Huzzahs for the Thrift King Thrift Store

(Insert trumpet fanfare here: Da-da-DAAAAAA!) Here ye, here ye, Pittsburgh area thrift fans! There is a new thrift store in town, right off Route 30, at 100 Lowry Street in Jeannette... And it is called: The Thrift King!

I popped in there last Sunday, tempted by the sheer size of the store, and I was not disappointed. While I may not have purchased anything this particular run, what I did find was selection and great presentation.

First of all, picture aisles you could actually move down while someone passed you with a cart. This is unheard of in the world of thrift stores in my area. I've grown accustomed to being run over by enthused shoppers overcome by the tunnel vision which can accompany serious thrifting.

The clothes, too, seemed to be in great condition, and the shoes were seriously tempting-- lots of newer styles still appropriate for today.

The furniture section was serious-- it's own room and filled with options. There are shelves of housewares, books at the back, and more collectible stuff and jewelry in cases up front.

All in all, a really bright clean store. So I will definitely be hitting this again on my Route 30 travels.

Their hours are Monday through Saturday 9am to 7:30pm and Sunday 11am to 5:30pm.

Their address is 100 Lowry Avenue, Hempfield Township, PA 15644 and their phone is 724-374-5011. You can check out their web site at www.thethriftking.com

NOW for one other order of business today...

Here's your chance to help out a fellow Thrift Shop Romantic reader...

Does anyone here know a reliable person or business who paints furniture using an industrial spray painter in the general Pittsburgh area you'd be willing to recommend? Someone has a dining set that needs a smoothly painted facelift, and I didn't have any recommendations for her myself.

You can either leave a comment here, or email me directly at thriftshopromantic[at]mac.com

Thanks in advance! And Thrift Happy!

Huzzahs for the Thrift King Thrift Store

(Insert trumpet fanfare here: Da-da-DAAAAAA!) Here ye, here ye, Pittsburgh area thrift fans! There is a new thrift store in town, right off Route 30, at 100 Lowry Street in Jeannette... And it is called: The Thrift King!

I popped in there last Sunday, tempted by the sheer size of the store, and I was not disappointed. While I may not have purchased anything this particular run, what I did find was selection and great presentation.

First of all, picture aisles you could actually move down while someone passed you with a cart. This is unheard of in the world of thrift stores in my area. I've grown accustomed to being run over by enthused shoppers overcome by the tunnel vision which can accompany serious thrifting.

The clothes, too, seemed to be in great condition, and the shoes were seriously tempting-- lots of newer styles still appropriate for today.

The furniture section was serious-- it's own room and filled with options. There are shelves of housewares, books at the back, and more collectible stuff and jewelry in cases up front.

All in all, a really bright clean store. So I will definitely be hitting this again on my Route 30 travels.

Their hours are Monday through Saturday 9am to 7:30pm and Sunday 11am to 5:30pm.

Their address is 100 Lowry Avenue, Hempfield Township, PA 15644 and their phone is 724-374-5011. You can check out their web site at www.thethriftking.com

NOW for one other order of business today...

Here's your chance to help out a fellow Thrift Shop Romantic reader...

Does anyone here know a reliable person or business who paints furniture using an industrial spray painter in the general Pittsburgh area you'd be willing to recommend? Someone has a dining set that needs a smoothly painted facelift, and I didn't have any recommendations for her myself.

You can either leave a comment here, or email me directly at thriftshopromantic[at]mac.com

Thanks in advance! And Thrift Happy!

Dad and Thrifty Genetics

My dad passed away on March 4, and as one tends to do during this kind of time in life, I've found myself doing a lot of thinking. And when I think of Dad, those thoughts are almost inseparable from the one thing he enjoyed more than almost anything else-- second-hand treasure hunting.

In his hale and hearty days, there was nothing that would stop him on a Saturday morning from scouring all the yard sales the upper Florida Keys had to offer. Our weekly phone call would be filled with tales and tallies-- how many yard sales he hit, how many things he found, who he ran into during his adventures and what he ultimately paid for his pirate booty.

