World's Longest Yard Sale!!!

This year was my second time going to the World's Longest Yard Sale with friends. I love it and have looked forward to it all year. If you haven't heard of it, it's hundreds of miles of yard sales and tent sales from Alabama to Michigan. Lots of junk, of course, but also lots of great antiques and vintage items to choose from and to get new ideas for projects. This year, we stayed in my friend's camper instead of a hotel. I called it "roughing it", but it wasn't rough at all - it was quite luxurious actually and I really enjoyed it. We stayed in Crossville, Tennessee and went south from there one day and north the next day. Last year I had a list of things that I wanted to find, such as a giant wooden fork and spoon - you know, like people had back in the 70's? This year I didn't have anything too specific I was looking for, so I just decided to only buy things that "spoke" to me and that I knew I would really enjoy having in my home. I only bought a few small things to use for making things that I sell at craft shows. The weather was great and we had a great time. My friend's husband went with us this time and he was good for a lot of laughs! But trust me, you would never catch my Hub at the World's Longest Yard Sale -it is NOT his thing!

I was in such a rush to get packed and get on the road that I forgot my camera! Don't tell my Dad - he'd be ashamed. So, I don't have any pictures of us on the hunt for our treasures, but I did take pictures of everything I bought after I got home. Oh, and don't tell the Hub, but I didn't even spend all the money I took!

This metal tray will look beautiful somewhere in my bedroom. Maybe as part of a mirror/plate display? What do y'all think?

I picked up these two cute cookie cutters - the pumpkin for fall and the moose for winter or Christmas. Cookies are not my baking specialty, so these are for looks y'all!

I loved this cute little flying pig, so he flew right into my bag!

More books!! I collect French books and found a few good ones. One is in English, but it contains the plays of Moliere. Then there's my favorite - the Emily Post etiquette book. Now I can finally learn how to act like I've got some sense! And, last but not least is the Pay Toilet sign. I know - it's not a book. But lots of people like to read while they're on the toilet, so if you stretch, it does kind of fit into this category. Anyway, I thought it would be cute framed and hanging on the bathroom door. Maybe I'll even leave a jar on the counter for all the nickels!

The Hub and I went to Paris on our honeymoon and this tray with Notre Dame cathedral took me back there. It was one of our favorite spots in Paris. Side note - they had lots of pay toilets in Paris, but they cost a quarter for every 5 minutes of use, so the pay toilet at my house will be a real bargain! The tray's in pretty rusty shape, but I like it and it will look great in our French-themed guest room.

This is an "after" picture. This shelf was an ugly, tarnished, goldplated thing and I painted it this bright green and then softened it a little with antiquing wax. Now it hangs over my kitchen sink and I love it!

Here's a close up of the fork. This is a miniature version of what I was looking for last year. Hard to find last year, saw them every time we turned around this year! These were an ugly brown color to start with so they got the same treatment as the shelf. They look cute, don't ya think?

This very old, very heavy lamp was a steal at 50 cents and it works like a charm! The silk on the old lampshade was dry rotted so I tore it off and I kind of like it bare like that. But I might try to fashion something out of the wire frame and some delicate old fabric I have.

I collect mostly old, white ironstone pitchers, but they were not in good supply at the yard sale this year and I only found one. I did, however, find a few other small pitchers in some cute colors to use elsewhere.

I got this pretty little vintage tablecloth to use on the table I got from the barn. It's in great shape and didn't have a single stain on it. That was, until the Hub and the Bub ate spaghetti on it!

This wire basket isn't old, but I liked it anyway. It's now being used to hold bottled water in the kitchen. Weird use for it, I know, but that's where it has ended up for now.

I love vintage Christmas ornaments. One sale had tons of them and the lady said the more we bought, the cheaper they would be. So my friends and I bought several boxes and got a great deal. And I got the vintage dancing Santa too! The vintage Christmas postcard will go in a cloche with some birds and pine cones that I use during the holidays and the Saint Nicholas book from 1849(that I only paid a dime for!)will be used in a display with my old-timey Santa. I can't wait for Christmas!

This little cutie is my most favorite purchase. It's a bluish-green color and it blends perfectly in my living room. Please disregard the patched places on the wall behind the fan - that is project #37 on my list of things to finish! The man I bought it from told me that it still worked, but there was nowhere to plug it in to check. When I got it home and plugged it in, it did work, but just barely. It sounded like a sick cat and got slower and slower until it was hardly moving. Plus, it blew out no air at all. Oh well, I really bought it more for looks anyway. But then, my sweet Daddy came to the rescue! After he stopped laughing at my pitiful fan, he said he thought he might could oil it up and fix it. With a little WD-40 and some other adjustments, it now works like it's brand new and it puts out a pretty good breeze too! Thanks Daddy!!


Do you shop yard sales? I have found that yard sales, estate sales, Goodwill, the Rescue Mission, and the Habitat Restore are the best places for me to find old, vintage stuff that I like for my home and for finding things I use to make all the "treasures" I sell at craft shows. Tell me about your favorite purchase from a yard sale or one of the other places I mentioned - I'd love to hear all about it!

Toodles,
Marie