TRASH OR TREASURE

No introductions needed.  You know the drill - Is it TRASH OR TREASURE?

SPRING BIG BARN BONANZA

Mark your calendars now for the Spring BIG BARN BONANZA!  If you hadn't seen my facebook posts yet, the sale is set for Friday, May 11th from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday, May 12th from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.  So, what is a Big Barn Bonanza?  Well, its part (big part) antique and vintage occasional sale, part estate sale (mom and mother-in-law are now in a nursing home), part moving sale (friend moved to new house with huge barn) with a little bit of yard sale thrown in for good measure (and great buys)!  What will you find at our tag sale?  Antique and vintage furniture, home decor, toys, tools and more; a variety of collectibles; garden and outdoor items including camping gear; sewing items; sporting goods; furniture (home and office); electrics, electronics and appliances; and much, much, MUCH MORE!  We've been working in the barn on set up!  Below are some photos I've been taking during set up.

Watch for updates and additional photos on my facebook page:  Debbie's Bargain Basement.

Disclaimer:  We reserve the right to change our minds and decide we cannot part with any given item.  But regardless, there will be a LOT of treasures to pick from.  And I'm really trying not to post photos of items that we might change our minds about.

TRASH OR TREASURE

Oops!  With Easter weekend and all that it held, I forgot to post a trash or treasure last weekend!  We'll just make that a rule maybe, that I don't post them on holiday weekends, yeah, that's it, that's why I didn't.  Anyway, its this weekend and I have one to post today.  So, let me ask, is it TRASH or TREASURE?

Just to be clear, the trash or treasure item is in the center of the photo and has two legs and two . . .

COME SALE AWAY, COME SALE AWAY WITH ME

Sale, sale, everywhere's a sale!  Tis the season!  Yard, garage, barn, estate, tag, rummage, they're all in full swing.  I did a little yard "saling" this past Saturday in Southern Illinois.  I've posted some photos below of my finds!  The best find was a chipped blue paint bench I scored, thanks to my friend Stephanie who asked me if I saw the bench . . . and I hadn't somehow . . . it was covered with a sheet of plywood and had yard sale goods all over it.  So I inquired and was told she didn't think it was for sale but then that gal asked her friend (who's bench it was) and she said she would sell it!  BINGO!

But this post is more about upcoming SALE opportunities and sharing the ones I know about, so here goes:

This Saturday is the Columbia (IL) After Prom Committee Rummage Sale from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Also this weekend, on  Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Midas Touch Estate Sales is holding a sale in Columbia.  The sale starts Friday at 10 a.m.  The address of the sale will be released at 9 a.m. on Thursday on their website at http://www.midastouchestatesale.com/Upcoming-Sales.

Side note, to keep track of upcoming estate sales in this area and others check out the website EstateSales.net and sign up to get notifications!

The following Friday and Saturday, April 20th and 21st Columbia (IL) has their city-wide yard sale event.

The last weekend of the month, on Saturday, April 28th there's a flea market on the parking lot of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Then the first week of May there's an explosion of sales:  Citywide Yard Sales in Millstadt (IL) and down in Southern Illinois in Cobden on Saturday, May 5th.  Cornbread from WIL92 holds his World's Largest Garage Sale at the Family Arena in St. Charles (MO), also on the 5th.  I believe there is also a flea market sale at the Monroe County Fairgrounds in Waterloo (IL) that day, followed by the Fruehlingfest in Maeystown on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The next Friday and Saturday, May 10th and 11th is the Big Barn Bonanza in rural Millstadt (IL).  That's the barn sale my friend and I do a couple of times a year.  Mark your calendars and plan to attend, the sale is from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.  I'll be posting photos and more details in the coming weeks!

If you know of any great sales in the area, please share them in the comments below!  If I come across any others of note I'll post them in the comments and on my Debbie's Bargain Basement facebook page, so keep an eye out!

And SALE away!

The blue bench with all my finds on it, along with some plants I got at the nursery.  On the far left, back are 4 fun, retro small tv trays.

This was just too funny to pass up!  It's a chopper hopper.  What's that you ask?  I didn't know either but then I noticed he's holding a tube of toothpaste in one hand and a toothbrush in the other, and it occurred to me - HE'S A DENTURE HOLDER for your FALSE TEETH!

A great turquoise green vintage pyrex casserole and a large baking powder tin.  You'll also catch a glimpse in the front right corner of a white plate.  But that's just not any old white plate, that's an antique Meakin Ironstone plate!  Ad those tv trays are peeking out at the back of the photo.

Hard to tell from the photo, but that's a tall beautiful purple glass bottle/vase in the back, along with a vintage 6-sided Swan's Down Cake Flour pan and an Arts and Crafts hand-painted plate from France.

A better photo of the Arts and Crafts plate.  I bought it for my friend Stephanie, its the least I could do after she pointed out the vintage chipped paint bench to me!

THE ONES I THREW BACK

Just as in fishing, sometimes in shopping, there are those you have to throw back in.  As you probably already know from my earlier blog post today and the post from yesterday, I went second-hand shopping yesterday with stops at Goodwill on the east end of Belleville and at Unique Resale, also in Belleville.  In addition to the killer wedding dress I found (but didn't buy), I also found all the items below at Goodwill yesterday.  I must have timed my visit  just right because I have never seen so many great items in one visit there before.  Unfortunately, none of these items were on my "shopping list".

Homer Laughlin "Diner" China.  Buck a piece.

Vintage look Cocktail Pitcher from Pier 1 Imports, just $3.

Just a few of the large assortment of wedding cake "toppers" in stock!  Too fun!

BEST find at Goodwill that day:  Beautiful Antique Chest of Drawers in great condition and only $80!

