Bazaar-o-Rama


It’s hard to believe that Bazaar-o-Rama has come to an end. Why, it seems like only four weeks ago that I set out on my month-long journey to discover the bazaar world around me. And what a time it's been! I got to explore different areas of my city, bought some date squares (among other things) and even made a few friends along the way.

I hope I've encouraged some of you to check out your local bazaars. They really are a great way to spend a Saturday morning.

Here are some of my bazaar buys.


Shot Glasses
Most bazaars have a table where people sell their junk treasures. It's called a "White Elephant Table." Why? I don't know, although I've dealt with a few pink elephants in my day. I bought these shot glasses for $1. Do I need them? No.


Beaded Doll Thingie
This was only $1 and came with a handmade box made out of magazine pages. But my box has mussels and scallops on it which doesn’t really say “Happy Holidays.”

Dish Cloth
These handmade crochet cloths are the best things ever. Just don’t wash your knives with them. I paid $2.50 for this.


Turkey Pies
I don’t mind buying things you have to cook because heat kills cooties. These turkey pies were delicious. They were $3.50 each.

Tea Cosy
I don’t drink tea, but I bought this because the senior woman selling them was a helluva good saleswoman. It was $25. She custom-makes them and told me she’ll call when mine is ready. "We can meet for a coffee," she said. I think this is a date.


Silver heels
No bazaar is complete without an assortment of silver heels. Sadly, none were my size.


Santa statue
I had to hide this in the garage. Mainly because I live with someone who sees a spoon on the kitchen counter and screams, "I CAN'T DEAL WITH THIS CLUTTER!"

Knitted Slippers
I think these slippers were specifically made for people with one foot two sizes bigger than the other. These cost $3.50. If you ever see me in public wearing them, please call for help.


Paperback
I guess if you think these types of books are "hystory novels," you tend to spell history that way. I paid 25 cents for this.

Speaking of paperbacks...
My sister was at a bazaar this weekend and found my book. How do you like them apples? I'd signed it for someone with the caption "Here's to small towns." I have no recollection of this. The name of the person I signed it to has White Out over it. Was this to protect their privacy or to disassociate themselves from a book about a fat kid with talking nipples? Anyway, it's a career-high as far as I'm concerned. You haven't hit it big until you're in a bazaar. My sister paid 50 cents for this. I thought that was a fair price.


Aluminum plate
I bought this because pine cones are all the rage right now, according to The Pine Cone Times. It was $1.

Country Woman Christmas magazine
We're all country women at heart. Especially around the holidays. Has anyone seen my hairspray? This was a quarter.


Perogies
I got these at a Ukrainian bazaar. I thought $10 was a little dear, but I'll likely hear from my Ukrainian uncle about how much work goes into making these. The perogies were good, by the way. But $10 good? Meh.


Coffee and muffin
I bought this raisin bran muffin and coffee to see if church coffee has improved over the years. It hasn't. And my muffin didn't have any raisins in it. The only thing more depressing than a raisinless bran muffin is....well, there's nothing more depressing. I paid $1.50.


Pot scourer
When I saw this homemade pot scourer came with a free poem, I had to snatch it up. It cost $1.25. Good poetry doesn't come cheaper than this. I hope it do clean my pots good.

I'm a pot scourer, watch me scrub
If I get dirty, Pop me in the "TUB"
Also you can bleach me, 
And I come out clean as new
If you don't want me
Give me to someone who "DO"



Saskatoon Berry Jam
I bought this because Saskatoon berries remind me of my dad and I miss him. I paid $2.

Rice Krispies Balls
I bought these before realizing that some unknown stranger had rolled these balls in their bare hands. That's a little too much skin contact for me. I'll give them to the dog. I paid 50 cents.

Date Squares
It'd be criminal to spend an entire month bazaaring and not pick up the holiest of bazaar baking. These were $3. A little dear, but tasty nonetheless.

Manual Typewriter
I found this at St. Margaret's Anglican Church bazaar. It was the final stop of my Bazaar-o-Rama journey, so I took it as a "thumbs up" from St. Margaret herself. The older woman selling it was wearing funky red eyeglasses and people in funky glasses always know their stuff. So when she asked me to make an offer, I said $10. (If she didn't have funky glasses, I would've offered a toonie.) She hemmed and hawed but sold it to me for that price. I think we both walked away happy.

