I perfected my yard saling skills over the years when I traveled the roads with my buddy, Dottie. We used to call it home shopping; we'd go to your home and shop. We were a perfect team as we each searched for different things. Eventually, we went our separate ways. Dottie began getting up at 5 or 6 in the morning; I thought 8 was early enough. However, we continued shopping for each other and every Christmas we'd exchange a Santa Sack of newspaper wrapped yard sale gifts. In fact, a lot of people received newspaper wrapped gifts from me, the newspaper signifying that you were about to open a true and unique treasure. One of my favorite finds was given to my sister, Helen. At the time, we were both Rosie O'Donnell fans. I found a new, in the box, autographed Rosie doll. The person selling it was a former student so I could trust that it was the real deal. My sister couldn't believe it!
Anything you could ever want can eventually be found at a yard sale if you are persistent. I like wine. Yep, you can find bottles of wine at yard sales.
I can't remember the last time I bought soap from a store. All those pretty hand milled soaps that people spend a fortune on as Christmas gifts? They end up on the twenty-five cent table for people like me to indulge in. My nieces have the best dress up clothes! For months, three year old Reba practically lived in the pink tutu I found for fifty cents at a yard sale. My house needed ceiling fans; I found great ones, new in the box, at yard sales. I was amazed the day I found an antique Chinese bowl that someone, with no idea of its value, sold to me for $5. I bought another antique bowl at a different yard sale for $20; but it was a fake. You win some, you lose some.
A few years ago, I burned a hole through my kitchen table and luckily did not burn the house down. (Story will be told in a future blog.) I needed a new table, bad. On my way to church one Sunday, there it was. It was a perfect size table for 6 with a tile top and wooden chairs in great condition. They asked a very reasonable $50 and I talked him into delivering it for another $10. I put my old table and chairs outside and someone from Freecycle snatched them up. A win win situation.
I think everybody who yard sales is always looking for that one special find that will make them Antique Road Show stars. I found my thing a few years ago. At a small sale in front of a tiny, worn out house, were two framed pictures. I was drawn to one of a woman with a cane walking her dog. It was me. He wanted a lot for the picture, but as much as I loved it, I couldn't afford it. So, I left and saled for a few more hours. I purposely drove past the house at the end of the day and the picture was still there. I appealed to the guy by opening my wallet and showing him that all I had left was a twenty. He sold me the picture. After researching, I learned I had a signed limited edition silkscreen worth a tidy sum. The artist is Mackenzie Thorpe and the title of this piece is Walking the Dog. I have no idea how to create a live link on this blog, but if you copy and paste the link I've provided into your browser, you can see a bigger picture of this "rare" (their words) work of art and what it sells for.
http://www.monetfineart.com/walking-the-dog-686-p.asp
Now, isn't that just the best rendition of me and my dog? (Use your imagination.)
I haven't yard saled in a while. Now that I'm retired, I'm trying to downsize my home, not add to it. But the crisp autumn air drew me outside. And oh, the treasures I found! I have wanted a Moroccan style pillow for my living room for ages. Found it today. I found the most gorgeous Chinese calligraphy scroll that some tourist paid a small fortune for. It has the name of a good friend of mine; I'll soon be surprising her with it. Found a really nice cat purse; one of you cat people reading this may find it under your tree this year. And Helen, my dear sister, your Christmas present will be wrapped in newspaper. However, the best find, the most exciting find, was a beautiful bridal veil with a pearl tiara. Hope my dress-up girls don't fight too bitterly over it.
Yep, I thought I was done with yardsaling. Ha! A true saler is never done. I wonder what the weather is supposed to be like next Saturday?
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