An Interesting Adventure...

Today was a day that I bet will never ever be repeated during the rest of my life! It all started innocently enough...leave from church...drive to pick up my sister-in-law and go to a flea market in Armada (which is about a half hour north west of her house)... spend a couple of hours sorting/digging through the booths of treasures...hopefully bring home some treasures...and grab a late lunch and come home.

Somehow it didn't turn out like that! While we were at church, Kevin decided he wanted to go too, so we left his car in the parking lot and took off in my bigger vehicle. We got to his sister's house and since I had texted them that Kevin was going, her husband decided he wanted to go too.

They just wanted to make one stop on the way...to Caribou Coffee. Since today is Earth Day, if you bring your coffee mug to Caribou Coffee, you can get your mug filled up for free. That was the first turn in a crazy, mixed up roller coaster ride of a day!!

On the way to get the free coffee, we saw a sign that said "Estate Sale", and you KNOW we had to stop---right? We stopped, but it was all newer, high priced, high end stuff. It was at a home of an interior decorator, so it had a LOT of stuff, but not stuff I was interested in.

As we were leaving the sub, (to go get the free coffee), we came upon a house with an old cane rocker and some boxes of junk sitting in the front yard. I asked my sister-in-law if she would grab that rocker for me. She said "Sure" so fast, I think she had her seat belt off and was opening her door before I had totally stopped the car! Ha!!

As she got out, the woman who owned the house came out with more "junk", so she asked her if we could have the rocker, or if it was out there for another reason. The lady said that all the stuff was free, and to help ourselves!!! She said she was going to be bringing out a lot more stuff including 3 couches if we were interested.

We picked through the stuff, loaded my car and took off for the free coffee. We finally got the free coffee, stopped back at their house to unload my full car, and took off to find the flea market. It was a beautiful day-lots of blue skies and gorgeous sunshine. We didn't care that it was only 50 degrees outside, we were on a mission to find some good junk treasures!! As we drove, we talked, and talked and talked. We got all caught up on what's been going on the past couple of months since we've seen each other, and we blabbed away about our free trash treasures.

When we finally arrived at the flea market...they were all loading up!! BUMMER!!! How do I know they ALL were loading up? Because there were only about 4 or 5 vendors...not the 250 that several places on the internet bragged about! What a disappointment!! We drove all that way...for NOTHING! Well, not really nothing...we had great fun chatting and catching up. We passed a lot of old, beautifully restored homes, some interesting farms, and we went to a new part of the state that we'd never been to before.

As we were getting closer to my sister-in-law's house, she said she wanted to go back to that house with all of the junk outside to see if the lady brought more stuff out. Since Kevin sat in the car the first time, TOTALLY mortified, he refused to go. So just my SIL and I went. As we pulled up, there were 4 other cars there, and people all over the place digging through the stuff!

Some people were coming out of the house with bins of food! Even refrigerated and frozen food!! My SIL asked a lady if she was family there to help out, and the lady said no, she was just driving by and stopped and the lady of the house told them to come on in, because EVERYTHING in the house was free and had to go!!!

My SIL said "C'mon", and walked in the open front door!! I was very cautious, because this whole thing seemed kinda weird (don't you think so too??) so I kind of hung back, but she kept saying c'mon as she was walking, so I followed her in. She found the homeowner and told her what the lady outside said and asked if that was true, and the homeowner agreed that everything in the house had to go, it was all free except a couple little piles of stuff she was keeping.

The house was mostly empty. All of the big stuff was pretty much gone. The homeowner took us upstairs to the bedrooms and we found a black Crate and Barrel desk that was covered in stickers and had some scratches on it. So I asked if that was free, and she said yes! So, we started toward the stairs with it!! One of the men who was picking junk too helped me carry it down the stairs and to the car.

After that we went to the basement where one whole room had the center of it filled with boxes in a line that was about 15 feet long and about waist high. I started digging through the boxes and found a tripod for my camera and a few other little things, when I came across some boxes marked "Kitchen" and "Dishes". Everything was wrapped so my SIL said we should just take the whole box and sort through them all at her house, and whatever we didn't want, she would take to her church's rummage sale that was coming up.

