I needed a cheap lamp for a nightstand and found this thing. It’s 30 inches to the top of the finial, definitely not nightstand material. I bought it anyway.
I thought it was really cute until I got it home and looked in its eyes. Now I see it as The Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog. And I love it even more.
@sammydog01 I don’t think you had any choice in the matter. You could also make it a Bunnicula lamp, or just call it a Bunnicula lamp? I don’t remember what Bunnicula looked like.
Do catshirts count? I may or may not have wasted spent some monies on a dozen catshirts (unisex, and were in my size!) that originally came from CatLadyBox. Free cat hair included, of course.
Also from the same trip, about 80 ft of USA made CAT 6 cabling, CMR rated. Under $20 in total, so that was a pretty good haul as some of the other thrift stores here want $6 for used t-shirts. It’s been months since I bothered with a Goodwill.
@sammydog01 They’re a surprise box subscription service for cat lovers. Too hard to justify that since I’m less a cat person and just moreso a catshirts person. Also it’s $36-$40 a month.
(I still haven’t adopted another dog since Bella crossed the rainbow bridge several years ago.)
Not a thrift store, but I picked up an antique Singer sewing machine in a cabinet for free, from someone who’d bought it at a thrift store and changed his mind. I might regret it.
@sammydog01 Well … first I have to figure out a place to put it (it’s still in my car!) And then theoretically I’ll see if it runs/fix it up/use it or sell it. But when this will happen is not entirely clear.
@tinamarie1974 - Thanks! @Kidsandliz, do you still have it? @Star2236 - I’d rather have a sewing machine cabinet than a pull-out bar, myself. I’m kind of sad when I see antique furniture converted into modern stuff, but I guess it’s better than throwing it away.
@sammydog01@tinamarie1974 I’ve seen a cord so it’s electric. It could be decorative, and might end up that way. I have a Singer Featherweight that I actually use already.
Goodwills around here mostly have crap, but sometimes I’ve found some hard to find books and videos; picked up the one Alton Brown Good Eats cookbook I didn’t have, and another of the released DVDs that had a favorite episode on it. But otherwise? Meh.
@duodec Most of my stuff comes from church thrift stores. I don’t think they’re as good at researching prices and seem to have nice things. Also Goodwill has an online store, they probably put the valuable things up there. I can’t believe how cheap fine china is these days, I guess no one under 50 wants it.
@sammydog01 Thats what we found. China is not in favor for wedding registries any more either.
My wife was the executor for the estate of a dear friend of hers, and that person’s inherited-from-her-Grandmother china (complete 10-place Noritake set in pristine condition) was not wanted by any of her family, had marginal value on Ebay or Etsy, and even the specialists who sell pieces at craft shows and swap meets (to people looking to complete sets, which seems to be the only real demand) offered a pittance because they have lots of stock.
Its sad but most people no longer do fancy dining at home, or expect to bring out the china and silverware for family gatherings.
@duodec@sammydog01 It’s weird, though, because sometimes they have really interesting stuff you’d think they’d pull for the website. Same day I got the Limoncello, I bought a grab bag of knickknacks that included 3 1940 Disney Pinocchio figurines. They’re not particularly valuable, as they’re pretty beaten up, but the bag was $2.99.
@duodec I have a full set of china and silverware but the only porcelain I use is from calamityware. I did the Sunday fancy dinner thing for a while but no one seemed to care. I’ve been debating buying cheap stuff to fancy up my daily meals.
I found a bronze crucifix with a Buddha in the center at a local Goodwill. It is a Japanese artifact from the Kakure Kirishitan movement during the Edo period. I was able to find one other example in a missionary museum in Paris. I don’t think that it is especially valuable but it is very cool. I paid $4 for it.
@mikibell@Star2236@yakkoTDI I keep taking stuff to goodwill and buying stuff at the church store. I think I’m at a net negative amount of stuff but need to pack another carload soon.
@mikibell@sammydog01@yakkoTDI
At least it’s to the church store so you know for sure it goes to a good place. I like shopping and donating to the church store.
