Estate Sale Plunder and the "Truth" about Wanda

Estate Sale Plunder

I have been waiting for inspiration to tell the tale of Wanda and my Estate Sale Adventures from last Friday. Her post that I just read was inspiration enough. First of all, let me say, Wanda and I have been "junkin" together for 10 years. We have a system. If I drive she pays for food and snacks, and if she drives the reverse is true. She has a 4 door sedan with a GPS and a back seat that lets down and I have an SUV with only one rear door that opens due to a wreck. What vehicle we take seems to depend on how much money we have and if we hope to find "big" stuff. (Mine's for big). Whoever drives puts their drink in the first drink holder, passenger in the second. This is an important part of our system as one of us is "funny" about drinking after someone else. We both carry estate sale "bags" which are large totes so we can load up fast. We both tend to go to the basement first, but always go in opposite directions. We do not follow one another around. We enter the premises at the same time. I have long legs and am a fast looker. Wanda has short legs and takes her time. After a few initial misunderstandings I have learned not to push her down and rush in first.

Now you know how we operate let me tell you how my friend, Wise Wonderful Wanda really operates. Now I've read in her blog about how she was shy as a child etc., but when she is on the trail of vintage plunder a whole new side of her character is revealed. She can toss that strawberry blonde hair and cut those cat green eyes to charm many a male seller into letting her into "that old shed in the back"... or bringing down "the things from the attic that were going to be dealt with another day".

I, on the other hand have short, kinky dirty blonde hair and am 7 years older. Her 4'11" height is much cuter than my 5'5" fluffy physique. So who did I send to ask the "hot" young policeman directions for this estate sale that had eluded us, why Wanda of course!. She claims not to have noticed what a cutie he was , but as you can see fron the picture she sure was smiling about something!!! Maybe she liked his pistol.OOps, Trashy Lena coming out.



Wise Wonderful Wanda and the Policeman

We did find the sale from the map Birmingham's finest had drawn for her, and I scored some good junk. The sale was being held by two middle aged brothers who were trying to pay off their deceased Mother's QVC bill and the expense of her cremation. They were making a fortune, they said, on Ebay, selling Jadeite Restaurantware to the Japanese. I distracted Wanda by getting her to help them with their use of Auctiva, while I gathered up all the good stuff.(Don't tell her my trick.) I got them down to half price on the English "biscuit" tin (cookies to us Americans)which is for me to keep. Wanda had done really well at the first sale and grabbed a planter right out of my hands. I hand my revenge!



Biscuit Tin, Celluloid Clock,Vintage Books and Chippy Aqua HLC Bowl

At the first sale I got some vintage books on banking, law and accounting. Nice for someone's library. I also got an autobiography of Warren Buffet autographed by the author. There was a wonderful box of love letters written to a young lady during WW 2.I asked the woman conducting the sale how much she wanted for the entire box, thinking $3-5 would be a price worth paying. She very laboriously counted each letter and then said 103. I said 103 what? She said letters and dollars. They are one dollar a piece. I thought to myself that there was an easier way to have done this, but being Southern born and Southern bred, I said no thank you sweetly and bought other more realistically priced junk.

The highlight of the day was the lunch break we took at Savage's Bakery in Homewood, Alabama. The Reuben sandwich was tasty as was the hot tea. We had a pastry or two from the delicious selection and we were fortified to continue our quest for treasures. I love the thrill of the hunt but I love the comraderie of a good junkin' buddy just as much.


Savage's Bakery - What a selection!


The sales in my booth are going gangbusters and I can make my rent for next month!! I am so encouraged. Well, that's all for now. Check back again soon. Tomorrow is Estate Sale Friday and I've got some money to spend.
Cheers, Lena

A Neat Shabby Green Lamp (Soon to become a Candle Holder)


I made a "shabby" chenile shade for this vintage lamp.
(Soon to be on Sale at White Cat Antiques)

A Peek at my Shop

Shabby, Vintage and Interesting

I am showing off some pictures of my shop, White Cats and Roses, located in the Chelsea Antique and Decorating Mall, on I 280 in Chelsea, Alabama, about 10 miles south of Birmingham.
I have been sharing the booth with a friend but she has moved on to start her own shop in our town of Sylacauga. I like the freedom of the mall and the camaraderie of the other vendors. I am working on filling up the whole space myself and have been very pleased with the sales.

A Primitive Cupboard and Vintage Chic Gown
(Note the Plaster White Cat, NFS, but my Mascot)



Red Milk Painted Primitive Cupboard

I am restocking the booth from my surplus at home as the weather is too cold and wet for yard sales. I can't wait for the spring when the hunt for that special treasure will begin again.I hope you can tell from the pictures that I have a curious mixture of primitive, old and quirky. Most of my merchandise is old and one of a kind. I hope that you will stop by when you are out this way. Tell Trish or Mark you read this blog and they will give you a 20% discount. Thanks for stopping by. Cheers, Lena

Snow!!!!!

Snow in the Deep South

It is impossible to surpass the glory of God's natural world. This blanket of snow has made all things bright and beautiful. Buddy, the yard dog, and Panda, the house cat,were amazed at what they saw!!! We do love our snow!!! It is a rare and welcome treat y'all. Enjoy! Lena

Junkin' in Alabama

A Favorite Junk Store Hello, blog friends. I have really been hibernating lately. Let the temp drop below 40 and I build a fire, stay in my jammies and warm robe and watch old movies all day. I am truly bearlike in the way I cope with winter. It was a little warmer last Saturday (45 degrees and I coaxed my dearly beloved into going "junkin" with me. He doesn't love it passionately as I do ,but he loves me, so off we went. We went to some of my favorite spots in neighboring town and found a few things. I got a wonderful peach colored satin and lace gown from the 40's, a sock egg, (used for darning), a glass train candy container and a vintage silvery mirror sans frame, a rose decorated pitcher and a tiny bird on a log planter. All of these are for resale. I have a booth at a local mall and in January took over the whole booth as my partner, Wise Wonderful Wanda, pulled out to open a store here in our town. My sales need to double to cover the rent and show a small profit, so keep your fingers crossed.Other news in '08.......Our nest is now empty of human kids,(although 15 furkids remain) The last baby bird, Kate, has graduated from college and is starting a career with a very trendy cosmetics line. This is a dream come true for her.... Can't wait to get a make-over. I do have hair right now (I've been fighting cancer for the last 5 years and winning!) and it is about two inches long and very curly. So easy to fix. Wet, scrunch and go...Maybe some pink and gold highlights!!!I am wrestling with the winter blues and need to get back to selling on Ebay to supplement the slow times at the booth, but I just want to vegetate.(Money is a good mood elevator)So instead of listing and selling, I eat! My new favorite snack? Why hot chocolate and chips and dip, of course. BBC's "You Are What You Eat" is a great source of  inspiration for me. After watchingthat, I will steam my cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage and carrots and then have my chip/dip snack as a treat for eating well. Don't you agree that I am doing 1/2 right? (I know the "crisps" would not pass the holistic dieticians's scrutiny. Don't you just love the way she says, "Poo". I'm a sucker for an English accent.)The big news for today is that we are having snow in our part of central Alabama and it is Gorgeous. Hope all of you are surviving the winter warmly. I talked to a friend in Nebraska and she laughed at me when I told her we were having temps in the 30's. Everthing is relative. Best wishes toall of you out in the blogosphere. May God be close to you as you face the challenges of the New Year. Lena 

"Sammy"  safe from the snow!