Well, I'm jealous :^)

You had too much fun and found too many great things!!

Enjoy your weekend...you can play with all your good stuff!

Wow, what great finds, Swest! The brass deers sound like a wonderful start to a woodland mantelscape. Please be sure to show us pics when you get it done. The bronze mercury glass pieces sound like a good buy. I found some silver, brass and bronze mercury glass pieces last month at my local Marshalls. The prices were reasonable, so you might check yours (or your TJ Maxx, since they're owned by the sam e company) if you need any more pieces. I hope your suction cups work for you. I've never had much luck with ones I've gotten. You might try hanging something not easily damaged first, before hanging your wreaths. The three cake stands ~ with domes included!~ for $41 was such a steal! I'll have to check our Costco to see if they get any in. Three, like yours, are so darn versatile.
I'm anxious to see pics when you get a chance.
Lynn

Hi Swest..
Sounds like you had a grand old time and were a very successful shopper!
When you're on a 'roll' like that,
Who Needs Food!! lol

I'm looking forward to seeing your fireplace in the Woodland motif, with all those lovely accessories.
I agree with Lynn, those cake stands w/domes for $41, was a great price.
I've been looking online, and haven't seen anything in that price range.

I use those suction cups on the windows for wreaths, and I love them. I got mine, from QVC several years ago.
I've never had a problem with them falling on my outside windows. However, every now and then, I'd find one would give way, from a door or a wall, but not always. You have to make sure the surface you put them on is really smooth and clean.
So as Lynn said, make sure you don't hang anything really fragile.

Have fun with your purchases..and don't forget to show us your pretty things!

jane

Congratulations on a super shopping day. Sounds like you two had a ball. (wish I could forget to eat, LOL)
I can't wait to see your photos. The woodland theme is going to be lovely!
I use a wreath stand on my front porch for a real large wreath I have. And have a tabletop wreath stand too. I like those a lot. I imagine the regular garden shepherd hooks would work fine as well.

hugs, Karen

Sounds like you had a wonderful time and found some great deals. The little ice skates will make a perfect decoration.

I don't have the opportunity to do much shopping anymore, so I do the next best thing -- experience it vicariously on this forum. Thanks so much for posting.

Looking forward to seeing photos,
Lee

Ditto to all the above and thanks for sharing your idea with the childrens skates. I have a pair I'm going to paint on and I was thinking of putting pretty laces in them but hadn't thought about using material. That's a great idea.

Spending time with friends is wonderful. They know exactly what you want to shop for and they usually like the same type things. So happy for you and your great buys.

Punk

Wow, Swest, I wish I had your thrift stores in my town! Sounds like you got great buys on some wonderful things.

Since the theme of my whole house is "woodland-lodgy" I can't wait to see your fireplace, which sounds like it will be beautiful. Let's see some pictures!

- Magpie

Sounds like an incredibly fun day! The kind of day many of us like (except I never miss lunch! LOL) You know we'd like pics, don't you! :-)

So glad you shared your fun shopping day with us! Isn't it great fun to "treasure hunt" like that? All your buys sound great, can't wait to see them in your decor.

Karen, wasn't it you who found those neat metal deers last year? And someone else had beautiful ones too--maybe DD??? I'm looking forward to seeing them again this year too.

Punk, hurry up and get those skates painted--just know they will be great! ;o)

Luvs

Wow, Swest, I wish I had your thrift stores in my town! Sounds like you got great buys on some wonderful things.

Since the theme of my whole house is "woodland-lodgy" I can't wait to see your fireplace, which sounds like it will be beautiful. Let's see some pictures!

- Magpie

Can't wait to see the pictures.
The deer sound great and the skates too!

I'm so happy for you. Sounds like you'll have a beautiful fireplace. Yes, I want to see the pics too!

A couple of Saturdays ago my niece and I had one of those run away days. We started at the city market with fresh from the oven, hot, HUGE, cinnamon rolls!! Yummy!

We didn't have as much luck finding good buys though. :(

Betty

Thanks to everyone. We live in California in a city of approximately 250,000. There are 8 GW's, 2 SA's, 1 Women's League, 1 SPCA, 1 store that benefits the mentally handicapped in our city, 1 Cancer Society Store, 1 Operation School Bell (they buy new clothes for school aged children with the proceeds), and numerous other thrift stores throughout the city. We only went to a handful of stores the other day.

Usually she will call me or I will call her and all we have to say if we want to run away is "suit up". Ha, ha!

We have one GW that sells nothing but books, tapes, CD's, VHS and DVD's. There are tables and chairs throughout the store so you can sit down and peruse the items before you buy.

We are big time readers and we have another store that charges 5 cents for paperbacks and on Tuesdays she gets a senior discount. She has one room in her house we call "The Library".

All of the stores are in nice neighborhoods so I don't have any qualms about going to them. We did go to Lancaster, CA thrift store-ing and I felt like I could have used a body guard.

We have numerous Dollar Stores also. I do TRY to be a selective shopper and I'm so proud of my "finds".

Today I got a Hallmark cookie jar with a jingle bell on top $1.50 and a Hallmark tart burner 50 cents.

As you may have noticed there is a theme, I LOVE CHRISTMAS. I have 36 large bins in our garage. DH suggested I go shopping there. We usually have 4 trees so I need my treasures!

Sounds like you got a couple more great buys today. You could do alot of shopping from the sounds of all your choices.

I can hardly wait to see all your Christmas things. I have alot of Christmas things also and have a hard time getting all of it up. I only have 1 tree so can't imagine trying to put up 4.

Luvs or anyone, I will try to get the skates painted and if you have any ideas, I'm open to suggestions.

Punk

Swest, sure hope you have a camera gal, I can't wait to see all your Christmas treasures from those 36 bins!

I don't know where Lancaster is--so no idea what part of Calif. you are in. All those places to shop sure sounds like fun--are you in So. or No. Calif.? Be careful about answering, since I'm in Calif. too, I might want to come shop there and might snag some of the items you'd want! LOL (Just teasing you, my house and budget are too small for me to be much of a threat!) ;o)

Luvs

Luvs
We live in central Calif, but not on the coast about 125 miles from Los Angeles. How about you?

Swest, that's a hoot your DH suggested you go shopping in your garage. LOL. I think most our DHs would love that idea, as they all seem to think we have 'enough'.. or 'too much'. Don't those guys know that is NOT possible?!!

No, Luvs, I didn't get any metal deer, tho I did buy some ceramic and other ones.

hugs, Karen

Swest, I'm in So. Calif. about 45 minutes east of L.A. Darn, your great bunch of bargain places are too far away for a shopping jaunt! LOL

Luvs