Save The Stitches! Estate Sale 1/27

Winter hasn't released her grasp, but estate sales have slowly begun to return. Folks, I am beyond ready for spring flea markets and garage sales.  Bring them on!

I went to my first 2018 estate sale the weekend of January 27 and found these beautiful stitched cross stitch finishes.  I left so many there.  

The pieces above are all Paula Vaughn designs.  There are several I love and plan to frame and hang in my house.  I haven't decided what I'll do with the rest of the pieces. 

And I couldn't pass up on these cute small religious pieces.  

Oh and this one Christmas piece.  

I also got a paper grocery bag almost full of patterns and kits.  I hadn't ever considered her patterns before, but seeing these stitched has me tempted to kit one up soon.  They're beautiful pieces!

Only one sale last weekend and one this coming weekend.  Nothing at the last sale.  Only time will tell what jewels, if any future sales will yield.   

Greetings!

I love cards. I love sending them and receiving them, especially if a note is included. Once a week I pull out my boxes of cards and send out 2 or more.  I pick up cards at thrift stores, estate sales and occasionally garage sales.  A couple years ago Joanns discontinued carrying cards and I got several for 70% off.

 

 

My favorite are the old cards, which I still occasionally find for sale at estate sales.

 

Its rare that I need to visit a store for a card, but if you find yourself needing to, I recommend Dollar Tree.  Some of their cards are 2 for $1, others $1.  They have great cards, especially holiday cards and are stocked right now with Halloween, Thanksgiving and some Christmas cards. 

 

Not all of my cards have matching envelopes as shown below.  I don't care and hope that the recipients of my cards don't notice.  (I love the hidden pictures card in the lower right.)

 

The boxes are stored in my coat closet. 

 

I make a list of friends and family I want to send a card to, pull the appropriate boxes and go through them to find the card I want to send.

Love these old cards!

In addition to a card or two to a friend or member of my family, I send "Love in the Mail" once a week.  Love in the mail is group I belong to that sends a card or note and $1 (or more if someone desires) to someone in need of encouragement.  A lot of times it someone facing significant medical concerns.  People in the group submit the names of those we mail to. 

How about this week you send a card to someone!  Have kids or grandkids, have them draw a picture or color a coloring page and mail it to an unsuspecting relative, friend, neighbor or shut in.  I know they'll love getting a surprise in the mail. 

Treasure Hunting!

I left Friday morning at 5:27, last year it was 5:11! I traveled west and then north to Belleville KS where I began this years Treasure Hunt on Highway 36. A lot of states are doing something similar. I know there are two other similar sales in Kansas. Faboulous Finds on 99 runs next weekend, I believe and another ran last month in the southern half of Kansas and northern half of Oklahoma. These aren't as fun as a flea market, nor as easy, but I always enjoying getting out and hunting for some unknown treasures! 

The drive out, once the sun came up, was beautiful! 

 

 

In addition to some yummy Amish baked goods and treasures found for my parents, this years bounty consisted of;

Cards! Lots of cards! 

 

A silver frame and two $0.25 cross stitch books. 

 

I have plans for that frame. 

Some cookbooks. 

 

Bible trivia and bible card games. $0.25 each

 

I got a few other items I already put away. Oh and this piece. 

 

I already have thought of few things I could do with it, but none of the ideas will be completed by this Christmas. 

At one sale I found a stash of finished cross stitch pieces and imagined someday mine will be sold this way too. Each piece was $1. I didn't bring any home, but had wanted to.

 

 

There had to be several dozen pieces. If they weren't so far from home, I might have gone back the third day and offered something for all of them. They'd make nice gifts. Most could easily be made into pillows maybe for nursing home residents. Sadly they only had the finished pieces, no cross stitch patterns or materials. 

Two of my favorites;

 

 

While warm and crazy windy, it was a beautiful day. If you think Kansas is boring, you're doing it wrong! (Kansas Explorer quote!)

 

Sparks and White Cloud Fall Flea Market 2017

I love a flea market! Fortunately there are a few that aren't too far away. The Sparks KS and White Cloud KS flea markets are held twice a year the first weekends in May and September.

 

The weather couldn't have been better for the September market. I've been on raining and cold weekends and clumped through mud to view all the booths. None of that this fall. Sunshine and average warm temperatures. 

 

My father and I went this time together. We each have carts and head in whatever direction we want and meet up back at the car. There is NO cell phone reception at the Sparks market. If you take your cell phone out people instantly ask "Do you have cell phone reception?" Or give you instructions on where you might go to get reception; If you go clear down there, then walk 50 yards in that direction, not by any food trucks and stand on your head, you might get reception!"  Promises, promises.

 

I forget to take pictures while I'm there. There's too much to see and often so many people it's hard to get good pictures. Take for example the nice butt on the right. Oops! Missed that!

 

$1 linens!  Ah, but I have enough linens.  I took the picture and quickly moved on!

 

More fun notions. 

 

Fun trims.

 

Dogs are still welcome at the flea market and water was set out for them at this booth.

 

Lots of pumpkins and some veggies were available.  Potted plants can be found too.

 

 

The one disadvantage to having a cart is some of the trailers and houses that have items. 

Pretty glass at White Cloud.

 

The very small community of Fanning KS home to one church has an indoor flea market.  I love stopping in here and never leave empty handed.  They also have nice indoor bathrooms and lunch for purchase.
 

 

Speaking of lunch, the options are endless...

 

Above is a Mennonite stand, below is the Dutch oven food stand.  Food is prepared fresh in Dutch ovens!
 

 

There are a lot of food trucks!

 

In case you were wondering what the nasty nator is;

 

White Cloud normally has Indian Tacos for sale.

 

We almost always eat at the White Cloud American Legion.  Its indoors, air conditioned, they have indoor plumbing and we love to support them.  Over the years their menu has drastically be reduced, but its still good food and great men and women that work there. 

 

More pies were added by the time lunch rolled around.  I got a piece of chocolate pie and thought it the best I've ever eaten!

 

White Cloud also offers ice cream!  I think I've only had it once.  Normally I'm too full from lunch to get ice cream, but it always looks good.

I leave you with a doggy stroller.  The second one I saw that day.  If you look closely you can see the dog.  Lyncoln (my cat) thinks he needs one of these.  It sure would have come in handy when I was taking him to the assisted living to visit grandma!  She had one of the furthest rooms from the front door!