@mikibell We do a charity drop off run every couple of months, almost always to Goodwill. We’re going to move when we retire and this is early purging.
Of course I keep buying stuff… but I think we’re still net reducing a bit.
I bought a used plant at a local thrift store. It was $1 and seems to have come with bonus plants? Let’s all take a minute to enjoy it while it’s still green.
The bunny lamp is pretty awesome. Maybe someday I’ll have such luck.
@sammydog01@tohar1 Hi Sammy! I would love to bring you along to this thrift store. It’s a bit higher end, but the Amish frequent it and the prices are low. If you need a bonnet they’ll have one. I’ve seen vegetable plants and a lot of spider plants there. I think a local hobbiest donates the plants.
I came across an older Wolf Designs automatic watch winder not too long ago. It was insane, they wanted $70, the PU leather is scratched and peeling in little spots and there was no power adapter. It takes 2 D batteries so not easy to even verify it worked.
The next time I went by there a few weeks later it was still there. It happened to be half price week for its tag color. I was too tempted as they are supposed to be top end winders, so I brought some D batteries to test it and wore my heaviest watch. Dammit if it didn’t work, and was silent. So I caved and at $35 bought one of these: https://www.amazon.com/WOLF-Heritage-Automatic-Watch-Winder/dp/B0055OCUR2
It turns out they are regarded as top end winders but they are really built as cheap and shittily as possible. Yet somehow they run silently and run well. Right now I use it as is to exercise my watches, but I’ve been debating whether to sell it as is, redo the leather cover on it and convert it to lithium batteries and USB-C charging and use it, or do that conversion and sell it.
@Kyeh If you lived here you could have your very own 1940’s French Chateau Limoge plate with 22k gold filigree for two dollars. It was the most expensive of the bunch. I like the horse.
I needed a cheap lamp for a nightstand and found this thing. It’s 30 inches to the top of the finial, definitely not nightstand material. I bought it anyway.
I thought it was really cute until I got it home and looked in its eyes. Now I see it as The Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog. And I love it even more.
@sammydog01 I don’t think you had any choice in the matter. You could also make it a Bunnicula lamp, or just call it a Bunnicula lamp? I don’t remember what Bunnicula looked like.
@mossygreen He had a black v on his head like Bela Lugosi. But mostly white.
@sammydog01 I love it!
@sammydog01 Hmmm, you could make a toupee that fits around the lamp part…
@sammydog01
All of a sudden they’re everywhere.
@sammydog01 It’s got big pointy teeth! And it can leap… Look at the bones!
@sammydog01 My friend Jimmy would love it and potentially steal it from you.
@mossygreen Oh man I could do an entire bunny themed room. NO I NEED TO STOP.
@sammydog01 BUT YOU’VE BARELY BEGUN!
On vacation in DE and my BIL found a $90 Cutco cheese knife for $0.50
@ybmuG Nice!
Do catshirts count? I may or may not have
wastedspent some monies on a dozen catshirts (unisex, and were in my size!) that originally came from CatLadyBox. Free cat hair included, of course.Also from the same trip, about 80 ft of USA made CAT 6 cabling, CMR rated. Under $20 in total, so that was a pretty good haul as some of the other thrift stores here want $6 for used t-shirts. It’s been months since I bothered with a Goodwill.
@narfcake Please tell me about the cat lady box.
@sammydog01 They’re a surprise box subscription service for cat lovers. Too hard to justify that since I’m less a cat person and just moreso a catshirts person. Also it’s $36-$40 a month.
(I still haven’t adopted another dog since Bella crossed the rainbow bridge several years ago.)
@narfcake @sammydog01 don’t tell you know who about CatLadyBox
I’ve been making out like a bandit this month. Bought alcohol at Goodwill!
@mossygreen I’m pretty sure that’s not legal in my state. What kind?
@sammydog01 Pretty sure it’s not legal anywhere! Small bottle of Limoncello they must have thought was a syrup or bubble bath or something.
@mossygreen @sammydog01 Oh, funny - is it any good?
@Kyeh @sammydog01 Only got it Monday, haven’t opened it yet. Seems to be from a real place in Italy and retails for 6 euros. I paid 99 cents.
