Thrift Store SCORE!

Thrift Store Score: Mid-Century Couch

April 10, 2013 14 Comments

It’s finally (finally!) time to reveal what we’ve been up to in our finished basement, or what I’m now referring to as our den because I hate the stigma of a “finished basement.” I’ve teased tons of photos through Instagram, but if you haven’t caught wind of the project, John and I decided to flip this particular living space upside down – figuratively, of course.

The room as it was before (which I’m not even going to bother sharing in photo form, because it was that bad) was full of mismatched cheap pieces of furniture. It was KIND of functional as a TV room, but for the most part just served to give me nightmares at night. It was time to fix things. So we Craigslisted all the furniture, making nearly enough money to buy all NEW pieces! You’ve seen the awkward nook in the corner transform into a desk, but it’s time to see the rest of the space…

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The first thing we needed was a new sofa. I make it a point to check Craigslist at least once a week, searching for furniture listings under the “mid-century,” “midcentury” and “mid century” labels (I get different hits for each unique term). And my prayers were answered a couple of weeks ago with my most incredible “Thrift Store Score” to date. That big beautiful VINTAGE mid-century couch was not only within price range (in full disclosure, we ended up getting it for $440) but also within our own zip code. After following the lister’s directions, we discovered that she lived only about 3 miles away. Easiest. Pickup. Ever.

Oh, and before I forget to mention it – For any locals loving this couch, the matching side chair is still for sale. Click that link for details!

We brought the new-to-us couch home, set it up in the cleared out space and knew that we had landed on some kind of magic. It was perfect…But, of course, the new couch upped the art ante and I started dreaming big. What to hang? Once I narrowed my vision down to an eclectic gallery wall, I realized that I had an accidentally perfect collection sitting in storage in my studio. After hanging the art (for FREE) in less than 20 minutes, and setting up a new arc lamp (scored from the Yellow Brick Home curated sale on Joss & Main), we stepped back and called this half of the room officially “done.”

Please forgive the highly fluorescent photography…There are no windows and therefore no pretty natural sunlight to use to my advantage. Oh, and for anyone curious, the two gray pillows came from The Everygirl curated Joss & Main sale (more on those scores here), the geo lumbar pillow is from Target and the shag rug is from Lowe’s. The wooden box to the side of the couch and the foot stool are vintage.

We still have a few things to do to the rest of the space, but I’m sick of sharing teasers while I hurry to perfect it. The reality that I have to face (yet again) is that these things take time and it will evolve slowly – And frankly, that’s exactly how it should be. That said, here is our progress in the rest of the room thus far…

Quick interjection: That white dresser above is another Thrift Store Score worth noting. Believe it or not, it spawned the entire room. We knew we wanted to upgrade our old TV cabinet (a rickety particle board book shelf from Wal Mart), however we always had in mind a nice wooden piece with legs. But when we glimpsed this white lacquer Lane dresser at Estate Specialist downtown, our vision started to shift. It’s definitely a vintage vibe, but more of a 1970′s space age feel than the Danish piece we had envisioned. In the end, we love the sleek lines and cool, quiet look.

I’m so excited to have all of you along for the ride as we transform this space! Thanks for all of the support so far – You must know that it means the world to me.

Enjoy your day!

Filed Under: Money, Thrifted Tagged With: Art, Mid Century, Thrift Store SCORE!

Thrift Store Score: Botanical Prints

April 3, 2013 4 Comments

Art is one of those wonderful things that can come from all kinds of sources. From preschool children’s art and happy painting accidents, to catalog tear sheets and old books. The possibilities of the latter option are what I’m excited to share with you today…

That big beautiful book of botanical images is something my mom and dad picked up at our favorite estate shop in town. The book cost only $22, and came chalk FULL of beautiful garden artwork just begging to be hung. Although the prints were meant to be viewed while flipping through the big coffee table book, my mom decided that the pages could be put to better use detached from the binding and hung behind glass on the wall.

So, with me on board to document the process and offer input when prompted, we began brainstorming locations for a set of framed botanicals. Ultimately, we decided on the formal living room above their couch. The existing painting is a family favorite (it HAS to be with 3 real live labs roaming around our feet at any given moment), but the piece was a little small for the wall space between the windows.

Down the painting came (to be relocated, as soon you’ll see), and out the big book of prints came so that we could choose the fateful 3. Our process was HIGHLY scientific (sarcasm) – Mom sat on the couch in the living room flipping the pages show-and-tell style, while I sat across the way judging the colors and shapes in their future environment. The possibilities seemed limitless, but we finally managed to come up with a pile of runner ups.

