On my quest to find a jumble sale I think I may have missed the important rules of 'The Jumble' - I'm up there in the carbooty do's and donts but rusty on the old jumble side of things. Firstly the main rule seems to be - Get there before the opening time and queue! Said jumble sale was 20 minutes drive from my house, I got there 5 minutes after the 2pm opening (blame the lights) and the jumble was already a scene of complete carnage, it was like grannies rioting - they were taking no prisoners and I'm sure I saw one of them with a scarf over her mouth and nose to hide her identity! The tables were 5 people deep and everyone was trying to outdo each other by gathering the goods to their end of the table and sorting out their little pile while growling at anyone who dare pick up an item they had already claimed.
I knew my fatal mistake of the late arrival when I saw a lady with 6 vintage handbags on her arm and she paid 60p for each bag - gutted is an understatement. I swear she must have seen my eyes boggling and gave me a sweet granny smile but inside I know that lady was laughing. I also spied the token wheeler dealer in the crowd, checking the markings on the ceramics and pocketing all the best bits for 30p a go.
Anyway here's the few I managed to get through the crowd (blood and sweat stains removed):
I must apologise for the creases in the photos, I think after the trauma these goodies went through to be found by me they deserve a break before i iron them :o)
I can only imagine what amazing stuff I would have found had I'd been in the queue! Not going to catch me out next time though oh noooo, going to be first in the line lol. So the conculsion ... I loved every minute of it! I'm officially hooked on the jumble sale :o)
P.s are there any more little Jumble Sale rules I should know about?
Scarlett x
Linking to twice-owned-tuesday , nifty-thrifty-tuesdays and thrifty-thursday
love the micky mouse flask!!..
ReplyDeleteive not been to a jumble sale since i was about 8..they dont really seem to hold them anywere around were i live.. mores the pity it just seems that there are the bestest bargains to have at a jumble sale!!
hope you get to the front of the queue at the next one..maybe you'll have to take your sleeping bag and micky mouse flask and go overnight like the harrods sale!!
Ooh good finds anyway, gutted about the bags though. I am still yet to find any jumbles round here so well done on tracking one down. I'm sure Loo will be along soon to give us rookies some extra hints!
ReplyDeleteTutto vintage,vedo fra i tuoi fazzoletti uno italiano della Repubblica di S:Marino.S.Marino è pieno di torri ,molto bello da visitarw,buono da mangiare la "piadina romagnola".Molto carini i centrini.Ciao,volevo dirti che le tue visite al mio blog mi fanno molto piacere,un abbraccio,Rosetta
ReplyDeleteHa ha very funny Scarlett...knowing you (in a bloggy sort of way) I bet you'll be first in line at the next one!
ReplyDeleteThose jealous looks that are shot back and forth at such scrums are so intense! I've glared at someone recently who ended up with an armful of top notch vintage toys and I've almost had to apologize to a young lady recently who looked like she was going to cry when I snaffled up two very decent pairs of vintage footwear. I mean, what can we do? It's a jungle out there, and we are addicted to the jungle jumble juice.
ReplyDeleteLove the scarves and the flask, Mickey is so cute! Sharpen your elbows for next time!
ReplyDeleteBee happy x
Have a delicious day!
You still bagged some great bargains though - I'd have wrestled you for the scarves, and the umbrella come to think of it!
ReplyDeleteJem xXx
Only thing I can think of and is one I must do is wear blinkers so you cant see what anyone else has in their hand that you realllllllly would have loved.
ReplyDeleteOH SCARLETT, I'M SO GLAD YOU CAME OUT IN ONE PEACE!! that is one scary jumble sale indeed! i dont think i have the guts to do that hahahahaha but on side notes, I love what you managed to buy for as little as 10p!!! the scarfs are lovely, loving the blue and white spotted umbrella, and the mickey flask is sooo cuteee!! please take care when you next go to the jumble sale! those grannies may look fragile but looks can be decieving hahahahaha
ReplyDeletexx Susan
oops sorry about my bad spelling ,i mean ONE PIECE hehehehe.....blame it on the weather hahahaha.
ReplyDeleteI couldn’t agree more. I arrived at mine literally with a minute to spare, but failed to realise there would be a queue of people already waiting patiently. I also found it difficult to navigate round, with heaps of people already crowded round tables. I’m only small as it is, so I couldn’t even try and look over there shoulders, it was literally a case of sneaking in gaps where I could.
