Rummage Sale Booty
Is there anything better than a rummage sale or flea market to help train your eye to look for potential, hunt for diamonds in the rough, and refine your design vision (I am, apparently, nuts for a certain shade of aqua)? I seemed to be the only shopper in the market for mid-century ceramics and cheerful napkins at this particular sale. Which means I made out like a bandit for $12: a topless aqua coffee pot (perfect for flowers, if not for coffee), a set of nearly-matching coffee cups, crazy green striped Marimekko napkins, even crazier Vera-esque purple napkins, yellow linen hemstitched napkins (a girl can’t have enough napkins!). Meet the new beloved guests on the Pink of Perfection table. What have been some of your best junk sale finds?
Lilly: I know its not a rummage sale or flea market find, but just a couple of weeks ago I left the dollar store with a brand-new dinning set. I got plates, bowls, and mugs for $12 in shades of soft blue and green.2 years ago
Ana Elizabeth: Hi Sarah! This is so funny! I discovered your blog several days ago and I love it! I’m such an old fashioned girl at heart. I love to cook and sew and read. As soon as I found your blog, I sent it to my sister and now she’s hooked on it too. Anyways, this morning I thought about leaving you a comment just to let you know how much I was enjoying it, when I saw that you left me one on my new blog! I was so shocked! Isn’t that a strange coincidence? =) You have to tell me, how did you find my blog?
xoxox2 years ago
Lilly, A find is a find!
Ana Elizabeth, Hey! I found your blog cause you linked to me so then I popped over to check it out. I’m so delighted that both you and your sister are Pink of Perfection fans! And congrats on your new blog!2 years ago
Lisa (dinner party): Pray tell, where is this flea market of my dreams? (It’s not the Brooklyn Flea is it?)2 years ago
Lisa, It’s a biannual rummage sale in NJ that I’ve been going to since high school! I still haven’t been to Brooklyn Flea but NEED to make it happen ASAP. It’s on my list of summer fun.2 years ago
Lisa (dinner party): Oh, that looks so fun! Brooklyn Flea is good but more for vintage clothes than housewares, I think.2 years ago
Karen: These are great finds! I’m in such a thrifting mood lately…gotta find me a yard sale soon!
2 years ago
Ashley: Oh I love treasure hunting! Nice finds! A year ago I got two chairs made from old wine barrels for $10 each. I moved to Portland with nothing and 3 years later I have enough to furnish a small mansion!
Well, it seems that way, at least.2 years ago
zoe: These are great finds! I have a weakness for anything blue..My proudest thrift find is a glass wine decanter for $7! And last week, I found a milk glass compote for $3!2 years ago
B: I love the coffee pot. I really should go to more flea markets to “educate” my eye!2 years ago
ciaochowlinda: Your finds are lovely. I am addicted to Sat. morning garage sales – A couple of weeks ago, I got two sets of cross country skis for two dollars (yes, two dollars for his and hers – skis and boots and they fit!) Last week, I found a pretty Lenox flower vase for $2.00. I’m staring at it right now with the roses I got for Mother’s Day.2 years ago
Lisa Strawberry: LOVE this post, and of course I love your blog!! I’ve been a reader for years now.
I have that same sugar bowl. I heart it. My mom got it for me; she’s the ne plus ultra of thrifters.
My favorite so far is probably the 50s aqua and gold fiberglass shade lamp I got at a church rummage sale for $2. In the immortal words of Poison Ivy (from the Cramps): “Kings and Queens don’t have a lamp like that.”
)
Your posts are so inspiring. Please keep on keepin’ on.2 years ago
BECKY: I once found some really lovely hand embroidered pillow cases once for like $5. My problem is that I find too much at garage sales…too much to choose from It’s true someone’s trash is another’s treasure.2 years ago
Ashley, those wine barrel chairs sound so cool!
ciaochowlinda, the skis? AMAZING find.
Lisa, love love love fiberglass shades. it’s so hard to find them in good shape, so that is a major score. I love that sugar bowl, too. It mades me think of Denmark…or something.
2 years ago
Ashley: can’t think of many things better than snagging a bargain!
just recently picked myself up an adorable blue and white teapot/sugar bowl, along with a brown and pink hot chocolate carafe, for about $10!
absolutely love this post!2 years ago
Kristen: Last year I was truly bitten by the tag sale bug. I guess it all connects to the reduce, reuse, recycle creed that I try to follow (most of the time). My favorite find so far is a hammered copper bowl for a whopping $1. It’s hanging in my kitchen now, and I love to beat egg whites in it.2 years ago
Jules @ Lovely Las Vegas: Sweet finds! Love the colours and the patterns.2 years ago
Jennifer: Recently I stopped in a local resale shop just to browse and found a food dehydrater – with manual – in perfect working order! I was so thrilled!2 years ago
Ashley and Kristen, Would love to see pics of the brown and pink hot chocolate carafe (sounds too cute!) and the hammered copper bowl (such a handsome classic!).
Jennifer, I remember seeing infomercials for those things and how to make your own dried fruit and beef jerky!2 years ago
ann: These are the loveliest finds, Sarah!2 years ago
Sara Rose: Best finds EVER:
-A pop-up Maxfield Parrish Book (I know, nothing gets cooler than that)
-4 “vintage aprons” with crazy floral fabrics, rickrack, etc
-Yellow McCoy Pottery Pitcher (they had no idea either)
-pink crystal champagne flutes with a pretty gold leaf art-deco style floral pattern
-cookbooks!!!!2 years ago
mulberry204: A month or so ago, a woman bought a set of 12 Waterford wine glasses for $2.99 each. $36.00 for a whole set!
My best find was at the curb – 2 perfect Westlake caned chairs!!2 years ago
shauna: Swooooooooooon! Your coffee pot is gorgeous… I love that colour.
I just bought this wee 1960s perpetual calendar from an online vintage store… does virtual rummaging count?
It is so cute – you flip the globe thingy over and the date changes.
http://www.steptoesantiques.co.uk/acatalog/vintage_sixties_calender_2144n23.html2 years ago
Christine: Love your finds! I’ve been debating about whether to take a day off to go to the Brimfield flea market this week for some patio furniture. My best find recently was a set of Time Life Sewing books from the 60′s at a thrift store for $6!2 years ago
regina: beautiful finds!! I am especially swooning over the coffee cup with lid. Gorgeous!2 years ago
Kristina: Ooo, what a fun question to answer. I can’t pick just one: the crazy-orange-and-blue-flowers vintage dress, the fabulous cane fruit basket, the etched silver sugar spoon for $1, the antique peach velvet-cushioned chair I found on garbage night on our street. So many good memories. Love live thrifting!2 years ago
Lindsay: Well _I_ went to the Brooklyn Flea last weekend, after a good friend recommended I go there, and I found a hairpiece that exactly matches my wedding dress for six dollars.
Thanks for the recommendation. We also had a mango on a stick.2 years ago