After carefully slicing our favorites from the book using a razor blade, we narrowed the choices down to our top 3 and then put them behind matted frames snagged from a local craft store for around $40 total.

The 3 prints fill the space much better than the lone painting did before, and the red/yellow/green color scheme picks up on the traditional accents throughout the rest of the space. They make a world of difference in fixing the proportions and add such lovely texture.

You’d be hard pressed to get more sophisticated than traditional framed floral paintings – The scripted type on the bottom of each piece really takes things up a notch too. You know I’m a stickler for modern pop art, but even I adore these and wish I had wall space for my own little collection.

So where did the pretty lab painting go? This consignment store gem simply shifted to the wall perpendicular to the new framed flowers, taking up the perfect amount of space between the front windows.

Before I leave you, this piece really deserves some close ups…In my art history classes in school, I was always drawn to paintings that had a bunch of shifting color. This portrait from far away is pretty standard, but from a foot away you can really see all of the variety. Sky blue, navy, emerald, rust, gray – They’re all there is this incredible sea of color that somehow translates into the shiny coat of a dog when seen as a whole. I love it. Could stare at it for hours.

Anyway, have you ever framed pages from a book before? Or do you find the idea of pulling pages out just horrific? I wouldn’t blame you one bit if you cringed at the idea of us removing the prints from the book, but our need for DIY-able, inexpensive art definitely won out in this particular case!

Now, please excuse me while I go gaze at the close ups of that painting again.

Seriously.

Filed Under: DIY Projects, Thrifted Tagged With: Art, Before and After, Family, New Uses, Simplify, Thrift Store SCORE!, Tips and Tricks

“Thrift Store SCORE!” {From Shabby to Chic // Peddler Antiques}

March 13, 2013 6 Comments

I’ve got another antiquing adventure for you today – This time, I’m keeping it local to our own little hometown here in Lynchburg, Virginia. With the transition of our go-to secondhand shop in progress and the future uncertain, I’ve been forced to investigate other local diamonds in the rough. Pessimism aside, it’s actually been a really great excuse to try new places and discover fresh sources for antiques, case in point today’s story.

This particular antiquing trip, I asked my friend Ashley along for the ride. Ashely’s got great taste and knows a good bargain when she sees one. With a brand new house to fill, she had a list on hand and visions of pretty vintage pieces to fill all of the new extra space. That’s Ashley pictured below with her fiance, Nathan – Aren’t they adorable?!

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Source | Colling Photography

So, first up we made a stop at From Shabby to Chic. The shop was having it’s seasonal fling market that day, so we got to wander between the vendors set up on the lawn sporting tables full of custom crafted frames, jewelry and bags. Inside, we took our time meandering through all of the rooms of the converted farmhouse, considering delicate tea cups, vintage framed black and white photos, floral paintings and antiqued mirrors.

This display of jewelry was like a magnet to my soul – no exaggeration. PERFECT colors, PERFECT shapes, PERFECT gold details. I am actually astounded that I managed to keep my wallet tucked away in my purse for this particular stop. I really loved the way the collection was displayed too in those simple trays lined with natural linen. May have to try that at home…

My favorite part of From Shabby to Chic, even with the assortment of beautiful vintage accessories at every turn, has to be the furniture. Each piece seems to have been lovingly restored with fresh modern colors and hardware. Oh, and I should note that everything in this store is surprisingly affordable considering how lovely and unique the selection is. I’m always tempted to pick something up for myself, and this is one store where I wouldn’t feel guilty indulging just a bit.

Unfortunately, this was the part in our trip where my good camera died…So the rest of this post is filled with iPhoto pictures. I think (at least I hope!) that you’ll still get the point though, despite the added graininess and blur.

I adore the brass hardware on that cabinet pictured just below, and my Instagram of the pink headboard below it got some major attention from you guys. I loved it too – Nothing beats that rich unexpected color.

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Did we buy anything? Ashley did! She picked up this fun upholstered side chair for a STEAL at $65. The piece was in great shape and was just the thing she needed to fill a corner in her new living room. Don’t you just love the tufted back and the curvy wooden detail on the arms?

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After that, it was off to our next destination – The Peddler Antique Mall. This store and I actually have a bit of history. My mom’s best friend used to sell her own antique finds here on consignment in the 90s, so my sister and I would get packed up in the car fairly often to go peruse the latest selection. For whatever reason, it had been over a decade since I’d been back to the store, so Ashley was forced to listen to me banter on and on as I regaled stories from my memories. We had a fun time walking up and down the aisles though, and through the rooms upon rooms of old antiques.

