Estate Sale Adventures: Miss Number One

Hello, My Friends!~~

I hit several estate sales this week beginning on Thursday. I went to a sale in this lovely house in Annandale, VA.

I arrived over an hour early. There were two ladies waiting in their cars. I asked about numbers and one of the women said they hadn't started any. I offered to make numbers and she said OK. I made 1-18 and when I went over to the lady in her car to give her number 1, she quickly and aggressively told me: "I am number one!" "Well, of course you are," I replied, giving her number 1. I mean, really, do we have to get that hyper? Later I found out from a lady I had met at previous sales that Miss Number One is very aggressive and known for stepping on people's toes and shoving. Good grief! It's just stuff, people! Well, as the rain began, the sale opened and I stepped back to let Miss Number One push on in. The sale was advertised as 60 years of accumluation but they had blocked off the second floor. The basement was open so that was good. I went there first, because I truly believe that's where the best stuff is. I did find some very nice goodies, which are now in Dime Store Chic for you, including a bunch of lovely vintage crochet pieces I found in a box marked "great-grand's crochet"!

I do not know how to crochet, and I appreciate such vintage intricate pieces.

On Friday, I didn't see any estate sales listed that tempted me. I usually avoid sales that advertise fine furnishings, and show photos that indicate the house is a recently built mcmansion or condo. There are usually so many sales here in the Washington, DC area that I can be a little picky. But later on Friday I stumbled upon an ad for a sale close to my home. I got there about an hour after the sale started and walked on in. Not too much to get me excited, but I did score an interesting assortment of goods, one of which I put on ebay as it just didn't seem to fit the vibe of Dime Store Chic.

A pristine 1977 Star Wars twin bed sheet. It was a dollar and I thought someone might like it. Sometimes I step out of my comfort zone and go by my gut and wallet.

OK, Saturday was the fill-the-back-of-my-Subaru bonanza! I began at 6:45 and headed to a sale in Falls Church that was advertised only on Craigslist as having "tons of holiday cheer". The photos looked promising and I arrived an hour before the posted start time. A lady was hauling stuff out into the yard which made this "estate sale" technically a "yard sale". The ad did NOT say "no early birds." I got out of my car thinking that maybe I could shop, but she firmly told me they open at 8. Fine. I got back in the car, and called Suzy and gave her a blow by blow on the lady's activities. The coversation went a little like this:

ME: OK, well, there are bushes in the front yard by the street and I can't see anything she has.

SUZY: Is anyone else waiting to shop?

ME: No, but if anyone shows up, I'm bolting out of this car, because I am number one! (Sound familiar, folks?)

SUZY: Well, hang up if anyone else shows up.

ME: I will...dang, I wish this lady would open her yard. My money is as good now as it will be at 8 a.m. What time is it?

SUZY: Seven twenty-five.

ME: Dang!

SUZY: Are you in your car?

ME: Yes...I--oh, here comes someone in a Fiat 500. She's parking behind me. Gotta go!

SUZY: Bye, call me later. (at least I think that's what she said, as I tossed my phone across the car seat, and I may have disconnected the call with Suzy.)

I found out that the lady in the Fiat 500 was a friend of the lady who was setting up and had come to help. And the lady reminded me again that they started at 8. I told her I would just wait on the curb and enjoy the lovely morning. In five minutes she took pity on me and told me to come on over. And wow! In ten minutes I snagged a huge amount of vintage Christmas, and the lady told me I could load the holiday cheer in my car and come back for more. I did just that. I snagged many boxes of gorgeous ornaments for Suzy to use in her stunning wreaths. No one else showed up while I shopped until the end. So cool!

To cover the cost of what I bought to use in future projects I put a few things from that fabulous haul on ebay, including this adorable set of Italian houses:

So cute! And they come with a working strand of lights!

I headed some miles away to Annandale to an inside/out estate sale advertised at 9. I got there at 8:25. There were tables of goods and bright orange tape strung across the front yard and along the side like some skinny plastic Berlin Wall. There was even a board of posted rules at the foot of the driveway. This bossy burlap covered board told us: 1) no children, 2) nothing under a dollar, 3) prices firm, and <my favorite> 4) we reserve the right to ask you to leave. Wow! This must be one heck of an inside/out estate sale if they expect miscreants and bullies!

