Sorry I've Been Away for so Long...

...but I had a much needed vacation on the Outer Banks of North Carolina! It was so relaxing, but the fastest week of my life! The weather was beautiful and it was nice being able to spend a week with my family without the everyday stresses of work, chores, and other daily activities.

Here is my cute hubby & me when we first got to the beach. Don't I look relaxed already?!

I did little shopping, but my mom and I did have to hit all of the thrift stores (of course). We didn't have as much luck as we've had in the past, but we did get a few things for "The Porch". Oh, and I found a couple of cute dresses...here is one of them. I thought it looked a lot like a Lilly Pulitzer and was my only expensive purchase for the week at $17.00! It actually was at an antique & quilt store that I love.

And the starfish necklace & earring set was $10.oo at a gift shop...still a great deal!

This flamingo dress was $5 and the Gap corduroy jacket for my daughter still had it's original tag on it...

but of course, I only paid $2 at Goodwill!!!

Anyway, if you're going to the OBX this summer, make sure to check these thrift stores out...you never know...you just may find a treasure on the Outer Banks:

Hotline Pink
4140 N Croatan Hwy, Kitty Hawk, NC

Hotline
100 Uppowoc Ave, Manteo, NC

Hotline Too

2001 S Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills, NC

Goodwill

5381 N Virginia Dare Trl, Kitty Hawk, NC

Children's Hospital of the King's Daughter Thrift Store

3838 N Croatan Hwy, Kitty Hawk, NC

A Penny Saved Thrift & Consignment

3105 N Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills, NC

and this is the antique & quilt store that I love:

Outer Banks Quilts and Antiques

108 Sir Walter Raleigh Street, Manteo

Happy Summer!

Welcome to "The Porch" ...our little treasure trove

So this is what's been taking up so much of my time lately (and gives me something to do with all of the treasures that I find).

It's a booth at our local antique mall. My mom and I have always wanted to do something like this together, so we thought we'd give it a go. Our screen door from our river cottage that I've painted "The Porch" on welcomes our customers!

We realize that it takes a lot of work to make it work, but we can have fun with it too.
Woohoo! "The Porch" is open for business!

Antique Mall Sidewalk Sale

It's not too often that you can find a bargain at an antique mall, but my mom and I thought that we'd try one right down the road from us because we were desperate for just one more sale before we headed home. Well, look what I found!

This was marked $10 and I couldn't believe it! The glass is Very heavy and it seems to be Very old, but in perfect condition! I think this is something I'm going to decorate every holiday.

I also found this iron pot...the original price was $30 and it was marked to $3! I'm not sure if I'm going to use it for cooking or use it as a planter. I like the planter idea, but with my husband coming from a brunswick stew cookin' family, he wants to use it for what it was intended.

Anyway, the total was...come on all of you math whizzes...yes $11...no?

Well, I have to admit that when I took the cash out of my wallet, I only had $11 and not $13, so the nice couple let me have both of these amazing items for just $11! What a bargain!

Have I Told You That I Love Church Yard Sales?

So every year (sometimes twice a year) I go to this beautiful country church right down the road from me for their yard sale. I always end up with wonderful treasures along with a loaf of zucchini bread made by my childhood babysitter.

I spent 1 hour here and this is what I bought:

I'm always seeing that other bloggers find these cool vintage bingo cards and couldn't ever figure out where they're getting them from, so it was my turn...I found a whole box full, maybe 50 of them along with the numbers and little wooden markers for .50!!! I also found some scrapbooking rub-ons for .50, 8 vintage pillow cases for .25 each (some w/ lace & some embroidered...I adore the 2 with roses), an aqua picture frame for .25, 2 glass insulators for .50 each...

my FAVORITE baby basket for $6 (the woman who was once carried in it as a baby was there at the sale), a metal basket of some sort for $1, wonderful red and white enamelware pot with handle to use for a planter was $1, green and aqua porch party lights for the river for $1, an embroidered dresser scarf for .25...yes there's more...

Printer's tray to be used for a shadow box for $3!, lovely new green wallet which I'm using now for .50, vintage aqua necklace was $1, beautiful double chain fob necklace for $1, spiral clips .50, stapler for my daughter .25, very old large Gold Medal printers block $1, silverplated salad servers were .50, fruity pants for my youngest .25, and last, but not least, 5 excellent books for .50 for my friend's children.

The grand total was $22! Beat that! Come on, I dare 'ya!


Then I went to work and ate zucchini bread! :0)


(The aqua wicker chair is my mom's and was used as a prop for the pics, but of course she got it FREE from a river cottage neighbor who was taking it to the landfill :0)

Can you even believe the bargains out there ready to be found?!

Yay! Another 2 Church Yardsales and a total of $16

So mom and I got up early 3 Saturdays ago to go to 4 church yardsales. Only 2 worked out for us, but we found plenty of goodies! Yes, mom, I know I took you 20 miles out of the way only to find 2 duds, but you live and learn! ;0)

But I am so happy with these finds...

A sweet wicker bathroom shelf with cabinets for $3.00, desk organizer was .50, old mechanical calculator for .25, and an original Dymo labeler with tape was .25!

The monogrammed "L" pillowcase was $1, the delicious peppermint candle was $2 (still had $19.95 price tag), the new (in the gift box) picture frame was .25, vintage crystal beaded necklace was $1.00, the blue flower dish was .50, the tall skinny glass pitcher w/ lid was .25!

Is this bag cute or what?! It came with both thermos' and the caddy...for $1!

A whole box of lace...I'll let you know what I do with it...for .50!

The sweet 1970's frog bag is one of my favs for .25, the 2 rose prints together were .25!

Here's a BEAUTIFUL mirror to go over my mantel for $5!!!! Look at the sweet rabbits! I'm gonna paint it creamy white and distress it a tad before hanging it! And look at the original price tag on the back!

Hope you have a thrifty weekend!