Final Christmas Tour Of 2010:

SO not in the mood to get it all cleaned up yet. It's coming, but still not quite there. We have a winter storm winding our way in the next couple days so I may wait until the snow starts to fly again to get back into the mood of sorting through glittery baubles.

Have you put away all your decorations yet? Or do you wait until after the New Year?

Merry Christmas!

And in words from a favorite song by Blossom Dearie:

"I wish you shelter from the storm,
A cozy fire to keep you warm,
But most of all, When snowflakes fall,
I wish you love"

I hope you have a lovely holiday!

Be Back Soon,
Sonya

Winners Of Dime Store Thrift and American Pickers Giveaway!!

Thank you to everyone who left a comment!
Congratulations to: Glenda and Into Vintage! Email me your addresses and I will get your DVDs in the mail.
I am thrilled beyond words to announce a special giveaway from our guys Mike and Frank at American Pickers! I have in my hands TWO season one DVDs and will announce TWO winners on Thursday Morning.

American Pickers is one of our must-see shows every Monday night. You can visit them at The History Channel, find them on Facebook and of course watch their show.

If you haven't seen American Pickers yet, here is a well-worded description:

Part sleuths, part antiques experts, and part cultural historians – Mike and Frank’s adventures bring them to small towns across the country in search of weird and wonderful Americana. Each treasure hunt leads them to fascinating, quirky characters – everyday people with stories that open a window onto American life.

As professional “pickers,” these childhood buddies comb through memorabilia and artifacts, hoping to find treasures among the trash. Sometimes they make a few bucks; and sometimes they walk away with little more than the history of an item.

Leave a comment telling me why you would like to be on the receiving end of one of these DVDs!

Christmas Around The House *Part Two*

One of my favorite areas to decorate is the corner hutch in the dining room! I have been filling it with little elves the past couple years:

The one laying the Bailey's Irish Creme Cup tickles me!

I can easily see my elf problem getting a bit out of hand. I very seldom will walk past a elf without buying it.


Don't forget tomorrow morning we will draw for a winner in the American Pickers Complete Season One Giveaway!

Christmas Around The House *Part One*

(I love, love, love anything the kids make or draw...absolutely priceless)

(Recycled book pages are in many corners of the house)

(Collection of mostly vintage yummies on the back of the stove)

Snoozing On The Job:

Someone was supposed to be listing on Etsy this week. I finally found her under Lu's covers. I'm not a scrooge. I let her continue her nap. But today we are totally cracking the whip. Kibble doesn't come free sweet kitty!

NightTime During The Holidays:

(reflections of the Christmas tree in the front window...)


(Dollhouse replica of our home, Bud's vintage Whitman Nativity scene, thrifted feather tree decked out in lights...)



(decorated buffet with all sorts of vintage yummies!)

Christmas Balls...Christmas Balls...

(Post Title needs to be sung to the tune of Silver Bells)

We have talked about this before and will talk about it again...There is nothing that I am truly needing right now and have more than enough items for projects looming. But this is the time of year that Christmas goodies are just screaming to be thrifted. And to not see who is doing that screaming is simply just uncivilized.

So I check the stores to make sure everything is well. Just doing my part.

I heard this box shout at me while I was dropping things off at Memory Lane:






Can those ornaments get any more pink than that?! They are blindingly hot pink. Fabulous!

There were several more boxes of ornaments thrifted that day...one simply for the graphics on the box, the other because the green was an excellent shade of green:





Need to get moving, there is some very faint yoo-hooing coming from the Morningside area this morning and I must see to it.

Ahhhh, Monday...

I woke up thinking it was still the weekend. It's not. But Hubby was making the coffee as he does every morning and that always makes it all better, doesn't it?

First of all...I just looked at Ebay and did a tiny dance of excitement that people are finding my wreaths. Let the last minute bidding war BEGIN! Giggle, snort, snicker.

