The Thrift Shop Romantic's Thrifty New Year's Resolutions

Ah... New Year's. The time we take stock of the past 365 days, and take heart for a brighter future. And The Thrift Shop Romantic is no exception.

As a result of this past holiday season, and the year in general, I've got some lessons learned. And I thought I'd share just a few of them with you today as a part of my 2009 New Year's Resolutions.

• To thrift Christmas gifts earlier this year. It's never too soon to start pulling together great gift baskets for Christmas and birthdays. Crazy as it seems with Santa only just jingling off earlier this week-- thinking now makes for better gifting, and a thriftier bottom line, too. It's never too soon to think what other folks might enjoy.
  

• To better organize my thrifted purchases. Keeping lists, lists, and more detailed lists, will help me know what I've found, and what I still need to get. Targeting a special area to store these gifts should help make finding my purchases less like archaeology and more like a happy holiday.

• To wrap as I go. I believe I've mentioned before, I really hate wrapping gifts. The wrapping paper fights me every step of the way, and I have even less patience with it when I'm in the Christmas rush. So with good lists, nametags and a little initiative, if I could wrap as I thrift, I could eliminate a heckuva lot of holiday stress.

• To look now for Christmas wrap for tomorrow. It's going to be on sale, so now is the time to get it. Inexpensively-- the way we like it!
  

• To weed out little used clothes for donations. Those of us who love thrift stores know how easy it is to bring goodies home. But a little resolution to clean out the clothes that no longer fit, that just never quite worked, and to donate them back to the thrift stores? Well, someone else will have a great new outfit that works for them... the thrift stores get what they need to thrive... and I get a much tidier house! Win, win, win!
  

• To donate unnecessary household items. Yes, planning to clean out means getting rid of some extra items I'm not currently using. I have some things I plan to sell on Etsy, but to be honest, there are many things I just won't be gathering together into gift baskets. So why not let others have fun making their own through thrifted treasures? And again-- there's that great extra space to look forward to!

• To stop buying thrifted vintage lamps. Okay, anyone who's a regular reader of this blog knows this one might be a toughy for me. In fact, I'd like to make this not be so much a "resolution," as sort of a "suggestion" because I don't see me getting very far with this. Nonetheless, I'm putting it out there. How many vintage lamps does a girl need really? (Answer: a lot.)
  

But, you know, the more things change, the more things stay the same. So as far as The Thrift Shop Romantic blog itself goes-- for 2009, I resolve:

• To continue to share with you slivers of our past as found through thrifted goodies...

• We'll snicker together over surprising vintage recipes...

• We'll examine the best and funniest in decorating ideas

• We'll craft together when time permits...

• And we'll hit the road when antiquing adventures call...

• We'll tour local attractions...

• And sometimes we'll just stay home with a nice cup of tea.

• From 50s frills or Victorian velvet, together we'll make 2009 a beautiful, warm and inviting year.

I hope you'll join me for it!

• If you missed Sunday's "Post-Christmas Thrifting Post," click here.

And otherwise-- HAPPY (and Thrifty!) NEW YEAR!!

The Thrift Shop Romantic's Thrifty New Year's Resolutions

Ah... New Year's. The time we take stock of the past 365 days, and take heart for a brighter future. And The Thrift Shop Romantic is no exception.

As a result of this past holiday season, and the year in general, I've got some lessons learned. And I thought I'd share just a few of them with you today as a part of my 2009 New Year's Resolutions.

• To thrift Christmas gifts earlier this year. It's never too soon to start pulling together great gift baskets for Christmas and birthdays. Crazy as it seems with Santa only just jingling off earlier this week-- thinking now makes for better gifting, and a thriftier bottom line, too. It's never too soon to think what other folks might enjoy.
  

• To better organize my thrifted purchases. Keeping lists, lists, and more detailed lists, will help me know what I've found, and what I still need to get. Targeting a special area to store these gifts should help make finding my purchases less like archaeology and more like a happy holiday.

• To wrap as I go. I believe I've mentioned before, I really hate wrapping gifts. The wrapping paper fights me every step of the way, and I have even less patience with it when I'm in the Christmas rush. So with good lists, nametags and a little initiative, if I could wrap as I thrift, I could eliminate a heckuva lot of holiday stress.

