This is the dress that I made!

 

Some time ago, I got inspired to start using up the vintage fabric I've been hoarding (yes, I said it, hoarding) and so I whipped up this little shirt dress out of one of my favorite vintage sheets. I finished it up and put it on my store, but then I thought, I really should make some more of these, and proceeded to cut out three more. What I really wanted however, was to have pictures of it actually being worn, so I made a deal with my student workers (who are studying photography) that I would give it to one of them (whoever it fit) in exchange for "action shots" of them in the dress. And so they did. Em' absolutely loves vintage and it fits her perfectly, so she kindly took some pictures which I will now have when listing the other dresses I've made. I have another one made up for her (well almost) as a thank you present, and if my store, blog and FB page continue to gain momentum, which I'm hoping they will, I plan to list the next few for sale as soon as I get them all done up. 

Thank you Emily! I appreciate your help!

Dress before hemming and sleeve elastic

Wastebasket updo!

O.K. I know this is a silly little post, but I wanted to share. I know I've extolled the virtues of spray paint before, but I think I'm always mystified by the instant gratification it brings me.  I like to have some character when it comes to the items in my home, so when I found this wastebasket at an estate sale for $2.00 I grabbed it. Of course it had seen it's fair share of use (the interior bottom was pretty rusty). I washed it up and set to work giving it a fresh look.

In this case I used a bright shiny orange Rust-oleum ultra cover spray paint. I'd used it on the bird wall hangings already in my bathroom and it covered well. The results are below, what do you think? Aside from the tiny ding in the top, I think it has a nice long life ahead, and it fit perfect in my tiny, tiny box of a bathroom...Ah! Apartment living!

The orange and yellow vintage vibe is coming along just nicely! I hope to cover up the front of those brown cabinet doors soon too! Stay tuned. 

 

It's ALWAYS Thrifty Time!!

Wow! I've gotten so behind in my blogging, but I haven't gotten behind in thrift adventures that's for sure. I wanted to share some of the fun things I've found recently. Most have been for use in my apartment, but a few will be heading to my Etsy store. I've spent some time recently reigning that all in, to see what available inventory I have yet to list.

This amazing clock is for me. I think I may actually spray paint it this spring into a nice solid yellow, but the detail is amazing. Flowers and butterflies. The clockworks and face itself have seen better days, so I've taken that out, and will be inserting a mirror. I plan to put it on the wall over my TV.

The Libby daisy drinking glasses are a new addition to my kitchen cupboard. There were only three yellow, and one orange/red, but I don't care. They are awesome!

Um...well I didn't really stick to my "don't buy anymore fabric" goal for the New Year (notice I didn't call it a resolution), but when I see this yellow sheet while I'm out, I have to grab it. It sells well, and I have plans to make a summer quilt out of it. The napkins I hope to incorporate into some up cycled place mats, and the suiting I will be incorporating into some scrappy scarves.

VERA, VERA, VERA. Never leave a Vera Neumann behind, no matter what! This one is pristine and might I add beautiful! It's destined for the store.

Last but not least, a white, crochet, Christopher Banks sweater, in my size, and pristine.

The necklace is on it's way to my friend Karla of PinkDotties fame. I'm sure she'll like it.

So what have you found thrifting lately? I can't wait to get full on into listing again. There isn't much room left on the shelf to show much more off. LOL! Happy Thrift Adventures everyone!

Just a little bit of store fodder for your viewing pleasure.

"Chalk" Thrifty to Me!

I'm a notoriously thrifty. I'm someone who could easily boarder on the edge of hoarding if I'm not careful to keep it in check. The projects I take on can sometimes be grandiose or super simple, and yet once I start they somehow all always get finished.

This is my recently finished projects. An upcycled chalkboard. I don't know why I didn't think to take a picture of it the way I found it, but I've noticed I seem to forget to do that. I just get something, make it something new, and then voila it's done. My bad! 

