The Hunt is so much fun!

I've been spending a ton of time searching for vintage/antique/old china for a friend of mine, for her daughter's wedding reception. I've been getting so discouraged too! I've seen it at so many sales, before I was actually looking for it, but now-it's like it has gone extinct!

I posted a comment on my facebook page about looking for it, because I know a lot of my "friends" are garage sale hunters and I was hoping that maybe they could help us look. I got a message late last night that might be exactly what we are looking for! I'll let you know tomorrow when she gets back to me.

I worked a little longer on Thursday than I have been for the past several months, so I didn't get to but a couple sales before I was ready to be at home. I did leave work for an hour to go to a sale that I LOVE every year, because if I would have waited until I got off from work, everything would have been picked over.

On Friday, I ran into my junkin friend Jennifer. She was leaving an estate sale as I was walking up. With a few simple words, she persuaded me to skip the sale-it sounds like the people running it were off the deep end as far a prices and attitude, so I'm glad I skipped it-ain't nobody got time for that!

I went to one sale that the add said to "allow 3 hours to view everything" in the house. Really? The sale was only open for 5 hours...what did that mean? Were they only letting in a small number of people,because it looked packed, and you had to spend the majority of time waiting to get in? I went to a few sales and decided to take my time getting to the 3 hour one.

I knew it was in a condo, do I couldn't imagine it every having enough stuff to keep you looking for 3 hours! When I got there, there wasn't a line, and I walked right in. There were a lot of pie safes in the pictures online, and I was hoping to get one to use to display my quilts. All but one was sold and it was $325.

There was a lot of people milling around, and buying things-for the most part, the prices were pretty good, and there was a LOT of stuff. I found two quilts that I am thrilled with, and super thrilled with the prices! I spent more time waiting in line to check-out than I did searching the house...maybe that is where they think the 3 hours comes in!

All in all, I spent maybe 20 minutes there, and I did the happy dance (inside) all the way to my car as I was carrying my quilts. I almost didn't go because of the "3 hour" thing. I'm glad I went!

I went to a few more sales, I love how very different each sale is, and how you never know what you are gong to find. The thrill of the hunt is definitely why I love hitting sales so much! I usually try to get all of my driveway shopping done by noon on Fridays so I have the rest of the day to do whatever I need to do around the house.

Today,we have a wedding to go to.  A friend of the boys is getting married, and the wedding is at a new, giant church in our area. I'm looking forward to it, although it does make me feel like I am getting really old, to see another of their friends getting married!

Here is what I brought home the past couple of days...

 I have a small addiction to Anchor Hocking Savannah...I can never pass it up-even if I already have the pieces! 

 This quilt was $1! 

 Normal Rockwell prints all 4 for a quarter!

 This is my "what was I thinking?" buy of the day...still shaking my head over this one...

A pile of junk-or treasures, depending on how you see it!

 I've never seen a double...have you?

 From the "3 hour sale"

I picked up these lamp bases with the intention of painting them. They fit the cake dome "shade" size better than the tall black one.

Hope you have a great weekend-Happy Hunting!!!

My new chairs...all planted!

Last weekend I picked up three dining room chairs at a church rummage sale. I was thrilled with their color and chippy goodness! As soon as I got home, I removed the seats and got busy scrounging up some galvanized and enamel pots to see if I had any that would fit.

Everything was close, but not perfect. So Kevin put some metal straps under the buckets to hold them to the chairs-ta da-perfect!

They are sitting at the front of my house in a spot that used to hold two giant bushes that got pulled out at Easter time. Now I just have to weed and throw down some mulch and it will look a LOT better.

Have you ever used old dining chairs for flowers? I LOVE the look. I had an old chippy white chair that I got for $1 and used it on my deck for a good 3 or 4 years before the weather wore it out. It was my favorite planter every year. so I am super thrilled to have these chairs.

Oops! A little too tall...

I got this lamp yesterday for $2 and it looked pretty close to what I had in mind for a lamp project I found online. I was really thrilled with the price and how heavy this thing is. I was holding my breath that it would work...sigh...it's too tall! But, it gives me goosebumps at how close it is to what I pictured in my head!

If the harp was shorter or the lamp base shorter, it would look a lot better. At least now I can show Kevin what I need him to turn on his lathe for me. I have a white metal cake dome with red roses that I want to make into a lamp next!

Treasure Hunting for a Friend...

My friend Bonnie's daughter is getting married a the end of July. The reception is going to be in a barn and she would like to have vintage china plates-all different for the tableware. When she was over last Tuesday for volleyball, I was able to find some mix and match plates among my junk treasures and I was able to help her out with a few more place settings.

Today, while I was out and about, I stopped at several sales, and wouldn't you know it...only 2 sales had old china! One place, my first stop of the day was the lucky stop because I got her some great dinner and dessert plates for fifty cents each for the dinner plates and a quarter each for the dessert plates.

The only other place I stopped that had china wanted $12 a plate!!! I had to really control myself and not outright laugh when the lady told me her price! I just smiled and kept on walking. Do you ever notice when you are actually looking for something-you have the hardest time finding it, but when you aren't looking for it, it is at every sale you go to?

