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Saturday, March 10, 2012

Thrifted.

Almost everything in our house was given to us, or came from a clearance shelf, thrift store, or garage sale.  When our kids were younger and my house was not yet fully "in order", I went out thrifting and to garage sales at least once a week.  Now I'm not finding I need that much time to escape the house be by myself.  Also, our house is sort of "set" now- I spent several years finding simple, useful pieces of things that would last a long time and now here I am.  I just don't need anything, so I don't need to go looking.

Now I just run to thrift stores when we need something specific, like new jeans, boots, etc. or new seasonal clothes.  So, not more than a three or four times a year, really.

But this morning I had the itch, and Grace and Patience came along.  Girls after their mother's heart, they love combing through a thrift store.  All of it.  Not just the kid stuff.  This is the key, people.  You have to enjoy the hunt.

We found some great things, and Grace got herself a new pair of golden ballet flats and a new sweater.  Patience found a new pair of pajamas.  The entire purchase was just over $30. 

Now this afternoon Jim and his parents took the kids out rollerskating.  I have the house to myself, my windows are open on an unseasonably warm day, and I spent the afternoon drinking french press, listening to a live performance of Don Giovanni from the Met on MPR, and blogging about what I found.

Here are my little finds.....

I found two sets of hug mugs and saucers and I will add here that I wanted these so badly about two years ago around the holidays but couldn't bring myself to buy them in the store.  It was meant to be.



I am always on the lookout for wooden trays and bowls- they're awesome for entertaining, along the lines of these.  I found this really great tray that will be perfect for bread, olives, nuts, or candles.  I was so jazzed to find it and it was only $2.99.



(Case-in-point: In the photograph above you will find a half price television, two clearance picture frames, a gifted vase, a flea market iron cobbler's tool, a thrift store cobbler's wooden shoe-thing, and all of this sitting on a free dresser.  Oh, that picture frame on the wall was free, too.)



I also found a super-warm twin-sized wool quilt.  Another thing I'd really been wanting to find somewhere- I was hoping to sort of change up my bedroom a bit and subdue the colors somewhat, without spending a lot or changing much.  This is why I finally finished this project- and I think this quilt really works in here.



It has a cool V-shaped pattern that I loved.

(OK- just for fun I'll mention...the round mirror was $20 from a flea market (even years later I remember the prices of things I got a good deal on.  They are like trophies.)  The prints you see in the reflection were free, the lamp was $8 new, the vase was thrifted, the bed, mattress and side table were all free, the bedding was clearance, so was that little brown pillow... the sheets are clearance too, but those are newer.  I just got them this winter at Target.  The IKEA tray...I paid full price for that.)



Lastly, I found a cute little belt, which, coincidentally, looked great with what I was already wearing.



It was a good day, and it's not over.

2 comments:

Danielle said...

That quilt is sooo pretty. And the hug mugs! Never seen any before but they're so cute! I'm inspired by your thrifting. I'm not good at it, mainly because I don't like shopping and when I need something I like to go get it and not keep looking over and over for something. But you've inspired me. :)

Megan said...

I don't like shopping at all! I love hunting for thrift-things, because that's more interesting to me. But any other kind of shopping, and I am in-and-out as fast as I can be. I hate walking around the mall, especially!

MK