• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
House of Hawthornes
  • DIY
  • Gardening
  • Budget Decor
  • Thrifting
  • Recipes
  • Seasonal
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • DIY
  • Gardening
  • Budget Decor
  • Thrifting
  • Recipes
  • Seasonal
  • 🛒 Our Amazon Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Thrift Store Finds

    Community Garage Sale Finds

    Published by Pam Kessler | 496 words. · About 3 minutes to read this article. - 17 Comments

    This weekend was our little town's community garage sale weekend. What I like about these types of community sales is that they seem to entice a lot of the elderly homeowners in town to participate in the sale. And elderly people just want to get stuff out of their house, so there is the possibility of some great vintage finds and at great prices.

    So on Friday I spent a lot of time stopping by garage sales to find that diamond in the rough.

    Meet my diamonds.

     


    I found this silver bowl which is about 5" tall and 10" wide. I'm always a sucker for silver pieces so I bought it on the spot since it was only $1.00.


    When I was taking pictures of it I realized that it was engraved - it says "20 Years Service Farm Bureau - 1963". Now I have yet to figure out when there is a date in the engraving if that means that is the year it is being presented (like he worked there from 1943-1963) or the year he started working there (like he worked from 1963-1983 and thus it is being presented in 1983).

    And you would think the Farm Bureau would give the employees an engraved shovel or engraved tractor or something, because I can't see a farmer being thrilled with a silver bowl. "Gee thanks, I'll put my pipe tobacco in it".


    I also bought 2 of these blue Ball jars. The woman actually had about ten of them, but I am practicing trying to leave treasures for other people to find since I don't really need 10 Ball jars. They were 50 cents a piece.


    I also bought this enamelware pot for 25 cents. No idea why other than I have a few enamelware pieces and it was dirt cheap.


    I purchased 4 feed sacks, but just took photos of two of them. I am planning on making some pillows out of them. From what I can figure out, egg elements may be some sort of feed for egg laying chickens. 25 cents each!!!!!!


    Wheat maybe? Flour?


    And this is what I was so excited about. I bought this from a little old lady who lives in the cutest little cottage-ish house down the road from me. She was so sweet and so excited that I was so excited about the lamp.


    I don't think this is original to the lamp since it is bright white and you would think it would match the marble on the base more, so I may look at the local antique store to find a replacement glass shade.


    And this is the weird part. The bottom lights up also (I know the bottom looks like the sun is shining on it, but that is the light). $10.00.


    So not a bad day.


    On Saturday we had our own garage sale which is a whole other story. I have to decompress before I can retell that story.

    « Door Knobs
    Ellen H. Clapsaddle Postcards »
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. La

      September 12, 2010 at 12:39 pm

      Hi Pam! It looks like you did alright for yourself. I love that flour sack. It will be a great pillow.

      On another note....why can I not find the Browns on my TV? I am stock with Cincinnati's game... That is just not right. :o(

      Have a great week! La

      Reply
    2. Okie Chic

      September 12, 2010 at 1:00 pm

      Great finds I love the flour sacks. I would be all over that!! lol

      Reply
    3. marty (A Stroll Thru Life)

      September 12, 2010 at 1:04 pm

      Oh you did find some treasures. I love them all. The silver bowl is wonderful and the jars are always neat. I really like enamel ware too. Your sacks are a fabulous find. Love the lamp. I so need a floor lamp, and this one is a real treasure. Great finds. Hugs, Marty

      Reply
    4. Erin@likegrandmas

      September 12, 2010 at 3:03 pm

      Man you did get dirt cheap prices. I love all of your finds, but ironically, I bought my first piece of enamelware at my neighbor's yard sale, and it was $1, not nearly as good as a quarter!!

      Reply
    5. * French Farmhouse 425 *

      September 12, 2010 at 4:26 pm

      ~*~* Great finds!!!~*~*

      Reply
    6. NanaDiana

      September 12, 2010 at 7:15 pm

      Hi Pam- Those are great finds....love them all. The feed sacks (I believe) used to hold chicken "mash"...ground corn with some additives that they used to feed the chickens. My mother always bought it from the feed mill.....and the lamp. I have one that belonged to MyHero's grandmother. That piece probably is original. However, it is missing the shade. The shade just slipped over top of that white "bowl" and rested on top of it. It was probably a silk shade. The top would not have set flat because the sides tapered in and kept it from sinking all the way down....not sure if that makes any sense or not...but that is the little I know about THAT! Hugs- Diana

      Reply
    7. NanaDiana

      September 12, 2010 at 7:17 pm

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Reply
    8. Shanarun

      September 12, 2010 at 10:41 pm

      What a fantastic lamp! And hooray for you at excercising your retraint over the beautiful aqua Ball jars!! Not sure I could have just walked away with 2..... Great post.

