This Week's Haul--Birthday $$ Edition

I haven't done a 'haul' post in ages...mainly because I've not had anything to post about!  There's a shortage of good stuff and a shortage of time.  More importantly, as I live in Nowheresville, there's a shortage of money as I can't buy a decent job here.  Have I mentioned I hate it here?  Yes?  Several times?  Of course I have!

Anyhooooo....this past week saw my birthday money burning a hole in my pocket and as I had the day off and one of my best friends recently lost his job and had nothing better to do and, like me, little money to spend we decided to do a yard sale/flea market day.  Here's some of my finds...would you believe I spent less than $40?

I was apparently on a bit of a hat spree this week and didn't realize it until I began to post these photos!  This first one is the only thing not bought on our yard sale day.  I bought this red velvet beauty at the shop where I work....

I'd recently revamped the booth it was in and, as I've been eying it for ages, I decided to hurry along and just buy the darn thing knowing full well that I need another hat like I need a hole in the head...although if you have a hole in the head, you'd need a loverly lid like this to cover it up.  I'm quite pleased with my purchase.  The only other red hat I have (I THINK...lord knows I have so many I can't even begin to remember all of them!) is a red feather covered cloche-esque monstrosity that is beautiful but hard to wear on a regular basis.  This will go well with my everyday wardrobe later in the fall and winter.

On to the flea finds!!
While out looking for yard sales, my friend mentioned that he had heard adverts for an estate sale in that area.  It so happened we were on a connecting road and soon found a sign pointing us in the direction of the sale.  We drove and drove and drove...until we found a sign pointing us back the OTHER way.  We assumed we must have missed the sign for the turn off in between the two signs.  We again drove and drove back the other way, pausing at every single side road.  No dice.  We never did find the darn thing, but I suggested we drive on to an indoor flea market that I'd never been to.  I'm sooooo glad I did!

I LOVE this hat.  That's all I can say really.  I LOVE this hat.  Look at those little velvet apples and pears!  Those fuzzy little berries and leaves!!  Those little satin bows!!  Could you just die??  I almost did when I saw the price tag of $9 on it!  Yippeeee!  The hat fairie loves me after all!

This velvety peachy pink beauty was next to it priced at an even smaller pittance.  As was this eggshell linen one with the pale pink velvet ribbon!  I need an AA for hat addiction!

While on our way to the big antique mall downtown, we ALMOST passed yet another place that I'd heard great things about but never visited!  I yelled, "Whip it in here!!", and I'm uber glad I did!
The basement (which is what everyone told me I'd love!...they were right!) is basically a big indoor flea market.  Tables upon tables, shelf upon shelf of stuff.  I could spend a week in there.

I found my two favourite finds of the week there.  Here's one of them....

 Meet my new dinner ware, Star Glow by Royal China.  I've wanted starburst china forever, but as most of you can attest, it's bloody expensive.  I find the occasional saucer from random sets here and there in various thrift stores, but rarely from the same sets and they're almost always in bad condition.  Add to that, the area I live in didn't really go in for all the 'atomic' stuff (which is quite ironic considering how close to 'Atomic City', aka Oak Ridge, I live!) and most people seem to have opted for traditional everything in the '50s and '60s.
But someone had the good taste to buy this stuff!!
Best is that it kind of matches the platter I bought a couple of months ago!
Check out the mark on the back with it's lovely mid century text work....

 

And the best part?  The whole box (30 pieces...10 dinner plates, 10 bread plates, and 10 mugs...all in PRISTINE condition!) only cost me a tenner.  Yup.  $10!  Crazy!

 This little kitty also asked to come home with me....

 I fell in love with its crazy eyes.  I mean, seriously.  The thing looks like it's trying to hypnotize you....or burn a hole in your brain.  And that acid green colour!  And the smudgy paint job!  Well, he just hopped right into my hand.  I couldn't leave him behind!

I found these two sweeties at the same indoor flea where I bought the hats.....

 There was just something about the little girl and the kitten (I think I may have had that same plaque hanging on my wall when I was little?).  And Lucille....oh, Lucille.  I can't even begin to describe to you why I picked up Lucille and brought her home, so I'll just let you see the AWESOME graphics therein....

Yup.  That's Lucille.  She works on a farm plowing fields but one day the farmer's wife decides to take her out and turn her into a lady.

She takes Lucille to the shops and dresses her up.....

Unfortunately, Lucille is NOT a lady and has trouble behaving like one...

So she sheds all her lady trappings and goes back to her old ways....

The moral of the story?  Sometimes it's better to be a workhorse than a lady?  Err, something like that....

When we finally got to the antique mall, I  was low on $$, but I still did well....

This vintage pattern was only 80 cents!

And these killer hairpins were only $1 per card!  I've been needing some new bobby pins and I HATE how all the newer ones have the little plastic tips.  These are, of course, plastic tip free and cheaper than what I would have paid for new ones!  SCORE!  And the pics of Mona Freeman make them that much more fab!!

Which brings me to the real score of the weekend. 

As any of you who follow will know, I LOVE Scottie Dogs and have been collecting Scottie 'stuff' since I was a wee little girl...not to mention, I've been the proud 'mummy' of two sweet Scotties, the late Nigel as well as my current housemate, Pip.  The one thing that always alluded me though, was a vintage stuffed Scottie.  Well search no more, Miss Doll!  Might I introduce..."Fala'....

 He's too cute...a little mangy, but too cute!  I'd estimate he's from the late '40s-mid '50s.  His little head turns and he's absolutely lovely.  When I saw him on the shelf of the downstairs flea market I mentioned, I literally RAN over to him.  I just knew he'd be at least $30 up...not that I wouldn't have paid it gladly!...but imagine my surprise when I read the tag: $10.  Wha wha WHAT???  For this bonnie wee laddie???

Pip loves him and thinks I brought him home a new playmate.....