Estate sales are my new BFF

A couple weeks ago I headed out bright and early (for me) to an estate sale 45 minutes from our house. Turns out the only things I can be on time for involve the promise of cheap junk—maybe I should have had my old boss dangle vintage costume jewelry in front of me. There was quite a crowd of geriatrics getting rowdy at the front door when I got there, so I joined the herd. They only let so many people in at a time, so I provided the entertainment for those of us stuck out in the cold. For. 30. minutes. Ick! I don't think the nursing home escapees quite knew what to make of me, especially when I started making barfing sounds when I found some nail clippers in a drawer of a dresser. Won't be buying those, thankyouverymuch.

I finally got in the door and wished my new peeps still outside good luck. I'm pretty sure they filmed an episode of Hoarding: Buried Alive right before I got there. Since I had a dream the night before about not getting any of the stuff I wanted, I beelined it for this:

...an antique store cabinet. Don't love the drawer pulls, but I've been fantasizing about new ones. Maybe these or these or these. Or all mixed and matched! It cost a pretty penny, so I put in a bid and waited to see if I got a phone call. Immediately I started to have some remorse about the price I offered, so when the seller called I said no thanks. But with a heavy heart...I guess the cabinet and I were not meant to be. But I must find another one—the quest is on!

After the 28 drawer debacle, I focused my attention elsewhere. There were beautiful antique books, funky vintage sheets (which I can barely bring myself to touch, let alone purchase and use for a project), fun costume jewelry, and old sewing patterns. What really caught my eye though were the vintage Christmas ornaments. I've been a casual browser for a while, and decided it was time to take the plunge. I left with this stash to start my collection:

Along with a random cast iron star that I thought would look cool hanging with a picture grouping on a wall. All for $20! Hopefully I didn't get ripped off too badly. The ornaments need cleaned up something awful, but once I weed out the broken ones and polish them up they should be shiny brite again (get it?). Now I just need to find myself a vintage silver tinsel tree to hang them on.