There was a woman wearing a tiny baseball hat, her arms crossed tightly acorss her chest, standing at the foot of the driveway. I strolled up to her and she quickly turned to tell me: "This this the beginning of the line, and I am number one!"

Holy Deja Vu, Batman!

Then she elaborated by telling me that receently she was number one at an estate sale and was shoved down to the ground by another woman. She was bloody and someone stepped on her fingers. (I secretly wish I had been at that sale if it cause people to riot and stampede for the treasures inside.) That scenario was why she fiercely protected her position in line. I promised her that I would not trample her (winking) much. She winced obviously not getting my joke. I took a step back giving her more space hopefully proving I wasn't a maniac. So we waited and I was entertained by the combination of the frantic family setting up the sale and Miss Number One telling everyine who came up to the sale that she was at the beginning of the line.

Finally, the orange plastic tape came down and Miss Number One bolted across the yard as if her tiny baseball cap was on fire. Ignoring her I walked, a little briskly in another direction, to a table with some goods I had been eyeing while waiting. I scored this:

I have seen these Eames cards go for crazy prices on ebay, so I listed mine with a crazy stupid high (based on previous sales of the same item) Buy It Now price (and a more reasonable opening bid) to see if anyone would want these cool cards that badly.

I also found some lovely patterns that are on etsy. How cute are these?

Designer fashions for your little "Sally Draper" from London and Italy!

Well, this post is long enough and I'll close. I hope you liked a little peek into some of the things I encounter finding cool goodies for you. I wouldn't have it any other way. Makes life, and waiting in line, interesting! Thanks for visiting my estate sale adventure!~~~XXOO, Beth

Comments

[Diane]

Wow-- such adventures! You should write a book! "True Estate Sale Stories!!"

[Gina @ VintageJunkinMyTrunk]

I have yet to meet such rabid first-in-liners and hope to never have the pleasure! Glad you got out of there safely and with lots of good treasures -- Christmas haul sounds amazing!

[Into Vintage]

So envious there are so many sales that you can afford to be picky. My tiny town has an estate sale only every few months. It's also very casual -- no warriors waiting in line that I've seen. :-) I agree, it's only stuff! And speaking of, I came across that exact same little village and it sold right away last winter in my etsy shop. Such great scores you have!!

[Vicki]

I can relate,I saw a lady go over and stamp on a guys crystal goblets. She proclaimed she had them first and hid them and if she could not have them neither could he. They get pretty nasty in my neck of the woods.

[Renee]

I haven't decided if I go to estates sales for the show or the goods....I think you need a No.1 t-shirt and a trucker baseball cap for the next one! Go get'em Beth....smiles..Renee

[Cindy Is Crafty]

Beth, that is too funny! I went to one on Sunday at the end of the day when it was all 1/2 off. The prices were super low already so I walked out with a tote bag full for $10. My best score was a shoebox sized box of vintage Christmas bulds with three stings of lights with the vintage metal reflectors. Some of the bulbs in the box were Santa shaped. I am looking forward to using them in some Christmas brooches. Sounds like you scored mightily!

[laurie magpie ethel]

Lucky with the number one position this past weekend huh? You did great on the Christmas stuff and a double bonus to have no one shopping while you did. I think I have seen just about everything at estate sales...what a strange world of crazy characters.

[leslie]

I love reading about your adventures. You should write a book.Great finds-love the vintage patterns and those little Christmas houses.

[Anne at Kitschy Vintage]

You have to watch out for those crazy people at sales. I was almost pushed off a porch at one and the man who shoved me almost knocked over the elderly woman letting us in the door! You summed it up when you said "It's just stuff, people!" Let's keep some perspective!
I love those little houses -- recently got a similar set at a rummage sale for 50 cents and couldn't believe my luck.

[Ruth]

I love reading your sale stories. I wonder what it is about being number one when their are only two people around. I can understand when their are 15 that it would give you an edge, but with 2?

[Melody]

Hi Beth!
Wow you have been very busy. Love all the new designs and your finds are wonderful. I agree with others you shud write anither book...Nightmare on Main Street--The Estate Sale Dreams....I'm sure you could make it a collection of books with different subtitles under Nightmare. HEHEHE