beaglebabes, Goodwill is all we have here, too. One time several years ago, I found about six or eight Hallmark ornaments, still in their boxes for a pretty good price. But, usually nothing there.

Linda

Salvation Army
Goodwill
Numerous church run independents
Any consignment shops


Larger cities here also have
Red racks/DAV
St Vincent DePaul
Thriftsaver

Yesterday I visited two Goodwill stores, a Red Rack (DAV) store, a store that supports one of the local missions, a Salvation Army store, and a local thrift store. I found something to buy at each one, and I really got some good deals at the local thrift store. I can't figure out from my receipt if I got charged twice for one of the bags of ornaments but if I paid $3.98 instead of just $1.99 I still did OK. I'll post my list later - I'm finishing up decorating my tree for today.

We have large and small thrift stores here. I primarily go to Value Village and Goodwill, but we have a good sized one run by the Assistance League, and a smaller one run by Hospice. We also have a Salvation Army.

Lisa

I've had rotten luck at Goodwill and Salvation Army so rarely ever stop at those stores anymore. The church-run and charity thrift stores seem to carry more of what I'm looking for. The hospital charity resale shop is the one that is very expensive. I'll find a lot of Hallmark there but don't buy much of it due to most of it being over priced. They must have wealthy donors because there is a lot of high-end stuff in that shop (like Hermes scarves and Havilland china etc). It's fun to look at (and learn what to look for elsewhere) but I can't afford $350 for a scarf.

It's primarily goodwill and Salvation Army around here for me. In my area salvation army's prices have been reasonable, but a couple years ago goodwills prices were somewhat questionable. The hallmarks were higher priced, some even had the same prices as hooked on hallmark. Luckily this did not work for them and they went back to lower prices. There is also a large antique mall I go to sometimes throughout the year that has some sellers with reasonably priced hallmark ornaments.

As an addendum to my previous post, I want to clarify that I don't find hooked on hallmarks prices bad or unreasonable (they are pretty good in my opinion), but I did find it bad for goodwill to be using them considering they were not taking any consideration for box and/or ornament condition. Plus, I, like many on this board, go to thrift shops for the deals. Overall though thrift shops have been great for me. I started collecting in 2002/2003 and I would not have as many ornaments from or even have seen as many ornaments from before this) if I had not found the thrift shops.

Same here.

I generally have bad luck with Goodwill and Salvation Army stores, too. But there is always an exception to the rule. A few years ago when checking out a Goodwill Store, I came across the 1974 Merry Miniature Bunny. Well worth the many stops when I came out empty handed. Still, it does take a lot of effort to go to them knowing that it is more than likely a waste of time. I don't got there nearly as much as I do some of the local thrift stores. Matter of fact I rarely go to the Salvation Army Store...maybe once a year if that.

Sue
Pasadena, Maryland

Forgot about this one from last week:

1982 Patterns of Christmas glass ball ornament no box 50 cents
http://www.hookedonhallmark.com/1982-Patterns-Of-Christmas--NB_p_638.html

It really has that late 70's early 80's vibe to it. The wrapper doesn't have Hallmark on it anywhere, or a year, but the cap is stamped Hallmark. I was hoping somebody didn't just change the cap, so was happy to find it on Nicki's site.

Sue, been through that a few times myself. I do empathize. If I recall correctly, that ornament is the most valuable of the collection, which really surprised me!

http://www.hookedonhallmark.com/search.a...mp;sn=160462956

Diana, I've been eyeing that 1982 Patterns of Christmas ball ornament for a few years now. You finding it gives me hope!

Tonight I found the 1993 Chris Mouse ornament for $2.50. http://www.hookedonhallmark.com/1993-Chris-Mouse-9--SDB_p_12298.html I already the entire series, though it's taken me a couple of years to gather them all in one place. I decided to get it on the off chance I might be missing a part.

Also found the 1991 Chris Mouse last week, no box, missing it's pig tail, but I have extras...somewhere... http://www.hookedonhallmark.com/1991-Chris-Mouse-7_p_2343.html

I slowing down now. Trying to get ready for Christmas, but do stop by the stores if I'm in the neighborhood.

