I have had quite a lot of luck with thrifty things in the past month or so, but an epic aversion to the amount of effort required to photograph them. Which is upsetting when I find myself in the mood to read through my garage sales tag, and ithere's hardly anything there. I miss my stories about sales as much as the pictures. Time to remedy this! This isn't even half of what I've found, but here are the things I managed before the battery died:


I'll start with the really neat thing: something every bibliophile must own.


Pretty cute, right? Tiny miniature encyclopedias in their own wooden bookcase. But then you pull one out, and VOILA: COASTERS.



They're not in perfect shape. The cork is chipped/torn or missing on most of them, and it's clearly missing one coaster to fill the case, but it only cost $2. More importantly, it's just so 1960s and unique and basically the reason I love estate sales. It's not often I find truly old, unique and interesting small things.

Following this, a host of clothing from a combination of Goodwill and a church sale I went to today. Can we talk about the church sale? I've never gotten there for the evening premiere, because usually this time of year I am working in the evening. But today I got there within 15 minutes and it was a swarm like nothing I've ever seen. I am especially proud of myself for the patience I exhibited in digging through the huge piles of clothing heaped on only two lunch tables.

I misjudged two pairs of pants (one too small, one too big) and wasted $4, but I succeeded in the black and white tank top and the red shirt below, as well as a super comfy pair of jean shorts. I also succeeded in not buying Teen-Age Dog Stories, despite being a very nice vintage book with a dust jacket in perfect condition, because I realized I already own the later paperback edition. And since that one was a gift from my childhood friend, I will never exchange it, even though it lacks the cool illustrations of the hardcover.

Best things I did not buy:

• a gorgeous wooden stable for model horses, complete with removal ladder and hinged doors and a separate lean-to, for $10 (the me anywhere before age 18 would have bought that IMMEDIATELY, and frankly the only reason I did not now was lack of space and/or gumption to sell on Craiglist. I still want it. Those things are expensive). It sold somewhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours in.


• a huge, 2-story dollhouse, handmade, painted exterior WITH an extensive set of dollhouse furniture for $50. Dollhouses alone are usually at garage sales for anywhere from $30 to $50, and people know that realistic/detailed furniture can be sold by the piece for anywhere from $1 to $3, so that was definitely a good deal. I couldn't examine the furniture very closely, but from what I saw, it looked nice. Again, the space issue was the only reason I did not buy it.

Finally, pics:

I think these were at Goodwill, $3. I love how they're not perfectly flat, but puffed out like you put a balloon in the center of a bicycle wheel and bent it outwards from the center. Very good


Not-made-of-denim "jean" jacket, Maurices brand, from Goodwill. The fit is definitely juniors so it doesn't actually close on me, but I just like tossing it on open. It's super tailored in the back and looks great that way.


Ann Taylor/The Loft top from the church sale, $2. Of note: one of those wonderful rare non-button-down shirts (which almost always either gap over the bust or look super bulky on me) that looks dressy enough to pair with a skirt! Love that trim.


Various tops. The blue and black/white tanks are both White House Black Market brand. I actually paid $10 (THE HORROR) for the latter at Value Village because I just loved the look and how it paired with jeans/boots and/or a jean jacket that much, The other two were $2 apiece from Goodwill.


Another $2 Goodwill top. LOVE this brand (One World).