“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It Goes On.”
Robert Frost

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Five AM Wake-up Call!

It's been awhile since I've been to any estate sales. Now that the weather is finally nice, my husband and I went to one last week. Up at 5 AM, making the coffee, feeding the cats, making myself look somewhat presentable and then gathering my estate sale shopping necessities. On the list... first of course, cash, flashlight, cloth bag and slip on booties, (sometimes they ask you to remove your shoes).

Then off we go. In this area we first get our preliminary numbers, this time they were in a plastic bag, taped to a car window in front of the house. We were there about an hour before the start of the sale, so after I picked up our numbers, we went to the local fast food place and had our breakfast and then returned to the house to get a parking place.

At the time the sale started, usually 8 AM, we exchanged our preliminary numbers for the real numbers. Then we lined up and waited. This keeps everything running in a somewhat orderly fashion, so there are no people knocked over getting through the door. Maybe the big box stores should use this method at the holidays?!!

After all of this, you just hope there is something inside that was worth all this rigamarole! When we got in my hubby ran to the garage to look for sailing and fishing stuff. I toured the upstairs and realized the prices were way too high. A bit discouraged I headed for the basement. Still kind of a dud sale, until I found two really cute items!!

The first item I found was a Walt Disney Mickey Mouse Pencil Case. It was in really good shape on the exterior. Sadly, only a couple of used crayons remained inside. The graphics are still in nice condition.




 




On the same table I found something I'd never seen before. At first it just looked like a long skinny box with cute graphics. When I opened it I was delighted with what I saw.


















It is a darling miniature teacup and saucer set! The company Merry Manufacturing, made all sorts of these items. I found several different types on Pinterest and they are all adorable.




Both of these items are for sale in my Etsy Shop, CraveCute. Update! While I was posting this my phone went Ca-Ching! I have an app on my smartphone that makes the sound when I get a sale. The Tea Set has already sold! Guess I should have priced it higher!! Haha!







Even though most of these estate sales post pictures on the internet, you still never really know until you get there what interesting things you will find. I often go thinking I will buy one thing, and end up finding something else completely different and completely adorable!



Thus begins the spring shopping season for me! Fresh air, warm breezes and Flea Markets and Estate Sales!



Thanks for being here!
~~ Diane ~~




14 comments:

  1. Dear Diane,

    What a great time you had; and what lovely vintage and fun funds! Childhood memories are flooding back to me as I read your post. And the music, as always, is fantastic. Thank you so much for your amazing posts. :)

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  2. What a great time you had! I've never been to an estate sale. Sounds like it could be a lot of fun.

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  3. Precious finds. You are so right, I usually don't come home with what I went to buy. Those surprise finds are the best. Isn't it difficult for you to part with these cuties? Can't wait for an estate sale! :)

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  4. Two great finds -- and both in pretty mint condition!

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  5. Those are adorable, and in amazing condition! I love your idea about big stores having to hand out numbers around holiday sales. That kind of chaos is what motivates me to stay home and make presents.

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  6. Hi Diane, I really like the way the sale was organised. They tend to be ‘free for all’ here, and I usually managed to get knocked sideways by some big burly man!

    I must get that Ca-Ching! Ap on my phone, it must be a thrill to know you’ve sold something. I’m not surprised the little T-set sold so quickly it’s adorable. Hope your husband had some luck in the garage!

    It’s lovely here, warm and sunny, just my kind of weather. Hugs Barbara

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  7. Hello Diane, I came over from Barbara's blog. That tea set is so adorable, I'm not surprised it got sold so quickly!

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  8. Good morning, Diane! Just FYI, I answered your "Ask Me Anything" question over at my blog today!

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  9. wow, I can't believe how fast the tea set sold, Diane. It's adorable. I wonder how you can buy these items and turn around and sell them. I think I would want to keep them all hehehe. An estate sale sounds wonderful and it's just something that I'd love to go to right now. I just love your posts, Diane. They are cheerful and fill me with joy.

    love, ~Sheri

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  10. I wish I could go shopping with you! So much fun! I was going to look at the tea set! Darn it! LOL! Congrats on the sale ;o) Both pieces are really cute!

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  11. Dear Diane - it was so fun to read your post. I had never given it thought about how estate sales work. Early get up but what fun and great finds. The tea set was amazing. Wondering if it was from the 50's or 60's. The Mickey Mouse pencil case was neat too. So glad you shared. Hugs!

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  12. They're adorable, well worth getting up early for!

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  13. Hi Diane! I'm so glad that you made it so a sale! I didn't know that those little dishes existed! Adorable. And you're so right about that being the best part of going to sales. It's the little surprises, and the things that you can't see in the pictures!
    Fun stuff-
    Erica :)

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  14. That sounds like so much fun. I've always wanted to go to an estate sale. I'm dying to get a nice bookcase for my bedroom, but all I ever see are the expensive one's - as in the average being $600 - in the millions of antique shops that we have around here. People keep telling me I might find one a lot cheaper at an estate sale.

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