Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Merry Christmas

I wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I will have some great pictures to share with you of the treasures my sister found for my husband and me once I get our camera back from Nikon's repair shop.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Things for Free

Okay, so the first year my sister and I went to the Antique & Collectibles Show, she (my sister) got handed a Bauer bowl for free from a dealer because it had a hairline crack and was not priced. She jokingly asked if it was "Free today" because there was no price and the dealer said "Sure". I was absolutely floored! I could not believe that she was just handed a Bauer bowl for free. Ever since then, that is our standard line when something is not price in a booth, estate sale, garage sale, etc. You just never know.

The list of things that my sister has gotten over the years for free is large. The only ones I can think of right now are her three vehicles. Yes, I wrote THREE! The first one was her first car, a 1969 Chevy Malibu from our Grandfather when he past away too early. I know that she would have given that one back to have Grandpa back. The second one was her current everyday car, a 2000 Toyota Camry from our Grandmother (other side of the family) who decided to stop driving at the age of 93 and my sister was in need of a new car on a teacher's salary. It just made sense for her to get it. The last one was her current "hauling" vehicle. A 1980 Toyota 4x4 from our father. He had been using the vehicle as his everyday driver around his small town. He bought his friend's 1994 Toyota 4x4 (it has A/C) and decided to give the old one to my sister so that she would have something to pick up treasures in and do yard work at her house with. Now I know that for ten years I got to drive new Toyota vehicles for free, but I get the next family hand me down. And it best not be the 1966 Chevy Cab and Chassy Camper from my Grandparents cross country adventures.

Below is her lastest free thing. The day before Thanksgiving, she and I went shopping at some second hand stores and Goodwill. I found a great dresser for my project room and we went around to the pick-up/donations doors of the Goodwill to get it. As we were waitng for help a couple drove up to make a donation and pulled this chandelier from their car. My sister went skipping up to them and offered to buy it rather than have them donate it. The wife said "20 bucks" and the husband said he "had a better idea, they were there to get rid of it, how about free." The wife handed it to my sister and said Merry Christmas. For those of you who may not know (I certainly didn't), this could easily sell in an antique store for $200+!

I swear, the things she gets for free!

Splendid Finds

So I have not been the best at posting things in a timely manner to this site. I am sorry. I don't know that anyone even has noticed since I don't have but two followers (and one it me).

Anyway, here is what I got at an estate sale in Washougal at the beginning of November.


This is a Weller pot that has two hairline cracks in it, but otherwise is very nice and I can't wait to put it to good use. I plan to place a pot with saucer inside it rather than plant directly in it. Oh yeah, I paid $4.00 for this treasure!

As you can see, this is a Hull ceramic pot that I got for $8.00! I love the color and it fits well in my dining room on an end table.

This is a McCoy vase that I got for $12.00! I am kicking myself because there were many more there for $12.00 to $18.00 and I helped a dealer collect three rather than grab them for myself. I didn't realize the going price for them in the collecting world and what a great deal they were at the sale. I am really missing a white matted one I handed to the dealer (Dean) that was just gorgeous. I need to learn to put things in my basket and then add up the prices and determine what I really want once the frenzy has pasted. Once again, I am learning!
I did get one more vase, but forgot to take a picture before I wrapped it up for my sister for Christmas. It was a blue matted Bauer vase about six inches tall that I got for $8.00.
I am also kicking myself over a Redwing vase that was there for $4.00. It was priced so low because it had two large cracks in it. But it would have still looked great in my living room. I really have to stop hesitating! My sister is going to kill me one of these days over the things I pass up.