Saturday was awesome

It didn’t start that way, though. Ella’s well-crafted yard sale plan had netted us very little, and toward noon, I was beginning to regret ignoring the large neighborhood sale that I was sure would attract dealers like flies to honey.   

 

Still, we had picked up a few things here and there, including a few collectible clowns from a church sale.  We were tired, irritable and hungry, and ready to call it a day, when we pulled up to the last sale on our list.  From the road, it didn’t look like much, just five or so tables overseen by the stereotypical little old lady.

 

When we walked up, though, I knew our luck had changed dramatically for the better.

 

The four porcelain Disney dolls caught my eye first, followed quickly by the Junior Cowboy Cheerleader dolls, which led me to the three new in box Barbie vehicles, followed by all manner of Coca-Cola merchandise, and totes full of Barbie stuff, including Hallmark ornaments.

Our living room is filled with Barbie dolls and Coca-Cola stuff

New in box Barbie vehicles

The little old lady, obviously sensing a sucker, I mean buyer, quickly pointed out the Madame Alexander dolls.  Ella, being the media queen, quickly found the two boxes full of new in shrink-wrap DVDs, including Snow White and Dumbo, plus assorted other high-dollar movies.

 

We quickly started making a pile, with me looking over my shoulder to make sure no other dealers were going to steal our bounty.  Our total jumped to $300, and with only $50 in my wallet, I knew I had to make a quick trip to the ATM.  With the $50 as a down payment, we went home, unloaded the van, and quickly headed to the bank, then back to the sale.

 

We paid our bill, loaded our purchases, and then kept looking, eventually making another pile.  By that time, the sun was beating down on us, and the owner was ready to be rid of everything.  We purchased all the remaining collectibles, leaving only the mundane yard sale items behind.

 

All total, we spent close to $600.  Yeah, I know, ouch.

 

After loading our purchases, Ella and I helped the lady pack up her sale.  It was around 90 degrees with absolutely no shade.  I encouraged her to stay on her porch, and eventually we got everything out of the yard, and her rental tables in her car.

 

We got a good deal, and performed a good deed, all in one day.

 

I waited until Sunday to unload the van, after I had sorted and moved close to 200 really, really nice painting and craft books that I had purchased on Tuesday.  I had attended a sale about a month ago, and cherry picked most of the high budget books, but left my name in case the owner wanted to sell what was left.  She finally called, and we took home 11 boxes of books.  Most were penny books, which I knew, but the few that weren’t more than made up for the $100 that I paid.  The remainder of the books gradually either will be sold in our antique booths for $2 each, sold as a bulk lot, or donated to the Hospice thrift store for a tax donation.

 

Looking ahead, June 10^th is the date that the TV show Endless Yard Sale films at the local antique mall.  Since our booth currently is lacking any bona fide antiques, and given what I know about the show, I started “Operation Get Ella on TV” and purposely have sought out and was lucky enough to purchase several antique/vintage items, including a floor-standing tube radio that actually works, a wooden ice bucket, a paddle-type butter churn, a heavy metal coffee grinder, a wooden hay rake, and a Victrola cabinet (missing the actual phonograph, though).  

 

All will be priced to sell in an effort to give Ella her 15 minutes of fame.

 

Have a great week everyone.