In which thrifting patience pays off

I mentioned yesterday that this weekend I finally thrifted an item for which I have been searching for five years. Are you curious what it is?

Blue ice skates! I do love to skate, but they're not for me (in fact, I haven't even looked at the size). I've been looking for a pair of these blue leather skates with the gray fur trim ever since this magazine came out back in 2006.

This was a special issue from back in the days of Country Home magazine, may it rest in peace. (sob!) One of the first few pages featured this image

and once I saw it, I was on the hunt! Several pair have come up for auction on eBay and I even bid on a few, but the prices always went over my limit because the shipping costs were always so high. I knew if i was patient I would come across a pair sooner or later. It took almost five years, but my patience paid off and I found not one, but TWO pair of these skates at an estate sale on Saturday! I literally squealed out loud when I found them in the basement and the other shoppers looked at me funny. I can't wait to decorate with them this winter.

I found some other goodies as well. There were three estate sales being held within blocks of one another, an extremely rare occurrence around here. In addition to the skates I bought some pretty china saucers (I have a project planned for these), a vintage plastic tree topper (wreath fodder), a pair of earrings and a packet of darling little woven flag picks. These were fun finds, but if I hadn't found anything other than those blue skates, I still would have been thrilled! Have you had an experience where thrifting patience paid off?