Guess where I went during my lunch hour today? I'm HOOKED! Actually, I WAS going to go to the other Goodwill Store, but when I got there, they had a sign out front saying they were remodeling and I should visit the store where I spent yesterday's lunch hour. Being a highly suggestible individual, I did just that.
In my defense, I really didn't have enough time yesterday to look at everything, and I knew I missed some areas of the store, so it didn't take much to persuade me to return. Besides, I kept thinking about these brass knobs I saw yesterday:
Why? I have no idea! Maybe it's just 'cause they're shiny? Actually, I thought hubby might be able to do something creative, or I could use some as feet for the bottoms of boxes. There are a lot of knobs there though. But hey, what a deal! And yes, I found a few more good buys today, so it was worth the trip!
Popular--in fact, unanimous--opinion was that I should leave "Tate" on the sailboat quilt, so Tate remains. I washed and dried the quilt and it's back on the bed in my son's room. Thank you for your input--it helped me with my decision tremendously! Besides the quilt, here's my other really exciting purchase yesterday:
I collect teapots a bit--not the pretty floral transferware teapots but more the mid-century, simple-shaped, glazed ceramic teapots. Last year, I bought a yellow teapot on eBay with an insulated chrome cover. You can see it HERE. And no, that's not me in the reflection of the cover--that's the guy on eBay who was selling it. Yesterday at Goodwill, I spotted this white teapot with the insulated copper cover and I knew it needed to come home with me. I turned it over to look at the price--$2.99! The teapot with the cover removed looks much like the yellow one and is in nearly perfect condition. I was trying to do a little research on the computer last night to see if I could find out more about it, but I found very little EXCEPT for a listing at an online antique shop for a teapot that looked the same and had sold for $46 (plus shipping). I think I got a really good deal on mine, don't you?!
And speaking of deals--and I still want to pinch myself because I NEVER find good stuff at thrift shops!--today I found three quilting books. Two are Debbie Mumm books and one is Pink Lemonade--a book that I've picked up and looked at several times but never bought. And get this--and maybe you should sit down first! Apparently they were having some kind of sale on some of the books--100 books for $2. So these three books cost me 6 cents. Total. 6 CENTS! I've had to look at the receipt several times.
Okay, enough thrift shops buys for today. But will you laugh if I tell you I stopped at YET ANOTHER Goodwill on the way home from work tonight? Yeah, I'm hooked alright! Anyway, I wanted to show you one more thing that was also a pretty good bargain, although not from a thrift shop. Last Thursday or Friday, I stopped by Michael's--can't remember what for, but I know I found more than I was looking for. Michael's had a bunch of Mary Engelbreit pads, note cards, journals and other paper "stuff" at $1 each. Of course, I bought a couple things. But I also found some pads, note cards, journals, etc., marked down to 50 cents and the "art" was kitchen/fruit themed. I bought a box of "cherry" note cards and a box of "strawberry" note cards. I also bought two picture frame mats for the cards and put them in some plain black frames I had here in a closet.
Not bad--something like $5 for what I needed to put together these two small kitchen prints. I also bought one of the matching journals and I think I'm going to stop by Michael's after my Jo's Club meeting tomorrow night to see if they have any more. I've been thinking for some time now that I need to better organize my recipes and get rid of some of the books and things that are taking up WAAAAY too much space, and I think these journals might be fun for that project--a different "journal" for each recipe/food category. I've tried recipe cards in a box, and I don't like that. I've also tried putting recipes in photo albums which isn't too bad, but they're kind of large and bulky. Do you have some kind of organized recipe system? Every now and then, I buy those small Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, and other paperback cookbooks at the grocery checkout stand--but I usually only find a couple recipes I make and like (a lot sometimes!) and then I forget where to find them again. I think I want to just cut some of those recipes out and put them in these journals. What do you think? Is that a reasonable system or does something else work well for you? At this point, all I know is that I have two shelves of cookbooks and I'd really like to pare it down quite a lot. Thanks for stopping in and thanks for any helpful input you leave me! Oh, and by the way--do you know of any other good thrift stores in my area? I don't really have any lunch plans tomorrow.
Heh heh - well, last question first -- now I know of at least ONE good thrift store!! What a score! The stores areound here have all the crap that didn't sell at someones yard sale.
ReplyDeleteRecipes - my best ones are all in my trusty computer, where they don't take up any room at all. AND, once it dawned on me that I have a scanner, I quit hand entering them and things got so much quicker. (Duh - I'm a bit slow....) Actually, I still have a 10 foot long shelf of cookbooks, but it's for decoration, LOL!
Two Goodwill stores? Sheesh, we don't even have one. In my neck of the woods we only have "antique" stores where teapots are considered collectables and are priced at $50 and up! And 6¢ for a book? My goodness, you must have a special bargain homing device in your car instead of that GPS thingy.
ReplyDeleteLove the cute framed prints.
I am seriously loving that you've been bitten by the thrifting bug! WARNING: It becomes such an addiction that it borders on obsession. (Or is that just me?)
ReplyDeleteThe finds from Goodwill are amazing! I never find anything like that when I go there! Waaaaahh! Yes, I'll take some cheese with my whine, thank you!
ReplyDeleteI don't really have an intelligent way of putting my recipes together. I have a recipe box (a wooden house) that I put my favorite ones in, and I have a small 3-ring binder I use for others. Oh, and a file folder for recipes I haven't tried. I like your idea of the journals - takes up less room.
I like your idea of the journals too, cute and less room.
ReplyDeleteI just love your blog. Always interesting and fun...thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletesix cents?????????????
ReplyDeleteSIX CENTS???? will you understand if I say I hate you? How did you luck out like that???? Wow wow wow! good job! okay, the hating is over, now I'm happy for you.
I really had to go back to being nice or all three pennies would have to go back in my left pocket and it's too late in the day for me to start over!
What a great lunchtime trip. 3 books for 6c!!!! I am going to have to have a look at the thrift shops where I live and report back , especially if I can some bargains matching yours!
ReplyDeleteWell, I do have some cookbooks, and I also have an old journal that I started to use to collect recipes like 30 years ago. However, lately...if I make a recipe I like, I type it up and keep in a folder called Recipes on my computer! This way, I can email it to friends...I do like your journal idea. I'm just too lazy to copy all of that by hand, I think. Your idea of pasting them in there sounds good.
ReplyDeleteI have been going away with 12 friends every year for over 23 years - we go the weekend after Columbus day weekend. the food has been tremendous. we usually do a shared "gift" and take turns getting it. after several years of expensive things, I took a turn. I bought 3 ring photo binders at Joann's. I left in the photo pages and included some of the pictures from over the years. I asked everyone to send recipes that they had made in years past and put them in categories then printed them and then photocopied them.
ReplyDeletelast year another recipe clipper had brought her recipes. she cut out the ones she wanted to save and put them in a photo 3 ring binder.
for myself - recipes that I have used repeatedly - I write them into my wonderwoman journal. the first pages I set aside as an index.
other recipes that I have typed out to share are printed and kept in a binder as well as in my computer.
hope these ideas help. I have a serious cookbook addiction - have about 50:-) I don't even make things out of some but I enjoy reading them:-)
I have been in and out of the local fabric and book stores over the last few weeks awaiting the sampler. so will have to go now and hopefully score one.
I have confessed my book addiction above. also have a serious fabric addiction. and now having urges to grab the car keys and go to good will and to salvation army. argh
deb