Love, empathy, tolerance--also puppies, flowers, and laundry

Monday, August 29, 2011

When the Gods Smile

I must be living right. I only had two things on my Garage Sale list--picture frames and a barbeque. Needed, but mundane.

Instead I was lucky enough to find these silver beauties...fifty cents each.  Don't hate me.

Fate also handed me the frames I was hoping for.  Three of them!  The gold one (minus the mat) will hold a new oil painting. Please forgive the artistically arranged silver on my vintange pink suitcase as temporary art. 
The long rectangle (with a little repainting) is perfect to re-create a chalkboard for my neighbors. More silver and suitcase art.  Hmmm.  Sensing a theme here. 

Not really.
The small one (currently looking even uglier than when I bought it) is for...something.  Not for laundry room art, which was my intention. 

I'm kicking myself daily for not buying the two wood frames that probably would have been perfect once they were painted.  Why didn't I? Ack!  I can't even say they cost too much--only free would have beat the price.  Kick.  Kick.

Check out this brand spankin' new Weber.  It wasn't a bad price when I first saw it at the church rummage sale, but I decided I'd return closer to the end of the day to see if it was cheaper.  Uh, yeah, half of the original amount made it a sweet buy to replace its decrepit/rusted/very short predecessor. 
And a lightbulb moment came along along free with it.

I like to chat with random people (something that used to drive my teenage boys crazy) so I expressed my delight at finding this amazing deal exactly when I needed a new barbecue as the Baptist volunteer took my money. I don't sling the Almighty around much and I'm not comfortable with people who do, but I realized her spontaneous "praise the Lord" was pretty much the same as my usual "there are no coincidences" mantra. Finding that similarity between us was my best bargain of the day.

The garage sale gods also had a good laugh at my expense.  I also bought a cotton lace tablecloth and have been wondering why I used pink suitcases for backgrounds instead of ecru lace. I ironed the tablecloth this morning and found that I'll soon be testing my mending skills on one gigantic and one smaller hole in the lace netting. 

They had all their linens taped into bundles and I was more concerned that the size was right.  It never occurred to me that these wonderful folks who teach craft classes and have an adorable gift shop would hide a flaw.  I don't really think they were hiding it--I just should have checked better. Drat.

Oh well, my intent was to fancify the picnic table anyway and I certainly won't feel guilty about hauling lace outside now!

It's all good.

6 comments:

  1. Well didn't you make out like a champ. Great finds and I love the silverware in the frames.
    Now you know you have to plant flowers in the old grill since you got that new bargain. LOL!

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  2. I like that silver on the pink though and I know it is a suitcase but that color is really pretty with the silver and gold. I'm feeling it.
    Pam

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  3. Looks like you did quite well! I'm always a sucker for silver and picture frames.

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  4. Pam, I think you just gave me an idea for my silver leaf chandy--pink shades!

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  5. Those are some great finds! I love the silverware. Makes me think of old time tea in England or France (not sure why, but that's what popped into my head...or it could be the book I'm reading that is currently set in 1745 Paris.) :)

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  6. I KNOW! A local charity-run thrift store has all their linens rolled up and taped up so you can't even see what the design of the fabric is, what style curtains they are, what shape tablecloth, what size sheet. Really people. How much can you sell like that. Goowill has the right idea, all their linens are sorted by type and hanging on heavy duty metal hangers.

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