I've dragged home some fairly disgusting things over the years, but I think I may have outdone myself this weekend at something called the Jumble Sale.
The Jumble Sale is a church rummage sale and at first glance, it didn't seem like a very good one. But I kind of knew that going in because Barbara (aka The Feedsack Queen), who lives near the village where the Jumble Sale was held, told me that it wasn't one of her favorites. I think she said "I hate the Jumble Sale," and then gave me advice about how to get in with risking life and limb. You see, the Jumble Sale is held at a church that sits on the edge of a lake. To get into the parish hall, where the sale is, you (and several hundred other shoppers) must walk downhill, herded like cattle, then up two flights of steps into the hall.
Let's just say that the agony of getting in wasn't worth the ecstasy of what was inside.
Actually, the better stuff, and everything that I ended up buying was found on my way out of the sale, as I walked back up the hill. Which means that next year, if I decide to return, I will be paying attention to what's outside first.
But what did I buy that was so disgusting?
Certainly not this super cute 1950s pink and black trash can, which my daughter Grace actually found for 25 cents and plans to put in her bedroom. Of course I'm jealous that I didn't see it first but proud that I've trained her to spot a great vintage piece.
Was it this bunting, which is rather faded and yellowed? It was only $1.50 for both pieces, which made it just the right price for something that I'll use only once or twice a year and would never buy new.
And, yes, it did clean up OK.
But back to what was truly icky. It's in that bag and I actually asked for the bag so I wouldn't have to lay it down in my car trunk. Enough suspense?
Meet "Mildred," which (who?) I suspect was in someone's barn or attic for quite some time before she arrived at the Jumble Sale. I didn't take a closeup photo, but trust me, something must have been living in her innards.
Why did I buy her? Well, I'm still questioning that, hence the title of the blog post.
I guess it was because she's a vintage dress form and it's hard to walk away from a vintage dress form, even a disgusting one. And the price was right. She started out at $2, which I was able to talk down to 50 cents without a whole lot of effort.
Mr. VS was rather unimpressed with my find. He took one look at her, sighed a familiar sigh and said simply: "I have no comment." But you know what he's really thinking, don't you?
So what do you think? For 50 cents, would you have brought Mildred home?
Probably yes. After Dave told me whether or not he could get out vermin from the insides! LOL
Posted by: Sarah | July 23, 2012 at 07:02 AM
I would not have brought Mildred home. But I'd have really, really tried to grab that bunting before you did. I have the exact same wastebasket in our bedroom. Tell Grace it works great! Honestly, in all my years of going to that sale I've never gotten anything as good as you got.
Posted by: barbara | July 23, 2012 at 07:33 AM
YES. I don't see anything a little sheep-dip won't fix - LOL!
Posted by: Kathy | July 23, 2012 at 12:22 PM
definitely!
Posted by: beth | July 23, 2012 at 03:33 PM
I would have snagged that bunting and waste basket in a flash. I would have stopped and hemmed and hawed at Mildred, wondering if I could fix her up, what had lived in her etc. I bet while I was hemming and hawing someone would have come by and swooped her up and she would have gone home with that person.
Posted by: laurie magpie ethel | July 23, 2012 at 08:13 PM
For 50 cents, I couldn't have said no. And I love your bunting!
Posted by: Jenny G. | July 24, 2012 at 01:32 PM
I want that bunting BADLY! You can keep Mildred....
Posted by: Sue | July 29, 2012 at 05:23 PM