Second of all...I am thinking that Ebay might be the way to go! I am watching a pink bottle brush wreath that I had in my hands at a church sale a few months ago, (but did not buy) and it is over $300 right now. I was a FOOL not to buy that wreath when I had it! Who knew? Now I do. And I could be dangerous with this knowledge.

Third of all...I went to a new thrift store recently. And I am actually going to TELL you about it! And give you the name! And location! I must really be all jacked up on coffee this morning!

It is called Attic Treasures and Basement Bargains and is located on 21st Street in South Sioux City, Nebraska (just over the bridge from Sioux City). The most startling thing about this store was when I walked it, they had beautiful instrumental music playing and yummy smelling candles lit...it was like I walked into a Hallmark store. I immediately found the manager who told me that all of their donations are made off-site where they completely clean each item and (sit down for this) WASH ALL ITEMS OF CLOTHING before the donated items make their way to their thrift store! If you have never thrifted before, this store would easily convert you. And if you are an avid thrifter, it is just a delightful experience.

See? I can be generous with my knowledge.

Ok, time to get Bud off to school and get some goodies listed on Etsy. Enjoy your day!

Sonya-Dime Store Thrift

It Doesn't Show Signs Of Stopping...

But it finally did stop snowing and blowing late last night. Now we dig out! Or should I say Hubby Digs Us Out!

Still haven't started on the Christmas cards. I did go through pictures of the kids and found the photo I want to use. But other than that? Nothing.

Here is what has been filling my mind this morning:




This is the advent calendar that Bud has been using the last couple years. I love it, love that it was homemade from someone and I thrifted it...but I despise the burlap.

 Should I cut it out and put it on a different piece of hard felt? Could I paint burlap? Glitter it happy? I am starting to feel like drastic measures need to be taken because I just don't like seeing it hanging there day after day and needing that burlap gone.



Suggestions would be welcome.

Christmas Cards

(thrifted cards from last Spring...)


I haven't even begun to think about mailing off Christmas cards. And I am starting to feel just a wee bit guilty everyday when the mail arrives and realize there are many people who have not blown off sending out their Christmas cards this year.

I think I have a weekend project ahead of me.

How about you? Do you send? Have you sent already? Are you one of those who is thinking about cards in October? Or are you proud if you get them sent out every couple of years?

Santa Ornaments

These were in a baggie at Goodwill for a dollar...there are 54 of these heavy cardboard Santa's on ribbons with a $1.25 sticker price tag on each one.

Wouldn't it be so cute to decorate a child's bedroom tree with these??

Would You Like To Come Christmas Thrifting With Me?

Click HERE to see the latest Dime Store Thrift Youtube Video!!

Do I actually sing during the video? Will I ever find my mitten!? These questions and more will be answered...

The Guy and The Happy Ending

So I walk into my favorite Abundant Vintage Christmas super secret thrifting store. (this sort of sounds like the beginning of a bad joke...)

And there at the counter...is a man...buying 2 plastic made-in-japan reindeer and a plastic Santa driving his sleigh with 4 more reindeer.

I think I gasped. And then I might have looked shocked. You see, people around here typically don't buy what I am buying. You know? I sort of thought that you and I were the only ones who are into this stuff. And now I come to find out there is a older man out there IN SIOUX CITY who is collecting the exact same treasures?

After I pulled myself together, (this entire incident might have lasted a total of 2 seconds) I smiled at him and let him go past to get out the front door. Then slumped my shoulders forward in disappointment just like Bud does when he is denied a treat right before supper and decided to make a little walk through just in case. You see this store just has everything I want sitting right in a basket by the checkout or bagged up on a shelf behind the counter. They make it really, really easy for me to swoop in and just swoop right back out.

While walking around the store, I came across a large rubbermaid filled with shirt boxes. That was sitting on another rubbermaid. Of course I lifted it up to see what was under there.

And hit the mother lode of vintage style wrapping paper!!!!












Most of my yummies that I sell on Etsy are wrapped up in vintage paper so this will keep me supplied for quite a long time!