Yard Sale Finds 5-30-09

I hit Goodwill a few days ago and this is what I found. Our main bathroom is nautical themed so I grabbed this sail boat for $2.50 and the basket for $1.50. I believe the candlesticks are nickel. They are heavy and will go nicely with the two brushed nickel ones I already have. They were $2 each. The flower ball was 25 cents. I plan to set it atop a small white cast iron urn in the girls' room. The bird was 50 cents. I'm thinking I can use it at Christmas time too. Is it a partridge or a dove?

I hit two yards sales this morning.
Clock $1, Topiary $1  Vintage fan $4 (it purs like a kitten).
Moss rabbit $1 (will make a nice addition to my Easter decor), Twiggy nest 50 cents.



Vintage (1956) toy 50 cents. I love this. When it's pulled all the wings spin and it quacks.

Home Interior flowers and letters $2 for all. For the girls' room.

Dance leotard and skirt (Both New with Tags) $2. Because I have three girls in dance.

George Washington book about his life 10 cents. Saturday Evening post 1963 of Kennedy's assassination 10 cents (because my hubby's a history teacher). The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe 1.50. The Grasshopper Trap by Patrick McManus 25 cents (hubby loves these redneck stories).

The Lamp

I found these items at our local thrift shop a few weeks ago. This is the inspiration for an upcoming master bedroom redo.  We've had the same decor since we have been married and it's time for a change.

The framed art is new with tags. I paid $4 for it.  The flowers were $2. I love how delicate and wispy they are.

I bought the black lamp the same day for $4. It is solid wood and very heavy. The glossy paint is in perfect condition. The problem was it had no shade. I knew if I kept my eyes peeled I could find one. The very next week I found a shade for 50 cents. It was creme colored. Nothing fancy. I knew I wanted it to be black toile. I could hardly wait to get to town to get some fabric. A few days later as I was going through my closet I found a toile skirt way at the back. I made the wrap skirt about 5 years ago. Problem was I used a thick upholsrtry fabric for it and it never laid the way it should have. I only wore it a time or two. I was so excited.  I spent 30 minutes unpicking the black and white gingham ribbon from around the bottom of the skirt. But I knew it would look nice around the shade. About an hour later I was finished. I love the finished product. My friend came over and saw it sitting on my kitchen counter. She said "That is a $60 lamp."

The little wood Paris sign was 50 cents!

I bought these two pictures years ago after our family returned from living in England. I found them at Target and had to have them. They have been hanging in the living room for years. They will make a nice addition to the master bedroom.



This is another lighting fixture that I spruced up. I wish I had a before picture but I don't. This was an ugly old light in the dining room when we purchased the house. Just imagine it without shades and the middle wood part being a dark brown stain. I really wanted to change out this fixture but we were on a very limited budget so I revamped it. I sanded and painted the wood part white. Then I was on a hunt to find lamp shades to cover in toile. I went to Goodwill on a mission and still can't believe my find. They had 5. Not 4. Not 6. But 5. I Couldn't believe it. They were white and still in the shrink wrap. Brand spankin new and 50 cents each.  I bought a toile tablecloth at T.J. Max and used it to cover the shades. I also made a runner for my bufftet and a valance for my kitchen window from the tablecloth.

Milk Glass

It started innoccently enough. I visited a friends house and she had a large collection of milk glass.  I went to a yard sale a week later and there were five pieces of milk glass for 10 cents each. I bought them.My intention was to give them to my friend for her collection.

They sat on my kitchen counter for a week or so and the more I looked at them the more I liked them. So I started a collection. I never noticed how many of these were at the thrift stores until I started collecting them. I probably aquired 50 pieces in the first two weeks.

It became an obsession. I ended up with way to many pieces. I couldn't even display them all. I finally pulled out about 2 large boxes of my least favorite pieces and sold them at my yard sale. I have only bought a couple pieces in the last few years. This (and a a few cake pedestals) is what I have left.

When we bought our home this was a ulility closet in the dining room. It had ugly dark wood rolling doors. Only the left side had shelves so we added shelves to the right side. We still need to add trim to the new shelves. The milk glass didn't stand out against the white wall so I used the left over red paint from my front door and added red and white transferware plates behind and it makes the milk glass pop.

I also love my transferware collection. I picked up many of these pieces in England 12 years ago when my hubby, son and I lived there.

Today we are breaking ground on our addition!!!!!! The patio was ripped out a couple hours earlier. They are digging now for the foundation and it will be poured tomorrow. Yeah!!! After two years of talking, planning, and saving it is becoming a reality!!!!!!

Yard Sale Season!!!

A few weeks ago a friend called and said "Get over to this yard sale."  I jumped in the car and headed over. A couple ladies were practically giving stuff away. The lady used to sell At Home America (which I'd never heard of) and was getting rid of all her inventory. All of this stuff is new with tags. The berry wreath and vine were 75 cents each. The lantern with candle was $2. And the sampler with the distressed black frame $3 (it is 15 inches square). I love it!

The 18 inch metal star wreath and wall sconces were $1 each.

The picture I actually got at Goodwill for a buck a few weeks back. It had a red frame that was just the wrong color red. So I painted it black and sanded the edges. It will go perfectly with the rest of this decor.

Another sampler I got at a thrift store will go well with her larger sister.

This large red platter was $2. I can't believe how well she matches the bowl I already had on top of my fridge!

I got this frame at the book store about a month ago where my mother-in-law works. It was on clearence plus with an employee discount it wasn't much (about 70% off)

Back to the yard sale...... The two white berry wreaths were 50 cents each. I tied a piece of toile ribbon to this one and hung in the hallway.

I hung the other one on our hat rack in the hallway.

Now for the big splurge. I paid $8 for this plaque. It is $40 new in the catalog. The letters are wood cut outs so it's 3-D.It's large at 35 by 10 inches.

Up close and personal

This mirror with hooks was $5.

Spring and Easter Decor

I know Easter has come and gone but I wanted to share some of my spring decorations.

This bird nest was in the top of the large pine tree we cut down in our backyard (to make room for the addition). I love it. I would like to keep it if I could find a bell jar large enough for it.


I am a thrift store addict and found some great Easter treasures at our local thrift store. These 12 inch bunnies were $1 each. I took off the ugly ribbons on them and replaced them with more neutral colors. I also took the rabbit off the pole and cut a couple inches off of it. It is just the right height now.

This little moss and chicken wire bunny was also a buck.

These little bunnies were also 50 cents each. But the tags on the bottom say $2.50 from Pier One Imports.

I love spring time and new life. I especially love decorating with bird houses, nests and eggs.

HAPPY EASTER!!!!!!!!

This weeks finds!

Friday morning I hit a yard sale. The paper said "Moving Sale with lots of furniture - Huge." It was a few miles out of town and I almost decided not to go but am glad I did. It was HUGE. I brought home lots of stuff. The big find was this antique dresser with mirror. It was $35 and in excellent condition.

This cute drop leaf table was $20. It is also very solid and in excellent condition. I love the sage green color it is painted.

A $5 chair. It is very similar style to the kitchen chairs we already have.

You may need to live in the state of Washinton to appreciate these next two finds. A steamer/juicer for three dollars and an apple picker for $2. I already have a juicer that we paid $70 for. I have always wanted two so I can have two steaming at once. This will cut the time I spend making grape juice in half.

A cute reversible table runner with ruffles at the ends was $1.

Three roosters for $3 each. Each one stands nearly 12 inches tall.

The vinyl plaque was $1 and the basket was 50 cents.

I paid $1.25 for the set of two baskets and 25 cents each for the twiggy pumpkins with metal leaves.