How Desperate Are You For a Good Deal?
 |
Would you fight crowds like this?
Well, apparently everyone and their Mama in Silver Spring are desperate for a good deal….because this is what I found when I arrived to the thrift store this morning in lieu of 50% MEMORIAL DAY sale!
Holy moly!
I mean, I knew that people lined UP, but according to one guy, he was there waiting at 7:00 a.m. (and the doors didn’t even open until 9:00 a.m.!)
Seriously??!
Again, you would think it was BLACK FRIDAY or something….
People were bumping into me without an “Excuse me;” they had dollar signs in their eyes and drool dripping down their chins.
Well, so did I. 
I wasn’t really interested in any furniture items because I already have a whole garage stacked full of upcoming projects, but I did want to get my hands on some of those items that I found yesterday.
Anyhow….back to my thrift diving adventures today……
So I was looking at some hand-painted landscape art pieces, and this man below swooped in and claimed them for himself! I’m not kidding–he stood there for 10 minutes evaluating the pieces……rubbing the paint…….and he looked like he knew what in the heck he was doing.
I secretly snapped this picture, while wondering, “WTH, are those things worth some MONEY or something???” ‘Cause you guys heard about some guy in the news that found a Picasso and recently sold it for $7,000, right?!
Anyhow, it was a MAD HOUSE…..but I loved every minute of the hunt….the thrill of the catch of something good for a cheap price……the score of something unique that nobody else is going to have!
.…..And so did these people……
The aisles were jam-packed!
Some other crazing happenings in the thrift store today:
- A woman trying on clothes in the middle of the aisle!! (albeit over-top her own clothes, but still……ODD).
- People stalking me for my cart, LITERALLY, 7 times while I was in line, “Excuse me, are you done with that cart?” The store attendant wouldn’t let me leave with the cart, and when I finally gave it up, a woman and her handicapped mother, the woman thanked me profusely, as if I had done something so wonderful. “Bless you!” THAT was odd, too!
- The thrift store parking lot jammed like sardines; the lines of cars waiting to get IN to the parking lot were extensive. It was crazy!!
- Stumbling upon these items, LOL
What’s so odd about the above picture, you ask….? Well, it’s a “liquid dispenser” according to the front, but look closely at the little boy and what he’s holding in his hand:That’s where the liquid comes out! HAHAHAHA
….and, thankfully, although the lines above were crowded, it didn’t take any time to get out. WHEW…..
Okay, sooo…what did I buy?
If you’re a parent, you know how expensive LEGOS are, right? Well, they had a huge set of LEGOS for–gasp!!–$60, which I never would have paid. But for $30–okay…… Hubby thought I was crazy, but he doesn’t know what LEGOS cost. It was a good deal!
And I have to show you the LEGO box that I put them in today! It’s another one of my thrift store finds from waaaaayy back; many months ago, in fact. I was just too lazy to put the table together, so it sat out in the garage all this time, dismantled. Today was the perfect day to put it together.
And I only paid $10 for that table!
It has a top that can be used for playing cars…..
Or, the top pieces can be turned over for LEGOS. The size of the LEGO plates, however, only fit larger LEGOS, not the small ones. So I plan to replace those. Waiting to find a deal on LEGO plates! Those things are EXPENSIVE!
 |
| $10 LEGO table with LEGO storage…..found at a thrift store, of course! |
I loved the yellow in this frame, but wasn’t impressed with the cheap pic inside of it. So the plan is to put scrapbooking paper inside of it, with some magnetic paint, and use it as a magnetic board. Just gotta get the magnetic paint!
 |
| Yellow frame…..about $2.00. |
I’ve had my eye on these…..things…..for a while. I don’t even know what they are. They look like candle holders, but they’re hollow, so they can’t even hold candles. I love the shape of them. I love the detailing in the middle and bottom, too. I’m considering seeing if I could make LAMPS out of them!
 |
| Thingy majiggy…lamp…faux candle holder….God-knows-what….Only $5.00 |
There were 2 of them!
I found this picture and thought it was interesting: a hard-working man, with a colorful body. I wanted to paint the frame yellow, to bring out the yellow in the pic.
I even had a 2-year-old helper!!
I like this much better Gotta figure out where best to hang it now.
Gotta figure out where best to hang it now.
And this mirror–love it! I plan on using it as a serving tray, and will replace the mirror, which is faded and dingy-looking.
But oh, the detailing! Someone at the thrift store stopped me today to say she really liked it, and where did I pick it up, and is there another one? I think I looked at her like she had 2 heads–of COURSE there isn’t another one, or else it would have been in my cart, silly girl!!
I also picked up some brass candle holders, and painted one of them yellow today, and the other one teal. Cheap!
 |
| Candle holders — about $1.00 ea. |
And something about these cats (even though I’m not a cat-lover) drew me in. They look sly….and they are heavy. I would love to display them! (Just right after I paint them 
. I’m loving BLACK on them.
. I’m loving BLACK on them. |
| Brassy cats — about $2.00 ea. |
OH! And I did get the airplane pics for the boys’ room! Along with the PIG picture
|
| “Once in thy gut, forever on thy butt.” |
And there you have it! My adventures in 50% thrift diving today. Man…it was fun! If only I had had more time, I would have gone for the clothing racks.
Next time…….
|
oh
my
goodness
I have never seen anything like that at a thrift store! I am happy you got some of the things you hid
I totally do that too!!!
oh I forgot to tell you that I scored BIG at Goodwill this weekend. Post to come! You inspired me!
Wow, that is one Huge THRIFT STORE!
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a thrift store that big before. You always find great stuff.
Those two thingy majiggs (candle holder like) I think maybe the bases of hookah pipes.
Holy crap! Hooks pipes! That’s awesome!!! Lol
Our Goodwill and ARC Thrift Stores have 50% off most items every few weeks and it’s a flippin’ zoo! Unless I am on a mission for something specific I just don’t go there on those days anymore. I am so happy you got that filigree framed mirror! I would take the mirror piece off your hands if I were close by! And the pig print is awesome
Kathe, oh, but I’m beginning to think fighting that crowd is part of the good stuff! Part of the magic I’d thrift diving, if you will. Just to see who comes out of the woodwork scrounging for a bargain. I love it! And I agree, the mirror and pig pic were awesome finds!! Thanks!!
No wonder you can’t help yourself to a thrift store stopover! The largest one around here is approximately two strip mall store fronts wide (a recognized unit of measure in New Jersey) and offers no sales tax, but no discounts otherwise.
Scott, that sounds like a thrift store I would love to visit! Where exactly is it?
No way would I brave that crowd but you did end up with some amazing finds! My favorite is the legos and table for the boys room – awesome deal!!! Love the pic of the hardworking man, too! The yellow you painted the frame is a pretty accent!
great finds love them all