You weren't frightened by this Extremely Realistic depiction of a bear, were you?
Not to worry. It's just a bear paint-by-number painting.
One of a rather large collection of paint-by-number paintings acquired Friday at an otherwise lamentable yard sale.
The sale was a bit of a distance, but the ad sounded so good! Years of accumulation, hundreds of items! Nowhere in the ad did it mention that among the hundreds of items were empty ketchup bottles. Lots of empty ketchup bottles. And a broken play pen. And a doubleknit polyester quilt with a $40 price tag.
Time to rate the sale. We're starting out in negative territory (for the first time this year!): minus one apron for poor selection. Minus another apron for overpriced doubleknit quilt.
I'm keenly aware of the cost of doing business these days because a) I finally had an accountant do my taxes this year and b) gas costs a lot and c) my new car, while very fuel-efficient, also keeps track of my average miles per gallon as I travel. So there was simply no escaping the fact that I was going to spend about $7 in gas to get to this very disappointing sale. And as I looked about, I saw absolutely no way that I was going to buy anything, let alone anything that would earn me back my fuel costs.
That's minus another apron for traveling far with nothing to show for it. That's minus THREE aprons.
(I haven't yet come up with a graphic of an apron with a slash through it to represent a negative apron. Use your imagination.)
I get a pat on the back for having a businesslike approach. Another pat on the back for accepting the fact that sometimes things don't work out as one had hoped.
Those are just pats on the back, though. I don't earn any aprons back for that.
However, the people were nice. SO nice. So nice I considered a mercy purchase. Here's how nice they were: They had sold their freezer earlier in the morning. But the purchaser changed her mind after her dad came and looked the freezer over, and the people having the sale were nice as could be about refunding their money. A lot nicer than I probably would have been.
I'm giving these folks an apron for being so gosh-darned nice.
Still, we're negative two aprons.
I thought I remembered the ad mentioning paint-by-number paintings, and sure enough, there were a bunch of them hiding in a box under a table. I love paint-by-numbers! Especially reasonably priced paint-by-numbers!
Another apron has been restored!
(There were two of these sailboat paintings. It must have been fun to paint.)
Anyway, with eight paint-by-number paintings that I don't think I'll have any trouble selling, I expect to pay for the gas I used, with a few dollars left over.
So - that's worth an apron.
After all this, we're at ZERO aprons.
But I did find a 1960s mug with a peace sign, and I bought it for a friend who screamed out loud when I gave it to her. Best 50 cents ever.
That's an apron.
And that, my friends, is a one-apron sale.
And that was a close call. I'm hoping for better Saturday.
Ooh, love it! Paint By Numbers sell really well. What a goldmine! The boat one is gorgeous, and may do well for Father's day.......
Posted by: Maria (Magia Mia) | May 21, 2011 at 10:34 AM
I think you did very well with those paintings!
Posted by: Betty | May 21, 2011 at 11:11 AM
Those PBNs are so charming! I hope you at least had a nice drive through the countryside on your way to the zero-apron sale. I can't even bring myself to think about all the gas I wasted during our citywide garage sales yesterday.
Posted by: Carol @ Old Glory Cottage | May 21, 2011 at 02:46 PM
I love the PBN with the horse and the mountains in the background. Okay, I will just say it, I once lost sleep over two flamingo PBNs I left behind. I don't know what I was thinking. I dashed back to the sale the next morning and gushed over how relieved I was that they were still there after worrying all night. The seller just stood there looking at me like I had lost my mind - LOL!
Posted by: Kathy | May 21, 2011 at 09:11 PM
I hit a five or ten apron sale this morning! Vintage plus size skirt, about 100 hankies in near mint condition and 10 vintage hats! Woohoo!
Posted by: Jenny Sellars | May 21, 2011 at 09:24 PM
B - as always hilarious - I LOVE your PBN - especially the boat scene - let me know when you decide to part with one (this I may just sneak in the house LOL). J
Posted by: Julie | May 22, 2011 at 11:41 AM
You know that every sale can't have a stellar apron score...there are always those dud sales that make us frown. Glad you encountered nice people tho (and passed on those empty ketchup bottles!)
Posted by: laurie magpie ethel | May 22, 2011 at 10:42 PM
Empty ketchup bottles? Don't you just wonder why sometimes? I also wonder how long it'll take before polyester quilts become collectible. I'm hoping for never.
Posted by: Into Vintage | May 24, 2011 at 11:55 AM
love that the friend squeeled out loud. good purchase i say! i adore paint by numbers!! i went with hub to the antique mall this weekend and saw my first ever pbn jesus!!
Posted by: susan | May 31, 2011 at 02:59 PM