@Kyeh @mossygreen The weekend is coming up, time to test it out and report back?
@Kyeh @mossygreen @sammydog01 and you all were worried about ME doing something dangerous?
Not a thrift store, but I picked up an antique Singer sewing machine in a cabinet for free, from someone who’d bought it at a thrift store and changed his mind. I might regret it.
@Kyeh What are you going to do with it? It’s very cool.
@sammydog01 Well … first I have to figure out a place to put it (it’s still in my car!) And then theoretically I’ll see if it runs/fix it up/use it or sell it. But when this will happen is not entirely clear.
@Kyeh so very pretty. Hope it works
@Kyeh @tinamarie1974 My grandmother had one of those and gave it to me.
@Kyeh
I seen people turn those into pull out bars, I thought that would be cool.
@tinamarie1974 - Thanks! @Kidsandliz, do you still have it? @Star2236 - I’d rather have a sewing machine cabinet than a pull-out bar, myself. I’m kind of sad when I see antique furniture converted into modern stuff, but I guess it’s better than throwing it away.
@Kyeh @tinamarie1974 Is it electric or pedal powered? It’s so highly decorated you could use it just for show.
@sammydog01 @tinamarie1974 I’ve seen a cord so it’s electric. It could be decorative, and might end up that way. I have a Singer Featherweight that I actually use already.
@Kyeh @sammydog01 do you sew? Are you crafty?
@sammydog01 @tinamarie1974 I do some patchwork - I posted this in lisaviolet’s crafts thread a while back. I haven’t finished a quilt yet, though.
@Kyeh @tinamarie1974 Wow I’m impressed.
@Kyeh @sammydog01 oh those squares are lovely. It will be a beautiful quilt when you do assemble it.
@sammydog01 @tinamarie1974
Thank you!
Goodwills around here mostly have crap, but sometimes I’ve found some hard to find books and videos; picked up the one Alton Brown Good Eats cookbook I didn’t have, and another of the released DVDs that had a favorite episode on it. But otherwise? Meh.
@duodec Most of my stuff comes from church thrift stores. I don’t think they’re as good at researching prices and seem to have nice things. Also Goodwill has an online store, they probably put the valuable things up there. I can’t believe how cheap fine china is these days, I guess no one under 50 wants it.
@sammydog01 Thats what we found. China is not in favor for wedding registries any more either.
My wife was the executor for the estate of a dear friend of hers, and that person’s inherited-from-her-Grandmother china (complete 10-place Noritake set in pristine condition) was not wanted by any of her family, had marginal value on Ebay or Etsy, and even the specialists who sell pieces at craft shows and swap meets (to people looking to complete sets, which seems to be the only real demand) offered a pittance because they have lots of stock.
Its sad but most people no longer do fancy dining at home, or expect to bring out the china and silverware for family gatherings.
@duodec @sammydog01 It’s weird, though, because sometimes they have really interesting stuff you’d think they’d pull for the website. Same day I got the Limoncello, I bought a grab bag of knickknacks that included 3 1940 Disney Pinocchio figurines. They’re not particularly valuable, as they’re pretty beaten up, but the bag was $2.99.
@duodec I have a full set of china and silverware but the only porcelain I use is from calamityware. I did the Sunday fancy dinner thing for a while but no one seemed to care. I’ve been debating buying cheap stuff to fancy up my daily meals.
@duodec @sammydog01 I bought a batch of Corelle at a nearby outlet. It can’t be killed, and I think looks quite fine.
I got a Cuisinart Pizzelle maker for $4. Never-used Williams Sonoma kitchen torch $3. 2 identical pairs of jeans that fit perfectly for #3 ea.
@KNmeh7 All enviable finds!
@KNmeh7 @Kyeh Jeans that fit? Absolute score.
I found a bronze crucifix with a Buddha in the center at a local Goodwill. It is a Japanese artifact from the Kakure Kirishitan movement during the Edo period. I was able to find one other example in a missionary museum in Paris. I don’t think that it is especially valuable but it is very cool. I paid $4 for it.
