Friday 3 February 2012

The lost art of thrifting...

...well it seems to be a lost art for me at the moment. So far In the last two weeks Ive visited 2 boot sales and numerous charity shops and there is not a sausage to be found. Seriously dire situation in my town on the whole vintage front.  I even took it upon myself to visit some out of town chazza shops but my god the prices in there were enough to send anyone running to the nearest Primark just to see something labelled at £1.  I can not see how they could justify selling tatty faux leather handbags for £29.99 and even worse those little plastic tote bags you get free with magazines for £15!

The only thing I have seen which I was strangely drawn to was this old weighing scale:



Marked up at £25.  It was huge, I could easily fit my son on there with room to spare. I did go back in the shop a couple of days later to drop off some donations and the scale has gone - someone obviously liked it as much as i did.

Now never let it be said that there are some things you will never find in a charity shop as I'm sure at one time of another they will find their way through the stock room sorters hands and onto the shelf. In my time i have seen many a funny item including a Battery Operated "back" massager (yes this is what it was labelled up as) - I only wished I had been witness to seeing the silver haired stock room ladies trying to work out what it was for!  Last weeks surprise charity shop item was:


Tampax! The charity shop really is a one stop shop for all.  And I know you are all eyeing up the delightful wooden tea light holder, silver wine rack and stunt kite, what more could you want ;o)

Although there are no booty buys this week, I did get to enjoy the usual delights of the human race. Its been long overdue....

Witnessed at a Boot Sale

A very large woman on a mobility scooter complaining how no one was moving out the way for her to get through, "Its not like i can bloody walk like the rest of these, is it?", so you can imagine my amusement at witnessing this poor woman who cant walk suddenly leap up from the scooter and hot foot it across the tarmac to a stall advertising a 'Fill a bag for £1'.

Male Customer : "How much for the face cream love?"
Stallholder: "£1.50, its a brand new moisturiser which we've not opened".
The man then opens the lid and sticks his little finger in the pot, then puts it back on the stall and walks away.

A young man running a stall talking on his mobile "I really hope she don't go into labour today... I got to sell all this crap so I can get some funds to buy the beers mate, and I promised Barry a game of pool...yeah not got time to get up the hospital, things to do..."

Happy Friday all! Hope you all have a fabulous weekend and may there be no snow troubles.

Big Love


43 comments:

  1. Who wouldn't want a hubby like that? Bummer you haven't had any luck on the vintage front. I've been good and haven't done any op shopping in 2 weeks! xx

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  2. I do hope the Tampon box was sealed! It would be even worse if the box were half empty!

    I know what you mean about the 'lost art of thrifting.' Charity shops are upping the prices so much these days that they just as well ditch the charity shop signs and stick up 'vintage boutique' signs instead!

    LOL at the large woman running for the fill a bag stall, I bet that was hilarious!

    I feel sorry for whom ever the unlucky girl is to catch a bloke with those priorities! What madness!

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  3. Wow that last guy sounds like a real gem. maybe he could be sold at the next boot! lol. £1? 50p? anyone?

    Loved the image of the motility woman bounding about filling her bag for £1. Ha ha the power of a bargin is indeed a miraculous thing.

    Sorry you havent had much luck on the charity shop front. Blimey those prices sound mad. Gotta love the emergency tampax. The charity shop that thinks of everything! lol.


    MBB x

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  4. That scale is wonderful. Don't you hate it when you pass up something like that and then wish you hadn't when you get home, only to find it gone when you go back? We should never second-guess ourselves, I suppose.

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  5. Hahaha that last guy is a classic, glad to see he has his priorities right!

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  6. Actually, I'm quite taken by the Stunt Kite - I wonder if it does dangerous things other kites are afraid to do?

    Some of these 'overheards' are horrendous - its not an activity for shrinking violets, it is? Good job you've got a brill sense of humour!

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  7. I'm sorry you haven't found any bargains, but your stories are just as valuable - at least, to those of us reading them and laughing along. My favorite is the lady on the scooter - she can walk. It's a miracle!

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  8. Oh my you really do witness the strangest conversations! I'm sending lots of good charity shop vibe your way and know when you find that long lost treasure it will be amazing xxx

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  9. OMG that mans poor wife beers...um brand new life going to born ummm which is more important ;-) I have been lucky with my buys the past couple of weeks but that is after months with no luck im sure it will all get better as we get more into spring the clearing etc ;-)) Heres hoping. Have a lovely weekend, dee x

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  10. My favourite topic of conversation: charity shops and the lack of stuff therein. Never mind, our time will come. I'm sure of it. Hahaha at the woman on the mobility scooter. Reminds me of the nan in Benidorm. xx

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  11. You do hear some fabulous conversations!
    Those scales were ace, I'm not surprised someone snapped them up.
    I found a fab frock today which I'm pretty pleased with but the rest of the chazzas seemed dire. x

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  12. It really is a bad time for bargains at the moment isn't it?
    Oh how I have missed snorting my tea out at your overheard conversations!

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  13. I'm happy Witnessed at a Boot Sale is back! I've missed the stories...there are some strange peopel out there!

    I haven't had much luck thrifting lately either. One of our stores has half-off sales every other Saturday, so I think they've started marking their prices up so it's normal price when it's half off...so it sucks shopping there any other day now!

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  14. Funny post Scarlett! I think the thrifts here have been pretty bare of good vintage items also. Some of the bigger stores have started marking prices so high I just don't want to even go into them anymore. Time to enjoy what I have and hope things change by spring time. hugs, Linda

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  15. I'm so glad people are still silly in these shops for our entertainment.....I have not found anything lately either....