Tonight, I picked up two more ornaments...

1984 Love, boxed, 99 cents http://www.hookedonhallmark.com/1984-Love--SDB_p_897.html

2009 Winter's Wonders, Marjolein Bastin, boxed, $1.99 http://www.hookedonhallmark.com/2009-Winters-Wonders_p_30638.html

Also found C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia, The Complete Collection on 7 cassette tapes.

Lisa

Lisa, nice finds with the two Chris Mouse ones and the M.Bastin one is beautiful.

Sue
Pasadena, Maryland

Thanks Sue.

Well, I did something very stupid tonight. I'm working on my vintage Hallmark themed tree and tabletop displays, and returned to Goodwill to purchase some tea light holders I now needed that I'd seen earlier in the day.

Looked over everything and found a few additional things including what appeared to be a vintage Hallmark rocking horse ornament in a bag of junky ornaments and of course a broken glass ball ornament, something Goodwill does on a regular basis.

Got to the register. Opened the bag to retrieve the Hallmark and donate the rest, then saw the price, $5.99 for the bag, but it was 75% off. [Irritated for a second time.] At that point, I decided it couldn't be a Hallmark because there was no year on it, so I left it.

On the way home, I reflected on it's quality and the possibility I was wrong, and that it really could be one of the earlier Hallmark ornaments. Walked directly to my computer, and typed "rocking horse" into Nicki's website, and sure enough, it is a Hallmark, from 1975 or 1976, valued at $55, mint in box.

Immediately drove back to the store. The cashier was still there. Got in line, and out of three cashiers, I got her a second time. She remembered the ornament but had already taken it to the back for repricing, and, though not particularly happy with me, understandably, she went into the back, and a few minutes later, reappeared with ornament in hand. I explained I'd been looking for the ornament for five years and thanked her, to which she replied, "Well, then why didn't you buy it the first time you were here?" I explained that I thought it should have the year on it, but I was wrong, and thanked her again for a fun find.

Here it is...I'm a grateful and happy girl...

1975/1976 Rocking Horse, $2, no box http://www.hookedonhallmark.com/1975-Rocking-Horse-_p_84.html

Lisa

Lisa, that's funny!

Enjoyed your story. Thank you for sharing.

Thanks!

I stopped by Value Village on the way home from the Hallmark store last night, and Christmas is gone. Not a sign of it in the store...[sigh]. But what a lot of fun it's been!

Here's two of my last finds for the year...

1987 Lacy Brass Snowflake $1, in box - (wouldn't this be pretty displayed with this year's Joy to the World ornament?) http://www.hookedonhallmark.com/1987-Lacy-Brass-Snowflake-_p_29740.html

1993 Feliz Navadid, 50 cents, in box - (it's a Donna Lee; I'm going to start looking for these ornaments next year; they're so bright and colorful!) http://www.hookedonhallmark.com/1993-Feliz-Navidad_p_3011.html

Lisa

Didn't think there would be any Christmas left (the store I visited went 50% off Christmas weeks ago) but lo and behold:

1/2 off from the ten cent bin (at only five cents it is the cheapest Hallmark ornament I've ever purchased) no box:
1987 Holiday Greetings
http://www.hookedonhallmark.com/1987-Holiday-Greetings_p_1416.html

1/2 off $4 no box:
2012 KOC membership ornament Who-o-o Doesn't Love Snow
http://www.hookedonhallmark.com/2012-Who-o-o-Doesnt-Love-Snow-CLUB_p_33924.html

1/2 off $5 in ok box:
2012 Countdown to Christmas
http://www.hookedonhallmark.com/2012-Countdown-to-Christmas--Music-Real-Countdown-Clock_p_34246.html

Hey, I like it better when they still put out a few things after Christmas rather than all year long. Gives me a break for having to check every week...but I guess we need to be on the lookout now for Valentine and St Patrick's Merry Miniatures? And then Easter?
Congrats on you recent finds, Diana...nice ones, too! Better get back to putting decorations away and clearing up the mess down the basement and upstairs, and gee downstairs! This is my year for cleaning!

Sue
Pasadena, Maryland

Sue- if you run out of things to clean feel free to stop by my house lol