      Reply
    9. Tammy ~ A Primitive Place

      September 13, 2010 at 8:38 am

      Wonderful new finds!!
      And that lamp is amazing.
      Tam

      Reply
    10. Jeanette

      September 13, 2010 at 9:17 am

      LOVE that lamp and the way it lights up on the bottom is too cool! Maybe for a night light?

      Reply
    11. Laura

      September 13, 2010 at 11:25 am

      I like the lamp, too. And your feed sacks - they would make nice towels!

      Reply
    12. dogsmom

      September 13, 2010 at 11:43 am

      Great finds and some things are just too cheap to leave behind where they are not appreciated.
      The date on a trophy bowl is generally the date given out. Often there are two dates. If only one, it is the year presented. Highly collectible so should sell well if that's the way you choose to go.
      This week I just saw someone turn a ball jar into a soap dispenser. A project I know I'll be doing.
      Feed sacks also make great aprons.

      Reply
    13. Amanda @ Tall Glass of Water

      September 13, 2010 at 3:13 pm

      Love that lamp! I have one almost, but not quite like it. I had to search high and low for a glass shade to go with it. It was quite a search. Good luck in finding yours!

      Reply
    14. Country Dreaming

      September 13, 2010 at 4:40 pm

      Super finds! The lamp is quite interesting,
      you'll have to show us where you place it.

      Melinda

      Reply
    15. Mimi

      September 14, 2010 at 8:25 pm

      Great finds, Pam. Pillows will be cute out the feed sacks.
      Any engraved pieces I have received from my working days had the date I started, not the date they were presented.

      Reply
    16. Kathleen

      September 26, 2010 at 1:10 pm

      Loved your comments on the bowl from the farm bureau! 🙂
      I taught school for 33 yrs and they gave me a plaque. I guess I can use it to rest my coffee mug!

      Reply
    17. chatterbox

      October 26, 2010 at 4:06 pm

      I just found your blog through the Nifty Thrifty Tuesday thingy. Love it!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Learn how to create a budget-friendly home you'll love using repurposed thrift store finds, easy DIY & craft projects, and seasonal gardening tips.

    Hi, I'm Pam Kessler, the owner and author of House of Hawthornes, a website dedicated to all things home and garden, focusing on vintage decor. I enjoy upcycling and repurposing thrift store finds, super easy DIY projects (if it can’t be finished in an afternoon, it’s not getting completed), and mixing quirky vintage finds throughout my home decor. I also have a self-taught passion (obsession?) for flower gardening . . .

    More about me →

    Holiday Porch Decor

    • 20 Beautiful Winter Planter Ideas
    • How To Make Winter Porch Pots
    • How To Make Outdoor Christmas Planters
    • Easy Holiday Front Porch Planters
    • Vintage Lodge Inspired Christmas Porch Decorations
    • A little red wagon, vintage blow mold Santa and classic ice skates add a touch of whimsy and nostalgia to your holiday decorating on the front porch.
      Little Red Wagon Christmas Porch Decor
    • Nostalgic Christmas Porch Decorations
    • Front Porch Christmas Decorations

    Holiday Projects

    • Tom And Jerry Drink Recipe
    • Repurposing a frying pan to be used as a Christmas decoration.
      Upcycled Christmas Decor Wall Hanging
    • DIY Simmering Potpourri Gift And Printable Tag
    • Orange clove pomander tutorial.
      How To Make Orange Clove Pomander Balls
    • Christmas phone backgrounds - plaid with pine boughs.
      Christmas Phone Wallpaper Backgrounds
    • How To Store Vintage Christmas Ornaments

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Web Stories
    • Blog

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up For Emails & Updates

    Shop

    • Amazon Favorites
    • Shop The Look

    Please use appropriate safety precautions when attempting projects. All projects are attempted at the reader's own risk.

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 House Of Hawthornes, LLC

    🍪 We use cookies to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    I Accept Read Privacy Notice
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled

    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

    Non Necessary

    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.