Christmas in July!

You'd think that I'd have been satisfied with the trip to St. Michael's last Friday, when what did I spy in the area classifieds, but a yard sale the very next morning at 3 Chevy Chase Circle. What?! That's All Saints' Church, where I was married a number of years ago. All Saints has a thrift shop and they were putting on a yard sale. Had to check it out.

So daughter and I high tailed it over to the sale Saturday morning. As you might expect, there were women's clothes, household linens (nice ones), the ubiquitous baskets from years of floral arrangements, toys, and-- hold onto your Easter bonnets-- VINTAGE miniature Christmas decorations and assorted other dollhouse furniture and accessories. Multiple baggies full of them!Some decorations were MIP (mint in package for those who don't follow collectors' acronyms). Not everyone's cup of tea, but we found some little gems in there. I was salivating; they gave me a box to load everything in.

My favorite is the little bag of Santa's surprises circa 1950s. It took awhile to actually get the bag's opening loose, but what a thrill to find inside: wood and metal harmonica, metal clackety toy, plastic whistle, wooden yo-yo, play money, and plastic charms. Love those fab cat-eye glasses!When I first saw all this, my thought was, "lots of crafting potential." But, how can I break up Santa's surprise bag? Seems wrong after those mini toys being together for so many years! Plus, there are tiny candy canes, felt tree skirts, a tiny bottle brush tree with its own tiny tree skirt, mini stockings, tiny wooden snowmen, and more. I have a feeling that I have the makings of an elaborate Christmas shadowbox in my future.... And if that doesn't pan out, Emma actually has a large dollhouse that we got a few years ago at the Pink Cabbage (where else?)!

Last but not least, we found a couple of other worthies at the All Saints sale. We loved this vintage tin and really vintage deck of child's size playing cards called "Fauntleroy."

What great graphics these cards have! Look at the back with the picture of "The Earl." The deck's missing just one card-a joker! It's finds like these that are so unexpected and fun. Another great time on the yard sale circuit!