I wanted to share my finds since the last Thrift Tales post, which means some were at the end of August and others here in September. I have brought home three new things since then, but also left so many behind which I have loved!

My first find was this vintage wooden tabletop bookshelf with an adorable owl carved on each side. I found it on Facebook Marketplace and paid $15. I love owls and thought it was adorable, but I also did not realize there was such a thing as a tabletop bookshelf! That’s actually perfect for me because I usually have ten different books I will be reading at any one time, or will want on hand for quick reference. I told myself I would keep an eye out for a quality pair of bookends, but good ones are so hard to find. This little shelf has worked out perfectly for me instead.

My second discovery was at a flea market. It is a Carousel King 1985 gumball machine which I purchased for $18. It turns out though that the “1985” doesn’t mean it was made then. I actually have no idea how old this thing is because you can buy the same thing right now. The blue ones seem to be more uncommon though. This is one of those things I have had in the back of my head as a “must-buy if I find one” for a long time. Ages ago I saw on Pinterest where someone stored their Tsum-Tsum collection in one and I thought it was adorable! It inspired me, but now that I have mine I have no idea what to do with it. I may paint it, since it’s not “valuable.” Here’s a neat copper one. I don’t know what to actually store in it though. I have thought about buying a stand for the base and converting it into a bird feeder. Or maybe storing a craft supply in it? I’ll just have to wait on the proper inspiration for this one.

My most recent find is this book, “Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts.” It is currently available on Amazon for $39. I paid $6 for this one and it looks like it has never been opened. Luckily, it even has the CD of patterns still in the back too. I recently got my vintage sewing machine serviced and I am ready to take on my first project! This book has a wealth of information on everything in the realm of sewing – stitches, fabric types, supplies, a thread glossary, and endless patterns. I am confident I will be able to pick a great starter project from here.

So that’s all I have brought home with me since last time, but I have seen so many great items. You can’t buy everything though, especially since these aren’t charity shops I’ve been going to (with charity shop pricing). I’ll leave you with my favorites I left behind.