Sunday, August 16, 2009

Unexpected Thrifty Treasures


What time is it?

It's Thrifty Treasures time! If you love hunting down a good bargain, then Rhoda's party is for you! Check her site out to see what amazing deals she scored over the weekend. It's a party over there!

I didn't really have any intentions of hitting the yard sale circuit this weekend, but my kids made me do it, I swear. So the treasures we found on Saturday were certainly unexpected.

T was off this weekend and I was doing my best to keep everyone quiet so he could sleep in. It was only 8:45 am on Saturday when the girls staged an Ultimate Fighting match in the upstairs bathroom. Michaela Byrd (19 m.) wanted to wash Natalie's face with the wash cloth, and Natalie (3 and 1/2) was insistent that she do it herself. This led to a wash cloth tug-of-war with shrieking, kicking, and flailing limbs.

I am certain that a WWF recruiter would have signed them immediately after the show.

T can sleep through just about anything, but I didn't want to push my luck, so I literally grabbed the diaper bag, threw some shoes on the girls, and rushed them out the door. It was Natalie's idea to visit the yard sale across the street. She was hoping to find a play cash register to replace the one that was secretly given away to a Freecycler while she was napping lost.

We went to the grocery first to get some stuff for last night's cookout. On our way back we passed a sale that featured a round, black wrought iron patio table and four chairs. I really really want a patio table, as we've been borrowing one from T's parents, but I was just sure they'd be asking some exorbitant price, so I drove by it at first.

Lesson learned. On a whim, I circled back and got out of the car to check it out. It was marked "Free" and the woman in front of me had just claimed it.

Major. bummer. Natalie and Michaela Byrd found a 25 cent Madeline VHS movie, so we brought that home with us. Not as great as a patio table, but it will do a better job of keeping them out of my hair when I need to wash dishes.

I did end up checking the sale across the street from us out in the afternoon. Natalie wanted to buy one of their fold up cots, which she insisted was a beach chair. From our front window, I saw Mr. and Mrs. R drag a large fake ficus tree out onto their lawn. I told T that I would be bringing it home with me if I could get it for a couple of bucks, knowing that was wishful thinking as they usually run upwards of $100 or so.

Mrs. R had it marked at $3, and as it was later in the day, she accepted my $2 offer and even threw in five or six canisters of newish Play-Doh. Natalie was thrilled, and forgot all about the cots. Mrs. R and I bonded over our mutual disgust of the icky house next door to me. We are both so pleased with the progress that the new owner has made, and can't wait to see who moves in when he flips it. I will have to share the rest of that story soon!

Best of all, the ficus was already wired with Christmas lights and will be so cute lit up for the leadership party I'm hosting for my MOPS group in the next few weeks. It's pictured here on our new deck. T said I can't bring it inside because it is so big...it's much taller than I am, and I'm five-six and a half.

Question: Do you have any faux plants in your home? How would you use this tree? It needs to be "repotted," for sure.

{Happy Thrifting!}

**Please be sure to check back in tomorrow morning for an Announcement and to see who won the Giveaway for my Decorating Dilemmas Party!**

post signature

27 comments:

  1. You got some good deals - especially the tree. Sorry about the patio set. I want a new one, but everytime I see one at a good price, I don't have anyone to haul it for me. I have 2 faux ficus trees in my home - one in the corner of the guestroom and one with white lights in the corner where the sofa & loveseat meet, along with an end table.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sorry you missed out on that free patio table, darn it! I am getting rid of all my fake trees, just getting tired of all of them. At least yours has a nice trunk.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good finds. I failed to by a Madeline doll - like new- at a yard sale. Seeing your video, makes me wish I had. So cute! Linda

    ReplyDelete
  4. I so want a fake tree! I just dont want to dust the things. lol

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sorry to hear about your misfortune with the patio table but great buy on the Ficus.

