Many of you who follow my blog know that one of the things I passionately pursue is “debt free living where the ‘card’ is king” (credit card that is).
But what you might not know is that I yard sale…. for a living.
Honestly, my budget as a family manager revolves around what I find during my Saturday excursions, and through that experience, I now have no less than five people who approach me each month during yard sale season asking me to be their “personal shopper.” Don’t worry, I don’t really make money off of them, but it adds to the thrill of the hunt.
I adore that morning time (and only that morning time). I never know the treasures that await my arrival, and I eagerly anticipate hitting the jackpot.
For years, when the children were all preschoolers, that was my sacred time. My husband knew that when he awoke on Saturday morning, the spot next to him would already be cold. Now I trade off my alone time vs. date day with the kids, since they all want to go yard saling.
Start them young, people…it makes all the difference!
For those of you who are avid yard salers,
you understand that if you snooze, you loose.
Well, that motto was obliterated this last Saturday.
Scheduled to sing and do a drama monologue at a local women’s retreat, I knew that I could hit some early stops on the way. I had fun conversations at a few houses, since I was definitely not dressed for yard saling, and did find a few treasures, but the jackpot came well after typical yard sale hours had ended. For those of you crafty ladies, you may want to sit down for this.
I am only showing 1/10 of my haul!
But what you might not know is that I yard sale…. for a living.
Honestly, my budget as a family manager revolves around what I find during my Saturday excursions, and through that experience, I now have no less than five people who approach me each month during yard sale season asking me to be their “personal shopper.” Don’t worry, I don’t really make money off of them, but it adds to the thrill of the hunt.
I adore that morning time (and only that morning time). I never know the treasures that await my arrival, and I eagerly anticipate hitting the jackpot.
For years, when the children were all preschoolers, that was my sacred time. My husband knew that when he awoke on Saturday morning, the spot next to him would already be cold. Now I trade off my alone time vs. date day with the kids, since they all want to go yard saling.
Start them young, people…it makes all the difference!
For those of you who are avid yard salers,
you understand that if you snooze, you loose.
Well, that motto was obliterated this last Saturday.
Scheduled to sing and do a drama monologue at a local women’s retreat, I knew that I could hit some early stops on the way. I had fun conversations at a few houses, since I was definitely not dressed for yard saling, and did find a few treasures, but the jackpot came well after typical yard sale hours had ended. For those of you crafty ladies, you may want to sit down for this.
I am only showing 1/10 of my haul!
Can you tell what was hidden down deep in a dusty old box?Never judge a box by it’s cover…everyone who had come before me, missed all of this.
The boxes and bags of treasures went on…and on….I spent an hour digging through mountains of crafts to which a mother had never gotten around to finishing.
This .50 wooden bowl is screaming for a little black spray paint, but right now I think I’ll show her off as a fabulous fringe holder.
So here comes my fun.Will you play “I Spy” with me and see how many places we can feather our fringed nest?
Fringe is not just for hot gluing to curtains, pillow and lamps, you know.
How about on a .25 glass hurricane lamp turned up side down?
Or maybe around a candle, mason jar, and tall glass vase?
I believe that did the trick down below (although just imagine it now sitting on top of a beautiful fall runner…)
The fringe looks fun on both layers of my tiered fruit stand.
Note my book. I am SO counting my blessings.I keep this journal here at all times. It allows us to grab it frequently and record the beauty in the every day blessings, like FIFTY yards of fringe and material (yes, I am really wishing I sewed). I know you’re all wanting to know how much I paid, but I just don’t think I can do that. It would be too painful for you, and might cause you to covet.
So let’s continue the tour, and see what my little fingers did with what I had on hand.
Yep, it was me….I made it….all by myself.
You thought this creative crafty bone would never emerge , didn’t you?And now that my craftiness has been revealed, I DO know that my little tassel would look much better with some other fun things on top – starting with different ribbon, but it doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful. 🙂
And now that you’ve revealed in the beauty of my frugal fringe fest, what would this experience be if I left it at that…I just wouldn’t be true to my balance of beauty and bedlam.
So, these are the deleted scenes. The scenes that none of your favorite beautiful blogs show you, but I bet they have their bedlam as well…it’s just pushed to the side for no one to see.
Look at what I did to take this picture. hee heeI hadn’t even cut the fringe to fit the mason jar, vase or hurricane lamp.
Isn’t that funny? You can’t even tell.
You caught me. I do let those bedlam blessings sit on the counter (sometimes :). See those cute little toes sticking out?
Down below was one of my Good will finds. I had been looking for one for months (ever since I started reading blogs), and hadn’t had any luck. Then I found this, but it was priced at $6.99. Too high for my blood, so I just pointed out the price and that “someone must have missed the chip in the top, and didn’t realize it when they priced it so high.”Make sure you smile real big and use your very best manners.
Bottom line….got it for $1.99…much better, and you don’t even notice the top.
Ok, Ok…fabric, bolts and bolts of fringe, 8 brand new baskets with tags still on them that I will spray paint, hot glue fringe around the top, and fill with my Homemade Gourmet Goodies for my upcoming holiday market, three vases, and a few other bowls that I will also fill with my mixes……put it this way. My husband’s entire car filled with treasures for….
Okay you ROCK! Great and fun deals. I love the pumpkin teapot. Such cute pictures!!!
I am cheering you on…WOW..that is just great!!! Love all that fringe!!!