Our favorite room by far though was Bluebird Urban Farmhouse. The collection was perfectly suited to a modern woman looking to fill her space with little treasures. No digging necessary – Everywhere Ashley and I looked, we were compelled to reach out and touch something. From old clocks and dishware, to pretty reclaimed frames and metal signs, we were hooked.

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I ended up choosing a palm-sized clock for myself (under $10!), while Ashley went ahead and grabbed this conversation-worthy wire rolling basket. It caught her eye right away and, after talking it out and deciding that it would be the perfect place to toss living room lounge pillows and blankets, we rolled it up to the register.

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Before heading out though, we spent another fifteen minutes making our way through the Bluebird Urban Farmhouse room, shifting this and that aside and day dreaming about each pretty accessory. There were a lot of excited exclamations and frustrated grumblings that we didn’t have unlimited budgets (and square footage).

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Below is a wide shot I took of the room (curse you, dark iPhoto image!!) because I wanted to remember those fabulous mod lights and the curtains. I was immediately drawn to the simple white linen with bands of burlap at the top. By stringing the clipped panels on a thin wire, the creative mind behind these lovely curtains saved install time AND money. Love it.

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After one final look, we sauntered through the doorway to investigate the rest of the antique mall. As with any antique store, there were a few odd pieces that gave us the heebie jeebies – Take those clowns for example below. We moved on fairly quickly from THAT particular display, but found several other happy little corners that made us realize the limitless potential of the Peddler’s inventory.

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Downstairs, the basement offered still MORE antiques to consider. This set of colorful dominos caught my eye right away. It doesn’t seem all that “vintage” to me, but I L-O-V-E all of that color, plus John I really enjoy playing board and card games throughout the week. I would love to add a nice box of dominos to our collection one day, but at $20 for these, I had to walk away…

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I had to chuckle at the “Wife for Sale” novel below. Oh, the weird things you’ll find at an antique store…I considered buying this one for John as a joke, but ended up putting it back for the next sarcastic wife to consider.

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Before we called it quits for the day, Ashley and I spent a little time in the Greige Market booth. While linking to the Facebook page just now, I discovered that this brand is actually an extension of Bluebird Urban Farmhouse. It makes total sense now that I think about it, although I would have to say that Greige is more of a masculine version of what we found upstairs. In other words, John and Nathan would have loved this section. The inventory featured a lot of really affordable LARGE restoration projects – Think big salvaged doors, cast iron pieces, windows and street signs. The pieces would have made for one fantastic “Man Cave”…

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Those cool metal mesh baskets above were found ALL OVER the entire store and cost only $22 apiece – Such unique storage options, perfect for linen closets, pantries or a masculine office.

Ashley and I finished up the day with tons of great thrifted pieces between the two of us, and a brand new appreciation for the potential of buried secondhand treasure in this little town of ours. That said, do you guys have any great local places for vintage pieces? You know I’m willing to travel for a good find!

Filed Under: Inspired, Life, Products & Reviews, Thrifted Tagged With: Art, Gift Ideas, Mid Century, Thrift Store SCORE!, Tips and Tricks, Tour

“Thrift Store SCORE!” {Charlotte, NC}

February 27, 2013 13 Comments

Just to warn you, this post is FULL of photos. I suppose that’s to be expected though when two best girls head down to North Carolina to visit their OTHER best girl. My iPhone got its workout this particular lady’s weekend since I didn’t want to miss a single thing. Upon arrival, we enjoyed the requisite high octave catch up session, but also great food, ~~great~~ mediocre wine (out of a cat shaped bottle, of course) and SHOPPING. Sarah (the NC transplant), Alyssa (my travel buddy) and I did ourselves proud with our shopping this particular trip. But we’ll get to that in a moment – First, a little documentation of the trip…

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That one above is of Alyssa and Sarah in front of IKEA, the spoils of which I will be posting about soon. It was their first time to the store (ever!) and let me just say that they were troopers. If you’ve been, you know that it can be a little overwhelming. Sarah was more than a little blown away by the fact that “they sell FOOD here?!?!!?” and the two of them were uncharacteristically quiet as we snaked our way through the massive showroom. I did my best to motor through so that they didn’t burn out and somehow managed to get in and out in about an hour. That’s a record people! And all three of us walked away with an arm full of personal treasures.

And down below, I threw together a mini montage of food, drink, and thrifted finds that rounded out our blissful little weekend.

