Thursday, September 27, 2012

Estate Sale - Inglewood Circle

Yaaaaaawn. I'm pooped. And totally off of my A-game today.

I met Rae at a neighborhood estate sale bright and early at 6:30 this morning. The ad for the sale promised lots and lots of vintage Halloween items (which are very hard to come by these days) and tons of old Christmas items too. I could hardly sleep last night for thinking of the spoils to be had. We figured by getting there an hour and a half early, we'd be sitting pretty on the front steps, first in line. Would you believe that when we got there, there were about twelve people in front of us?

When the doors opened, I'd say that pretty much all of those people went running towards the teeny-tiny holiday room and before we could even get in there, it was mostly swept clean. There was such a huddle over the Halloween items that I never even saw a single one of them. And some lady just had to hit me in the face with a tabletop aluminum Christmas tree. And she didn't even apologize - not even after I said to her, "Thanks for hitting me with your Christmas tree!"  It was mayhem mixed with madness. No matter what's up for sale, I will never in a million years get used to the snatch and grab mentality that some people get all up into.

In the end, I got several items including this super duper triumphant looking snowman:



And this purse. 



I think that it's actually a knitting bag but with all of the Almond Joys, Sonic receipts and camera equipment that I lug around, it will be just the right size (and that hockey mask that I'm going to start wearing to the sales).

Some more birthday cake accoutrements for my collection.

I like the ones named "Little Miss Betsy Ross" and that little plastic cake that holds candles. 

I also bought some small appliances. 

I've wanted one of those wall-mount hand mixer systems for quite some time. There is a little door on the right that opens up to reveal the beaters and the cord. I was so excited to see it hanging there on the kitchen wall for sale! Unfortunately, I didn't realize until I got home that the mixer will not come out of it's housing for anything. I've followed the directions and it just won't budge. Sadness. Not even that toaster with it's "Toaster Pastries" setting could make me happy after the mixer fiasco. Earlier, I found myself standing in the kitchen, wrestling the mixer and moaning, "You're dead to me, mixer!" Like I said, I'm off of my A-game today. I should have used that seven bucks for anti-anxiety pills instead.

But what did make me a little happier was finding the Minnie Pearl Cooks cookbook for a buck. 

And it's signed! Whee doggies!

Here she is mugging it up for the camera.


Minnie in her hat reminds me of these note cards that I found at the epic sale last weekend:


I got to met Rae's good friends Crystal and Marc who were very cool (and I loved watching the older ladies behind us get all nervous when they started reading Tarot cards to see if Rae would get her Halloween items). By the way, the Tarot cards lied!  I also met one of my nice Ranch Dressing friends, Lauren for the first time while in line to pay and made a complete and utter fool of myself.  Lauren, I hope that you won't judge me solely on my getting-up-early-and-then-getting-smacked-in-the-face-with-a-Christmas-tree persona! 

I really need to pull myself together before rumors get started.

I think I'll tack the manic combination of Liberace and Minnie Pearl on at the end here.


Goodness me. I love them both but that was about the craziest something-or-the-other that I've ever seen!

Until next time,
x's and o's,
Eartha






15 comments:

Pat said...

I remember that mixer! In green. We had to lift upward very slightly and then yank straight out to get it off the mount. Maybe you're just not pulling hard enuf? If it's not attached to the wall where you can really give it a yank...try putting it on the floor and holding it down while you pull upward. Good luck getting it out, hope you figure it out!

Eartha Kitsch said...

Thanks Pat! I'll try that. The instructions said to push the "eject" button and pull hard which I've been doing. Maybe when the Mister gets home tonight, I'll have him hold that sucker down and I'll pull. And if it comes out, never put it back. :)

Lauren T. said...

Thanks for the shout-out! Also, the purse you found is super-cute; I love barkcloth. And Almond Joys (a very under-rated candy bar!)
Best,
Lauren T.

Sara In AZ said...

Those dog cards...........I die! LOVE!!!

Ugggghhhhh, I completely feel your pain on the perils of estate sales. Sorry you did not even get to see the Halloween stuff. I do love that snowman however.

I'll just bet that Mr can get your blender out for you, don't you fret girl! Otherwise maybe someday Mike can work his magic on it!

ash said...

i am IN LOVE with that minnie earl cookbook! i played her in a school play when i was ten or eleven. what a great find!

nancyworegreenstockings said...

Wow, I can't believe she didn't even apologize! Yikes!

I love those dog note cards! One problem I have with vintage stationery is that it can be hard to actually use it and send it off when it's just so darn cute.

Barbara said...

My darling, your prayers will be answered. In a box, somewhere around here, I have a lovely orange wall mounted mixer just like that. And it comes out of the box and works too! I will search for it as soon as I recover from the emergency root canal I had today. I've been up since 1 this morning.

When I find it, it's going to you. I couldn't bear to throw it out or Goodwill it. I know it will have a home with you!

PS: Isn't there some kind of award that comes with getting hit with an aluminum Christmas tree?

Barbara said...

PSS: You hit the eject button on mine too...

Dana@Mid2Mod said...

What a shame about your mixer. I think you should go to the grocery store and see if they have the Good Humor Almond Joy ice cream bars. They'd make you feel better. As for the Liberace and Minnie Pearl duet, my head is reeling. That was about as disquieting a thing as I've ever seen.

Betty2Tone said...

People's rudeness still shocks me. Also, you have made me realize that I should probably start carrying almond joys around with me too. I usually have taco bell salsa in my purse at all times, but I'm sure I can make room ;D

Anonymous said...

I've only been to one estate sale in which I was injured. I usually don't get there until it's been going on for about an hour. It seems that the things I like no one else does and they are usually there?

Melissa said...

I've always dreamed of going to an estate sale, but I've never been to one. That cookbook is such a great find.

<3 Melissa
wildflwrchild.blogspot.com

Karen/Small Earth Vintage said...

Now now--I say you did just fine! Love the purse, and the snowman, and, c'mon--Minnie Pearl! I call it a success.

Rae - Say It Aint So said...

oh i love that snow man! his pose is just so good. and i didn't see the candles in your box! very cute.
that christmas tree lady was right next to me when i was grabbing all the pine cone gnomes adn was going "where is the PINK TREE!" and i said "uh....right in front of you?" she was seriously looking right at that huge thing. what a jerk for hitting you in the face.
and oh man I wish i could have taken a picture of those ladies faces when crystal pulled those tarot cards out! maybe we should try doing it more dramatically to scare some of the crowd off.
i don't know if i have the nerves to get there the first day. i love the stuff i got, but golly it takes a lot of a girl!

Jen said...

Oh, I hope the mixer situation is figured out. How frustrating! Sometimes, in the heat of the excitement, I forget to fiddle with things, too.

So far as the way some folks act at estate sales...I hear you. Hubby won't let me get to them first thing because of that stuff. Someone knocked me down at one once! It is crazy. I wonder if they were this bad before all the ebay-ing began? I'm all for making a buck, but not at the expense of people's well-being/dignity. lol