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Saturday, April 21, 2007

Trash to Treasure

I must say that my mother taught me well. YES! I'm an ONLY CHILD! And YES! I'm spoiled frigging rotten! And YES! I have trouble sharing and tend to have a fit if I don't get MY WAY!

However, I don't really think that I ask for a whole lot of anything. I appreciate everything I have and I work hard to get the things I want.

Like any SPOILED DIVA, I love nice new things. I'm infatuated with anything that sparkles, shines, or shimmers! I enjoy being pampered! And I have no problem admitting that in my next life I want to be a GOLD DIGGER!!!

But underneath it all, I truly do know the value of a dollar and how to make it stretch farther than the Golden Gate Bridge. I learned at a young age that you can make any item of furniture out of milk crates. Large cardboard boxes can be used for tables. Sheets are curtains. And a beautiful wrap skirt looks fabulous as a wall hanging.

Growing up we put a whole new meaning to "One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure!"

It was not uncommon to visit the town dump in search of furniture that could be repaired and reused. Many of my favorite items from my childhood were items that someone else didn't want. From dumps to hand-me-downs, many a cherished item came to us second-hand.

So it's no big surprise that I'm a GARAGE SALE JUNKIE!!

That being said, today was our "city-wide" (I use the term city lightly) garage sale and I simply could not resist. With baby on board, money is tight and I budgetted for 3 weeks to splurge at the garage sales. I must say, "I did quite well!"

Today's Treasures!

Patio Chair $5.00

Stroller $5.00

Baby Mozart VHS $0.75
AND
Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas VHS $0.25


"I Spy" Preschool Game $1.00

2 Mason Jar Mugs with Lemon design $0.50

4 stuffed frogs my co-worker gave me but I paid her $1.00 anyway!

4 Stephen King books I didn't have $1.00
2 bagged lawnchairs for camping $3.00

About 12 horror novels my co-worker gave me for FREE

9 small glass bottles I picked out for my Mom $2.25
1-gallon glass Clorox jug for Mom $1.00
half-gallon green glass bottle for Mom $1.00
1 set of kitchen knives for Daddy Dearest $2.00
A furry purple pillow I just had to have $1.00
Pier Import's incense burner for Daddy Dearest $0.50

And 13 children's books ($0.25/each)... most of them old hardbacks $3.25
  • Walt Disney's Dumbo (1947)
  • Dr. Seuss's One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish (1960)
  • Chester by Syd Hoff (1961)
  • Dr. Seuss's ABC (1963)
  • Snoopy and the Red Baron (1966)
  • In a People House (1972)
  • Walt Disney's The Brave Little Tailor (1974)
  • Bambi Grows Up (1979)
  • Down on the Farm with Grover (1980)
  • The Tale of the Dark Crystal (1982)
  • The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System (1990)
  • Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too
  • Charlotte's Web

And the GRAND TOTAL for the day is . . .

$28.50!!

Top that WAL*MART!!

And further more . . . I did not buy a single article of clothing or a single nicknack to clutter up my home. I'm so proud of myself! Every purchase had a purpose! That's quite an accomplishment for a junkie like myself.

Oh yeah . . . I almost forgot!

THE BOTTLES WERE A NICE TOUCH!!

4 comments:

Grandma Lola said...

My Gram & I used to go "junkin'" when I was little, and like you, some of my most prized possesions were other people's throw aways. But, my hat is off to you, that is one hell of a great deal.

Anonymous said...

I love it. Good job. I taught you well. The patio chair is great...and

THE BOTTLES WERE A NICE TOUCH

LOVE MOM MIE..

Mighty Dyckerson said...

Can I buy that stroller from you? I can use it to shoplift hams from the A&P.

Ellie's Mommie said...

Chris: I love my "junk". Unfortunately, I've inheritted my mother's "pack-rat-gene" and find my 1 BR apt way too small to accommodate my illness.

Old Woman: The bottles really were a nice touch weren't they?

Mighty: I'll sell you the stroller for a couple of hams, some lottery tickets and a few old bottles.