Presents For Pennies

Tom and I went to yard sales this morning.

 All over this post you will see a sampling of little treasures we found. The little hat rack was bright, glowing-yellow and $1 so I painted it this afternoon and added flowers from gift wrap (see close-up.)
The hats are from previous yard sales and from the curb.

 The framed print was $1.50 from an earlier yard sale and I found the little statue and small jug today for just 50 cents each.



And here is my 'busy corner,' below,  I call it that because I know it looks crowded but I've always wanted to have a crowded corner (not a crowded house, though). Like something you'd see at an antique store. I'm always working on this corner to get it right--still working on it now.

Anyway, one reason I like to share my yard sale finds is to encourage those of you out there who have small incomes and have given-up on surprises in Life. Surprises are out there--you just have to be willing to search for them. Tom and I go to many dud yard sales. Many. But we're willing to search through the duds in order to find the rare treasure at the rare great yard sale.

There are all sorts of little secrets to getting by on one income. Trust me, I know. We've been doing that for nearly 28 years (and all those years ago, people told us it couldn't be done. We did it anyway.). The best way to get by? View it as a challenge--not as a hopeless burden. 

Oh, and I forgot to tell you that I found 6 current (August 2006) issues of magazines today for just 4 cents each at a yard sale. They included Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion, Woman's Day, Country Living and Better Homes and Gardens. Yes-- all current and all for just (kinda odd, but hey) 4 cents each! 

And too, I bought four old (1992-96) issues of Victoria magazine which I'd never seen before, for just 25 cents each.

Little surprises, large ones, also, are out there. You just have to be willing to search, have faith that God will provide and believe He wants you to see the challenge through His eyes--and to enjoy the journey all the while.



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