Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Vintage Finds - still thrifted, cheap and free!

Flowers and herbs from my garden, thrifted milk glass vase 50 cents, thrifted fruit, and thrifted Rainbow stripes Pyrex (from my hubby $4.99)

Hit an AMAZING yard sale.  Got two working mid century fans for $4 each (one is for a friend). 

Same yard sale, Salt and Pepper!

My cute little Grandma made some more towels.  The silverware is my new favorite.  She used metallic thread.

My son thrifted this rare Pyrex promo for $7.99.  LOVE IT!

I sold some cheaply yard saled/thrfited items to an antique store and got this!

Love this tin....what is it about tins?  Thrifted for $1.99

My husband thrifted this glass....it's an inside joke.  I call my family "Juicy" as a term of endearment.  Like, "Oh, I love you so much you are so juicy!"

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Thrift and Yard Sale Shopping Tips


So you want to save money and find treasures.  Here's some tips to do just that!

1) Keep a list of what you are looking for.  It helps to keep things fresh in your mind.
2) Have a "cap price" set for what you want and stick to it
3)Get your family involved.  Thrifting and Yard Sales are something my whole family enjoys.  We  all know what each person is looking for and it's fun to find stuff for each other. It's also a great way to teach kids the value of money and how to be wise with spending.
4) Nothing is a bargain if you don't love it or will never use it.  Sometimes it's tempting to say, "But it's so cheap."  But if it's not gonna get used, you paid to much.

Thrift Store Specific:

1) Check often.  The stores put out new stuff every day.
2) Don't ignore the little guy.  Some of my best deals came from small shops with great prices.
3) Know the sales and deals.  Most stores have a color of the day that's discounted.  Many have deals of the day, etc.  Here are specifics for some of the bigger stores:

Value Village:  Sign up for a club card.  You will get emails on the 50% off days, get off on your Birthday, and you'll be eligible for lots of specials. There are also punch cards from time to time.  If you shop regularly and fill it up, you get 30% off a shopping trip.
Goodwill: Every Monday, the color of the week is $1.29.  That's for we recently purchased a like new, high end DVD player for $1.29.
4) If you REALLY want it, don't wait.  It's likely not to be there next time.
5)Don't over look things.  If you love something but it's in less than perfect shape, can you fix it?  I've purchased vintage Pyrex that looked like it had been in a house fire, and thus was cheaper.  I cleaned it up, and it's like new.  Clothing with missing buttons, minor repairs or stains that look like they can be removed are often worth the effort.  My husband recently found a pair of high end jeans at Value Village.  They were brand new, for $15.00, but when he tried them on, the zipper was broken.  I took it to the cashier, and asked her if she'd reduce it since the zipper didn't work, and she reduced the cost to $9.  Then, I used my 30% punch card and got them for $5.50.  Then I found a local seamstress who would repair the zipper for $10.  It was worth it.


Yard Sale Specific:

1) You can't tell from the road if it's good.  I've unearthed gold mines at what looked like crummy sales with not much stuff.
2) Always make an offer on an item that you think is priced to high.  Most of the time people are willing to lower it.
3) If you see alot of thing you like, group them and offer a price for all of it. 

If you are willing to take some time and effort, you can get great stuff for a fraction of the price!  Have fun :)

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Why Vintage?

Vintage Aprons

I typically blog about a core group of things...My faith, family values, gluten free living, and thrifted vintage decor.  Vintage is something I've gained interest in only in the last couple of years.  I'm not even really sure what started it.  Perhaps watching "American Pickers", but in any case there is more to it then just liking the colors or thinking it's cool.  Some of the stuff reminds me of my childhood.  As I get older, I appreciate the things of the past.  It also takes me back to a simpler time before life got so complicated with lots of electronics and technology.

Kitchen stuff seems to be the main attraction for me in Vintage.  It's because back in the 1940's-1970's no one did microwave meals (OK, maybe in the 70's).  They sat down for dinner and it was made with care.  The Vintage kitchenware reflects that.  Pyrex has lots of color, the juice is so much more fun being poured from a glass pitcher with oranges all over it, and matching glasses then out of a carton.  I realize not everyone gets that, and we live in a world of convenience, but for me, taking that extra time and using these Vintage objects means something.  It reflects my values of home and family.

And as far as "thrifting" the Vintage I find goes...that's easy.  I'm on a budget, and I value using money wisely.  I don't get something unless it's a great deal...even stuff I really need.  I believe in giving and tithing, and try to spend wisely for that reason too.  Part of the thrill of thrifting is finding what I love for cheap.  It's just not worth it otherwise.  If you are a thrifter, I'm sure you get that.  I have two complete sets of vintage dishes but the two together cost less then 1/2 of what I would pay for one set new.  That's a big deal to me.  It's also important to me that what I get, I actually use, not hoard.  I have things on display, but rotate and use it all.  That's part of the fun. This decor keeps alive my family values and makes home...home.

If you are into "Vintage" you can relate on some level to this blog post.  If not, maybe now you can get a glimpse of the appeal.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Vintage Home....Changing it up!

I love to get creative in little ways and change things up in the house.  And of course, it's gotta be thrifted and vintage.  I think the juices are flowing because my husband said he would paint the kitchen orange. 

I painted a black "enjoy" sign brown and moved an old TV tray under it in my kitchen

Thrfited this darling tin (tins and trays are a weakness)for $1.99.  It was disgustingly dirty and sticky...but I cleaned it up.

Juice glasses and containers (Yes, I use them!)

My daughter found this cute little shaker that adds retro pop.

Loving the Nasturtiums growing in the garden!

A cows and fruit on the table

New use for a Pyrex fridgie.  It holds my loose tea stuff!

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Pyrex Collective Post

A thrifted Pyrex freak like me?  you may want to check out the blog post @
www.pyrexcollective3.blogspot.com

1960's Diner Dishes

The pattern is Syralite by Syracuse 
Just had to share this.  My parents owned a restaurant with these wonderful dishes.  They are solid and heavy...that old diner dish feel...love it!  A year ago I ran across two dinner plates .69 cents each at VV.  I thought it was a once in a life time.  Then last month I found the creamer at Goodwill....and then two saucers at the Stilly.  I am determined to get enough to have dinner for 4 off the dishes from my childhood with parents in the restaurant business!

Tradition


We've had a July 4th tradition for the last 6 years.  Just the four of us go to the local parade, then we head to another small town, not far away and hang out at the park with live music and food, and then...Fireworks!  This year we decided to do something different, but when it came to the day...all of us (kids included) wanted to stick with tradition.  There is something about those simple traditions that just feels right.  And even though our kids are now 13 and 10, they still enjoy that time as a family.  We laughed and ate and just had alot of fun together.  I'm so glad that we did :)  Traditions with my family are something I'm so thankful for.  I'm also glad my kids still like to hang out with us!  Sure, they have friends over, and do stuff away from home...but they still like the times we spend together, and they know how to "Just be", which is very important to me.  I don't think it's healthy to raise children that have to "go" and "do" and "experience" all the time. There's got to be balance. Simple pleasures and relationships are where it's at.