Catch Up

Is this technically still a blog if I only update once a month? Oh well, it is what it is. Apparently my priorities have been elsewhere. Including treasure hunting. :) So here's me playing catch up on sharing my finds over the last few weeks.

Going back to the first weekend in March, I spent all Friday afternoon running around my church building and town. I was gathering up supplies to set up a booth for my church at our local Chamber of Commerce's Home & Business Expo. I finished earlier than expected and had 30 minutes to spare before the high school opened its doors for exhibitors to set up. Well what's a half mile down the street from the school? My favorite local hunting grounds - Burnat Mill Antiques. So with no kids in tow and time to burn I raced in for a quick look around.

I spent only $7, walked out with these two finds, and got back to the school as they opened their doors:

$5 for a package of 250 jumbo size (3"x6") green tags. I was intrigued by these but I try not to buy anything unless I know what I'm going to do with it. Then inspiration hit and I decided to scoop them up.

Here is a closeup of one. I'm thinking next year's kid-photo Christmas card? I'll put a photo of the kids in the middle, some holiday ribbon looped through the hole, and on the back a personal note. Knowing me I better get started on these right away if they're going to make it out in time for Christmas!

For $2 I picked up this circa 1953 book. It's full of stories and prayers for kids with Dick and Jane style illustrations. I love that era and have collected quite a few kids books and readers from that period, displayed in the kids rooms.

For those who read my last blog entry, this page opposite the inside cover is why I had to get this book. (If you can't read the words, click on the picture to enlarge it.)  It further illustrates and hit home for me the treasure from scripture I last blogged about. God's timing is so amazing.

I usually do my shopping and errands when my 5 year old is in preschool so I only have my 2 year old with me. Some days I have time to get back home, put away groceries, and then do preschool pickup. Other days I don't quite have time to make the whole round trip but end up a little time to waste. That's what happened a couple of weeks ago when I remembered The Blessing Barn thrift shop that's between the grocery store and preschool. I thought I scored a beautiful $20 set of 4 curtain panels that would have looked great in my dining room but noooo.....there was permanent blue paint conspicuously spilled on two of the four panels. The lady at the shop even let me take them into the bathroom with some cleaner to see if it would come out.  I was so bummed the curtains didn't work out. (Can I still use the word "curtains" or does that automatically invoke images of lace-trimmed, window-length, tie-backs? I think "window treatments" is the phrase of the day but whatever, I will always call them curtains. I choose to buck the trend on that. Just like I REFUSE to describe anything as Fabulous.)

So back to the subject. The Blessing Barn did bless me with the treasures below and I feel good knowing that the proceeds from my purchases helped enable Compassion New England to assist many who find themselves in need.

Loved everything about this little 8" high globe for $4.

$8 silver plate gravy boat. When I host my family for the holidays we use 2 tables to fit everyone but I only have one gravy boat with my china set. Now I have a 2nd formal gravy boat that nicely matches the silver rim on my china.

$1 bud vase, 3"x4". The pictures doesn't show it is oblong shaped. I'm forever picking flowers and berries and greenery, if not from my yard then from nature walks. I needed something that was classic enough to put anywhere in any room of the house.

2 Thomasville 15"x18" frames $4 each. I've been searching for a long time for cheap frames that will fit vintage magazine ads for my china that I found on eBay years ago. I'll have to swap out the matts for custom ones to fit the ads, and I may paint the frames...we shall see. I'll share the finished results whenever that may be.

I can proudly announce I shopped my first official Yard Sale of the season. This past Friday was a gorgeous day and my husband had the idea that our family walk the mile or so up the hill between our house and his parents house for an early evening visit. One house on the way had a little table piled with castoffs and a "For Sale" sign at the end of the driveway. It totally counts. The only thing worth taking a second look at was a box of gardening tools. Some vintage rusty ones, some kid-sized ones, and a few quality trowels etc. I really needed to replace mine this season and the girls love to help garden so I wanted the whole kit 'n kaboodle. With only $2 on us we asked the homeowners if they'd set the box aside so I could come back Saturday morning to pay and pickup.


Here's the whole lot of gardening tools for $8. There's actually two identical sets of kids tools - perfect, no fighting!

Now comes the hard part - waiting until its warm enough to dig!