How exciting!
-sandy toes
What a find!!!
Loved your post! That is very inspiring! Great find. Thank you so much for you kind comment at my blog The Inspired Room. I really appreciate it! So good to meet you and I do hope we’ll become better acquainted!
Blessings,
Melissa
WOW fabulous find!!!! LOve your tassel…it turned out GREAT!!
you are a girl after my own heart…if it has fringe, beads, or other frou frou…I’m THERE.
Oh wow! I have got to get to some yard sales. Love all this…even the bedlam. It made me smile!
You are so super duper creative!
By the way, no worries about the “loot.” We are so much alike, so I totally understand! 🙂
I think I love finding craft materials at yard sales more than almost anything else! The fact is, it’s really expensive to buy material, fringe, glue sticks, or just about anything…yet these things are so essential to making a humble home beautiful!
Love those “outtakes”!
Unbelieveable! What great finds :)!! Love the different ways you’re using the frings, and your tassel turned out great!
I still haven’t gotten the courage to go to a garage sale. I usually don’t need someone to hold my hand in life, but for some reason I’m timid about going. I’m worried it will be akward if I don’t like anything or if I want to talk them down. Maybe I should only stop at really busy ones so it won’t just be me and them. Do you have any tips? BTW – fabulous finds!
Girl, you hit the jackpot!! I cant believe that fringe. I am happy for you, because I know how excited I would be to find that!
Carrie
WOW!!! Way to go!
I so miss yard sales…I guess I have to give up my Saturday morning sleep and get out there!
Great shopping!!!
My husband gave me that same journal a few years ago as a gift. I have it put away in a box but I’m thinking that I need to go pull it out. I honestly don’t even know why I put it away in the first place. I love your idea of how you keep it handy so that you can jot things down. I think I will do the same and even tell my children they can use it as well.
I’m adding you to my blog list too! I love reading your posts!
Holy Cow!!or should I say goat from your previous post!! ( my son thought it was great) I am so envious of your good loot! I made a similar find at a thrift store the other day! A whole box of vintage ric rac and lace for three dollars! WooHoo!
You go girl!!
Once again you amaze me!!!
I bow to your frugal craftiness! Have you locked your doors and windows? Since you know Nester in real life (aren’t you two lucky?), I’m thinking she might sneak in during the night to take some of that fringe!
Gee, I’m always looking for stuff like that, lucky you! People looking on etsy would like it too if you are looking to sell any of it for profit.
I have a wooden dish on a stand like that too!
~The Secret Gardener
The early bird gets the worm sometimes but those who dig in the
boxes find treasures…. great
treasures and enjoyed the story!!
I enjoy the yard sale hunt too!
What a wonderful collection. And you special touches with the fringe
Have a great week end.
Grammy
Wow, you really did get a bunch of fringe!! I always thought the good stuff would be gone if you went late to a garage sale…guess that’s not always true!
All that good stuff must have been just sitting there waiting for you to show up.
I love every bit of this!!! So filled with Autumn goodness, through and through!!!
My Show n Tell is shared. Come by if you can. And I added a comment link right below the end of my show n tell today, since it’s such a huge blog for Halloween. Gifts galore for all! If you stop by!!!
Wow! Great deal and what a lot you have done with your find!
LOVE your tassels! I would have never thought of that! Every thing is precious, what a find, AND what great use! Happy Halloween!
Ahhhh, good for you Jen! I haven’t been out in a few weeks, but I know all about the early bird thing. You got some great stuff, it’s so fun to dig in those boxes, you never know what you’ll find!
A great show&tell! I just loved the commentary.
Mama Bear
OMGosh! You totally scored! Great ‘eye’
Have a great day!
So fun! A couple weekends ago we hit an estate sale of a lady who must have started every craft imaginable! I got a total of 75 items (yes I counted!) during our estate sale day from a sterling silver teapot down to the smallest button with several lengths of ribbon, fabric, trim, etc. in there and I divided the total price for everything (cds,etc. too) by the total number of items bought and it averaged 23 cents a piece! I was so happy.
I also have that gratitude journal! My friend Mindy gave it to me for my birthday during college. I wrote maybe a total of 20 entries in 8 or so years. Then a few summers ago I was really dealing with being discontent with where I was in life. God prompted me to live in a more grateful spirit and I started writing in it DAILY! Funny how little time it took for my discontented spirit to come around. It’s now part of my morning routine to write in it each morning. It goes in spurts of happening or not but I am so glad it’s a more regular part of my life and it’s so much fun to go back and read it.
Okay, and to finish the longest comment ever, can you explain more about how you yard sale for a living? Thanks. Kelly
You are a genius. Flipping that lampshade over is too much! Wonderful stuff. I love tassels and fringe almost better than anything else.
Nancy
What a great deal! and what beautiful things you have done with your find! I love all the colors. Thanks for sharing with us :). Please feel free to visit my blog anytime.
We are big yardsalers too! You never know what might be around the next bend!
Have a blessed and wonderful weekend!
smiles, kari & kijsa
You may change my mind about yardsaling! I don’t usually go because I can’t stand to get up so early in the morning! But you found such great things – want that fringe!
Manuela
Hi there! I’m sorry I’m just barely getting around to commenting on your post! Crazy week! I LOVE all of your fringe. Have you ever been to a site called The Nesting Place? You should check it out. She’s totally into fringe. Thank you for coming and I hope to see you next week!