A Few of My Cool and Unusual Yard Sale Finds

With the very first West Alabama Trader's Market happening this weekend, I thought I'd take you on a tour of some of my yard sale finds from over the years.

We'll first start with my Harry Houdini action figure which I found in Birmingham for $ .50! It says on the packaging, "The world's handcuff king and prison breaker!" He comes complete with all the tools of the trade: a cloth straight jacket, two sets of plastic shackles, a plastic chair and rope. It's not old, autographed or hard to find but it's a dang Harry Houdini action figure, c'mon! His life and career is one of the many that I find fascinating.

Next we have these painted coffee cans. I spotted these on a lawn and my wife, with limited Spanish speaking skills, sealed the deal and we got all five cans for $2.50! I know they're just cans that I could've painted myself but these were used by a lady and her children for years in a Día de Muertos celebration in Birmingham. During the month of October they're on our front steps with candles in them and every other month of the year they reside in our home office above the entertainment center.

Then we have my framed 5x3 'Walk the Line' movie poster. We paid a smooth $5 for this PLUS a framed Three Stooges print my son displays in his room. In my years of combing yard sales I have learned a few things: 1.) After 12pm there is nothing left but baby clothes and VHS tapes and 2.) Buy every frame you can-no matter the picture. Go to any store and price a heavy wooden poster frame like this. You will not find two of them for $5 I can promise you that.

I had to include this one in my article even though I had nothing to do with it's purchase nor do I claim it. My father-in-law found this at a Northern Alabama yard sale and bought it for my wife. We have yet to figure out what it is or what it's used for but I stare at it nightly as its permanent home is on the bar overlooking our living room. I think this weird swan/fish creature is an incense burner but so far it's only been used as a paper weight.

Next we have a set of tin roosters. I think they're a cool, welcome addition to our kitchen even though they don't fit the coffee/wine theme.

Last but not least on the journey through our yard sale treasures is an old window frame. Larry, a friend of my wife's family and notorious yard saler found this for us, at our request, for just $15. It is now attached to the wall in our home office and each pane has been decorated with renderings of Luchador masks, another one of my many fascinations.

So maybe it's easy to tell that I'll be at the West Alabama Trader's Market this Saturday at the Killer Buzz Arena in the McFarland Mall Shopping Center. There will be over 30 vendors, and admission is free to shop around. Doors open at 7am. Click here to learn more.