It's Beginning to Look a LOT Like Christmas!

After work today, I got busy and started cleaning some Christmas goodies for the booth...I wish I had room to keep these guys!! Don' you just LOVE their faces!?!?

The winds are howling here tonight! I can't imagine how bad the weather is on the east coast! Be safe friends!!

All Gone!!!

Leaving comments will be a LOT easier on this blog! I got a reminder today about what a PAIN those word verification code things are-thanks Amy!! I get so frustrated when I go to leave a comment on someone's blog and have to keep entering codes because for some reason, I entered it wrong. I had forgotten that I had  that on my blog too-but not any more! It's GONE!!!

It hasn't stopped the spam, so I'm not worried about more spam. Some of the spam comments are really pretty funny-maybe someday I'll make a post with all of my spam comments-you'd get a chuckle out of most of them!

So please feel free to comment, whenever you want! I LOVE to hear from you-even if you're just saying "HI"!

Stay safe east coast friends!

Have a great week!!

You Can Learn a Lot From a Puppy!

We've had our little Lucy 7 months now, and I don't know how we ever got along without her! She has brought so much laughter, joy, and love to our house-it's unbelievable! Everyone, even Maddie our aging lab has benefited from this little bundle of fur. I've been watching her because she is so funny, you never know what she's going to do next, and I've learned a lot!

When she gets up in the morning, she takes a big, long stretch and jumps right into her day. She hops up and greets everyone in her family with a hello, and a big kiss. How many times have we been too tired, crabby or in a hurry in the morning to let our loved ones know we love them and we're happy to see them? Do we greet the people we meet during the day (like co-workers, store clerks, etc.) with kindness and a happy smile? Or do we buzz on by, in a hurry to get to our next task?

Everything she does, she does at 110%. Whether it's ripping up a piece of paper, shredding a pencil, pulling someone's shoes from their closet and dragging them to her treasure rug in the living room, or running and playing-she goes all out. How many times do we only put in a little effort, or only do as much as necessary to just get by?

When I come home at night, she flies to the back door, jumping up and down, barking, and yipping until I empty my hands and pick her up for some hugs and kisses. How often to we do that for our loved ones when they come home?

When she goes outside, she looks all around, sniffs the air, stretches, and even looks up into the sky. How often do we take the time to really look at and soak in our surroundings? Or even enjoy our surroundings? Sometimes, I don't even notice my surroundings!!

I've learned a LOT from my sweet, fluffy little puppy. I hope I can remember to be more like her!!

Friday Finds...

I went a little further yesterday than I've gone in a while for sales, but I was able to map out 9 different sales from the first one, toward home. It was a fun day to see different areas, and to be out and about-even if it was cold and rainy. I didn't get much, but had a fun time.

The first sale I went to was a #2 sale at the same location. It was an estate sale for a former antiques dealer/hoarder and it was the second day (or really the 5th day). The amount of stuff was overwhelming. Most sales that I've been to don't even come close to this amount of stuff-even on the first day, and they certainly wouldn't have enough stuff to have a 5th or 6th day.

Everything I saw in the pictures at estatesales.net was still there. It was after 11 on the second day. So what does that tell you? Yep! The prices were high. They used painter's tape as their price tags. Blue was the color from the first sale a few weeks ago, and green was the color for this weekend's sale. Blue was 50% off, green was 25% off.

I picked up a few things, and was interested in a metal doll bed in the garage, but the price was higher than I wanted to pay. The son of the estate sale company's owner asked his dad if he would go down a couple more dollars for me,and he refused-even though it was still there from the first sale!

I picked up some really cool luggage at another sale. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the stickers! I've never bought luggage with stickers before. Even though I don't have any where to put them, I'm afraid I will have a hard time getting them to the booth!

These are my finds from Friday's sales...

  

Didn't go to any sales today, just spending a lazy day around the house! How about you? What did you find this week?

Thanks for all of the great suggestions for our drive to Florida! We're writing them all down-making our list, and starting to get excited. So THANKS for the ideas!!!

Any Suggestions???

