Retail Therapy, Thrifty Style

It’s a gift, I guess.  Or a curse.  No matter where I am, I seem to be able to sniff out thrift shops and places to find treasures.  For example, last week I was 2 hours from home trying to find Lapcorp to get my {gross} glucose tolerance test and what do I stumble upon?  A Goodwill.  Is that a sign or what?  It’s lemonade, I’m telling you.

Maybe it was the fact I was trying not to pass out or throw up {have you ever had a glucose tolerance test?  TORTURE, I’m telling you!} but I only walked away with two things.   I left a few great finds on the shelves for other lucky shoppers (including a green and yellow bamboo patterned tablecloth for a dollar and some cute white owl vases that I think would look modern in the right spot).  As for what I did get, I grabbed this shelf and hook unit for $3.97.  It’s going in baby boy’s nursery (which is getting painted tomorrow!  woo-to-the-hoo!):

I agonized about this mirror for 10 minutes.  I don’t need it, and probably won’t ever do anything with it, but I couldn’t put it down once I imagined it painted white or black.  It’ll look much more modern with some fresh paint.  I picture it being placed above a table, on a shelf, or in a photo wall arrangement.  At $2, why agonize?  It’s very sturdy and a great size, so if I don’t want it someone will.

Skip ahead a week, and you’ll find us in the middle of a monsoon here on the East Coast.  What do you do when it won’t stop raining?  Go antiquing, of course!

You know I gravitate to a more modern aesthetic, and those that think that “modern” means “brand new” might be missing out.  Where did the inspiration for all those styles come from?  If you walk into Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams, you’ll see every era represented in a new and fresh way.  That’s why I love browsing antique and thrift shops.

The antique barn we visited is HUGE, two stories tall and filled to the brim.  My mom and I knew we were in trouble when we spent a good 25 minutes in THE FIRST BOOTH, where I ended up buying 5 out of the 9 things I purchased!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This magazine was priced at $8, but the cover has a huge tear.  I’m not a collector, but I must admit an obsession with the Kennedy family (especially John-John, god rest his soul).  This spread was published a year before the assassination, and this photo of little John practicing his salute tugged at my heart.  The article was a tour of the oval office through John-John’s eyes– so innocent…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve never been to Juneau.  I don’t know anyone IN Juneau.  I don’t even have a spoon collection, except for the few my grandmother passed down to me.  Yet I couldn’t resist this sweet little spoon with blue flowers!  Thankfully Nesting Place posted an idea that actually would match perfectly if I ever decided to do something with it.  At $6 and labeled “sterling”, I couldn’t resist.