Follow me on my pathtojunkentreasure as I hunt for treasures at flea markets, garage sales, rummage sales, thrift stores, estate sales and even on the side of the road. I'll share my love of ironstone, hammered aluminum, vintage Christmas, vintage jewelry, doilies and tablecloths, flower frogs, garden items and anything rusty and chippy. You can find me at Carriage House Antiques in Crystal Lake Illinois. Please join me on my pathtojunkentreasure!

Friday, July 27, 2012

I Had a Great Time!

Some garage saleing days are more fun than others.  Today was one of those days.  The kids and I went to the Shepherd of the Hills church rummage sale and found some nice things.  I found a needlepoint doily for $3, a Japanese miniature vase for 50 cents, a $2 nutcracker for Austin (he informed me that was his 86th), a pin for $1, a milk glass covered dish chicken for $1, 2 miniature glass paper weights for 50 cents each,  and the kids found a box full of a Nintendo Nes/games, a gameboy with games and a psp carrying case all for $10. 

We then went on to some garage sales and found some video games for $2 each.  In Woodstock, we hit some sales on S. Madison Street and found some nice things.  I found a Pam Duthrie garden book for $1 (she was the keynote speaker for the Master Gardener conference at MCC a few years ago and her books were $50 each), a metal stamp stand for $1 that I will use to hold pictures, and a Statue of Liberty plate for $1. 

Woodstock is having sidewalk sales that will continue on Saturday, so we walked around the square to see what we could find.  At my favorite store, Interiors Anew, I found a wonderful intricately carved coffee table for $38.  I loved it and decided to buy it without knowing exactly where I would put it.  Once I got it home, I put it into the guest room and it looks great.  Seasons by Peg also had some good deals and the upstairs room is 75% off. 

I redecorated the guest room by adding the coffee table that I just bought with a wrought iron stand that I spray painted white yesterday.  I had gotten it at a garage sale a while ago for $3 and finally had time to work on it.  It looks nice holding the metal stamp stand, McCoy planter and scale that I use to weigh my Ebay items up for auction.

Saturday and Sunday is the Gallery in the Garden in Woodstock where artists sell their goods in a garden setting.  It is a really nice event.   Since the weekend is supposed to have nice weather, it will be a perfect setting.  On August 9, Calvary Baptist Church on Rt 31 in Crystal Lake will have their rummage sale.  This is a nice large sale that we love to shop. 

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Thursday Sales

Well, we decided to postpone our garage sale until next Friday.  (weather permitting).  The weathermen called for rain today and it only rained in the early morning and not the rest of the day.  It is a good thing that we postponed having our sale because I went through Austin's clothes again and filled up a garbage bag plus 1 winter coat, 2 snowsuits and 1 rain suit.  More to sell!

So instead, we went to a few sales and I found a McCoy pinecone planter for $2.  It has 2 small chips on the edges, but it is really nice anyway.  I found this at the McHenry County Defenders sale at the Algonquin Township office on Rt 14.  The boys found a lot of Pokemon toys 3 for 25 cents.  At another sale, Austin found a bag full of Donkey Kong figures for $3.  I had never seen them before. 

Tomorrow is the Shepherd of the Hills rummage sale in McHenry.  Elizabeth Ann Seton church rummage sale in Crystal Lake on McHenry Ave is Aug 8. 

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Mukwonago Flea Market

We all went to the Mukwonago Flea Market today.  What a beautiful day it was!  Not too hot, but sunny.  There weren't a lot of vendors there, but of course, we found some things.  Or I should say, the kids found things.  Austin is taking an archery class, so he found a bow and Ethan negotiated the price down to $10.  The boys also found some books/magazines for $1, a Simpson comic book for $5 (Austin talked this one down) and I found a piece of fabric with chickens on it for 50 cents.  We ate way too many deep fried cheese curds, but enjoyed every minute of it.  You can't go to this flea market without getting them from C.O.W.  They are the best.

The boys just had to try a deep fried twinkie and deep fried oreo cookies.  I think we had our share of deep fried foods to last a lifetime.  There are 2 more flea markets in Mukwonago this season.  I'm sure we'll go to them.

Shepherd of the Hills Church on Green Street in McHenry is having a rummage sale on Friday at 8:30.  I have never been there for a rummage sale, so I'm looking forward to going there.  I am still planning on having my garage sale on Thursday, but I'm keeping a close look at the weather forecast and may have to postpone it until August.  I hope not because I'm ready to get rid of lots of things.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Friday Hunting

It is so nice to be back at home garage saleing in my area.  The kids and I hit some sales today.  Only found some things at one of the sales, but what fun that was.  I found doilies for $1 each, an old made in Japan miniature vase for $2, and an Arthur Armour casserole dish for $4.  I spotted the lid and when I picked it up and saw his hallmark I was thrilled.  It wasn't on the correct bottom so when I asked about it, the man said that he couldn't find it.  I looked around and found some more aluminum pieces that he was selling and spotted it with the wrong lid.  I solved the mystery for him and he gave it to me for $4.  That's 2 Arthur Armour pieces in a few days.  I hope I'm on a roll.    I spent most of the day soaking my doilies and tablecloths that I purchased recently.  I really got some nice ones.  More items have been added to my garage sale box.  I didn't think I had anything to sell until I really started looking at what I had.  The box is really full at this point and I still have things to go through.

