Thrift Share Monday

It's time for thrift share Monday with Apron Thrift Girl. I haven't been able to participate in recent weeks because the weather has been rather cold and rainy and no one was having any sales. There is a thrift store in town open year-round but they always seem to have the same inventory, most of it dreary junk that no one wants. I just get frustrated when I go in there. Usually only in the dead of winter. Out of desperation. I wait with anticipation for "the season" to begin so I can do some real thrifting.

There was rummage sale sponsored by some local group (Elks? Lions?) at our county building on Saturday. I got there at 8am when the sale opened. There wasn't much. I picked up the following 2 items:The bracelet is well made and I rather like it. For 25 cents I wasn't going to complain. I bought other piece (same price) imagining that I would use it to make a journal cover ala Tracy Moore. I like to dream. I also found a large prescription bottle filled with buttons. They were mostly plastic but there was a large shell button in there that was worth the 25 cents it cost me for the whole bottle.

I left that sale feeling somewhat in a funk. I guess I was expecting more since it was the first sale of the season and my expectations were high. There wasn't much except for all the usual stuff I see trotted out at too many sales: scuffed & dirty tupperware, worn-out sheets, stained t-shirts, archaic technology, water damaged books. Sigh. I'm a veteran thrifter, I know this is how it goes. You can stop at 20 bad sales for every dream sale. And there is no way to know. You have to stop at every one perchance it's one of those epic sales you tell stories about for years to come.

I drove around and saw signs for an estate sale. I followed the signs down a dirt road I've never been on before. The road was rutted and I drove slowly and my spirits began to lift a bit. It was one of those picture-perfect mornings. The sky a deep blue, the temperature comfortable, me driving down an unknown road to some unexplored place. I began to remember why I go to yard sales. I go into neighborhoods I would never otherwise visit, following the promise of great treasure. I get to be outdoors (usually) at the most inviting time of the year weatherwise. I see people I know from the community, I meet all sorts of pets...it's the Whole Experience, not just pursuing the acquisition of cheap stuff. It's an adventure. I've scored some great items over the years but I've also met great people, seen some amazing gardens and innovative architecture I wouldn't otherwise have access to. I've spent many a summer morning socializing with sellers as I rummage through their stuff and listen to their stories. Not a bad hobby really.

This was waiting for me at the estate sale at the end of the rutted road:A queen sized linen/cotton blend Pottery Barn duvet cover with matching bedskirt. Good quality and almost new. They were in a box with another really nice duvet cover (king size), 100% cotton, but no tag identifying the brand. $5 for the whole box. Things were looking up. Never mind how much I just convinced myself it was about the adventure. Score!

I headed next to the Catholic church's rummage sale. I've been before in years past and my expectations were low. Until I saw the fabric box:I swore I wasn't going to buy any more fabric before I use up what I already have. I usually don't have a problem ignoring fabric scraps as often the stuff dumped in boxes under tables at sales is cheap quality or weird material or sickeningly cutsey. But these I could not pass up at 25 cents a piece. These are quality fabrics, all with more than a yard left. The scraps in the plastic zip-lock bag (50 cents for the lot) are small squares of various styles in incredible colors (unfortunately the ugliest piece in the whole bag happens to be the one on top in the picture. Sorry!) I'm going to use them to make fabric journal covers.

I went through the mountains of clothes and found this. It's a nice linen shirt, not necessarily my style but I like the way it looks and fits. For 50 cents I figured I'd give it a go.
This next item is odd and I don't quite know what to make of it. Here is the cover:Yes, that says four color-etch prints by Lionel Barrymore. There are 4 small prints tucked inside (3 shown): The prints are very highly colored and have a silvery sheen to them. There is a whole little story about how Lionel painted scenes of the sea when he wasn't being Henry Potter plotting the demise of Bedford Falls. Who knew that he was also a fine artist? These prints are in a folder labeled " presented with the compliments of" some Realty company. Part of a welcome wagon package? The set was a buck and it kept beckoning me back. I often buy odd little things like this. I have a raven's brain. "Shiny and glittering"? Must bring it back to the nest!

Finally, this item I purchased for 25 cents:There is a hand written label on the bottom that says "Old Tin Glaze. Austria. $16". Sure enough, Austria is etched on the back of the piece. It's a bank with no way to open it except the old fashioned way. With a hammer. I have no idea what tin glaze is. I'll have to do some research.

It turned out to be a good weekend. What did y'all find?