Saling

My very favorite thing to do on a Saturday morning is to go garage saling with my cousin Amy.  I know, I know - it's not for everyone.  My husband thinks it's the dumbest thing ever to drive around and look at stuff other people are trying to get rid of.  Then again, when I said I wanted to spend 10 days in Egypt, he said he'd rather spend 10 days in the hospital - so I guess we don't always have similar interests:)  Amy and I, on the other hand, are soul-mates.  We just get each other.  I'm pretty sure we'd be friends even if we weren't related.  But enough on that - just in case she happens to see this.  I don't want her thinking I like her or anything.

Part of the reason our garage saling expeditions are such fun is the back and forth banter between us.  You have to have thick skin if you're going to hang with us.  Not for sissies.  A typical exchange goes something like this:

Me, while trying on a pair of sandals (because I buy TONS of sandals at garage sales - I love sandals):  I love these sandals... Well, crud - they're too big.  Hey, Bigfoot, come try these on.

Amy:  Shut it, Hag.

Well, OK then.   Like I said, not for sissies.  

We've been going to garage sales together for around 20 years now, I think.  We're professionals at it, too.  We should write a book.  We have rules.  You know, things like... used underwear should never be sold at a garage sale.  We never touch maternity clothes (or other motherhood-related items) either, for fear of being zapped with an unexpected pregnancy (and that's not EVEN funny at my age!).  We added a new rule today - either party can call "time".  So if one of us is finished looking at the offerings while the other is still digging through a pile of books, the person who's ready to move on to the next sale can call it.  It's basically a nice way to say "let's move it, already" without being quite so rude (although I'm not sure why that is even a consideration!) and it's expected that the other person will finish up quickly.  Unless, of course, they don't want to, in which case more arguing will ensue.  Not for sissies.

 We were finding lots of good stuff today.  I found this leather jacket and talked the seller down from $3 to $2.  The sandals were too big even for Bigfoot, but they were only a quarter, so I bought them, too.  The whole bag of watches was another quarter and the purse shaped locket pendant was $1.  I plan on cutting up the jacket to make leather bracelets.  The leather "flowers" from the sandals with cool metal accents should work in some sort of jewelry, as will the pendant.  Watch parts are great for Steampunk pieces.

This dress was actually pretty cute, but had some very worn places where the embroidery was coming loose.  For a quarter, though, it will be excellent for jewelry (torn in strips & used to wrap bangles, etc.).  The three wide leather cuffs were $1 apiece - my splurge of the day.  But I really like them and I think they'll be great layered on with a stack of other bracelets.  The plastic bag full of corks and the whole pile of bangles were each a quarter.  The little woven zippered pouch was a dime.  I paid $1 for the two letter bracelets at the top with the whole stack of letters, but the letters are metal, so I didn't think that was too bad.

I also got a couple dozen paperback books (yes, I'm a Kindle/Nook holdout) for less than .50 each, a Franklin planner (never used) for a quarter, a basil plant (see, you never know what you're going to find at garage sales!), and a creepy jewelry display hand (more on that another day).  But the real find of the day?

The ceramic pitcher at the top of this post and this pot were for sale by the lady who made them.  Aren't they incredible!?  I asked if she sold her things like on Etsy or somewhere and she said she might when she got good.  Huh.  I'm pretty darned impressed already!  

All in all we had a darned good morning.  A little coffee, some good conversation and bargains.  Ahhhh....