Sunday, May 31, 2009

SLEEPY KITTIES AND THRIFTY FINDS


Since I have no memory to speak of any more I try to jot down a few words when I get back in my car after a sale, to remind me of things I want to include in my blog. But more than once I've found that my notes are too cryptic to jog any of the memory cells I've still got left.

The latest says simply: Wrong way.

No idea what it refers to. Did I see someone going the wrong way? Did I go the wrong way? Was someone doing something the wrong way, or did I overhear a conversation about some wrong way? But don’t worry, this will not drive me crazy wondering what the heck it was about, because about ten minutes after I write this I will have forgotten what I was writing about. My motto: embrace your geezerhood!

The first sale on Saturday was on Peace Street. Doesn’t that seem like a good place to start? Bought a big plastic container with many, many sheets of expensive scrapbooking paper. Not sure what I'll do with them (other than not scrapbooking) but it's really nice paper. I'll think of something. The seller told me she no longer does scrapbooking. I admitted it's one of those things I've never felt that I got. She said it seemed to her like the modern equivalent of a quilting bee; she must have been a social scrapbooker. She also laughed and said that it was one more thing for people to spend their money on, and that some of this papers originally cost a dollar a sheet.

I stopped at several sales that were fundraisers, the largest for a church preparing to send a group to Africa for a month. As I was paying for a couple of items, one of the men standing nearby grinned at me and said, “Your hat makes your eyes pop.” I was wearing my denim sun visor and yes, my eyes are blue. I laughed and batted my eyes at him. Then the phraseology made a cartoon character jump into my mind, so I used my hands to indicate my eyes popping out on stalks. Okay, you had to be there, but the amazing thing was that all of the 4 or 5 people listening got it and everyone cracked up. One of the other guys said, “You know, like your eyes stand out.” Which made me laugh even more. “That sounds more like the cartoon version,” I told him. The first guy said, “It was a compliment. Really!”

Across the street was a lady who really liked my car, especially the color (it's dark green). I told her I'd recently noticed that 95% of cars today are black, white, gray or beige. We looked around—the street was full of cars and yup, only mine and one other were not one of those colors. She said she was probably going to become obsessed with watching cars now. When I left she shouted, “Goodbye, Miss Hotrod!”

Around the corner I noticed a couple of those robotic sweepers, Roombas, on a driveway. I asked if they worked but the guy said they both had issues, and that sometimes people liked to part them out to build robots. Then he started telling me what a great tool it is. I wanted to run right out and get one—the company should film this guy. He said he’s an engineer, and he took his newest one to work to show all the other guys how it works. Can't you just see an office full of engineers excitedly gathered around a little robotic vacuum cleaner?

It was a low-pet day, but I had no trouble getting a picture of Arlie:

Her owner said she began setting up her sale at 5 a.m. and as soon as she put the sheepskin on the driveway Arlie had settled in and slept there ever since. I didn’t think the sheepskin would sell, because not only would no one want to interrupt Arlie’s nap, Arlie was not going to budge. I spoke to her and scratched her head, and all I got was eyes slightly open and a soft “Murp” before she went back to sleep.

I spent $18.75 and came home with:

A silk lampshade to try on the brass floor lamp we got a few weeks ago. Not sure this will work, but the price was within my gambling tolerance.
A few gifts—some cute flannel jammies...who knew Victoria’s Secret made flannel pj’s with dogs on them—

or that they have signature buttons?)…
…a copy of High School Musical for someone I know has never seen it…
…and a sweet vintage butterfly pin to put in my mother’s birthday card in a couple of weeks. Hey sis, don’t tell!
I picked up a couple of items for the children’s librarians I work with—stack of felt squares for making flannelboard stories
and a wonderful porcupine hand puppet.
These vintage linens all have spots on them, so I'm hoping the oxy cleaner stuff will work its magic. They were a quarter apiece, and no way could I leave them behind!





This one, the world’s largest dish towel, fooled me—I thought it was embroidery but the design is just drawn on. Heck. Probably won’t keep this.

Found a nice shirt for my husband, a brand he often wears. It looks much better on him that my dress form!
I'm going to put cooking oil in this little container to keep on the kitchen counter. I've been looking for something so I can get the big bottle of oil back in the pantry.
These sweet little note cards will come in handy—especially now that Hallmark is charging for most of its e-cards (dang it!).
This is the box of nifty papers from the former scrapbooker.
And for the first time in several weeks I scored a bunch o’ movies.

