BLACK FRIDAY?????

MERCURY GLASS TREES

I don't know that the retail stores considered it a "Black Friday", but the American Shopper definitely had a good weekend with bargains abounding. However, you do not have to get up at 4 a.m. and fight the crowds to find a bargain.

One of my finds of the year are these Mercury Glass Trees. For two years I have looked longingly at two mercury glass trees in the catalog of a trendy home decorating company. Their mercury trees sale for $29.00 (small tree) and $39.00 (large tree). I refuse to pay that much for items used once a year and despite my best efforts, I never found them on the 1/2 rack on Dec. 26th. So, once again, I received their 2007 catalog and tried to justify buying them yet again. While making my weekly Target run, I make a quick trip down the home decor aisle. Imagine my delight in seeing a mercury glass tree!! I knew the price had to be lower than $29.00, but imagine my surprise to see a price tag of $9.99! Needless to say, I snatched it up. Now you have to love Mercury Glass to appreciate this bargain. My sister shakes her head at my Mercury Glass collection as she does not understand the "shabby chic" look. However, I love Mercury Glass "anything" but cannot justify the high prices. Anything under $10.00 I can and will do! So, I left Target with visions of a Mercury Glass table scape for Christmas.

Several days later, I was in Wal-Mart and decided to check their Christmas Department. The aisles are divided by color and when I reach the end with silver items, there they were - 3 sizes of Mercury Glass Trees! Having memorized the size of the tree in the popular catalog I use as my home trend research guide, I selected the one most like theirs and looked for the price. I could not believe it was only $6.96! You have to love Wal-Mart. Granted, it took a while for the discount stores to catch up, but if you have patience, you can find a bargain.

In the "trendy home catalog", the small tree ($29.00) is on a pedestal. I placed my small tree from Target on a mercury glass pedestal candle base that I already own and you cannot tell that I did not buy it for the pricey home decor store. I will post pictures when I get my Christmas decorating done!

Happy Shopping!!