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Friday, June 3, 2011

The Tag Sale is Finally Here

I spent 4 hours yesterday setting up for the tag sale. It was windy and got windier as the day went on. I was very worried I was going to lose some glass but all stayed in place. I ended about 1pm and R. and I went for a motorcycle ride to get some chicken wings at Bidwell Tavern. Supposedly THE PLACE to get wings around here. I really like the lemon pepper ones. I generally like a beer with my wings but no alcohol allowed when riding.

It was the first day out on the bike for the season for me. We took a long route to get to The Tavern and by the time we got there, I was freezing and R. was pretty cold in just his T-shirt and leather vest. I was a bit more bundled and on the way home put on a Vera scarf (for all you Vera lovers) and my chaps. If the sun had stayed shining it wouldn't have been so chilly but huge clouds started to cover the sky. 

After we got back I ran to the package store for some beer. R chopped and hauled wood and was hankering for a cold one. I had my 'Birthday Girl' shirt on that was given to me 4 years ago. Worn 4 times now, I've made a pact with myself that I'd wear it every birthday until it wore out. Silly, I know, but I get a kick out of it, especially because it was a shirt made probably for a teenager with it's pink jewels spelling 'Birthday Girl.' The beer seller was being a little conversational and flirtatious I think when he asked if that's the type of beer I like, I said it wasn't for me but it should be since I am "the birthday girl" as I pointed to my shirt. (the writing is small and up near where a necklace would be so I wasn't flashing him or anything) He asked for my license. I thought, "oh, he just wants to tell me I don't look at all like I'm 47 as I stood there in my pigtails and bandana. Nope, that's not what he said. What he did say was, "yup, you qualify" as he handed me a shooter of Mango Parrot Bay Rum. I'm not a big drinker but I do like me some rum once in awhile. After getting home I took a teeny sip to taste it straight. Very very de-lish-us, but saved for another day.  

5am came very early this morning....I don't sleep well before a tag sale, I get all anxious that I won't wake up early enough to get there before the early birds. I got ready, got the signs up and at 6:15 got to the house, where an antique seller was sitting in wait. Yes, the ad said 7am, but dealers and sellers don't care. What they don't realize is that I don't mind, if they buy they'll be paying more than if it later in the day, and they don't always know that I know they are re-sellers. A few of them I do know and they know me as we end up hitting each others tag sales or flea market booths. There's one obnoxious couple that always comes, he annoys me, there's something about him and his way. He pulled into the driveway. I looked right at him and pointed "get out of the driveway" he looks at me with a question on his forehead...."Get Out Of the Driveway." what??? "GET OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY" "oh, you want me to get out of the driveway?" yiyyyy. Yeah, I don't deal well with rude or obnoxious re-sellers, or the ones that pretend they aren't resellers, like one guy and his wife. He asked about a price on something and asked when it would be lower. I looked at my wrist and said, it's 6:30am, not even the official 7am. He said, "well, we older people get up early" I said, "yeah, so do resellers." Don't get me wrong, they are an important part of the tag sale circuit, but don't be all squirrelly and lying. 

Then there was this woman that came in and was chatting with a couple that was there and she was saying how she could go to the dump and get a lot of things for free. She was talking about a rocking chair I had for sale for my client I am also selling for and the guy of the couple asked me how much I was selling the chair for. I told him $30 and he looked at the lady. I then said to the lady, "but you could get one just like it at the dump." I don't think she got my sarcasm because she said "yeah, I could, I've seen them." so even more sarcastically I said, "well you should go there....now." I still don't think she got it right off, but then it might have hit her because she left. I don't have time for that crap. Yeah, you can get anything for free if you wait long enough, if you're in the right place at the right time, if someone gives it to you, etc." but someone might see the chair and that it's in very good condition and think, "oh, I've been looking for one," or that they knew someone that's going to have a baby and she's looking for an affordable rocker or whatever and then they'd offer me $20 or $25 and I'd say, "OK" and we'd both be happy. I think it's very rude to stand there and talk like that. It reminds me of when I used to do craft shows  (I painted furniture) women would stand in my booth and talk about how they could do it, too, that they have a chair, desk, bureau, whatever piece of furniture they were looking at, 'just like that' in their basement or garage. Yup, you could do it. Will you do it? Will you do it right? Will it ever get done? Will it look as artistic? No. No. No. Because the people that would answer 'yes' to those questions wouldn't normally stand there and talk about it. They'd talk about it after they left my booth. I had poetic justice one time, though....a woman stood there saying all those things and another woman said, "yeah, I had a project like that, too, then I started to sand it and realized how much work it is and it never got done and I appreciate those that do it." THANK YOU!