On November 9th, Kevin and I are driving his mother and step-father's car to Florida so they can fly and not have to be driving or in the car for such a long time. We have 1 week to get down to their house and want to make a lot of stops along the way. We want to spend just one or two days in Florida and the rest on a big road adventure.

All of the other times I've driven either to or from Florida, I've always been in a HUGE hurry to either get to the sunshine or get home. This time is different, but since it's always been such a rushed trip, I've never stopped to smell the roses (other than Jeffrey's in Ohio).

So, now I need your help!!! Any suggestions on places to stop between Michigan and Florida? I've been searching and searching, and mostly have just come up with museums, and state parks. I'd really like to do something fun and different.

We are open for just about anything. We'd like to try to stay in cottages or lodges and skip the chains-any ideas on those as well? I really wanted to visit the Webster flea market when we were down there, but it's only on Mondays, and we won't be there yet-boo!!!

We'll have to be careful, because we are flying back and we can't accumulate too much to bring back with us...unless I can talk his mom into keeping it and driving home with our treasures in May (or whoever drives their car back for them).

So...any advice you might have would be GREATLY appreciated!!! It will just be the two of us. The boys are staying home with the dogs. I have a crazy feeling that we won't have a crumb of food left in the house when we get back!

Thanks so much!!!

We have a winner!!!

Congratulations Bonnie! You are the winner of the My memories give-away!! I will send you an email with instructions and access code so you can download your free copy of their scrap booking software suite!

Looking forward to seeing all the wonderful things you make with it!

Thanks everyone who commented, sent emails, or "liked" my page!

Losing My Touch...but great finds anyway!

I saw an ad for a last minute estate sale yesterday morning and decided I'd rather play than do laundry and dust, so off I went to Ann Arbor! I was proud of myself for remembering to bring along a book to read while I waited for the sale to open. I was planning to be there about 30 minutes early.

I didn't realize it was a HUGE football day and even at 8:15 in the morning people were swarming in to tailgate. It took an extra 15 minutes or so just to get through downtown. I couldn't believe the parking fees! Some places were charging $50 per car and $250 per RV. WOW! I guess you really gotta like football to be willing to pay that plus the ticket prices!

As you can tell, since I had no clue there was a game, let alone the big rivalry game between U of M and State, that I am not a football fan.

I finally made it through the gauntlet of cars, people and tailgaters and got to the sale with only 15 minutes to spare! I got my number, got back in the car to read my book while I waited, and then I realized...I totally forgot to bring a bag to carry my treasures around in while I shopped! It has been so long since I've been to an estate sale that I expected to find something at, that I walked out of the house without a bag!

I had to make a few trips to the cashier table to set stuff down, but that worked out ok, because I was able to get everything I came for. I really like the company that was running this sale. They are my favorite estate sale company out of all the sales I've been to over the years. They are very friendly, they have great prices, and they are helpful.

Most estate sales I walk into lately have all these signs posted about what they won't do (help you move stuff, bargain on prices, etc). Plus I've seen some really unrealistic prices from some of these companies. This company has very reasonable prices, and I've gotten some great treasures from their sales in the past couple of years.

I did a little homework and found a garage sale in the same area, at the same time, so I got to double my chances of finding some fun stuff. I also stopped at Treasure Mart on the way home and had a great time looking through all of the junk treasures they had for sale. I drove around the block 4 times trying to find a parking spot (stupid football game!) Before I decided to take a chance that the super small back parking lot might have a tiny spot left, and realized I should have checked there first! Usually it is full, so I never check the parking lot-it only holds about 8 cars.

As soon as I got home I went out with a friend while Eric taught her son how to shoot his BB gun (the safe way). Then we had a double match of volleyball (12 games-6 games against 2 different teams), so it was a full day!

The guy from the Craigslist ad showed up and was thrilled with the chaise! Woot!! It's gone, I miss it...but I know I couldn't keep it because I had no room for it. It's going to be used by a community theater group in Birmingham as a stage prop-how fun!