We loaded her van with the desk, a ratty old chair (that will be perfect for a plant to sit on outside in the yard this summer), another old rocking chair, a few boxes full of stuff, and a tin hot dog sign! She called her husband to come over, because her van was so full-there wasn't any room for me to sit!!! He came over, but decided to make a couple of passes through the house. They found a computer in the basement (that is better than the one he currently has) and asked the homeowner and she said, yes, it's free!

So after a few more trips with a weight set, golf clubs, a gas can, a computer, and other treasures, we decided we were starving and went for pizza and headed back to the house to inhale some food for energy and sort through our pickings!

Most of the stuff in the boxes will be going to the church rummage sale. I think only about 1/8 of one box was worth saving once we unwrapped it all. It will be good stuff for the rummage sale though, and the church will appreciate the little bit of money it will bring in.

So...while the flea market turned out to be a bust...the curbside shopping was incredible and it was all FREE!!! I just got a text from my SIL, and they went back after we left and dug through the bags (that we helped her carry to the curb while we waited for the BIL to come so we could leave). She said they found Prada, Coach and Cash in the trash bags at the curb!!! Hopefully she will send me some pictures so I can see what the found!!

Is that CRAZY or WHAT!?!?!? One of the men there told me he does this kind of estate clean-out all the time and he had already done 3 today before that one!! He said he still had one more to go, but was too tired to do it, and was hinting to me that we could go there and that the stuff was all free, they just wanted someone to take it away. I've never heard of that before-have you?? I just smiled and nodded and didn't bite, but I'm sure he would have given me the address if I had asked.

It certainly turned into an adventure I never dreamed in a million years that we would have today-or any other day for that matter! How weird is that?!?!? The homeowner kept thanking me for helping her carry out the bags from the garage...I thought it was the least I could do since she was giving us all the junk stuff for free!!

Here is the rocker that grabbed my attention on the side of the road, and the thing that started this whole roller coaster ride of a day!!

Here are the other things I picked up...

 Hulk hands-so Kevin can be just like his hero Sheldon.

 A tool box full of stuff!

 A brand new Peter Rabbit set still in the Hudson's box with the receipt from 1997.

 Nativity set that all heads are attached and intact-unlike my current set.

 Starbucks City mug-Amsterdam.

 Cement mortar and pestle.

 Made in Ireland pewter mugs and shot glass.

 New, unused food scale.

 Metal basket.

 Vintage Martha Stewart weddings book.

 Ratty old chair for flowers in the yard!

 A folding blanket/multi-purpose thing in pouch.

 Old oak pressed back rocker.

 Metal sign-1991-still has plastic vacuum sealed on it.

 Tri pod and tire pump.

Three crocheted baby blankets.

 Boxes full of wrapped glassware and stuff.

I left the desk there to see if my nephew who is in the Coast Guard on the west side of the state might want it...otherwise, I'll go back out and pick it up.

What would you have done? Would you have stopped? If yes, would you have gone back? Or would you have gone in the house? Isn't that just crazy?!?!? What a day!!!

It Seems Like Just Yesterday...

It seems like just yesterday that we brought our second son home from the hospital. All 7 pounds 11 ounces of him! We blinked a couple of times and here he is turning 18 on us! Where does the time go???

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIC!!! I LOVE YOU, AND I AM SO VERY PROUD OF THE MAN YOU ARE BECOMING!!!

A Very Full Day...

Today was supposed to be a washed out rainy, cold day-all day long. When I got up and about this morning, it was actually sunny, and almost warm. That was a great way to start the day when every weather report has called for a 60% chance of morning showers, leading into thunderstorms int he afternoon!

Kevin decided to tag along today and hang out with me as I did some treasure seeking at a few sales. We got to the first sale about 40 minutes early. Their ad on Estatesales.net said that they do NOT honor street numbers and they would hand out their own numbers 30 minutes prior to the start of the sale.

We figured we'd get there, stand in line for 10 minutes, get our numbers then go back and sit in the car and read our books until the sale opened at 9. When we go to the porch 3 other people who had been sitting in their cars came up and joined us. They already had numbers!!

