Zucchini is Coming Out of Everywhere!!!

Our Kevin's garden is producing zucchini so fast that we can't keep up with it!! We are both taking squash to work several times a week, we've been eating it every night, and we have a huge stash of grated zucchini in the freezer for future summertime goodness this winter. I'm almost to the point of never wanting to see another zucchini or summer squash!!

Tonight I tried something new...it wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either-just kind of...eh-ok. It's a cheddar bacon squash impossible pie/quiche thing. All Kevin and Adam needed to hear was bacon and cheddar...but when I mentioned the squash...they hesitated.

I think it needs some sort of sauce or something-it was very dry. It had just the right amount of bacon, squash and cheese, but needed something more.

  

This was our first try at red onions-we got a bumper crop!!!

Kevin ran in the Michigan Warrior Dash this morning. He really enjoyed it! He ran with 6 of his co-workers. One guy posted a video to facebook of them jumping over fire. Kind of ironic since they all work in the Trauma Burn O.R.

Craigslist and a Road Trip!

Yesterday I found an ad on Craigslist for a booth in an antique mall that I try to visit a few times a year. It's about 45 minutes from my house and it has really come a long way from when I first started visiting it. I was actually bored and I was searching for vintage Fiesta. The ad had pictures of a vintage relish tray, pitchers, vases, and other tempting Fiesta goodness.

 I found two estate sales (in their last days) that were close by and decided to take off! Eric was bored, and the skies were gloomy so he decided to tag along. Both estate sales were a bust pretty much. I picked up 5 yardsticks at the first sale and nothing at the second. Both houses were in terrible condition on the inside. They both smelled, and there were nasty, nasty stains on the carpet and the handrails (ick) were sticky and gross-too bad I wasn't thinking and actually touched them!!!

 In the basement of the first house there was about 900 million avon decanters and it had a sickeningly sweet cheap perfumy kind of smell (on top of gross, nasty house smell). There was a little boy who looked to be about three and he said "Daddy, why does it stink here?" Daddy replied, "Because this house just pooped a LOT of Avon." the little boy said "Oh." It didn't register to me totally what he said until I heard Eric snort, because he was trying to keep from cracking up!

 I've never seen so much Avon-even when we did a clean out sale for my grandparents several years ago! I can't imagine the thousands of dollars that was spent on all of the figurines and decanters. I guess everyone has their thing that they just love and are addicted to collecting. I'm sure there are some out there who think I am crazy for collecting mud (Fiesta) as Kevin calls it.

 We were hoping for  some great treasures at Mega Mall (in Lansing) because they were having a store-wide sale. I asked a worker where booth M1S was (because that was the one in the Craigslist ad) and quickly found my way. I LOVED this booth!! Eric and I laughed because it looked a lot like my booth-just about 1/3 of the size.  I even got to meet the booth owner! He was a worker in the mall and he LOVE Fiesta too-imagine that! We talked for a little bit and he asked me if I had seen his booth, and I told him I had, but I didn't buy anything because he was one of the few booths in the mall without a sale sign. He told me he was new and this was his first month and he was just testing it out.

 He offered me 20% off any of his Fiesta...I went back twice...drooled some...and crunched numbers...but in the end, I walked out with just some dark green shakers from another booth. I would have LOVED to have bought his Fiesta relish tray inserts, but they were just a touch too high for my super cheap taste. I'm sure someone will pay it and he'll have a great sale, but for me, I'd rather stick with the treasure hunt and the hope of finding them for a song!

I will remember his booth though, and every time I go back, I'll make sure I spend some extra time searching for treasures there! I'm hoping to get over there for one of their summer Sunday flea markets (every third Sunday). I asked the cashier and he told me in June they had 100 vendors in the parking lot for the flea market! Now that is impressive!! He said July was around 60 because everyone got discombobulated with the third Sunday being on the 15th-it just didn't seem like it was the third Sunday. They are expecting big crowds and lots of vendors for August (19th). I think I might try to make it after church!

We saw signs for a HUGE garage sale at Haslett High School, so we swung by there on our way home. It was mostly new stuff and baby and kid stuff, but it was HUGE! We didn't buy any treasures but we got some smoked brisket sandwiches for lunch-YUM! We joked and laughed all the way home so it felt like we were only on the road about 10 minutes!!