ReplyDeleteOh well better tactics next time! Saying that though I think we both got fabulous finds at our jumbles. I am loving the Mickey Mouse thermos, ever the Disney fan I am xx
Love the pink and grey flowery scarf. You did well considering you were "late". I went to one a few weeks back which had been open about 20 minutes and think all the good stuff must've gone. People were already leaving with bin bags full of stuff although it was still crazy busy inside. It was like they were possessed!! hehehe
ReplyDeleteI do love your thrifty adventures.
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me of my childhood. We would always visit my nan on Saturday and we always ended up at either jumble sales or Baazars (What is the difference between the two?) And I do remember getting in there with all the old ladies. Although I didn't even know what it was I was looking for, it just seemed to be the thing to do!
You managed to come out alive and bearing some good finds too!
MBB x
There are certainly rules for the jumble sales aren't there! I remember going to one and I too had to queue!
ReplyDeleteVictoria xx
I think as a first effeort you have done very well - ok first effort for a long time. Goodluck on the next one! I am eargerly searching for a jumble sale near me! No such luck as of yet!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat bargains, Scarlett - all the scary grannies sound like a bit of a nightmare though!
ReplyDeleteYup, getting to the sale early is definitely the key1 I have learned that the hard way as well. But, you found some amazing vintage linens and scarves! So glad you came out of the sale intact! The old ladies can be vicious!
ReplyDeleteThey are addictive aren't they! Yes getting there early is the key and getting your mean face on to scare away poachers of your finds. LOL...still you found some awesome items in this one. If I was there I might BE one of the scary grannies! hugs, Linda
ReplyDeleteI suggest you offer to work on the tea and cake stall next time. This way you get to have a good look around before the doors open! That's what my mum always did!
ReplyDeletep.s love the black floral scarf and flask!
ReplyDeleteLove the mickey mouse flask,so cute!
ReplyDeleteWe never have any jumble sales around our way or if we do it's a secret that i have never found out.
Good luck on the next jumble sale you go to
x
The scarves are great as is your cute Mickey thermos.
ReplyDeleteAs for jumble tips, I'd say that getting there early is paramount. Aim to get there half an hour before kick off and take a good book to read in the queue to alleviate the wait. That way you can also eavesdrop on conversations whilst pretending to be engrossed in your book! Also, go straight to the stall that interests you, say clothing, and quickly go through as much as possible, whilst not forgetting to check out if there's anything under the table. Take a very big bag to stuff everything in. Next, the purse: I use a small transparent one and take lots of change with me. You don't want to spend time searching the dark corners of your purse for that elusive 20p when time is of the essence!
And finally - know your enemy: that sweet old lady with the apple dumpling cheeks, fluffy white hair and doddery gait will transmutate into a ruthless opponent with a grasp of steel and the agility of a ninja warrior as soon as she enters through the doorway. Give her a chance and she'll be grabbing those bargains quicker than Jeremy Clarkson in a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder!
Good luck!
Hi Scarlett. Well done you! You did fabulously. Like Linda says, the key thing is to get in the queue early and when you're in there make a beeline for the bric a brac (if that is what you're after) because I find that is the most popular table, then once you've beaten everyone to the best stuff on there move on to the fabrics, clothes, etc. It helps if you can enlist your partner to come along as well - 2 pairs of sharp elbows are better than one! I sometimes find that if you go back to the bric a brac after the initial rush, and after you've invesigated the other tables, you can occasionally find the odd something that people have left behind or the helpers have just put out.
ReplyDeleteDo you know that I've been jumbling for really a long time now and I have NEVER been first in the queue?! The closest I've been is third - but then there were only 10 of us in the queue and 3 of them were me, my partner and my daughter!
I have to say I'm liking Lucewoman's suggestion of helping out with the tea!
Well I think you still did pretty darn good! I just hate when it's like that! And there's great stuff...and I'm the last one to get to grab *WAHHHHHH* I would really have loved to see what some of those others were carting out?...Probably better not...I'd only want to cry for me (and you!)
ReplyDeleteLesson learned girlfriend! Now could you translate what a "jumble sale" is? Would that be the US equivalent of an Estate Sale? Vanna
O wow i love love love those first 4 scarfs god didn't you do well. You should have stuck for your foot out and tripped that handbag women up ;-)) opps did i really say that out loud;-) Great micky mouse flask to. dee x
ReplyDeleteAah, I used to have a Mickey Mouse folder with that pic on, glad I know how old it is now! Great finds :)
ReplyDelete