I've seen china at so many sales already this year, that I was sure I could put a big pile of them in my car for her today. Oh, well...more things to search for! The only stipulations on the china are that it can't be all white, and it has to be a dollar or less per piece. Oh, and we have 155 place settings to go...plus flatware. I LOVE a good challenge!

Despite not finding much to help Bonnie out, I did manage to load up my car with LOTS more junk treasures for the booth. I also squeezed in a manicure-something I haven't done in so many years, I can't tell you the last time. I usually keep my nails really short for volleyball, but since I only play on Tuesday nights now, and I have a wedding to go to next Saturday, I've been growing them out a bit. It feels really awkward, and they really aren't long at all-barely over my fingertips.


Did you get out to any sales today? I left the house expecting upper 60's lower 70's for the day and right now it is just hitting 55 degrees! Hope it's warmer where  you're at, and I hope you got some good junk today!!!

Here is what came home with me...

 All of these plates were $4.50 total and will go to Bonnie for her daughter's wedding.

 My car was pretty full, although I didn't do a good job packing, so if I had found more things, I could have re-packed it. I would have made it fit!

 My blog friend Shara over at Monkeybox has gotten me hooked on blow molds!

 Needs some TLC and paint, but it was a good deal, and I have had a LOT of success with benches.

 Not sure about this...it was at a charity sale-would you have picked it up?

 Another charity sale thing...eh it was a quarter.

 Crusty, rusty Christmas tin.

 I LOVE this poinsettia tray! 

 Yes, I bought a set of old wooden crutches...for another project I have in mind.

 Here is today's loot...I got the hangers for free for buying some vintage wrapping paper. I quickly got rid of the green lampshade-the lamp might work for a project I have in mind. The mirror has wooden pegs under the shelf-so after a coat of some neutral paint-it will look a whole lot nicer-especially since it only cost $2. Three half aprons and some cake topper pieces round out the whole lot.

Here is the quilt un-folded.

Thursday Finds...

When I left work today it was just starting to sprinkle. When I got in my car, it opened up and poured! I decided to keep with my plan to hit some sales and hope I didn't get too wet.

The first sale I stopped at was about a quarter of a mile from my work, it was an estate sale, that was in the front yard but under some trees so things weren't really getting wet. I walked up and didn't really see anything , and was starting to turn and go to my car when out of the corner of my eye, I saw a dresser on the front porch.

I asked how much it was and was told $3. I thought maybe I didn't hear right, and was telling myself she didn't really say $3, she said $33 and I must have missed the 30. So, I asked her if she really said $3. She laughed and said YES-she just wanted to get rid of it. So, of course, I bought it! I also bought a bowling ball for $1...another project!

I went to about 10 sales, before I had to get groceries and get home for the day. I can't explain how much fun going to sales is for me. It is like a HUGE treasure hunt and I can't get enough of the hunt!

I got a few treasures-including a completely hand stitched quilt which was a deal similar to the dresser-the lady just wanted to get rid of it. She actually had a sign on it that said "Make Offer". I asked how much she was thinking she wanted for it, and she named a price. I offered a lower price and she took it! She said she was glad to get rid of it. It was her mom's but she didn't want it anymore and wanted someone who appreciated it to have it.

It looks like it has about 7-8 stitches per inch, and a little patch on the back-all hand stitched and hand quilted. I thought I bought it to sell, but I'm afraid I've fallen in love with it! Looks like the other rusty, crusty white metal cabinet is going to find its way into the house instead of the booth, so I have a place to put this quilt! I got a Made in Japan cream and sugar set and a Pyrex casserole today too. Any ideas what the pattern/name is for the cream and sugar?

Would you buy this dresser for $3? It is really solid, just painted a dull color. the bottom drawer is not in all the way-it closes properly.

25 Years Ago...

Twenty seven years ago, I started my senior year in high school-ouch! It hurts to say that because I sure don't feel that old!!! But, I figured I better start at the beginning, even if it does sting. That was the year I met my husband Kevin. We both had a short day schedule and were graduating early (in January) because we had all of our credits needed to graduate.

We had 3 out of 4 classes together that year. We had been attending the same schools since 5th grade and never ran into each other or met each other until that year. His mom worked with my mom-sort of. My mom was an aide on a handicapped kids bus, and his mom drove bus for the regular ed kids. They knew of each other, and were acquaintances My grandma also drove bus for the same school district and she knew Kevin's mom-sort of-as well.

Neither one of us worked very hard in our classes our senior year because we knew we already had it made. That left lots of time for goofing around and getting to know each other while we were hanging out with our groups of friends.

In January, Kevin left for Navy boot camp, and I left school to work. I had given him my phone number and address-just in case he wanted a "pen pal" while he was in the Navy ;). I didn't hear anything from him, so I went on with my life and friends.

Toward the end of April of that year, I got a phone call for a guy who knew my name when I answered the phone and he said "Hi Kim, this is Kevin." I asked "Kevin who?" LOL! I honestly forgot about him, and never expected him to call!

