Not quite used to posting/blogging yet. Can't believe how many days it's been since my last post. I started a couple...but didn't get the pictures done to put in them. Then decided they weren't good enough to share with you.
I'm excited to share this post though. Friday, Mr. Piggy, (I should have been more selective with the name of my blog) and I, decided to go to a couple garage sales. The day before, I went on line and mapped out the locations. Friday morning, I wasn't sure I could manage the walking, but I spend so much time in the house, and there was extra incentive to go...we need to replace the dirty, chewed up, love seats in our family room...plus I've got it in my head that we need a king-sized bed in the master bedroom so that with Gypsy and Suzy in bed with us, we have more room. When they lay on the covers, you are literally pinned down!
So...off we go. The first two sales were such disappointments...and I almost said let's go home. Getting in and out of the van was painful...walking a few steps was painful...and then to see nothing but junk...ugh.
Well, the third time is a charm? I had no idea the third sale was an estate sale. Lots of cars and we arrived an hour after it opened. Ron (Mr. Piggy) dropped me off in front and went to find a place to park the van, and I trudged up the driveway and the long walk, following the arrow signs.
As soon as I opened the door, I knew we had lucked up on the best sale I had ever been to. Soooo many things! It was conducted by an estate sale company. I got their card and met the owner the second day of the sale. (Yes we spent two days there-smile.) Super nice people...so helpful and they did a great job.
The first day: Everything full price but marked reasonably, I thought. Too much to really go through and us so inexperienced. We should have brought a couple nice big baskets to put over our arms. When we found things...we had to carry them up to where you pay, and one person had to stay behind and tell everyone the rest of the things were sold! There were several sets of Fostoria glasses...hard to carry 14 glasses at once...and that was just one set. I bought a set of Amber goblets...water and juice. Wish I had bought the green set too, but it only had one water goblet...the rest were all small ones. Anyway, since I bought the amber ones the second day of the sale and it was after twelve noon...I got them half price, $10 for all!
So many things I wanted...that first day...but we had only brought a small amount of cash and they wouldn't accept checks or credit cards. That caused a lot of indecision on my part (I have a problem deciding on things anyway). In this sale...if you snooze you lose...that became obvious immediately. I can't tell you how many things we missed out on, while I was trying to decide if my limited funds should be spent on that item. That all changed the second day after twelve noon...if I had any inkling I wanted it...off it went to the pay table! The ladies that were conducting the sale soon became my fast friends.
They were all helpful, but the most helpful was a lady named T.H. (yes...that was her real name on her birth certificate). Lovely lady who confided to me that she had nearly died last year with an anti-biotic resistant infection called C-dif...caused by Dr giving her high dosage of anti-biotics, of all things. She believes that the power of prayer is what pulled her through and I'm so glad she is still with us. She is invaluable to that estate sale company and what a delightful experience. She used to own a packaging company, and she packed all my purchased treasures and helped us take them out to the van! I was so glad to have met her and wish I could have her in my life as a friend...I gave her a big hug when we finally left the sale on Saturday.
Here are some of the things I found...most purchased at half price on the second day of the sale. I missed a lot on the first day to people with more money but I'm still very pleased with what I got!
This cute little teapot called to me the first day, but I kept passing it up, as did everyone else. The second day, I had to have it, and $6 was a bargain. I didn't get much sleep that first night...thinking of all the things I was going back for and hoped would still be there!
This Daffodil plate was brought out the second day. They said as things were sold, other things were found or placed in areas to make them more visible. If I had seen this the first day, I would have paid full price for it...but even happier to pay just $2.50 for it!
I did end up paying full price for two of these wonderful sconces. They are so gorgeous...solid brass and they even threw in the candles. I think people passed these up because they were BOLTED to the wall! I'm going to figure out a better way to hang them. I think they will go over my living room couch replacing the very french brass sconces that are there now. Full price was $25 for the pair, including the candles!
This was my biggest find of the day. It's a reproduction on canvas of "Young Girl Reading" by Jean Honore Fragonard. The frame is burled and it's matted beautifully. I found several of them on eBay, with frames not as pretty and the prices were obscene. I got this for $20.
Those who know me on line, know that I have watched Eagles in their nests since 2006. Seen the Eaglets hatch and made many new chat room on line friends. My Eagle buddies will be drooling over these. They are antiqued brass, very heavy and so pretty. I should have cleaned them before taking the picture...but just imagine how pretty they'll be without the dust!
I think the only thing that saved this lamp for me to buy, was the fact it was plugged in and lit up on a table with other things for sale. People may have been afraid to unplug it and take it to the pay table...but not me. It was priced at $10 so half of that was a $5 bargain. I bought another lamp that I haven't taken a picture of yet to show you.
Years ago, my daughter Kristin gave me her old rattan and wicker tables for my back porch. Over the years, the one glass topped sofa table has warped and sagged from the Florida heat and humidity...so much so that I was afraid it would soon fall down or at least that the things on it would slip off, it was leaning so much. This table was marked $40 and was a half off bargain. It will need to be painted with some white exterior paint to help it last in the heat and humid conditions. It doesn't quite fit where I wanted it to go...but I can move it down to a longer wall.
A bargain at $7.50, this picture is professionally framed and the matting is just so pretty. I'll find a place for it...not sure where yet.
I noticed this the first day...but I didn't go check it out by pulling out the drawers or anything. It was out of my price range at full price...I love the feet...and it's old...needs some freshening up of the finish. When it went to half price and was still there...a man was looking at it...and I decided I needed it! So...I bought it at half price. Sitting and resting...looked at it and knew I loved it. Well...imagine my surprise after I paid for it and the drawers wouldn't open! I told the people running the sale that the drawers were locked and was there a key? Imagine my mortification when they told me it was a cedar lined antique blanket chest! There IS a bottom drawer. Then I discovered the claw feet on the back legs are damaged...but the pieces to repair it are in that bottom drawer. It must have been fate, because we needed a place to put all the quilts we use on the bed. The dogs get things dirty quickly, so we have quite a few that we wash often. So...this lovely chest has gone in our bedroom. Even though, there is way too much furniture in there....might not be room for a king sized bed now.
I have many more things to show you...almost all bought for a mere pittance, compared to their true worth. I'll save those for another post.
I hope you enjoyed seeing my found treasures. What a sale...we drove home marveling at our good fortune. Living on Social Security, these opportunities are few and far between...if at all anymore.
