For several months now, I have been searching for a good deal on Le Creuset cookware. I knew it was expensive and had hoped to find some on sale at TJ Maxx or something. Well, one French oven at TJ Maxx prices was still $175. Eek. So I sort of thought maybe it just wouldn't happen for quite some time.

Then I was skimming an email my mom sent me about an upcoming estate sale and it mentioned a set of Le Creuset cookware. My radar went off... So my mom and I went to this estate sale yesterday, and veteran estate-sale-er that I am, I whipped on my sling, stuck August in it, Brooklyn grabbed DD's hand and in we went. I made a BEELINE for the kitchen - always my first stop, particularly now that I was on the hunt for Le Creuset. And there it was, unobtrusively arranged on the counter along with tons of other nondescript kitchen items...as unobtrusive as Flame orange can be... A 13 piece set priced at $200. Ok, so at estate sales, I can usually walk away with a STACK of items for under $60, and I paused at the price tag. And meandered around the rest of the house deliberating. I put some other items together, found a great Limoges tea cup and saucer, a vintage strainer, a beautiful porcelain tea set...and decided not to get the cookware.
Until I got my stuff in the car, the kids strapped in, and was ready to put the car in gear and drive away. I groaned in indecision! My mom looked at me and said, "Ashley, you cook all the time. Is this something you will seriously regret if you don't get it?" She shared a recent estate sale experience where she had almost bought something she really wanted, but decided against it. Only to have second thoughts, return and it was already sold.

That sealed it. I pulled back in the driveway, left everyone in the car, grabbed my checkbook and dashed to the kitchen. A man was slowly lifting the lids and peering in the various pots and pans. I reached across him, ripped off the price sticker and ran to the checkout. The cookware, which is the heaviest thing you can possibly imagine, was soon nestled in my trunk along with my other finds. I am one happy girl.



I later looked online at Williams-Sonoma and found that a 12 piece set - on sale - runs around $1200. SWEET! I got home, immediately washed everything and made myself some hot chocolate in the smallest saucepan.

A few years ago, Kyle and I stumbled upon the mother of all estate sales, thanks to the previous occupant of our house.

The house we live in now was previously occupied by a woman of more substantial means than us po'folks. And she was a patron of the arts. As well as estate sales hosted by one particular company who tends to focus on wealthier clients. So one day we get this invitation (actually, the former resident received the invite) for a special preview party for this estate sale in an extremely ritzy part of town. The brochure noted that the former resident had been an avid art collector (an understatement - every square inch of this house was covered in art - floor to ceiling) and also had a bunch of vintage clothing. Kyle and I spent more money at this one estate sale than we've ever spent at an estate sale and came away feeling like robbers. We got so many amazing things - from my newly reupholstered chair, mirrors, Picasso prints, vintage gallery posters, old mirrors, a vintage wooden toybox...the list goes ON! We stocked up. And as I poked my nose in the "vintage clothing" room, I felt kind of out of my element. The women crammed in this room were serious vintage shoppers. They were discussing labels and eras and I tuned out. I have virtually no knowledge of vintage clothing, other than that I really like some stuff and really don't others.

I also typically don't fit into lots of the clothing I find at these things. Too tall, shoulders too broad, it's usually not worth messing with. But I spied this black coat just calling my name. Three quarter length sleeves, fur collar, swing coat...it was gorgeous. And just $45. It was meant to be.


I have never owned something I feel as elegant wearing. It's like something Jackio O would have owned. I figured it was probably really worth something back in the day, but never really did any checking.

Then, out of the blue, Kyle and I were watching Mad Men (a series about advertising in the 60's) and the show's characters were discussing how to market a shopping store on Fifth Avenue...the store was going to be competing with Sak's, Bonwit Teller.....and my ears perked up. Bonwit Teller? That's the label in my coat!

I ran to double check - yep! Bonwit Teller. I quickly googled it and discovered that it was a pretty highbrow shop in its day. And I own this incredible coat that I got for practically nothing! It's really the little things, you know? I was, and still am, SO pumped! So anyway, that's the story of my super cool vintage swing coat that may actually have real fur on it.

My mom called me this afternoon to let me know about a "can't miss" estate sale. This house contained more glassware than I have EVER seen in one place. This woman must have been either a compulsive shopper or a compulsive collector. Tons of milk glass, fiesta ware, carnival glass, and I can't even begin to identify the rest of it. This woman apparently had her attic filled to the top with her glassware collection. I could have spent a ton of money there, but was limited by space in my own house. And I'm not yet to the point of filling my own attic like this woman. But I did manage to walk away with some very cool items for $30! I was pumped!

Several colored Pyrex mixing bowls ($3 a piece), a lime green Pyrex serving dish ($2) and a yellow Pyrex square dish ($3), two teacups and saucers ($3 each) to add to my collection, a set of turquoise flour, sugar, coffee, tea containers (the whole set was $4!!), a Pyrex juice pitcher ($3), a glass pitcher and a yellow Hall flower pot ($1)!! What a find!