Birch in the Wind – Thrifted Fiber Art
Have you ever thrifted fiber art? Last year, I stumbled upon a large piece of fiber art at my favorite thrift store. Yes, I have a favorite. It was $10. Ten. Diez. Dix. Tio. Deich.* I will go to my grave not understanding thrift store pricing. My working theory is that it’s at the whim and bias of whoever is doing the pricing that particular day. In this case, I surmise that whoever priced this art did not care for fiber art or didn’t think anyone else would either. Thank goodness. If that person could also price all the marble-topped tables, I’d be forever grateful. Now, if this art looks…
How I Styled My Latest Thrift Store Finds: Part 8
Welcome to an infrequent, but delightful series where I show you how I styled my latest thrift store finds. It’s not always what you find, but how you use what you find that justifies bringing junk home. At least, that’s what I tell my husband. Pull up a chair and take a sip of your coffee because this is going to be fun! In no particular order, here are my latest thrift store finds and how I styled them. Wood Tray If you look closely at the below photo, there’s a wood gardening tray sitting on the bench. This isn’t technically a thrift store find. It was a free roadside…
My Latest Thrift Store Finds: Part 5
Welcome to another round of My Latest Thrift Store Finds! We’re on part 5 of this story. How many parts will there be? It is anyone’s guess. As long as there are thrifted treasures to be found and a few bucks in my pocket, I’m there. I was trying to think of everything in our house that has been thrifted and decided it would just be easier to list the things I’ve purchased new such as mattresses, pillows, bed frames, the couch, recliner chairs in our bedroom, and rugs. Oh, and 20 years ago I bought the piano new. If I take care of it, it should last another 80…
The Charm of a Woven Basket Plant Stand
I recently became acquainted with the charm of a woven basket plant stand in the dark, dusty corner of an antique mall and I haven’t stopped gushing about it since I brought it home. I’m not joking. It’s my new favorite thing and you need this type of simple joy in your life too. I fully acknowledge that the charm of this particular woven basket plant stand is multi-faceted. First, I got a screaming deal. The basket did not have a price tag on it. The store worker had to call the owner of this particular antique booth to get a price. When she reported back to me that the basket…
Happy Thrifting: Chelsea Forge Antiques and Quaker Antique Mall
A few weekends ago I left the ten-mile radius surrounding our house to explore some new-to-me antique shops. As you can see, I’m really branching out. I even crossed over the border into Pennsylvania! Although, that’s not saying much because as the crow flies we practically live on the border of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. I figured if I was going to leave my comfort zone, I’d better check out an antique shop that had a ton of square footage, so I chose the Quaker Antique Mall in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. As luck would have it, Chelsea Forge Antiques and Design (pictured above) was right on my way, so I stopped there…
My Latest Thrift Store Finds: Part 3
Did you go thrifting this summer? I probably went a couple of times a month, but only found a handful of thrift store finds worth bringing home. I’ve been idly looking for some very specific thrift store finds, which means, of course, I won’t find them. I’ll find everything I won’t need instead. For instance, was I looking for a wood duck? Uh, no. But how could I turn down this $5 find? Look how pretty it is with its iridescent, shimmering feathers. Did I need another wood tray? Sometimes the lines between need and want are blurred, so let’s just go with yes. The answer is always yes. It…
Glazed Terra-Cotta Pot Makeover
Have you ever done a glazed terra-cotta pot makeover? I haven’t either…until now. *insert dramatic music here* I found a glazed terra-cotta pot at a thrift store for $10. It is huge, almost 18 inches tall, and it was begging for a makeover. Begging. You can see the potential, right? This is not one of those situations where I’m going to slap mud on a vase to make it look like authentic earthenware. I already had authentic earthenware. It was just hiding under some painted on flowers and swirly things. My plan for this glazed terra-cotta pot makeover was simple. I was just going to paint it. Easy breezy. However,…
Collecting: Antique Car Horns
I have two antique car horns, and I’m looking for a third, so I guess I’m collecting antique car horns now. I’m pretty jazzed about it! Every once in a while, when you visit this blog, I want you to not only leave with inspiration, but some random trivia to impress your friends and family with, too. It’s the least I can do for you, right? Here goes… Antique car horns were first used in Britain in the 1800s. It was a matter of safety when self-propelled vehicles started sharing the road with horses, wagons, and people. By the late 1800s, motorists were using horns, bells, and whistles to alert…
Four Recent Thrift Store Finds
I’ve become more interested in thrift store shopping for my home in recent years for three reasons. I really, really, really, really like a bargain. Certain items of yesteryear are made better than they are now. I don’t want my home to look like everyone else’s. Plus, it balances out my Amazon shopping habit. Oh, and did I mention I like a bargain? My conundrum with thrift store shopping is that I really don’t like shopping in general. It feels like a waste of time and I don’t usually have the patience for it. More often than not I go to a thrift store and see nothing that sparks a…
Happy Thrifting: Golden Nugget Antique Flea Market
Today I want to introduce to you a flea market I’ve been to twice now: Golden Nugget Antique Flea Market. It is located along the scenic Delaware River in Lambertville, New Jersey, right across the border from Pennsylvania. The flea market has been open since the late 1960s, so you know it is a good one. Plus, it is open year-round and three days a week: Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Some flea markets are only open seasonally and that’s a bummer when you really have a hankering to find some neat treasures, but nothing is open! The name Golden Nugget Antique Flea Market is a nod to the man who…
