weekend thrifting

It's been a while since I shared photos from one of my favorite past times.... hunting for good deals at yard sales and thrift stores (and in other people's trash, of course).  It could be that I just wasn't doing as much looking for a while because we've been trying hard to keep things going out of the house and not coming into the house.  But there are certain things that I will happily bring in; books (especially children's books and good reference books and cookbooks), clothing and shoes for this growing girl (because who likes to spend $35 on baby shoes and $20 for a girl's dress that's going to get covered in mud and berries almost instantly? Not me), kitchen stuff and art/craft supplies (though I am learning, quite well, to not bring too many of either of those things home).

This Saturday we took the day off from the market for a few reasons.  Mostly, because Mike was working and I wasn't going to have any back up with Claire and figured that might be trickier than I wanted to find out.  Also because it's been pretty slow going at the market the last two weeks and I was feeling like a break.  I think the thing about selling art/crafts at a tailgate market is that you are selling something that doesn't get used up quickly or consumed (like all the yummy produce and cheese and breads do) and so people only need so much of it.  Especially if it's a market that is full of regulars (which I really do love about it) and is only 3 hours long.  Even so, I do so love the market experience and look forward to returning next week.

One of the nicest things about taking Saturday off was being able to go to a couple yard sales.  I must say that driving to the market early every Saturday morning and having to pass by many sales on the way makes me feel a little torn sometimes.  Mike, on the other hand, thinks it is a wonderful thing that the market keeps me away from yard sales.  I think he's afraid of me bringing home another chair like this one (which, um, is still sitting in our back yard in the same condition, if not worse for wear, than I brought it home in...).  But anyway~ here are some of my recent finds from this weekend's yard sales and a couple trips to our local thrift stores over the past few weeks.

Here's a photo of all of Claire's goodies:

books (.50 each), a mirror for her room ($3), a reusable snack/sandwich wrap (FREE), two adorable puppets (.50 each), a framed bird picture (.50), wooden heart-shaped stool (FREE), wooden truck with removable blocks ($2), wooden pounding board (.25), shoes for the fall ($1) and a small wooden train (.50) grand total= $9.75

adorable hand painted squirrel canvas, $1 at a yard sale

these cuties deserved a close-up

books are her very favorite things, and this Blackberry Mouse book is very sweet

sweet 'lil truck for my truck loving lass 

 I picked up a few things for myself too, of course:

clear glass pitcher (with a little crack) .25, blue glass crock .25, bag of wreaths $1, string market bag .25

a ton of wonderful rubber stamps (sitting in a nice sturdy bread pan, .50) ! $2 for the letter set and .50 each for the rest

a pair of jeans (SO hard for me to find the right jeans) $4.50, purple corduroy fabric .25, blue owl bandanna .25, green glass bottle .25, this wonderful Bird Songs book in great condition $1.50 (score!), and Mollie Katzen's The Enchanted Broccoli Forest cookbook, 50

Not too bad, right?  Certainly all items that will be read, worn, played with and used for quite some time!