My Favorite Weekend of the Year

This weekend is my favorite of the entire year--Yard Sale Weekend! It happens to be a yearly juried craft festival this weekend in the town park, but that seems to have taken a backseat to all the wheelin' and dealin' going on. Everybody saves their junk/unwanted stuff and puts it out on the driveway. And for a mama with two little kids it is windfall of cheap, affordable toys. I really see no reason whatsoever to buy toys new. That's not to say I don't for birthdays and Christmas, but all the big stuff on my list, I pick up for pennies for a dollar the second weekend in September. Let me show you what I mean. A little scene from my backyard last night:

Let me break it down for you:

Picnic Table: $5

Water Table: $8

Cozy Coupe: $5

Slide thingy: $2 (!!!!)

Soccer Goal with 4 Soccer Balls: $4

Car Ramp Mountain: $8

Trampoline: $20 (yep...I splurged here, but it was brand new)

Sandbox: $5

That's a whole lotta outdoor fun for cheap. 

There's a whole bunch more. I filled my car three times. One of my favorite finds this year was a vintage gumball machine for $5. I have a plan for that. We'll put it to use. But that's another blog post. 

Now, granted...this is a whole lotta crap. It needs to be stored. Luckily, we have an unfinished basement. A messy unfinished basement. But the kids are only little for so long and before you know it, I'll be selling everything and making most of my money back. And cleaning out my house. We do a yard sale too every year too. We're just considering all this as rentals. It comes in and it goes out. Try it out--you'll be amazed by the fun you and your kids can have for very little money. And the thrill of the hunt is a bit addictive too. 

When I wasn't madly finding bargains, I manned our yard sale this year. I had a great deal of craft supplies to move. This is our fourth year doing so and I've seem to have developed a reputation. Get the same customers back. I'm sure I'll find all my stuff on tables in a few years as other people try to sell it! Things were sort of slow during my shift, so I got to work stamping. Or should I say "demo-ing". Nobody showed up to see it, but I had fun...

Ever since I made this card, I have a thing for pockets. Was happy to see this stamp set available. Matching dies too!

Supplies:

Polka Pocket:
Stamps: WPlus 9 Pocketful, PTI Background Basics: Retro, Mega Mixed Messages
Dies: WPlus9 Pockets
Pure Poppy and True Black Ink
Echo Park Dots and Dashes 6x6 Pad

Sunshine Pocket
Stamps: WPlus9 Pocketful, PTI Background Basics: Retro, Bitty Background Blocks, Simple Sentiments
Dies: Banner Builders
Ink: Pure Poppy by PTI, CTMH Sunshine and Crystal Blue