Today, the sun is finally out so I am biz-ily soaking linens to hang outside and hopefully get to the booth soon. I thought about going to the last Mega Mall flea market of the season today, but just wasn't up for the drive. It is another big one-100 vendors!!

Here are the treasures I picked up yesterday...

Sorry about the bad pictures, I didn't check what setting Eric left my camera on when he used it last.

Blink and it's gone!

I went in to the booth today to add some stuff and straighten things up a bit. I'm glad I did! Someone moved one of my gossip benches out, removed the price tag, and left it blocking the entrance to half of my booth! Really? Is it too hard to put stuff back the way you found it? Maybe they were expecting the booth fairies to come in and put it back for them.

I brought in the pilgrim woman and Indian blow molds that I got earlier this summer, and just as I got them plugged in (but not totally in place yet), one of the mall workers came up and bought them!! That just made my day! I probably could have asked for more for the pair, but I got them for a great price, so whenever I get good deals, I like to pass them on to my customers.

I wandered around the mall a little bit, and came across a set of my glasses,that I'm sure the dealer bought from my booth last week. I sold them individually for $6 each and they were selling them as a set for...$125!!! Good luck with that! I will be watching to see if they actually get that, although I doubt very much anyone will pay that much for old jelly jar glasses-we'll see.

I took a little trip down the road a bit to another antique mall, and wandered around for a little bit. Compared to how full my mall was, you could almost hear the crickets at this place! Only one other person was in the whole place-even the owners were standing on the sidewalk smoking!

This is the one thing I totally drooled over while I was there...

After that I went and took a young mom out to lunch with her little baby boy. She isn't working right now, and she and her husband are struggling a little financially and can't afford little treats like lunch out. It was fun to kind of spoil her a bit and I think she enjoyed having someone to talk/vent to.

After that, I went to get my hair done and was told my girl no longer works there, and they aren't allowed to tell me where she went-UGH! That always seems to happen to me. Every time I find someone I like, they move on, or every time I find a product I like, it gets discontinued!

When I got home, I got an email from my stylist, telling me where she has moved to-YAYYY!!! I was thinking of writing a letter to the local newspaper to see if anyone out there reading the paper could tell me where Stephanie went-I was THAT desperate! She is very good, and very thorough, probably the best stylist I've ever had. Plus she has really thick curly hair too,so she knows how to work it!

Tomorrow, Eric is teaching my friend's son (who is 11) how to shoot the BB gun that he got for Christmas last year. So I'll get to hang out with my friend for a couple of hours while the boys shoot cans in the back yard. I'm looking forward to that, because she travels all over the world for her work and I don't get to see her as much as I used to.

What are your weekend plans? Any sales or auctions that you're planning to go to? I'm hoping for some sunshine so I can soak and hang out some linens. They seem to be like rabbits, and have multiplied over the summer and now I have a HUGE basket full-maybe even two laundry baskets full, it's piled pretty high!

This is what the booth looked like when I left today...hopefully I'll find out that I have to go back tomorrow to fill in some more holes!

Happy Weekend friends! Be safe & have fun!

Bye Bye Green Chaise!

I tried the vintage green chaise (the one I got at the high school parking lot sale a few years ago)  in the booth for a couple of months, but it took up too much room and didn't sell right away, so I brought it home and listed it on CL. I was just getting ready to post a new ad when I got an email about it!!

I am meeting the buyer in the church parking lot Sunday morning after church. It will be safe because LOTS of people will be around, and he isn't coming to my house! I just hope he shows up! I would really prefer to keep it, but since we built the sunroom, and have a tiny little deck, we just don't have room for it. I'm really bummed too, because I have wanted one for a lonnnnng time.

The buyer is going to use it in a small community theater as a prop! How fun! If only things could talk-huh? I'd LOVE to hear where it's already been and what it's already seen, but it would be fun to hear what happens after it leaves my house.

No sales today for me, nothing looked good in the paper or on CL, plus it was pouring rain when I left work. Kevin and I went to the movies instead of sales! We saw Trouble With The Curve with Clint Eastwood and Amy Adams. I liked it, although it was more of a chick flick than I was expecting.

