Goodwill, Badwill, Questionable-will

by Katy on August 20, 2016 · 18 comments

My sister and her kids are in town, which for the Wolk-Stanley sisters means Goodwill adventure day!

Of course, there were the usual suspects such as the wooden shoes sold to gullible Dutch tourists. Apparently they’re not so cherished once they hit American soil, as they inhabit every single thrift store. Always.

Exhibit A:

Wooden shoe

Exhibit B:

wooden shoe 2

Exhibit C:

wooden shoe 3

Not to take a backseat are the inevitable targeted savings banks.

For College Cash:

college cash

For a Harley Fund:

Harley fund

Or simply for your next Get Rich Quick Scheme:

Get rich quick

But then I spied this “Master Piece” liquor dispenser. Notice anything odd?

liquor dispenser

How about now?

liquor dispenser close up

Perhaps you need a close up?

liquor dispenser closer up

How about an extreme close up? Mountain Dew anyone? šŸ˜‰

liquor dispenser closest up

Perfect for a fun selfie!

liquor dispenser selfie

Of course, I was able to snag a treasure, which was this adorable vintageĀ Catherine Holm Lotus Flower saucepan. Soon to be available at an eBay near you!

Catherine Holm saucepan

Oh, Goodwill, you never fail to provide!

Katy Wolk-Stanley

ā€œUse it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.ā€

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{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }

Mrs. Picky Pincher August 20, 2016 at 8:28 am

I’m totally guilty of buying those damn Dutch clogs! I did put them to use and did gardening in them. But there’s a reason we don’t wear wooden shoes anymore–galoshes are more comfortable!

I’ve always been meaning to check out my local Goodwills on a regular basis. šŸ™‚ I’m still fighting my old impulse-buying ways, so it can always be a little dangerous!

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Betty Winslow August 20, 2016 at 8:32 am

I love Goodwill, but am still learning not to buy things I like just because they’re cheap. LOL

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Sharon August 20, 2016 at 8:58 am

From my summer as a foreign exchange student in Limberg province of Belgium, I discovered that farmers actually still do wear wooden shoes. And blue smocks and red kerchiefs and caps, and own Belgian draft horses.

My host family bought me a pair. The ones you wear are unvarnished, because you clean them with sandpaper. And you use woodworking tools to adjust them to your own feet. I still have my pair in a storage bin in the basement.

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Ruby August 20, 2016 at 9:03 am

I think a pair of real wooden shoes crafted to fit one’s feet would be far more comfortable than those old wooden-soled Dr. Scholl’s sandals everybody wore for a while in the 1970s. So loud! So painful! šŸ˜€

I’m not thrifting this week because I usually buy clothes or housewares to use, and we’re well-stocked on both. Since taking a desk job six months ago, I’ve gained a few pounds and am doing the frugal thing and losing that weight instead of buying new slacks.

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Emily H August 20, 2016 at 10:36 am

The liquor dispenser is modeled off of Mannequin Pis, a statue of a little boy that “pees” in Belgium- the original is a fountain.

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Katy August 20, 2016 at 11:33 am

Yes, but does he urinate beverages?

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benn August 20, 2016 at 12:33 pm

hahaha, i (still) have one of those. No idea where i got it but i have put it out before when i used to have parties. Was good for a laugh. Didn’t find out til years later what it was modeled from.

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kathleen August 20, 2016 at 2:46 pm

Don’t care for the liquor dispenser. Nor do I care for cow-shaped creamers where the cream comes out of the mouth, or chicken-shaped pitchers where the beverage comes out of the beak. I find even the suggestion of imbibing another creatures bodily fluids pretty revolting. And don’t even get me started on the candy dispensers where chocolate comes out of something’s butt! http://www.instructables.com/id/Pooping-Reindeer-Candy-Dispenser/

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Lilypad August 20, 2016 at 3:16 pm

My son had a pig that pooped out candy. My husband gave it to him!! (Grounds for divorce?? šŸ˜‰ ) I can’t believe Earth’s precious natural resources are being used to produce this stuff. The people in the factory overseas must think Americans are nuts!!

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Susanne g August 20, 2016 at 3:10 pm

Hilarious!

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Bethany August 20, 2016 at 4:16 pm

Katy, I love that pot! You always find such cute stuff! Do you have an eBay seller account people can follow?

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Marilyn August 20, 2016 at 5:33 pm

I love the saucepan too. What a great find.

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JD August 20, 2016 at 5:29 pm

My latest GW forays have been so dull! I’m relieved to see that they aren’t all that way although the liquor dispenser was a bit too much for me. What I see lately are Partylite, partial sets of old dishes, none valuable, and bread makers by the half dozen at a time. Did everyone quit making bread?

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Marcia August 20, 2016 at 5:43 pm

I didn’t quit making bread. In fact, I wouldn’t mind an extra machine on hand but have yet to find one that meets my specifications. And I’ve never seen wooden shoes in a thrift store around here.

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Michelle August 20, 2016 at 9:27 pm

I still make bread. Four to six loaves a week. I use three machines at a time, all purchased used from thrift stores. They usually work great. When they do give out, after several years, it’s easy to replace them for about $12. The part that usually gives out first is where the paddle fits into the bottom of the bread pan. Which is very annoying because then you have a still working electrical unit and no pan to bake in. I love thrift stores. There are about 6 in close driving distance that I try to visit several times a month.

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Isabelle August 21, 2016 at 3:58 am

I can’t even imagine wearing wood shoes, how uncomfortable it must be! Always thought those were just decorative.

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Janne August 21, 2016 at 12:33 pm

Katie,
That saucepan is a great find! It is Cathrineholm in the Lotus-series, by Norwegian designer Grethe Prytz-Kittelsen, and it looks to be in good condition, too. It should fetch a nice price on Ebay. A real collector’s item. You have a real eye for the good stuff.

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Barb @ 1SentenceDiary August 22, 2016 at 6:10 am

I’m trying to stay out of the thrift stores these days — working more on uncluttering at this point. We moved into this (larger) house 5 years ago, and somehow have managed to fill every nook and cranny with stuff. OK, that might be a bit of an exaggeration (my daughter always complains that ‘our living room is so bare!’), but still, the closets and shelves just seem a lot more full than they did when we moved in. I’m trying to rectify that, so I’m staying away from the thrift stores.

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