Got you with that title, didn't I? We'll get to the trip to Hell soon enough, but first, the choices. And life is all making choices and living with the consequences, isn't it?... I made these good and bad ones in the past two or three weeks.
Bad choice: Choosing to go first to two estate sales about 10 miles west of my town, which were run by the same company on the same day. Neither was any good because they were both overpriced and poorly organized. Only bought a few things.
Good choice: Putting a pair of Mammy/Aunt Jemima salt and pepper shakers on the 'hold' table at the first sale and then putting it back. Another lady snapped the set up the moment I put it down, which made me think I'd made a mistake and instantly want it back. Has that ever happened to you? The very fact that someone else wants something makes it more desireable. It was a good choice, though, because they're just offensive to me, no matter how popular or collectable they are.
Good choice: Leaving those two sales and driving to another estate sale 10 miles east of my town (if you're doing the math, that's already 30 miles on the car). I bought several things there.
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| Fun styrofoam Santa face. It will be hard to give this guy up |
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| I really like the Androck whipper in the milk glass bowl! |
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| A great mid-century relish plate -- perfect for cheeseball & crackers. I may have to keep this for a while |
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| Utensils with bakelite handles |
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| This suitcase is in great condition! |
Bad choice: Taking a chance on an absolutely filthy Pyrex fridge dish, only to find out that the filth was hiding terrible wear. Seeing mistreated Pyrex like this is so sad!
Bad choice: Forgetting to make a note on my sale-addresses list of an estate sale the same day that was in my town. Since I didn't mark 'estate sale' or put a star by it, the address just stayed on my list with all the other garage sales and I forgot to go. It turned out to be an outstanding sale with lots of stuff.
Good choice: Going to the forgotten sale on the second day. I found a few things, but not what I would have gotten on the first day. Oh well, that's the way it goes.
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| Nelly Bee loop weaving loom. Did every little girl have one of these and did we all make potholders for our grandparents for Christmas? |
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| Lots of postcard folders -- I'm always drawn to these! |
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| Two very old (1910s-20s) school composition books with writing inside. These are really popular with scrapbookers and altered-art artists |
Bad choice: Buying (and paying more than I should have) for a BIG lot of Barbie stuff: two poor-condition cases, a Midge and a Ken (Ken had flocked hair, but a loose arm -- poor guy) and LOTS of Barbie clothes. Actually the Bad Choice was taking a garage sale seller's word for the authenticity of all the clothes (in 3 gallon ziplock bags). When I got it all home and looked through it, I realized that 90% of the clothes were homemade.
Good choice: Being brave enough to take the entire lot of Barbie, Ken, cases and clothes back to the seller, telling her that it was almost entirely homemade and asking for my money back (I've never done anything like that and it was scary)! It was only 2 hours after her two-day-long sale had started and she could easily sell the stuff to someone else. Since I had specifically said "these all look homemade" (as I looked over the big plastic bags of clothes) and she had emphatically told me they were ALL official Barbie clothes, I felt justified. She finally returned my money, though she did imply that I might have taken some of the clothes out. I guess I might have thought the same thing in her position, though I don't think I would have said it.
Good choice: Feeling really rich with my too-much-money-for-the-Barbies returned to me and stopping at another sale on the way home. I got these cool things there:
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| My boys used to have this puzzle -- this one is in mint condition |
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| Lincoln Beautyware canisters |
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| These peg hangers are usually brown wood & boring -- this one is really cute |
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| The condiment bowls don't have a maker's mark, but they look like Thermo-Serv |
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| The clock has a roll-cover (from the bottom up). I don't know if the lucite purse was made for a child or not, but it would be so cute to carry to a dinner or party. |
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| This Fisher-Price light up globe has a little view-master type lens that you put over the circles and see pictures of the landmarks & people of the country the circle is in |
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| A sweet homemade doll cradle |
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| The round thing in the front is a heat spreader for a stovetop percolator |
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| This big (24 x 36) picture has a gold plaster & wood frame |
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| This great industrial cubby hole cabinet. The yellow dot is the lid of a liter pop bottle on its side with a big hole cut in the 'top'. The man I bought the cabinet from used it to store his nuts, bolts, screws, etc in bottles like that in the cubbies. Brilliant! |
Finally, the Trip to Hell: Yes, there is a Hell, Michigan. It's really big at Halloween and lots of Goth weddings take place there. There's very little in Hell besides a bar/restaurant and an ice cream shop. It's about 15 miles from my house, but I like to go to sales there because there because most of the houses are mid-century and there's usually good stuff.
The day I went, it turned out to be a
Bad Choice -- the sale was all new items and lots of 'interior decorator' supplies, flower arrangements and craft supplies. I left with only an egg beater (a very expensive egg beater, if I factor gas prices). Still it was a beautiful day for a trip to Hell.