• To look now for Christmas wrap for tomorrow. It's going to be on sale, so now is the time to get it. Inexpensively-- the way we like it!
  

• To weed out little used clothes for donations. Those of us who love thrift stores know how easy it is to bring goodies home. But a little resolution to clean out the clothes that no longer fit, that just never quite worked, and to donate them back to the thrift stores? Well, someone else will have a great new outfit that works for them... the thrift stores get what they need to thrive... and I get a much tidier house! Win, win, win!
  

• To donate unnecessary household items. Yes, planning to clean out means getting rid of some extra items I'm not currently using. I have some things I plan to sell on Etsy, but to be honest, there are many things I just won't be gathering together into gift baskets. So why not let others have fun making their own through thrifted treasures? And again-- there's that great extra space to look forward to!

• To stop buying thrifted vintage lamps. Okay, anyone who's a regular reader of this blog knows this one might be a toughy for me. In fact, I'd like to make this not be so much a "resolution," as sort of a "suggestion" because I don't see me getting very far with this. Nonetheless, I'm putting it out there. How many vintage lamps does a girl need really? (Answer: a lot.)
  

But, you know, the more things change, the more things stay the same. So as far as The Thrift Shop Romantic blog itself goes-- for 2009, I resolve:

• To continue to share with you slivers of our past as found through thrifted goodies...

• We'll snicker together over surprising vintage recipes...

• We'll examine the best and funniest in decorating ideas

• We'll craft together when time permits...

• And we'll hit the road when antiquing adventures call...

• We'll tour local attractions...

• And sometimes we'll just stay home with a nice cup of tea.

• From 50s frills or Victorian velvet, together we'll make 2009 a beautiful, warm and inviting year.

I hope you'll join me for it!

• If you missed Sunday's "Post-Christmas Thrifting Post," click here.

And otherwise-- HAPPY (and Thrifty!) NEW YEAR!!

The Christmas Decorating Big Finish

Okay, we're in the home stretch, we're coming around the bend and.... a photo-finish-- just in the nick of time!

This Christmas has felt like a bit of a race, anyway. And I still have a lot of my wrapping to do, so you'll forgive me today if this is a little brief.

My housemate, "Scoobie," jokes that anything that isn't moving gets decorated when it's Christmas at my place, and she might very well be right. Last evening, when I was supposed to be relaxing, I found myself hanging some garland above the livingroom doorway. A few ribbons, some velvet roses and voila!-- instant display.


Some extra garland ended up providing a backdrop for ol' Big Ben as well...


The cathedral below was a St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store find... It got some garland and a bow.


The shelves of bisque started looking a bit empty, so I added a few ornaments here or there for shine...

And the cherub has his sleigh filled with ornaments. Did you know that he pinch hits for Santa when he needs some extra help shipping?


In the kitchen, my behind-the-stove display got some ribbon, beaded fruit and purple garland. It only took a second and it seems so much more festive...


But in my spare room is where all the real work went today. Usually, I do this room in a pale "Shabby Chic" Christmas look. But this time I decided to use some of the jeweled fairies I had in my dining room last year, in here...


Fortunately, my dad, who will be staying in this room, is really tolerant when it comes to my decor. Otherwise, he might just suffer from fairy-overkill here. Garland, ribbons and fairy and butterfly ornaments from TJ Maxx do the trick.


Here's the little tree, done in ribbon, German vintage ornaments, more butterflies, and the occasionally-tucked fairy...


You can see it a bit closer here...

This display is at the foot of the bed, on a set of drawers along the wall. The white mirror was a Salvation Army Thrift Store purchase. I think it was originally from a medicine cabinet. Boy, is it heavy!


This fairy tucked into the corner on a shelf. The gold roses at her feet didn't show up as brightly as I'd expected. They're really encrusted in glitter.


This is the bedside table. Yup, more garland, ribbon, butterflies and a token fairy.


Then, because my collection of pottery looked a bit empty compared to everything else, I tucked a few bottle brush trees between them, to "spruce" things up!