(He did not hit any sales on his archaeological tour of Easter Island, but I hear they're pretty strict about letting you take the old, unusual things home. Also, I think the moai statuary wouldn't fit in his carry-on.)

During the week, he was led to his local thrift store, where he'd come back with whatever caught his eye-- from antique engravings to Star Wars character cups from Pizza Hut and items even he admitted he bought because he had absolutely no idea what they were.

Those items were apparently the best. Because they afforded hours and hours of detective-work fun.

Sundays, then, were devoted to the Upper Keys' flea market, rows of storage units opened up for business. Dad's favorite haunts were the Fifty Cent Bins, which he would dig through with relish to find his latest electronic gadget, kitschy collectible, or hidden bauble...

It was compulsion, entertainment, and history wrapped up in one fascinating, musty package.

So I learned my love of the thrift at the second-hand deck shoes of the master.

While I never gained the patience my dad did to weed elbow-deep in boxes of questionable origin, I do think fondly on my own childhood garage saling adventures with Dad. The 50 cents a week I earned from chores, I had learned, stretched far toward dollies and clothes, art supplies and Wonder Woman comic books.

And when it came to books, Dad was usually happy to kick in an extra buck or two for me. I recall more than once walking away with a giant grocery bag full of Nancy Drews for only a few dollars. Dad was proud to say he had a reader. And I was trembling with anticipation for stories not yet read.

As regular readers know, Dad and I got to a number of weekend thrifting forays while he was up here in Pittsburgh getting cancer treatment. He would come back with this trinket or that bit of "guy stuff" as he called it, a souvenir of his day out and a conversation piece for him back at assisted living.

This weekend, I donated some of his things back from whence they came-- the thrifts. It wasn't easy exactly, but it had to be done-- and the nice thing about thrifts stores is, now the ever-spinning cycle of ownership continues on.

Dad and Thrifty Genetics

My dad passed away on March 4, and as one tends to do during this kind of time in life, I've found myself doing a lot of thinking. And when I think of Dad, those thoughts are almost inseparable from the one thing he enjoyed more than almost anything else-- second-hand treasure hunting.

In his hale and hearty days, there was nothing that would stop him on a Saturday morning from scouring all the yard sales the upper Florida Keys had to offer. Our weekly phone call would be filled with tales and tallies-- how many yard sales he hit, how many things he found, who he ran into during his adventures and what he ultimately paid for his pirate booty.

(He did not hit any sales on his archaeological tour of Easter Island, but I hear they're pretty strict about letting you take the old, unusual things home. Also, I think the moai statuary wouldn't fit in his carry-on.)

During the week, he was led to his local thrift store, where he'd come back with whatever caught his eye-- from antique engravings to Star Wars character cups from Pizza Hut and items even he admitted he bought because he had absolutely no idea what they were.

Those items were apparently the best. Because they afforded hours and hours of detective-work fun.

Sundays, then, were devoted to the Upper Keys' flea market, rows of storage units opened up for business. Dad's favorite haunts were the Fifty Cent Bins, which he would dig through with relish to find his latest electronic gadget, kitschy collectible, or hidden bauble...

It was compulsion, entertainment, and history wrapped up in one fascinating, musty package.

So I learned my love of the thrift at the second-hand deck shoes of the master.

While I never gained the patience my dad did to weed elbow-deep in boxes of questionable origin, I do think fondly on my own childhood garage saling adventures with Dad. The 50 cents a week I earned from chores, I had learned, stretched far toward dollies and clothes, art supplies and Wonder Woman comic books.

And when it came to books, Dad was usually happy to kick in an extra buck or two for me. I recall more than once walking away with a giant grocery bag full of Nancy Drews for only a few dollars. Dad was proud to say he had a reader. And I was trembling with anticipation for stories not yet read.

As regular readers know, Dad and I got to a number of weekend thrifting forays while he was up here in Pittsburgh getting cancer treatment. He would come back with this trinket or that bit of "guy stuff" as he called it, a souvenir of his day out and a conversation piece for him back at assisted living.

