..I've Found a New Place to Dwell..

Finally, I'm in packin' and leavin' mode..
Found a wonderful new place to live, on level ground so won't have so much trouble carrying stuff up and down stairs, walking the equivalent of a block with heavy laundry, and back and forth several times a day with my Market set-up on Saturdays...hooray!!
Now I need to stop all that second-handing, junking and garage-sailing for awhile and start planning one of my own..I probably have an entire roomful of stuff I could easily live without right now, and I have to figure out how to 'get tough' with myself..
May not be a TV reality show-worthy hoarder, but my 'stuff' increases exponentially with the amount of room I have, and since my new place, at least inside, is somewhat smaller, have to get rid of lots of great stuff...well, thought it was great stuff at the time!
Have to figure out what to do with all my crafting stuff in my new place..I could use one of those people who stop by and show you great ideas for storage- of course, it would have to be Oprah paying for it, too...
So all of you who blog about your wonderful finds at estate sales, flea markets, and yard and garage sales, too. spare a kind thought for me..I'll have to live vicariously through you until I'm settled in my new place..wonder if I will have to go through withdrawal symptoms... :(

Thrift Store Find and Holiday Cheer...

Today I'm going to combine my nicest find of the week with what I've been up to, which is applying for holiday fairs...
Some of you do the Thrift Store thing, some tag sales, garage sales or all three..
I pretty much confine myself to thrift stores, since all the good sales are on Saturdays, when I am usually at my Farmer's Market, or it's raining, in which case, it all gets cancelled...
Today thought I'd claim bragging rights on this little dolly daybed frame- well, that is what I am assuming it is..as you can see from the picture it is as wide as a door (27 inches), and about 29 inches high..the filmy curtains are all attached to the ruffled canopy, and the whole thing can be removed, or left tied open as here..
Now those of you who have been paying attention know that I am single and childless, so what is this lovely item's purpose...at first I thought about using it as a plant stand..then realized if I make a little "mattress" for it, it will be perfect for a baby hat display..right now, I have them stacked in a big basket, but it makes them hard to see, so this will be perfect for spreading them out, and it is very cute!
What did I pay for it..well, let's see, the white enamel finish is perfect on it, and believe it or not it all folds up flat (perfect for setting up/taking down at a craft fair!)..oh, it was, um....$2.50!
I'm on the books for three holiday fairs, so we'll see what else is going on, but I think that is more than enough, along with my Saturday weekly Market...really, I can't understand how anyone gets bored with retirement, I'm crazy busy!
Any good finds lately?

Catching the Brass Ring: It's Piggie Tuesday!!

Happy Tuesday- a mild but rainy one here..and this is my offering for the day..had to take the photo outside in a chair, due to the dark weather..
This 'brass' pig is, in actuality, about 15" long and about 5" high..he would sit majestically next to my fireplace if I had one...and his 'brass ring' is his tail, which is how I lift him from the floor-he's heavy!
I got him for way too much money, at a store in Vancouver called Wonderbucks..and it is a wonder..I did a whole bunch of buying there when I still lived in that city, so my brass pig is a souvenir of those days..
like all extravagant purchases, I shouldn't have, but could not resist..besides, I make up for it with all my fabulous thrift and garage sale finds, right?
At least that's what I tell myself...

Show 'N Tell..What I Found While De-flea-ing the Sale..

I did fairly well at the Garage Sale this Saturday, making a good dent in selling my also-rans..
And kept the buying to a bare minimum (honest!) All I was tempted by was that beautiful wood oval frame, with perfect glass and backing; and a much-needed mixer, this one with a stand and bowl, and they came to a grand total of $2.50..(see above)
No, the real damage happened, as it often does, when I drove out to Cedar Road to the Sunday Flea Market...
On the way there, I saw garage sale signs pointing up to an amazing old two story outbuilding, all gray and weathered, the way proper old barnwood should be..inside in the dim light, one sweet older lady selling her handmade goods and a few bits and bobs..and a wonderful old, slowly-being- restored 1934 Ford truck..a beauty!
I drive a little Ford Ranger, which I love, so it was great to see it's ancestor resting in that place that was close to it's age...
From her I purchased that wonderful wicker stool/table, sturdy enough to hold my immense weight, and wonderful for either seating or as a table..
for the princely sum of $5...
As for the Cedar Road Fleafest..a bit disappointing..all I got there was a wonderful little front porch rug, a miniature version of a Persian rose pattern, and an artfully practical two-tiered basket with a lid and handle, in beautiful woven and laquered straw, with lovely fish carvings running down the handles...the rug was $1, and the basket $2...
so, for the entire weekend, I spent the terrific sum of $10..
Not too shabby...but rather chic...

The Great Canadian Sell-Off.....or, gettin rid of some stuff..

Since I really want to move farther down-Island, and will probably never find a place as large as the one I'm in, I decided to stop my pack-rat ways, gather up that which I know other pack-rats crave, and do my first flea market in close to 35 years...yep, it's been that long .. since I sold at one, not bought at one..an outdoor one, that is..
I have sold at indoor type collectible sales, etc. But this is gonna be an old Fashioned Garage Sale (as they ar calling it, strangely, no garages involved), an adjunct to the annual "Show and Shine" here in Ladysmith, where the only main street is shut down to traffic and lots of people show up, from all over Vancouver Island and the Mainland, as well as (I've heard) people from the States, probably Washington...
And no, I am not buying anything (unless of coure, it's practically free, something I can't possibly live without, etc!)
I'm also going alone, so that is really the best strategy to keep me from wandering around, looking for bargains..
If I end up cheating and buying anything, I'll share next week!
To all of you garage sailing this weekend, good luck, and if you are in the neighborhood, well c'mon, down!