Thrift Share Monday - August 27

Schoooooollllssssssssss back. In. Session!

Yeah I just went there.  Sorry.  I'm gonna kinda guilty-ly admit I'm kinda happy schools back on.  My kids are not iddy biddies anymore, 9 & 12, but man they do tend to get what I call "T-rex syndrome" when their arms suddenly get really short and they can't reach or do anything for themselves.  Do you know what I mean?  So I'm looking forward for a bit of silence during the day.

On another note yesterday was a loooong day, the water heater decided that the garage needed to be washed off, so I don't have the strength to ramble on, plus my fingers hurt from ringing out of towels.  So I'm gonna try to be short on words in this post.

Me and mom went to two estate sales on Friday, and these were our finds.

We raked in on the vintage vanity mirrored trays and frames.

Two sets of butterfly wall decor.
 

These Swiss Colony jelly mason jars, set of four.  Only two have the labels.
 
A vanity swivel mirror.
 

An awesome large vintage bowl.

This super heavy glass, green salad bowl.
 
Vintage purses.
 

Orange melamine bowl and sugar bowl.
 

A Conair retro style phone.  Does anyone know when these came out, late 80s or early 90s?  I'm trying to determine if it's still considered vintage.
 

And these bowling balls with super awesome bags.  


Yay!  Did you find anything awesome last week.  If so, share your link in the comments. 

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Vintage Sheets - What I've found lately

So my Thrift Share post have been lacking in a particular item lately.  Vintage sheets.  No, not because I haven't found any.  Just simply because I forget to take pictures of them.  Usually they are still in the dryer in the garage, and sometimes already folded under a stack of sheets when I get around to taking pictures of my other vintage finds.  So I've decided to dedicate a whole post solely to my recent vintage sheet finds.

Don't forget you can get your hands on these vintage sheet lovelies as well, and purchase fat quarter packs through my Etsy shop.  The sheets are not listed individually on Etsy, the way I have it set up is you can view all the sheets I have available on my Flickr page and then you can pick the vintage sheets you want for your bundle through Etsy.  For example you want to purchase a six pack bundle of vintage sheets, just simply view Flickr, write down the number of the six fat quarters you want, and then enter it in the comment section of your Etsy order.  Make sense?

Oh and in the event you're interested in a larger cut of a particular vintage sheet, just convo me through Etsy with the number of the sheet and how much your interested in and I'll let you know how much I have available along with a price. 

Ok, sorry, enough of the sales spiel.  Here are my recent finds...

I loved finding this pink floral one, because I previously had the same print in greens and blues.

Then you know what I found another blue and green one.  Yay!

I've had this one before.  This is one of my top ten favorites.  

I LOVE stripes, but at this point in time this mustard and orange doesn't do much for me.  Maybe I can attempt something chevron-y.  That might make this 70's sheet more appealing.  I will say though the mustard does match the above sheet.   You know what? This might make a really cute headband.   Hmmm.

 This blue is one of my favs.  I previously had this print in pink, so I was soo happy when I found it in blue.  Currently I have a market bag in my Etsy shop made out of the pink pattern. 

 I've also had this pink rose one before.  It's been all used up and I don't recall what was done with it.  Hmmm.  Well here is some more to use up.

Black and red is probably my favorite color combination, and then add stripes to it.  *swoon*  I have a super cute apron I've made out of this that will be added to my Etsy shop soon.  Maybe today.  Keep an eye out for it.  

Then we have super cute little strawberries.  This will make a really cute apron too.

So that's all I got for now. I think.  I may have others buried underneath stuff.  If I uncover more then of course I'll reveal in another post.  :-)

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Thrift Share Monday - August 20

I totally flaked last week with posting my Thrift Share.  I had this all written out and just never got around to adding the pics to it, and I was even debating on if I was gonna get it posted for today since I am sooo freaken tired.  On Saturday I participated at the Austin Craft Riot Summer Show and I am still exhausted and sore from all the work that goes into setting up and working a show.   

So here is what should have been last Mondays post, including an item from last weeks outing. I have other items, but haven't gotten around to taking pictures. 

A random, one day, estate sale right down the street from me on a Wednesday got me these few items.

These frames, recipes tin....

The recipe tin sold this weekend.

vintage carved wood wall plaques,

Sold this weekend.  Yes!

and my fav from this stop.  This Swingline staple gun.  The color is awesome.

PSA:  Please remember when handling any type of gun to be careful and don't pull the trigger.  As I was paying for my items the cashier picked it up said "oh I didn't see that here. Wish I did so I could have grabbed it" as she squeezed the handle and shot the lady next to her.  Nope, no blood was drawn but it did startle the lady who got shot.  Ooops!

That Friday I hit up a yard/estate sale and got a few things here.

A Pyrex Verde casserole lid.



These glasses



I don't know why I've been buying these character glasses, maybe it's just the nostalgia of them, and who doesn't like Charlie Brown? I have them now and will until I decide to get around to posting them on Etsy or Ebay. 