This weekend, I donated some of his things back from whence they came-- the thrifts. It wasn't easy exactly, but it had to be done-- and the nice thing about thrifts stores is, now the ever-spinning cycle of ownership continues on.

Big Eyes, Big Ears and "Beautiful Junk"

Window shopping in second-hand stores has joys all its own. While regular mall shopping might reveal the toddler having a pre-nap meltdown, seniors out for exercise, or teens tracking down the latest fashion, it’s at thrifts, antique malls and flea markets that stories, histories and memories really come out to play.

Even if you’re not in the market for anything in particular, a quiet afternoon stroll perusing the shelves of a thrift or the booths of a flea market can be free, whimsical entertainment. And it promises everything from humor and happiness to a certain amount of comfortably kitschy horror. All you have to do is open your eyes and your ears.
You might hear cheers, as someone reunites with the same dishes they remember Grandma serving on 20 years ago.

Or like this weekend, a woman on her cell spent time describing in patient detail a series of vintage copper Jell-O molds to a friend. “Are you still looking for some? They have a really nice aged look to them... And there’s a crab, a fish, and some grapes... Oh, wait! Here are three more small ones! Do you think you’d want them? I’ll buy them and bring them right over...”

You might spy that couple who stands before a booth, weighing every purchase together with the gravity of international peace negotiations... Where a single kitchen canister gets the same attention and deep consideration that buying a car or signing a nuclear arms treaty might.

Walk around one of these merchandise meccas of Memories, and you might even become inadvertently educated about the unexpected. For instance, I had no idea until recently there was actually a special tool-- small wooden tongs-- to be used specifically for removing toast from a toaster. Me, I had always left it up to chance, dexterity and the electric company.
Sometimes, you'll discover others like you, wandering the aisles in wide-eyed wonder. At the UFO in Greensburg not long ago, I passed a lady going the opposite direction down their overspilling dollar shelves. Vintage glass shone with possibility. The woman turned and smiled, knowing she'd passed a kindred treasure hunter. "Beautiful junk," she said to me. It was as if it were part of some unfinished thrifting Haiku.

And I had to agree, as I scanned the milk glass, the crystal, the aged bottles; it was. Somewhere, someday, someone would give it a home.

And of course, sometimes thrifting and other secondhand stores reveal the strange and unusual. In the last week, I've seen two plaster courting couple plaques that I will not-so-regretfully fail to decorate my French blue sitting room with... Their clumsy figures and awkward paint job would probably have made Boucher reconsider the cheeky shepherd genre.

Later, I did a double-take on a baby-doll with a lamp harp jutting out of her head. Many a tot may have found mental trauma in some of the toys that have made their way to secondhand stores.

And, then there's the virtually inexplicable. Is this a human? A beloved dog? Why is it wearing Carol Channing's hair?Perhaps it is Sir Elton John in his thin days without his big glasses. Here, I'll give you a closer view so you can truly immerse yourself in The Art.
Questions abound!

(And no, I didn't buy it. I have left it at the Ohio River Boulevard antique mall for others to spy out of the corner of their eyes, stop dead in the hallway, and drag friends over to see.

Which leaves me with today's questions: have you ever overheard something entertaining at a thrift store or other treasure hunting place?

And what, do you think, this last painting portrays exactly?

Inquiring minds want to know! :)

Big Eyes, Big Ears and "Beautiful Junk"

Window shopping in second-hand stores has joys all its own. While regular mall shopping might reveal the toddler having a pre-nap meltdown, seniors out for exercise, or teens tracking down the latest fashion, it’s at thrifts, antique malls and flea markets that stories, histories and memories really come out to play.

Even if you’re not in the market for anything in particular, a quiet afternoon stroll perusing the shelves of a thrift or the booths of a flea market can be free, whimsical entertainment. And it promises everything from humor and happiness to a certain amount of comfortably kitschy horror. All you have to do is open your eyes and your ears.
You might hear cheers, as someone reunites with the same dishes they remember Grandma serving on 20 years ago.

