Welcome to April! Spring is definitely in the air in southern California, and Garage Sale Season is in full swing ... can ya feel it?
Ah, junkin' ..... what could be finer?
For a bargain-shopping junkaholic like me, few things are better than dragging my butt out of bed on a Saturday morning and driving around town in search of treasure. Cheap treasure. Tacky treasure. Vintage treasure. Treasure someone else no longer wants or needs. It's all about the hunt, and the adreneline rush that comes from scoring big.
I started junking with my mom when I was barely old enough to walk. Antique stores, thrift stores, rummage sales, and auctions. Salvation Army, Value Village, St. Vincent De Paul, and the rows of inexpensive junk stores in Fremont's Niles District, now home to a huge Antiques Fair every Labor Day weekend.
From my mother, I learned about Depression Glass, sterling silver, costume jewelry, and kitschy collectibles. From Gaga -- my grandma Alice -- I learned about hand-made linens, antique furniture, vintage clothing, and kitchen collectibles from the early 1900s.
Gaga taught me to embroider and quilt; Mom taught me to sew clothing, draperies, and slipcovers. My mother taught me to cook and bake, and Gaga taught me to grow vegetables and roses. They both taught me about the virtues of thrift, about making do and making over, and about how one person's trash is another person's treasure.
Call it by whatever name feels true to you ... junking, thrifting, shopping, saling ... bargain hunting, sidewalk shopping, dumpster diving (aw, c'mon, we've all spied an incredible treasure in someone else's trash). Shop your way across town or across the country ... garage sales, yard sales, tag sales, church sales, and barn sales are all coming into season. And don't forget antique malls, co-ops, swap meets, flea markets, and antiques shows large and small.
In celebration of All Things Junk, I've decided to do a full month of posts about Junkin' ... and of course you're invited to join me any time you'd like to share. Topics are wide open: share your latest finds, your favorite trash-to-treasure makeovers, your all-time biggest bargain, your favorite junkin' blogs, or a list of your favorite places to shop. I'll be sharing all that and more during April, with 30 days of junkin' posts. Sort of a one-girl NaBloJunkMo ... National Blog Junkin' Month :o)
Each day, I'll add a Mr. Linky at the bottom of my post -- if you'd like to share a post about junking, just follow the directions below. I've created a button to place on your blog, so please grab a copy, tell your friends, and jump right in.
Today's question: Have garage sales started up in your area yet?
Please leave a comment, and be sure to let me know if you have any specific questions about the wonderful world of junking.
How to Participate in 30 Days of Junkin' ...
1. Write a post about junking on your blog, or link to a post you've already written. We want to hear about the hunt and the rewards ... where you shop, how you do it, and what you do with your goodies. This is a celebration of All Things Junk, so please share your treasures as well as your tips.
2. Place the 30 Days of Junkin' button at the top of your post.
3. Add your permalink using Mr. Linky. Please do not link until your post is up.
I encourage everyone to share at least one post celebrating junkin' during April, any day you wish. Once your post is up and linked, you can grab a copy of this badge for your sidebar. Please link it back to my main blog addy ... http://auctiongirlvintage.typepad.com