So, anyway, enough tangents...here's some of what I looked at all day and will continue to look at for the next two days, well, I did sell some of it and hopefully tomorrow there will be a lot more gone.

I tend to collect glassware....apparently not many others do. Although, I did sell a set of ruby glasses and a set of pressed glasses today and my friend Lois has her eye on those juice glasses (better when seen in person) to make candles with them.

Love the amber glass butter dish. If only I was using that color in my house. I'm surprised no one looked at the letter press block. The turquoise covered pot is by Hull. The ice bucket has boy tennis players around it. See all the milk glass in the corner? I was collecting for a girl who's blog I followed that lived in L.A. and couldn't easily find it, it was for her wedding reception. I asked her if she wanted me to locate some for her as I could get it fairly inexpensively and she loved the idea. She was approving it as I went along and then I was ready to send it to her and asked if she wanted more, she said she changed her reception plans. Um, couldn't ya tell me this knowing that I was picking these up for you? So now I have a crap load of milk glass vases and I quit following her blog. 

Three pyrex casseroles with their covers...no one even looked at them. This area is a little behind on the vintage thing, or they basically prefer newer fashions, and it's still a bit traditional with the older crowd that likes antiques and country around here... Maybe tomorrow.

oh, looky, there's a space, something sold! and Yup, four pyrex coffee pots, a small collection started and then I decided I really didn't need them even though they are cool. The big bowl is from pottery barn and an excellent cookie making bowl, but no longer my style -- it was packed away for the past 7 years. Those little bowls in the foreground are very sweet and I almost put them back in my car to go home with me, but then I remembered my mission. I hope they sell so I don't consider keeping them. 

I really like those carved horse bookends and the pyrex princess bowl set is the American pattern in basically mint condition. The four blue mugs are sweet with dog images printed on them, they were in my etsy shop, so many people 'hearted' them but no buyers. 

 Zojirushi rice cooker, found several years ago and I never used it. A few sets of curtains piled together and two tablecloths with sweet flowers on them. 

 Vintage mid-century lamps that need a little TLC -- an intended project...

The green chairs swivel and are made by Goodform, the patio chairs sold pretty quickly. The headboard leaning up against my car is my friend's and was going to get painted. Guess she changed her mind. It would be awesome in turquoise or yellow. Hmmmmm, maybe if it doesn't sell....

So, that's what's been going on around here. Thankfully the weather is BEAUTIFUL and perfect for a tag sale. Another plus is that my computer is wireless and I can hook into wi-fi and cruise the blogs I follow while I wait for people to come by. Always thinking. That's me. I'm a thinker.

Hope everyone had a great day....I know you were out there getting some thrifting deals for yourself...weren't you?

4 comments:

  1. Crap! I hearted those mugs.
    Did they sell?

    I know JUST what you mean about THOSE people at Tag and Estate Sales. There's this one woman that is ALWAYS there and my sister HATES her! Actually it's kinda hilarious sometimes when I'm stuck at work and my sister is waiting for a sale to open and she text's me "SHE's here!" But then again my sister is ruthless! she will take a cell phone photo and send it to me and once I called her back and said "GET IT" (it was my sofa etc.") and she walked up as other poeple were sitting on it and testing it out and "pulled" the tag off and went and paid for it! She texted me back - "Oh well! they snooze, they lose!"
    Funny but I TOO had a booth years ago selling PAINTED furniture (actually not surprising at all! tee hee!) but YES! people can be SO rude...and it's never the REALLY creative ones.
    Seriously, did the dog mugs sell?
    :D - Cindi

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  2. Looks a lot of work getting all that set up - i hope you made some good sales.
    Some people are so rude and offensive, unbelievable when they are getting such a good deal anyway!
    Our tag sales here are usually called garage sales and not many people do them as Boot Fairs are big over here where a large feld accomodates cars and they set up stall by their car - they are great fun and good bargains to be had!
    Hope it all went well!
    Gill xx

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  3. Darn. A year too late and probably in a different state, but I have been looking for those green swivel chairs everywhere!

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  4. Elyse, they didn't sell, I hung onto them and used them again and then gave them to a friend that I bartered with to get them in the first place! They are cool chairs.

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