Or like this weekend, a woman on her cell spent time describing in patient detail a series of vintage copper Jell-O molds to a friend. “Are you still looking for some? They have a really nice aged look to them... And there’s a crab, a fish, and some grapes... Oh, wait! Here are three more small ones! Do you think you’d want them? I’ll buy them and bring them right over...”

You might spy that couple who stands before a booth, weighing every purchase together with the gravity of international peace negotiations... Where a single kitchen canister gets the same attention and deep consideration that buying a car or signing a nuclear arms treaty might.

Walk around one of these merchandise meccas of Memories, and you might even become inadvertently educated about the unexpected. For instance, I had no idea until recently there was actually a special tool-- small wooden tongs-- to be used specifically for removing toast from a toaster. Me, I had always left it up to chance, dexterity and the electric company.
Sometimes, you'll discover others like you, wandering the aisles in wide-eyed wonder. At the UFO in Greensburg not long ago, I passed a lady going the opposite direction down their overspilling dollar shelves. Vintage glass shone with possibility. The woman turned and smiled, knowing she'd passed a kindred treasure hunter. "Beautiful junk," she said to me. It was as if it were part of some unfinished thrifting Haiku.

And I had to agree, as I scanned the milk glass, the crystal, the aged bottles; it was. Somewhere, someday, someone would give it a home.

And of course, sometimes thrifting and other secondhand stores reveal the strange and unusual. In the last week, I've seen two plaster courting couple plaques that I will not-so-regretfully fail to decorate my French blue sitting room with... Their clumsy figures and awkward paint job would probably have made Boucher reconsider the cheeky shepherd genre.

Later, I did a double-take on a baby-doll with a lamp harp jutting out of her head. Many a tot may have found mental trauma in some of the toys that have made their way to secondhand stores.

And, then there's the virtually inexplicable. Is this a human? A beloved dog? Why is it wearing Carol Channing's hair?Perhaps it is Sir Elton John in his thin days without his big glasses. Here, I'll give you a closer view so you can truly immerse yourself in The Art.
Questions abound!

(And no, I didn't buy it. I have left it at the Ohio River Boulevard antique mall for others to spy out of the corner of their eyes, stop dead in the hallway, and drag friends over to see.

Which leaves me with today's questions: have you ever overheard something entertaining at a thrift store or other treasure hunting place?

And what, do you think, this last painting portrays exactly?

Inquiring minds want to know! :)

Thrifty Decorating Identified

This week The Thrift Shop Romantic has the number of thrifty decorating-- literally! It all came about as I was enjoying a cup o' that magical coffee bean concoction one morning in my blue sitting room. And as my eyes began to finally open, and I started enjoying the view, I realized that even though the room has an OldWorld/French/Paris Apartment sort of vibe, virtually everything in the darned place either came from a thrift store, a craft store or was an inexpensive gem at an antique mall.

Have you ever looked at a decorating magazine and fallen in love with a particular rug, wallpaper or piece of furniture? Then have you done a little research and proven that item is definitely, absolutely not easily-accessible, or even remotely in your price range? (Y'know, without having to promise to sell your first born child to get it.) Ah, the disappointment!

So I decided it might be a fun and educational little exercise for us to do this on a more budget-conscious scale. I'll try to add prices where I remember what I paid. (Some of these things I bought a long time ago and put away for future use.)

Anyway, here we go!...

1. Courting Couple Vintage Tapestry Chair, Jeannette Antique Mall-- on sale for $35
2. Blue fringed shade bought on Ebay specifically for thrifted lamp
3. Cherub lamp- thrifted! Salvation Army Thrift Store for, if I remember correctly, $6
4. Tole side table- Linens n Things
5. Needlepoint footstool- thrifted! St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store. $4.
6. Blue French style drapes. TJ Maxx. $16 per pair.