It was a FUN morning! I LOVE hanging out with my guys, either one at a time or both of them together!!! They are both at a really fun age-not kids any more at 18 and 21, but always my babies!

Here are my finds from today---Eric is my treasure for the day!!

600 Posts and a Give-Away!!!

WOW!!! I can't believe I have made 600 posts already!! It's been a fun junkin journey and I'm looking forward to the next 600 and beyond! I've enjoyed my treasure hunts and posting about them as well as seeing the things you've been finding and reading about your adventures! I love to cheer for you when I see you've had a great junkin day, and I love to learn new things from you when you share things you've seen or done!

I have appreciated all of the encouragement you've given me, the comments, emails the laughs and the friendships! I've even met some of my blog junkin buddies in person!! So, in honor of you, my blog buddies and my 600th post, I am having a give-away!

I've gone through my junk treasures, and I've put together an eclectic mix. One winner will be chosen at random on August 1. There are six ways you can enter the give-away.

1. Follow this blog
2. Follow on Facebook
3. Leave a comment on this blog
4. Leave a comment on facebook
5. Become a linky follower
6. Send me an email

Here is what I've gathered for the give-away...I'll probably toss in a couple other things before I tape up the box-it's a surprise!

It includes a Pioneer Corn sack, a silver netting hat, some vintage clothespins, an aqua 626 square bowl, an oval doily, a clear ink bottle, a clear salt cellar, a couple hankies, a kitty picture, some Christmas bias tape, some sequins and beads, and a couple of embroidery pieces. I'll toss in a couple more surprise treasures before I close up the box!

To Sand or Not to Sand...?

In April I picked up this great gossip bench for a song. Someone had spent hours and hours faux painting it. It was even painted plaid inside the little cubbie and under the seat!

 I spent a good chunk of last weekend sanding it and painting it. I'm almost ready to put it back together and I'm trying to decide if I should leave it as it is, or if I should distress it a bit. Sorry, not the best picture.

So far, I'm leaning toward leave it as it is...what do you think???

A Quick Junkin' Fix and a LOT of Painting!!!

This morning was our local High School's annual community garage sale. It was the 9th one. I'm pretty sure I've been to all of them. I can remember when it was just 5 or 6 people in the parking lot selling mostly baby and kid stuff-nothing vintage or old to be found.

Last year was the best year! I filled up my car for little money and I was thrilled! This year, I got some fun things, but nothing like last year. This year there was a lot of baby and kid stuff and a lot of new garage sale junk.

My favorite vendors were back, and they remembered me from last year! I bought a green steel lawn chair from them last year, and they remembered the smokin deal I got at a couple seller's down the aisle on a vintage green wicker chaise.

This year, I bought a trunk from them, with a piece of glass to turn it into a coffee table. I also bought a giant white shutter-type  closet door. Once again their prices were awesome, and they were still super friendly, and enjoying seeing the people who were shopping.

My other favorites, two older ladies were back this year, but their stuff wasn't as fun as last year, and their prices were a LOT higher. I loaded up on stuff from their sale last year, so I was disappointed this year.

Another seller kept calling me darlin, and honey while we talked and she wrapped up my purchase. She seemed like a really sweet lady-it wasn't cheesy or weird the way she was using it in the conversation-it just seemed like she was the type of person who never meets a stranger.

After we went there, Kevin and I went back to the sale where I got the old glass syringe, but she had sold all of her vintage medical stuff and most of her old nursing books, so we just came home. I got inspired to pull out a bunch of my "projects" and get a couple coats of paint slapped on them.

I've been working on a gossip bench, 3 dressers, a sewing cabinet and an old toy high chair. I still  have an old vanity with a mirror, a china cabinet, another gossip bench, several tables and several chairs that need painting-I just hope this awesome weather holds out for a few more days so I can keep painting!!!

While I was waiting for paint to dry, I decided to try some super fine sand paper on the fuzzy, hairy ironing board from yesterday. It WORKED!!! No more fuzzy, dog hair covered nasty ironing board!! I'm glad I gave it a try-it worked great too!!

Tomorrow my brother-in-law and sister-in-law are coming out, to swim and to work on a project in the barn. She wants me to take her to the booth-maybe I can get something done enough to take it in!! I'm interested in hearing her opinion on my booth-I wonder if she will like it...