Charlotte Instagrams

Since so many of you guys responded to that bottom left Instagram of the Pyrex, I knew I needed to expand and give you more (MUCH more) eye candy. That particular little cluster of vintage finds hails from none other than the mecca of all antiques: Sleepy Poet Antique Mall. If you live ANYWHERE near Charlotte, NC, you need to go to this place. Aisles and aisles of side-by-side booths piled high with the most amazing collection of treasures – Did I mention that the space is 55,000 square feet? Taking the description straight from the website, it features “250+ booths selling everything from Antique Furniture and Vintage Clothing, to Mid-Century Modern and Classic Home Decor.” It literally put my beloved Estate Specialist to shame, and I never imagined that that was possible.

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But let’s jump right in, shall we? First, that now mildly famous photo of kitchen wares, tins, carafes, trays, glasses, tea pots and Pyrex. The restraint I exhibited was almost award-winning. The second photo shows even more 1950′s kitchen perfection, with a fun to-go coffee container, graphic tea tin, pitchers galore and pretty pink linens.

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This pair of brass kitties almost came home with me, as did the wall of old telephones. If there had been a mint rotary phone, it WOULD have been part of my take away.

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Speaking of mint, one thing I was absolutely dying to buy was this mint cake/pastry stand. Alas, the $125 price tag forced me to walk away. The two tiered server pictured below it for only $38 was a great substitute, though I ended up passing on him too…

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Oh man, the glasses…So. Many. Glasses. I’m not much of a glass collector myself (at least after buying this beautiful set of wine and champagne glasses from Estate), but a true collector would have been bouncing off the walls. We’re talking purple glass, amber glass, glass with etching, glass with gold and teal details – There was one particular decanter below, with a price tag of only $4, that caught my eye but my bar cart is already overflowing with pitchers so I had to walk away.

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Alyssa was in particular need of a lamp that day, so we stopped and stared at all the lit beauties offered at the antique mall. The first one photographed below was a quirky piece, made from an old rotary phone (catching our eye more for the conversation factor than the style), and the one after it is this gorgeous industrial floor lamp that I would have loved to take home.

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There were so many dressers…If Alyssa had decided to take us to North Carolina in a truck, this could have been dangerous. Her sedan helped to keep us in line though, and we simply looked wistfully as we walked by.

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Isn’t that cracked mirrored piece above kind of cool? Not sure that I would have done that for MY home, but I think it’s definitely interesting (enough to share it with you fine people!). That big beautiful Danish cabinet several photos up takes the prize for Most-Coveted-Wish-I-Had-$800-To-Spend ::le sigh::

So. What did I actually end up getting? For starters, Sarah, being the ever gracious host that she is, bought Alyssa and I each a little animal to take home – I got this lovely palm sized owl, and Alyssa found a funny little glass skunk.

I also grabbed up this set of vintage mint salt and pepper shakers. At only $8 each, there was no way I was leaving the store without them. That particular booth actually had a BUNCH on display – Alyssa bought a pair as well! It was just too good to be true…

And here’s that fabled antler that I spoke about and contemplated in this post. I’m still a little torn on the finish. Should I paint it (like this), or leave it natural? I’m feeling like “natural antler” is a little too rustic for our tastes, and think that a bold dipped color on the end could modernize it just enough. We shall see. Oh, and it was a teenie splurge at $20.

This $8 vinyl/plastic sign letter “C” was too good to pass up. I love the graphic, three-dimensional shape, and of course the fact that it’s my initial. I couldn’t wait more than a day to get this guy up on the wall – I’ll share where later this week!

So there you have it (well at least part of it). Believe it or not, I have much more Charlotte shopping spoils to share, but that will have to wait since this post is 34 photos long. Until then, happy thrifting!

Filed Under: Life, Money, Thrifted Tagged With: Art, Gift Ideas, Mid Century, Thrift Store SCORE!, Tips and Tricks, Tour

One Word: Antlers

February 19, 2013 10 Comments

Antlers

I have a new styling obsession…Yup, none other than antlers. These little pieces of nature are sculptural, always one-of-a-kind and infuse a space with a unique organic feeling all their own. Although some may find the notion of decorating with antlers a little creepy, I have quickly joined their team after doing a little Pinterest research and discovering the plethora o’ uses.

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I spent the weekend with two close girlfriends down in Charlotte, NC. You ALSO know that we visited the mecca of all things antique (as hinted here). Well, I’ll let you in on a little secret before I blog about it later on this week – I purchased a gorgeous single antler, and I am DYING to get started with styling it up. I’m heavily leaning towards the neon dipped paint look…What do you guys think?

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For more “One Word” features, click here.

