Friday, September 25, 2009

a-thrifting we will go

If you know me at all, you know how giddy and excited and happy a great bargain makes me. You know that I very rarely, if ever, purchase ANYTHING full-price. Some may say I am cheap. I prefer to call it "frugally creative".

You may also know that I adore a good project, and an opportunity to take something that was old and ugly and make it unique and pretty is a call I can hardly resist.

So, given my love of these two things, you should find it no surprise that a good thrift store makes my little heart go pitter-patter. I LOVE thrift stores. Everytime I step inside one I can't help but think "the hunt is on!" And when I walk away from that store having found exactly the thing I needed (even if I didn't know it) for a ridiculously cheap price, it is a heady victory that leaves me with what I can only refer to as a bargain hunter's high. Who needs drugs? I've got THRIFT STORES, baby!

Well, in the past month or so, I have been so blessed as to enjoy many such victories in my thrift store excursions. It all started when we were in Denver visiting my family, and my mom and sisters and I decided to make a Goodwill trip. Lydia really wanted to find a desk for her room (which she did, a VERY cute one for $10!). Seeing as how we were over 1000 miles from home with a van full of luggage and kids, I really had no intention of buying anything for myself. And then, I saw it. A chair. THE chair.
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The price tag read $14.99. It was in perfect condition, other than a slight fading of the upholstery. It was clean. And cushy. And SO CUTE. I knew I had to have it. I did stop to wonder for a brief moment if my husband would kill me for purchasing a CHAIR when we were halfway across the country... but it was a very brief moment. So, I pulled the tag to take to the cashier, already so excited at my wonderful find.

And then, oh wonder, she told me that all furniture was half-off that day (seriously? Why don't any of OUR Goodwills have sales like that??). Which brought my chair to a grand total of a little over $8. EIGHT DOLLARS! That's euphoria right there, people.

It now sits in our living room, and my plan is to paint the dark wood a light blue, just to lighten it up a bit and bring out some of the color in the fabric. If you look at the back of the chair, where it's not as faded, you can see that there are some really beautiful colors in there.
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I love the spindle detail of the legs, and have a feeling you'll be able to see it even better once it's painted.
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On that same shopping trip, I also came across this grand bowl for only $4.99:
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This is one of those things I needed and didn't even know it. I've since used my beautiful bowl all the time, for lots of different things. The shape and color is so perfect.

After this wonderful (and very exciting) thrifting experience, I was left wanting MORE. So, a few weeks ago, my dear bestie Jessica and I headed downtown for a kid-free, therapeutic afternoon of shopping at some of our local thrift stores. Our good friend Stacie (who is a thrift-store aficionado), had tipped us off to a couple places we'd never been, and we couldn't wait to see what was in store! Well, they did not disappoint. At the first one, I found a pair of very chic barely-worn shoes...
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and this adorable teal jar...
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...among some other fun finds that weren't as picture-worthy (a few games and books, baskets, etc.).

The next place we went seriously looked like a hole-in-the-wall, and I was a bit dubious as to what we would be able to find there. Turns out that yes, it was most definitely a place filled with a fair amount of dirty old junk and extrememly out-dated ugly clothes... but, with a fair amount of digging, there were LOTS of treasures to find. Also, everything was incredibly super cheap, so when we did find something, it was extra exciting.

Behold, my treasures:
REAL leather boots, exactly my size, exactly the kind I've been wanting for fall. $3.
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Retro dishes. 50 cents for the big plates, 25 cents for the small. (there was only one good big plate, so I use it as a platter, but I got 7 little ones.)
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This was my favorite find of the day. A vintage (probably from the 60's or 70's, judging by the tag) dress! I love the colors and the stripes, and it fits me just right. The price? One dollar!
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And look... pockets! I adore a dress with pockets.
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Thank you, thrift stores, for being so good to me and my wallet. I will always love you without fail and most passionately.

What about all of you? Have you had any good finds lately? Do tell!!

16 comments:

Sarah said...

wow, those are some great finds!! The dress is adorable!! Way to go!

Jessica's Little Women said...

Talia, I think I met you at a baby shower for my sister (Davi). Anyway, I am so impressed by your fabulous finds! Treasures!