Now this was my favorite buy here (this day).  This super huge, restaurant grade Artimetal juicer.



This thing means business.  It's big enough for grapefruits and pomegranates.  And you know what?  We initially walked away from it.  My mom was with me and we looked at it and said how nice it was.  Then the debate on would we actually use it, and we were back and forth with it, plus the price of $35.  I know! I know, that is a fantastic price, but when out thrifting I tend to not want to thrown down chunks of change that big for a single items.  Plus, I have a tiny similar juicer already, but sometimes the oranges are too big for it. 

We left the sale and were about two miles down the way when the functionality of juicer was waved, and it was decided that it would be a nice piece displayed on the counter.  You know...kinda like a statement piece.  So we turned around and bought it.  Yay!

On the way home I did my regular thrift store stop and didn't find anything.  Now this is where I need to remember to not remain tunnel visioned by where I look (in the kitchen stuff and linens).  Because as I waited at the front of the store for my mom she called me and rolled around the corner with this.



How did I miss this awesome vintage type writer table?  I must be more tunnel visioned than I realized to pass this by.  Especially since I was looking at one in a little antique mall a few weeks back, but didn't want to pay what they had it priced at.  This is why I keep my mom on payroll (minus the actual pay).  Having an extra pair of eyes is beneficial at times.

The next day I went back to the estate/yard sale and got two goodies.

A little spice rack with jars (not photoed), and over a week later it's still in it's bag unwashed.  Ugh!

and this awesome end table for $2.

What?!!!  Yup. $2.  I walked up and saw it immediately and asked the little old man how much it was and he said, what seemed like without thinking, "$2 since you're a repeat customer!"  I did respond in shock "what? seriously, for that end table?"  Then quickly shut my mouth and decided not to question it any further.  That so counteracts the cost of the juicer from the day before, and this little table sits perfectly right next to the couch. Yay!  (The end tables have been rotating as I find them.  First with this one that was way too small, then this one that was too....narrow and slat-ty, now this new one that is just right.  At least for now.)

Oh, and yes the juicer works beautifully. My son and I made lemonade a few days after we bought it.   Mmmmm.

One of my favorite finds from this week was this Cosco step stool.

Wet stool.

Sorry I don't have a better picture.  I took these pictures when I was cleaning it, and I ended up selling it at the market this weekend.  It was sooo dirty, grimy, and had some light rust on the chrome, but that didn't deter me since it was a fantastic price.  Plus you don't come across these often.  A little bit of elbow grease and time and I was actually impressed on how clean it got.  Steel wool removed the rust and got the chrome all nice and pretty.  It was also missing a couple of screws (aren't we all) from one of the steps so I bought some and fixed it up. 

Look how dirty it was.  The right is after just a few swipes of soap.  It looked sooo pretty once it was all clean.

I got a couple other items from last week that I haven't photoed yet, hopefully I can share them with you next week.

Ok...I'm vegging for the rest of the week.  Well, maybe I can get to also sharing some of the things I made for the Summer Show this week.  I had a great day selling, but of course didn't sell out, therefore I have a whole bunch of new sewn stuff, and vintage goods to add to my Etsy Shop.  Keep an eye out for some great pillows, clutches, market bags and aprons. 

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Thrift Share Monday - August 6 (Soup Nazi)

Hmmmm.... How to start off this post?  Do I start off with bitching (sorry) about the ridiculous estate sale I went to, or start off with my normal banter? 

Let's start off normal, otherwise my whole post will be about THAT estate sale (it might still be).

Thrifting was slow this week. At the thrift store I scored these awesome Pyrex bowls.

The estate sales in the area didn't get my attention so I didn't have any on my list, but one popped out for my mom, and it was a dud.  We waited in line after they opened way too long, an hour, to walk out with only this.

Boring, and I only walked out with this because mom has been on an ice bucket kick, she thinks it goes well with the theme of my stuff.  As long as she's doing the organizing at my next craft/vintage show I can't complain...too much.

Friday night I did my regular gslar.com search for sales in my area, and saw an estate sale pop-up just a few minutes from me, so that got put on my list.  So Saturday morning me and mom headed out.

(Ok...time to hunker down...I get really long winded.)

I don't know what this sale would officially be called.  I guess since it was the liquidation of a home it is technically an estate sale, but non like I ever been too and I've been to quiet a few.  As I'm typing this I'm even having a loss for words on how to describe it... it's more because I'm flabbergasted  on how it was ran and not by the condition it was in.  Does that make sense? 

Well, it was a two story home, not ran by an estate sale company, and from my experience this usually is a good thing, meaning prices are usually really inexpensive.   Nothing was priced, extremely unorganized, stuff partially unpacked, there was no hold area (aside from your hands), and the hostesses were EXTREMELY RUDE.

Items not being priced is not necessarily a bad thing I can deal with asking for prices over and over again, but when you ask for a price and then it doubles on you at check out that, my friend, is a "horse of a different color". 

