thrifty sunday: the return

Oh, hi again. 

You may (not) have noticed that, actually, along with my whole blog, thrifty Sunday has been on hiatus. We haven't really had any fun money, so I hadn't been shopping, and I was simultaneously losing the battle for free time. I am still losing that battle in a major way; my white flag has been raised for days, but life doesn't seem to care. Soon(ish), I'll write an epic post about Ladyfest, which promises to be a very rewarding timesuck whose benefits will not be reaped until the sun goes down on next weekend. 

Anyhow, I've picked up some things over the past few weeks, namely when Value Village was having a half-off sale. Without further ado, here are my scores:

1. A weirdly large homemade bunting, $1.99

This thing will probably fit a 12 month old, which makes it arguably impractical, both because it will not fit the child I currently have, and because I don't know that a one-year-old would submit to wearing it. Nevermind all that; it's homemade and didn't deserve to languish in the thrift store for a minute longer. 

2. Awesome farm animal puzzle, $1.50

There's a small scuff on the front of it, but it's in otherwise perfect shape and any puzzle with all its pieces is still mint as far as our household is concerned. It's also Washington-made, and numbered on the back!

3. A Mariners jersey. Was $4.99, but half-price, so $2.50!

Okay, so, this is not the type of thing that anyone in my family usually wears. I am a firm believer, however, in dressing for the occasion, and our Fathers' Day tradition is seeing the Mariners. Nathan loves baseball and George loves "catch," so I'm letting go of a little clothes snobbery, here. It's in great condition and fits perfectly, incidentally, at a size 3T (for my almost 18 month old). 

4. The main event. The eventual big-winter-holiday-present (Hanukkah? Birthday? Christmas?): Unfinished homemade kit dollhouse, $4.99

There's more than a little projection going on, here, as I begged my parents for a dollhouse for years and never got one. But this number is right up our alley: a fixer-upper with limitless potential.

It's sturdy and big, with a floor plan open enough for still-fumbly little hands to maneuver around. I can't wait to paste up wallpaper, crochet a rag rug and cut up a million sandpaper shingles for the roof. 

I hope it sees many generations of happy Plan and Playmobil families. I'll keep you updated on its progress if you promise not to show George.

What have you been shopping for lately?