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Saturday, June 29, 2013

It Finally Feels Like Summer!

Hi Everyone!

Even though my kids have been out of school for two weeks, we have finally slowed down enough around here for it to feel like Summer vacation.  Just because school ends doesn't automatically mean that everything comes to a screeching halt.  But the last few days, I have found myself with no appointments, errands, or projects that need to be completed.  So you know what I have done?  I have spent the last two days on my back patio with my dogs, a stack of books and magazines, and when it got a little later in the day, a refreshing glass of Sweet Tea Vodka & Lemonade.  Heaven, I tell you.

Needless to say, I didn't go to one, single sale yesterday.  And you know what?  I'm okay with that.  I spend enough mornings throughout the year scrambling to get out the door early in the morning.  It was so nice to just get up and have a leisurely cup of coffee and browse the Internet.  Plus, there were no sales that screamed "YOU MUST GET THERE 4 HOURS EARLY AND BE 1st IN LINE!!" otherwise I would have.  But last Friday?  A completely different story.

I have mentioned in the past an estate sale company that always has amazing write-ups but no pictures.  I hate that.  It really is a crap shoot as to whether or not the description actually fits what is in the actual sale.  "Vintage" could actually mean 1980's which is not the kind of vintage I'm looking for.  But last Friday, the sale they were running promised a "Full Vintage Kitchen" and for some reason, I felt that I had to be there. 

The sale started at 10:00 and guess what time my little trooper and I got there?  6:45!  Obviously we were first in line (well, I was second.  Maddie put herself at #1). I have been so sick of the dealers at the sales lately.  They are grabbing absolutely anything and everything remotely old looking and if you aren't in front of them, you seriously lose out.  Well, Maddie and I weren't taking any chances.

There were two other sales being given by companies that started before this one so I wasn't surprised when nobody else started showing up until a little after nine.  These sales didn't really appeal to me so I was okay with missing out.  As we were standing in front of the house, one guy was looking in the front windows and said "There are ALOT of linens in there".  So I took a peek too.  He was right so my trusty little assistant and I had a little meeting that went something like this

Me: "When you go in, head to the bedroom directly on your left and grab all of the linens."

Maddie: "Okay, mom".

Me: "You know which ones, right?  Only printed linens.  No embroidery."

Maddie: "Okay, mom.

Me: "The first room on the left".

Maddie: "Mom, I've got this.  This isn't my first time at a sale, you know."

Sorry guys if this post is getting wordy.  I'm on my second cup of Foglifter coffee.  Good stuff.

So we took our spots at #1 and #2 in line.  The door opened and we immediately went to our designated areas.  Pyrex lovers, be prepared to gasp.


I was the first one in the kitchen followed by about 20 others.  I didn't even hesitate and grabbed this stack of bowls.  You can't wait otherwise they will be snatched up by the next person.  Besides, was I really going to leave them behind?  I didn't look at the price right away but I knew they were coming home with me regardless.  I mean, how often do you see pink Pyrex bowls at estate sales?  Ready for it?  At the bottom of the smallest bowl was a $10.00 sticker.  Those of us collectors know that ten bucks for the 401 is not a bad price at all.  You know where I'm going with this, right?  There were no stickers on any of the other bowls meaning it was $10.00 FOR THE WHOLE SET!!  Are you dying?  I am.  My dealer competition saw what I saw and literally said a string of 4 letter words.  Even though she was about 15 people behind me in line, she went through the garage thinking that she would get to the kitchen before me.  Obviously that didn't work out for her.

In case you have all been paying attention, I am now two 404 bowls away from completing two more sets. 

Okay, enough babbling.  Here's what else we found.


I tore the house apart looking for the other pink refrigerator dishes.  No luck.  I recently told someone that I hadn't found a vintage cocktail shaker in forever so I was stoked to find this mini set.


I decided a few weeks ago that I really wanted a hand mixer like my Grandma Gloria had.  Do you know how much those suckers sell for on eBay?  I just told myself to be patient and that I would find one at a sale.  I must be psychic.  Maddie is convinced that the knee hugger is one of the Rice Krispie guys.  The frog, cookbook, and mini fork set will be added to my collections.



So true to her word, my girl grabbed all of the printed linens.  They weren't tablecloths as I had hoped but super cute dishtowels.  There are a lot more but I set those aside for Sister.  I will let her share them with you. Maddie said to me "Mom, wait till you see what I got.  I did good".  Have I told you before that she is my secret weapon?

Not shown are the NOS white bathroom hand towels from Montgomery Wards (not very exciting but something I needed).  Also, a brand new unopened box of Q-Tips.  You should have seen the look Maddie gave me.  But they were a dollar!  Have you seen how much Q-Tips are at Target?

So in typical fashion of this company, the write-up promised a bigger quantity of items than was actually there.  But seriously?  What I got was definitely worth the 3 hours sitting in the car.  Plus, my trusty assistant was rewarded with Jamba Juice so she was happy too.

