I am a thrift shop junkie! Not just thrift stores…. garage sales, salvage shops, flea markets, antique stores… I’ve even been known to do a bit of dumpster diving. I live for scoring that awesome find!!
I imagine it all started shortly after graduating college when I stepped into the real world. I had NO money. NO MONEY!! I had found a job that paid next to nothing, but it was artistic and I was passionate about that… who needs a paycheck when you are doing something you love, right?!? What was I thinking! I had moved into my first solo apartment… which I couldn’t afford. I was eating 25 cent packets of Ramen noodles for many of my meals… or trying to stretch lunch and dinner out of a box of Pasta Roni! I certainly did not have the money to furnish my apartment. Thrifting was my answer. Armed with a can of spray paint and a sewing machine… I furnished my apartment top to bottom for just pennies! I learned the value of Doing It Yourself and how someone’s trash truly could become an amazing treasure!
Nowadays, I thrift for different reasons… but still value those same lessons. There is something so rewarding about bringing new life to a discarded find…. whether it’s a cool new accessory for my home, or a fun prop for a party, or a special piece for a table setting. Which brings me to the purpose of this post… As some of you may have noticed, this blog is fairly new to the world. I’ve been at it for 2 months and am just bursting at the seems with everything I want to share. I have so many projects and ideas.. but just not enough time in the day to post it all… Hang with me – it’s all coming! I thought it would be fun to share with you all of my thrifting finds from each month, and a little bit about what made me buy each piece. My hope is that you will learn to open your mind to the possibilities of the pieces you see when thrifting. Each month, as I post my projects or parties or home decorating, you’ll have the chance to see how I bring each of these finds to life!
The little Victorian Stool is my favorite find of the month! I found this at Goodwill for $10! The ornate metal legs are in perfect condition!! I even love the color!! I just need to find the perfect fabric to reupholster the cushion… probably something dark and velvet to marry with the heaviness of the piece. Now I must find a place to put this in my house! Sometimes if I find something this cool… I buy now and figure out a home later!! That’s probably why I have so much stuff!! Update: I finally found the perfect fabric and Reupholstered this stool in Black Crushed Velvet… Check out full tutorial for more pictures and step by step instructions on reuphostering a bench cushion.
I was thinking Garden Party when I saw each of the White Wire Baskets. They each had such a beautiful shape! They’d certainly be beautiful filled with spring blooms… But even better as part of a buffet! The small basket could be filled with silverware wrapped in vintage napkins… or delicious baked goods! Maybe I’ll use the large basket at an Italian dinner, and fill it with baguettes! I could paint them bright colors and use them at a tea party! Or perhaps the larger basket could be used in a bathroom full of bath towels, or in a guest bedroom full of blankets… There are so many possibilities for these!
I’m pretty sure that little Red Box was intended to be a Christmas box for gifts, but I loved the color and the Victorian pattern… for me, I can use this all year long. Whether it’s my craft room or my costume closet or my piles of accessories… I am always in need of small storage containers. I love finding cute pieces like this… I feel like it gives character to my storage shelves!
At this moment, I have my sights set on Halloween for these two Fake Books! Old books make such great props when decorating! I plan to rub a black glaze over these to darken them up, and then use them to stack some spooky decor. Fake books are something I always keep an eye out for. Even if not for Halloween… they look great stacked under a plant, they spruce up a boring book shelf, and they also make great storage containers! Fingers crossed I’ll find more throughout the year!
I can’t have enough birdcages! Ok, that might be an exaggeration… I’m not a crazy bird lady!! I actually do not own any birds, but as someone who loves a Victorian aesthetic… bird cages are such a cool tool for decorating!! In the home, set them up on a table or a pedestal as a display case…. or hang them from the ceiling with a candle or a light kit. I used a birdcage on the Gift Table at my wedding to house all of the cards that guests brought. Birdcages also make great Halloween decor… Paint them black and add a black raven! When I saw this birdcage, I actually thought tea party. I can just see birdcages in bright colors hanging from the trees during a tea party, or filled with blooms on the table or buffet…. very Alice in Wonderland! I am determined to host an Alice in Wonderland bash one day!!
Roosters are not really my thing… so I had to look past the design on this Wooden Tray. This tray had GREAT bones though! I love that it’s all wood, and in great condition. The Rooster design is simply a painted finish, so it will be easy to paint over. Honestly, I have no idea what this is going to become. I plan to put this away in my future project bin until it hits me. As someone who likes to host parties and decorate holiday tables… trays really come in handy. They work great to arrange centerpieces for a table, or pieces on a buffet.. If you’re not into hosting… trays can also be really useful around the house… especially if you like to eat in front of the TV!!
If I see a thick Candlestick, I buy it. I keep a collection of them on hand. They have so many uses!!! First of all, I love candles! My husband swears I’m going to burn the house down one day if I forget to blow out all of my candles! Sometimes, a great candlestick is just that – a candlestick. They are also perfect as bases for cake stands or pedestal bowls… Check out the cake stands I made using candlesticks as bases. When I set up a buffet, I try to use serving pieces or decorations that are different heights. Not only does it make the buffet look more appealing, but you can fit much more on a table!! Sometimes I’m even lucky enough to find a candlestick already fitted with a glass holder (like the one pictured behind the birdcage)… this gem will definitely make it’s way onto a buffet as a dip bowl!! Candlesticks also make a great stand or pedestal for decorations. For Halloween, paint them black and top with a skull…. for Fall, paint white and top with a white pumpkin…. use a smaller candlestick to attach to a frame to make a sign on a pedestal…. So many possibilities!!