Lately I've had a string of "found objects" coming to me in the form of trash at work. Many of our labs and classrooms have been under construction, and almost daily there's been awesomeness to be reclaimed. I'd been thinking about doing a piece of collage art for a few weeks, and was going to buy a canvas. This frame with masonite inside, was on the floor and already primed. I'd walked by it three times before picking it up, and then finally did.

Of course by doing so I had to endure a number of comments like "Now what are you going to do with that?" I tend to get a lot of eye rolling, which I never mind. The comments of amazement make up for it afterwards. LOL! Come on, can't they see the potential??

Needless to say from the picturs that it did not become collage art as first intended. It really needed to be a chalkboard message center instead, for my very tiny apartment. We were in need of something behind the entrance door.

I got it home, took it apart, and applied a few coats of spray paint left over from my table and chairs, to the frame, and chalkboard paint to the masonite. When it was all back together I decorated the frame with inspirational rub on transfers. Super easy! From there is just needed some twill tape to hang and there you have it, an awesome new chalkboard. I even managed to find some chalk and an eraser while cleaning out retired faculty members office. We don't have chalkboards in our classrooms any more, so I saved that from the garbage too.

Isn't it amazing when a project just comes together? What kind of thriftiness did you get up to lately?

A Thrifted Home

Vintage Salem Biscayne Teapot

&

Japanese Blue Bird Figurine 

About a year ago now, I moved into an apartment in a row of townhouses. The amazing thing about this town house was the fact that it was an east facing apartment with a big empty lawn behind it, and there were no stairs to climb to enter into it. It was just one step off the sidewalk level with the parking lot. Nice! The price was reasonable too. The only major issue it had, was that it was WHITE. Everything is white, and that flat white paint to boot. I've had apartment's like this before, where you can paint but have to put it back before you move out, but I'm just not into that this time. The challenge has been, how to decorate around all the white.

We could put all the shelves up we wanted. That was a BIG Help. I wanted to share some of my thrifted items today, that are helping to add color and character to the big box of white.

 Garage Sale Gardening books 

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Italian Thrifted Ceramic Treasure Box

 Absinthe Art Print in Thrifted Frame,

Ben Sibel Thrifted Blue Rose Plate

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a Spray Painted Thrift Store Owl Trivet

 Flea Market Ceramic Owl

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Thrift Store Glass Vases

Discounted Damage Mike Ming Art work purchased from the 1975 Gallery in thrift store poster frame, Vintage VW Bus Emblem (spray painted teal), thrifted kissing angels, planter, and vintage red glass vase. The black aluminum horse was something my grandfather made.  

Vintage floral shower curtain, thrifted art in thrifted frame 

& spray painted thrifted birds.

I will state here that I know it's not normal to blog about ones restroom, but this room needed a lot of help when it came to color, so I tried to be tasteful about the image. The comment most have had upon entering this room is "wow, there's a lot of orange!" Well yes, there is. It all started with the shower curtain that we were going to reclaim. It just seemed to work. I've tried to incorporate as much of what we already had as possible. The artwork I
re-framed, and the birds, which there are now seven of hanging in the room I spray painted. They certainly do pop. Add some yellow and orange hand towels and the room just comes together.  

Vintage McCoy cookie jar & new coffee cup (which now has a plant in it)

HAVE A HAPPY DAY! Hope it involves some thrifting adventures! How have you used thifted treasures to make your home cozy?

Uber Thrifting

July has been an extremely busy thrift shopping month for me. I've shopped so much I don't even have pictures for all of the items I've brought home in the last 30 day. Some of it I still haven't taken out of the bags yet. It's also safe to say because of this excess thrifting I haven't done much listing, so I'm ashamed to say I feel like I'm starting to feel like it's being neglected. I'm hoping, starting tonight to turn over a new leaf and get a few things up and listed. Fingers crossed.

My favorite find this month is my first piece of Catherine Holm. I was wandering the kitchenware section at St. Leo's thrift store in Hilton, and happen to look down at just the right moment. It was nested snuggly inside a number of other glass baking pans. My heart skipped a beat for sure! I won't be parting with this one, that's for sure. I also found a teal blue pyrex baking dish at an estate sale which I'll be hanging onto for my own kitchen.

