Little bits of time

 

Multiple Post Office trips this week meant almost daily tours around the Goodwill shop and bringing home little finds.

(Above, a FireKing mug with bird graphic.)

 

 A cheerful International China Chop plate - Linda pattern, absolutely pristine condition.

 A Bordallo Pinheiro Xmas plate

 Unused Flower Fairies game - such sweet graphics!

And a bit more organization in the guest room warehouse! (oooo, you can see the floor) PLUS, I cleared out 1/2 the closet and added shelves in there. (Yes, that smaller wooden bookcase is a thrift find)

And a wee little thrift story about the quilt in the background of those pictures above.

It almost made the Thrift Ooops list, but there's a happy ending ;-)

Up at the South Florida Fairgrounds Big Garage Sale one summer, friends and I had trolled the aisles for a good couple of hours. Now this is an indoor affair, something that's important when you're living in Florida, especially in the height of humid, rainy , hot summer. That year they'd just doubled the exhibition space size and we'd found ourselves wandering in circles with the new layout.

We were getting weary and ready to hit the road, that "thrift shop" smell was starting to get to us - you know what it's like - a little musty, moldy smell, with a touch of cigarette, the smell of things stored too long, the smell of closed up Florida house with no a/c. Even me, with my greatly compromised sense of smell, had had enough. But we had a few designated dollars still to spend and stuck around.

Yep, I found the quilt - and it was in brilliant unstained condition, no wear. I was ecstatic and scooped it up. Then we packed up and hit the road, stopping at a nearby Quizno's for sandwiches.

Returning to the car 20 minutes later we opened the doors to a wall of stench. Something we bought was stinking. It was the quilt -- reeking of part dog, part cigar. YIKES. How we didn't notice the smell at the point of purchase, I have no idea. I can only put it down to the fact the whole place was smelly and our noses had over-compensated. We just didn't pick out this particular source of smell. Driving home in the heat with the windows down we were certain we'd wash away the smells later.

I did manage to get the smell out. But it took a loooooong time. After 5 washings with regular laundry soap and no improvement, on a whim and last chance effort I flung the quilt in with a bunch of vinegar. TA DAAAA - no smell! Amazing. And another thrifting lesson learned. Do the SNIFF test!!

Joining in, today, with Selena's Thrift Share Monday.