THE Find

Let me start by admitting wholeheartedly that my thrifting itch has gotten way out of control.  This is not to say it's a bad thing, but when sale prices at Target look WAY TOO CRAZY EXPENSIVE you know you've crossed over to the other side.

Oh but the other side? it's good.  It's filled with cheap dollar bin searching finding thrills, and all those empty handed trips are overwhelmingly made up for with the finds.

Today?  I may have found THE find.

This particular find was found at a nice large moving sale.  I'd seen an add in the local paper and figured any sale willing to spend money to advertise must have some goods, so we went.  When I go to sales I am mostly looking for things for the girls and other little ones in our lives.  Mint condition toys for gifts, good quality clothes and books.  I of course keep my eyes out for nice household items and vintage linens, but these seem harder to come by.  Oh but I'm getting away from myself.  Back to the dolls.

A wonderful friend gave Ainsley two of these dolls about a year and a half ago.  The dolls are the 8"
Madeline dolls, made by Eden.  These dolls were only in production for a few years in the mid 90s and were then discontinued.  Why?  I have no clue.  These dolls are adorable, SO well made and cute and a wonderful substitute for the more buxom barbie dolls.  I was delighted with this gift and Ainsley plays with those two dolls and the clothes and accessories endlessly.

So when I walked into this sale and saw all five dolls (the two we own plus three I never knew existed) lined up neatly with stands sitting a top a tupperware box of clothes and accessories I honed in.  I grabbed them immediately and searched for the seller to start negotiations.  The seller went to get her daughter whose dolls they were "um, $5 for the clothes and a buck a doll?"  I was all set with my $10 bill when the mom swooped in "oh no, you have to ask a bit more for those."  Shoot!  She knows what she has!  Keep cool Becky, keep cool. "Ok, um $3 a doll?  and $10 for the box?  I only have a $20 and I was hoping to get those felt boards too...could I get them all for $20?  "Sure! And we'll throw in the Madeline CD"  Thanks, amazing!  I'm so thrilled.

          
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The girl went on to talk about her dolls.  How she was so glad they were going to two new little girls.  I nodded and smiled, happy too, and handed the loot off to Ian to hide them in the car before Ainsley saw them.  Nothing like stocking up for Christmas in July!

But aside from the fact that these dolls are adorable and desirable to my girls and myself, they are really quite valuable.  I had never looked up the worth of these dolls when we first got the two, but my friend kept reiterating "these are NICE.  REALLY NICE.  Take good care of them!"  Turns out?  ONE of these dolls, not mint, not in the box, is worth just under $100.  We have the whole set of 5 and about 80% of the clothes and accessories that go with them.  Ian about pooped his pants when I told him.  He rushed out the door to go back and try and nab the last two dolls standing but of course they'd already found new homes.

Much to Ian's chagrin I reminded him that these dolls aren't for sale.  These dolls are for Christmas morning for my two girls, for hours upon hours of imaginative play and delight.  I simply cannot wait to see Ainsley's face, Louise's too.  Now to find a spot in our house safe from both the girls AND Ian. Ahh, I love a good find.