 8.  This is the sight of the Barn Sale.  See that big tree?  PRAY that I end up near it or under it.  Mama needs some shade!  TWO WEEKS FROM THURSDAY is set up day.  FREAK OUT TIME!

 9.  I have inappropriate feelings for this guy.

10.  I made Homemade Butterfingers last week.  The recipe is beyond weird and I knew that there was NO WAY that it was going to work.  But, I'll be darned if they didn't taste just like Butterfingers.  All it takes is Peanut butter, chocolate and the mystery ingredient - candy corn.  

 11.  This car is at Goodwill every time I go.  How do they get all their treasures in there?

 12.  Saw this Yard Sale sign last week.  Simple and efficient.  Why not?

Anything random you want me to know?

Gag Order

I might have gone to that sale I mentioned the other day.  But, as it turns out, if I did go, I'm not allowed to post anything on the Internet about it until after it airs.  I am blogging all about it, but I won't post it until the show actually airs.

Don't see why I can't show you some things I might have picked up at a sale today *Cough*

An old BINGO set with the ever elusive orange and black bingo numbers that I love to use in Halloween crafts.  50¢

Old Cat in the Hat Dictionary in pretty awful shape but it was only 50¢.

The pages are still in good shape.  I think some of them might be nice framed.  

This box said it was a Duets Girl's Diaper Set, so I picked it up since it was vintage.

But, when I got it home, it had these great old plastic tracing stencils in it.  They are big - about 8" tall or so plus there is a slew of smaller ones too.  I love that jaunty little piggy with his basket and the dog on a ball.  

Plucked this sweet little handmade jacket, hat and bootie set from the kid's clothing rack for $1.00.  It is just adorable.  Excuse my lovely photo on top of the truck hood.  I was so hot I was about to croak when we got home, so I took these photos as fast as I could so I could hit the A/C.  

I love using old Bushel Baskets for display and this one not only had its lid, but it also had a half bushel basket nestled inside it.  $1.50 for both.  These have nice bright colors.  

I found a box full of baggies full of old spools of Sateen ribbon, so I just bought them all.  

Twenty three rolls in all for around $3.00.

 I thought this big scale had a nice industrial vibe too it, so I picked it up for 5.00.  I did a little research and it is actually from a restaurant for weighing out portions on a plate.  I found one online for $95.00, so I guess I did okay.  Not sure what I will do with it - probably to the Barn Sale first. 

Love this giant old pricing stamp.  It's about 10" tall and really heavy.  $1.00.

Small glass baby bottle and a wee tin heart mold.  25¢ each.

And now, for THE FIND OF THE DAY.........

 A really old worn croquet set has been on my wishlist for a long, long time.  I have a really nice teak set, but I want an old set just to put on the porch and maybe knock around in the yard.  

It's missing one of the striped colored poles, but I know you will be shocked to hear that I already have one.  I love the old metal wheels and the chippy mallets and balls.  This set, along with a second set, had sold to another person and when I commented how much I wanted to find a set just like that, the guy quoted me a price of $12.00 and I bought them.  Never done that before!  $12.00 is probably more than I actually would have spent, but I still think it's a good deal. And, it was the perfect souvenir to remember my day at the great big HUGE.........oh, wait, never mind.  

To The Bean,

18 years.  How can it be?

I remember you on your blanket on the floor and you were on your stomach when I left the room and on your back when I returned.  I yelled at dad and told him NOT to put you on your back.  He said, "I didn't turn him over!"  So, we hid in the kitchen and watched you as you wriggled your way back over to our tummy again.  Then to your back.  Then to your tummy again.  That's the day that we realized you were growing up and changing and going to be on the GO from that moment on.

And, grow you did.

When you were born, due to the heavy amounts of medication they gave me to keep my blood pressure down (and from, we were told later, nearly dying) you were sluggish and dopey at first.  Your arms and legs were like lead weights and if you skipped a breath oh well, you didn't care.  They whisked you away from me for almost twelve hours before they let me even see you again.  Now I know better - I should have stood up and said, 'BRING ME MY BABY NOW!"  They sent me home five days before they let you go home.  I found myself in an empty house without my baby.  I was a mess.  When they finally agreed to let you go home, the put you on an Apnea Monitor to monitor your breathing.  If you were to ever stop breathing, the monitor would have gone off with a Screeeech to awake us so we could have called 9-11 or start to administer CPR.  But in the entire year you wore that monitor, it only went off one time.  And when we got to your crib, you were sitting up, holding the probes that attached to your chest and grinning ear to ear.  You were fine.  Mom and Dad, however, needed a drink.

Your first day of Kindergarten was the first time you had ever been away from Mom.  Oh, you had been with your Grandma Baw, but never to preschool or to a babysitter.  That first day of Kindergarten was so hard on you.  And even harder on me.  When you came home, you were sobbing and you asked, "When....can...I..stay...home...with...you...again...forever?"  Broke. My. Heart.  Even though it was hard on you, you went back to school.  You made friends - in fact everyone loved you because you were so very shy and quiet.  The kids watched out for you and never let anyone pick on you.  They knew you would speak when spoken to, but you weren't going to start any conversations.  You teachers loved you.  You won all the awards for being courteous, for projects, for being a great overall kid.  Once, a teacher that didn';t know you hurt your feelings and made you cry.  The entire class told your regular teacher what happened. When she apologized to me, she had tears in her eyes.  "No one hurts Christopher's feelings.  No one!"  Elementary School was great. 

Middle School was not.

When you asked me that question in Kindergarten about staying home with me again forever, I never would have guessed the answer was 6th grade.  But it was.  We began our adventure together again.  There are things I should have done better and things I did great.  But, the one thing I do know is that you are one great kid.  One great person.  One great man.  You are kind to a fault.  You are smart.  So very smart.  You still only speak when spoken to and you aren't going to start up any conversations on your own.  You have helped me through tough times and I hope I have helped you.  I don't know if Mom's and sons are supposed to be as close as you and me, but they really should be.  You are a joy to me and I love you more than you will ever know.  

Happy Birthday.