P.S. If you haven’t joined in on the fun, be sure to click here for a chance to win a free premium stencil from Royal Design Studio!

Filed Under: DIY Projects, Features, Inspired, Interiors, Products & Reviews, Thrifted Tagged With: Art, Gift Ideas, New Uses, One Word, Pins, Simplify, Thrift Store SCORE!, Tips and Tricks, To-Do List

Pinspiration Monday: Etsy thrifting

February 4, 2013 4 Comments

I think it’s safe to say that we are all guilty of it at some point or another – That is, coveting something that someone else has. It’s FAR too simple of a sin to commit and I do it roughly 4,870 times a day. From a best friend’s car, to the scarf my co-worker wore last Tuesday, I’m always thinking how wonderful it would be to own such a pretty “this” or “that.”

And then I came across the most covetable of covetables…

Source | Glitter Guide

I mean, come on. Is that NOT the most beautiful lidded dish you’ve ever seen? Lovely mid-century shape, pretty delicate gold design, dainty size – I was infatuated within seconds.

To make matters “worse,” the piece lives at the home of Taylor Sterling, Founder and Creative Director of Glitter Guide. While some people idolize Jennifer Lawrence or Nicole Kidman or Taylor Swift, I tend to get all starry cross-eyed over my favorite bloggers and designers. The idea of meeting the brilliant minds behind The Everygirl, Oh Joy! and/or Rue is what makes me weak in the knees with fanatic nerves. Taylor Sterling is such an incredible role model, not only as editor (along with the FABULOUS Caitlin Moran) of my own GG features, but also as a successful business woman.

All of this, plus the gorgeous vintage bowl, made for one frenzied fan.

So much so that I trolled the internet for DAYS searching for a look-a-like to Taylor’s dish. Where did I search? None other than Etsy. You see, this post isn’t just about following your own heart, it’s about the wonder that is Etsy when it comes to vintage shopping. I implore you, never forgot about the potential for thrifted treasures within this craft-driven site. A quick search for vintage anything will turn up pages and pages of scrollable, one-of-a-kind beauties that belong in your collection. Sure the price tends to be anything but thrifty, but you have to pay the premium for finding that special piece without the requisite digging.

With no luck whatsoever after about a week, I started to feel dejected. I had seen a couple of pieces that came close – Little sugar dishes that featured the same gold flecks, but they didn’t seem as big as Taylor’s bowl and just didn’t feel the same.

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It didn’t take long after this point (the point where I was willing to pay any price when I found “the one”) that I finally FINALLY came to the realization that Taylor’s bowl was Taylor’s bowl. Not Carrie’s. And it was time for me to embrace my OWN tastes and whims. Sure, Taylor’s bowl is absolute perfection and it frankly IS my taste and whim, but I wasn’t the one who discovered it. It was time for me to make my own discovery.

So I began my search all over again, this time with fresh and open eyes, only to come across my own little piece of perfection…

Is that NOT the most beautiful vase you’ve ever seen? Lovely mid-century shape, pretty delicate gold design, dainty size – I was infatuated within seconds. (Do you see where I’m going with this?)

As soon as I decided to search for ME and not to copy someone else’s luck, I came across a treasure that I can truly call my own. If you ever find yourself falling into the desire to copy and emulate your idol, there’s honestly not a thing wrong with it. But when you start to compromise your own tastes and budget to satisfy this NEED to be just like them, you’re doing yourself a disservice. You have fabulous taste, so let yourself be influenced, but DON’T let yourself be overshadowed.

I am so pleased with my final purchase and, even though it was far too expensive for me to even admit, it is the mid-century piece I have been searching in vain for the old-fashioned thrift store way. When you feel like throwing in the towel because you just aren’t finding it in person, check Etsy. This little shortcut may be the yellow brick road to vintage bliss you’ve been hoping for.

Have you guys ever found any treasures on Etsy? And whose taste do YOU idolize?

Filed Under: Features, Inspired, Products & Reviews, Thrifted Tagged With: Art, Etsy, Gift Ideas, Mid Century, Pinspiration Monday, Thrift Store SCORE!, Tips and Tricks

A very special collection of “Thrift Store SCORE!”s

January 18, 2013 18 Comments

So have you guys heard the news? I know it doesn’t mean a whole lot to anyone living outside of the Lynchburg city limits, but for us residents, it’s safe to say that we are devastated. The long and short of it is that our very favorite place for second-hand goodies is closing its doors forever. When I heard the news that the Estate Specialist was soon going to cease to exist, I was shocked. It’s touted as the largest single owner seller of antique and estate pieces on the east coast – Why on heaven’s EARTH would the owner want to abandon that legacy? Plus, where the HECK am I going to buy one-of-a-kind accessories and pieces of furniture for our home?

