A Quarter Century of Junking

My dear friend Joan just emailed me this picture. It's me in 1986. I was visiting Joan and her husband in London. I had spent the morning at a fantastic rummage...The kind where you find a set of vintage dishes with a Paris cafe design. Girls, see the crazed look in my eyes? That is pure junk joy!

I thought it was a good time to share this photo because on Monday, I leave for a 2 week holiday in London. Can't wait to get my grubby hands on some more British goodies. I'll keep you posted...

A disturbing little snowman

I saw this plastic light up snowman from behind at a recent flea. I bolted across the field to get my grubby hands on it. But I was horrified when I saw its face.

It looks exactly like the lunatics in A Clockwork Orange. The hat...the eyes...Did someone do this on purpose?

I left the snowman in the field; I certainly don't want him on my porch for the Christmas holiday!

Ooops! Forgot to show you something....

This was sort of teetering on top of a wood pile at a rummage sale on Friday. I saw the front of it and thought it might be fun in the garden or even as our mailbox at the new hut.

I got closer and saw this...

I love it, love it, love it.

P.S. Just 2 more days to jump in for my next giveaway...See details here.

Today's Haul

I LOVE a church rummage. Today's spoils include: a dozen vintage party hats (polka dots!!!) a bamboo bird cage ~ not for use with an actual bird ~, an old Christmas tree stand, a sugar panorama egg with a frosting duck inside (story to follow in another post), a vintage plastic deer for my friend Magpie Ethel, two-tone big Shiny Brites in the original box, a flash card division deck, Bridge score sheets, and 2 of the tiniest Tupperware bowls in the universe. See them in the flash card box? They actually have "Tupperware" stamped on the teeny lids. I'm thinking they are favors that were given out at Tupperware parties...Does anybody know for sure?

AND....

3 vintage neckties, a gorgeous creamy yellow damask tablecloth in perfect condition, 2 sets of 4 hand embroidered napkins, a deck of cool alphabet cards, several leftover 1970's Current notecards. The previous owner used all the kitty ones and left the owls (owls!) for me. Thank you, whoever you are. Finally, a pink flower plate with a hole in the middle. It must have been part of a tidbit tray like this. I grab them whenever I see them and use them in my garden....

Like this:

Maybe I'll even take the price tag off the pink one!

Total expenditure: $10.85. Like I said, I LOVE a church rummage.

Church Rummage Sales

Tag sales are fun and estate sales are yummy, but my favorite kind of sale has always been a church rummage. Not sure if it's the old book smell, the prices, (you can still find stuff for 15 cents) the gals at the cashier's table adding up prices on a Bridge pad with a broken pencil or the mountains of vintage Christmas stuff. Any-hoo, the point is, the elements that all fine church rummage sales have in common are shown here: A handpainted sign advertising coffee and hot dogs, homemade cookies wrapped in Saran Wrap and a perfectly pleasant gal serving crappy coffee in Styrofoam cups. A Junker's Paradise!