Linking up with:

The Thrifty Groove for Thrifty Things Friday
Jann Olson for Share Your Cup Thursday
How Sweet The Sound for Pink Saturday
Cottage Sweet Cottage for Rednesday
Apron Thrift Girl for Thrift Share Monday
Sir Thrift-A-Lot for Thriftasaurus
The Cottage Market for Junkin' Joe

Happy Saturday!

Erica





23 comments:

  1. Just reading your blog saves me time, energy, and money. We do not have good estate sales around here, only a Catholic charity shop that used to have great prices. They got wise, I guess. I do not collect pyrex, and I never see any there. But I enjoy your blog and seeing your purchases. It must be great to have a "partner in crime". Like Maddie. Enjoy your summer, Linda
    www.wetcreek.blogspot.com

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  2. Wow. I'm not sure what I love more; those pink Pyrex bowls you beat the dealer to, or your trusty assistant and her "this isn't my first rodeo" comment. It's even more impressive that she waited patiently for 3 hours in the car! Love everything about this post. Thanks for letting me live vicariously through you today!

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  3. Love hearing you beat the dealer! I would have had some smart remark followed by a smile for her had she had a string of 4 letter words for me. I'm just like that. I was ready to attend an amazing estate sale (gosh you should have seen the crazy crap in the ad!), but $30 in my bank account for about a week... just couldn't make it. This would have been my first estate sale before open. That shaker is one of the best sets (it's a his, hers & ours, right?) I have ever seen.

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  4. OH MY I am having severe Pyrex envy! $10! and pink to boot, I have never seen any. My best is $2.50 for a set if sunflower cinderella bowl set. My friend saw a set of pink fridge dishes and they wanted $90! I love all the dish towels too. You did great,how fun!

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  5. Super jealous!! Not only the bowls but a pink fridgie too! Lucky, lucky, lucky! I miss my yard sale days!!! Happy Pink Saturday! You really made my day!

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  6. What a beautiful set of PINK Pyrex!! I love beating the dealers to the kitchen! Great to have a partner in crime...my daughter always says, "Throw those elbows Mom!" I so enjoy your blog...great reporting!
    Ranae...thevintageshelf.blogspot.com

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  7. Wow! That is amazing...$10 for the bowls. I love it all and Maddie did great. You two are die hard Estate salers! I don't think I could do 6:45. Glad you are having some down time now :)

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  8. Yes- I am dying over here! Amazing pink finds! I tell ya, the women in these parts just were NOT into pink! either that or they still have it all! ♥

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  9. The pink bowls are simply DIVINE Erica!

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  10. I think you need to send Maddie up I-5 to tag along on a sale with me. I need a second set of hands that do as well as she does! Love the pyrex in PINK!

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  11. I love your estate sale adventures with Maddie! Can I borrow her sometime? LOL! You always find the best things. Drooling over your pink Pyrex, and all the linens you keep scooping up, sigh. Fun post! :) Pam

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  12. I'm enjoying estate sales with you! Love and adore the pink Pyrex! Such a great score!!!! Also love the linens. Oh my your secret weapon does well. Thanks for linking with TTF this week.

    Linda

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  13. this is so interesting! The thrift store ( Mission Store, really ) that I stop into from time to time often has pyrex and fireking but I have only picked up smaller bows that I might use for cooking and mixing now and again.

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  14. That definitely seemed to be worth the wait! Awesome finds and great teamwork! :)

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  15. You did great! Definitely worth the wait just for those bowls. And at $10... I am dying!

    We don't get many great estate sales around here. So any that I've been to, I usually go on the last day to get the 50% off (plus other amazing deals they're willing to make).

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  16. Jealous doesn't even cut it! You guys found so much awesome stuff! The bowls, the fridgie, the cocktail shaker and glasses, all of it awesome!
    Your team work totally paid off. And Maddie cracks me up! I can even picture her rolling her eyes at you.

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  17. LOL!!!I LOVE your secret weapon! I think I need one! NICE pink bowl set and the shaker & glasses too! You girls did great at that sale!
    Happy 4th !
    Warmly,
    deb

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  18. Fabulous PINK finds girls

    I gave my pink pyrex bowls away to a friend and youngest daughter , I sure would pick another set up for that great price

    glad you got them before the rude mouth lady

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  19. I enjoyed EVERY WORD of this post! How lucky are you?! To snag such goodies, and have such a great partner to help you--I'd be jealous if I weren't so thoroughly entertained by your writing. And you snapping up that pyrex ahead of a dealer only added to my reading pleasure! Happy 4th!
    :) --Fran

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  20. What a bunch of pink pretties. $10 for the bowls? That is unreal! Maddie did good and got fab linens. I have not made it to the last 3 estate sale notifications I've gotten. Been crazy busy. Having thrifting withdrawals. lol! Thanks for sharing your great finds with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  21. Oh swoon...those pinkalicious pyrex pretties (say that 3 times fast) are PRECIOUS!!!! Love them...SCORE!!!! tfs...hugs...

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  22. That was just a perfect sale!! I bet you were beaming when you left that place, well, I know you were!! $10 - that's just great!!

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