a huge thrifting score {that I'm still swooning over}

Every spring and fall in East Texas, this magical thrifting goodness called the CCC sale happens:

The sale is four days of shopping in a convention center full to the brim of children's clothing and toys, with a little furniture and maternity clothing thrown in for good measure. :) It's kind of like going to Goodwill with only the better stuff to choose from {most of the time, anyway!}.

When Abbie scored free preview passes to this year's spring sale and texted me to see if I wanted to go, I think I responded with "Oh, yes" followed by multiple exclamation points. {I sometimes wonder if I speak in exclamatory sentences as much as I write in them. :) Had she called me, I know I would have this time!}

You know I brought my shopping cart along for this one. :)

In case you ever wondered, this is what the cart of two die-hard thrifters with 10 children between them looks like after 1.5 hours of thrifting:

Don't worry, we didn't keep all of it. ;) We always follow thrifting tip #5 I shared in my thrifting series: if in doubt, grab it anyway. {note: this is directly in oppostion to the rules of shopping at Target: "if in doubt, keep it out..."} :P

We went through our cart before the night ended and sorted that mountain down to our favorite items.
Here were a few of my winners:

1. Two matching Gymboree dresses, $7, and $10. These were from different people, but by some random chance, I found both of them in the girls' sizes. It was probably more than I would normally pay, but these were too adorable to pass up. :)

2. A fun Old Navy rugby stripe top, I think it was $3, but I can't remember for sure now. It was cheaper than GW, anyway! :)

AND my favorite find of the whole night?

3. This Ballard Designs banker's chair for....

$30!!! 

It wasn't exactly a Goodwill price, but we had been shopping for an office chair like this one and I knew at Pottery Barn they run $400! :D

This one was marked Pottery Barn by the owner on the tag, but when we were loading it in the car, I noticed it said Ballard Designs {which is usually more expensive than PB, so it was a good thing!}. :)

I also found a couple of other items I might get to show you later if I can get around to wearing them, and I have a few bargains to pass on to you guys of higher-end clothing that I found too {so keep an eye out!}.

Have you had any luck with big sales like this one? What did you think?

I've heard ours is very good! :)

Where do you like to find your desk chairs? 

My previous best score was $8 from GW, but it was one of those nasty but comfortable antique chairs that broke after a couple of years. We've had to buy a couple of new ones recently because Craigslist prices have been pretty outrageous these days. 

Do you own your own shopping cart too? {heheh!}

I found mine at Goodwill for $5! :)