Update: Check out how I ended up using a couple of these candlesticks to make these adorable Christmas Dessert Stands!
I’m not sure if that Tall Silver Column is a candlestick or a pedestal base? Either way, I thought it was a great find because of the height. I have a variety of black candlesticks throughout my house, so I may just paint this black and pair it with the rest. I also like the idea of turning it into a standing ice bucket for wine or champagne… or perhaps I add a flat top to it and use it as a plant stand…. that plant in the photo looks pretty good on it!!
Crates are great to collect if you host a lot of parties or dinners. I use them on my buffet to add elevation and interest. These were great finds because they are an atypical size, and I especially like that the small one is painted blue.
I like the shape of this little Urn. I’m not sure if I’ll leave the foliage as is. To me, it doesn’t look half bad for a fake plant. And I actually like the color of the urn. It has a nice Tuscan vibe. I am a fan of a Tuscan flavor.. especially in the kitchen!! If I do choose to upcycle this little piece, urns like this make great Halloween decor… painted black and filled with some spooky looking floral stems. They are also beautiful in the Fall if filled with Autumn inspired leaves or florals. Lastly, I think this could be really striking for a Valentine’s table if painted black and filled with red roses.
As I mentioned earlier, I love Candles. I found the purple pear shaped candles and the black & white striped tapers at a garage sale. They were brand new, never burned. Purple is one of my most favorite colors… My studio is painted purple and my master bedroom has purple accents… Those purple candles will have no trouble finding a home! I thought the black & white candles were whimsical! Not sure when I’ll use them just yet…
I love old Silver Trays… they make such beautiful displays. The tray pictured in the back actually has legs on it… it’s not uncommon to find these trays in thrift stores with broken legs, but I found this treasure at a garage sale for $3 and it was in perfect condition… just needed some TLC to clean it up!! The tray in the front has a bit more wear, but I’m thinking of cleaning it up and painting the center with chalkboard paint… I think it would make an elegant but fun serving tray… maybe for some cheese!
I bought these Wooden Baskets because I thought they’d be good on a buffet table for any sort of “rustic” themed party. We host a lot of bonfires, and like to have a chili cook-off party each Fall…. and I see some sort of barnyard birthday party in my daughter’s future. Rustic baskets are perfect for any of those kind of events!
Much like the purple candles, this Vase of Purple Flowers will have no trouble finding a home in my bedroom or studio. Both of those rooms are currently unfinished, so I am always keeping an eye out for accessories that will work. I was lucky to pick this vase & flower up at a garage sale for $3. Stay tuned.. as I complete both rooms, I plan to bring you the before & afters!
I’m not sure what I plan to do with these Planters? I will likely paint the small white vase in the back, and use it as a serving piece. I thought it had a bit of a Roman style to it… will work well with an Italian meal!! The other two? – OK.. so I got distracted by the Lion’s heads!! If I see something with a lion’s head, I have to have it! If you happened to see my Halloween Front Porch Decoration, you would know this about me. I have huge Lion’s Head urns on my front porch that I am obsessed with!! Back to the planters… I will likely leave the stone one as is.. it’s in great shape.. Floral prints are not really my style, so I’ll be painting that one… Now I just need to figure out their purpose!
Of all of my finds for the month, this Clock will likely be my most time consuming project. The wooden frame is missing a finial and the clock itself is not in working condition, which is likely why so many people passed this up. For me… I’m not interested in the clock. I fell in love with the details of the wooden framework… and I see an awesome display shelf. I’ll leave it at that… stay tuned to see how it turns out!!
The intricate design on these Silver Plates caught my eye. I always keep an eye out for metal or wood plates and bowls that I can pair with some of my candlesticks, to make cake stands or display pedestals.
I love the shape of this Mirror! I look at it and think “Mirror, Mirror on the wall”! I have an antique French mirror hanging in my powder bath that has a very similar feel. The difference.. one’s a pricey antique and this one is plastic and ran me $7 at a local charity thrift shop!! I could not believe this was plastic.. it looks like a real frame! Normally, I wouldn’t be so excited about a plastic mirror… BUT – my little girl is at an age where looking in the mirror is quite fascinating. At 14 months old, she is quite handsy, and anything in reach tends to be at risk! When I saw this mirror, I thought it was perfect for her! Stay tuned to find out where it ends up!
PHEW! That was a lot of great finds in October! Thanks for reading through! I hope I’ve provided a little inspiration for your next trip to the thrift store!!
If you have any great ideas of how I could re-purpose some of these pieces, please let me know! I’d love to hear other ideas!!
As I bring each piece back to life I’ll be sure to update this post with links! Stay tuned!
Cool post! I mainly just thrift clothing and books, you make me wanna try out home decor as well!
Sam
http://thrifttasteandheadspace.com/
Thanks Sam!! I’ve been pulling together another installment of Thrift Store Junkie… hoping to post in January! And I have a few Trash to Treasure Holiday projects I am planning to post this week…. Hope you check back for more ideas!