The weekend sales report

 
Another weekend has come and gone, and that means it's time to pull out the rating chart and reflect on this weekend's sales. As you probably remember, each sale will be awarded points in an ever-changing, completely arbitrary fashion, with points deducted for whatever I find annoying at that particular moment, and the points will be expressed in aprons. The best sale so far this year was a seven-apron sale. I went to two sales Friday, one of which was so-so, and the second of which was pretty good. But neither of them come close to seven-apron greatness.

That brings us to Saturday's estate sale, which yielded the four Swanky Swigs here. It's pretty hard to find swigs. And I already have a lot of swigs, so finding one I don't already have also is pretty hard. However, the moment I walked in the door at Saturday's sale, I found these four swigs, none of which I had already. (I was especially happy to find the 1955 Bachelor Button pattern, which is the red, white and green one.) And they were seriously, seriously cheap. That's an apron per swig:

Four aprons already! And if you think an apron per swig is overly generous, I'd just remind you: There's almost nothing I love more than a Swanky Swig.

 
Assorted housewares from the sale, where something good happened even before I set foot in the door. I don't know how sale sign-ups work where you are, but around here, there are pretty much two ways to sign up. There's the sign-and-stay method, where once you sign the list, you can't leave until the person running the sale gives you a number to get in. Or there's the list-out-the-night-before method, in which you simply show up at a certain time, sign the list and come back the next day. Sounds simple. Except nobody in their right mind comes at the designated time. You get there much earlier, and sign a somewhat unofficial list, circulated among sale goers, which is the list to get on the list, and then you wait until the official list comes out. And so to get a good spot on the list that was going to be available at 5:30, I arrived around 3:30. Except: the woman running the sale was there. She didn't feel like waiting around until 5:30, so she was letting people just sign then and leave. Which saved me two hours of waiting around. I love that woman. Give that sale another apron!



 
Pink canisters are almost another apron on their own,
 
except these also came with matching housewares!
 
And, exactly as seen in the current issue of Country Living, a Pyrex refrigerator set. In perfect condition. Excellent housewares all around: that's another apron!

 
You may remember that a couple of weeks ago, my beloved Subaru began making a terrible noise. That noise translated to this: "Mrs. Oodles, I love you, too, but I'm an old car, and I need a new wheel bearing, and I don't think I can travel as far as you want to drive any more." So the Subaru got a new wheel bearing and now is resting comfortably in the driveway, enjoying semi-retirement as the vehicle to get my son to his summer job. My only concern in getting another car, aside from cost and mileage, was this: Did it have ample cargo room?

 
Say, for 10 or 12 dozen Christmas ornaments? Yes, it did. Easily. Give the car an apron. Give the sale another apron, too:

(That's seven!)

 
There was a $2 Christmas box lot at the sale with these creations on top.

 
I think we all can applaud the spirit that went into making these incredibly large, disco-ball-like ornament spheres,

 
while at the same time acknowledging that times change, and it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to repurpose these little ornaments.

Sadly, there are no aprons awarded for disco-ball like ornament creations.

 
However, I saw a single Putz house underneath the disco balls, and so I bought the box. And once the junk was set aside, there remained four Putz houses, two bottle-brush trees, and a bunch of other cute stuff. (The elves, in case you're wondering, do not have spun heads, but they are sweet.)

How about another apron for box-lot magic?

The sale wasn't too far from home, it was well-run, the prices were good, and the woman running it, who really is just the greatest, looked at all of my things and said, "I am so happy for you." All of that combined is worth a lot, but let's not get too crazy. How about two more aprons?

Now for deductions for things that annoyed me.

None. Really. It's kind of a first.

That leaves us with a ten-apron sale:

The sale by which all future sales will be measured.

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Gina at Vintage Junk in My Trunk]

I loved reading all about this sale -- the anticipation of another apron had me on the edge of my seat! Particularly like the pink canister set and, of course, the enormous amount of ornaments.

[Shara]

Wonderful finds. I have that pink tray - never knew the dustpan or trashcan existed. Swoon.

I have a Bachelor Button pitcher, butno Swanky Swigs to match. Swoon.

And, $2.00 for that box? Double Swoon!

[LiLi M.]

I am reading your post like another person is watching a football match! Will 'we' get more than 7 aprons? Mmmm it's looking good, but wait wait wait...here come the deductions. Yeaaaahhhh a 10 apron sale! What a great start of the week.

[Sonya-Dime Store Thrift]

I am swooning. Swooning with complete and utter and shameful jealousy!
Those boxes of ornaments!!
Also, I have those exact same recipe boxes:)
Hugs, Sonya

[Martha]

That really was an exciting sale. Do you think it was fluke, or could it be a sign that THIS IS GOING TO BE THE BEST SALE SEASON EVER!

You have to sign list(s)? . . . and wait around a a couple of hours before you can go in? I appreciate even more your patience and persistence in acquiring these wonderful items to share with us.

[Gina]

Yikes, the second ES method sounds horribly complicated! I would be afraid of breaking some sort of unofficial etiquette and being banned forever!

Man O man is the loot worth the hassle though! :)

[freckled hen]

I was seriously on the edge of my seat! I've realized the only other thing that gives me that adrenaline from going to a good sale is reading about when you go. It's only May, I can't wait to see if you out-do your 10 apron sale!
I'm envious of the swigs alomost as much as I'm envious of your new car...congrats!

[My Vintage Mending]

Oh man...I want to go with you next time. These are lovely. We might have to fight over the same things. I have those canisters in white. I like the pink better. You have a gift of lucky! Well worth the aprons. Smiles...Renee

[Maria (Magia Mia)]

Good.God.In.Heaven.........catch me while I faint. That pink and black set! The red Pyrex set! The recipe boxes loaded with recipes! OY!

[Kathy]

Wowza!! Love Love the pink housewares. 3:30 AM in the MORNING to sign up for sales?? That explains why I never get the really great stuff - you snooze, you lose.

[Mary Kay Andrews]

Maybe you need an Academy Awards-type thing for estate sales of this magnitude. Dare I offer--the Essies?

[laurie magpie ethel]

Glad it was such a high ranking apron sale! I can't believe you got all those ornaments. So funny on those disco balls - I just had a conversation with a customer who wants me to make something similar for her to hang from her dining room chandelier during the holidays (I would fill mine in more and probably have some bell dangles or something). Great finds!

[Joy]

Love the Pyrex set! :)

[Barbara]

Note to Kathy - it was 3:30 in the afternoon! (The sale started the next morning at 9.) I've never done 3:30 in the morning - but I've done 5, and it is painful!

[Robin Carr]

I am so jealous. I don't think they do estate sales that way here in East Tn. Mostly they seem to have auctions. I love the pink canisters and stuff. Really cool finds!

[Rebecca]

Wonderful finds! I have that Friendship patterned Pyrex set (it belonged to my Grandma) and I LOVE those puts houses!

[jenn]

Holy Crap! The motherload! I love the pink canisters, so cute.

[jennifer]

um, i think you were a little stingy giving the pyrex set only one apron! come on, let's add a couple more aprons for pyrex! two more for pyrex! two more for pyrex! :)

[susan]

wow thats a lot to live up to! nice sale and those pink canisters and their friends are gorgeous!!! worth the sale alone