A Super Fun Day!!!

A while back, my sister-in-law asked me to keep January 28th free on my calendar and plan to spend the day and evening with her. Her community was holding a big winter festival and she wanted me to come out and enjoy it with her. She told me about a bunch of stuff that was going on, but I have to admit, I didn't catch it all. I just heard sale, ice sculptures, lights, and festival-sorry Dawn!

I wrote it on my calendar, but forgot about it until she emailed me to remind me. Today was the day! I left home at 8am, got to her house and visited with her for about a half an hour, and then we went to the community center where they were having a sale. She had never been before, so she had no idea what to expect. I just thought if it wasn't any good, at least we'd have a nice time visiting and lunch out-something we don't get to do very often.

The sale was HUGE! It was all donated stuff that was sold as a fundraiser for the community (I think-I'm not sure on all the details-I'm still in the pinch me I'm dreaming mode!). Almost everything I bought was a quarter, fifty cents, seventy five cents, or a dollar. I got LOTS of fun stuff for the booth, and I can't wait for next year! Both of us have already marked it on our calendar-and we are making a note to skip the half hour visit until after we take care of business! LOL!

I couldn't stay all day because I had to work the check-in for our youth group's winter retreat, so we had to make the most of it in a short amount of time. After the sale we went to a book sale at their library, then to downtown to walk the sidewalks and check out the ice sculptures. We ate downtown at a fun little 50's style diner.

I got really excited when she said the sale is twice a year! But after she dropped me off at her house so I  could head back to work, she went back for round two, and she found out it is only once a year and is always the last weekend in January. I don't think my heart could take this much excitement more than once per year! It was too fun!!!

Wanna see what $17.75 will get you? I splurged at the end (you think I would have learned from yesterday's end of the trip impulse fiasco) on a vintage Christmas tablecloth with napkins for $10. It has a few stains that are really minor (nothing that Biz can't take care of), and there aren't any holes...and I just needed another vintage Christmas tablecloth! ;) So my total was $27.75.

 My second Criss-Cross butter dish in two days!

 Some Pyrex casseroles with lids, an enamel dipper, a custard cup and a dozen corn on the cob dishes.

A giant cruet with a blown glass topper, a few vintage glass syrup containers... 

 My very first piece of Riviera, by Homer Laughlin.

 And two little Riviera dessert plates-I don't think I can part with the Riviera stuff-I've been wanting it for a long time-but just couldn't bring myself to pay the high prices. This stuff was $1.25 for all 3 pieces!

 A cute little pitcher and bowl set.

 More Pyrex!!

 A giant round glass bowl--Kevin says it looks like a space helmet-he even modeled it for me-I won't make you look at it though!

 A vintage clothespin bag still in the package.This and the woodland Pyrex came from a quick stop at a local Salvation Army store.

 This was a freebie from my SIL-she bought it, but doesn't want it...it still has cocoa inside!

 I've been wanting a Christmas card basket for a long time too-but this one is too new-I'd like an older one.

 A vintage child's apron.

Here is what the pattern looks like on the tablecloth and napkins...

This is the fun place we ate lunch-I think the name was Red Knapp's.

 Look at the size of those burgers! Good thing we split an order of fries!

The cool retro menu.

After lunch, we walked around downtown and saw all kinds of really fun ice sculptures. 

See if you can guess each one's name!

This was in front of a toy store-see Raggedy Ann in the window in the store?

When I arrived at work and walked into my office, my desk was buried in flowers!

 From my Mom and Dad, for my birthday tomorrow.

From my boss, along with a gift certificate to the antiques mall where we are booth renters!

Then when I pulled into the garage tonight, right in front of my car was this!

Kevin made us a corner shelf for the booth!

It was such a fun day-you'd think today was my birthday and not tomorrow! 

How about you? Did you do any thrifting today? Get any good deals?

4 Friends and 2 Open Houses...

Today was a BIG day! My legs are t-i-r-e-d -and I still have to go play volleyball in about 3 hours! Four of us visited the open houses at Williamston Antiques Mall and Livingston Antiques Outlet. It was fun to have Connie along because this was her first time. It was fun to watch her see things and remember about her childhood, and it was fun to see what drew her eye.

I had a real struggle trying to decide whether I should buy a set of vintage Fiesta mixing bowls or not. I went back to the booth at least 6 times! I spoke to the dealer who owned the booth a few times. He had bowls #2, 3,4,5, and 6. They have been in that booth for at least a couple of years (I've been drooling over them that long!) at $325 for the set. Today they were on sale for $195, and he offered to go down to $175 for all five bowls.

That's a LOT of money for just a decorative bowl set! I texted Kevin and he replied "are you crazy?", and Auntie made a good point, part of the fun is the thrill of the hunt, and if I got all of them in one fell swoop-I wouldn't have anything to hunt for anymore! Plus, I could probably find them a whole lot cheaper if I was able to just stumble upon them at an estate sale or garage sale!

So I passed on them, and I really am surprised how easy it was-after all that hemming and hawing-I walked away and it wasn't the big gut wrenching, miserable let-down I was expecting. So I guess that means it was the right thing to do!

I didn't end up buying much today at either place, but it was a fun adventure, and I'm happy I went! Here are the treasures I came home with:

Some more ornaments to add to my jar.

 A glass Pyrex baster.

 A small yellow Fire King dish.

Wow! These are actually purple! Bad lighting can really change colors! These are Pyrex custard cups - in purple!

More knitting needles for mom-these are the last ones she needs-whew!

 And I picked up this little flyer...something to look forward to!

Did you get out to any sales this weekend? Tell me about your finds-I'd love to hear about them!!

It's Thursday, but it feels like Friday to me...

Last week at work I put in mega hours trying to get ready for our fall kick-off and throwing a going away party for our Youth Pastor (my former boss). So this week, I had to take 2 extra days off to make up for it. Today was one of those days. It feels so much like a Friday since Auntie and I met up and checked out a few sales-we never get to do that on a Thursday!!

The pickings were very, very slim this week as far as sales go...last week there were 185 sales in our local paper. This week there were only 56 sales! I hope it is just because it is Labor Day weekend, and not that the sales are drying up for the winter (gasp!). I am dreading the day when I scan the garage sale or estate sale section in the newspaper and there isn't a single one listed! I have been having soo much fun this summer going to sales. I've even gotten quite an efficient system all worked out!

This is what I found today...

My last small blue Pyrex mixing bowl-to complete my last ever set! I ended up with 3 sets because I kept finding the bowl super cheap and just couldn't walk away from them!

A WAY cool purple bottle and it's a big one too!

An even BIGGER blue bottle-these are going to look wayyy cool in my flower bed!

Look what I picked today! #2 on the plant with 2 more to come!

How were the sales in your area? Tomorrow I am going to a funeral, so no sales for me. If you have a minute, please send up a prayer for my friend Laura and her family, her father had a massive heart attack on Monday while playing softball and didn't survive. They are all so devastated...Laura's little girls were there when it happened...so sad!

I'm hoping to hit a new to me flea market on Saturday, Sunday will be spent getting ready for our "End of the Summer Potluck & Volleyball Party" on Monday-c'mon over if you're in the area!