Here is what I picked up today...

 Sorry, I didn't get pictures before I packed it away in the basement. Kevin helped me unload the car and there was no picture taking. I really like this trunk...it may have to be fostered for a little while!!

This is a much smaller trunk, but it has a tray insert and the inside still has the original paper.

All of these things were from the darlin' lady. She said the frame was her mother's and it was really old. She told me the funky retro flower cups were hers and she used to make and serve her kids pudding in them! Her son (whom she told me was 36) was there helping and he remembered that, but didn't want them.

These two tablecloths were also her mother's.

I'm thinking this will look good in the back corner of my booth..maybe I can figure out a way to hang stuff on it...

Here are a couple of shots of what I've been doing all afternoon...I made my own chalk paint from a recipe I found online. I don't think I'm that impressed with it...maybe it's because I am doing it in white, I don't know. I'll give it a try again in a color, but for white, it's not doing it for me. I will have to add a couple more coats tomorrow of just regular paint to each item.

It almost feels like a cross between painting and spackling. I'm sure the chalk paint you buy is much smoother and the results are much better.

Well...I'd better get out to the barn and try to find some tarps to cover it all up for the night! Hope you had a great Saturday-I'll come visit you soon!!!

A Quick Couple of Sales...

After work yesterday I ran home real quick to pick up my garage sale money and my guys wanted to go to Panera for lunch. So the four of us headed out. The three of them in one car, and me in my car-so I could leave right from lunch to hit a few sales. After lunch, Kevin followed me to my car and decided he wanted to go to some sales with me.

I'm going to have to leave him at home! He's costing me a LOT of money this summer!!! He has been finding a lot of big ticket items, for  very reasonable, if not cheap prices. He found a sprayer on wheels, that you would tow behind a mower or tractor for spraying fertilizer or weed killer. He got it for less than a third of what they go for in the store and it was only used once.

I found a few treasures, but for the most part the sales were not my kind of sales. The first sale of the day was the best, and even then, I only got a few things. Today's sales didn't look very promising, but like any good treasure hunting junkie, I found myself behind the wheel with a list of 6 sales to check out.

I overslept (which felt wonderful, after not sleeping very well for several nights) so I was mad at myself because I was going to be getting to an estate sale that looked wonderful, about a half an hour late. I had just pulled out of my road when I saw a sale sign...I convinced myself that a few extra minutes at that point wouldn't really matter, so I stopped.

I'm so glad I did! I found some really fun junk! I got an old barrel, a blue pedestal thingy (not sure if it is for flowers or really thirsty people), and a vintage liquor decanter/dispenser with the name Gilmore on it. A dear friend of mine has the last name Gilmore and her husband has been putting together a "man cave" the past few years, so I bought it-thinking he might like it. If they don't want it, I can put it in the booth-some just sold on Ebay for $27.10 and $39.99 plus shipping, so I think it is safe to assume I can make back the $8 I spent on it if they don't want it.

I got back in my car, happy that I'd stopped, and took off once again for the estate sale. About a mile down the road, I see a sign for a moving sale, and since it was at a house where I've never seen a sale sign at in the 18 years that I've lived here, I decided to stop again. It was a great sale. I was just a little too late-a couple of ladies before me got almost all of the vintage fun stuff-almost, but not all. I snagged a couple of things!

Then I was determined to get to that estate sale-so off I went. It was in the town my mom's family all grew up in. The city/town where my parent's built a house my senior year in high school and stayed there until 10 years ago when my dad retired. I always LOVE to go back to that town to just drive through to see how things have changed. I went to school there from 5th grade through 12th grade and I worked in optical there for 8 years.

I worried about getting to the estate sale for nothing!! It was still really loaded when I got there-almost an hour late. The things I saw on estatesales.net in the pictures, were all still there-because they were priced WAYYYY too high! There were several things I would have bought, had the prices been lower--oh well!

I did pretty well just taking off on rabbit trails after that. I decided that the unplanned sales were working much better for me today so every time I saw a sign I pulled in. All of the planned sales turned out to be frogs. All of the unplanned/freestyle sales were princes!!