7. Etched Italian-style mirror. Lowes Home Center.
8. Framed Italian tapestry picture- thrifted! Salvation Army Thrift Store.
9. Set of two vintage prints of French sitting room-- thrifted. Probably around $6 for the two of them.
10. Pink and white cherub lamp- TJ Maxx.
11. Pink velvet loveseat cover (two pieces)- thrifted! Red White & Blue Thrift Store
12. Pastel courting couple printed comforter- thrifted! Salvation Army Thrift Store
13. Courting Couple Tapestry Pillow- Linens N Things Going Out of Business Sale

14. Art nouveau painting of maiden and cherub- Ebay
15. Candlesticks and bowl, originally from Target, but candlesticks bought at the Goodwill- $6
16. Fake dried-looking roses- Michaels

17. Two blue frosted art deco boudoir lamps- L&L Fleatique- $32 for pair
18. Beaded and be-crystalled candlesticks, Michaels Craft Store, 30% off
19. White Shabby Chic style Mantle Mirror- Ebay
20. Rose garland- Michaels Craft Store, 30% off
21. Wooden mantle- bought in separate pieces at Lowes and assembled, tile also from Lowes.
22. Metal fire surround- Construction Junction Architectural Salvage
23. Torchiere candle holders (2), Michaels Craft Store sale christmas decor
24. Faux dried flowers, Michaels Craft Store
25. Plaster Victorian-styled garden container, Linens N Things (had this thing forever, too!)

26. Tapestry wall hanging- thrifted! St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, about $12
27. Pink fringed lampshade- thrifted! Red White and Blue, about $2
28. Bisque antique cherub lamp, many cherubs playing instruments- Construction Junction Architectural Salvage- $20
29. Pink lace table runner- thrifted! Red White and Blue thrift store- came with two others and might have been about $4 total
30. Gold Music Cabinet- thrifted! Goodwill, about $15

This next wall below I'm still working on. I think I would prefer one large artwork on the wall (or another hanging tapestry) instead of the multiple smaller items, but we'll see what I uncover in my adventures Anyway, here's how it stands...
31. Crystal beaded wall sconces- TJ Maxx
32. Antique mirror which needed some TLC- Junk for Joy in Jeannette, about $5
33. Still life and landscape art- thrifted! Don't remember where exactly.
34. Art nouveau plaster bust, handpainted- Pottery City Antique Mall, $8-10
35. Roses still life painting, L&L Fleatique, $20 (was half off that day!)
36. Blue frosted glass hurricane lamp- Salvation Army Thrift Store, half price table, $2
37. Blue English marked dry sink pitcher- thrifted! Had this for ages, no longer remember which thrift store
38. Shabby Chic bookcase- Target online (it was just the size I wanted, too!)
39. Courting couple writing desk- thrifted! St. Vincent de Paul thrift store

39. Here's that writing desk again from above
40. Needlepoint vintage French chair- thrifted! Salvation Army thrift store. Probably about $40. I had a heckuva time fitting it in my car, but it was worth it!

42. Tole style candleholder. Got it at Linens N Things at the same time as I did the little table in the first pic. It was a sad day that store closed. Many goodies were found there, cheap.
43. Lyre coffeetable with brass feet. Meadows Flea Market (also no longer with us!). $10

44. Looks like I accidentally relisted that TJ Maxx pink lamp. But it's a good one, so it probably deserves that second listing.
45. You can see the thrifted velvet just a bit closer here. The sofa underneath is a black couch that I got from Ikea about 15 years ago and is getting a new life under cover!
47. Lyre endtable-- thrifted! This looks like it came with the coffeetable, but actually came from the Goodwill, along with a twin brother. I think it was about $12 for the two of them.

So there you have it! Lessons learned?

• Large pieces of romantic-style vintage furniture can actually be thrifted, as can decorative tapestries and art.
  
• For specialty items like fringed shades, you might be able to find one at the thrifts now and then, but Ebay comes through for specific needs (note, these are not cheap-- so it's good to shop around).
  
• Check antique malls for sales, and for more common items, don't forget to price compare between vendors in the same mall.
• And don't forget craft stores for decorative items. Often, these stores put out half-off coupons, so you can pace yourself to maximize your discounts!

Hope you enjoyed today's thrifty decorative history, and each and every one of you has a nifty, thrifty week!

