hunting goodwill

 Yesterday, my appointments took me in the vicinity of a Goodwill Store

in Defiance, OH.

Seldom do I shop Goodwill locally.  The prices are too high;

too much of the merchandise is new.

 But this particular store was a pleasurable exception

to my local experiences.

 As you can see, I did not leave the store empty-handed!

couch-less

 Yes, we are.  Couch-less.

 After selling our $20 garage-sale find (sectional couch),

 I spread out the chairs in our living room

 and am just FINE with the results!

 I'm all over the chart with lighting in these photos....

but it gives you an idea of how we're living!

All chairs except for the large leather Man Chair

were garage sale or thrift store finds. 

 Well, not this rocking chair.  It belonged to my grandparents.

I even called this backless, rustic chair into service!
Turned it around so the flat side was against the wall.
(There are multiple pillows to hold since we are couch-less.)

As you can tell,
I have a THING for chairs.

refuge coffee house

 I like coffee, old brick, and rich colors...

 I love my husband...

 I like coffee houses with unique ambiance...

 and the "little things" that say "Welcome"...

 I like interiors and paintings on the wall...

 and old, wooden furniture...

 I like leather...

 welcoming spaces...

 and tables and chairs...

 I'd probably like open mic nights (though I'm not sure)...

so is it any wonder that I found this coffee house on the town square

in Carlinville  IL a delightful place to pass an hour or so

while waiting to go to the evening's visitation

for my mother-in-law who died last Saturday?

The coffee was great.

The food choices were tempting.

The sight of our son when he arrived was like

the addition of cream to one's coffee (if you like cream).

Refuge.
A good name for THIS one!

recreational reading

 I spent a couple of hours of Recreational Reading

at Barnes and Noble yesterday afternoon.
As much as I enjoy the pleasures of blogging,
there's STILL something about paging through a magazine....

 My "take-home" were these photographic notes to myself

with ideas of how to incorporate a few of my existing accessories

into Christmas decorating this year.

I sold many of my brass candle holders this past year.  

I THINK I might have enough

to hold a few of the vintage tree toppers I have

(if I can find them - candle holders AND tree toppers).

I'm going to be on the lookout for stray goblets.

I thought this assemblage was simply gorgeous...

 (¯`•.•´¯)¸.•´ ☆
.`•.¸¸.•

One other idea I gleaned was to stick some fresh greens

into artificial wreaths.  

(This one appealed to me since I have many artificial wreaths
and little extra money for fresh.)

How will YOU be incorporating existing accessories into your Christmas decor?

new life for old

 Who says there aren't curbside treasures still waiting to be found?

 A repair to a crack across the top,

 the addition of some white pulls,

 and some home-made chalk paint, lightly distressed and waxed

gave new life to this sweet little half-round table. 
Oh!  It looks even BETTER inside!

 

everyday fashion

This morning:  A thrifted T, belt and necklace...

topped with a thrifted brown denim jacket...

wearing a thrifted, Jones corduroy skirt

and photographed via a thrifted mirror.

Style doesn't get MUCH thriftier than this!

Well, actually, yes it does.

I wore the same outfit yesterday.

I don't plan to see the same set of people today.

(Not that it would matter.) 

Do YOU ever wear the same outfit two days in a row?

While wearing the outfit yesterday, I stopped at a garage sale.
It was being set up as I shopped...
I couldn't resist this frame.
 It's a BIG one.

seller's remorse

I definitely had it - seller's remorse, that is!

My husband took a $2 (or was it $4) find

and found this incredible design under the brown paint 

which he then proceeded to carefully remove.

He crafted a door to replace the missing one.

I listed it on a facebook garage sale at a rather high price (I thought)

thinking it wouldn't sell

and then I could keep it.

It didn't happen that way.  Maybe I should have asked more for it!

shoes

Well, I broke in my new old Aerosoles today.

The combination of a just-right heel height

and comfortable inners

made my $1.50 purchase at one of my favorite thrift stores earlier this week

a good decision.

The shoes were like new--very few signs of ANY wear.

Not everyone is comfortable wearing used shoes,

but I have done so for many, many years with no regrets.

The savings REALLY add up!

bazaar-ing

 Doors opened at the first Bazaar at 8:00.  I was up and ready before light dawned!

My friend arrived, and we started our Holiday Bazaar tour,

beginning with one in our small village

and then to two others in a nearby small town.

 While the main items were homemade crafts and baked goods,

I was ecstatic to find several curtain panels

made of vintage barkcloth (above).

 Children in the Sunday School at one church made nativity ornaments like the one above

which was worth the price just for the pattern!

I think I'm going to have supplies with me when we meet with our 11 grandchildren
later this month so that each one can

 make one to hang on their 2013 Christmas tree.

The way home took us past a large moving sale.

The frame was on the free table right inside the entrance. 

I grabbed it!

 And though not a strong cake-baker,

I couldn't pass up these two vintage cake carriers.

($1 each)

 The beautiful pink table cloth has only one small flaw in it.

Half a dollar purchased much pink pleasure.

 And the vintage Jim Bean decanter matches another one I have

 packed away SOMEwhere here at Gatescroft...

Finally, this retro chair caught my eye.  It was almost free!

Another chair for my collection.

Bazaar-ing with a friend was a great way to spend a cloudy, autumn morning!