My mom had picked out two cute vintage pinup ceramic type figurines, and was give a price of $2 and 20.  I said ok... maybe I can get a better price for the $20 one once I take all the stuff I've gathered.  After I gathered what I wanted I offered $30 for everything (my pricing being based off what I've previously purchased some of these items for, plus a bit more for the two other items).  Their response was "Oh No!"  These two items that we previously got prices on are "really old and expensive.  They will be $40 together".  Then they proceed to total my 5 glasses, 1 coffee cup, whiskey decanter, small red Pyrex bowl (not in the greatest condition) and two small shelves to an additional $30.  So $70 for everything.  HOLY COW!  "But we were told $22 total for the other two items"  "Well,  you didn't pay for them then, so the price has doubled"   "These are very old and expensive"  As she grabs the items and places them onto a pile of things under the chair she was sitting on. As the other hostess chimes in and says "This is my estate sale so I can prices things how I want."  My mom even tried to chime in on the prices she was quoted, but got no where.  (In my head all I heard was "NO soup for you!") 

OMG!!! I'm dealing with the Soup Nazi...well in this case the Estate Nazi. I'm almost at a loss for words.  I look at my stash and decide to leave the shelves, ceramic figurines, Pyrex and mug aside and ask how much for the 4 glasses and whiskey decanter.  They priced it at $20.  WTH!!!  It wasn't even like they looked at what I had or what I removed, because that was the same price they gave me before for the miscellaneous items, minus the shelves.  What ever! 

I am shocked, bewildered almost.  Not only on how they treated me, but how they treated others as well.  Someone bought a ladder, and had leaned it against the wall by the door close to where the check out was (which was just a chair no table), and the host started yelling, and I mean yelling, at the person telling them to take it outside, as the person was trying to justify wanting to go and buy some more stuff.  "No!  You take that out to your car RIGHT NOW and if you want to buy more then you come back", and shouted this at the person several times.

Next she started shouting about another item someone placed besides her, but haven't paid for it yet because they were looking to buy something else, BUT since they hadn't paid for it yet it wasn't theirs.  "That man (as she points at him) wants that sledge hammer, but he's over there looking to buy something else, but since he hasn't paid for it, then it's not his...so oh well".  Yes, this is something she shouted. AND someone comes carrying a pile of dishes and asked for a price "Ugh, those aren't for sale!" and tells someone to grab them and put them away.  Um how was she suppose to know they weren't for sale they were in the middle of the kitchen island thrown with everything else (I know, I saw them)?  Wow!  (Oh and just to help with your picture of this situation these weren't old bitter people.  One of the ladies was probably in her late 20s, the other maybe mid 30s). 

I look for my mom and we walk out empty handed.

This was by far the poorest ran sale of any kind I've ever been to, and definitely the rudest.  Garage sales are way more organized, even at garage sales once they see you have a few items in your hands they ask to put them aside for you so that you can grab more items.  Simple law of cause and effect right? The more stuff you have...the more stuff you buy....therefore the more money we make. 

Like I said what happened here shocked me, and my mom.  For hours after we left we kept on mumbling about what happened.  However (eh hem), those ceramic figures stayed on my mind, and I did my best by keeping business and personal(my disgust) separate and went back on Sunday to see what was left.  (I know I should be scolded? Ha, and I was almost expected to be at the estate sale.)

When I got there, I almost did a jump for joy when I saw one of the figurines on a table, but when I got in front of it I was sad.  It was broken.  One of her arms completely gone.   :-(  I have no doubt that happened while it teetered on top of the stuff they put it on the day before when they placed it under their chair.  Sigh.  I had a moment of silence for it and moved along (dramatic?)

I grabbed a few items including one of the shelves I wanted the day before, and got a price that I wanted.  Yes, I was ballsy and bartered them down...even after the situation the day before.  So here are the goodies I got. 

These hand sewn/embroidered  place-mats.

When I picked them up I didn't notice just how handmade they were until I got home.  Look at them. 

The embroidery is of course also hand embroidered,





The ric rack is hand sewn onto it, and the thing that got me was the 1/8" hand sewn hem around the whole place mat.  So much time, detail, and patience went into these.  Who was this patient woman?  Surely not the mother or grandmother of the wretched estate hostesses (but probably was).


My other finds.  This cute vintage kitty spoon holder.

Fire King Snoopy mug.  On the other side it says "I hate it when it snows on my French toast."


The whiskey decanter I wanted the day before. Other listings I've seen have this as Jade.  Man, that whiskey drinker drank in style.

And this itty bitty, 17" vintage suit case.







My mom asked "where would someone go with such a small suit case?"...my response "a boyfriends house".  Makes sense right?  I'm just saying.

But apparently this traveler had other places to go, somewhere where a lot of mistakes had to be erased, since it was filled with erasers, "if you want the suit case take the erasers with you". Such parting words.  Adieu to you too.


So,  have any of you come across an Soup (Estate) Nazi before?  Please tell.

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