I hyperventilated slightly at the chair, because we have the same one, but in a raspberry color. It served us faithfully for eight years, until we moved into our current house where we simply have no room to spare. It might be in the garage, but I suspect it was re-homed by my husband. Hopefully to someone who will cherish it! I hope you enjoy your chair as much as we loved ours!

bandofbrothers said...

You are as CUTE AS CAN POSSIBLY BE! I love any junk/thrift store. The mustier the better, I feel. Less competition. Your finds are AWESOME. The Chair? Oh the Chair. I think it is PERFECT AS IS. Seriously. Drool:)

And you look so cute in your little pose in the dress. I just love you!

Sunny said...

What cute finds! I keep saying I need to go thriftin' but have not made the time to. Your dress looks so pretty on you! And yes, the Goodwills around here simply do not have the special bargains that others do. We should start demanding they do. ;)

Barbie said...

Ohhh so exciting! Seriously makes me want to go thrifting today after church. We used to go to the humane society thrift store across from sinaloas and they always had little treasures. I really love the plates. I'd love to get a narrow buffet and start a collection of fun, old plates.

natasha | sohobutterfly said...

Oh my, such finds!! Lucky you! That chair is wonderful. But the teal jar is what has me drooooooooooooling!!

I haven't been thrifting in ages, for obvious reasons. :o) I miss it.

Lauryn said...

I love thrifting as well! It is SO therapeutic to just go browse around and hunt for treasures!

But apparently I need to go thrifting with YOU! I can't believe how wonderful your finds are! Great work :)

Andrea said...

Oh, you girls make me proud! As you know I LOVE thrift stores and yard sales. I went this weekend and likewise found treasures. The chair is fab and you look so cute in that dress - yeah for pockets. I have this thing for boxes and have found several really good ones at yard sales. I polish them up and enclose a pair of earrings, top them off with a pretty bow and poof they become a useful box for a birthday present! Keep on junkin' Hugs to all!

April said...

I LOVE thrift stores as well and found an awesome fall jacket just the other week. Also went to a secondhand store for kids and found AMAZING little outfits for my baby on the cheap! Oh, how I love a great bargin. BTW, your chair is awesome!

Sarah Marie said...

Oh my gosh, you found the best stuff EVER, Talia! I can't believe it! Seriously, those deals are unbelievable! Wow! I LOVE LOVE LOVE that chair! It's super cuter! And I think it would look just adorable if you painted it blue. And I cannot believe those boots! They're just perfect! If you told me you bought them for $50 or $100, I would have told you they were a good find. But for $3???? NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!

Sarah Marie said...

(p.s. that last comment was from me, sarah marie p!)

Kourtni said...

Really??? You are the best thrift store shopper I know. You always come out with amazing finds. That dress looks really great on you! And you told me about the chair and the boots, but they are even cuter than I imagined! I can't wait to see what you wear them with... and hey... looks like we're in for some fall weather this week!! Muah.

Misty said...

Cute!! love the shoes... our thrift stores honestly have NOTHING... It saddens me.

.jimaie.marie. said...

holy moley, what an amazing bunch of finds!!!!
I ADORE that dress on you, the colors look SO good and it has the perfect vintage feel to it, LOVE!
And omgosh, that chair was EIGHT BUCKS?! I love the idea of brightening up the wood with paint, i think it really will pull out all the bright colors in the upholstry and make everything pop! What a steal!
THOSE BOOTS!!!!!
treasure indeed!
wow, i haven't been thrifting in awhile bc my last couple of trips bummed me out since i didn't find much of anything but you my love? Have inspired me to get out there a gain!!
I love buying random plates and I really really like the ones you got with the blue accent.
oh you lucky lucky girl, or talented girl should i say?? ;) GO YOU and your shopping ways!

*CPA* Su said...

OK-I need to go with you next time! You ALWAYS come home with such amazing deals and I never do! *BOO HOO*

I completely ADORE those boots and that dress looks wonderful on you! And all of those dishes you found are fabulous too!!

calikatrina said...

Hi! I bounced over from Molly's blog a while back and have to tell you I was thinking about your finds yesterday while I was out "thrifting". Specifically, I was thinking about your BOOTS!! I was on the hunt for a pair, hoping to be as lucky as you were with your fabulous find. Sadly, I did not score boots, but I did come home with jeans. I was inspired by you to post about it, and to stop over to say hello!! :)