...The Rummage

I confess...
I am a 'Rummage Sale' Girl at heart.
Oh, don't get me wrong - I definitely don't shy away from an Estate sale, an auction, a yard sale, a garage sale, thrift shop, co-op, consignment store or a flea market- but given my choice... I'd always go for the RUMMAGE - particularly a 'church' Rummage Sale. Maybe it's because I'm not into buying 'furniture' and I'm more into 'smalls' (like scarves and jewelry). Maybe I just like the mishmash that comes from so many people donating to one location. Maybe I like the cheap prices that result from it all being donated and nobody having any sentimental attachment. Maybe it is just my Mom's fault... (I have found when all else fails we can always blame our Mom... right?!)

In this situation, I think it may actually have something to do with fond childhood memories.... My mom - the ever devout Methodist (have I mentioned before what complete opposites Mom and I are??!!) was the Co-chair of our small town - country church Rummage sale for about 25 yrs with 'Ruth'. Now, these two didn't take this job lightly! They worked for weeks diligently washing, laundering, ironing, hanging, folding neatly, pricing each and every item with a paper tag (pinned to cloth items, scotch-taped to hard items). I'm trying to remember why... it was the 1970's... save $'s? sticky tags not readily available in hick-town USA? Anyways, you get the idea. They took pride in this fundraiser. Just the two of them - and to keep us kids 'amused', we could play in the donated hats and scarves and high heeled shoes - BUT we had to line the shoes back up NEATLY and fold the scarves when we were done!!!

'Ruth' has long since passed away, and the new generation has taken over on the Church Rummage sale. Mom (in her late 70's) still volunteers to work 'checking out', but the sight of those "...piles of clothes just tossed on the tables, unsorted and everything is just a quarter a piece, regardless of what it is..." just tears her apart!!

Friday morning I was striking out BIG TIME with the local garage sales!!! It got to be 10am, I had been to 6 or 7 sales and I had bought NOT A THING!!! Then I remembered reading on Craigslist about a town having a Blueberry Festival this weekend with townwide garage sales also. The Church rummage sale was to start on Friday. It was a bit out of the way, but what the heck, it was a GORGEOUS day, and maybe some of the garage sales would be open early too.

SO GLAD I DID!!! Not a LOT of purchases, but SO WORTH the drive! At the RUMMAGE Sale I was able to grab a bag of Hankies, and when I got it home for closer inspection, I found that it had about SEVENTY vintage ladies handkerchiefs - florals, holidays, hand-crochet trim - you name it... all for a little over a nickel a piece 8-)!!!!

...and at the RUMMAGE sale (in a .25¢ Box) I found this cute little sugar with the lid in avocado and orange (NO CHIPS!) - and as I dug deeper in a box I found a matching creamer (NO CHIPS!), then a cup (NO CHIPS!), then another cup (NO CHIPS!), and finally a third cup (again NO CHIPS!)... but no fourth cup.

WHEN I FLIPPED ONE OF THEM OVER ....

~ ~ HAPPY DANCE ~ ~

(sorry, but I happen to REALLY like the oddball HOLT HOWARD - not the rooster/coq rouge stuff!)


OH, it's almost 8am - gotta run, it's SATURDAY SALING time!!!!!