As soon as I was able, I planned a Saturday morning trip to the establishment with credit card at the ready. In my mind, it was going to be one of many outings to the store before they closed down in April, but all of those plans evaporated when I walked through the door. The rooms that were once filled with antique dining room tables, mid-century modern chairs and brass conversation pieces galore were heavily picked over and sparse. People were hurriedly grabbing up treasures and my sense of anticipation and excitement turned to an aching depression within minutes. I know it seems absurd, but I was literally SICK with distress and I knew there was no way I would ever be able to come back.

I somehow muscled through though, taking long hard looks in rooms I used to peruse for treasures so many Saturdays in the past. With a heavy heart, I made sure to choose my last purchases with extra care. In the end, this is the final “Thrift Store SCORE!” from my favorite store of all time…

The first is a beautiful pile of books. The top set of 4 was originally a set of about 12, but the lady at the cashier let me break it up since they ended up costing $6 each, which is a little steep for my budget. Although modern designers are constantly attempting (and succeeding, I must say) to emulate these types of graphic book covers, I’m excited to have a collection of authentic originals. There is no publish date on these beauties, but I did some Googling and found one listing a publication date of 1957. Regardless of age, value or rarity, I just can’t get enough of that artwork. If we ever have kids, I’m probably going to design a nursery entirely around these four little books.

For now, I’ve put them up in a place of honor on my studio bookshelf. Who knows where they’ll end up in the long haul, but I sure love seeing those happy, colorful spines greeting me every day.

But there was a fifth book in that pile…As soon as I saw this battered copy of Misty of Chincoteague tossed onto the books table, I ran smack into some hazy childhood memory. As I’ve narrated before, I was a big horse fan as a child. I rode horses on and off for years and briefly joined the equestrian team in college before transferring to another school. On top of all that, I distinctly remember this book being a big part of my childhood, although I honestly can’t remember much of the plot. I can’t wait to dive in and revisit the story, and feel like it was fate for me to meet up with it again that day at Estate.

After removing the torn cover (truth be told it’s tucked safely away for posterity’s sake), I set it up in the studio beside the bed on the coral nightstand. I love the age and character it brings to this side of the room.

Another piece I bought that day was this gorgeous little glass cup. It was actually in the upstairs attic of Estate, where they pile all of the less desirable pieces like cracked dishes, mountains of old dusty baskets and aisle upon aisle of cobwebbed sidetables from the 80′s and beyond. But something about this shimmering piece of serving ware felt out-of-place in the dark room so I quickly snatched it up without a second thought. Where did it end up? On the bar cart of course, to hold a handful of toothpicks for martini olives.

Believe it or not, this last piece is my actual favorite of everything that I bought that day. I have been in the market for a mid-century clock for ages. I have collected a rather astounding amount of clocks over the years (all from Estate actually…) but I have never found the squared, wooden, analog beauty of my dreams. So I spent a lot of time that last day digging through their clocks hoping to find “the one,” and I somehow managed to strike gold.

Sure the wood is fake as fake can be, but you can’t fake that aged character. The shape is perfection and the colors are spot on. My favorite part? That little “O” on the end of the minute hand. Doesn’t it add just the right touch? I’m unequivocally in love.

Funny story though. So as I mentioned, I was literally digging through boxes in search of something like this clock. When I finally found it, it was like the angels began to sing and the world was bright again. I lifted it out of the pile with all intents of beholding it above my head for all to see, but those visions were dashed to pieces when I couldn’t lift it more than a few inches out of the box – That is, without taking the massive tangled ball of chords and clocks along with it. In desperation, I turned to my right side and noticed a steak knife and grabbed it to saw the cord off, but John caught my arm midair with a desperate “NO!” Somehow, he managed to get me to back away from the electronics and put the knife down so that he could untangle our clock from the mess. Folks, he – meaning the clock – made it out in one piece.

Words can’t truly describe my disappointment at Estate Specialist closing down on me, but at least I have a home filled (LITERALLY filled) with reminders of the incredible and unique place that it was…We shall miss you more than you will ever know. Thanks for everything.

Filed Under: Thrifted Tagged With: Mid Century, Moving, Thrift Store SCORE!

“Thrift Store SCORE!” {brass animals}

November 28, 2012 13 Comments

It has yet again been quite some time since I had any Thrift Store SCORE!s to share with you – But that’s just a matter of me working to shrink my small obsession with all things thrifted. Having ignored the urge for several months, I finally allowed myself a treat the other weekend while visiting my best friend, Erica, in Richmond, Virginia. I mentioned her briefly in this post where I described the origination of a new piece of art. Erica had just recently bought a house and wanted to do a little second-hand consignment shopping - You don’t have to ask me twice!