Thrifty Decorating Identified

This week The Thrift Shop Romantic has the number of thrifty decorating-- literally! It all came about as I was enjoying a cup o' that magical coffee bean concoction one morning in my blue sitting room. And as my eyes began to finally open, and I started enjoying the view, I realized that even though the room has an OldWorld/French/Paris Apartment sort of vibe, virtually everything in the darned place either came from a thrift store, a craft store or was an inexpensive gem at an antique mall.

Have you ever looked at a decorating magazine and fallen in love with a particular rug, wallpaper or piece of furniture? Then have you done a little research and proven that item is definitely, absolutely not easily-accessible, or even remotely in your price range? (Y'know, without having to promise to sell your first born child to get it.) Ah, the disappointment!

So I decided it might be a fun and educational little exercise for us to do this on a more budget-conscious scale. I'll try to add prices where I remember what I paid. (Some of these things I bought a long time ago and put away for future use.)

Anyway, here we go!...

1. Courting Couple Vintage Tapestry Chair, Jeannette Antique Mall-- on sale for $35
2. Blue fringed shade bought on Ebay specifically for thrifted lamp
3. Cherub lamp- thrifted! Salvation Army Thrift Store for, if I remember correctly, $6
4. Tole side table- Linens n Things
5. Needlepoint footstool- thrifted! St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store. $4.
6. Blue French style drapes. TJ Maxx. $16 per pair.

7. Etched Italian-style mirror. Lowes Home Center.
8. Framed Italian tapestry picture- thrifted! Salvation Army Thrift Store.
9. Set of two vintage prints of French sitting room-- thrifted. Probably around $6 for the two of them.
10. Pink and white cherub lamp- TJ Maxx.
11. Pink velvet loveseat cover (two pieces)- thrifted! Red White & Blue Thrift Store
12. Pastel courting couple printed comforter- thrifted! Salvation Army Thrift Store
13. Courting Couple Tapestry Pillow- Linens N Things Going Out of Business Sale

14. Art nouveau painting of maiden and cherub- Ebay
15. Candlesticks and bowl, originally from Target, but candlesticks bought at the Goodwill- $6
16. Fake dried-looking roses- Michaels

17. Two blue frosted art deco boudoir lamps- L&L Fleatique- $32 for pair
18. Beaded and be-crystalled candlesticks, Michaels Craft Store, 30% off
19. White Shabby Chic style Mantle Mirror- Ebay
20. Rose garland- Michaels Craft Store, 30% off
21. Wooden mantle- bought in separate pieces at Lowes and assembled, tile also from Lowes.
22. Metal fire surround- Construction Junction Architectural Salvage
23. Torchiere candle holders (2), Michaels Craft Store sale christmas decor
24. Faux dried flowers, Michaels Craft Store
25. Plaster Victorian-styled garden container, Linens N Things (had this thing forever, too!)

26. Tapestry wall hanging- thrifted! St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, about $12
27. Pink fringed lampshade- thrifted! Red White and Blue, about $2
28. Bisque antique cherub lamp, many cherubs playing instruments- Construction Junction Architectural Salvage- $20
29. Pink lace table runner- thrifted! Red White and Blue thrift store- came with two others and might have been about $4 total
30. Gold Music Cabinet- thrifted! Goodwill, about $15

This next wall below I'm still working on. I think I would prefer one large artwork on the wall (or another hanging tapestry) instead of the multiple smaller items, but we'll see what I uncover in my adventures Anyway, here's how it stands...
31. Crystal beaded wall sconces- TJ Maxx
32. Antique mirror which needed some TLC- Junk for Joy in Jeannette, about $5
33. Still life and landscape art- thrifted! Don't remember where exactly.
34. Art nouveau plaster bust, handpainted- Pottery City Antique Mall, $8-10
35. Roses still life painting, L&L Fleatique, $20 (was half off that day!)
36. Blue frosted glass hurricane lamp- Salvation Army Thrift Store, half price table, $2
37. Blue English marked dry sink pitcher- thrifted! Had this for ages, no longer remember which thrift store
38. Shabby Chic bookcase- Target online (it was just the size I wanted, too!)
39. Courting couple writing desk- thrifted! St. Vincent de Paul thrift store

39. Here's that writing desk again from above
40. Needlepoint vintage French chair- thrifted! Salvation Army thrift store. Probably about $40. I had a heckuva time fitting it in my car, but it was worth it!

