Thrifty Job for me!

I sorta got a thrifty job! Well it's volunteer. And come as you please, no schedule. But ANYHOW I signed up with Friends of the Library today and was looking at their books. (got 7 of them) So I ask about volunteering and the lady was so excited to have me. So Saturday mornings, when I can, I will go down there and sort books. There is a huge warehouse and just gobs and gobs of books. Tens of thousands of books. Can you believe it? So I'll go in and sort them into grouped by author's last name, Like a box of A's and so on.

AND I get first crack at the books I am sorting. AND every 3 hour shift I work I get to take two free books. Not that they are expensive or that I mind paying for them, but still FREE books? SWOOON.

I don't start until after the super huge Friends of the Library book sale that is in a few weeks. Until then it's serious working going on, getting the 5 semi's ready to take books to that. Oh and I get to go to that the day before it opens! That's because I joined, not because I'm a volunteer.

I'm way excited, I've wanted to get involved in something that I could do without cutting into family time. This is perfect, if the family needs me I simply don't go. If we are just haning out I do go, and it's just in the mornings.

I thought you guys would appreciate it. :)

Mostly Books

I recently decided that it's silly how I keep checking out the Laurel K Hamilton books out of the library over and over. So I want to own them. ALL of them. The Anita Blake Vampire Hunter ones and the Merry ones. I don't like short stories, so none of those.

I have these great bookcases that are half empty, so it was time to hit my thrift stores for books. (note the thrift find mushroom, which Mom hated, and all my Atlas books, also thrift)

Me and the kids have been sick so I only did one store today. I got all these. (Oh Mom, I want the Mammoth Hunter books now too. I apparently have Plains of Passage) The Feast for All Seasons and the Stephen King one are for mom. I got TWO Hamiltons! And oddly they are both from my library and discards... I wonder if there is a list I can get on, "If you discard any more Hamiltons please call Erin because she wants them" list? I also got this shirt. Not much to look at, but I have FOUR skirts that needed this shirt. You know, to make them winter wear.

Here is one of the skirts. I decided it works with my Ireland tee shirt too but the cream looks even better and will carry it to church for me. I share the skirt pic because that's also a thrift find... as is the table and chairs in this pic. LOTS of thrift stuff here at Casa De Kellogg. (Stephen took this pic, I think he took it at the most unflattering angel ever. I promise I look skinnier than that in MY mind at least. I thought I looked pretty hot today... ) All my finds (well the books and shirt, I can't keep track of tables and odds and ends like that in photos) are from the Humane Society Thrift Store on Beach Blvd in Jacksonville, FL. It's an awesome store. They did paint over the awesome mural though. I keep forgetting to ask why, it was BEAUTIFUL.

Thrift Store Ambiance

I got caught up this morning on that addictive website The ThriftShopper. Some people were telling awful stories about nasty smells and dirty things found in the local thrift stores. Well, we must be lucky here on the Treasure Coast. I've never run into the awful dirt these folks are talking about.
But I do have one neat story to share. I was in the Goodwill store a few months ago. This shabby, confused looking young man walks in and goes to the back, to where someone had donated a beautiful piano! ($150, bet it didn't last long). This guy sits on the bench --- and started to play the most wonderful music! It wasn't long before people were all gathered around just listening to him. He played for about half an hour, then got up and walked out of the store. It was just amazing! I think about him from time to time and wonder who he is, if he's okay.....what a talent.

Rhinovirus Recovery Thrift Trip

I haven't been out of the house in over a week! I caught a really ugly cold. People who think we don't catch colds in FLA are just plain wrong. That was yucky! Anyway, thrifty friend Pat said we had to get out, since it had been at least twelve days since my last thrift! Plus we were dying for lunch at the Cracker Barrel. And boy was that good!.... I could not resist these beautiful shorts for my sister Sue, who's coming to visit all the way from Massachusetts, in June. I love them so much, I'm getting her two shirts, non-thrift, that will match from the local Bealls. Then... same store, Hibiscus House Treasure....(where everything is always at least 50% off the marked price) a great wool sweater for her husband Fran who is apparently out of sweaters up there in the north. Silk shorts and pure New Zealand wool sweater, total $4.00. I'm on a roll.

I found the two Corelle cereal bowls in a pattern I've never seen for $1.00 at a new place in Port St. Lucie, and along with those, this 250 count box of baseball cards for Jeff. Those were $2.00.

Then a quick visit to Goodwill who had one luncheon plate, Old Towne pattern for Erin's collection.

We were not ready to quit so we went to a new "antique emporium" in Fort Pierce, and I think I really scored there. Erin wanted a 2.5 qt Pyrex casserole with lid. Well, there it was calling me, the Crazy Daisy pattern that I believe is supposed to coordinate with her Corelle Spring Blossom.. Two and a half quarts, pristine condition with lid, for $8.00!! I think I did well on that. All the other Pyrex I see does not have lids. Or it's smaller, or scraped to death. Anyone think $8 is pretty darn good on that large casserole???? And I almost forgot, Erin's long awaited butter dish. Milk glass, perfect condition, $1.00 (??? hooray) at Goodwill.

Gosh, it's good to feel healthy again, it's good to get out and thrift!!!

And it was really quite thrilling to see our blog here mentioned on The Thriftshopper! One of our friends asked Erin, "is that you guys?" Yep, we enjoyed our little bit of fame there. I'm in mid south FLA. Erin, my daughter, is in Jacksonville. My stepson Jeff is here with us and with his mom in Stuart FL. Then Kim, our dear friend, is up in Wisconsin! I still stay envious though. Looks to me like the best thrifting ever seems to be done in Philly, Pittsburg, that general area.....

Monday Thrifting and Goodies for Erin

Erin just mentioned this morning, she wants all the Laurell K. Hamilton books. I hung up the phone and was out the door for a short thrift expedition. And the first book I found was Danse Macabre by Hamilton! Lucky Erin. Got a few more books for me, then it was all about Erin again. I found the two linen hand embroidered, never washed dishtowels for fifty cents. Then I found her three giant navigational maps which she can cut up (twenty five cents). One is even of Jacksonville and Palatka waterways... but then, TADA, six cool old dessert cups! They will blend nicely with her growing out of control Pyrex/Corelle collection. I can't tell if they were Fire King, Pyrex, or what, but they are just right for pudding, jello, or little ice cream sundaes...

Almost time to visit Erin and, the car will be full of thrift find goodies again this time.

Fifty Cent First Editions. And Santa

Goodwill today had all the hardcovers for $.50 each. I got a few I've read and want to own now, two signed first edition Heller books (she is a fun read), and a neat coffee table style Heisman book for Brian, dear son in law, who complains I never get him thrifty goodness. I bet he will like looking through this one.

I also found the cute Santa pepper shaker for thirty cents. He looks happy. And is dated on the bottom 1960.

Saturday Thrifting in West Palm Beach

Everyone says that more and more people are shopping the thrift stores and it is true here on Saturdays. There was nowhere at all to park at World Thrift, Goodwill.....And the cars in the parking lot ranged from old trucks to new BMWs.

I still found a few good things today. Two paintings of flamingos, acrylics and very large. The huge one with the two birds, approx 3.5 ft by 2 ft. was $5.00. The smaller, (just slightly smaller) was $4.00. Unless I get decent frames on them, they will perk up our laundry room.

I found three great oval plates with blue and lime pagodas on them marked "Jackson China, Creighton's International Restaurant". I'll probably never find more of those.

One luncheon plate in Erin's green Corelle (there must be a huge gang out there collecting this stuff, it's nearly impossible to find now.) And three first edition copies of books I've always loved.

Pretty good day all around.