Monday, September 13, 2010

Treasures from a church yard sale

My mom has the best yard sale instincts of anyone I know. She has even talked about writing a book filled with her years of yard sale wisdom, but she doesn't want to share it until she's ready to retire from The Business. When we passed by the St. Stephen UMC yard sale in Marietta on Saturday, she thought it looked promising and suggested we stop. It was nearly 1 p.m. by the time we arrived, and thus well after prime yard sale shopping hours, but it turns out we were hitting the end-of-sale shopping exactly right, as it had just been announced that everything remaining was a quarter! Yep, just 25 cents!

So I ask you, could *you* have left this large (7-1/2-inch tall), clear glass pedestal bowl for a quarter? No, I didn't think so. Besides, I'm hosting a tea in a few weeks and have just the dish to serve in my new bargain find.

I've seen pieces like this rosy container referred to as cachepots used to hold houseplants, but I had another use in mind ...

Tea infuser holder! Perfect!

I like picking up vintage Christmas pieces throughout the year, and the price was definitely right on this rectangular dish. I love the graphics!

I had been looking for a metal basket to use when picking cherry tomatoes out of the garden, which are still coming in daily. Ideally, I wanted to use it for picking tomatoes and then rinsing them off in the kitchen sink as well. Almost bought one for $15 last weekend. Glad I didn't!

Also couldn't leave these three rolls of gift wrap -- two white-on-white bridal, one rose design.

And my final bargain of the day was this $5 wooden whatnot shelf -- for a quarter. So I got everything you see here today for $2. I was so spoiled by my bargains, I wasn't tempted by a single thing at T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Ross, or either of the two antique malls we visited afterward, but at least I didn't come home empty handed. My mom spent about $5 at this sale and her haul ranged from a vintage punch bowl and cups to an unopened case of water goblets, new-in-the-package linens, lots of Christmas decor and more. We were both impressed that there was "good" junk left at this sale at the end of the day, and we left with a trunk full of treasures. Score!

9 comments:

  1. What fun! Your mom sure does know a sale when she sees one. Great finds too. I especially love the 'whatknots' shelf. I don't know what I would use it for, but I would not have left it there either!

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  2. What fun treasures you found and you can't beat a 25 cents a piece! Love the tea infusers in the cachepot and that little what not shelf is so charming!
    Kimber

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  3. wow. wow. I would love to find a whatnot shelf like that - especially for .25

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  4. That is absolutely crazy. I love it and I love hearing about your finds!

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  5. This is the kind of post that is so wonderful it makes me angry!! It was all wonderful, but I have to say my favorite is the pedestal bowl. The kind of thing you can't afford not to buy!! The metal basket is great, too, though. My mother has one similar that she uses for her produce -- but when she was a girl she used it to gather eggs.

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  6. Oooh, what neat finds!

    Thanks for you comments over at my place this morning too, they always make me smile!

    I stumbled into something this afternoon that I have to share with you. I always think of you when I see tea themed things, and this blog is LOADED with them. Check it out when you have a moment, it's well worth a look. This blogger is doing different tea themed projects all through the month of September, how fun!! We're not too late to relish some of the eye candy!

    http://muffinsnmore.blogspot.com/

    Have a tea-lightful day!
    Lisa

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  7. What a home run! Wow! Your Mom reminds me of what Martha Stewart said in one of her books. (She said she never take anyone with you who likes what she likes!)

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  8. Oh, I would love shopping with your mom. Definitely, SCORE!

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  9. Dear Angela, your Mom is a great treasure hunter! I love all your finds, especially the pedestal bowl - it's beautiful. I bet she could write a good book, when she's ready to 'retire.' Thanks for sharing, Joanie

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