Sunday, September 24, 2017

Negotiations

Saturday morning there was a neighborhood sale near our dog park, so I headed over there after the girls had their run. Not much to see until the last place, where I spotted a vintage metal plant stand, one of those midcentury hoop things with shelves. I liked it, and asked the price. 

Five dollars. I must have made a little face as I looked at the places where it’s a bit beat up. The lady came over and said, “It just needs a coat of spray paint. I used it in my bathroom to hold towels.” She looked down at it, then said, “How about three dollars?” Before I could open my mouth to say yes, she continued, “Two dollars.” Don’t you love it when the seller does both sides of the negotiation? I laughed and said I was going to keep standing there until she was down to fifty cents, but in truth I was fine with two bucks and brought it home.

I figured I'd use it outdoors, but I set it on the low bookshelf in my office and I love it there. A fun place to highlight pieces from my Museum de Me. The only caveat is, I can’t put anything breakable there…because of Millie.


There is no place in the house she won't go, and nothing she won't do. Wish I had a picture from the time she scaled our brick fireplace all the way up to the 14 foot high ceiling. There was a fly up there, and she was determined to get it.


I actually bought her a present on Friday. Found a fabric kitty-hidey-thing for a dollar that looked brand new. Brought it home and sprinkled some catnip inside. She really loves that ‘nip.




Since then she has ignored it, so I'm glad I only spent a buck. I'll try putting it in some different  locations around the house and if she’s still not interested, it’s off to the thrift store.

Fannie was also quite interested. But she is never, ever going to fit in there!


Yard sales are slowing down with the change in season (and the week of rain we just had), but that’s okay. It just means estate sale season will heat up. I'm still finding bits and pieces to bring home.  It’s fun to find little things to add to textile jewelry pieces.





This box of fabric samples has lots of possibilities.


Here’s the piece I finished a couple of days ago, made from half of the beaded coin purse I found last month.



I love the fabric in this child-size kimono, and it was only a dollar. I got it intending to part it out, but for now it’s decorating my half bath!




Couldn’t pass up a pair of Earth Shoes in my size for fifty cents.


I love these enamel pins from the Sixties. Fifty cents each!




I think they look even better together. Hmmm, pinned to the lapel of my black cashmere swing coat…now I can hardly wait for cold weather!


12 comments:

  1. You found some great bargains! I love the plant stand but I also have an adventurous cat and have to be careful of breakables! Love the dragonfly fabric piece you made. So pretty!

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    1. Thanks! I still have the other half of the dragonfly thing and want to go in some different direction with it. Something will turn up!

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  2. The Kitty Hidey thing looks a bit like a Dunce Cap. Sometimes appropriate for a mischievous animal!

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    1. The dunce is probably me for getting it, but a dollar didn't seem like TOO big a gamble!

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  3. We have spent quite a bit of money on Cat Balls, and only two of our four cats have tried them, as far as we know. Cats are finicky about their toys. It's almost as if we should give them a cat-alogue and a gift card so they can choose their own toys that they won't play with!!!

    I love the round plant holder. We can't leave breakables out either, because CATS. You got it for such a great price, and I'm glad you can use it in such an unusual way!

    Now that the weather in southeastern NC is getting a little cooler, I'll bet the garage sales will start to pile up. We'll see. I must have my own soon! I need to "play" in the garage for a couple of days straight to get it ready!

    Enjoy! Fonda

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    1. I know. CATS! Love the cat-alog idea.

      I'm wondering where you are in NC - we used to live in Wilmington (and Elkin, White Plains, Chapel Hill, Roxboro, Jamestown, and High Point - and we're not eve in the Witness Protection Program!).

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  4. Those enamel pins really take me back to my fashion-conscious teenage years in the 60's... & now I'm IN my 60's, so that's a long way back! Love what you did with the beaded purse. So creative! Wonder if a Dachshund would fit in that hidey-thing? You know how they love to burrow! Keep us in mind if Millie has truly lost interest!

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    1. What a good idea! I'm betting it will be yours one of these days.

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

 
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