I filled my car pretty full, and didn't spend a whole lot. One place I stopped is a perpetual garage sale place. They are on a busy road, and the lady has an old block building next to her house where she always has stuff for sale. For the most part her prices are kind of high-but every once in a while-you find something. She also has stuff in her garage, mostly furniture and those prices are usually really good. I found a quilt today in the little building and asked how much it was, since I didn't see the sticker. As she was walking over, I saw a sticker for $2!! She blushed and said, "I'm busted! That's what I paid for it. I had it for sale for $6, but since you busted me, if you want it, you can have it for $4!

The top is in great shape-the underside...not so much. But for $4, I was willing to take a chance on it. She told me to make sure I visit her niece's house because she was having a sale too and she lived just about a mile away. I went to the niece's sale and found some more fun stuff! So for today at least, freestyling was the way to go!!

How do you do it? Do you make a plan before you leave your house and stick to it? Do you just head out and start following signs-following the little rabbit trails? Or do you do a little of both? I usually have my plan and stick to it for the most part-unless I can see a sale from the road I'm on, I don't usually follow signs...maybe I should wander off my well planned path more often!!

Here is what I got yesterday...

I don't even know if this is for tea, coffee or chocolate-I just thought it was neat looking.

Tablecloths, 3 rounds and one rectangular-fifty cents each or three for a dollar!!

I'm thinking this hanger might help in the booth...

Vintage metal lap trays...

A Christmas tin...

A Christmas half apron...

A couple of vintage cutting boards...

A vintage popcorn tin-perfect for Valentine's Day!

A set of 4 trays-I accidentally ruined one when I pulled the price sticker off-I thought they were plastic!

Here is today's finds...the front passenger seat was full too!

Tupperware picnic set-unused!

This was in the "FREE" box-it's real too!!

Real silver...$3 for the whole bag-now I can try some projects I've been wanting to try!

A few hankies and some glass stir sticks.

This was in a box of embroidery stuff marked $1 for entire box. I didn't want anything else but this, and asked if they'd sell it separately and the lady running the sale said, "Merry Christmas!" and she gave it to me!!

This pin just reminded me of my Dad's mom. She wore all kinds of pins like this! I'm gonna keep this since I don't have any of hers, and every time I look at it, I'll think of her!!

Full chenille bedspread-$2

Kiddie rocker...

  A tin full of knee huggers!

This is the BEST find of the day. It is a glass shot-Something that doctor's used before everything went to metal then to disposable plastic. You know how much I LOVE old glass things-I was thrilled to find this at a sale of a nurse/collector who works at the same hospital as Kevin. Even the plunger is glass! The Pyrex fridgie lids were only a quarter each at another sale.

Here's my $4 quilt, because I "busted" the lady having the sale-LOL!

I know this isn't old, but it is whimsical and ever since Eric had chickens' I seem to be drawn to chicken things!

A 1940's Starline suitcase-it's a big one too! This is from the lady that gave me the doily-she was the one who embroidered it too, but didn't want it anymore.

Here's today's load

Did you see this hiding in the back? I've been wanting a wooden ironing board for a long time, and I was so excited to find this one! It had a ripped up silver cover on it with a thin piece of yellow foam under the cover.

I ripped off the cover and foam, only to find it was covered with stuck on dog hair and fuzz (probably from the previous cover). Any ideas how I can get the fuzz and dog hair off without taking the paint off??

Kinda gross-huh?!?! No wonder it was so cheap-they knew what was under the cover!

What do you think about these two little rockers...I love the red one, but not the stickers someone put on it...I'm hoping they will come off with water, and I'm hoping they weren't mod podged on.

This little guy is in serious need of a paint job! Any color suggestions? I've sold several that were painted red, either by me or by the previous owner, so I'm kind of tired of red...but if it's a good seller, should I stick with it??

How about you? Did you get to any sales today or yesterday? If you don't have a blog, send me an email or leave me a comment about what you picked up! I LOVE to hear about what my blog friends are finding and what they are doing with their finds!!

Hopefully I can find a few good sales tomorrow too! This weekend is the Midland Antiques Festival, but I'm staying home. Our boys have taken off for a long weekend to my parents in the U.P., so I'm going to get busy and organize the basement and paint some projects that have been sitting around for a while! I know Marie is going-Have FUN Marie!!!