The kids and I went to the Algonquin library sale and bought a bag full of books, dvd's and a video game.  Only spent $32 this time.  Their next sale is Nov 8-11.  We also had our free cookies and lemonade.  Always a nice way to end the sale.

Saturday is a kids sale on the square in Woodstock while the Farmer's Market is going on.  We usually find things there as it is a sale run by kids and only kids stuff is sold.

Saturday and Sunday is the Mukwonago Wisconsin flea market.  We really like this flea market.  We will be going on Sunday.  Can't wait to get the deep fried cheese curds.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Back Again

This has been a summer of travel.  The kids and I just got back from a trip to New Jersey and Pennsylvania to visit my parents.  My brother, who has the Ebay store, took us garage saleing/estate saleing on Friday.  It was fun to see how different estage sales are by him.  The people shopping were like vultures.  Clothes were thrown all over the place.  It was hard to look around.  I only managed to find a vintage white hinged bracelet for $1.  I didn't find much at the garage sales either, but it was fun spending time with him.  One of his finds was a vintage iron hand pump.  As he was bringing it to the truck, I noticed a huge yellow jacket nest inside of it.  Needless to say, it took us awhile to get it out with a hose and water and just pumping it.  It was kind of comical. 

He also took us to a thrift store, Unique.  I found some vintage Howdy Doody hankies for 69 cents.  The Goodwill turned up a blue milk glass compote for $3.99.  My mom gave me a huge bin full of stuff.  Mostly milk glass and aluminum pieces.  It was fun looking at them, but harder to find a place to put them once I got home.  My collection has outgrown my places to put them.

The kids and I went to the Saylorsburg flea market 2 times, separate weekends.  I found an aluminum ice bucket with ships on it for $3, a milk glass bowl for $1 (a woman had picked it up and after she found out it was $1, she put it down.  I then grabbed it), fabric for $1 each and the best item, a card table with leather top and 4 chairs for $30.  All of it folds down.  Good thing since I needed to fit it into my trunk with everything else that I was bringing back.  After I have a garage sale, I will take a picture of it in my basement.    Ethan negotiated the price.  He has become great at negotiating.  The man wanted $35 and said that he originally had it priced at $45.  Ethan offered him $30 and waited.  The man finally threw his hands into the air and said, "Fine, $30."  I was proud of him and of both boys for carrying the chairs to the car.  I also found some doilies for $6 that were hand embroidered by her mother.

My parents went with us treasure hunting in the Poconos and stopped at a few local sales in parking lots.  I found a vintage ceramic Santa for 10 cents, and 2 vintage tablecloths for $2 each.  We also went to the Blakeslee flea market that is on Saturday and Sunday and held inside and outside.  I found an aluminum tray by Arthur Armour for $20.  I splurged because his stuff is hard to find.  Funny how I found another piece by him last year in New Jersey at Unique.  This tray is great because it is golden and has the world map on it. 

We stopped by the Salvation Army on 940 and I found a milk glass chicken for $2.99 and a milk glass spoon rest for $2.99 and a knittin book for 89 cents.  They remodeled the store and it was easier to shop and much neater.  There was a lot more stuff then in the past.  We had always wanted to go to the used book store on 940 and finally did.  Their prices were 65% off and I found a 3 books for a total of $5. 

We had a lot of fun, but it is good to be home after traveling for about half of the summer.  I spent the day cleaning and putting away things and adding to my garage sale pile.  Even though I still need to find places to display my new items, I'll be going treasure hunting tomorrow.  There are a lot of sales listed in the paper and the Algonquin library is having their book sale.  Can't miss it!

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Loose Ends

I spent today and the past week finishing up projects and just cleaning up/organizing around the house.  I finished another knitted felted purse in off white.  I had made a brown one and didn't like how it turned out, so I used that one to cut out flowers to use on the off white bag.  I love how it turned out!  I used 2 vintage buttons on the flowers and as usual, used a handle from a bag I bought at a rummage sale.    I have a red one to finish also, but, I don't have a handle for it.  Guess I have to go to more sales to find the right color.

The shells I found in Florida are finally put away.  I found a clear vase that I put away in the basement to hold the coral.  It now sits on the green wicker table with the other shells.  I reorganized the shell collection and it looks good.  The rest of the large shells are sitting on my fireplace mantle until Fall. 

We stopped in at Savers in Crystal Lake today, but didn't find any treasures.  I'm hoping that there are some garage sales tomorrow.  Austin and I finished going through the toys in the basement and have a box ready for a garage sale.  I'm selling my candle making supplies this time.  I haven't made any candles in a long time and don't think I will be needing the supplies.  I have 2 large slabs of wax to sell also.  I'm hoping to have the sale either July 26 or 27.  I'm not sure yet if I'll have a one or two day sale.  I still have a lot of stuff to go through.