Friday, November 19, 2010

You Can't Go Looking for One of Those, or Can You?

I was going through my Christmas Around the World Books looking for ideas for our holiday celebrations when I saw a German Pyramid or Christmas Windmill.  I had seen these before and suddenly I thought "If we ever want one of these we need to get it THIS year while the kids are still little enough to appreciate it."


A quick Google search confirmed my suspicion that these little whimsies are very pricey like $500-$600.  Then I found a made in China version on Etsy for about $40 and Moose and I decided to think on it.

This morning, I was out picking up some FREE furniture and decided to stop into a Salvation Army Thrift shop that I had never been in before to see if they had a Christmas Pyramid.  (Yeah Right.)

They did. 

It was missing the propellers and candle holders so I put it in my cart to think about it.  That is how I decide if I want something, I push it around in my cart and look at other things and then right before I checkout I go through everything and see if I still like it and/or the price.

Before I had a chance to decide a couple of employees saw it in my cart and remembered that there were more pieces to it, we searched and found the original box with 6 propellers and no candle holders.  But 6 propellers looked like enough to make it hobble around so I bought it for $4.99!
Here it is at home with the 6 propellers and one candle holder stick.  We are going to have to craft some pieces but I think this will be fun!  For $5 I don't feel one bit frivolous or extravagant.
Oh, and it is sitting on this awsome treadle Singer base table that was FREE.  I have always wanted one.

8 comments:

Afton said...

It's a Christmas miracle. That is the best thrift shop story ever. What a great, great find. I love those things and have just decided I will never own one because of the price. Maybe I'll check out Goodwill? (Yeah, right!)

Samurai Mom said...

The guy at the SA said that they actually get them more than you might think. This was at the Salvation Army Family store off of TV Hwy down by Home Depot and Big 5

I-Shüan said...

That's awesome! I love those. We have one of those kind of flimsy but still cool ones that you light the candle under and it spins.

And how great that you got it for $5!

Margo Mead said...

I love that treadle table. We had one of those, with a sewing machine, in our house when I was growing up. I even used it, because when our electric machine broke it was all I had. The treadling was kind of fun and it was easier to control the speed of your stitching.

Jenny said...

NO WAY! That is just providential! My Mother in Law has two of these...the kids love them!

Jenni said...

We have one. Brought home from Germany years and years ago by Dave's parents and we inherited it (along with a coocoo clock).
My parents have one too, I don't know if they brought it home from Germany or if they found it at an import shop someplace in Seattle...
I'm a little surprised you found one at a thrift store, but I guess there are people who don't appreciate them for how cool they are, or who get really tired of storing them...they ARE kinda big and fragile. (Mine is packed wrapped in the christmas tree skirt)

Amie said...

Wow, you got so lucky!!

Jocelyn Christensen said...

Hey, that rocks. And I have a similar story (although not nearly as cool.) We just sort of refurbished out basement, but not really) And on Friday I thought, you know, I want a Christmas tree down here. So I went to goodwill and although I've never found a Christmas tree there before, there WAS one there on Friday for $7.00!!! Makes it very homey down there now...tender mercies!