He was calling to ask me out! We set up a date for a couple of days later, and went out to the movies, dinner at a Chinese restaurant (that is still in business), and a walk in Maybury Park. I got the worst blisters on my feet from all that walking!!!

We saw each other a few more times while he was on leave and then he left to go back to the Navy. We both wrote tons of letters and he called me once a week. Every time he had leave he had 15 days and we spent every waking moment together. As we got to know each other more, he was calling 3 or more times a week for at least an hour or more. We talked about everything.

After a year of long-distance dating, he came home on leave again (on May 7th) and I picked him up at the airport. He wore his full uniform just for me. We went to his sister's house and he proposed!

A little more than a year after we were engaged...on June 4, 1988 we got married in a little tiny Lutheran church in Hamburg, Michigan. Our colors were dusty rose and silver-so eighties! We had 3 bridesmaids and 3 groomsmen. My brother was the ring bearer and a girl I used to babysit, pushed his wheelchair up the aisle.

It seems like just a few years ago some days, and others, it seems like a lifetime ago. I know I sure don't feel old enough to have been married for 25 years, and to have a 22 year old son and 19 year old son! I still feel like I did when we met-kind of. We have had a good life, and have been so very blessed by God throughout our marriage.

I got a huge surprise delivered to me at work today a dozen, gorgeous red roses! Since Kevin isn't one to send flowers ( I think I've gotten flowers 3 or 4 times our whole 27 years of being together),it was a really big deal to get these!

When I got home, he brought in one of the wooden band boxes that I got last weekend, and told me I couldn't store it anymore on the shelf in the garage because that is where his pop goes. As he set it down on the table in front of me, he opened the lid and inside was a small gift bag. In the gift bag...a small wrapped box. My first thought was Godiva chocolate.

It was so much better! Inside was a beautiful ring! My husband, who is known far and wide for being cheap, and having cobwebs in his wallet, went to a jewelry store and bought me an amazing ring for our Anniversary!!

I was so shocked! He said he wanted me to take it back and get one I really loved, and he knew if he didn't buy something, I would back out and not get around to it. He reminded me of an Anniversary when our boys were little and he bought me a heart shaped necklace with diamonds and I returned it for a cooler-because it would benefit the whole family-and I felt selfish getting that money spent just on me.

This time around, I am not allowed to not get something just for me! We went to the jewelry store together, and kind of picked something out, I am still in shock, and needed some time to think it over to figure out what I want, so I returned the ring he got (he encouraged me to-he told me to get what I wanted), and got a couple of ideas of what to get.

I want a 3 stone ring, and I think we are going to use my original diamond as part of the setting. It still keeps the sentimental value, and it will help keep the cost down. Now I just have to get the courage up to go in and place the order!!!

We spent so much time at the jewelry store, we only had time for a quick dinner before we needed to be at home for the group of friends who came over for volleyball. We had our 25th Anniversary dinner at Burger King!!! We are going to go to a nice restaurant on Saturday, when we won't have to rush.

What a day! Here's to another 25 years! :)

Greenmead, oh how I love your flea market!!!

I wish the Greenmead flea market was once a month in the summer instead of just twice for the whole summer! I love seeing what everyone is selling. I love people watching, and I love finding fun treasures to bring home!

It was a wonderful day weather-wise for a flea market too! It was a touch windy, but other than that, it was perfect! Kevin went with me, and he didn't find anything, so he got antsy to go. Then that turned into crabby, so I hustled through in record time.

I'm sure I missed a ton of stuff because I was trying to shop, yet keep him happy by going quickly. I did get a few treasures, but sadly missed seeing my friends Anne and Marie.

Here is what I brought home...

Uh-oh...I think I love it...but I can't keep it...but I want to keep it...can I keep it?

I picked this rusty, crusty white metal cabinet up last weekend in Gaylord when I was hanging out with my mom and dad and hitting a few garage sales. I asked the woman running the sale if she'd take less than the price that was marked. Right away she lowered it by a quarter, and while I was still "thinking", she lowered it by half of the original price!

SOLD!!! It is a spacesaver cabinet and the lowest shelf is really rusty and crusty. The rest of the shelves aren't too bad-they were covered with contact paper. I ripped off all of the sticky, dirty contact paper and decided to cover the shelves with a red and white shelf liner. One roll was exactly enough to do all of the shelves!

Once I got done, I fell in love!!! How many rusty, crusty white metal cabinets can one girl have?

Filled Up and Ready for June!!

Tomorrow is Dealer Day, but I won't be there, so I decided to run up to my booth today to change out my display and clean and organize it for the month. I was worried it might be a risky thing to do on a Saturday, but it was really slow, and the shoppers that were there, waded in amongst my mess and looked at what they wanted to look at anyway.

I changed out the yellow/green summer theme to a red, white and blue picnic theme-mostly red and white though. I forgot my vacuum at home so I didn't vacuum, and that really bothers me. I'll have to take another trip to take care of that sometime this week after work.

I won't be at July's Dealer Day either, so that is why I went with a picnic/patriotic theme. I'll be on vacation in the U.P. hanging out at my parents, and taking little day trips soaking in the fresh air and Upper Peninsula beauty.