This little vase, was a happy find. It's the second I've found while thrifting. The first was the same tree with an owl as seen below. He sold some time ago. When I found this one with the adorable little dear I just knew I had to snatch it up for the store. He's just so sweet!

Owl Vase

Two more vintage paint by numbers.



Vera Neuman is a fun find on occassion. The calendar above was taped to a crib side, in the linen aisle of St. Leo's thrift shop. Almost missed it.

At the same place there was this vintage Vera Scarf. It's odd because I've never seen one that doesn't have a crazy pattern. This one is so simple it may have been missed if not for the tag saying it was.

I love these two hand painted cutting boards. They are beautiful! They are definately Russian because of the tag, but I have no idea what it says. Does anyone speak Russian??

I found this little cutie while in Vermont. I just love the cook books from the 1960 and 1970's. They have so much character, and wonderful imagery. The recipes are pretty fun too!

Who could resist leaving these little Norcrest Bunnies behind? I think they will make someone a nice addition to their shelf, and they are in amazing condition.

 Norcrest right across the backside!



And last, but not least, more owl trivets. I love the shape of these little guys and they hang wonderfully on the wall, but I'm not in love with the black. I've got one on my wall already that's been spray painted, so I think these little ones will have the same treatment applied.

Well there's only about 1/3 of my July thrifting finds. It's been an amazing month. Now it's time to start focusing on the listing and think about the potential holiday sales.

What did you find thrifting? I'd love to see!

The Art of Thrift for Thrifty Art

I'm a firm believer that everything I need, and desire will come to me in it's time exactly when it should, so I'm usually pretty patient when it comes to things entering my life. Everything I've ever needed has somehow come. I'm in no rush usually, and I almost prefer it have some dust on it. I'm certainly not the kind of girl who has to have everything sparkle. If I find something that speaks to me in my travels, but it needs a little TLC, I'm never afraid to take it home with me, and provide it the care it so desperately deserves. I enjoy what I call, "My misfits". 

That's what's happened in the case of this piece of art pictured above. I found this beautiful watercolor (lovingly inscribed from a student to his teacher on the back) about six years ago at some thrift store or another.

It was framed, but really cheaply, so I brought it home and removed the artwork. It then sat on a shelf for almost two more years. Yes, it took that long for it to come together. It was at that point I was perusing the clearance shelf at Joann Etc. and found a 16 x 20" white matte clearanced for $4.00. SOLD!! I came home and attached the artwork to the matte. There again, it sat in the same place on the shelf, looking moderatly more appealing.

Well yesterday while at work, almost a year later, I wandered down a hallway, and there in a garbage can across from a lab being renovated, is a very expensive black frame! Now I've been on the search for a frame like this at every thrift and garage sale I've gone to and could find nothing black this size and quality, but there it was, in the garbage! It was missing a screw and the glass, but I didn't let that deter me. I had spare screws at home, and the plexiglass I could cut myself when i got around to it. It was the exact size I needed, 16 x 20", and just a little sad with a few knicked edges. It all came together with a new screw in the frame, and some black sharpie therapy on the knicks. It looks amazing!

Once it was hung, VOILA, thrifted art that looks amazing for less than $6.00. It should do very nicely until I find a Renoir at some random estate sale. (Laugh) Well, you never know, right?

HAPPY THRIFTING!

I have got to start buying more thrifted clothing!!

Um, o.k. We all hear those stories about people who find Picasso's at estates sales and we all hope, the thrifters that we are, that we one day walk into a thrift store and find that million dollar item. Well this lady although, it's not as much as a million dollars had a very good day when she got home from the thrift store. I give her kudos for attempting to find the previous owner.

Taken from today's news: http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/diamond-bonus-bling-woman-gets-more-just-jeans-002636035--abc-news-topstories.html

"The old saying goes, "One man's trash is another man's treasure." But after Deb Thompson's Monday trip to a Coon Rapids, Minn., Goodwill store, she's proving that's not always the case.

