Bargain or "Why I Drove 500 Miles to go to a Thrift Store"

While in Ashland my friend Deb and I managed to visit a little thrift shop. It was between work and our hotel, and we passed it every day until Thursday, when we could take it no longer, and we headed inside.

I love this rose painting. I have no idea why it didn't come home with me. I had forgotten about it until I was uploading these pictures, and now I'm just kicking myself. Oh well!

It can't be the 'one that got away' though; that honor was bestowed upon the sterling silver, hinged clamshell butter dish with serving knife. It was funky and sweet and it was only $4.00. I handed it to Deb, knowing she would think it was hideous, and said, "I'm getting this, what do you think?" And then I walked away, so I could check out her look of horror at my leisure! About 10 minutes later, as we were wrapping things up and getting in line to purchase our treasures, she came up to me, giggling, and said, "Hey, that lady is buying your butter dish!"

"How did that lady get my butterdish?", I asked, beginning to laugh.
"WHAT?!? OMG, were you serious? I feel terrible!" she sputtered.
I could not stop laughing. Unbelievable! She thought I was kidding so she put it back! I had to stand next to that lady in the checkout line, and I couldn't resist.

"You going to get that butter dish?" I asked.
"Hells yeah! For four bucks? Who wouldn't?" she bleated.
Who indeed?

My mom had these exact kitchen chairs in our house in Fremont when I was in first grade. I think it costs more today (at $25) then when she purchased the set new in 1973.






We also made it to the yarn store. "Wearable art" and yarn, to be exact! Look at these giant felted balls! (Calm down, google.) They were irresistible, to be sure.






Two walls of yarn. Oh gosh. Do you know what? I didn't buy any yarn. I got a skein of pima cotton at the thrift store, for $1.00, but other than that I practiced great restraint. It was beautiful enough to enjoy on it's own, and I happily did, burying my face into the wools and running my fingers across the silk blends. Sigh. Heaven!



They even had a weaving and loom section! I bought a new shuttle, as Kelly warned me I would. She generously left me with a shuttle when she came to show me how to weave in the spring, and she pointed out that the ends weren't beveled at all, they were quite blunt. I got a new beveled edge that will glide between my warp lines just a little easier. They had a spinning section too, and I'm lucky I got out of there without a wheel. Yikes!


They had a little loom going, and I really liked the warp on this one. It was all different colors, and then the weaving yarn was a very wispy, pale cotton mix, so the warp showed through. I was looking at this little loom, and I have to say I could not figure out how it would work! My floor loom has the different shafts that drop...this one was so different!







And this is why I love a yarn store. Fiber folks are so willing to share! If you need help finding the perfect pattern, or the elusive lightweight yarn, or if you need help picking a pair of needles for your very first knitting project, you needn't look further than the customers themselves at any yarn store. Love!




So, while in Ashland, I purchased: a skein of yarn, a wooden squirrel, a lace tablecloth, a glass bunny jar, a cotton and crocheted hankie, and two folk art salt and pepper shakers from the thrift store. ($10) At the yarn store, I bought two felted pouches (purple flower for me, blue swirls for Mo), the shuttle, a pick up stick (yes, Kel, you heard me right! Loomed lace is in my future, for sure!), and two shawl pins, one wooden and one pewter. ($79)


I'm glad I'm so easily pleased! And I'm also grateful that the big splurge on my shawl pins was an easy decision to make. I've been wanting them for a long time, I just finished a shawl earlier this summer, and I think they make a lovely remembrance of my trip. A two dollar rabbit balances it out, I'm thinking.