If it walks like a duck........ A tale of a Junking Intervention

There is an old expression that I would share with my corporate clients back in the day at the law firm. In trying to explain how to act like a corporation for legal/tax protection purposes, that in all manners of their business, they had to conduct themselves in a certain way. In other words " If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, it is a duck." The other day, I was reminded of this phrase when I was trying to tell my friend that I did not have a problem. That I wasn't a hoarder, perhaps a packrat but there is a difference. I also was arguing that I could go into a Michael's store and spend less than $20 dollars .......... if I wanted to ..... I could, I'm sure. And last but not least, I could drive by a roadside pile of interesting looking junk marked free, without stopping (of course only if I was just the passenger and had no control over the vehicle, but that counts, right?) She just looked at me, shook her head and said, call it what you want, but you are a duck.

So to prove my friend wrong, that I don't need a junking intervention, I have prepared a list of questions for you to share your thoughts on and eagerly await your responses. We will call this a social behavior survey. Let's begin.

1. Do you have boxes/shelves chocked full of fabric that you enjoy just looking at and are waiting for just that perfect sewing project before getting out your scissors?

2. Do you save empty mayonnaise jars to possibly fill with sand and candles for luminaries, or fill with seashells, or to use as a place to showcase a little handcrafted fairy or bird's nest under glass? For that matter, do you save any interesting shaped bottle for some future craft project?

3. Do you own boxes and boxes of plates, all mismatched of course, but still delightfully coordinated, each being a gem culled from a lawnsale trip or from Goodwill? I am talking about enough plates to set a table for 100 guests from dinner to dessert.

4. Do you have trouble sleeping the night before an enormous flea market trip or neighborhood lawn sale extravaganza, eagerly anticipating what treasures await you, just like a child on Christmas morning, up before the crack of dawn to be the first in line?

5. Do you save any scrap of fabric that is at least 6 inches across? (Hey I use them for making my yo-yo quilts, doll clothes, quilted pieces, pockets on aprons .... you get the idea.)

6. Do you pick up a vintage tablecloth covered in holes and stains, (for free or for just pennies) because the 25% of its usable surface is just too fabulous to waste? Or what about that children's book from the early 1900's that is torn, tattered and yellowed, but the few pages that are salvageable and scannable put you in paper heaven?

7. Even though you own 100's of cookbooks, do you still buy that cookbook at the lawnsale with the jacket cover so perfectly matching your collection of Jadite dishes and showcasing recipes from the 1950's of how to cook squirrel, woodchuck and turtle? Those pages will come in handy some day, right? I mean as part of a collage and not on my dinner table.

8. Do you have stacks and stacks of decorating magazines, that you read and re-read? When asked why you don't just get the on-line subscriptions, you argue that you can't curl up in bed with a cup of tea and a laptop. It just isn't the same.

9. While friends find the allure of the mall so appealing, is a perfect day of shopping for you a road trip to all the Goodwill stores within a 25 mile radius of your house? (For me that would be 10 stores). Anybody interested in a road trip with me?

10. Are you a spray paint and glitter addict? Like that's a bad thing?

And for the Bonus Question: Would you climb through a dumpster if spotting a FFFF (fabulous find for free) while wearing a dress and heels? Be honest.

Oh bother ...... It's true. I guess I AM A DUCK!!!!

I love church rummage sales

I love church rummage sales, and the one last weekend lived up to all expectations. Let's just say that I am a regular customer at their annual Fall & Spring Sales. I got lots of treasures, dishes, linens, lamps, wooden hangers, and lots of glassware. A pair of victorian women salt and pepper shakers that I bought for $.10 cents I sold within the hour of purchasing them for $5.00 and a charming 1960's Red Wing bulb planter that I bought for a quarter I have already sold for $5.00. I could have sold them for more on e-bay but they were purchased by friends. I felt a little quilty about that, because I paid so little, but they both assured me that they were pleased with thier purchase amounts as they knew what these items could really have sold for on-line. Many times I have brought an item of value to the woman directing the church sale to advise her that the displayed price was far too low and what they should be charging, urging her to reprice.....and she does....and it sells. The church wants to raise money but is also afraid to be stuck with a lot of stuff to dispose of after the sale, if things haven't sold. So I guess in the end it is a good day for both the church and customer.


In an earlier post, I showed what dishes I am putting together for my Thanksgiving table....an amber glass theme this year. I scored on amber glassware at the church sale. I got 12 little glasses for ten cents each, a pair of amber glass salt and pepper shakers from the 70's also for a dime, a chip and dip bowl for $1.00 and 2 large glass bowls for a quarter each. I also found a couple of candles that will match as well as two amber glass candle garland rings. I can't wait to show you what my finished table will look like with all my finds....a whole new table design for under $20.

Time to set the table

I have too many dishes. Of course I can justify this by saying they are for my catering business but that is not the real reason. I am a plate junkie. I will be at a lawn sale and see a color or design that I just have to have. The price is good, usually under $1.00. It doesn't matter that I have nothing to match it........for the moment. I probably have a combination of dishes to equal a dozen sets, each set being a service for at least 12, some less, some substantially more. My set of Fire King "Jadeite" dishes easily serves 30 or more and who doesn't love Fire King. When I first started collecting this particular pattern, the pieces were inexpensive. However, after they were showcased in "Martha Stewart Living" as her collection of choice, the prices skyrocketed. Here are some photos of a small sampling of my dishes. I love the color turquoise and it goes so well in my retro kitchen with red vinyl chairs. I can take the turquoise pieces and mix them with the turquoise and cream pieces, and/or the cream with turquoise/tan design or mix them with yellow for a fun spring look. I love the glass serving piece that mixes the turquoise and yellow colors. The futuristic plates were a happy find. I bought a set of six plates and matching bowls at a lawn sale years ago. Earlier this year, I found another 8 plates, bowls and 11 salad plates of the same exact design! That is how my plate collections are built, a serendipitous piece here and there. By the way, my "Sputnik" plates as I call them, are so much fun to use when we do a "50's" night supper of tuna casserole complete with the crumbled potato chips on top.