Then I barged into Scoobie's room and begged her to let me take photos of her displays for you. She does a really beautiful job with her stuff. I can only imagine how amazing it will be when she finally gets her own house! But for now, you can see the top of her wardrobe closet...

And the top of her dresser...


And this is her little blue tree. Yes, being in a house filled with Christmas trees, and suddenly she got the bug to have a tree of her own. Maybe it was peer pressure! Anyway, it's got all her favorite colors in it. Blue, blue and more blue!


And today we wind things up, with a teeny festival of lights. The livingroom tree was looking so warm and inviting, I just had to take a pic.


And the pink livingroom tree, all shiny and brite made me smile...

Hope you got a smile out of it, too!

For more Christmas decorating, check out last Wednesday's post, "Hall Decking and Other Fa-La-La's" here.

And join me this Wednesday as I show you a couple of thrifted Christmas presents! I might also have some pics for you of my own bedroom decorated (we'll see how that goes, that's more of a time-permitting thing, as right now my room is a disaster area!).

Hope all of your holiday festivities, if you celebrate, are under control!

The Christmas Decorating Big Finish

Okay, we're in the home stretch, we're coming around the bend and.... a photo-finish-- just in the nick of time!

This Christmas has felt like a bit of a race, anyway. And I still have a lot of my wrapping to do, so you'll forgive me today if this is a little brief.

My housemate, "Scoobie," jokes that anything that isn't moving gets decorated when it's Christmas at my place, and she might very well be right. Last evening, when I was supposed to be relaxing, I found myself hanging some garland above the livingroom doorway. A few ribbons, some velvet roses and voila!-- instant display.


Some extra garland ended up providing a backdrop for ol' Big Ben as well...


The cathedral below was a St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store find... It got some garland and a bow.


The shelves of bisque started looking a bit empty, so I added a few ornaments here or there for shine...

And the cherub has his sleigh filled with ornaments. Did you know that he pinch hits for Santa when he needs some extra help shipping?


In the kitchen, my behind-the-stove display got some ribbon, beaded fruit and purple garland. It only took a second and it seems so much more festive...


But in my spare room is where all the real work went today. Usually, I do this room in a pale "Shabby Chic" Christmas look. But this time I decided to use some of the jeweled fairies I had in my dining room last year, in here...


Fortunately, my dad, who will be staying in this room, is really tolerant when it comes to my decor. Otherwise, he might just suffer from fairy-overkill here. Garland, ribbons and fairy and butterfly ornaments from TJ Maxx do the trick.


Here's the little tree, done in ribbon, German vintage ornaments, more butterflies, and the occasionally-tucked fairy...


You can see it a bit closer here...

This display is at the foot of the bed, on a set of drawers along the wall. The white mirror was a Salvation Army Thrift Store purchase. I think it was originally from a medicine cabinet. Boy, is it heavy!


This fairy tucked into the corner on a shelf. The gold roses at her feet didn't show up as brightly as I'd expected. They're really encrusted in glitter.


This is the bedside table. Yup, more garland, ribbon, butterflies and a token fairy.


Then, because my collection of pottery looked a bit empty compared to everything else, I tucked a few bottle brush trees between them, to "spruce" things up!


Then I barged into Scoobie's room and begged her to let me take photos of her displays for you. She does a really beautiful job with her stuff. I can only imagine how amazing it will be when she finally gets her own house! But for now, you can see the top of her wardrobe closet...

And the top of her dresser...


And this is her little blue tree. Yes, being in a house filled with Christmas trees, and suddenly she got the bug to have a tree of her own. Maybe it was peer pressure! Anyway, it's got all her favorite colors in it. Blue, blue and more blue!


And today we wind things up, with a teeny festival of lights. The livingroom tree was looking so warm and inviting, I just had to take a pic.


And the pink livingroom tree, all shiny and brite made me smile...

Hope you got a smile out of it, too!

For more Christmas decorating, check out last Wednesday's post, "Hall Decking and Other Fa-La-La's" here.

And join me this Wednesday as I show you a couple of thrifted Christmas presents! I might also have some pics for you of my own bedroom decorated (we'll see how that goes, that's more of a time-permitting thing, as right now my room is a disaster area!).

Hope all of your holiday festivities, if you celebrate, are under control!