I asked them why they were standing on the porch when they already had numbers (official numbers handed out by the estate sale company). I said I was going to get my number and go sit back in my car til it opened. They laughed and said that when they got their numbers they were told the sale was going to open at 8:30!!

So Kevin ran back to the car to get my money and my bags-I was so unprepared!!! I never for a minute thought we'd not go back to the car. I've never had that happen before where a sale opened early like that! Usually, they open late and everyone is getting anxious and cranky waiting!

When they opened, there were 6 of us standing on the porch and we got in a half an hour before the official, advertised start time. What do you think about that? Is that fair? I'm still not sure what I think about that. Today it worked out in my favor, but on other occasions, it might not. I was surprised there were so few people at the sale because the pictures seemed pretty interesting. I thought for sure I'd be number 27, or higher. It seems like I'm always number 27 or higher!!

Most of the things I wanted were priced way too high. The prices were at what I would list them at in the booth-- no money to be made--so I left them there. I did find a few things that came home with me, and Kevin found a few things that he couldn't live without too.

We drove to 4 or 5 garage sales (tis the season now YAYYY!!) and picked up a treasure here and there. We even found a sale with brand new, never used landscape bricks (the kind you make raised flower beds with or small walls around flower beds with for a quarter a piece! The guy is delivering 200 of them tomorrow!!! They usually sell for $2+ each at Home Depot or Lowes!

We stopped at Home Depot for some more mortar for the lower outside walls of the sunroom (prepping for the stone), and then we stopped at a little mom and pop restaurant called Rocket Grilled Subs. It is a tiny little place that I've wanted to try for a couple of years, but every time I'm in that area at lunch time, I always end up forgetting about it.

Today was the day! It is very tiny inside, only 2 tables with chairs and 4 stools at a snack bar at the window facing the street. They had a HUGE menu with all kinds of subs and sides! Some of their items reminded me of Tubby's subs. The prices seemed a little on the high side. The older lady running the counter seemed to be frazzled, and not to happy about being there. She wasn't mean, but she also wasn't very friendly-just focused on the task at hand...or maybe she was just having a bad day.

I ordered the chicken and broccoli, and Kevin ordered the Italian and we split an order of onion rings. Oh-My-GOSH!!! I was expecting a Tubby's copycat, and was MOST pleasantly surprised with MUCH better!!! We both really enjoyed our lunch, and can't wait to go back!!  I can't wait to take the boys there-they will LOVE it!

We were starving when our food came and we started inhaling it so fast that I forgot to take a picture! I did get a shot of their menu wall-it's not that great of a shot, but you can see how many things this tiny place has to offer. As we were finishing up, a guy from our church came in and sat near and chatted with us while he waited for his order. It was kind of fun and refreshing-almost like a small town atmosphere.

We went home after lunch so Kevin could get busy making some calls to volunteers from our church for the Labor of Love project he is working on next Saturday, and I went with Eric to order a tux for the prom. He got a great deal too! He's my practical, frugal (for the most part) son. Adam on the other hand always has to have the top of the line, newest, flashiest, trendiest, whatever. Eric's tux was less than half of what Adam's was 3 years ago!

Even though it was busy, hectic day, we still had time to enjoy all of the flowers and trees that are blooming and budding, the sunshine and blue skies when it was forecasted to rain, a small town-delicious lunch, regular life tasks and sharing in life milestones (with Eric). We even enjoyed each other's company!

Here is what we got...

 Kevin insisted that the bag of concrete be in the shot...

 Cast iron legs, tapestry seat-full of cat hair-but super cheap!

This little cabinet has sliding doors and it has two shelves inside. I think with a little white paint over the blue and maybe a little sanding on the edges it will be a really cute cabinet. What do you think? Kevin was appalled that I wanted it-he doesn't think anyone will buy it. What do you think? Would you have spent the $5 and taken a chance on it? Or would you have agreed with him and walked away? What color would you paint it?

We also got to go to a sale in this really awesome old barn!