Tomorrow I don't plan to go to any sales either...even though there were 39 sales in my local paper, nothing in my area looked worth the gas money to get there. That's OK, because I have probably enough back stock for 3 more booths!

I have been really surprised by the lack of response to the scrapbooking software give-away...I thought there would be TONS of people wanting a chance to get it for free. Is there something I don't know? Or is it just something that not a lot of people are interested in or have time for these days? Just curious.

Probably going to the booth tomorrow-have some holes to fill in-woo hooo! Hope you have a great weekend!!!

My Memories Software Giveaway!

The other day, I got an email from Liz at My Memories asking if I'd be interested in trying out their digital scrapbooking suite (for FREE) and hosting a free digital scrapbooking software give-away! How FUN!!! I LOVE digital scrapbooking! I've been doing digital scrapbooking on and off for several years-ever since I made a scrapbook for my parents for Christmas.

With this software suite, you can make more than just scrapbook layouts-you can make photo books, cards videos, and pretty much anything you can imagine! I've had a few days to play around with it, and I can already see that this is something that I'll use often. I think it will even come in handy for making signs and tags for my booth.

Stop by their website and check it out for yourself! I also really like their digital scrapbooking kits-my favorite is Sunflower Seed Clusters. The prices are very reasonable and they even have several free kits to choose from!

I really had fun playing with different pages and adding my pictures...

As a special for all of my readers, they have given us our very own Share the Memories code that provides a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store - $20 value!) Use this code (STMMMS21887) for your discount. Just scroll down on my right sidebar and you will see the badge for My Memories, just click on it and you won't have to copy and paste anything!

There are 6 ways you can enter the random drawing to win your very own copy of My Memories Scrapbooking Suite.
 
     1. Leave a comment on this post about which kit from My Memories website is your favorite.
     2. Become a follower of this blog and leave a comment telling me you became a follower-or just leave the
         comment if you already are a follower.
     3. "Like" Bargain Hunting Treasure Seeker on Facebook and leave a comment.
     4. "Like" My Memories digital scrapbooking on facebook and leave a comment here.
     5. Leave a comment about your favorite thing about fall. I LOVE the gorgeous colors!
     6. Follow My Memories on Twitter

The more you comment, follow or "like", the more chances you will have to win the drawing! A random name will be drawn on Saturday, October 20, and the winner will be announced on Sunday, October 21.

I've only had the software for a couple of days and I have had a LOT of fun with it! I think you will enjoy it just as much, if not more!

Sales are Slowing Down!

As the weather gets cooler (and rainy), the sales are starting to slow down. Our local newspaper's sale section has gone from a consistent 100+ sales per week to less than half! Is it slowing down any in your area? I didn't get to any sales on Thursday-nothing looked worth the gas money!

I went to a couple on Friday and ran in to my good friend Auntie and a couple of dealers from my antique mall. It was a small sale in a senior living condo. I walked away empty handed-I thought the prices were way to high, and the stuff just not different enough-if you know what I mean by that. I hit a couple more sales on my way home, but over-all, it was a frog kind of day-no princes to be found. Kevin rode along with me and we stopped and had a great lunch at a local coney island place that we haven't been to in about a year-then we went for a walk at Bishop Lake State park.

It was gorgeous! A beautiful day and lots of beautiful trees to look at! Eric came too and we brought Lucy for her first hike in the woods. She did really well with her tiny little legs, but she had to be carried for a while so she could catch her breath. She loved it though!

Today I went to two sales, one was one mile from my house. I guess I should be wary when the ad lists "primitives". "antiques", and items specifically, because they tend to be dealers selling at antique mall prices-and that is exactly what this sale was.

The second sale was on its last day so everything was half off. I was so excited to find a soap flake pitcher-I still feel like I need to pinch myself. I've only ever seen one other one in my LIFE-and that was last spring when Auntie got one at Midland. I've seen them for years online, and they were outrageously priced. I got it for half off plus another $2.50 off, so I"m pretty happy!

