Wednesday, June 5, 2019

...'G' is for GARBAGE and GUMDROP Trees

'ONE PERSONS "GARBAGE" IS ANOTHER PERSON'S TREASURE"... (or something like that!)

"G" Is for...
GARBAGE!

DISCLAIMER: Retail names have been edited to protect my sourcing!!
'DUMPSTER DIVING MERIT BADGE' by SPOOFBADGES

  Okay, dear svelteSTUFF readers (all two of you - LOL)... this may not be 'news' to you, but by putting it out into BlogLand- it's kind of like 'coming out of the closet'...  I have become an addicted Dumpster Diver! (MUCH to J's chagrin...)  Yes.  ANOTHER 'aquatic activity' joins my regiment- first 'saleing', now 'diving'.

  DON'T shudder and get skeeved out!  It's REALLY not like that!!  I don't 'NEED' to do this for financial reasons!  It all started 'harmless' enough - searching out economical (FREE!) packing supplies in clothing/homegoods retailers dumpsters (nothing spoiled or smelly in there!!).  I don't actually 'go in' the dumpsters!   At 6'-0", with my trusty 'grabber' in hand, I can pretty much reach anything of interest.  Yes. I do wear gloves.
Mug by REAL PEOPLE GOODS

  My eyes were soon opened to Just.How.MUCH. good~useable 'stuff' is sent to our landfills!  Quite sad actually.  I won't get my 'soapbox' out and start lecturing about Corporate America's Policies!  I am going to show you a few examples though...

  
**MY size - worn all winter and kept my feet warm and DRY!!
THANKS 'TreeLumber-Land'

USEABLE!
Quality, very slightly imperfect items.  Jeans, Clothings, Purses...  Yes, Retailers spend their time trying to prevent 're-use' by destroying discards (ie: Cutting to shreds or SHARPIE scribbles all over leather).  Wouldn't this time be better spent donating to a shelter or Not-For-Profit Organization??
Thanks to the wonder of the Web, I have learned that High SPF, aerosol sunscreen cleans leather Beautifully.

Neighbor's cat 'GUMBALL' snuggling in her 'new' bed!

FOUR-LEGGED PAMPERING!
~POUNDS and POUNDS of bags of dry food!
~CASES of canned food
~Pet Beds 
~TREATS, Greenies, Toys and MORE!!
  Local Animal Shelter, Friends and strays have all been reaping the benefits!  Only sealed food is taken.  Recalls were checked.  This 'waste' resulted in 'BestBy:' dates within the month, or a dent to one can in a case, or a 'mark' on the fabric.  Animals REALLY don't mind dented cans, and we even discovered our NE wild birds will eat 'Tropical Bird Seed' in the middle of Winter (LOL!).  Now, if only this Chain Store would stop 'slashing' bags to deter use, a LOT more animals could benefit...  Luckily they manage to miss some! 

Card Store rotating rack which held Last Season's "Very Best", but this chain care enough to send this 'outdated' display to the dumpster.
DISPLAYS!
~ HANGERS!!!
~CLOTHING RACKS of all shapes and styles!!
  You know what I'm talking about here - those Heavy-duty, commercial quality, wheeled and swivel Beauties that we all dream of and drool over...  Stores change layouts, replacements are made, the 'old' are discarded to the dumpster out back.
Extended life of rotating card rack, as a JEWELRY DISPLAY for TREMORS CREATIONS!
  We have actually acquired SO MANY of these that I have been passing them onto neighbors and friends!!


MANNEQUINS!
~ Need I say more?
just go to my post for 'D'.

UPDATES:
'Miss Crane' (R) now has a head, and is grooving into Summer with Sesame Shimmer (L)
~AND~
 Her twin 'Miss Tommi' has moved out of town and taken on a new identity as 'Lorraine', in charge of Marketing!



TREATS!
~ HOLIDAY CANDIES!
~CHIPS, COOKIES & CANDIES!
~HEALTH & BEAUTY AIDS!
  Before you go into the 'EEEWWW' mode, ALL items were CLEAN, DRY, Factory SEALED and in a clean, dry bag without 'garbage' items!  Directly pulled from shelves for coming close to 'BestBy:' date.
  Many, Many boxes of Cereal, Pasta, Crackers, Chips and candy have been donated to FREE Food Shelves at local thrifts.

*Of course the SUNSCREEN & STARBUCKS coffee are staying with us!!
THANKS Sea Vee Es!!







So, maybe I'm not making a huge dent in the big scheme of things, but Every little bit helps - right?  
...and the smiles that I have received from the beneficiaries of some of these 'treasures' is enough to fuel my passion!

Just in case 'GARBAGE PICKINGS' aren't a 'true' collection, I will recap one of our other 'G's"

"G" Is for...
GUMDROP TREES!