While curving up and down each aisle, scrutinising all the trinkets, pieces of art and antique trays, keys and dishware, I managed to keep my final purchases down to only three pieces – First up, was the framed magazine that I already showed you, but I also grabbed a pair of brass horse head hooks.

The brass finish was what first caught my eye (obviously), but the detailed carving and the functionality of the hook itself was what really sealed the deal. At only $9 each, they were in my shopping bag within a second of spotting them.

My last purchase of the day was a pair of brass (can you tell that I’m addicted?) birds. I couldn’t resist the art deco style and in-flight motion of the birds – Plus they are BIRDS, yet another thing I can’t resist. The icing on the cake again was the price – Just $12 for the large one and $8 for the small.

After giving myself a week or two to brainstorm the P-E-R-F-E-C-T spot to hang the birds, I settled on my bathroom. To be honest, I’ve had a hard time reeaaaalllly loving the space ever since I painted it green way back when. There is practically NO other hint of green in our house (despite the fact that it is my favorite color), and I just felt like it didn’t particularly mesh with the house as a whole. So I’ve been toying behind the scenes with new art and thinking up a new color combo to make it seem more intentional with the house. I’ve got a couple of trouble shooting thoughts to try before I throw my hands up in the air and paint it the same color as our other upstairs bathroom – Stay tuned!

But in the mean time, let’s take a look at the latest update to the space - My new brass birds.

I know that a lot of people would have cleaned up the brass before hanging the birds, but I sort of LIKE the aged patina. Gives them just a touch of a rustic feel, which I’m a-okay with. Luckily, I’m sure there’s a special cleaning combo I can whip up should I decide to make them gleam.

As for the horses, I decided to hang those at the top of the basement stairs where John and I can easily loop our keys on the hooks. Because of John’s job, he often comes home with piles and piles of warehouse and truck keys, all of which end up cluttering my our kitchen island. As you can imagine if you too are Type A, this drove me crazy, so I’m hoping the horse hooks will wrangle the mess in their own cute brassy way.

It may look like the hooks are hung awfully far from one another, but don’t worry, I eyeballed the height using my own key ring and it works like a charm with plenty of breathing room in between.

What thrifting treasures have YOU guys unearthed lately?

Filed Under: Features, Thrifted Tagged With: Art, Mid Century, Thrift Store SCORE!

Thrift Store SCORE! {The pheasant chronicles}

October 10, 2012 12 Comments

You’re going to think I’m crazy for picking this guy up…But give me a second to explain.

So, I mean, yeah…It’s pretty darn ugly, and his beak is a little worse for wear (can we please take a moment to speculate how the tip of a decorative glass bird looks almost scorched? Just weird). That, and his evil stare and aforementioned yellow schnoz look a little like the ones on nasty Miss Finch from Sesame Street’s “Follow That Bird.”

Source

All of these points were well made when I spotted him amongst the random piles of glass figurines at our local thrift store, but I can never be convinced to pass up glass birds of any shape, size and especially color. I say “especially” because you and I both know how simple it is to change color with a big ole can of spray paint.

Speaking of…

I just so happened to have a nearly full can of Valspar quick drying metallic gold spray paint on hand, seemingly waiting for this exact project. I figured, if the bird ended up looking just as evil with the new paint color, I would only be out $2.10. Certainly not a break-the-bank risk here.

Luckily, two coats later, Mr. Pheasant was looking more much more regal and heroic than evil.

I love the extra glitz and glamour he gives my studio shelves, although I’m sure he’ll make his way throughout the rest of the house as time goes on. Call me wild, but I just can’t get enough of brass animals.

Oh, and you can now see the little seam by his neck with the new gold top coat – Little did I know when I bought him, but this little guy is actually a really elaborate cologne bottle! His head twists right off and he still smells pretty darn good inside (although he’s all empty). An interesting twist, for sure (pun intended).

Another recent bonus “Thrift Store SCORE!” comes in the form of this cuckoo clock that I bought at Goodwill for only $3.50. I think John would easily give this his “Weirdest Thing My Wife Has Ever Bought At A Thrift Store” award, but there was no way that I was going to leave the prestine German-made clock sitting on the shelf.

Sure, the bird’s door could use a little work and readjustment. But even if we needed to make the 40-minute drive out to our closest clock master (i.e. Harding’s Clocks and Music Boxes) for some tinkering, I knew this was a treasure that couldn’t be passed up.

