Some of you might have realized at this point that I was on a stay-cation this week. What’s that, you ask? It’s a whole week off at the day job without traveling anywhere. In general, I’m kinda bad at the stay-cation thing. I could count on one hand the number of full weeks I’ve taken off work and not gone anywhere. Partially because I love to travel and over the years I’ve carefully guarded my vacation days and used them for travel, but also partially because I know myself. When I take time off work and stay home I tend to spend it working on a big project, not relaxing or doing fun things. So usually I just take a day or two here and there, not a full week.
But this summer I decided I would go ahead and plan a couple of stay-cations, even if all I do is get caught up on my to-do list. I can finally check “clean out closet” off the list.
Then my friend Meggan texted me and said she was looking to do something on Thursday since this was her last week of freedom before her 3 boys are out of school (well, I don’t think she quite put it like that). As though the universe was listening, just a little while later a customer of mine emailed me about the Roseville neighborhood garage sales. She mentioned that they started on Thursday. Eureka! A plan was formed for an unexpected diversion from cleaning closets.
I’ve never done the Roseville sales before, probably because they start on a Thursday and I normally have to work, so I didn’t know what to expect. Meggan picked me up and off we went. It ended up being a gloriously beautiful day. Sunny and upper 60’s. And we found ourselves in some charming well established neighborhoods with lovely yards and lots of large trees. We both found some awesome things at the sales too!
Like a huge haul of vintage Christmas ornaments to add to my collection.
These boxes of ornaments were 75 cents each! Seriously! How could I resist? And the ladies selling them were so lovely. They were happy as could be that the ornaments were going to someone who would cherish them and use them.
I couldn’t leave this tiny welsh cupboard behind at another sale.
I tried to walk away, really, I did. I even offered the seller less than the asking price thinking that if she said no, I would pass it by. But she said yes, and now it’s mine. It will need a paint job, the red isn’t really my color.
The charming bistro set was an awesome find as well. It will likely make its way into my fall Carriage House sale, or maybe to Reclaiming Beautiful.
By the way, that is my yard up to the hosta bed, behind that is Ken & Arlene’s yard. Not only does Ken fix stuff for me, but Arlene maintains some gorgeous gardens. No need for a privacy fence here folks!
I had a lot of fun taking photos of the bistro set staged with some of my peonies.
I wish I had a french chateau with a pea gravel patio area because this set would be perfect there, but I had to make do with my garden.
I love my handsome new concrete bunny too.
You probably can’t tell from the photo, but he is good sized, about a foot long. He’s quite heavy. And he cost a mere $8. The woman I bought him from was so thrilled to sell him. She said that her son had purchased some molds and just started making these. I feel like I got a great deal.
It was definitely a good day for vintage toolboxes. I found not just one …
not just two …
but three of them.
The black one and the brown one will both get a paint job for sure, but I think the reddish orange one would be perfect as is with some geraniums planted in it.
I picked up this book just because I loved the colors …
And I added to my growing list of garage sale perennials with a couple of salvia plants.
But I’ve saved my find of the day for last.
An old vintage metal toy truck in my favorite color! I’d been looking for one of these for a while. I saw one in a shop once for over $100, which was kind of nuts. There’s no way I’d ever pay that much. But I would pay $15!
Won’t it be cute at Christmas with a load of vintage ornaments in the back? It would be sweet with a crop of succulents too.
Or maybe I’ll just use it for photo shoots.
It’s quite photogenic, don’t you think?
Well, next week it’s back to the office for me. But I did accomplish a few other projects during my time off that I’ll be sharing with you throughout the week, so be sure to stay tuned!
q is for quandie 
Nice purchases, especially the truck. The backyard and your neighbours are lovely. I don’t have a privacy fence . I enjoy Wes and Jan’s garden and Kathy’s hostas. Occasional conversations allow for connection to the neighbourhood something I think society is losing.
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Thanks Janice!
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Wonderful garage sale finds! I think the staging in the garden of the bistro set is perfect and wish I had established perennials, too! Of course the truck is my fave but a close second is the vintage ornaments. Good eye and a fun day with a friend!
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It is nice to have established perennials. They don’t require much care by this stage. Just some mulching in the spring, occasional weeding, and lots of dividing!
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What a haul! Drooling over your vintage ornaments! Love the bistro set I got my daughter one just like that in red at HomeGoods about five years ago bet you got a better price hers was $100. I am envious of your hosta border it is gorgeous. The bistro set with those to die for peonies is perfect. Too bad you don’t have a need for the bistro set. It would look fab painted in Fusion ‘s Inglenook or Upper Canada Green against the dark brown of your house. I need to find a Meggan to garage sale with. My daughter was my garage sale side kick however she is too far away in Charleston.
