garage sales

breakwall said:
...and those pictures of sailboats and stuff made from running thread around nails? Have you seen those?


Oh yeah. It's like the old man's version of needlepoint, isn't it?
 
breakwall said:
I always like people who have the "good" author, and then the less-talented poorer cousin author.

Tom Clancy and Martin Cruz Smith
Grisham and Scott Turow
any mystery writer ever and Dick "I really REALLY love horses" Francis.
You can get some good sci-fi sometimes. Mysteries are always a big find but most are those authors that you've either never heard of or wish you hadn't.
I'm convinced that Clancy is in every sale because nobody actually reads his books.
 
KRCummings said:
You can get some good sci-fi sometimes. Mysteries are always a big find but most are those authors that you've either never heard of or wish you hadn't.
I'm convinced that Clancy is in every sale because nobody actually reads his books.

Clancy has a great trick. His books are all basically the same plot, with forgettable titles so you stand at the bookstore, wondering if you've already read it. Then you buy it and it STILL takes you about six chapters to decide that yes, you have read it.
 
Fabala said:
Oh yeah. It's like the old man's version of needlepoint, isn't it?

I'm sure it has a name, but "Old Man's Needlepoint" will do.

Plus, in what decade were toilet paper cosies made from crocheted yarn and old dolls popular?
 
breakwall said:
I'm sure it has a name, but "Old Man's Needlepoint" will do.

Plus, in what decade were toilet paper cosies made from crocheted yarn and old dolls popular?


I think it must have ben the 60's since that's the last time gramma redecorated and she had them in every bathroom.

My aunt collects Santas made of Mrs Butterworth's jars.
 
breakwall said:
I'm sure it has a name, but "Old Man's Needlepoint" will do.

Plus, in what decade were toilet paper cosies made from crocheted yarn and old dolls popular?
I had a grandma who had tons of those!
 
Fabala said:
I think it must have ben the 60's since that's the last time gramma redecorated and she had them in every bathroom.

My aunt collects Santas made of Mrs Butterworth's jars.

Making cross-dressing syrup containers MUST be an early sign for the onset of dementia.
 
*laughing*
You know, to a great many of us, National Geographic was our porn back in the day.


You'd love it here, there's always garage and yard sales going on.
 
"It's a candy dish, Ned. $90!"

"Oh. Well I...suppose it...could hold many diff-"

"No, Ned! Just candy! $90!"
 
String Art. It was called string art. Probably came into popularity about the same time as macrame.


Does anyone remember Rubyfruit posting about someone putting a dildo in their garage sale? This thread reminded me of that.
 
It's a little frightening to realize the total amount of utterly useless knowledge that fills my head.


What came first? String Art or Spirograph?
 
someplace said:
It's a little frightening to realize the total amount of utterly useless knowledge that fills my head.


What came first? String Art or Spirograph?

I dont know if such a thing is historically documented, but I'd say string art.
 
bg23 said:
i buy books at garage sales. it's awesome...i love well read books, paperbags that have gone floppy with age...

people have a disgusting habit sometimes of spilling the foulest stuff inside books, though. it's repulsive.

And money. When I find money in books I'll return it if I can remember where I got the book. But after a day of hitting the garage sales one generally doesn't remember where the 50 cent items were purchased.
 
happyparadox said:
And money. When I find money in books I'll return it if I can remember where I got the book. But after a day of hitting the garage sales one generally doesn't remember where the 50 cent items were purchased.

you! i missed you! i am so glad to see you.

also, omg i cannot believe you find MONEY

know what i find? nail clippings and dried up spaghetti
 
happyparadox said:
And money. When I find money in books I'll return it if I can remember where I got the book. But after a day of hitting the garage sales one generally doesn't remember where the 50 cent items were purchased.

wow, that's generous.
 
I love garage sales. Especially when people do not know the value of their shit.

I have bought dressers with crooked drawers, old solid wood teachers desks etc for pennies, fix them, re stain them and sell them for triple+ what I paid for them.


I have bought a set of beautiful lamps, for 5$. I kept them.

I bought a fantastic table and chairs set. I used it for 10 years and when I bought my new set, I put it downstairs for the kids to draw on or do homework.

I bought a set of martini glasses for $3.
Movies for .50.

ETC ETc


My favorite thing to buy is clothing for my kids.

I always buy their coats on sales....from other towns (so no one reconizes it)

I pay $10 for Columbia coats in Mint condition. Never paid more for them.

My daughter gets her jeans. Name brands for $2-$4

I got her a pair of Sevens once for $6
 
Emerald Eyed said:
I love garage sales. Especially when people do not know the value of their shit.

I have bought dressers with crooked drawers, old solid wood teachers desks etc for pennies, fix them, re stain them and sell them for triple+ what I paid for them.

You really do get a lot of great bargains. And people aren't getting taken for a ride, they just don't want the stuff anymore, and dont want to be bothered taking out ads, or trying to find buyers. You get a great deal and they get the crap out of their house. Everyone wins.

But seriously, paying pennies and then tripling your investment? That's like...twelve cents! Drinks are on you!
 
breakwall said:
I dont know if such a thing is historically documented, but I'd say string art.

Bomb detonator inventor discovers Spirograph
British electronic engineer Denys Fisher invented Spirograph in 1962. He was in the process of designing and researching bomb detonators while working for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. He worked in England for a family owned business. The company was called King Fisher Engineering. In the process of applying one of his inventions to the industrial world, members of his family caught on to the interesting patterns that occurred and wanted to try marketing the product as a game. In September 17, 2002, Mr. Fisher passed away, but will always be remembered for his great game Spirograph.

Spirograph started out as an educational game
This new game toy was shipped starting in 1965 and in the same year was displayed at the Nuremburg International Toy Fair which made it a big hit. People of all ages and learning levels enjoyed the various colors, shapes, effects and designs/patterns that could be made with a variety of basic plastic gears and colored pens. During the years from 1966 to 1969, Spirograph was considered the best game for educational purposes.

http://www.stitchingcards.com/images/nailart.gif
The string art pictures that were popular in the 1970s probably inspired the technique of embroidering with thread on greetings cards. String art kits generally consisted of a soft board covered in felt, nails and string or wool. The nails were hammered in position through a paper diagram. Then the wool was wound around the nails to build up the picture. The early designs were mostly based on geometric shapes and mathematical formulas.

* * * *

Tonight's history lesson has been brought to you by the letter 'U'

...for useless.
 
i'm smarter than I was ten minutes ago, but as soon as I get a beer into me, it will all level out.
 
I know this sounds wierd but I collect those glass electrical insulators. You know the ones that come in all kinds of colors and have bubbles in them and embossing? I found one at a yard sale for $3.00.
Came home and looked it up on the collectors website. Worth? $250.00.
Also some old traps, I had them hanging outside. The telephone guy told me I had better put them inside because they were worth about $300.00 EACH!
I paid $1.00 each and I have 6 of them. I also collect old garden tools and have found some really great vintage stuff for practicly nothing.
If you know how to identify collectable glass and pottery and can tell the fakes, there is still alot of money to be found at yardsales by buying cheap and selling at value.
I do have to say I am an educated yard sale shopper..with a keen eye for a find. I am developing my haggling prose.. I don't like to do it but people love it.
 
someplace said:
It's a little frightening to realize the total amount of utterly useless knowledge that fills my head.


What came first? String Art or Spirograph?


Spinograph I believe.. I remember them as really young child and string art in my teens.
 
sweet soft kiss said:
Spinograph I believe.. I remember them as really young child and string art in my teens.

yeah, but who would make their kid do string art? I mean, thats just cruel.
 
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