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  16. Great post! love what you can buy in charity shops!! he he have a great weekend :)

    Bee happy x
    Have a delicious day!

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  17. This is pretty funny, it reminds me that Sarah just spotted a morticians table at her local shop. I get pretty annoyed at the obviously FAT lazy shits motoring around in their scooters please don't get me started on that one. Oregon is FULL OF THEM. Tampons...gross, funny and yeah gross!
    XOXO~
    Krista

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  18. oh yes i definitely agree with you, the art of thrifting is lost, here i think it is because it is in fashion to thrift that they price everything so high and well honestly i rarely find anything, but i can´t wait to go to barcelona vintage shops and charity shops there are so much more fun!
    love and kiss,mary

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  19. Everyone seems to be holding on to their 'stuff', for a lack of words. Nothing in our shops to buy but junk! I love the three boot sales incidents...I'm still laughing! Have a super weekend! Luv

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  20. Best post of the day goes to you.

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  21. Oh good lord, those prices you quoted are insane! I like a little moan as much as the next person about our chazza prices, but they're cheap as chips compared with yours.
    The scales were great but that was a hefty price tag too...
    Oh well, if you can't buy, at least you can eavesdrop! Classic stuff - people are great, aren't they, in all their hideous selfish glory! (Present company excepted, naturally!)
    Have a great weekend. xxxxxxx

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  22. Crikey, I don't think I'd part with 20p for that catch of a man. Ick!!!!


    Jem xXx

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  23. Hilarious! You don't live near in the south east do you? Sounds just like where I live. Once saw a woman selling staffies at a car boot

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  24. The things you hear out thrifting! Sorry you haven't had a gold mine of finds but there's always the next trip - and who knows what's waiting.

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  25. I so agree - I was having the same trouble but broke the drought today (see my posting today) at thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com.

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  26. I would've bought those scales Scarlett.
    Would've, should've, could've eh....
    x

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  27. I went out today after not thrifting for a WHOLE week. I didn't really find anything either... *Hmmmmm*
    There must be a WORLD-WIDE CRAZED THRIFT SHOPPER who's buying up all of our stuff. *lol*

    Wow I love the scale the price wasn't bad either if you had enough room for it.
    Someone listed a antique baby weigh scale in the classifieds here for $200. It was quite cool looking.

    I can't believe the man opened the moisturizer. LOL
    AND the beer guy... UHG... WHAT A DUD!

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  28. Haha. Some people will never cease to amaze with the silly things they say and do. Your post has put a smile on my face this morning... What ever next?!? Love Katie xx

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  29. Who would even give a box of tampax to a charity shop!! I know what you mean about charity shops being over priced. My favourite local charity shop has just closed down. I often found Monsoon and Mini Boden dresses for my daughter for just £1. A Sue Ryder shop has just opened in our local town and is run by young, trendy, arty type students who think it is ok to price tatty bobbled jumpers at £5 and stick a vintage sign above the rail - A two year old bobbled M&S jumper is NOT vintage!!

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  30. This post made me smile, I just love your 'witnessed at the bootsale' stories..they make me laugh.
    Our boot sale here doesn't even start till next month, it's been closed over the winter period. I have been going through boot sale bargain withdrawls :P
    Here is hoping the bargain finds improve :)
    Have a lovely weekend..
    Magie

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  31. Haha some people really are such nutter! The convos are one of the reasons why I love people watching!
    Sophie
    x

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  32. Those really made me giggle! Oh well, makes up for not finding any booty I suppose :) x

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  33. Wow. Lots of things happening at the boot sale!

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  34. Your eavesdroppings made me smile this week. Shame there were no bargains to be had; in these hard-pressed times people are hanging on to things longer it seems.

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  35. I love your boot sale stories they always make me laugh
    Ann x

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  36. hehehe, your tales always give me a good chuckle....at least the father to be has his priorities right, beer, pool..haha

    I would love to be a fly on the wall and see who would actually buy the tampax, they would want to be cheap!

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  37. This made my day.I had the weekend work from hell.Not only shocked abpout the tampax next to the kite.I always love you bootsale crazy people stories.lol.Today at work some idiot of a man asked me if I knew my hair was super red?lol.I wanted to slap him for saying such a stupid thing.lol.Hope your having a nice weekend.xx

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  38. Love it, thanks for the chuckle. :)

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  39. Hi :), feel a bit dried up myself these days - what thrifting goes anyway. Fed up with my closest shop and their overpricing most everything, sometimes it`s quite ridiculous. Looking forward to people start their spring cleaning here - and throw out some good stuff I can get my hands on :)! Love your boot sale stories, can just see the lady in the mobility scooter! Been run down by one of those, my little son and I, the lady just ploughed down everyone on the pavement as she went...have to grin a bit now, but it was somewhat dramatic at the time ;)have a great day, Pam

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  40. Tampax? seriously?!! hhahahahahaha ohh i do miss your witnessed at the bootsale!! it's been ages!!!! they never fail to make me laugh my arse off! i haven't been to charity shops since new year, i feel like my visits to the CS are motivated by your finds hehehe....

    xx susan

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  41. Another brilliant post! Love your little car boot observations! Really made me laugh, sadly I know you're not making it up!!

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  42. I am rolling on the ground with your boot sale gossip!
    hahaayyy tampax!
    been missing you funny biatch.
    I been to loads of charity shops and haven't found jack shit.
    besios

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  43. Oh you've made my day Miss Scarlett!! I think all the staff in the chazza's are high when they're labelling some of this shite!! Oh and I LOVE your wonderful tell-tales - more please:)) xo

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