    ReplyDelete
  6. We all learn our lessons the hard way, don't we? I have learned if I like something, I need to pick it up and carry it around with me. I can always set it down later if I change my mind.
    Well, you have a decent tree- where is it going once you re-pot it? Do you have a place inside- it's not that tall, but is it too wide for where you have it in mind? Once re-potted into a ceramic (or resin) pot, I would "plant" some other greenery around the base of it, using some reindeer moss. Then it would look a bit fuller. Have fun! Sue

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good buy on the ficus! It's nice that it already has light on it. It'll look pretty lit up.

    Manuela

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Amanda. No, I got rid of all the silk plants around 10 years ago. Was tired of the dust and wanted a cleaner look for my place.

    I think this ficus tree would look good in a big mexican pot. I bet if you checked out some pottery places around your place you could find a pretty one.

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a bummer about that patio furniture! I've had very similar experiences and they just make me so bummed. Oh well - I'm sure you'll find a great deal soon!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm sorry you missed that table...I learned that lesson the hard way too.

    Yes, I have several artificial trees in my house {not as many as I use to have...} I use them in corners, some have lights to light up dark corners.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love Madeline..stop by she could be in my post!

    love, kelee

    ReplyDelete
  12. Fabulous treasures my friend! So sorry about the patio set! GRRR!

    Can't wait to hear the announcement, and I'm sending good wishes your way for some new, awesome neighbors!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Amanda :)

    I'm not sure what I'd do with the tree. Probably stick it in a corner somewhere, lol.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ha! I know exactly how those Ultimate Fighting matches go! Great deal on the big ficus!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow, you got a real steal on the fake ficus (fakus, lol?!). We have a ridic amount of fake plants in my house...I'm not the hugest fan because they are dust collectors, but we use them in corners to kind of "soften edges" in rooms.

    ReplyDelete
  16. BUMMER on the free patio table, but your not alone I have been within grasp of a couple of patio tables but didn't get either one. I have been looking for one for quite some time now. I have a tree similar to yours and it has been in almost every room of my house. I do better with faux plants than the real ones :)
    Toni

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'd be kicking myself over that free patio table. But you did get a great tree and movie for the kiddos. Great hunting.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Too bad about the table and chairs -- but a great buy on the tree!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Darn on that table.....I have missed out on things too , now I load it or hold it until it is mine....
    Kammy
    ps I love faux !

    ReplyDelete
  20. Too bad on that table-that is always frustrating. You did get some good FREE deals though.

    Cheri

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love faux ficus trees! Especially with lights in them. I had one for years at an office I worked at. I want another one. I saw one this week at a yard sale, but figured that I'd have to let the top of it hang out the window to get it home. My daughter nixed that idea.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Don't ya hate it when you miss a fabulous deal on something you want so badly? It's ok, it wasn't supposed to be yours and a fabulous one will find you soon!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Aw shucks! Sorry you missed out on the patio table. But it happens to all of us. . . once! Now I usually go with my instincts. Although I did drive by a beautiful Bakers Rack prices at $30, but I just don't have the room...but I loved it!

    You'll find a better one I'm sure.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I have a pretty fake green plant that tumbles over my TV armoire and has an iron tea-candle holder in front of it. It's pretty nice but I think in the future I'll stray away from plants (fake or real) because they attract dust and cat hairs!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Just stumbled over from Ronda's and let me tell you, I am sick for you missing out on that patio table and chairs! But I do like your tree and have to agree, anything that will occupy the kids for more than 5 minutes is heaven sent (especially at 25 cents!)

    * Don't you just love MOPS?! We have a group at my church as well, I don't know what I would do without it!

    ReplyDelete
  26. What a real bummer about the patio! But you got a good deal on the tree ... I think that's great! Thanks for sharing and stop by if you get a chance!

    ReplyDelete

I love to hear your feedback! Please feel free to leave comments...just don't send me spam asking me to buy stuff off your website! I've got three kids and no money to purchase your magic weight-loss pill or bust enhancement, or whatever else you might be selling. Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from you! :)

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.