Happy New Year! And What is a Bin Store? And What Do They Have For Dolls?

   Well happy new year! Let's hope this year is better and this horrible virus can be stamped out. I'm vaccinated and still wearing a mask and sanitizing my hands after touching anything in a public place.

  One thing I want to mention for this year: if you leave a comment saying you want someone, (me, or the general  public), to contact you about something, you have to leave some contact information. If you want me to contact you, I won't post your information. If you want just anyone to contact you, I will. But you have to leave a way to be contacted!

  Another thing, I'm wondering why I'm not getting many comments. Are the posts not interesting enough? I've seen comments on some pretty boring posts by other people, so that can't be it. Comment just to say hi, so I know I'm not just talking to myself. It gets depressing if it feels like nobody is reading. 

  You may have read me say a few times that Ken is obsessed with 'bin stores'. Bin stores are stores that get pallets full of stuff from various places, like Amazon (returns or overstocks), stores, (like Target clearance items), etc. The stuff is put in huge bins, in no particular order, and the price changes from day to day. For example, on the first day after the bins are restocked, everything is $6. The next day the store is open, everything is $4, or $3. The next day it's $2, and the next day everything is $1. Most of the stores we go to are only open three days a week, for $6, $3, and $1 days. There are even some stores that have 50 cent days. (Not days celebrating that guy. Everything costs 50 cents.) There are some things that are pulled out of the pallets and sold for higher, but still cheap, set prices. Sometimes the stores will get a load of clothing that they will sell for a set price per piece, but it's still pretty cheap. 

  The great appeal to Ken is, you never know what you're going to find. We got a cover for his outdoor grill for $1. Ivy loves clothes from Target, and there were huge bins of them for $2 each. My sister started going because we were finding some pretty great things sometimes. She recently got an Adrianna Papell dress worth over $300, for $7. I've gotten shoes for the girls, (Emma loves her white vinyl 60's style boots.), and Ken got a $160 pair of tennis shoes for $1! Anyway, the point of this post is, there are also doll and miniature related things to be found in the bins. Here are some of the finds I've made in the last year.

  There have been a bunch of paint by numbers kits for $1. The paints alone are worth it. But you also sometimes get a picture of what your painting will look like that would work in a 1/6 scale dollhouse as wall art.

I was so excited the day I found an actual Rement set for $1! I found the empty box and had to root around and find the contents elsewhere in the bin. But I found it!

There was this somewhat cheap looking 1/6 scale couch one day.

I got this pack of 4 mini potted plants for $1. They're about 8 or 9 inches tall.

 

I thought these little black boards could be useful for something. They would make good restaurant boards for a 1/6 scale diorama, or, without the legs, school slates for 18" dolls.

 

I found some little houses from one of these light strings on one trip. I thought they'd look cute in the window of a 1/6 scale dollhouse with a little button light inside. .

Then I found an entire set later on.

Ken found a tiny box he thought was sewing supplies. Wake up Ken! It's a dollhouse sized sewing machine!

Ken spots some great stuff for me sometimes. He found these two 1/6 scale folding chairs, in a pack together. Two for $1!

The black thing that looks like a hockey puck was in the box too, but I'm not sure it was supposed to be.

Another day we each spotted one of these articulated bodies! They aren't as nice as the ones I've bought online, but they were only $2 each!

Ken and I both found some of these dollhouse chairs. They were in boxes of two. 

I found these other wooden dollhouse things on different days.

The bed was from $1 day, but the fridge was on $3 day.

These little real flowers are nail decorations. But they are real flowers and I'll use them with my dollhouse somehow.

Another sewing machine?! Yes, but this one is 1/6 scale, and musical! For $1! 

The treadle moves as it plays.

This mouse pad will make a great rug.

As will these placemats. Six for $1.

This moss can be used for a lot of dollhouse things, in plant pots, in yards, etc.

One day I found a bag of Baby Annabell clothes. All for $1.

I don't have a Baby Annabell, but I'm sure they'll fit somebody.

More nail art stuff that may be useful somehow. These could be used in making mini Christmas ornaments. (I just thought of that!) These are leaves.

I don't like things made with yarn and plastic canvas, but this black plastic canvas might be used as something. There are several sheets.

 

I know these are some kind of electric related do dads, but...

... is anybody else seeing miniature spice jars?

This whole stack of sombreros were at a bin store one day. They're doll sized, but...

...they are attached to head bands! Whaaa?!

This bag of tiny, coloured styrofoam balls was probably out of some kind of set, but they'll make great doll sized gum balls or candy. 

 

I got hopping excited when I found this. 'Turntable'?!

It was a mini record player! But what was it for?

It's an air freshener for your car! The scent things are little 'records'. You clip the 'record player' to your vent, and when you turn the air conditioner or heat on, the record spins!

I'd show you the 'records', but I got two of these and put all the 'records' in one box, and I'm giving that one to Emma in her Christmas stocking. I don't do scented things. They bother my nose and give me a sore throat and/or headache.

This little chest was cute in itself.

But when I opened it I found it contained jewelry making supplies.

This lady appeared suddenly in a bin I'd already scoured. Someone rejected her from their bag.

Does anybody know what the little wooden thing is for?

These are paint markers.

I have also gotten Barbie sized clothes, water colours, paint brush sets, water colour paper, stretched canvases,  picture frames of various sizes, (including some that are the perfect size for movie lobby cards), sewing supplies for Ivy, cooking gadgets Ken couldn't resist, DVD players that plug in to the computer, (which is good because my current computer can't play discs.), photo albums for those new Polaroid type instant pictures the girls take, treats for my sister's dog, boxes of snacks like Lara Bars, squeezy fruit pouches, granola bars, and cookies, (which Ken and I keep in the car for Fun Days, in case we need something between meals.), cases of that icky coconut water Ken likes, Cadbury hot chocolate, a full size heavy duty plastic floor mat, wooden hangers, and loads of other things. Most of the stuff, except the cases of coconut water, were $1, (because Ken doesn't like to go on the higher priced days!).  So, I'm just saying. If you have a bin store near you, it's worth checking out.