42. Tole style candleholder. Got it at Linens N Things at the same time as I did the little table in the first pic. It was a sad day that store closed. Many goodies were found there, cheap.
43. Lyre coffeetable with brass feet. Meadows Flea Market (also no longer with us!). $10

44. Looks like I accidentally relisted that TJ Maxx pink lamp. But it's a good one, so it probably deserves that second listing.
45. You can see the thrifted velvet just a bit closer here. The sofa underneath is a black couch that I got from Ikea about 15 years ago and is getting a new life under cover!
47. Lyre endtable-- thrifted! This looks like it came with the coffeetable, but actually came from the Goodwill, along with a twin brother. I think it was about $12 for the two of them.

So there you have it! Lessons learned?

• Large pieces of romantic-style vintage furniture can actually be thrifted, as can decorative tapestries and art.
  
• For specialty items like fringed shades, you might be able to find one at the thrifts now and then, but Ebay comes through for specific needs (note, these are not cheap-- so it's good to shop around).
  
• Check antique malls for sales, and for more common items, don't forget to price compare between vendors in the same mall.
• And don't forget craft stores for decorative items. Often, these stores put out half-off coupons, so you can pace yourself to maximize your discounts!

Hope you enjoyed today's thrifty decorative history, and each and every one of you has a nifty, thrifty week!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Mini-Thrifting and CBS Pumps Pros of Secondhand

Did you know, you smart secondhand shopper, that you are a part of a growing trend in "hip" and sensible resale shopping? Well, apparently so, according to CBS News, anyway.

I was watching the evening news the other night, when the piece came on, discussing a couple of different ways people are able to get great, high-end items at bargain prices. The ones they mention include:

• Having clothes swapping parties (trade friends for wardrobe items they no longer want, and refresh your own wardrobe at the same time)
• Visiting thrift stores
• And hitting consignment shops

You start to suspect the world is suddenly on to what we knew along-- that thrifts, and other resale meccas are a great way to find terrific items at a good price!

The thing that struck me most, however, was how the news broadcast appears to spin it to the Gucci, Sachs, and other big-name-label crowd. Are we really getting the Gucci gals at the Goodwill... and the Sachs fans at Sally's?

Which prompts me to ask-- do you folks hit the thrifts, yard sales and flea markets for designer labels or other high-end items? I've found a few bigger name vintage purses in my travels, but I chose them originally because they were an eye-catching style and of noticeable quality.

If so, what sorts of things do you look for?

Now me, you all probably know by now I buy a lot more decorative and household items at thrifts than I buy clothes. And there was just a little bit of thrifting in that area this week...

These 40s/50s Turner floral prints!...


I got the pair at the Salvation Army thrift store, at just $3.99 a piece. Stylistically, they remind me of the soft colors of my Victorian postcards...


I'm such a sucker for a nice red rose!

But, hey, blue's lovely, too-- like with these pansies and forget-me-nots...


When you think about just how much it costs these days to have something framed, it's amazing to find two pre-framed prints for that price in this shape. So I was a pretty happy gal.

So tell me, folks-- have you found any goodies lately? And if so, what have you uncovered?

• Speaking of red roses, if you missed Sunday's post of Green Thumbs and Purple Bruises, click here.

Or maybe you'll pop back again Sunday for our next post. I'd love to see you then.

Treasure Box Wednesday: Mini-Thrifting and CBS Pumps Pros of Secondhand

Did you know, you smart secondhand shopper, that you are a part of a growing trend in "hip" and sensible resale shopping? Well, apparently so, according to CBS News, anyway.