@RschDev Maybe more valuable than you think?!?
https://www.woolleyandwallis.co.uk/departments/japanese-korean-art/jp121119/view-lot/267/
I have sent 8 boxes and 6 bags of stuff to goodwill… I think I am the winner!!
@mikibell
Right. I’ve been sending stuff out lately too.
@mikibell @Star2236 I have stuff in boxes waiting to go. Does that count?
@mikibell @Star2236 @yakkoTDI I keep taking stuff to goodwill and buying stuff at the church store. I think I’m at a net negative amount of stuff but need to pack another carload soon.
@mikibell @sammydog01 @Star2236 @yakkoTDI So you’re really just making contributions to the church AND Goodwill; so charitable of you!
@mikibell @sammydog01 @yakkoTDI
At least it’s to the church store so you know for sure it goes to a good place. I like shopping and donating to the church store.
@mikibell We do a charity drop off run every couple of months, almost always to Goodwill. We’re going to move when we retire and this is early purging.
Of course I keep buying stuff… but I think we’re still net reducing a bit.
I bought a used plant at a local thrift store. It was $1 and seems to have come with bonus plants? Let’s all take a minute to enjoy it while it’s still green.
The bunny lamp is pretty awesome. Maybe someday I’ll have such luck.
FOOLS! TOOLS! JEWELS! AWESOME!
@pepper114 Ok…it has to be said… “Feed Me Seymore!!”
@pepper114 @tohar1 I wish my place had used plants. Snake plants are really hard to kill unless you love (water) them too much. Also
/giphy hi
@sammydog01 @tohar1 Hi Sammy! I would love to bring you along to this thrift store. It’s a bit higher end, but the Amish frequent it and the prices are low. If you need a bonnet they’ll have one. I’ve seen vegetable plants and a lot of spider plants there. I think a local hobbiest donates the plants.
@pepper114 I hope you’ll come back and show us what the little seedlings turn out to be!
I came across an older Wolf Designs automatic watch winder not too long ago. It was insane, they wanted $70, the PU leather is scratched and peeling in little spots and there was no power adapter. It takes 2 D batteries so not easy to even verify it worked.
The next time I went by there a few weeks later it was still there. It happened to be half price week for its tag color. I was too tempted as they are supposed to be top end winders, so I brought some D batteries to test it and wore my heaviest watch. Dammit if it didn’t work, and was silent. So I caved and at $35 bought one of these: https://www.amazon.com/WOLF-Heritage-Automatic-Watch-Winder/dp/B0055OCUR2
It turns out they are regarded as top end winders but they are really built as cheap and shittily as possible. Yet somehow they run silently and run well. Right now I use it as is to exercise my watches, but I’ve been debating whether to sell it as is, redo the leather cover on it and convert it to lithium batteries and USB-C charging and use it, or do that conversion and sell it.
The last time I went by there there was this meter in the case by the register barely peeking out of its pouch. I thought it was a multimeter but it turned out to be this light meter. https://www.amazon.com/Extech-LT300-Light-Meter/dp/B000NI69ZY/
A steal at $14.99. One day when I get around to it I can tell you if these light therapy lights are really 10,000 lux:
@djslack Dang, your thrift store is a lot classier than the ones around here!
A bathroom vent fan, NIB.
https://www.amazon.com/Homewerks-Worldwide-7141-80-Integrated-Ventilation/dp/B07X3Y6B1V
A vintage Bostitch stapler, “Made in the United States of America”. I was guessing 1950’s, but apparently I was wrong.
http://munk.org/typecast/2018/01/31/stapler-of-the-week-1936-bostitch-b5/
Just under $10 for both.
Does PB&J taste better on Noritake or Limoges?
@sammydog01 Ooo, I love the Limoge one! I think Noritake for the PB&J, and Limoge for a BLT.
@Kyeh If you lived here you could have your very own 1940’s French Chateau Limoge plate with 22k gold filigree for two dollars. It was the most expensive of the bunch. I like the horse.
@sammydog01 It’s wonderful! I like the landscape too.