Thrift Shop Treasure

Sometimes I have trouble sleeping, so I was reading in the middle of the night. Now I am a bit of an entrepreneur, always running with ideas, so it probably wasn't a good idea to read "Get Out While You Can - escape the rat race" by George Marshall. 

Well of course, I have already escaped the rat race - but I wanted to make sure I hadn't missed anything. Basically it's all about making money on the internet, but you won't be seeing my blog fill up with ads any time soon, that's not what it's about for me.
But I did get a few ideas going - and then really could not get back to sleep.
I decided that I might like to sell off a few things on Trade Me - which for overseas readers is our NZ Ebay. So today I took some old pieces of jewelery to town to see if I could match the missing Aurora Borealis stones.
I got into a long discussion with a lady proprietor of a crammed full antique shop and she produced a brooch with missing stones, that I can use to repair mine and sell them of for a fortune. Ahem

So here they are  - top left is one that I discovered today is aurora borealis crystal, which I paid $1 for a couple of years ago. The one on top right was my mothers, and needs repair (I will probably keep that one), bottom left is what I bought today for $5 to repair the others, and bottom right is another I paid $1 for a while back, and it needs a new stone.
I tend to pick them up when I see them cheap, even if they have stones missing as I use them in gift wrapping instead of a purchased bow. Cheaper, way cooler and environmentally ++.

My next bargain was a bag in perfect condition...to carry my bongo drums in to band gigs. Five dollars. Did I mention that I play bongos as well as sax?

Bongo bag - new to me for $5

And a bone china saucer from the same charity shop, for 20 cents. I keep telling myself no more bone china - but they keep following me home.

Royal Winchester bone china - 20 cents

One of the things I plan to do with my vintage china

Earlier in the week I found these plastic coated baskets in pristine condition for $2 each - to help me organize my pantry further. I know - plastic - but my food won't touch it, and I am recycling them.

Organize that pantry - baskets for $2 each

Lastly, some glass storage jars, trying to get my food out of plastic, for $3 each.

Taking the plastic out of food storage.

I love thrift store/ vintage shopping. Anyone want to share their bargain finds?