The truck is just a wowza look for to seeing it full of bulbs this Christmas.
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That hosta border originated from just a couple of plants that I got from my friend Sue. I don’t remember how long ago now. But I planted them as a border in a different garden, and then 3 or 4 years ago I dug them all up and divided them. I left half where the were originally and moved half to this garden. Now these are quite large as well. I might need to create another border next year!
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They are beautiful and hey my third hosta came back my husband thinks I only lost one not two. So do you divide them in the spring?
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Well, to be honest, I divide mine whenever I have the time. In the case of these particular hostas, I divided them in mid-summer. This is not especially recommended but I was revamping my back garden and I knew it was going to take me a full day to move them all, so I had to do it when I could find time. Spring is the easiest time to divide if you do it before the leaves develop, but according to {this article} late summer to early fall is the best time for the health of the plant.
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Yesterday was a perfect day for garage sales and Roseville’s is great. Love all of your finds, especially the rabbit. Just what my garden needs!
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It really was the perfect day, and that rabbit is a charmer 😉
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Your blog starts my day just perfectly!
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Thank you for saying so Joni! Comments like yours always encourage me to keep going with this blogging thing 🙂
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Wonderful finds, great garden and, drool, another great vintage toy truck. Sigh, (big sigh) and I’m ashamed to admit I’m just a little bit envious. I always like your make-overs and all the things you buy/sell and (not) collect but a vintage toy truck (another one!) in that colour, really… You are either very lucky or very good at finding treasures. I think it’s the second option. 😉
I haven’t commented for a long time but I always look and enjoy…
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Thanks for taking the time to comment today Linda! Your comment made me smile, especially the (not) collecting part 😉
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I have totally been cherishing my last moments of freedom and yes, I did put it like that! It was the perfect day, so much fun! Only you would have all of your finds gathered, styled and perfectly shot already! Meanwhile, mine are either still on my kitchen table or shoved in the closet 😉 That truck is going to pay for itself with staging mileage. Looking forward to the next adventure!
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Well, in an effort to provide full disclosure, I did take pictures of everything, but then it all got piled on the dining table just like your stuff. But I’m working on putting it all away now 😉
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That. Truck. Is. Perfection. Jealous!
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They actually had more trucks! Not in that color, but they had a red one that I was seriously tempted by. It was priced at $25 tho, which was a tad high for me. It was gorgeous and would be awesome as a Christmas decoration. I’m still thinking I probably should have tried negotiating a better price on that red one. Shoulda, coulda, woulda.
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Another truck???? Noooo, this is getting too much! I just want one, just one (in blue-ish) but red would be good too, really….or green, maybe white or yellow, orange,… any color would do…just one… 😉
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I wonder if I could fit one in a suitcase. When I travel to Amsterdam we could meet up and I could give it to you. You are in the Netherlands, right?
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So many great finds and glad you did something fun!
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It was a lovely day, the highlight of my staycation!
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The truck loaded with the Christmas ornaments, well, I just can’t even! Great finds!
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Thanks Barb!
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Yes, I’m in The Netherlands (Rotterdam). You would need a huge suitcase to bring all the goodies I see on the blog. Would a blue dresser be too much? Probably… But one of those trucks would be more than great.
Still, I think you’ll have lots of luggage to take with you and a truck wouldn’t fit.
The thing is, I really don’t know whether such a vintage (or even fake vintage) truck can be found here. I’ve never seen one and really don’t know where to look for one anyway.
Weren’t you planning to go to Brugge (Bruges)? It is a really beautiful town, very romantic, lots of history, not too big and full of charm. Certainly and most definitely worth visiting. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of Amsterdam (shht, don’t tell anyone).
But it’s more than kind of you to even consider bringing a truck with you. 🙂
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LOL, yes, a blue dresser might be a bit too much. But a blue truck would tuck in quite nicely. Our trip is still a ways off, fall of 2017, but we are having fun planning it. We have extended it to two weeks and are planning on Bruges, possibly Antwerp, Amsterdam (how could we not spend at least a little time there?). While in Amsterdam we’d like to take some side excursions, like to Utrecht or Kinderdijk for example. I would happily trade one vintage toy truck for the assistance of a local guide!
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For sure, keep blogging! I always look forward to it. Your wonderful finds are amazing…love that little truck!
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