How about you? What was your Friday like? I'll be stopping by your place next to catch up-Happy Weekend!!

Friday Finds...

I had a fun day of treasure seeking yesterday and came home with some fun things! It was a gorgeous day, lots of blue skies and gorgeous sunshine! Our local paper had 39 garage sales in our area, and I was able to find 10 in my town. Well...one sale (actually a sub sale), was never to be found, but I was happy with the adventure I had, so I didn't mind not finding it!

This is what I came home with...

 A Gossip Bench!! I've been looking for about a year for one of these!!! I can't wait to paint it and recover the seat!!!

 A box of 2003 A & W Mugs (4).

 An awesome vintage daisy bowl. I'm finding I'm drawn to daisies lately...maybe because they were my Aunt's favorite flower...

A black Pyrex mixing bowl!

$3 milk jug!

Heard Any Good Gossip Lately??

I went out to a few sales this morning and found one of the things that has been on my wish list for almost a year!


It isn't very lovely right now, but just imagine it with a fresh coat of paint...the only problem now is...what color? I've thought of black, white, turquoise...I wish I had 6 of them, so I could paint one every color!!

I'm linking up with Stephanie over at Junker Newbie for Would You Buy it Wednesday. Click on the link to see what others have been finding this week, and post your own treasures!!

Would you buy it? How much would you have spent on it?? How would you paint it?

It's CRAZY Around Here!!!

Things are super, crazy, hectic at our house since we got the new puppy!!! She has been a lot of fun, and a LOT of work! Right now, she seems to be going through the terrible two's stage like a toddler. She gets over tired and  watch out!! Thankfully, we've figured it out (now) what is going on, and we take her to her "bed" (her crate) for a little snooze and then she wakes up all cuddly and nice again.

Maddie (our old lab) is so patient with her-even when Lucy tries to steal the toys out of her mouth!!

The Silver Lining...

Today was one of "those" days. A day with a bunch of little frustrations. Fortunately it does have a silver lining or a rainbow at the end of it. I went to a couple of estate sales in the Lansing area today, and Kevin went with me so we could stop at Menard's and check out their stone (we want to put some sort of stone on the bottom walls of the sun room).

The first estate sale was almost like going to a carnival. They had a guy set up with his kettle corn booth and he was making fresh kettle corn! They also had a tent set up with someone's crafts! It was a HUGE sale with a a crazy HUGE crowd. We got there about 15 minutes after they opened and I got number 123 for the barn and 124 for the house. The barn was the best, most packed area of the sale. I got right in, because the person running it just let everyone in.

I picked up this old crate...not sure if it is just an old crate or if it is an old chicken crate...what do you think??

After the barn,  I stood in line to get into the house for about 15 minutes. The whole time I was down-wind and about 10 feet from the kettle-I can still smell it in my hair! Yes, I bought a BIG bag and so far the boys haven't found it yet so there is still a little left!

The house was so not worth the wait! It was filled with mostly newer craft stuff and only a small amount of old stuff. I found a few things in the barn that I loved, but someone had gotten to them first and snatched them all up! I did manage to find a few old pictures that I couldn't pass up. I think they are all really fun shots-what do you think??

I also got this old Valentine card...

and this old white hanky...

I saw another dealer from the mall where my booth is. I expected to see her. She is always at the Thursday sales, and she usually is at the sales that advertise the stuff that this one had for sale. She always acts like I have the plague when I see her. She will never say hello, or try in any way to be friendly. I've given up on saying hello to her now. I just walk by and smile. I don't get people sometimes. Oh well, I'm not losing any sleep over it. It just makes me feel sorry for her, because if she treats me that way, she treats other people the same and she's missing out on a lot of joy in her life!!

After the sales, we placed our order for the stone at Menard's, and had lunch at A&W. I've been craving chili cheese fries and a coney dog for the longest time! It wasn't as good as I wanted it to be. I was hoping for the kind of dog that snaps when you bite it. I think they just used something like Ball Park franks-it wasn't bad, just not close your eyes and sigh, kind of good.

