25 Cent Skirt Redo

So I officially started my garage saleing this last weekend, and I will start by showing you this skirt that I picked up for 25 cents!! 

 I thought it was a cute colour combination and didn't even hesitate about the size of it.  I just bought it.  

I did try it on, and the colours were just not me, but they were perfect for my daughter.

So I put it around my daughter and cut the extra fabric off.

Then I took the extra fabric and made sleeves with it.

I am skipping all the steps because you could probably figure it out it's so easy, rather than going through a boring sewing tutorial with me!

Here is the back:

And a few shots of the front:

I am glad I was able to make a dress for my daughter because she is growing out of everything and this was VERY THRIFTY!!

Also today my sisters and I made some ties for our boys for my brothers upcoming wedding.  They were so easy I had to share them with you, and the link of where to find them to make your own:

Cute, easy fast ties...

(sister in law Meg, sister Chelsea, sister Angela, Me!)

And hey, I know I have been away lately, but I have been up to my ears in projects!  I can't wait to show you!!

Second Hand Love

So, you should know by now, that I kinda have a thing for second hand.  (Don't cringe, you have it too, right?!!)  Well all things garage sale, and thrift store are my friends.  Remember I got this coat at this garage sale over the summer...

Remember the fact that it was FREE because it had a small tear on the side (which took 2 mins to sew)...

Well I have made good use of this coat this winter...

(Me, Sister in law- Meg, Sister- Angela- she never poses normal!! Sister- Shawna)

2nd garage sale find... $2 (she said she hardly wore it and I believe her, it's so shiny still)

This coat has been my friend in the -25 C (-13 F) weather we have been having lately!

This picture was obviously taken when it was warmer out (way back in September!!)

Second hand can be your friend!  It sure is mine!

2 coats = $2 = sweet deal!

Happy Day!

Garage Sale Finds

So, lets see... why have I not been around as much lately?

Well lets see:
-the kids are out of school (so I am entertaining four little kiddies)
-the weather is crappy (so I am entertaining four little kiddies indoors!)
-I have a blog addiction which resulted in my house becoming completely an unorganized mess! (so I have been hashing it out with the cupboards, and closets lately)
-my van has not been working, so I haven't been able to get out and buy "supplies" to finish up my projects

Ahh, but through it all, I will make it back, and I will conquer my house, and my blog once again!!


BUT, I did get to garage sale-ing a few weekends ago.  I went with two of my lady friends, and I have to tell you I was hesitant about going with them, because well... I am fierce when it comes to garage sale-ing.  I like to zip around in my van, I drive crazy, make crazy turns, change lanes at the last second when spotting a sale sign.  Not only that, but I don't like to peruse garage sales, I like to strike.  Look, spot, buy, done.  I don't like to dilly dally before I am off to the next!  Luckily, I was able to get into (this is a fun girls outing mode), and we had a ball.  I loved going with them, and would do it again!

So here are a few items from my latest trips:

I know!  Another lantern (have you seen my collection?), but it was $2.50 , and came with the candle!

A beautiful white queen sized duvet cover with two pillowcases.  It looked brand new.  It was $2.50!  I love it.  It's so soft, and pretty.  I was looking for a new one to match the new paint colour in my room.  White goes with blue for sure!

I love finding clothes at garage sales, they are always so cheap in comparison!  This is so sweet, it was only $3.00.  My daughter has already worn it and received compliments on it.

I found this table and chairs for $2.00.  I had to get it.  My kids need one for their playhouse outside, and this one looks like it needed to be saved and given a little bit of love (and paint!!)

I love it when I find clothes that fit me!  This cute "Guess" jacket was $2.00.  I don't know much about brands for clothes, but I'm "guessing" -haha- it was way more than $2.00!!

Now, I have said before that I will buy birthday and Christmas gifts at garage sales.  Don't think that is weird, because it saved the day for me on my daughter's birthday.  She REALLY wanted makeup for her birthday, so I went about looking for a kit with lots of makeup in it.  They usually have a ton of these around Christmas, but I was not having luck finding any!!  I even went to check out buying individual peices of makeup, and they add up!!!  Too much.  This yard sale I went to saved the day.  Two days before my daughter's birthday and I find this:

The price at the top was $19.99.  I paid $5.00.  It's brand new!!  Yay for MOM!  She LOVED it!

And look what my daughter found at a garage sale for 25 cents:

This could be a birthday gift.  It's still in the package!!!

Now this wasn't from a garage sale.  It was from the thrift store.  I LOVE the colour, and the cute polka dots inside, I had to get it.  I replaced my old, raggy makeup bag with this cute fresh, smaller sized one.

So on to another week of happy garage saleing...

For a fun eventful morning the cost came to:

Lantern: $2.50

Duvet Cover and Pillowcases: $2.50

Polka Dot dress: $3.00

Kids table and chairs: $2.00

Guess jacket: $2.00

Make up kit: $5.00

Dora play set: $0.25

Make up case: $1.00

Total: $18.25

(that is still less than the price tag on that makeup kit!)

It's a hit!  Find anything you like?

A small profit with big rewards!

So, funny things are going on around here.  You might not think so, but they sure made me smile, and of course grab the camera!!