Thompson, 53, went to the store to pick up a pair of $3.99 jean capris her daughter suggested she might like because of all the "bling" on them. But when she returned home to try them on, she discovered way more "bling" than she had bargained for. There was a diamond ring in the right pocket.

"I took the ring out of my pocket and I sat on the floor with my daughter and her fiancé. I put my arm out in the center, and I opened it in my palm and we all just went, 'Wow. Oh my God," Thompson told ABC News. All Thompson could think to herself was, "Oh geez, somebody lost their ring. The husband or fiancé must be out there saying, 'You're not getting another one!'"

Now Thompson, of Hamlake, Minn., is working with Goodwill to try to find the ring's original owner. They posted Thompson's unusual "Lost and Found" story on their Facebook page in hopes the owner will see it, come forward and claim what's rightfully his or hers.

As of 3 p.m. Wednesday, she said Goodwill had received about seven emails from people claiming to be the owner, but there was nothing concrete. Thompson is leaving the background-checking up to Goodwill. She did, however, have a very specific way she'd like the scenario to end.

"This is how I see this whole story ending: Somebody comes forward, says they lost the ring, says they're insured and have the papers to prove it. That's how I'm hoping this ends. So far, it's not that way, but we'll see. Only time will tell," said Thompson.

When she first found the ring, Thompson contacted the local ABC affiliate in an attempt to find the owner. The affiliate covered her story and took her to a jeweler to have the ring appraised.

Not only was the diamond ring real, it was worth $6,500.

"They gave me an estimate on how much it was worth, and that was another 'whoa' moment. How long do I have until it's mine," she laughed. For now, it seems to be "finder's keepers." But Thompson ideally would like to see the ring safely returned to the right finger. "I need to find the owner, and I'd love to hear the story of how it got in there," Thompson told KSTP News."

If you have more information, Thompson urges you to visit the Goodwill Easter Seals Facebook page and send a message.

Geographical Thriftiness

I had a chance to list a few more items on the store tonight. Wow, productivity is back...lol. I've done what I call a little Geographical Listing. The little jar above I know I've posted before, but he finally made it to the store. He's a really fun vintage plum wine jar, complete with original cork stopper. His head become the little plum wine cup. How fun is that??

The Tiki Vase below is really fun. It reminds me of that episode of the Brady Bunch. Am I showing my age there? I found him at an estate sale. He's a wooden carved vase, measuring about 7" tall. I'm not sure if he really is a vase, but he's a container of some kind. Honestly I would put my knitting needles in him on display.

What would you do with this guy?

WHOO Wants to See Some Amazing Owl stuff??

I've had good luck lately finding some really fun, thrifty owl items while out perusing the thrift stores and I've just had a chance to take the pictures so I can get them on the store. Slowly but surely they will all make it there.

These little owls are salt and pepper shakers. Aren't they sweet? I just love how coy she's playing with her little beau.

Even with their heads off they are still adorable!

This one is super fun! I have been fighting with myself about keeping it, as I have a personal collection of paste paper banks, but if I kept everything I bought for the store I'd be out of living space. These two retro owls are settled comfortably on a log and are just banking on you filling it up with your spare coins.  

I love how the log is even prounounced on the back of the bank too! It's really well made.

I remember these from when I was a kid. These stands were made to hold earrings, hence all the little holes all over it. I don't remember seeing an owl one when I was young, but this was too sweet to leave in the store. These two little guys are happily perched on a tree just waiting to keep your earrings neatly displayed for you, or maybe just be a decoration on a bookshelf. 

 

Oh how much I adore these little guys! How wise they would look holding up books on a bookshelf. They are made in Japan, and are in incredible shape. One little guy has a nick out of his ear, but somehow it really doesn't take away from how precious they are. Who wouldn't feel smarter having these precious little guys guarding their books?



What have you found fun at the thrift stores lately?