I stopped at a local consignment store on my way home and was very pleasantly surprised to hear Christian music blasting from their speakers! I loved it! I'll definitely be shopping there more often!

Now I am in out of the pouring rain (supposed to be doing laundry and cleaning, because the laundry and cleaning fairies seem to have never been able to find my house). We have a double tonight with our volleyball league, so we'll be playing for almost 3 hours by the time we are done. It seems like a lot, but it goes really fast, and it's great exercise. Plus 3 out of the 4 of us will be playing so it's kind of a family activity.

I'm dying to get over to your blogs so I can see what you did and found this week. Hope this finds you all healthy and happy-have a great weekend!!!

Don't forget the My Memories scrapbooking software give away! See my post from this morning for all the details!!

A Whole Lotta Cleaning Going On!

I have been cleaning and organizing for the past 7 hours! My back is sore, my dogs are barking, and I am a sweaty mess, but I am HAPPY! I got the basement area with my junk stuff for the booth all sorted and organized and I ended up with 3 big boxes of stuff junk for our local charity thrift store. It's all stuff from when I was first starting out and I was grabbing up all kinds of stuff just because it was cheap.

I'd like to think I've learned a little over the past almost 2 years since Auntie and I took the plunge to open a booth together. Hopefully, I won't make too many more purchases where I stand back and look at the stuff and ask myself "Why * in * the * world * did * I * buy * THAT?!" I can't promise that I won't, but I'm going to try harder to be more selective on what I spend my money on.

I think going to Weight Watchers has kind of drummed that into my head. Our meeting leader is always telling us to decide if we want to "spend" our food points on whatever it is we are about to eat, or if we want to hold out for something bigger and better for the same amount.

Have you bought stuff just because it was cheap and then when you got home, asked yourself what the heck you were thinking? Or am I the only one? What do you do with it? Do you try to sell it? Do you donate it? Have you ever tossed something? I've tried all of the above! I guess it just depends on what it is. I have actually thrown some stuff away, because no one in their right mind would EVER want it!

I also got the spare bedroom/booth storage/staging room organized and ready for my mom to stay in. I'm in trouble if my dad comes too. I highly doubt he will come though, he loves the U.P. so  much, he can hardly tear himself away for big things like Christmas. I can't imagine him coming just because she is taking a glass fusing class.

I went out this morning on a quest to find oyster sauce. I've been looking for a few days and several big grocery stores do not carry it! I found it this morning at a smaller grocery store, and I can't wait to try this recipe I found for Chinese broccoli & chicken. If it turns out, I'll post the recipe for you to try too!

While I was out I stopped at two sales. One was advertised as a moving sale with 30 years of accumulation-HA! I've accumulated more in the past year than they were selling from their past 30. It was little more than a couple tables with little bits of stuff on them, and everything was priced like it was brand new and in the original store that it came from-what a disappointment!!

The other sale was, I'm pretty sure a dealer, selling stuff from her garage. She had it all displayed like her garage was her booth. Everything looked really nice, except the prices were higher than I would sell the items for in my booth! I did keep looking though and actually found two very tiny things that I almost missed!

With Kevin being an RN and Adam going to nursing school, I have been keeping my eyes peeled for vintage or antique medical items. This is what I found...

Remember that church rummage sale last Friday at my Great Grandma's old church? I won the bid on the box of vintage utensils! They called late Saturday night, and I had to drive all the way over there again on Tuesday after work. I'm pretty sure some of the utensils were missing from the box, from what I saw on Saturday, but it was a charity fundraiser for the church, so I'm ok with it.

Today has felt like Saturday all day to me! I'm glad it's not! I still have a lot of pricing, and ironing to do for dealer day on Sunday! Plus, I'm walking in a fundraiser for Pregnancy Help Clinic tomorrow morning, and I wouldn't have wanted to miss that!

Hope you are having a wonderful fall weekend!!! I just tried this recipe for pumpkin fritters from The Southern Lady Cooks-YUMMM! Mine don't look as good as hers do in the picture, but they are very tasty!!!