I was watching the evening news the other night, when the piece came on, discussing a couple of different ways people are able to get great, high-end items at bargain prices. The ones they mention include:

• Having clothes swapping parties (trade friends for wardrobe items they no longer want, and refresh your own wardrobe at the same time)
• Visiting thrift stores
• And hitting consignment shops

You start to suspect the world is suddenly on to what we knew along-- that thrifts, and other resale meccas are a great way to find terrific items at a good price!

The thing that struck me most, however, was how the news broadcast appears to spin it to the Gucci, Sachs, and other big-name-label crowd. Are we really getting the Gucci gals at the Goodwill... and the Sachs fans at Sally's?

Which prompts me to ask-- do you folks hit the thrifts, yard sales and flea markets for designer labels or other high-end items? I've found a few bigger name vintage purses in my travels, but I chose them originally because they were an eye-catching style and of noticeable quality.

If so, what sorts of things do you look for?

Now me, you all probably know by now I buy a lot more decorative and household items at thrifts than I buy clothes. And there was just a little bit of thrifting in that area this week...

These 40s/50s Turner floral prints!...


I got the pair at the Salvation Army thrift store, at just $3.99 a piece. Stylistically, they remind me of the soft colors of my Victorian postcards...


I'm such a sucker for a nice red rose!

But, hey, blue's lovely, too-- like with these pansies and forget-me-nots...


When you think about just how much it costs these days to have something framed, it's amazing to find two pre-framed prints for that price in this shape. So I was a pretty happy gal.

So tell me, folks-- have you found any goodies lately? And if so, what have you uncovered?

• Speaking of red roses, if you missed Sunday's post of Green Thumbs and Purple Bruises, click here.

Or maybe you'll pop back again Sunday for our next post. I'd love to see you then.

Treasure Box Wednesday: Cabin Fever Thrifting

After weeks of below zero temps and snow, this last Saturday threw us a curveball with temperatures in the 50s. So, emerging from my igloo and tossing off the mukluk, I gave the sled dogs the day off, and took the car for a spin down my favorite thrifting route.

It was one of those odd treasure-hunting days where it seems like anything you might collect was just there waiting-- and for a great price. My favorite item of the day was this unusual carnival/opalescent glass corn vase from the early 1900s...


Yes, it looks clear, and with a vague milk-glass opal sheen to it from some angles. But hold it up to the light and...


Pow! The corn reddens up as if it's ready to pop right there on the cob! From a little online research I did, the vase was made by the Northwood/Dugan glass company, which appears to have changed hands by about 1908. They did a number of these corn-shaped vases in different styles and colors. Mine is missing a little of its "husk" on the right-hand side, but I think it's still quite pretty.

And where do you you think I found this little gem? Well, at the Goodwill Thrift Store in Greensburg, PA! It just goes to show, you never know what you'll run across at a thrift.

I also found some Jeannette glass carnival bowls, a cup, saucer and one dinner plate, all in the "Anniversary" pattern I collect.


All of the pieces but one bowl came from the Goodwill in Irwin. The fourth bowl I picked up for $1 at the L&L Fleatique in Adamsburg.

I found this Imperial Glass centerpiece bowl in a Depression glass pink at the same Goodwill as the carnival plates...


I really had my hands full!

At the L&LL Fleatique I also found this excellent McCoy swan vase...


It goes well with some of the other pink vases I have from that time period.

And from the UFO in Greensburg, I got this nifty be-crystaled centerpiece bowl. I was looking for a more narrow one like this before Christmastime for my mantle, so next year, I'll be prepared. It matches some candlesticks I have.


Lastly, from the Good Samaritan Thrift Store in North Versailles came this nice wooden deco-style standing picture frame....


I have some ancestor photos (my real ancestors, actually) that I think would be nice in here.

So that was my productive weekend journey! I hope you all got to enjoy some warmer weather, too, and were able to give your resident huskies a weekend off. I don't think we're quite out of the North Pole yet, but it's been a nice reprieve.

• If you didn't catch last Sunday's post on Responsible Crafting, click here.

Otherwise, I hope to see you again soon!