It’s even got real bellows for the cuckoo sound! All the inner workings seemed to be intact at first inspection, but I didn’t even care if they were or not – The obvious craftsmanship of the wooden face is pretty enough on its own. My mom has always been a huge fan of these types of clocks, so I whisked it off to her house where it now watches over the kitchen from the wall.

Have you found any gems at the thrift store lately?

Filed Under: Features, Inspired, Thrifted Tagged With: Art, Before and After, Thrift Store SCORE!, Tips and Tricks

Yard sale adventures: Where are they now?

September 7, 2012 4 Comments

If you caught on through Instagram (follow me at DreamGreenDIY), one of my favorite article assignments to date was recently published in Central Virginia Home mag. I was asked to head out around town, hit as many yard sales as I could and tell the tale of my adventure. You don’t have to ask me twice!

Click over to read the full article here (scroll to mid page and click the link beside the photo of my redone terrarium).

But now that the original piece is in print and out for all to see, I thought I’d give you guys a little more behind-the-scenes action on exactly what I bought and where it ended up.

So this was my haul from the day…

We got the following:

a giant unfinished wooden frame with cardboard insert
a framed painting of the Aviary (the place where John and I said our “I dos”)
an old green bottle
midcentury glass pitcher
brass desk lamp
nasty, dusty fish bowl
two pyrex dishes with lid
a small brass dish
porcelain Asian dish
Moroccan-style dish

All for the grand total of…Wait for it…$50!! Okay, that doesn’t actually sound like that good of a deal, but that’s because the framed painting of the Aviary came home with me for a whopping $30. Not bad when you consider it’s a framed painting, plus it was actually my last purchase of the day when I ditched the yard sales for a more high-priced antique store (check the actual article for the full story). So that means all the rest – the lamp, the frame, the pyrex, all of that gorgeous glass-ware – cost me something like $18 bucks! Gotta love yard sales.

So where are these pieces now?

Well you know what happened to the old unfinished frame – It has since been transformed into a shiny, gold, chalkboard-ed piece of art above our china cabinet.

As you can see in the above photo, a large amount of the glassware and dishes also stayed atop the cabinet – I loved how the green bottle played off the brass in the little dish and the gold tones in the newly-painted frame. The midcentury pitcher, a last-minute addition to my arm-load at a random tag sale we happened upon, is paired up with my Crate and Barrel pitcher for display. It was recently put to use during John’s birthday party.

You may also remember what happened to that gross looking glass fish bowl. It has since been scrubbed, disinfected and dried to go from this…

…to this. (read up on the full details here)

Even the tiny little bowl that came with it got a facelift with new greenery, and now lives on our entryway table.

As for the small Asian dish, that ended up in our studio/guest room on the fresh new coral side table. I think it brings just enough pattern to the solid colored surface.

The pyrex, another favorite purchase of the day at only $2, is nestled into a corner of the china cabinet. I can’t wait to fill it with something tasty – The fitted glass top gives it great portability. I was so drawn to the orange, yellow and gray colors, which are the perfect addition to the retro vibe of our home.

Before setting out for the yard sales, I had been keeping my eye out for a new desk lamp. Actually, I probably shouldn’t even say “a new lamp” since I didn’t have one to speak of. When I happened upon this big beautiful brass lamp, complete with adjustable arm and a great vintage study vibe (for $4), I snatched it up without hesitation. Pairing it with the brass Moroccan dish seemed only fitting.

Although not TECHNICALLY a yard sale find (or even what one might classify “budget-friendly”), the $30 painting of the building where we partied our wedding reception away is certainly the most SENTIMENTAL purchase. I had dragged my sister along for this day of deal hunting, and she was actually the one who found the painting. I was off wondering amongst the old books and records when she walked up behind me and very nonchalantly said “Look what I found.” I gasped, turning a couple people’s heads, and proceeded to clutch onto the painting while wrapping my arms around my sister. I somehow got a hushed “Thank youuuuuuuuu” out, as though it was a long-lost piece I had been searching ages for. I guess I was just so excited to find a beautiful reminder of our wedding day.

All-in-all, I would say the yard saling adventure was a resounding success. My need for brass accessories, glassware and framed beauties is now filled – For a little while, at least…

P.S. Don’t forget, you only have until Wednesday to enter your name in the drawing for a free celebration banner of your choice! Get the details here.

Filed Under: Money, Thrifted Tagged With: Art, Before and After, Gardening, Mid Century, Thrift Store SCORE!