Friday, September 10, 2010

The 100 Mile Garage Sale

Around here the second weekend in September means that it's time for the "100 Mile Garage Sale." It runs through towns in southeast Kansas down into northeast Oklahoma and kind of loops around in a big circle - well maybe not a really round circle but I think you get the picture.

AD and I have never gone before. He wanted to this year and this morning we got up and around to go. We didn't get an early start but we weren't really looking for anything in particular, mostly just piddling around. It was about 9:00 when we left the house. Hindsight is always 20/20 and now I wish we would have left at about 8:30.

When we got out at the first house we stopped at a lady had just bought a good-sized box of glass door knobs! She was telling the lady of the house that her day had just been made. I know it would have been for me because I love glass door knobs! Just to sit around. I guess I kind of identify with Bewitched's Aunt Clara in that way.

But that was ok. It was only our first stop and we anticipated finding other treasures. After several more stops it seemed like we might be wasting our time but we continued on.

I might say here that I can't believe how people were parking today! At one house AD pulled off a one lane driveway as best he could so others could get in and get out easily. He got out and headed over to yard sale while I chose to stay in the truck. My thought was I could move the truck if need be. Just about that time, 2 women pull into the driveway (mind you people were trying to drive in and drive out) and they just stopped and straddled the whole drive way! Their front bumper was up against our truck bumper so I couldn't have moved if I'd wanted to and the rest of their car was clear across the driveway totally blocking traffic. In order to get out people had to drive clear around the car and into the yard of the home. I should have taken a picture. Incredible!

On down the road we were just about to turn a corner when I caught sight of this sign but not before AD had turned in the opposite direction. I told him about the sign and he found a place to turn around. I just had a feeling about this barn sale.

We followed some more signs before we got to the barn. I don't know if you can see it very well or not but it's in amongst the trees there.

This lady had BUNCHES of stuff. Among the things for sale were 2 old Singer treadle sewing machines. She said the one with the more ornate carved cabinet was a 1909 model. Oh, my how I would have loved to have bought it but I just flat didn't know where I'd put it. It was in really good condition, so pretty and it was only $75. And it had all the attachments too. I thought that was a really good price but, like I said, I just don't know where I would have put it.

But I did buy this. This wonderful old trunk. I've always wanted one. There was no price on it and the lady told me to make her an offer. I told her I'd rather she give me a price. She said $15! Ok, so now I was interested but I had to make sure the bottom was still good. It was. The top drawer is missing, one of the locks is broke and there's a really worn leather strap but hey, for $15, I went for it.

I know I didn't have room for the sewing machine but I bought the trunk. I hope to get it all cleaned up, put a glass top on it and either use it for a table or maybe in one of our extra bedrooms for extra storage.

Does anyone have any tips to cleaning the trunk up? If so, I'd love to hear from you.

Continuing on our way we came across this flea market. You can't tell it from the photo but there were several tents. Some had really nice things with nice prices, some had junk pretty much. It was probably the best stop of the day but we came away with nothing. Not. One. Thing.

After that it was pretty downhill but we were getting tired and didn't stop at very many more places. Maybe we'll get out again tomorrow morning. It's supposed to be cooler. Surely there's more treasures out there to be found.

Make it a great weekend whatever you do!

19 comments:

  1. Shelley, About the comment you left on my last entry. I'm not sure what you're talking about "friending my blog on facebook."

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  2. Hey OK Granny,

    I figured out today why I couldn't find your facebook badge, it's because you don't have one. It was someone else who sent that suggestion to me. Sorry, I bet you thought I'd gone plum loco, huh? I had myself a good laugh when I figured that one out.
    As for the yard sale/barn sale/flea markets, I love, love, love to go yard saling. LOVE IT. Wish I had a bunch of money I could use to go buy stuff with. I am looking for an older writing desk with a couple of drawers on the side, but so far, no luck...but one day, my ship is gonna come in on that bad boy.....have a great weekend Granny, I hope you get a big laugh out of me being so silly.

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  3. it reminds me of the "World's Longest Yard Sale" that goes through my town every August. Sometimes you find good stuff, sometimes it's a yawner. But that trunk is awesome and what a fantastic price!
    I have every corner of my house filled with used treasures and that makes it a little less fun to go to these events. (no where to out anything is also a problem of mine!)

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  4. I heard someone talking about this garage sale the other day and I had never heard about it before. Sounds fun.

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  5. Oh my good gravy! I missed the one hundred mile garage sale for a stupid ball game. And I hate football. Go figure. Sigh.

    Liz

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  6. I would love to find a trunk like that. I've been looking around here, and the only place I've seen them is in the antique stores, already cleaned up and refinished. All done up, fresh paper on the inside, etc, they are going for about $125...you got quite a bargain.

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  7. Happy Friday,
    This looks like a fabulous outing. I love the old trunk and I can't wait to see what you do with it.

    Have a wonderful weekend. ~Natalie

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  8. I loved looking at the photos and got excited when I saw the "barn sale" sign! I have no idea why I got excited but I did!! Love the trunk! I would say just give it a scrubbing with some hot soapy water and then put some Murphy's on it.

    Thank you so much for sending me the lined info!! I have been terribly busy and have not had the chance to sit down and read it yet but I have it saved.

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  9. Nothing like a good treasure hunt. The old trunk is a gem and will clean up beautifully. I think I would have lost it over the parking situation, however...

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  10. Oh man am I jealous! I've never heard of that and it is sorta in the neighborhood! I have a trunk almost exactly like that!! I refinished it the summer before we got married and it was my "hope" chest! I just cleaned it up and painted it off white and antiqued it however you did it back then. On the inside it's just stick on paper (that's coming off) that looks like wood. Mine is slightly curved on the top so glass wouldn't work. It's been all over in our homes~but mainly it's served a coffee table like purpose. Have fun with it!!!

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  11. Wow, that must have been some garage sale. Glad you found some things you really like. I'm envious of those glass door knobs. Some day I want to make a coat rack using glass knobs as the hangers. Have a wonderful weekend.......Denise

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  12. That looked like so much fun! I love the trunk you bought, what a bargain! I used to do the yard sales but just can't find the time anymore. That will be on my "To Do List" when we retire! Have a great weekend!

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  13. 100 mile garage sale-awesome! I wish we did something like that in NC. The trunk is a great find-and a great price too, i think.
    I think I did see something about this 100 mile garage sale on TV a few years back...Sometimes though it's hard for me to see the beauty in all the ugly when I go to yard sales and such. It certainly takes someone with a good eye.

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  14. I AM SOOOOOO JEALOUS!!!!!

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  15. Great find. I love old trunks. I'll look forward to seeing your finished project!

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  16. I have never heard of that "garage sale." Sounds like great fun. You got a wonderful bargain on that trunk!

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  17. That Trunk for $15 is a real steal.
    It looks real antique.
    Can imagine the number of things it would have held in safe custody in its hey days.

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  18. I would love this. Wish we would do something like that in our area.
    I would have been all over that $15 trunk, too!

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  19. Oh my, I wish I had known. I want to go next year!!!

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