Ok, don't know what this is for but its made of coconuts and it made me smile!

Trestle table, 4 chairs and a neat bench, all a set.  A little rough but could be painted up so cute!

Metal twin bed head and foot board, not old, but has that look.

Retro-riffic vintage desk in great shape and I think it was only $25!!!

Vintage pottery vase in great condition and only $3!

Old metal cabinet for $20 makes for great sturdy storage!

WEDDING BELLE

I need a Wedding Belle, a bride-to-be, to buy this dress!  If only I were younger, oh and single and much skinnier, I would have bought this dress.  Heck, even if I didn't have a groom, I'd buy me this dress and then find me a groom to go with it (not that its not equally as hard to find a good groom as it is to find a good dress).  I saw it at the Goodwill on the east end of Belleville yesterday.  Truly the most beautiful vintage wedding dress I've ever seen whether it was in a thrift store or an expensive vintage shop.  My guess is its from the 50's but I'm no expert.  Take a look at the photos and judge for yourself.  If I were also to guess size I imagine its around a size 6 in the waist but for a girl that has some of a bosom (cup C or D), again, no expert.  I SO wanted to buy this dress, it was only $30!!!!!!  But just didn't know what I'd do with it (yes, could resell it for much more but then I have to work to find a buyer) so I resisted temptation yet again.  Do you know of anyone?

This is the bust.  It has a pleated straight across front underneath and then the appliqued lace sits out in front on top of that, just like a lot of the dresses you see on the red carpet these days.  Just gorgeous detail and so in style!

Front of dress, of course my photo isn't doing it justice!

Upclose of bust on hanger, again my photography skills leave something to be desired.

This is a better photo of the upclose detail of the front of the dress.

Full front view of dress.

Will you just look at all that luscious tulle and wonderful applique, its uber beautiful!

Oh yes, you're reading that right, just $30!!!  I need to google "Will Steinman" and see what I learn, just so curious!

BIRTHDAY SHOPPING SCORES!

As a birthday present to myself I visited one of my favorite resale shops in Belleville (IL) today.  That was after my sister treated me to pizza at Papa Vito's on Washington Street in Belleville.  My favorite pizza and then my favorite shop, it was adding up to a great day!  And it got better from there!  Green Diamond  Emporium Unique Resale Shop at 732 South Illinois Street, in the old train depot, had just gotten in a load of new "stuff" that morning.  All from one donor - and there were some amazing finds!  As much as I wanted to, I couldn't take them all home so below are the two killer pieces I brought home and then all the other items I took a pass on.  But you might want to rush out tomorrow and try to snatch some of them for yourselves!  

If you need more information such as prices or if one of these items is still available, give them a call at 618-235-8431.  They are open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Another bonus is that you receive $5 off a purchase after you've gotten 10 punches, 1 punch for every $10 spent!  Their website is www.greendiamondemporium.org.

  

I scored this vintage concrete base, metal top sundial for just $20!                   (It came with its own bird poop!  LOL!)

I LOVE this park bench!  And I have been looking for one (check that, CHEAP one) for awhile.  I got it home and my husband said well I guess we can paint it - ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????  That's one of the great things I loved about it - THE PATINA!  I LOVE the "chippy" red finish!  And I scored this beauty for just $18!!! (Oh, and the fun quilt behind the bench was only $25 but I resisted the temptation . . . for now, tomorrow's another day)

Sweet vintage buffet/sideboard.  I think it was $40 or $50.

Fruit-topped ceramic canister set for $12.  I have a hard time resisting things with fruit!

Roseville Pottery Vase - said "as is" but for $40 (and knowing they usually go closer to $100 or more) it seemed like a great buy, but I'm not an expert on these.  I do admire Roseville pieces though.

Fun and funky vintage stereo console.  I don't remember how much this was but sooooo retro!

Vintage chifferobe.  Bad photo but cool piece.

Concrete birdbath.  That's a squirrel "climbing" up the base.  Loved this too but it was a little too steep of price for me ($80) and the condition of the bath itself wasn't great.  Maybe, if it goes to half price.

More creamware pottery but since I have around 60 pieces I decided I could resist.  But now if they go half price they may become harder to resist!

Vintage dining table painted gray with one leaf.

Nice old rocking chair with the rush (?) seat and back in very good condition.  I think it was  $40 or $50.

Ok, I don't know exactly what this is but I thought it was a fun and interesting contraption.  And just $8.

A pretty in pink hand sewn quilt for $50 (If I remember right).  Again, hard to resist but I have more quilts that I can use right now and I don't want to have to just store them away where they can't be appreciated.

Oh yes, I managed to get the sundial and the bench in the back seat of my convertible and off I drove.  That back seat holds a lot more than you think.  You just have to put the top down to get it in!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Normally, I wouldn't bring up my own birthday, especially my 51st one (it is better than THE other alternative though) but I HAVE to share the CUTEST, "FUN"est (ok, that's not a word, I know) birthday card I think I've ever gotten.  It's from one of my oldest friends (I mean longest, sorry gal), Kathy, my cohort in antique shopping crimes (well, they should be crimes, the things we find and the prices we get them for)!  Oh, she knows me, all TOO well.  And I love it!  And her birthday card!  AND her!  Thanks, Kath!

Here I am, taking yet another load to the SUV at Brimfield, Massachusetts in May of 2010.

That's me in the back of Kathy's Element in Springfield, Ohio at the Antique Show at the Fairgrounds on our way home from the show in Brimfield, Massachusetts.  A trip of a lifetime!  By the way, there's a claw foot tub and a 5 foot church pew somewhere in the back of that SUV.  We know how to pack!