So Many Sales, So Little Time

The sales are really starting now!
There were SO many yard sales and subdivision sales last weekend that it was really hard to choose which ones to go to.

I spent almost all my weekend's shopping money at one family-run estate sale on Thursday, but STILL went to a couple of sales on Friday.  It causes me to wonder (again) if thrift shopping is just shopping or an addiction... There's just always the feeling that the next sale will be the big one (and it almost never is).

One very cool conversation:  At a yard sale that was about a block away from my house, the mom running it told me that her 2-year-old LOVES my blow-mold Santa and starts talking about him as soon as they get in the car.  She said that she had to drive past it every time they went out and that her little girl cried for weeks after Santa was put away.  She just didn't understand why he couldn't stay out all year.  I didn't tell the mom that I feel the same way!

On Saturday, there were two little community garage sales very near our house.  The most amazing thing is that there wasn't a single piece of Pyrex at either sale -- I can't remember the last time that happened.  I found some nice things there, but one of the highlights was a reverse painted picture of the Statue of Liberty with convex 'bubble' glass and a faux wood frame.  I think it dates back to the 1910s and commemorates World War I.  It's in really good condition!  I forgot to take a picture of it, so this one is borrowed from the internet (mine is actully nicer, though, with mother-of-pearl inlay on the statue's base).  It should be in my booth soon.

Another really interesting thing I got was a box lot of old letters.  They're from the 1930s-1950s and are mostly to a woman in Ohio from her daughter who was married to an Air Force pilot and living in Arizona.  I wish I could find this family to give their letters back -- they make me feel a little sad reading them and knowing that the family has lost all of that history.

Here are some other things I found...

Glasbake soup mugs (they were a promotional giveaway by Lipton soup) and four Dairy Queen glasses

Burlap & melmac cups and bowls -- I can never resist these!  The bowls have plastic covers, which I haven't seen before.  That makes them great leftover containers

This long mid-century clock -- it's about 2 feet high!

I really like these pixie gravel mosaics -- so mid-century

A speckled plastic chip & dip

Lots of wooden skirt or pants hangers

All these tablecloths have stains, but at a dime each, how could I resist?  

A assortment of goodies.  I really like the little coffeepot with the bakelite handle & the tip tray is cool, too

A 1960s wedding hat

A white iron 'tea cart' planter

I'm going to paint this table -- you'll see more of this one...

These Little Golden Books were a great find -- some date back to the early 1940s

A little wall box with towel bar to paint -- you'll see more of this little guy, too

I thought it was 6 drawers, but it's really a cabinet

I love chalkware and these goldfish are almost mint!

There won't be any shopping for me this weekend -- my oldest son's getting married, so we'll be all caught up in that.  It should be a great day and we're thrilled to welcome another daughter to our family!