patience, skill, industry

Thanks to my husband's patience, skill, and industry!
These qualities are essential to a lifestyle of thrift, I've found.
He's got all three.
I'm still working on a couple of them.

 Much better, too!

if i were buying "new"...

 Here I am - taking a picture of myself reflected in a very cool mirror

 at Real Deals Home Decor in Roanoke, IN.
(I think this MIGHT be a "chain"/franchise?????)

 If I was inclined to buy "new", I'd have to begin here for accessories!

The prices are reasonable, 

 the designs interesting and unique;

the colors exciting!

It was a fun place to spend time with a friend after lunch today,

and I gathered a few ideas for incorporating some of my

thrifted treasures into my Personal Home Decor.
(Am I the only person who does this?)

thimbles, threads and tools of the trade

 You'll see that it has been difficult for me to pass up a good buy on used sewing baskets!

 Most have come with an assortment of sewing supplies.

My mother visited me yesterday, and we spent a few hours sorting...

 and trying to tie up the loose ends of a tangled mess of threads.

 What to do with the assortment?

I have NO idea.

They're still sitting in the wooden bowls I separated them into.

I seldom sew, but the presence of ample supplies seems to bring me some sort of satisfaction...

...more tools of the trade...

big trash day

 When rumors of Big Trash Day in a neighboring small town crossed our radar,

hubby and I headed out just as the sun was rising this morning.

Apparently we were a little late!

The garbage truck had already been through one section of town;

trash cans stood empty with their lids flapping behind them.

 

These two items were all we could scrounge up.

I'm not complaining.  I've already cleaned the four cushions which will

work just fine on a few chairs I have.

The vintage telephone desk will take a little more work.

Someone must have cut a hole in the top to use as a planter.

Since I don't "plant", I'll have to figure out a creative way to treat it.

Any ideas?

mirrors again

 

Mirrors no matter how big or how small expand horizons and add depth and are one of the easiest decorating tools around, it amazes me how under used they are.  So says Abigail Ahern, a very creative, down-to-earth, and enthusiastic interior decorator who generously shares her knowledge and style on her website and blog.

 Encouraged by Abigail's words, I took a photographic tour 

through two rooms in our home.

 As you can see, I am NOT one who "underuses" mirrors!

 Mirrors definitely "expand horizons" and "add depth" around here!

ALL of the mirrors in my house were purchased at garage sales or thrift stores.

(And as you can see, I am NOT a minimalist when it comes to home style.)

Do you have a favorite mirror in YOUR house? 

A Finished Project

 Some of you may remember the project we undertook

to turn an old, beat-up box into an attractive leggy chest.

 Well, this is the end product.

We learned a lot from this transformation.

I'll be interested to find out whether the gal who had expressed an interest in it

is happy with the finished product, or if I get to keep it!

garage sale

 My husband called me on his way to work alerting me to a "pretty big" garage sale.

I threw a jacket over my everyday dress (yes, it was kind of cool still)

and raced to get there.

 The portraits are really large.  He was selling them "for the frames", 

They had been done in the Philippines years ago .  The seller said he thought the artist did a good job with his wife's,
 but that he came out looking more Philippine than American!

WhatEVER!  I really, really like them.

I also purchased this large, rotating shop tray

just because I liked it.

And also this heavy, brass "sign".

My husband will pick up the $10 chest of drawers that I bought on his way home from work.

In my excitement to load the portraits, I think I may have left

a copper watering can lying on the ground.

Sure hope the sellers find it and think to give it to my husband when he stops in later!

I seldom "do" garage sales.  I'm glad I did THIS time.

 Oops.  The lost is found.  It was on the floor in the back seat of my car.

from inspiration to transformation

 This box caught my eye the minute I saw it a month or so ago.

I find old wooden boxes hard to resist, but there is a limit to how many a person needs....

It sat taking up space in our garage until I had a brainstorm over the weekend.

Fortunately, I have a live-in HandyMan to convert ideas into realities.

NOW we're talkin'!

The drawer was missing on an old side table we'd picked up somewhere,

so he unfastened the legs and attached them to the box.

I'll post the finished product after paint & other finishing touches.

(I think it may already be sold.)

My Way with Brown and Grey

 Shopped the Closet (and drawers & jewelry boxes) this morning

while dressing for church.  

The long strand of amber beads fills in the neckline of a shirt

I bought at a thrift store many moons ago.

Multiple amber bracelets and some comfortable brown shoes

complete the accessories.

(And would you believe I'm wearing all this with a grey skirt?)

In Lieu of Fireworks...

 I don't spend money on fireworks...

 instead, I celebrated the 4th of July eve by spending $2.56 at my Second Favorite Thrift Store.

 It's in a nearby town where my husband works out over the noon hour....

 so today I tagged along, shopped, and then we ate at a small Chinese restaurant 

in the same town.

 These were my purchases along with a large cribbage board

which I can't find at the moment.

 In addition to this large, blue plant-waterer (which have never worked for me),

I also came home with two smaller ones - blue and green.

I use them for "pretty" in our yard.

Not a thing I "needed", but some fun items that will

bring me much more pleasure than sparklers or crackers!

thrifty decorating 4 the 4th

Above - a thrift store find.  Small commemorative glass tray.

Below - a wooden folk art heart.

I really thought I was more careful to write down where I stored our 4th of July 

decorations when I put them away last year.  But I seem to have forgotten WHERE I wrote it down..

 So this will have to suffice--what you see is what you get!

The t-shirt I'm wearing today was purchased last year (or the year before)

after the 4th.  $1, if I remember correctly.

(I've tucked a few blue stripes into my jean skirt, so they're not so visible;
and a bit of the glitter has washed away from the stars, etc.
but you get the gist of it....)

I decided I could tuck this flag (thrift store or garage sale purchase)

into the wreath made of old bed springs.

These hang on free shutters found curbside.

Happy Fourth of July to you!

It couldn't get much thriftier here.

Getting creative with what's on hand.