Thrift Store Finds

The military community has a great tradition of thrift stores.  Most often, people can consign items and recieve most of the money, but a certain percentage goes to the thrift store.  They may have one or two part time employees, but most people who work there volunteer.  The proceeds are given either to a scholarship fund or disbursed among a group of organizations who apply--such as the schools in our military community, the Red Cross, area scout troops, etc. 

I'm always ready for a foray to the thrift store.  Just as in every other one you may have visited, there is a lot of, er, "junk", but every once in a while, you find a treasure.  However, any military thrift store savy person knows that now is THE TIME!  I would say that 90 percent of military families who PCS, do so in the summer.  (PCS=Permanent Change of Station=move) 

Last week, I was there all three days the store was open.  I didn't go by myself, I was with different people but we stopped for a quick browse.  I found a neat treasure each day.

This is a handmade patriotic basket.  I got it for $4.  It should fit right in to my decor!

Check out this unusal 18 inch ruler!  I collect rulers and yardsticks and I wasn't expecting to find anything that day since I had just been there, but I really like this.  It was made in Maine and is really nice wood.  I paid a whopping 50 cents for it.

Just a day later, I was back.  I went with a friend to show her the sewing machine that was in there.  I took some thread and fabric and we got the machine out and sewed on it and it worked great.  The price had been reduced, so she took it home.  While she was paying, I wandered about, again not expecting to find anything new when something laying on a shelf caught my eye.  What was it?  I picked it up and discovered this:

An antique rug beater!  I've always wanted one but whenever we were antiquing, I found something I wanted more.  It is long, maybe 24-30 inches and heavy.  The price:  $10!  They are $40 and up in the antique shops.

All in all, it was a great week.  And, the thrift store is open this morning!  I think I need to get going!

Aloha,
JoAnne