Exception to the Rule

Among my New Year’'s resolutions was a vow to focus on selling more and buying less, particularly in the slower sale months of January, February and March.

The only exception to my rule would be a good estate sale. Which, thank God, turned up this week via Craiglist. The post was for a moving sale that promised "57 years of accumulation" and "lots of stuff priced to sell."

That seemed to be enough to bend the rules, didn't it? So, off I went, with hopes of getting a good fix for what was becoming a serious case of junking withdrawal.

But the first few items that I saw, which were outside on the driveway, didn't do that. $15 for a chipped and cracked concrete birdbath? $5 each for those ubiquitous white resin garden chairs? The same kind that I often see thrown to the side of the road during spring cleanup?¶

Fortunately, it was a lot better inside, where there was a stash of incredibly cheap vintage holiday items. So, I loaded up.¶

In fact, I found a Gurley-palooza: Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

And more Halloween: Dime store trick-or-treat buckets, a metal noisemaker and what I think is an old paper mache lantern.

This one isn't marked so if someone knows how to tell a real one from a reproduction, let me know.

And more Christmas: Bottle brush tree, plug-in Santa (with a crown on his head?), candy box, small plastic tree and a tinsel-like decoration.

I thought I was good to go. Until I stopped in the garage, where there were canning cars. But were there blue canning cars?

Well, yes, there were. So I scooped up all six.

Now, I had sworn to cut back on wallpaper, seeing how I already have too much of it, but this red roll was just too cute and too cheap to pass up. Plus, it's perfect for Valentine's Day. If you like it, too, it's in the etsy shop.

And speaking of red and cute and cheap, let me present this little baby. It's a retro laundry basket.

I fell in love with it because of the snappy red stitching.

And the cute little pocket for clothespins.

And it folds up. Plus, the canvas basket snaps right off and can be washed, which I already did. It just might be a keeper, seeing how I'm planning a little laundry room makeover. But more about that in a later post. For now, I'm happy to report that sometimes it's OK to bend the rules.

Comments

[Mary Ann]

Oh, I love the laundry basket. Very similar to the one my next-door neighbor used to hang clothes when I was growing up. What a lucky find. I'd love to have one now for when I hang my clothes.

[Kathy]

Great finds! I have a rule about doing my housework before I can go picking on Saturdays. Every now and then I break that rule and I'm almost always rewarded. Here's to breaking the rules!

[lauire mapgie ethel]

Not set in stone and TOTALLY BENDABLE. No explanation needed for breaking those rules with me. Good finds....I need a decent sale!

[Sandra]

I'm not sure the old paper mache lanterns come marked. I have one from my parents, so I know it is old, and it even has it's paper inside for the covering of the eyes, mouth and nose, but it does not have any markings. I feel confident that yours is old, not a repro, just by the coloring, wear and material. Great finds.