My son had a friend over to play, and I could hear them busy outside building (with the tools, I got him for his birthday last year, they have come in handy for me when my husbands tools aren't near by) with scraps of wood.  I thought "oh, how cute".  Then they are shuffling around in his bedroom, and carrying things out the front door!

I innocently ask "What are you guys doing?"

"Having a garage sale mom".

"OH!  Okay???"

So in all his glory, he is posing in front of his homemade table he and his friend built.

A few minutes later I see my daughter who also has a friend over come inside and ask me to make some lemonade for them, and they start setting up.  They can't let the boys earn money and not get involved.  So up goes their table, and where do they get their toys to sell from...? The Goodwill bin!  Good, get rid of it, then I don't have to take it in!

I stood back and just watched them get all excited and let them do the pricing (it was going to Goodwill anyways right?)

Now, they are waiting for their first customer...

 After the girls yelling at the top of their lungs for people to come to their garage sale a neighbour boy stops by.

Here he comes...

(notice my kids hovering around and my daughter displaying something she wants to sell)

They make a sale!

Look closer to the background of this photo...

A big Garage Sale sign on the van across the street.

Looks like their advertising was done for them, I think people were trying to find that garage sale, and maybe stopped short at my kids because our house comes first!  Who could miss 3 young girls with high pitched voices yelling "Come and get your lemonade!  Garage Sale!!"

Apparently they had a LOT of customers!

How much did they make you ask?

$9.30

Split evenly between 5 of them!

At 5 and 10 cents a buy, I would say they were successful!

Everyone was happy at the end of the day, and lets just say their friends want to come over all the time and what do they ask to do??  Set up a garage sale with my Goodwill bin!

*****

I also made some money from garage sale-ing recently.  Have you heard of the blog "My Dear Trash"?  She buys things at thrift stores, kijiji or garage sales, and turns around to sell them for what they have potential to sell at.  Well, she has inspired me to buy cheap, and sell big (or reasonably at least).  So do you remember my garage sale trip (here) when I bought this night table to fix up for $5?  And how I mulled over it before deciding when some other lady asked if she could buy it if I didn't...?  Well I of course bought it.  But...

At the very next sale I found this one for $5 and decided I wanted this one more.

Which by the way is a lot bigger than it looks in the picture and is so pretty all cleaned up.  So I ended up selling the first one on Kijiji for $10.  Yeah small profit.

Then last weekend I found this table for $5:

Which was SO cheap for being so cute.  Now I had to scrub all the stickers and marker off it to look like this but I sold again on Kijiji for $15.  Again a small benefit!

Total Spent: $10

Total Earned: $25

Profit: $15

Hmmm, what will this weekend bring???  

Garage Sales Weekend!

So, Saturday was the first official day I have actually been able to get out and hit a few garage sales... Okay, more than a few!  A lot!  Want to see what I got??  Brace yourself, and don't call me crazy.  No irrational purchases here!  Just all things wanted and needed.  Well there is one irrational buy, I'll explain shortly.

Sidewalk chalk: $1
(my girls love these!)

Bauer rollerblades: $3 

(amazing condition- my son won't take them off his feet they are so fun!)

Life vest: $1

(perfect for my toddler for our summer of swimming!)

Cute Umbrella: Free

(who doesn't need one of these, they break so easy- free is my kind of price)

Baby swimming pool: $1

(I was going to get one anyways, now I saved about $11)

Floating boat: $1

(We are going to use this on our holiday when we go floating down the river)

Do you think I am crazy yet?  Or do you see anything you would have bought?  And yes, my van was getting fuller, but wait... there's more!

Nightstand: $5

(I was squatting in front of this and deciding if it would look good in my bedroom -with a makeover of course- and I noticed this lady hanging around me and eye-balling this.  I kept touching the drawers to let her know I was undecided but interested.  I was apparently taking long when she finally asked me "When your done deciding and your not going to take it, I will" Panic, and answer "I'm taking it!" So in the van it goes too.)

Oh, but here is the funny part...  I went to another garage sale and saw this one and decided this suits me more, so what did I do?  Bought it,  and now I feel bad for the lady who wanted the other one.

Nightstand: $5

(This one needs a makeover too, but I have already wiped it down and it looks so much better already.  I also moved it into my bedroom and      I love it!)

So my van is getting pretty full, yet I am still going strong!

Platter: $1

(Sweet treats are waiting for you!)

Thingy: $4

(I am not sure what to call this but it's oh so cute, and I have a home for it in my bedroom.)

Small suitcase: $1

(Besides the dirt that needs to be wiped off, it's in excellent shape!)

Two chests: $1 each

(They are going on my bookshelf to store something I want to hide)

Two winter coats: left one: free, right one: $2

(And just in time, the one I bought at a garage sale three years ago is ready to be tossed.  Two new ones and for $2 - why thank you!)

Lastly:

Barbie house: $7

(Now my girls have a few too many dollhouses, but this is by far the best one, so I'll have to get rid of my cheesy homemade one, and make room for this one - impractical?  They LOVE it! And $7, how on earth could I pass this up?!)  

By now, my daughter that was with me was being piled on, and I decided it was time to go home!  

Grand Total: $34

(Definitely not how much I usually spend, but oh so worth it, and I think I may be done garage sale-ing for the rest of the month, I need to return some bottles to the depot to earn my next outing!)

Find anything you like?  

My kids sure did!

Don't you feel like you were right there with me?!

Enjoy your Monday!