When we got home, Kevin decided to run to Home Depot to get the metal lath for the walls so he could get started getting everything prepped for the stone, and I ran to a local church rummage sale. When I got back I helped him hang the metal lath. It was then that we realized he had picked up wayyy too much lath...then we also realized that he figured wrong and we had ordered more than twice as much stone as we needed!!

I called and it took a couple of hours, but they were able to reduce the order, even though it had already been placed with the manufacturer. WHEW!!! We would have had enough extra stone to cover the front of our garage, the under side of the deck on three sides and whatever else we wanted to cover! We saved a bunch of money too!

I picked up a couple of tablecloths at the rummage sale...nothing special, but they were a buck, so I couldn't pass them up!

I picked up a couple of things earlier in the week when I was out and about...

Even though it wasn't the best day for sales, I did get a couple of things I am happy with. It was a beautiful day for a drive. We had lunch out, and the best part...we're not stuck with 200 extra square feet of special order stone!!! WHEW!!!

What Kind of Bidder are You?

Have you ever shopped on Ebay or any other online auction? Have you ever been to a live auction and bid on items? What kind of bidder are you? Do you have a system? Do you have predetermined  stopping points, or do you let yourself get carried away? Do you wait for others to run out of bidding steam before you jump in? Or do you like to be the first bid?

I think for me to answer those questions for myself, I need to separate online bidding from live auction bidding. As far as online bidding, if it is something I really want, I will put in my max bid and hope for the best. Although, a couple of times, I did get sucked into bidding wayy higher than I planned-but luckily I was outbid by someone else who must have wanted it more than I did! WHEW!!!

Sometimes when I am bidding online, on an item I'd like to get, but am not dying to get, I just throw out the first bid as the starting bid price and if I get it, I get it. If not, then I'm usually not too upset. I've been surprised at how lucky I've been with throwing out the lowest bid and walking away from things. It doesn't happen all the time, but it has happened a few times, and every time I have completely forgotten that I was bidding on something when I get the email with the invoice!

When I'm at a live auction, I like to take my time getting to know the auctioneer's call or cadence. Each auctioneer is different in how fast they speak, how they pronounce their words, and how quickly they move the auction along. While taking your time and slowly easing in to bidding can be a good thing (not getting stuck with a higher priced item than you expected because it went to quickly and you weren't 100% engaged), it can also be bad when you're still trying to figure things out and the things you want start flying out the door!

I tend to stop bidding a lot earlier than most people. I guess that is just my cheap side coming through. I really do like bargains on the things I get-it makes the acquisition that much sweeter when you get a great deal!

How about you? Do you have any tricks that you use to keep from spending too much? Which do you prefer-online or live auctions? Have any tips for cleaning up at an auction? Do you stay to the bitter end? Or do you swoop in and out in a short amount of time?

I've been dying to find a good estate auction to go to, but they just haven't started up yet here in Michigan! I don't really care for the auctions in halls or warehouses-I prefer the onsite auctions right at the estate. What do you prefer?

V A C A T I O N!!

I am on vacation from work this week! I stayed home and didn't travel because I have too many commitments scattered throughout the week-I was hoping to get up north to my parent's house, but it just couldn't work out. I could get used to these laid-back days!

I ran a few errands, cleaned some cupboards and then I went to the booth to straighten and fluff stuff around. I was surprised at how dead the place was! Only a couple of shoppers in the whole place!! I walked through the whole mall looking for something to spend my Christmas gift card on, but I couldn't find a single thing that I could live without!! How could that happen??

Our house is quiet this week with both boys off house-sitting. Although they have stopped at home from time to time for food. While I was gone today, a giant ziploc bag of leftover turkey came up missing-yesterday it was a bag of rolls! I keep trying to get them to take some potato salad (because I made wayyyy too much), but they keep passing.

I have a late volleyball game tonight-8:40pm-UGH! It is our last game of our regular season and next Wednesday is our playoffs. Then we are done until September-whew! It will be nice to have one more evening free during the week now! The other leagues will all be wrapping up in the next month or so, so I will have tons of free evenings-whatever will I do with myself?!? ;)

How is your week going so far??