Aside from Arlie kitty snoozing, this had to be the cutest thing I saw all morning:
This little girl was enraptured by a music box playing a Christmas tune. She stayed perfectly still the whole time, her eyes glued to the box’s slow turns. When it finished she sat still for a moment longer, then carried the box back to where she’d found it.

A very nice child.

23 comments:

  1. Arlie is so sweet! I'm loving the pjs and the vintage linens :-) My husband is an engineer and I can see him examining it and declaring "what a piece of junk!" haha.

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  2. I love the Victoria's Secret pjs....ya. who knew? xo Joan

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  3. I don't care what anyone says--sending a handwritten note (especially on pretty cards) is way more personal than an e-card. I just got in a big argument with my sister about this. You scored big, as usual!

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  4. my oldest son bought a Roomba when he got his first apartment. Too much junk on the floor to travel around. Found out the other day that they also make the remote control drones that the military uses. Who-da-thunk it? Like Tang, a side product of research!
    Depending on the prints, the scrapbooking paper would be great cut out with an Ellison into various shapes and used for collages! It is a nice change to be able to use a print as well as the solids.

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  5. I love the oil container you purchased! That's a good idea! I want one, too!

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  6. I luv thrift!!!! Nice blog! CHEERS! Michele

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  7. Some great finds! Star Wars IV and VI are the best ones, if you ask me! Love the kitty and the well-behaved child! You got a deal on the scrapbooking paper! And BTW I have a dark green car, too...easy to find in the parking lot! lol Have a great week...Debbie

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  8. Great finds. Extra good deal on the scrapebooking paper, as it can get pretty expensive.
    Glenda

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  9. What a cute kittie that was! Your stories are always so entertaining & as usual, you scored again! Thanks for playing.

    I deleted your first link!

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  10. I love that porcupine puppet. It would go great with some Jan Brett stories.

    Thanks for sharing.

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  11. Wow, what a lot of great finds! I love the flannel pjs, and the vintage linens!

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  12. I had fun browsing your blog and going on sales with you. You have bought some fun stuff.
    Thanks for coming to my blog today. Do come back. We got garage saling most weekends. And I usually score great buys!!!
    Don't you ever wonder what Victoria's secret is anyway?

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  13. Wow! It looks like you do really well for under $20. I love the vintage linens - that embroidery always gets me.
    Thanks for visiting my blog, and I got a real chuckle reading about your memory issues! I love it!
    Mary Lou

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  14. Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment. I heart comments in the worst way! I appreciate the heads up on my 4-legged office chair. Hopefully, I'll remember your advice!

    Roombas are wonderful! My daughter got one for $1 off woot.com and gave it to me for Christmas. It was the best gift I received. While it doesn't replace a real vacuum, it's great for in-between cleanups.

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  15. Great finds! You could do some serious "Modge Podging" with all that scrapbook paper!!!! FUN! :) I'm loving the vintage linens too....I like them as picnic blankets.

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  16. You found some great stuff.

    And cute kitty. I'm a huge fan of cats.

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  17. Roomba. THAT might just be the name I'll call the next grandbaby. After all, that IS what they do.

    Seriously. You find the greatest stuff. I'd like to shop five minutes BEFORE you.

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  18. I love going to garage sales and second hand stores but very rarely get to go because I live in such a small town. My favorite second hand store is over 5 hours away. I guess that's why I love your blog, so I can live vicariously through you!!!!1

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  19. Since I'm a scottie dog owner, I just loooove those pj's! My eyes will now be peeled for my own pair at a yard sale... ya never know!

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  20. Don't worry Sis, your secret is safe! But can't wait to see it, it looks gorgeous.

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  21. Love the linens! And the oil holder and the porcupine puppet are adorable! I have a pair of VS flannel jammies in that same style that has popsicles on them!

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  22. Great scores (as per usual). My Mum loves her roomba and thinks maybe she is now up to having a pet because of it. I love handwritten notes (although I am not the best at sending them) and the vintage pin is great. Check out Oodles and oodles blog for other anthropomrophized vegetables.

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  23. I love that you buy for the school librarian. I am a retired teacher and school funds are so limited. GOOD FOR YOU!

    Chala

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I really love your comments. Thanks for coming along on my thrifty adventures!

 
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