Culinary Tools

I have needed a potato/tomato masher for some time.   There is probably one in a box in the garage that I have yet to unpack, but that doesn't help me now that it's summer and I am making fresh marinara.  Rather than heading to Target, I knew I'd do better at a thrift store.  I ducked into Amvets last Thursday and found this one for 79 cents.  The saute pan was a separate purchase on Saturday.

Summer Score

 There is plenty of summer left, so I was happy to find another bathing suit and a pair of shoes suitable for the water.  At this point, I can't have too many comfortable bathing suits.  I wear one almost every day at home and at camp.  Having this suit means I don't have to pack one for camp -- I will leave this one there.  I will also leave these shoes there, rather than bringing the pair I found last week back and forth.  The convenience will help a lot since the shoes are rarely dry on Sunday when I need to bring them home.

Garage Sale ROI

The Steve Austin doll which I picked up for a buck at a garage sale this past weekend has already realized a full return on investment.  He was welcomed into his new home with great enthusiasm and immediately put to work.  The Six Million Dollar Man is now partnering with "Nitro Man" and is the celebrity endorser for the Nitro Turbo-Torch.

From Garage Sale to Garden

 My best camp tag-sale buddy and I went out on Saturday and brought along a special guest -- the owner's wife.  She was brave to come along with the two of us as we get out of control.  Maybe it was a good thing that all our driving around the back roads only turned up one garage sale.  Luckily, it was a very well-priced sale and I went as far as to thank the guy for that.   I spent four bucks and found two blue glass bottles with stoppers.  These were fifty cents a piece!

Beach Blanket Buy

I was lucky enough to score a beach blanket at a flea market this weekend.  This is something I'd wanted for the backseat of my car.  When you drive around with a wet dog in your car every day, you start to realize the value of decorative seat protection.  This one set me back just five bucks, so I figured it was worth it.  I'm driving our 2003 Malibu right now because the Benz is in the shop.  I think she likes it there, where she sits beside another vintage Mercedes and an older Jaguar.  My guess is that she either has a blown fuse for her glow plugs or it's the glow plug relay.  So for now, I am driving the car that we had previously made a dog-free vehicle.

My Life of Pottery

 So, I've decided to indulge myself.  While I won't go over-board decorating with objects, I've decided I want to use a little bit of pottery to accessorize the living and dining rooms.  This "Black Betty" style teapot seemed to fit the dining room.  I can use it for flowers too.  I found it at a flea market this weekend for five bucks.  It is in perfect condition.

Pretty Post Modern Pottery

I love California pottery from the fifties through to the early 70's.  While I don't collect a lot of it for myself, I do buy it as gifts for my sister.  She collects stuff and has an over-stuffed house, so it's a logical gift.  At Chez Petitie,we don't do a lot of "staging" simply because I don't like dust and want a house that is easy to clean.

Your Garage Sale Is Not Ebay!

 I wonder what the world is coming to when I go to two garage sales and one estate sale on a Friday and only manage to snag two kitchen implements for fifty cents a piece.  Actually, I have the answer to that -- it is greed.  People are seeing what junk is posted on Ebay for and then think their stuff is worth that much.  Or, they need to clean out dead grandma's house and want to wring out every last penny, so they have an estate sale.  Forget that grandma wasn't living the life of luxury and most of her stuff is crap, lots of it from dollar stores.

Clothesline!

It's always nice to be able to hang clothes out to dry.  That's when I know summer is really on the way.  After being away for the Memorial Day weekend, I decided my first summer chore would be a load of laundry.  Having been to a flea market/church sale, I had some finds to wash.

$12 Summer Wardrobe Pick-me-Up

I wanted to add a little color to my summer wardrobe, so I decided to stop in to Amvets.  Yellow tags were 50% off and Red was 25%.   Most of what I found were yellow tags.  My goal was to find sleeveless tanks for work.  I was lucky to find a lightweight shirt I can wear over tanks as well.

In the Bag

 My latest thrifting adventure was a huge surprise and success.  I had wanted to find either a summer skirt or a weekend tote, but went into the store with an open mind, not expecting success.  Imagine my delight that I found what I wanted -- even though I had no preconceived notion of what I would end up with.  The haul is a denim-washed skirt (tags still on), a tote (looked like never used) a small purse (also looks to never been used), and a silver-plate dish.

I Still Thrift!

Criticism of Tops aside, one reason I shop there is because you can get a $4 off coupon for the Amvets thrift store.  One reason I went to Tops last week is because I wanted to thrift.  My goal was to find a bathrobe. I've been sporting a tatty terry number with sheep on the back.  I suspect my husband has a vehement dislike for it and I was interested in a nice and lightweight alternative.  The thrifting Gods were smiling upon me as there was an Orvis robe for $6.98.  A little pricey for second hand, but I had a coupon and Orvis is a really good brand.