24 comments:

  1. I love this and will be checking in often.
    Turkey pies and a date? Win!

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    1. If only I had a pair of silver pumps to wear on that date...

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  2. Holy Cow! $25 for the tea cozy - I'm in the wrong line of work. Maybe I really do need to start selling my Angry Bird crochet hats....

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    1. You and me both. I need to get back to making rolled-up beeswax candles. I'm sitting on a frigging goldmine here.

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  3. That kind of cozy takes a lot of skill and effort. As a knitter, I would say that $25 is a fair price for such an elaborate cozy.

    You did overpay for that knit (not crochet) dishcloth, though. :-)

    That Santa creeps me out!

    Nice bazaar haul.

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    1. Thanks for the feedback, Laura. You win some and you lose some when it comes to bazaars, I guess. The Santa is a little creepy, but it seems only fitting, considering he's a man in a red suit who breaks into people's houses.

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  4. Good to see that the Bazaar translates the same in Canada as here in the US. Growing up, the Lutheran Church my family attended had one every year complete with random baked good trays that looked surprisingly similar. We also had our own assortment of beaded...things. My Grandmother would make boxes full of these mice wearing choir robes and holding a little folder to sell at the Bazaar as well as hardanger ornaments and sun catchers.

    One year she even bought my Mom this huge wicker like tree that was covered in bows, birds, and maybe rafia. It was as hideous as it sounds and my Mom kept it in our dining room for YEARS before admitting to us that she didn't like it and taking it out to the curb where it belonged. Even with my own mil, I still can't understand why she kept it.

    Still, it's good for a laugh. Long live the Bazaar! (Just don't be me anything there, lol)

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    1. Mamarby, I think you need to pick up where your grandmother left off. It's time to bring back the mice in choir robes holding a folder.

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  5. Holy Hannah! I want that ruddy faced Santa.

    I am now on a mission to find a Christmas Bazaar here in London. I haven't bought a copy of my local paper since I moved to Muswell Hill two and a half years ago. It is time...

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    1. Lya, I hope you find one. Let me know if you do.

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  6. I was born for the church bazaar. You drive and I'll get out the map.

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    1. I'll meet you outside the Tim Horton's tomorrow morning. I'll be the one in a visor.

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  7. The slippers! That pattern is going strong still, I see.

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  8. How do you find these sales? Is there a phone tree you're on that I don't know about?

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    1. I check out my local paper. They usually list the bazaars in the week's event calendar. And I'll usually pass other ones on my route. Just keep an eye out for the neon bristol boards and balloons. FYI: next weekend is going to be HUGE. Bazaars o' plenty.

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  9. I went to a bazaar this weekend at the Thunder Bay Christian School. I bought a dozen dutch croquetten for $24. Good deal for this ethnic treat. As for your dish cloth, you got a good deal as the yarn to make it is probably around $2.

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    1. Thanks for the feedback, Christina. I'd like to check out the Thunder Bay bazaars some time. I need a private bazaar jet.

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  10. The creepy Santa is FANTABULOUS! I'm totally jealous!

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  11. Brian! I found a Bazaar here in the UK - full report today on my blog!

    http://www.silverscreensuppers.com/elizabeth-taylor/elizabeth-taylors-chicken-steamed-in-wine

    I'm planning to find another next week, you have inspired me.

    No pan scourers yet...

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    1. That's great! I had to laugh at the cupcakes. I saw marshmallows and red piping and some kind of log sticking out them. I can only imagine what flavour they were! Let me know if you come across any pot scourers. I used mine tonight and it worked like a charm.

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  12. It's over? No more bazaars for you? Nooooooooooooooooooo! I can't believe it! And mine has only just got underway...

    http://www.silverscreensuppers.com/gina-lollobrigida/recipe-of-the-month-gina-lollobrigidas-wreath-cookies

    Jx

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    1. I loved your post. And any bazaar ad with the words "bric-a-brac" is a winner in my books.

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